Studying God's Word

God really hates Satan because of all the souls he has led and is leading straight to hell. From God’s commandments we know that he hates lying, cheating and stealing. God hates pride which was the original sin that caused Lucifer’s fall from heaven. When I read the Bible one of the things that really stand out is to me is how much God hates adultery. I judge how important something is to God by how often it’s mentioned in the Bible and the Bible has many verses warning against the sin of adultery and the dire consequences for those who commit adultery. You can also tell when God really hates something if he calls it an abomination, which is what God calls homosexuality. I’ll never be politically correct on my blog and I’ll never post anything I don’t personally believe. I’m here to call balls and strikes so let me refer you to the plain language of Leviticus 18:22, which states, “You shall not lie with a male as a woman. It is an abomination.” Could God be any clearer? We may have to accept homosexual marriage as the law of the land but as Christians we should not personally condone it or get too comfortable with the idea. As Christians we are in the world but not of this world. Our citizenship is in heaven which is where we belong. We are only visiting here on earth during our “testing time” to see whether we will choose to serve God or Satan.

Pope Francis recently gave his approval to homosexual marriage, which is a travesty. All Popes are full of pride and self importance as they wear royal robes and live a life of luxury in the Vatican palace. People have to bow and kiss their hand and call them “holy father”, a title reserved for God alone. Popes are self appointed vicars of Christ and they claim they’re infallible in matters of faith and Christian doctrine. Popes claim that they know the mind of God better than God does which they say gives them preeminence over what God says and the right to countermand the Word of God. Popes claim only they can forgive sin and decide who goes to heaven and who goes to hell. Can you not see the pride and arrogance of these sinful men who have the temerity to usurp the power of God? The Catholic clergy is the modern day equivalent of the Pharisees of Jesus’ day and he called them a brood of vipers. If you lay out the tenets of the Catholic church and compare them with what the Word of God says you’ll see they are polar opposites on just about every issue important to God. You’ll be able to clearly see that all Popes are leading people away from the truth of God’s Word which puts them squarely on God’s bad side where they’ll face the wrath of God on the last day.

The best way not to get on God’s bad side is to follow this simple rule: love what God loves and hate what God hates. If you run everything you do through this filter you can easily stay in your lane. We don’t have to guess what God loves and what God hates because God tells us clearly in his Word, our Holy Bible. God loves for us to be obedient to His 129 commands contained in the Bible (some are redundant). God loves those who fear him. The biblical meaning of fear is to look upon God with reverence, awe and respect. In short, we are to love God with all our heart. God loves a humble heart in those who reach out to him in daily prayer. God loves a faithful servant who always tries to do what’s right in the eyes of the Lord. God loves it when we repent and ask for forgiveness because God loves to dispense mercy. Most important of all, God loves Israel like a father loves his firstborn son.

Israel is the son who broke God’s heart through disobedience. Israel is currently being punished for their rejection of Christ in what we refer to as the church age which began at Pentecost in 33 AD and will end when Jesus comes in the clouds and raptures the church in the air before taking believers back to heaven. This 2000 year period we are currently living in is also known as the time of the Gentiles and it’s almost over. The rapture could occur at any moment and and when it does come it’ll start the clock ticking on the last seven years of human history which will culminate with the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ who will set foot on the Mount of Olives accompanied by the angels of heaven and all the saints (which is us). This last seven year period in history is known as the tribulation because God will pour out his wrath on sinful mankind during this time. God’s love remains steadfast for Israel, his chosen people, who will go through the tribulation but a remnant will be saved and reconciled to God on the Day of the Lord. Christ will then judge the nations and set up his millennial kingdom.

The Jews knew from prophecy that their King, the promised Messiah, was coming to them. The Jews were expecting their Messiah to be a conquering King coming in glory and power to save them from Roman oppression. When Jesus came as a suffering servant it didn’t fit the Jewish paradigm so Jesus was rejected and sent to his death on the cross. The Jews didn’t understand that Jesus was coming to the earth twice, the first time as a suffering servant and the second time as the King of Kings they were expecting. The Jews were jealous of their God and didn’t want to share him. The Jews didn’t understand that Jesus needed to come the first time to die on the cross as payment for the sins of all men, both Jew and Gentile, and to set up his church, the kingdom of God. When the Jews had Jesus crucified God temporarily cut off his dealings with Israel and then turned to the Gentiles to establish the kingdom of God on earth.

