The Lake of Fire - PART II THE REAL ORIGIN OF SIN I heard a world-famous televangelist say in his sermon that it was never God's intention that Adam and Eve disobey His command and sin by eating of the forbidden tree. Most Christians would agree. They think God did not want Adam to sin; and Adam did not need to sin. If Adam had not sinned, we would all be living in a giant Garden of Eden to this very day. We would be in perfect health, there would be no sorrow, we would have pleasure twenty-four hours a day, we would never die, we would be happy and God too would be happy. If Adam had shown just a little restraint the world wouldn't be in the giant mess it is in today. Oh really? Well, why then didn't Adam exercise restraint? What went wrong? Did the first humans malfunction? Was there a flaw in their original design? God was the Designer; is God to blame? Not according to Christendom. Is He at least responsible? Not according to Christendom. But why not? Now listen carefully. Here is wisdom beyond its years. When a scientist creates an experiment or machine that malfunctions, is he responsible for the malfunction? Yes. Does he hold the experiment or machine responsible? No. Does he hold God responsible? No. Okay. Now then, according to Christendom, when God creates an experiment or machine that malfunctions, is He responsible for the malfunction? No. Does He hold the experiment or machine responsible? Yes. Does He hold man responsible? Yes. See the wisdom? I have just shown you one reason why God calls the WISDOM of this world STUPIDITY!
First, Christendom assumes that God's creation of humans malfunctioned -- it did NOT! Second, they assume that God is not responsible and does not take responsibility -- He DOES! One unscriptural assumption added to another unscriptural assumption does not equal a Bible Truth! Few indeed have ever stopped long enough to consider that just maybe God intended for the world to be in the hellish mess that we find it. Not for all eternity, but for the present, for a period of time, for a great purpose. It just seems so wrong to Christian thought to believe that God would have purposed such an evil and unhappy world. But look at the alternative. Are we to believe that God tried (albeit unsuccessfully) to make a good creation, but was unaware of its potential to run amok? And ever since, God must therefore either lack the love for humanity to straighten it out, or He lacks the power and ability. But either way it disowns God's sovereignty and presents us with a God Who either CANNOT or WILL NOT STOP THE INSANITY! They would have us believe that God's solution to rid the world of sin and evil is to torture most of humanity in fire for all eternity. The whole idea is blasphemous. If a carnal-minded human can take responsibility for an invention that malfunctions, I submit that God is bigger and more responsible than puny man. Be it known to all that God takes full responsibility for His creation, and absolutely nothing in His creation is malfunctioning. Here's the proof: If a thousand Christians were given the assignment to write an essay describing the world as it was after God completed it, but before man sinned, I am positive that we would get one thousand essays describing the unbelievable beauty, harmony, and perfection of all creation including man and beast. However, would such essays be based on the Scriptures? Let's look at a little understood Scripture.
Wow! Did you know that Scripture is in the Bible? Have you ever meditated at length on its meaning? This one Scripture does much damage to Christian doctrine. From a strictly carnal-minded approach, this Scripture is devastating. Let's see what these words entail from Strong's GREEK DICTIONARY OF THE NEW TESTAMENT:
The force of these verses in Rom. 8:20-22 is inescapable. It was God HIMSELF Who subjected the whole creation to vanity, and He didn't ask anyone's permission before He did it. And it is only God Himself Who will deliver the whole creation from the bondage of corruption, pain, and suffering. Make no mistake about it: God is the Creator of evil, and He takes full responsibility for the deliverance from the consequences of all the evils that have caused the creation to "groan and travail in PAIN until NOW" as Paul describes. God takes responsibility for the temporary failures of creation so that He can take all the credit and glory for its successes. And most of the glory that God will receive is from the glory that He gives to all mankind. It was not possible for Satan NOT TO SIN -- he was created for the express purpose of being God's Adversary, and so, of course, he was a sinner "FROM THE BEGINNING"! It was not possible for Adam and Eve NOT TO SIN -- they were created for the express purpose of being molded into the "image of God;" and so of course, they had to eat of the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil or they would have NEVER reached this first spiritual step in becoming LIKE GOD (in His IMAGE,) a step of paramount DIVINE REQUISITE:
