The Scourge Of Racism
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It is not supposed to happen in America. However, it has happened quite a bit in recent years and again this past week in a small Texas town where a gunman entered a church with a gun killing twenty-six and critically wounding others. While demonically instigated and hate-filled individuals just assume all that they seek to harm in a church are Christians, in secular settings such as Columbine in Colorado and Umpqua Community College here in Oregon, the assailants coldly asked some of those they would kill, “Are you a Christian?”1 Such targeting is the ultimate form of persecution and of course, martyrdom for the Christians that are slain for whose they are.
Professing American Christianity seems not to want to acknowledge that more and more in this still believed by many to be a “Christian nation” violent targeting of our numbers is occurring and intensifying. Once again for whatever all the reasons including the practice of Christianity the religion of men in all of its forms with various prosperity and escape doctrines, denial is easier. However, as the Lord led me to write in this edited 2010 Commentary, the foretold latter day persecution of Christians (Matthew 24:9) is a reality in many nations. It can no longer be out of mind here because of being out of sight. Hateful persecution of Christians is happening in America and the West too!
An obvious truth in all of this is that American and all other Christians are in fact, still on earth en masse while persecution and tribulation keeps rising. So, as we pray for the “Persecuted Church” on this special Sunday set aside for it, let the faithful realize though we yet have it relatively light here in America compared to our persecuted brethren in other lands, we are included among them. Let us also continue to pray for the surviving wounded and grieving families of the Texas church martyrs.
Originally Published November 2010
After recently reading an article on the current persecution of Chakma Christians by Buddhist extremists in Bangladesh, I was reminded that tribulation or suffering for Christ is quite the norm for many of His followers in many openly anti-Christian parts of the world. This month we remember persecuted Christians with prayer. I am also led by the Lord to again warn Western Christians our time to suffer in like manner is near. We do not want to hear this, of course, and have invented all manner of scenarios that will enable our escape as though fellow Christians in other parts of the world are somehow God's throwaways; people He does not care about as much as He does us.
While it is not my intent to engage in a end time prophecy debate, I do want to point out a reality to all parties planning on the escape of Western Christians from the "great tribulation" spoken of by our Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:15-22 and Mark 13:14-20. That reality is the tribulation our persecuted brethren now endure in several hostile nations is of the same nature as the "great tribulation." Powerful anti-Christ's now kidnap and/or arrest, imprison, torture, maim and kill our brethren as well as destroy their property if they will not renounce faith in Christ. The Chakma Christians in Bangladesh are not even allowed to buy or sell crops unless they openly display Buddhist loyalty.2
Bible students should instantly recognize the buying and selling issue as one that will emerge in the days of the Antichrist as foretold in Revelation 13:16-17. The government of the coming Antichrist will also violently persecute Christians as do the many national governments, terrorist and religious groups today. The only difference in what takes place now and the foretold "great tribulation" under the Antichrist is one of scope and duration; then it will be global and last intensely three and one-half years (Daniel 7:19-25; Revelation 13:1-10).
If God allows His people to experience tribulation past, present and in a foretold future, where do we Westerners get off thinking we have a special exemption from Him who shows no partiality (Acts 10:34-35)? I suspect this expectation of escape in part is tied to the sin bred arrogance of accomplishment Western nations have enjoyed over the past 500 years. Another reason surely grows out of a popular false teaching that God does not let His people suffer. But those of my racial heritage especially that are sons of slaves know better or else are we God’s throwaways too having experienced the severest forms of brutality even after professing faith in Christ?
The call to His people at this hour to become strong men and great women of God is very strategic and biblically consistent. Indeed, all trials and tribulations have the ultimate divine end of testing our faith (Deuteronomy 8:1-6; Psalm 11:4-6; Hebrews 12:1-11; James 1:2-3, 5:10-11; 1 Peter 1:3-9). Judging by the lack of biblical knowledge, spiritual maturity and outright rebellion continuously reported in Christian media, professing Western Christians are not as ready to endure violent tribulation for the faith as our brethren in other parts of the world are doing--though in fairness, the Chakma Christians of Bangladesh are struggling and urgently need our prayers.