John 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…full of grace and truth.

Luke 19:10 – For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Mark 10:45 – For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

There’s a popular misconception in some Christian churches that the church has replaced Israel as the apple of God’s eye. It’s what they want to believe but it has no scriptural basis. It’s just wishful thinking. God is never wrong and God never makes mistakes. God also never changes his mind. If you want proof look no further than God’s Word. Don’t get on God’s bad side by being against Israel or by disparaging or discriminating against Jews. In the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, one enduring theme is God’s love for man, his special creation, and for the Jews in particular as his chosen people. Don’t get me wrong, God loves Jew and Gentile alike but it’s Israel that’s the apple of God’s eye. I’m a Gentile and I can live with that. In heaven God will love Jew and Gentile equally as children of God.

Malachi 3:6 – For I the Lord do not change.

One reason I’ve heard for people’s hatred of Jews is that they killed Jesus. It was the Jewish leaders who wanted Jesus crucified but they didn’t have the authority to put Jesus to death. You can’t blame the whole Jewish nation for the crimes of a few. It was the Romans, our modern day Italians, who actually condemned Jesus to be crucified and then nailed spikes into the wrists and feet of Jesus and hung him on a cross to die an agonizing death. Why don’t we hear any hatred toward the Italians because they’re the ones who actually killed Jesus? We don’t because it doesn’t fit Satan’s narrative of wanting to stir up mankind’s hatred toward the Jews so they can be destroyed. Satan hates God but can’t touch him so he does the next best thing by trying to destroy what God loves, his chosen people. Satan also can’t touch us physically but he can influence our minds and the weak-minded wind up being manipulated into hating Israel and winding up on God’s bad side. God commands us to love the Jewish people. On the last day we will stand before God to give an account of our treatment of Jews. Nothing happens on this earth without God’s permission. Ultimately, God killed Jesus to redeem us from our sins and Jesus gave His consent.

Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrated His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Ecclestiastes 12:13 – Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is man’s all.

2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

When I learn about or hear a Christian disparaging Jews or Israel I cringe inside. Any Christian who is truly a believer who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior cannot be against Jews or Israel. How can they be? We Christians have our salvation and eternal life in heaven because of the blessings of Abraham, the patriarch of the Jewish people. Christ is a direct descendant of Abraham. Jesus was, is, and always will be a Jewish rabbi in heaven. So if we hate Jews we’re saying that we hate our King and we hate the very people who have allowed us to enter heaven in the first place. Does that make any sense to you? It doesn’t to me.

When we get to heaven the second in command will be King David, also a Jew. The twelve Jewish Apostles will have exalted leadership positions in heaven. They will sit on thrones and will rule over the Jewish remnant in heaven. All the prophets and important disciples like Paul, Mark, Barnabas and Stephen will have high positions in heaven and they are all Jewish men. All Jewish holidays will be celebrated. To put it bluntly, when we get to heaven Jews will be running the joint. If you’ve persecuted Jews during your lifetime on earth and you still manage to make it to heaven your previous actions will be known by all the Jews in heaven for the rest of eternity. You’ll be forgiven, of course, but the Jews will always remember how you persecuted them on earth. Keep that in mind the next time you have an evil thought against anyone Jewish. Push back against Satan’s attempt to influence your mind toward a hatred of the Jews. You’ve been warned of the danger so guard your mind against Satan or wind up on God’s bad side.

Ephesians 4:30 – Do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

One of the strongest proofs to me that our Holy Bible is indeed God’s Word is the fact that there is a fourfold gospel consisting of the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Keep in mind that back in the first century there were no books available to people and writings of any kind were scarce. Very few people could read or write. Instead, the culture at that time consisted of an oral tradition of telling stories and spreading news by word of mouth. The ancient Jewish belief that was set forth in the Old Testament and later corroborated in the New Testament was that the truth of any matter must be established by two or three eyewitnesses. No Jew would accept anything as true unless they saw or heard it themselves or there were sufficient witnesses to overcome the potential bias of any one witness.

Deuteronomy 17:6 – Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

Deuteronomy 19:15 – One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.