Knowing "good and evil" is one of the most essential requisites in being formed in the image of God. To truly "know" both good and evil they HAD to partake of its source, which was the "TREE of the knowledge of good and evil," which then DEMANDED that they SIN in order to obtain this "knowledge." NO OTHER TREE IN THE GARDEN POSSESSED THIS NEEDED KNOWLEDGE! And so it was GOD, and none other than GOD, Who intended from the beginning that Satan and man SIN! That does not make God a sinner, for a sin is a "mistake," a "missing of the mark," a "falling short of the glory of God," and God has NEVER MADE A MISTAKE OR FALLEN SHORT OF TOTAL PERFECTION! God knew what He was doing and how things would turn out BEFORE He created ANYTHING! "Declaring the end from the beginning..." (Isa. 46:10). Satan and man are "accountable" for their sins, because they sinned willingly from their heart, but God takes "responsibility" for their sins, and therefore had already provided them a Saviour BEFORE the foundation of the world:
Is anyone so naive and blind as to believe that God had prepared a Lamb, a Sacrifice, His SON, to be slain for the sins of the world at a time when theologians would have us believe God didn't even KNOW there was shortly coming such a thing as SIN? God knew; God is smart! It was God Who created the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It was God Who placed it right in the middle of the garden to catch Eve's eye. It was God Who made the tree particularly attractive and desirable. It was God who placed in the humans the desires and passions that would CAUSE them to partake of the forbidden fruit. It was God who placed Satan the serpent in the garden to tempt Eve and fill her head with the glories of enlightenment. It was God Who had ALREADY made preparation for their salvation through the slain Lamb of God. Only ignorant and foolish theologians would ever charge God of being ignorant of the conduct and behavior of His own creation. It was not the temptation or deception entering INTO Eve that caused her to sin and bring separation from her Creator and God. It was what was already in her that caused her to sin. Proof:
Did you notice that last phrase "...and did eat"? It was not the "eating" of the fruit that made her a sinner -- she had ALREADY sinned by looking, lusting, and fantasizing about her potential wisdom. It was AFTER she sinned that she "did eat." The good news is that all of our suffering is for a grand purpose and will ultimately bring huge rewards. Just two verses before, Paul tells us how God subjected the whole creation to these many evils and he gives us this comforting thought:
ONLY GOD IS RESPONSIBLE I am going to cover considerable Scriptural material in this series that many may not think directly relates to the Lake of Fire-Second Death. Trust me, it does. It will be of little value for me to just technically prove from the Scriptures that God does not eternally torture anyone in the lake of fire-second death, or anywhere else for that matter. In the light of today's spiritual darkness and global apostasy, it is most needful to understand some basic spiritual truths before launching into a word-for-word explanation of the dozen or so verses related to the lake of fire-second death. We will do that, but before we do, we are going to learn a great deal about God, life, death, the Scriptures, the purpose for our existence, and the destiny of the whole human race. All in one paper? I'll try to hit the high spots. Most Christians have a one-sided and often evil concept of judgment. They think of it primarily as a negative and horrible thing that wicked people must go through before being sentenced to some fabled fiery hellhole of torture and eternal damnation. Judgment is not reserved exclusively for the wicked, nor is it a one-sided sentence of doom. There are many problems with the orthodox teaching of judgment. Much emphasis is placed on a few Scriptures taken out of the context of all of God's counsel regarding judgment. The subject is too large even for this paper. However, I will try to present both sides of judgment. Judgment has both a positive and a negative side. That, is judgment itself contains both. The result of the two faces of judgment, however, I am happy to report, will not perpetuate the dual masks of comedy and tragedy for all eternity, but rather a "smiley face" for all. If people could only see that God is not a carnal-minded human as themselves. He is GOD -- The Great Creator, Sustainer, and Saviour of all -- GOD! God has a plan, a procedure, and a purpose for this creation. Precious few have even a basic understanding of what it is. Nothing in creation is out of control from God's perspective. Nothing ever surprises God or catches Him off guard. God does not view the activity of His creation from His celestial vantage point unaware of what people will do next. God knows all in advance. God doesn't just know what "will" happen in the future, He causes all that will happen in the future. God IS the future. God is the Alpha and the Omega -- He IS the beginning; He IS the end, and nothing can be different from what God says MUST BE. We have got to get away from the "God allows certain things" mentality and syndrome. God CREATES, God DESTROYS, God HEALS, God KILLS, God CAUSES, God BRINGS ABOUT, God SAVES. God does not "allow" things that He has not foreordained to be! This popular doctrine among the religions of the world is utter unscriptural foolishness. The teaching suggests that man does things that God had no previous knowledge of, does not approve of, wishes would have never happened, but nonetheless, He "allows" them. Certainly He "allows" them in as much as He does not "disallow" them, but this still begs the question as to their true origin. God is the Creator, not Satan.
Does this also include EVIL?