The strong man of God in the image of Christ is empowered with His strength and equipped to persevere in faith under the most severe of trials (Ephesians 6:10-18; Revelation 12:11). For this reason Strong Man Ministries through the Strong Man Institute is pleased to be part of God's strategic work to instruct Christians from His Word on the life of the strong man of God. As well, I do the same on the printed page as the Lord leads in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and its companion resource, The Strong Man Of God Men's Group Study pastors, men's ministry and other Christian leaders can use to equip those they serve.3
At this hour we must pray for and support our persecuted brethren in non-Western nations while we recognize the increase of and prepare more deliberately for our own tribulation (which is even now at the door) because none of God's sons are throwaways! For the record, the "great tribulation" is not God's wrath that He has promised to deliver Christians from (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). It is Satan's permitted final expression of wrath that comes before God justly pours out His upon unrepentant, reprobate sinners sold out to evil (compare Revelation 12:7-17 and 16:1-21).
1 Oregon Gunman Singled Out Christians During Rampage, October 1, 2015, New York Post.
2 Buddhist Extremists Continue to Persecute Christians, SBC Life, October/November 2010, p. 22. The article can be read online at SBC Life.
3 Learn more about the Strong Man Institute on our Web Site. My book and companion men's group study resource are available through all major internet booksellers
and in the Strong Man Store.
Guilty disobedient white professed Christians willfully ignoring, setting aside and corrupting God’s Word over four hundred years to enable them in their churches and those making no such profession in the larger American society to uphold the bigotries, discriminatory acts and oppressions of racism has not gone without divine imposed and unintended consequences. Surely, for racism and other sins the severe judgment now, upon His Church has been imposed by Christ!1 Too, there are many unforeseen unintended consequences along the way sin always has that are contributing to the devastating spiritual, moral and ethical chaos, ruin and collapse of churches along with our nation.
The centuries long flagrant disregard for and disobedience to the clear teaching of Scripture against racism, its discriminatory acts and oppressions with other sins by the majority white professed Christian American Church has spawned the unforeseen outcome of a latter day generation that is at ease doing the same on such issues as marriage, divorce, feminism, abortion, same sex relations, gender identity and roles to name some.2 Another is the social chaos this state of affairs is causing that cannot be overstated; most of which will not be reversed until Christ returns to install and enforce the transcendent spiritual principles, morality and ethics of God’s Kingdom on earth (Psalm 2)!
Yet another unforeseen unintended consequence of brazen contempt for and disobedience to God’s Word on racism’s discriminatory acts and oppressions with other sins is the ongoing splintering of the American Church into ever increasing fragments as each man, woman or party must have their own typically unbiblical theological spin, belief system and way (Acts 20:29-30).3 Of course, the American Church has never been without division over theology since those that came from Europe to form the colonies were from various Catholic, Protestant and other professed Christian sects.4 But the splintering today is in over drive with thousands of denominations, churches, groups and sects.
The selfish mindset behind the splintering is not only a product of championed American individualism labeled freedom, but still an unabashed refusal to heed the instruction and warnings of Christ and His apostles on an issue; this time that of division. The Lord’s express will is brotherhood and unity (Matthew 23:8; John 17:20-23). Paul, the Lord’s apostle to us Gentiles asked rhetorically when the seeds of division were being planted in the first century, “Is Christ divided,” (1 Corinthians 1:13, NKJV)? The Lord warned ‘“And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand,’” (Mark 3:25, NKJV). No exception with our nation, the American Church fragmenting is collapsing too.
To be sure, there is a biblical place for God’s faithful to disassociate themselves from harlot professed Christians that in their practice of sin create a manmade religious “form” of the faith as the apostle Paul gives prophetic warning (2 Timothy 3:1-9, NKJV). Also, the Lord foretells a falling away from Him by ‘“offended’” splinter factions near His return in which they ‘“will betray…and hate one another;’” helping to give rise to ‘“many false prophets’” who ‘“deceive many,’” (Matthew 24:10-11, NKJV). This is now, well under way and helps in part explain why the guilty many in the American Church refuse to repent when confronted with God’s Word objectively read, interpreted and applied.5
Indeed, as the Lord leads me to write in The Scourge Of Racism, the world filled with those calling themselves progressives--religious and otherwise--is doing the right thing morally by not only owning the wrong done to blacks and other minorities through racism’s bigotry, discriminatory acts and oppressions, but attempting to do something about it whatever all of their skewed motives and efforts.6 Confessing sin is supposed to be automatic to all professed Christians since none have been saved apart from it. However, with hearts hardened into the numerous forms of manmade Christianity the religion and as de facto apostates that put worldly conservative values ahead of God’s Word many evangelicals in the American Church will not confess racism as sin and repent.