Matthew 18:16 – But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

John 8:17 – It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true.

2 Corinthians 13:1 – By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.

There was no way God was going to violate his law and allow the “good news” of the life of Jesus, his beloved Son, to be brought before a sinful mankind in need of salvation without the requisite number of witnesses to establish the truth. Only two witnesses were required but three was much better. That’s why we have the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke which chronicle the life, ministry and death of Jesus Christ. These three witnesses validate the truth of Jesus to the Jewish mind. All three gospels were written around the same time and sometime between 50-70 AD.

In the early days of the church there were no Bibles or written materials to preach from. Services consisted of the oral telling of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ along with prayer and singing. This was made possible because there were many in the church who had first or second hand knowledge of the miracles and teachings of Christ. When the gospels were written they simply put into writing what had been taught in the churches for over 20 years. If the written gospels had strayed from what was being taught in the churches they would have been rejected out of hand. The gospels were consistent with what the churches had been teaching and the gospels became the written texts for church services going forward. By their universal acceptance by the church membership the gospels were, in fact, eyewitness testimony from the thousands of Jews living in Palestine who experienced the life of Jesus firsthand. These people saw Jesus’ miracles and heard his teachings and had their lives changed by his message.

The final gospel of John was written 20-40 years after the first three gospels. That allowed the early church time to grow and spread to the point where further instruction on church doctrine and clarification of Scripture was necessary to stamp out heresies and illuminate more spiritual truths. The first three gospels were consistent with God’s law requiring three witnesses to establish the truth of any matter. The fact that there is a fourth gospel well after the first three I find wholly consistent with a God waiting to share spiritual truths with his creation when they were ready to receive it. All the disciples of Jesus were martyred for the glory of God except John. It’s obvious God kept the Apostle John alive into old age so he could write his gospel. Jesus told all his disciples they would all drink from his cup (suffer martyrdom) while alluding to the fact that John would not die until he saw Jesus in all his glory and this occurred on the Isle of Patmos some time around 95 AD when Jesus appeared to John and instructed him to write the book of Revelation. When I see the four gospels I see the mighty hand of God.

Every believer reaches that “ah ha!” moment in their life when they suddenly realize there is a God in this world and His Son is Jesus Christ. That certain knowledge affects everyone differently. For some the magnitude and majesty of God is overwhelming, like an onrushing locomotive with the horn blaring. For others God is a soft whisper in their soul or a gentle breeze. For most people their reaction to the certain knowledge of God lies somewhere between these two extremes.

For me it was the train coming down the tracks, which was a personal call to arms. Being the planner and problem solver that I am, I launched into full investigation mode. What does God expect of me? Our ultimate goal is to live our lives in a manner that pleases God and to avoid anything that displeases Him. The Bible says you cannot please God without faith so the first thing you have to do is to believe that God exists and that he is a rewarder of those who love him. The second thing you must do to please God is obey his commands; the most important of which is to witness for Christ and to do good works.

You can’t obey God’s commands if you don’t know what they are so the first order of business for any believer is to immerse themselves in God’s Word so you will know what God expects of you. God will hold you accountable. Very few Christians actually study God’s Word. The Bible contains 129 commands from God that believers are to obey (some are redundant). Anyone dedicated to knowing God and obeying his commands must read the Bible daily with prayer and meditation so the Holy Spirit is active in their lives revealing the truth of Scripture. Believers must read their Bibles cover to cover multiple times so they know God’s Word intimately. God is communicating with us when we read the Bible and when we pray we are talking directly to God and according to Scripture God hears our every word. Two-way communication with God is vital for a healthy relationship.

God tells us what he expects of believers in the Old Testament:

Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good: and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

The above verse is the essence of the Christian faith and we should etch it in our hearts. It’s my favorite Bible verse along with John 3:16. Let’s break down Micah 6:8 so we clearly understand what God is telling us. In other verses of the Bible God has explained what is ‘good” so we don’t have to guess what God means here in Micah 6:8.

Psalm 14:1 – The fool has said in his heart, “there is no God.” They are corrupt. They have done abominable works, there is none who does good.

Psalm 14:3 – They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.