There are many many things in life that are very hard to accept and deal with in our weakened spiritual state. I cannot, after all this time, get the images of the Twin Towers collapsing on thousands of people, out of my mind. Or maybe even worse, the men, women and children in the four planes that knew they were destined to a violent disintegration in fire! I get teary-eyed every time I think of it. It is extremely traumatic to contemplate. And now another shuttle disaster! One at the hands of evil terrorists; the other an accident, fate, providence? But what is gained by trying to take all of these things out of the realm of God's responsibility? God and God only has the "ability-to-respond." Man is not running God's creation, God is. How can anyone doubt it? We all have our own personal financial, health, social, mental, and spiritual trials in addition to thousands of other problems in our home, community, state, nation and world which can easily overwhelm us if we are not well grounded. Do we think all these things just invented themselves and brought themselves into existence? I tell you No; these are all the design of an all-wise God. People freely admit that God knows every sparrow that falls, the individual names of one hundred billion billion stars, and the number of hairs on five and one half billion people's head at any given second of the day, but that He is, nonetheless, just not concerned with the smaller details of your life. FATE OF THE SHUTTLE VICTIMS Let's reflect for a moment on the Space Shuttle. It was heart-wrenching to say the least in realizing that there were seven astronauts in that shuttle which we all watched dozens of times from different videos tracking its re-entry. Some of them on board were professed Christians. But for sure one, Col. Ilan Ramon, was a Jew who did not profess Jesus as His Saviour. So when the rubber hits the road, where does Christian doctrine stand on Col. Ramon's eternal destiny? Did not all of Israel show extreme remorse over their fallen Son and Hero? Yes they did -- I saw them myself! Did peoples from all around the world show remorse for his death? Yes they did. Did people all over America show remorse and profound sorrow over his death (along with the others, of course?) Yes, we all saw it on national TV. Did you show remorse for this Jewish Astronaut who gave his life in service to his country? I am sure you did. And I can testify to the fact that I certainly did and still do. Regardless of his religious affiliation, was not Col. Ramon a brave, smart, loving, astronaut and family man? Now then, what about God? Does God love Col. Ramon as much as his family, friends, and country did? What happens to fine young Jewish men like Col. Ramon when they die without accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour? According to Christian theology, where is Col. Ramon now that he is dead? You will now see some of the reasons why I breathe and why I write these papers. A FAMOUS THEOLOGIAN'S VIEW OF THE GOSPEL Christendom teaches that when a person dies in his sins, without repenting or accepting Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, that person is then doomed to the damnation of the fires of hell for all eternity! And it matters not whether that person was a loving husband, a loving father, or a fearless hero for his nation. According to this immutable Christian doctrine of eternal torment, Col. Ramon is right now burning and suffering unspeakable torture in the fires of some eternal hell. Why? Because he was Jewish and not Christian by religion, that's why. Would these Christian theologians and preachers get on international television and tell their audiences that since Col. Ramon was Jewish that he is now burning in the fires of an eternal hell, and that God will never, ever let him out or ever show the slightest mercy on him? Not in a million years. Does anyone believe that the words "hypocrite" and "coward" are inappropriate here? Let me give you a few quotations regarding the gospel from world famous preacher, teacher, author, and theologian, Dr. James Kennedy. All italics are Dr. Kennedy's.
The above quotations are from a Sermon by James Kennedy, A.B., M.Div., M.Th., D.D., D.Sac.Lit., PhD., Litt.D., D.Sac.Theol., D.Humane Let., entitled: What About Those Who Have Never Heard? Without a doubt, this is the most blasphemous and evil sermon I have ever heard in my 62-year life! But are we not learning that even these bad sermons that blaspheme God's character are also God's intention? His greatest enemies and adversaries always included "the shepherd," the "Scribes," the "priests," and those inimitable religious leaders in every era -- The Pharisees! I thought that it was fitting and a nice gesture of our President to state that although the astronauts did not make it back to earth, his prayer was that they are "ALL SAFELY HOME!" He is of the Christian faith, but he did not assign Col. Ramon to the fires of hell for his Jewish non-Christian faith. I believe there are many Christians that wouldn't touch the despicable doctrines of a James Kennedy with a ten foot pole. It's true; they are safely home. They are all in God's keeping. They are all asleep (there are dozens of Scriptures that say that the dead are sleeping until resurrection) awaiting the resurrection of the dead. And those that were not believers will be judged. That judging will involve the lake of fire which is the second death. But does that mean that Col. Ramon and any other nonbelievers will be tortured for all eternity? Remember that fateful day when all of our hearts went out to Col. Ramon's and his six companions? Remember how that NASA and our whole nation would have done ANYTHING at ANY expense if we could have saved them? Remember how you felt? But the big question to answer now is how will GOD feel when Col. Ramon stands before the judgment seat of Christ? Will God hate Col. Ramon for being deceived and not accepting Christ as his Saviour? Will God teach Col. Ramon His truths so that he too can know the Truth (Jesus) and be set free? Or will He throw Col. Ramon (along with ALL his Jewish family members and the WHOLE NATION of Jesus rejecting Jews) into a lake of fire that will torture their flesh with steel-melting fire for all eternity? Do the high priests of Christendom really have Scriptures that contradict the hundred or so Scriptures I have quoted in this present paper? Is there a single Scripture in the entirety of the Bible that actually says God will torture anyone for all eternity? There is NO such Scripture and NO such thought. You will all see the proof before this series is finished. The fate of Col. Ramon according to the teaching of Christendom is inescapable. Since he