Refusing to repent from sinning against the Lord as religionists in contempt of Him and with hardened hearts was the issue with Hophni and Phinehas I wrote about in last week’s post (1 Samuel 2:22-25).7 Please note in the passage cited that God was not indifferent toward the two sinning priests. His judgment had already been determined and in His timing announced by an unnamed “man of God,” then, confirmed through the child prophet, Samuel (1 Samuel 2:27-34, 3:1-18, NKJV).8 As to a hardened heart, even the Philistines’ religious leaders warned their kings not to go there as they considered having “the ark of the Lord” after seven months of misery. They recognized a hardened heart is what destroyed Pharaoh and will anyone (1 Samuel 6:1-6; Romans 2:4-5, NKJV).9
1 Read the October 8, 2023 post, Racism A Reason For Church Judgment, under the category, Instruction along with the one on October 15, 2023, In Judgment, Grace, Mercy And Revival, under the category, Glory To God!
2 Blacks and other minorities long before were naturally taking their religious cues from whites in the lead who introduced Christianity in its various forms to them over the centuries also with negative outcomes. See the September 4, 2016 post, Christianity The Religion American Style, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 As with Israel during the period of the Judges when “everyone did what was right in his own eyes,” so, the American Church at this hour with one major difference. Israel’s condition was blamed on them not having a king, but we have One; even the same One they rejected then and guilty professed Christians reject now: God in Christ (Judges 21:25, NKJV)!
4 In spite of their theological differences, there was cooperation on founding the nation, building it and establishing its general cultural mores loosely based on select Judeo- Christian teaching from the Bible. This general culture as the Lord has been leading me to repeatedly point out shamefully included ensuring the dominantstanding of whites through the bigoted, discriminatory and oppressive deeds of racism. For the record, restrictions on sexual immorality was in no way bigoted, discriminatory or op- pressive since they are plain instruction directly from God’s Word (1 Thessalonians 4:1-8).
5 See the February 2, 2014 post, The Falling Away, under the category, Bible Prophecy. Impostors and apostates do not submit to God or His Word--never have and never will (Romans 8:5-9; 2 Timothy 3:10-13; 2 Peter 2:1-3, 12-22)!
6 The Scourge Of Racism, Copyright 2023, ODCM Publishing Division, Portland, OR, p. 15-17. The printed book is available in the Strong Man Store, all major internet book- sellers and brick and mortar bookstores. The just released E-Book is available at major E-Book sellers. Watch the book trailer.
7 Read the January 14, 2024 post, Racism’s Oppressions A Divine Priority, under the category, Call To Repent.
8 For those that would dismiss the Lord’s call to repent through me confirmed by His written Word because of no name recognition and through racist eyes, being a no ac- count black man, beware since every word of the Lord the unnamed “man of God” declared in the passage came to pass--glory to God!
9 Don’t let a hard heart keep you from hearing the Lord’s call to return through our Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on YouTube (Hebrews 3:7-19)!
God’s plan to save man before time and in it to announce this plainly exhibits the divine initiative to bring about such a thing as Christmas.1 After all of the many prophetic announcements and set up for His plan to save through One He would anoint contained in the Bible’s Old Testament, the time came for God’s acts to bring it into fulfillment. Through His sovereign supervision, providence and power, elect people, places and perfectly timed events unfolded in the land of Israel circa 6-4 B.C. according to historians that include a Jewish man called Matthew, an eyewitness apostle of Jesus Christ, and later, Luke, a Gentile disciple, both of whom wrote accounts of His birth.2
As led by God who established the importance of genealogies in Israel, Matthew opened his account presenting the Jewish ethnicity and royal genealogy “of Jesus Christ” from Abraham through David and his descendants up to Joseph, His surrogate father (Genesis 17:18-19; Matthew 1:1-17).3 God also had Luke give the genealogy of Christ through His mother betrothed to Joseph and a descendant of David too, that reached as a godly line He ordained all the way back to Adam (Luke 3:23-38). The genealogical credentials of Christ solidly presented, Matthew goes on to present vital details of God’s acts to bring Him safely into the world with Joseph’s obedience and cooperation.