Psalm 37:3 – Trust in the Lord, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

Those who believe in Him God calls “good”. In a double meaning, God also commands believers to do good works. Twice in the above verses God calls unbelievers corrupt and the dictionary defines corrupt as evil or very immoral. On the other hand, God calls believers just the opposite which is “good” and “moral”. An abomination is a Bible term used to describe a thing which God hates or finds disgusting. A person wishing to please God should obey His commands, emulate Christ in all their actions and above all, love what God loves and hate what God hates. God asks three things of believers:

1. To act justly – If someone is just they act with justice which the dictionary defines as the quality of being morally right and fair. A person’s character and behavior matter most to God and their actions should meet God’s standard. God places in everyone’s heart the ability to know right from wrong and through prayer God will help us emulate Christ.

2. To love mercy – God is faithful to us and in his mercy he has forgiven us of our sins and by his grace he has granted us eternal life. We are to love God for his mercy toward us and we must show that same love and mercy to others.

3. Walk humbly with God – We are to acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior and then obey God’s commands. We are to witness for Christ and do good works during our brief time on earth in order to build up treasures in heaven that will last an eternity. In the Old Testament the statement walking with God meant living in humble obedience to God’s will. We may not be able to obey all of God’s commands all of the time but we should strive to obey God to the best of our ability while asking for forgiveness when we fall short. The Christian faith is a marathon not a sprint and we are to persevere in doing good works.

Genesis 6:9 – Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

Genesis 5:24 – And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

In summary, to please God always strive to do the right thing as your conscience dictates. Love your God for the mercy and grace he has shown you unto salvation. Be obedient to the commands of your God. If you do these three things God will be satisfied according to Micah 6:8, and on the last day you will hear Jesus say, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

Biblical truth: Anyone who wants further knowledge of Christ will receive it.

Never underestimate God’s desire to save as many people as possible, not as few as possible. God is inclusive and not exclusive. Our loving God is merciful and tenderhearted and if there is any way to get us to heaven without violating His holiness or justice He will do it. That attitude that God has toward His children makes all the difference. Throughout the Bible we repeatedly see God’s compassion for those who need His forgiveness.

Ezekiel 33:11 – “As I live” says the Lord God, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?”

Luke 19:10 – (Jesus speaking) – For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 – For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Although God desires everyone to be saved it requires action on our part to be saved. To receive the gift of salvation God requires the believer to “come to the knowledge of the truth about Jesus Christ.” We see an example of this in the Bible story of God sending the apostle Peter to witness the gospel to the Roman Centurion Cornelius. This gentile believed in God and was searching for the path to God so the Lord ensured he received it. Do you remember the Bible story about the Holy Spirit sending Philip to the road to Gaza to intercept the chariot of the Ethiopian eunuch returning home after worshipping God in Jerusalem. This court official believed in God but didn’t know how to go about being saved until Philip shared the gospel of Christ with him and led him to salvation. God will always provide an answer for those who earnestly seek Him.

2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

I don’t believe in coincidences. When God sees someone embrace the natural revelation of Himself God will ensure that person receives the gospel message of Christ through a personal witness, through a missionary, a television or radio program, a Christian tract, the internet or some other means. God is the author of history and He coordinates all things to the benefit of those who would serve Him. That’s why it’s so important for us to be personally prepared to give our witness. God could call on us at any time to be His instrument to give someone eternal life through our witness. If we bless others God will bless us in return. If God desires something it comes to pass because with God nothing is impossible.

Acts 1:8 – (Jesus speaking) – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Biblical truth: Everyone has received a knowledge of God.

This blog pertains to all those people who lived before the time of Jesus or never received the gospel of Christ. Everyone who has ever lived has had the same opportunity to look at the cosmos and the natural world and realize there must be a God who created it all. The intricate workings of the universe show an intelligent design. It literally screams out the existence of a Creator. In previous blogs I’ve listed the 23 physical proofs necessary for life to exist. If any one of these proofs were missing life couldn’t exist. Human life exists on the edge of a knife and only God put us there and sustains us.

Romans 1:20 – For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

A loving God has given this fruitful earth as our home. We have abundant water and rain to grow crops and animals we can harvest. Nowhere else in the universe is there a water planet like earth that can sustain life as we know it. The knowledge of God is all around us yet the unbeliever rejects it and uses false scientific knowledge to uphold their beliefs. The unbeliever’s heart has been hardened to the point no amount of evidence will convince them of the truth of God. Idolatry in our day doesn’t take the form of idol worship. Instead, the idolater today simply imagines things about God that are untrue and they will receive the wrath of God on the last day.