rejected Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, he is right now this minute screaming his guts out in the fires of hell in agonizing pain and terror far worse than the horrors of his space shuttle breaking up and burning upon re-entry into the earth's atmosphere! That, my dear readers, is what their teaching demands. Will Col. Ramon go from burning up in reentry, to burning in hell until judgment, and then be transferred to the lake of fire to burn for all eternity? Is this mercy's destiny? This is unscriptural insanity. I am not out of touch with the realities of real life. I would be happy to swap war stories with any of you. I know that there are many things in life that are hard, and painful, and difficult to endure. Why are these things here, who is responsible, and where will it all end? There is a way to understand these things from God's perspective. He has not left us in the dark as to the source, meaning, and purpose of all the evil in the world today even though things are often difficult to emotionally and spiritually accept. I do not hesitate to add, however, that there are also many wonderful and beautiful and loving things in the world as well. I trust most of us don't have too much trouble dealing with the beautiful and loving side of life. It is the painful side of our human experience that is sometimes difficult to believe has a reasonable purpose for its existence. Even our Lord, Who was involved in the creation of all things (Col. 1:15-20), and knew the purpose of all things (Eph. 1:11), and knew that He was to be the Savior of all mankind (I Tim. 2:4), and the Saviour of all creation from vanity, slavery, and corruption (Rom. 8:21), nonetheless, when seeing Jerusalem headed for utter destruction because of rejecting Him and His gospel, He WEPT over it (Luke 19:41!) God has pity on weak and foolish humanity, whom He Himself has created that way. Either God Himself is the Creator of good and evil and all that is and will bring about a total healing, restoration, and perfection of all there is, or, God is not the Creator of good and evil and all that is, and therefore is not responsible for the mess the world is in today which supposedly will end with most of humanity going to hell in a hand basket to suffer -- insanely suffer -- for ALL ETERNITY! All Scripture and sanity itself tells us the former is the Truth. Christendom and insanity tells us that the latter is the truth. DID GOD CREATE AN UNPREDICTABLE WORLD? Here is one of the most profound Scriptural Truths that you will ever learn. GOD is the originator and Creator of the entire universe and everything that is in it! GOD is responsible for the entire universe and everything that is in it! And to say otherwise is both unscriptural and foolishness. There are only three possibilities as to why things are the way they are;
When we understand these things we will understand the lake of fire and second death, and a thousand other things that happen in our lives today as well as in the lives of all humanity since Mother Eve! THREE POSSIBLE ANSWERS
WHENCE SATAN THE DEVIL? According to Christendom, Satan created himself. He was supposedly a perfect archangel and then CHANGED HIMSELF INTO A DEVIL. Is this Scripturally true? Who created Satan?
Can the high priests of Christendom ever get anything Scripturally correct? They cite Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 (I will write a paper on these two chapters in the near future) as proof that Satan was once a perfect and glorious archangel. They claim that a PERFECT AND GLORIOUS LIGHT-BRINGING ARCHANGEL CHANGED HIMSELF INTO SATAN THE DEVIL, whereas we just read in the divine, inspired, infallible Word of God that contrariwise, it is SATAN THE DEVIL WHO HAS TRANSFORMED HIMSELF INTO A PERFECT AND GLORIOUS ANGEL OF LIGHT! The Scriptures teach the diametric opposite from what Christendom is teaching. But it is mandatory that they teach this lie, because it is mandatory that they deny every Scripture that says GOD CREATED EVIL or EVIL CREATURES! It doesn't fit their theology. They must find a way that allows God to torture billions of people in fire without being evil Himself or even responsible for doing so. The origin of sin and evil must be placed on the creature rather than the Creator. This way the creature is responsible for everything and the Creator is responsible for nothing! And so it is stated that men CHOOSE to go into the lake of fire and suffer eternal pain, and God's hands are tied by a doctrine that Satan has planted into the hearts of all men everywhere. An idol of the heart of such magnitude that men will DIE to preserve it. Deceived humanity has perceived this idol to be of the greatest value of anything that can ever reside in the heart of man including the Holy Spirit of God! And just what is it, specifically, that gave this fictitious archangel the ability to metamorphose himself into a devil? Which thing also then permits God to torture humanity eternally in fire, without it being His fault? Which thing also empowers man with the ability to thwart the VERY WILL OF GOD ALMIGHTY? THE ILLUSION OF FREE WILL Here it is, the magical source of man's imagined deity. It is, of course, "HUMAN FREE WILL." Or, as in the case with Satan, "SATANIC FREE WILL." And just what is human and satanic free will? It is a fictitious power that Satan and all humans imagine they have, which gives them the power to make choices that have NO CAUSE. Do not mistake what I have said. Choice is not the power to MAKE choices. We all have that power. Choice is a power of the brain, mind, and spirit. It is a logical functioning mechanism. Even a sophisticated computer can "make choices" based on other data at its disposal contained in its memories. But making choices is not ... I repeat is NOT, judging, determining or selecting something BASED ON NOTHING!!! The first edict of the physical universe is "CAUSE AND EFFECT." There cannot be an effect anywhere in the universe, on earth, in a laboratory under strict controls, or in the mind of a human being that does not have A CAUSE! It is axiomatic! It is not debatable! It is a LAW OF GOD! And therefore, the most lawless of all lawless conceptions possible is that man can make choices and decisions that are NOT BROUGHT INTO EXISTENCE BY EITHER INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL CAUSES AND FORCES!!! It is, in fact, an attempt at nihilism of the very laws of physics. And so theologians, philosophers, and the world's greatest wisdom thinkers would have us believe that free will is a power even greater than God Himself, seeing that even God does not think things, or create things from NOTHING! God does NOT operate the universe by decisions based on nothing and therefore having no cause.