Prominent in the acts of God Matthew reports are Mary’s troubling pregnancy as a virgin and the instructive dream He sent an angel to give Joseph. The angel urged Joseph to continue his betrothal to Mary and affirmed to him, ‘“for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.’” Moreover, Joseph was told by the angel his wife would deliver ‘“a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS (YESHUA), for He will save His people from their sins.’” Incredibly, Matthew declares not only that Mary’s pregnancy as a virgin exactly fulfilled the Lord’s prophetic Word, but the amazing truth that her Son is God incarnate as understood in another of His names, ‘“Immanuel,’” (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25, NKJV). Christmas is about God’s acts to bring His Son into the world to save!
1 See the December 3, 2023 post, Christmas: God’s Initiative To Save, under the category, Holidays.
2 The approximate time of Christ’s birth can be deduced from details Luke gives in his account (Luke 1:1-5, 2:1-3).
3 God is the Originator of all human ethnicities (Acts 17:26). Therefore, to hate, oppress, mistreat by discrimination or any other means on the basis of ethnicity is to disparage the Creator’s good work and blessing of giving ethnic diversity to His creature! For this cause no professed Christian should be numbered among racists or anti-Semites since the Christ they claim to love is Jewish! Read the two-part Jesus: The Jewish Messiah, posted on January 28, 2014, under the category, Holi- days and the February 2, 2020 post, Ethnically Diverse Mankind Is Of God, under the categories, Black History and God’s Creatures. Also, purchase the recently released print version of my book, The Scourge Of Racism, in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. Watch the book trailer.
Regardless of what fallen, sinful men say, according to God our Creator the greatest need of all mankind is to be saved from sin!1 Indeed, for sin as God forewarned the first man brought physical death and all of its ruin with condemnation not only upon him, but all of creation and his progeny (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-13, 17-19; Romans 5:12). Too, man died spiritually as in sin he was also separated from God with no apparent hope of deliverance or reconciliation to his Creator (Genesis 3:22-24; Isaiah 59:1-2). However, the same God who condemned also had a plan of redemption He announced on the same day of man’s fall and has taken the initiative to carry out.
From eternity God knew man would fall into sin and need deliverance or if you will salvation. There being no other viable option to effect man’s salvation, the sovereign God agreed that “the Word” should come into the world of fallen mankind to do so as the foretold “Seed” of the woman and “only begotten Son” “of the Father,” (Genesis 3:14-15; John 1:1-10, 14-18, NKJV). He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,” (John 1:29-34; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; 1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8b, NKJV)! And why? “For God so loved the world (mankind) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,” (John 3:16, NKJV).
Christmas is about God’s love for fallen mankind who apart from intervention, were the objects of the divine verdict concerning us and consequences of wrath along with eternal death (Romans 1:18-32, 3:9-20, 5:6-9; Revelation 20:11-15). But because of Christmas--the coming into the world of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, those of us that have believed on Him and His atoning death for sin have moved from under condemnation, wrath and eternal death and been reconciled to God (John 1:11-13, 3:17-21, 36, 5:24-30; Romans 3:21-31, 5:10-11). I am so glad for God’s love and initiative that has graciously and mercifully brought salvation to the world through His Son, Jesus Christ!
1 Yes, sin includes all forms of racism and anti-Semitism that violates God’s commanded will for and destroys constructive human relations (Mark 12:28-31)! Get the recently released print version of my book, The Scourge Of Racism, in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. Watch the book trailer.
Arising from the midst of the Lord’s permitted severe adversities as judgment upon along with grace, mercy and revival in His American Church are men; men who aspire to be “strong” as described of old by Daniel the prophet and in Christ’s image (Daniel 11:32-35; Romans 8:29, NKJV).1 Such men are supposed to be well represented in the Church. However, in these latter days they have been made rare by a multitude of Church sins including the toleration and practice of racism. Restored in their sold out devotion and obedience to Christ, aspiring strong men of God in His image are the only ones that can stand to lead the Church out of racism and into modeling racial harmony!