Acts 14:15-17 – (Paul speaking) – Men, why do you do these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Our God is a just God and He is not going to unjustly sentence someone to hell for rejecting a Christ of whom he has never heard. Let’s not forget God knows the hearts of all men and He knows what decision each of us will make and He judges us based on the knowledge given to us. Every person receives enough knowledge of God in order to seek Him out. If that person rejects the general knowledge of God given him through creation then he would not have accepted Christ had he received the gospel message and is therefore condemned. The occupants of hell are there because they rejected whatever knowledge of God they received whether it was general knowledge from creation or specific knowledge of Jesus Christ from the Bible or any other source.

2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Biblical truth: No one is saved apart from faith in Jesus Christ.

This blog addresses the fate of all people living after the time of Jesus. Names are important to God and to us. Names represent the essence of a person’s being – his character, his deeds, his personality and his will. This is especially true of Jehovah God who goes by many names, all of which describe His many attributes. The name of Jesus Christ represents a specific Person at a specific point in history who came down from heaven to give His life for the sins of mankind so that those who believe on His name may have everlasting life.

While Jesus may share similar characteristics with Allah, Krishna, Buddha, or any number of human prophets or pagan deities, the Lord Jesus Christ is a distinctively different person. God makes it clear in Scripture that salvation is given under no other name but Jesus. All the world’s religions, except Hinduism, claim their god is the only path to heaven. Common sense tells us if all paths lead to heaven then none do. There can be only one exclusive path to God and only Christianity has a body of proof to support their claim. Those who say there are many paths to heaven have no proof and they are lying to you. Satan is lying to you. Who will you believe, God or man?

Acts 4:12 – Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

The Bible is God’s truth and it offers absolutely no hint that salvation is possible through any other means than by faith in the Person known by the name of Jesus Christ. God doesn’t want your salvation to be a mystery to you and it doesn’t have to be. God’s message to us, His beloved special creation, is clear. We can be sure of our eternal destiny in heaven if we place our faith in His Son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. That means the vast majority of people on earth will ultimately wind up in hell because they don’t believe in the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists and adherents of all the other fake religions are destined for an eternity in hell because they have not believed in the one true path to God that could have saved them. I understand people may not be comfortable with that message but the truth of God’s Word is clear no matter how we may feel about it. The judgment of God is perfect so who are we to judge God?

1 John 5:13 – These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Biblical truth: Everyone is guilty before God.

God hates sin and won’t allow it in heaven. Every person who has ever lived has a sin nature they inherited from Adam after his fall (sin) in the Garden of Eden. We’re all guilty before God because of that sin (disobeying God). Another spiritual truth is, “the wages (result) of sin is death,” both physical and spiritual death. What does that mean for us? It means a just God, who does not change, will not allow us into heaven because of our sin and is compelled to send us to hell for eternity because of our sin. As our transgressions (sins) continue to mount up against God the Lord is provoked to anger because of His abiding hatred of sin. The fierce and full wrath of a just God will fall on all sinners on the day of judgment and they will be sentenced to the lake of fire for eternity.

Romans 3:10 – There is none righteous, no, not one.

Romans 5:12 – Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.

Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Now that we fully understand our predicament, the bad news that all men past, present and future are sinners on the road to hell, we can appreciate the “good news” of Jesus Christ. While God’s justice will send all sinners to hell His love and mercy will save us through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. The result (wages) of our sin demanded a blood sacrifice (death) for atonement (forgiveness) of our sins. To be valid the sacrifice had to be a man without blemish (sin). Since no man could qualify as a suitable sacrifice there was only one way for the sins of man to be removed. Only God is without sin and only God could become a man. For this reason God came to earth in the incarnation of Jesus Christ for the express purpose of dying on the cross for our sins. Jesus experienced physical death in our place and he endured the fierce wrath of God so we wouldn’t have to. Our sin debt is paid in full. Through the spiritual law of imputation sin and death entered the world through one man (Adam) and through the sacrificial death of one man (Jesus Christ) those sins are forgiven resulting in eternal life for those who believe.