Nor does God create things out of NOTHING:
So creation is "IN Christ," but "OUT of God." Not out of "nothing." The universe consists of the things of God's already eternally existing SELF. God is SPIRIT (John 4:24). And what is matter but invisible spiritual power and energy?
There it is. God made everything out of things that DO NOT APPEAR [invisible things] not out of things that do appear [physical things], and this is because GOD HIMSELF IS INVISIBLE!
God follows His own spiritual laws. "Free will" sounds like a marvelous and magical thing -- it is rather, however, the god of stupidity. It is the height of man's foolishness and human wisdom. It is both ungodly and unscriptural! It is an affront to the Sovereignty of God. Man and Satan are not deities that can operate independently of the Creator! The theory is a hoax, a farce, a sham. Its only reality is as an IDOL OF THE HEART which will be burned out of every son whom God scourges. Of course all theologians are quick to point out that man does not possess total free will. Man's will is obviously limited we are told. Oh really? So it is "limited free will" that Satan and all humans possess, is it? Does no one ever bother to question the contradictions of Christian doctrine?
Does everyone know the meaning of the word "contradiction?" Only Satan could convince otherwise intelligent people that they have a "limited" -- restricted, "free" -- without restriction "will." For sure man has a will; however, it is anything but FREE!
"To will" requires a "work" of GOD! We all choose as we choose because there are things and forces and situations by the millions beyond anyone's control that CAUSE US TO CHOOSE AS WE DO! It matters not that you cannot see or feel the cause. It is there and it does its work on you. And when causes make you choose, then that particular choice could not have ever been otherwise. God is the great CAUSE of all there is. I know Christians by the hundreds of millions deny it and deny God's Word that teaches it. That unbelief and lack of faith, however, does not change the facts of God's Word or the laws of physics. That God creates good and peace there is no question. That
There is also no question about it among Christians. That God is the creator of evil and preordained the sin of Adam, however, is believed by virtually no one. And so it is that neither man nor Satan can do anything contrary to the intention of God. God has a will that includes a final destiny of total perfection of His whole creation. God has set man and Satan (his very name means adversary) AGAINST HIS OWN WILL for a period of time. But during this period when everyone goes against God's will, God INTENDS them to do so. And when God no longer "intends" for there to be any more adversaries or enemies opposing Him or His will, He will remove all such opposition (See I Cor. 15:21-28). ALL OF GOD'S WILL, WILL THEN BE DONE! Therefore it should come as no shock to us when we learn that even the destruction and crucifixion of His own Son was God's INTENTION from before He even created the world: The Kings of the earth stood up, and the Rulers were gathered together against the LORD, and against HIS CHRIST.