All men are weak in sin before God (Psalm 6:1-2a, 51:5; Luke 5:4-8; Romans 3:9-18, 23)! Our thinking, attitudes, words and deeds fully display the sin nature that resides within us (Mark 7:21-22). Indeed, racism is but one of many sins men practice that flow from our sin nature and the arrogance with pride spawned by it in the heart.2 With all other sins men commit, racism too, is not only a display of the sin nature, but spiritual weakness. Consequently, as the Lord leads me to write in The Scourge Of Racism, those who practice racism whether they profess to be Christians or not and whatever their hues are also showing spiritual weakness only He can deliver a man from.3
Jesus Christ, God “the Word” and “Son,” came into the world from Heaven by the express will of “the Father,” (John 1:1-2, 14-18, NKJV). He taught with “authority” and did mighty works in the power of God (Mark 1:21-28, 4:35-41; John 20:30-31, NKJV). He was also tested in every manner as we are to the death, but no sin was found in Him for He was perfect in all of His ways (Matthew 4:1-11, 26:36-46, 27:35-54; Hebrews 2:18, 4:15). Without dispute, Jesus Christ is the Strong Man of God He wants all willing men to look to as the role model for what being a man is about, follow and imitate to the end of bearing His image forever (Luke 9:18-36; 1 Corinthians 11:1, 15:47-49)!4
While the Father does allow for the reality of sin weak Christ followers, this is not His perfect will (1 Corinthians 11:23-32). Every man that repents of his sins and believes on Christ for salvation is called by the Father to become a strong man in His Son’s image and purposely set on a path to spiritual maturity to that end by Him (Matthew 10:24-25; Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 12:1-11). In seeking to please Him and do His will, Christian men as aspiring strong men of God in Christ’s image submit to and obey His commandments as taught (Matthew 28:18-20). Chief among the Lord’s commandments is for His disciples to “love one another” as He exemplified (John 13:34, NKJV).5
Not only would the world know the reality of Christ by His disciples’ display of love for each other, but they by their obedience to His command would be showing Him love the way He requires (John 13:35, 14:15). As a result, they most assuredly would not be tolerant of or practicing the loveless sin of racism! For besides disobeying the Lord’s command to love each other practicing racism, they know this sin wickedly does harm to its object whether a fellow believer or not (Romans 13:8-10). Too, they understand themselves to be sons of God who behaving in righteousness and love, are distinct from the devil’s children and their hurtful conduct toward others (1 John 3:10-15).
The men I am describing--aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ--are not more evident in the Church at this hour because many have been left ignorant of their calling attending churches where it or anything like biblical manhood is not taught. Also, men are marginalized in the Church due to another sin, capitulation to feminists for the sake of their definition of equality. Nevertheless, Christ Lord of His Church is restoring willing men through Ministries like ours!6 They are being purposely taught the way of Christ as the Strong Man of God so in being personally restored, they might also restore their families and communities to include local churches as needed.7
As I write in The Scourge Of Racism, whatever their hue aspiring strong men of God in Christ’s image do not tolerate, practice or in silence endorse the sin of racism, but call it out while modeling the Lord’s commanded love.8 As it should be, these aspiring strong men of God in the image of Christ are local church leaders as well as those rising up from the pews to display the solution to racism in His Church and to a skeptical, hostile watching world to His glory as we are called to do! Truly, standing against racism and all biblically defined sin in the midst of intensifying adversities and persecution from Christian impostors and the world will be challenging; they will have the experiences of the men in Daniel’s prophecy already cited as they serve in Christ’s strength (Philippians 4:13).
1 Read the October 15, 2023 post, In Judgment, Grace, Mercy And Revival, under the category, Glory To God!
2 See the September 17, 2023 post, Racism A Two-Fold Scourge, under the category, Biblical Worldview, for a definition of racism.
3 The Scourge Of Racism, Copyright 2023, ODCM Publishing Division, Portland, OR, p. 64. The book can be purchased in this Ministry’s Web Site Stores including the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
4 Learn more about Jesus Christ as the Strong Man of God in my previously published book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics! The Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions are available in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
5 The Lord knows His commandment is impossible without the indwelling power and help of the Holy Spirit and spoke in anticipation of His coming to equip us to obey (John 3:1-8, 14:16-17, 26; Romans 5:5; 1 Peter 1:22-25).
6 Since 2005 Strong Man Ministries has been carrying out the Lord’s mission to restore men, their families and communities despite actual opposition not only from the world, but local churches! Learn more about our work on our Web Site and courageously consider supporting it.
7 Restoration through returning to the Lord is an important first step for professed Christian men who know they are far from anything like His image in their walk. Our on- going Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, seeks to facilitate that restoration. Your soul, sir, is worth the thirty minutes it takes to watch the rally on our YouTube channel.