Romans 5:17 – For if by one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

The point is this, if you were born of a woman you’re guilty of your sin before God whether or not you hear the gospel of Christ or not. There is no free pass for ignorance or a “get out of jail” free card for lack of knowledge. If you’re physically alive the wrath of God abides on you and you’ll pay the ultimate penalty of going to hell forever when you die. Your only hope for salvation is to offload your sin through the one way provide by God in His love and mercy and that is by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The only exceptions God makes is for children too young to understand the gospel and those without the mental capacity to understand the gospel. All others have no valid excuse before God.

Romans 1:18 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

Romans 2:5 – But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

John 3:36 – He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

Ephesians 5:6 – Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Satan is the god of this world and he has spread the lie that all faiths worship the same god but by different names. This inclusive message is so pervasive that 63% of Americans now believe it, including many Christians who should know better. If you’re a Christian who believes Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Bible is the unerring Word of God then you can’t reconcile that worldview with your faith. When you hear anyone, especially a fellow Christian, say that all faiths worship the same god push back immediately. Don’t let that statement stand without a defense. Don’t sin against God. You can disagree without being disagreeable. The three major figures of the Christian faith – Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter, all believed that faith in Christ alone was God’s exclusive way to heaven and they make that clear in the Scriptures. The apostle Paul makes it clear we are not saved by faith but through faith. God dispenses His saving grace through our faith in Jesus Christ and no other. When the righteousness of men is referred to in the Bible it means, “a right standing with God,” which is available exclusively to those who have faith in one name, Jesus Christ.

Acts 4:12 – (Peter speaking) – Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Romans 1:17 – (Paul speaking) – For in it (the gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith (God’s to ours; we receive God’s righteousness through our faith in Jesus); as it is written, “The just shall live by faith (to live means to have eternal life).”

Allah is not Jehovah. They don’t have the same name and they don’t have the same attributes. The gospel of Jesus Christ is specific to one person, with one name, and we worship one God whose name is Jehovah. Salvation is a gift of God to those who believe in the gospel of Christ and to no other. Saving faith is the currency of heaven. Most of the world doesn’t believe in our Christ and our God and they are lost because God says they are. Human beings recoil at the thought of billions of people going to hell so they try to rationalize that fact by finding a way to get more people to heaven. It’s our nature to be inclusive when the clear message of the Bible is the exclusivity of Jesus Christ as the true path to God and eternal life in heaven. We’re trying to see heaven from our perspective and not God’s. God is perfect and so are His judgments so we must accept whatever God does as being in our best interests.

Romans 4:5 – (Paul speaking) – But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – (Paul speaking) – For by grace you have been saved, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Our eternal life is linked to our personal belief (faith) in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. By belief I don’t mean believing something is true. I mean trusting in something, clinging to something, resting in the knowledge of something as true. That something is the sacrificial death of Jesus winning for us eternal life in heaven. When you believe in Jesus it doesn’t matter whether you have a little faith or a lot of faith. God gives each of us enough faith to believe in Him. The important thing to remember is it’s not the amount of faith we have in Jesus that saves us. It’s Jesus, the object of our faith, that saves us. There is a huge gap between our desperate need for God’s forgiveness and His provision for our need. When we attempt to jump across the abyss to God it’s not our leap of faith that saves us. What saves us is being caught by God’s outstretched loving arms, and God never misses! Salvation has always been a two part deal. We exercise our faith and God grants us redemption. God wants us to exercise our free will to decide who we will serve, God or Satan.

John 3:16 – (Jesus speaking) – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 5:24 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My words and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 6:40 – (Jesus speaking) – And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 11:25-26 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?

In the Old Testament God illustrated how the process of salvation works so we can make the analogy with Jesus. Remember the story of Moses leading the Israelites in the wilderness. The Israelites sinned against God and He sent poisonous snakes among them and many died. The Israelites begged for mercy so God had Moses make a bronze serpent to put on a pole. Moses told the Israelites to look upon the bronze serpent whenever they were bitten and they would not die. Faith was believing they would not die if they looked upon what God had made for their salvation. The obvious New Testament parallel is all believers who look to Jesus for their salvation will be saved by their faith. They shall live and not die.