And so we see that ultimately, behind the scenes, it was really God the Father Who planned and brought about the Crucifixion of His Own Son! We are all accountable for the death of His Son, because He died on OUR BEHALF and for OUR SINS which we voluntarily sinned, but it is God Himself Who is RESPONSIBLE for His Son's Death. And God takes responsibility. And He takes responsibility for EVERYTHING that happens in His creation and universe! Therefore God will bring all things back to restoration and perfection. It is so sad that this grand truth is so violently opposed by the enemies of the Cross. There are three Scriptural reasons for this evil doctrine of eternal torture in a lake of fire:
The inconsonant, incongruous, inconsistent teachings of Christendom are bewildering. All my life I have heard that God hates SIN, not the SINNER. Why then, according to Christendom, doesn't God save the sinner and abolish the sin? Wasn't that the purpose of God in the first place? "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes [Greek: 'is taking'] away the SIN OF THE WORLD" (John 1:29). "And He is the propitiation [to be favorably inclined to the sinner because of the sacrifice for him -- merciful] for OUR sins: and not for ours only, but also THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD" (I John 2:2). As Christ died for the sake of all sinners and paid the penalty for all the sins of the whole world, why does Christendom teach that these same sinners for which Christ died must still be tortured for eternity? Now don't all e-mail me at once, telling me that they go to hell in a hand basket because they DID NOT REPENT OF THEIR SINS for which Christ died. It is concluded by modern religious theory that most of humanity have DIED IN THEIR SINS, neither having repented nor accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour. And this is their simple (albeit totally unscriptural) answer as to why most of the human race will be tortured in a hellhole of fire for all eternity! For they know not the Scriptures, nor the Plan of God, nor the Wisdom of God, nor the Power of God, nor the Sensibility of God, nor the LOVE OF GOD. I know that many people think I am too hard on Christian heresy. That's because I love them. Would you not show a little "hard" tough love to your children if they were taking mind-destroying DRUGS? Well it is my opinion that Christian heresies are mind-destroying drugs as well. This ministry is a love/hate ministry -- love for all God's creatures and hate for all the spiritual mind-destroying heretical drugs out there on the streets and on the air waves around the world. Trust me when I say: When one learns the Truth about our All Wise, All Powerful, All Loving God, the unscriptural theories regarding an eternal hellhole of eternal torture will vanish like the dew in the morning sun. I believe there will be some who will already come to know the truth about the lake of fire-second death long before we ever get to chapters 20 and 21 of Revelation. Before we get there I want to teach you a few things about God and His love for humanity. NEVER FORGET THE 'LORD'S PRAYER' I am now going to give you a Scripture to ponder while you read the remaining installments of this paper. A Scripture that most clergymen avoid like the plague. A Scripture that even if they quote it, they will not explain it. A Scripture that debunks the heresy that a sin against an infinite God demands infinite punishment. A Scripture that should shut the mouths of all those who continually condemn me for ever suggesting that God will eventually save all sinners, even the Hitlers and Bundys of the world. A Scripture that proves God loves sinners even while they are yet sinners. A Scripture that proves one doesn't have to prove himself "worthy" of God's love before God gives His love. A Scripture that proves God knows in advance that He will save the very worst of sinners and indeed ALL sinners long before they ever even think of repenting. First we have to find the world's worst sinners -- no, even worse than you. Check these out:
Now then, are you ready for the Scripture? Are these cruel murderers of the very Son of God evil enough to be counted the worst of the worst sinners who have ever drawn breath? Even more evil than Ted Bundy? First, does anyone doubt that God the Father ALWAYS heard Christ's prayers?
Okay then, here's the Scripture:
But before our Saviour died, He prayed this prayer:
Meditate on that verse for a few hours -- or years! My prayer is that not one person reading this paper will ever forget this verse and Christ's prayer for the forgiveness of the world's worst of the worst sinners, before any of them even thought to repent. Now if any of you, in your holier-than-thou self-righteousness, feel that you had no part in the death of your own Saviour, Who died for you and your sins, you will still have to contend with the fact that God honored Christ's prayer by forgiving those who did, literally, crucify Him, before they ever repented or accepted Him as their Lord and Saviour. Do you think that just maybe our Lord knows something about the future judgment of these, as of yet unrepentant murderers, that is not taught in Christendom today? "FORGIVE THEM, for they know not what they do." Was this just a benevolent gesture on Christ's part that has no real meaning? Do we believe that Jesus' God and Father turned His back on this prayer? Will God answer "THE LORD'S PRAYER?" Don't the theological giants of Christendom have Scriptures written in figurative, metaphorical, and spiritual symbolism, that if ignorantly taught to be literal, will contradict our Lord's prayer? If it is not possible for God to forgive sinners before they repent, then our Lord's prayer is doomed. It was then a prayer in vain. Jesus prayed in vain. His Father never heard Him. Doesn't it just grind on your spirit to even hear such stupid and unscriptural conjectures? Millions of times a week people around the world repeat what they believe to be "The Lord's Prayer" (Mat. 6:10-13). Matt. 6 is not the "Lord's prayer." He didn't "pray" that prayer. It was a very short outline of what we are to pray for. But this verse in Luke 23:34, really is, "The Lord's Prayer!" Jesus really DID ... PRAY ... THIS ... PRAYER! Unlike the hypocritical Pharisees, Jesus did not make a habit of praying in public. He commanded us to pray in the private closet of our hearts. Other than blessing the bread when feeding the multitudes, Christ seldom prayed in public. But hanging in total agony on that Passover cross, He prayed in public. He prayed for the whole world to hear. And that is because His prayer was not for Himself, but for the whole world! I will make a wager right here and now that the figurative symbols and metaphors in Revelation are obviously not to be taken literally, but that our Lord's Prayer in Luke 23:34 IS to be taken literally. Do I have any takers? "Forgive THEM..." There is no mistaking who the "them" are in this prayer. World famous preacher John Hagee teaches the world that the Jews did not crucify Jesus, but rather the Romans did. Is that who the "them" is in our Lord's Prayer? The ROMANS? Give me a break. Maybe that's why Christians everywhere believe that had they been in Jerusalem on that fateful Passover nearly two thousand years ago, they would have never consented to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ! Peter too thought that he would never deny his Lord (Mat. 26:34). Since Christendom refuses to do it, I will now show you the real meaning of The Lord's Prayer. WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS? True, the Romans did crucify Christ, but so did the Jews, so did you, so did I, and so did John Hagee as well, and I will now Scripturally prove it.