8 The Scourge Of Racism, op. cit., p. 64.
As the Lord leads, in this post for now, I wrap up talking about His Father’s planned eternal day very near; that day He has prepared for those He has saved from His just wrath against sinners by grace through faith in Christ which launches it.1 Professed Christians have been the first audience for the posts discussing His eternal day as the culmination of those the Lord led me to write July 2-23, 2023. Depending on whether or not the professed Christian reader was truly saved and faithful, the posts I pray were hope inspiring! If not, then, the Lord made clear His call to return lest you miss out on God’s eternal day.2 As always, unsaved sinners were an important second audience for the posts.
For the sake of the unsaved sinner, as the Holy Spirit gives words and power I humbly yet again declare the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ; that out of God’s love He came into the world to die on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day. All who repent of their sins and place their faith in Christ’s atoning work announced in the Gospel will be forgiven and saved from eternal condemnation and God’s approaching just wrath against sinners. Too, the believer is brought to spiritual birth and eternal life by the Holy Spirit who also marks him out for God’s eternal day (John 3:16-21, 36; Acts 2:36-40; Romans 10:11-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 1:3-14).
Beyond superficial intellectual assent to the Gospel announcement as belief in its content, the Lord instructs that the one truly saved came to it and Him with the heart of a humble little child. He said, ‘“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven,’” (Matthew 18:1-4, NKJV). To be converted is to experience a real change of heart first toward one’s sins from calloused acceptance to grief they exist with appeal for rescue granted (Matthew 5:2-6)!3 Second, it is to appreciate from the heart what God has done in Christ to deliver us from our sin guilt through unmerited forgiveness (Romans 3:9-4:8, 5:6-11, 6:23).
The Holy Spirit would have me also review what is at stake for the unsaved sinner as one who never accepts the Gospel or one of the many impostors that proliferate within professing Christianity at this hour. If you never receive the Gospel and become converted before dying, at your death you will be sent to Hades under the earth to await the judgment of your works. And not being found in the “Book of Life,” you will be excluded from God’s eternal day in Hell forever (Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:11-15, NKJV)! Concerning religious folk as impostors in and outside of the churches that even in His ‘“name’” do astounding works, the Lord is clear the same fate is yours (Matthew 7:21-23, NKJV).4
The same fate also awaits ‘“anyone’” who ‘“worships the beast (Antichrist) and his image, and receives his mark…’” or who remains hardened to the Gospel up until God in wrath launches His eternal day (Revelation 14:9-11, 16:1-21, NKJV). If it is all like that for unfaithful Christians, the unsaved and religious impostors, how could it be those that abandon the faith as apostates have a place in God’s eternal day? They don’t (John 15:6; Hebrews 3:7-19, 6:4-8, 10:37-39)!5 The Word of the Lord as it is written could not be plainer: ‘“But he who endures to the end will be saved,’” (Matthew 10:22, 24:13; Mark 13:13; Luke 21:19, NKJV). We then, who are by faith truly saved must faithfully endure in it with all perseverance to the end to enjoy God’s eternal day (Hebrews 10:35-36)!6
(I am taking Labor Day off next Sunday, September 3rd with thanks to God for the privilege to labor in His Kingdom causes! He willing, my next post appears September 10th. Enjoy your Labor Day.)
1 Read the following posts: July 30, 2023, There Is An End!, August 13, 2023, There Is A New Beginning! and August 20, 2023, God’s Eternal Day Firmly Established, all un- der the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 As it is referenced in each of the posts noted in the above footnote and now, this one, the Lord is calling His dull of hearing sheep among others as well to turn back to Him with a whole heart through this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, featured on its dedicated YouTube Channel.
3 Indeed, the transformation of heart in biblical conversion is so thorough, the person saved is described as “a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new,” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV). If that is not you in heart, then, you are not saved!
4 Read the September 4, 2016 post, Christianity The Religion American Style and the related two-part post that begins September 11, 2016, American Culture’s Religion, both under the category, Call To Repent to consider the truth that Christianity as a religion of human invention and practice does not impress God nor can it save!
5 Let every professed Christian and any self-anointed “good person” claiming a spot in God’s eternal day and holy city carefully consider who is excluded by Him and Christ (Revelation 21:8, 27, 22:12-17)!