Who are the true circumcision which then becomes the True Jew? Paul says "we." As soon as we know who the "we" is, we will also know who is the "them." Paul was writing to the Philipians, who lived in Philippi, a Gentile city in N-central Macedonia. So these Philippian converts were both Gentiles, and true Jews ("we [Philippian Gentiles] are the circumcision -- Phil. 3:3, which are the true inward Jew -- Rom. 2:28-29, the true "Israel of God" -- Gal. 6:16). Now then, let us see the plain Scriptural truth as to who the "them" are that Jesus asked His Father to "forgive." For whomever the Father "forgives" will certainly not be tortured in an eternal hellhole of fire. In Acts 3:6-8 Peter asks Christ to heal a man. The whole city was privy to this miracle. Peter speaks to the crowd:
Why did the HEATHEN rage, and the PEOPLE imagine vain things? The KINGS OF THE EARTH stood up, and the RULERS [see I Cor. 2:8] were gathered together AGAINST the Lord, and AGAINST His Christ ...
Sorry, but John Hagee's "Romans only" theory has just bit the dust. So again: Who crucified our Lord and Saviour? And who is it that are to be forgiven because they know not what they do? "YOU ALL," "ALL THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL," "THE HEATHEN," "THE PEOPLE," "THE KINGS OF THE EARTH," "THE RULERS," and "HEROD, PONTIUS PILATE, WITH THE GENTILES!!! Do you still think your name is left out of this list somehow? The whole world is accountable for crucifying their Saviour Jesus Christ. But as it was done in "ignorance" (for they know not what they do), the whole world will be forgiven. So what do these things have to do with the lake of fire? Everything! I am trying to show you the mind of God. This is the way God thinks, and feels, and forgives, and LOVES! Since you haven't learned these things in Sunday School, or Wednesday night Bible Study, or Sunday sermons, or even theological seminary, I am showing you them now. Weigh God's Words very carefully. The worst sin ever committed by the worst sinners in the history of the universe, was the cruel beating and crucifixion of Jesus Christ -- the Perfect Man and Son of God! Does anyone really believe that Ted Bundy's crimes were worse than Crucifying the Son of God? Did the men immediately responsible (ultimately I've shown that we ALL were responsible) for His crucifixion show any remorse or repentance except Judas? Yet, Jesus Christ asked God to "forgive them" at the very time that they showed no remorse whatsoever. Will the Father HEAR these words and ANSWER these words of Christ's prayer? Are these just the sentimental words of Jesus that will not be heard or answered by a HARSH God in Heaven? Just Whose "words" are these, anyway? Where did these words of Jesus "forgive them" really come from?
Or was this doctrine of "forgive them for they know not what they do" before they ever repent, a doctrine of Christ that God did not approve of?
Any questions as to WHOSE words these were? It is not only our Lord's prayer, but it is the will of God the Father to forgive them all (US all) for none of them "knows what they do." My detractors cry out, "They do TOO know what they do; they have REJECTED their Saviour; they deserve to BURN IN THE LAKE OF FIRE FOR EVER!" But you see, God is not like men who DELIGHT in the eternal death and torture of the wicked.
Killing people for their sins is NOT PLEASURABLE FOR GOD! But it is needful -- for a season.
God does not delight or take pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that he TURN from his way and LIVE! But neither Israel (nor the Gentiles) knows how to "turn" from their ways. It takes the "goodness of God" to "turn" people. I know that all the billions of "free-willers" in the world poke fun at such an idea that mankind of themselves can do nothing: "...for without Me ye can do NOTHING" (John 15;5). But as for me, I don't believe men anymore; I believe God. "Turn, turn, turn" says the Lord God. But how shall Israel "turn" when they have no such power or ability? Will Israel (all Israel) ever "turn" and be saved and LIVE? Not by anything they can conjure up in their phantom of free will. Enter GOD:
Am I going too fast for anyone? This is not rocket science. These Scriptures are easy! Who is it that "turns away" ungodliness from Israel? Must sinners really, by themselves, by their phantom "free -will," by their own power, by their own choice, by the goodness that lies within them (I speak as a fool), by their self-concocted love of God -- "turn away from ungodliness?" Get serious. What is the only thing in the universe that can ever bring a person to repentance? I'll tell you, if you promise to never ever forget it!
Once again we are brought back to the CAUSE OF ALL -- GOD! And so, it is the "Deliverer" (Christ the Lord,) not man's 'free' will, which "turns away ungodliness" from Israel. Let's continue the thought:
"Forgive them" are the very words and the doctrine of GOD THE FATHER! So the truth is we have Jesus Christ and God the Father BOTH agreed that "FORGIVE THEM, for they know not what they do" WILL BE ANSWERED, ACCOMPLISHED, AND DONE! God's words went out of God's mouth in this prayer for the whole sinful world to hear, and God's words do not return to Him VOID (see Isaiah 55:11)! Are you believing all these Scriptures that I am giving you? Or are you one of those who thinks he has other Scriptures that contradict all these Scriptures I am giving? My whole purpose is to point you to God's Words. When I come to a Scripture that is not properly translated, I will point that out also. So far, I believe, all of the Scriptures I have presented speak for themselves. And it is self-evident that these Scriptures contradict a plethora of doctrines being taught by the high priests of Christendom. Will God somehow change his mind toward this world of sinners which crucified His Son when they are raised at the great white throne to be judged? Forget all the Scriptures for the moment that some of you just "know" contradict this prayer. Concentrate on this prayer, and we will go to the theirs later. Right here IS the mind of God. Right here IS the attitude of forgiveness and love that God has for sinners -- the world's worst sinners! Why does most of the world of Christendom refuse to believe our 'LORD'S PRAYER' which really has its origin in the will of the Father? Because it is TOO GOOD! Many will not tolerate a God THIS GOOD! Is God fickle? Is God all-forgiving one day at the cross, but then CHANGES into an unforgiving Indian-Giver at the white throne judgment by taking it all back?
No, God is not fickle: forgiving today, cursing tomorrow. Forgiving the worst sinners in the whole world while they are yet sinning is the mind, attitude, and love of God! Any theologian who tries to tell you that there are Scriptures that contradict this Scripture (whether it be a Scripture on the lake of fire or any other Scripture,) is a liar and a deceiver. "Forgive them [even the theologians who deny the Christ Who died for them] for they know not what they do." And so our Lord's Prayer WILL ... BE ... DONE! Thank God! A FEW THOUGHTS REGARDING CHRISTENDOM Understand that when I use the word "Christendom" I am making reference to Webster's second definition, "The world of Christianity." World in the Greek New Testament is kosmos meaning the system or orderly arrangement of the whole or some part of human society. And so it is this world or system of doctrines and beliefs promulgated by the clergy and theologians of the institutionalized church that I make reference to when using this term. I am not making specific reference to individual members of the "Christian" church who may or may not hold dear to their hearts all of the doctrines of mainstream Christendom. It is sadly true that many who profess Christianity do not know or understand the doctrines of those they follow. So let it be known that Christendom is made up of dozens of millions of wonderful, sweet, loving and kind people. Many if not most of our neighbors, friends, relatives, and immediate family members are professing Christians. And we love them all! God loves them all! Sadly, however, much of their doctrine and religious beliefs have no basis whatsoever in the Sacred Scriptures. At times I fear that some might mistake my total aversion toward unscriptural Christian doctrines as a sign of my feelings toward those who promulgate these teachings. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you could look down into my heart, you would know that I harbor no ill toward any brother or sister. All will be in God's Family; All will be purged, purified, and perfected, so why have any animosity toward any during this process? We must ALL be processed -- "there is NONE that does good [before God processes him,] no, not ONE" (Rom. 3:12). Much of Christendom is a religious system of beliefs that are both unscriptural and contradictory -- at times even evil. Often when I quote a Scripture (even without commentary,) people will say to themselves, "Well that can't be. OUR church teaches something totally different." And so they will reject the words of God and continue to cling to the traditions of men. For that reason, let me give you just a few examples of the unscriptural contradictions of traditional Christendom in the hope that God will open the minds of at least some of my readers. Trust me when I say that all this information is going to be most helpful in understanding the lake of fire and the judgments of God. THEY SPEAK WITH FORKED TONGUE Most all Christian theologians would claim to believe the first statement of Scriptural Truth that I present below, especially when I cite a Scripture verse with it, but they will then contradict and refuse to teach the second statement of Truth. Here are a few examples:
There seems to be no end to the Scriptural contradictions of Christian beliefs. But we can learn from their mistakes. It is good for us that God makes us dig deep for the precious gems of His word. It really is like searching for hidden treasure. And I have never found a hidden treasure in God's Word that has disappointed me. Each new discovery brings more appreciation for God and His plan of salvation for all. Part III: JUDGMENT BY FIRE MUST FIRST BEGIN AT THE HOUSE OF GOD
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