6 This is most certainly the aim of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. Pick up your Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Edition in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
The millennium reign of Jesus Christ as the first part of God’s eternal day fulfills His promise of comfort and restoration to Israel beyond Jewish imagination after suffering His punishment under the tyranny of the Gentiles so long.1 For as the Gentiles had their “times” in this present world and age, the Jews in the millennium reign of Christ will have theirs as part of God’s eternal day (Deuteronomy 28:58-68; Hosea 6:1-3; Zechariah 8:11-23; Luke 21:20-24, NKJV).2 Truly, all of the surviving nations on earth will bountifully benefit from the Kingdom rule of Christ and His glorified immortal saints since there will be peace, justice, fairness and prosperity (Psalm 99:1-5; Isaiah 2:1-4, 11:1-9, 25:6-9).3
Even so, this first part of God’s planned eternal day is limited to only a millennium by design because one of His major objectives is the restoration of holiness to all of His Kingdom forever! This necessitates an end to the first part of His eternal day and bringing in of a second which follows His complete crushing of Satan, sin and death. For this cause Satan and his demonic hordes were only temporarily incarcerated under the earth, while mortals still as sinners are present on it during the millennium. It is amazing how without the instigating efforts of evil, but with the fear of the Lord the sinful deeds of mortal mankind are curtailed during the millennium (Micah 4:3; Malachi 3:4-5)!
Satan must be crushed because in the second part of God’s eternal day He will no longer tolerate His fallen angel as a continuing futile rival and instigator of rebellion and opposition against Him (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-16; Romans 16:20). Hence, an '“everlasting fire'” away from God was long ago '“prepared for the devil and his angels'” in which men only join them because of refusing to repent from their evil works of sin and turn to Christ in faith for salvation (Matthew 25:41, NKJV). Indeed, because of their evil works of sin not forgiven, mortal human sinners cannot enter the Kingdom of God and eternally dwell in His presence for three important reasons.
God is holy as the first reason (Psalm 99:9; Isaiah 6:1-5; Revelation 4:8-11)! Because God is holy, He is absolutely offended by sin and reflexively condemns its source. God loves man, but when our forefather, Adam, sinned, God followed through with His forewarned consequence of death (separation) both spiritual and physical upon him and us his progeny (Genesis 2:15-17, 3:17-19, 22-24, 5:1-5). Sin in our bodies then, separates us from the presence of God Most Holy (Isaiah 59:1-8) who would instantly breakout upon and destroy the unholy sinner that dares approach Him (Exodus 19:10-15) or transgress in His face as happened to two sinning priests of Israel (Leviticus 10:1-3)!4
This leads to the second reason mortal men “cannot inherit the Kingdom of God:” His natural realm is spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:50, NKJV). Finally, the body, spirit or soul could not endure nor will God keep His anger toward sinners forever (Genesis 6:3; Isaiah 57:15-16). This is why He never considered such a thing. But from eternity as God planned for the creation of man it was purposed that his first form be mortal to suffer death for his foreknown sin and after, become immortal; Christ preeminently unveiling and making the metamorphosis possible through His experience in the Gospel proclaimed to the world we Christians await (1 Corinthians 15:35-49, 51-57; 2 Timothy 1:8-12)!5
Therefore, in accord with the foreknowledge and infinite wisdom of God, Satan is released from his prison at the end of the millennium reign of Christ and His glorified immortal saints and the first part of God’s planned eternal day. He immediately instigates a rebellion against the Lord by the mortal Gentile nations and gathers them to Jerusalem to also attack Israel (Ezekiel 38:1-17; Revelation 20:7-8). However, God the Father from Heaven intervenes to destroy all of the rebels and the entire physical creation with holy fire, while Satan is thrown into the “lake of fire,” (Ezekiel 39:5-6; 2 Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:9-10, NKJV).6 This is followed by Christ resurrecting and judging the unsaved dead; casting them with “Death and Hades” into the fire too (Revelation 20:11-15, NKJV).
Then, the Father as foretold creates “a new heaven and a new earth” and brings down “the holy city, New Jerusalem;” launching the second part of His plan from eternity that He should dwell up close and Personal with His redeemed creatures (Revelation 21:1-3, NKJV). In this ‘“new’” and final part of His eternal day, God eliminates every vestige of relational separation, grief and hurts from the ‘“former’” mortal ages and again certifies His actions with ‘“It is done!’”7 He assures the overcoming saint he ‘“shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son,’” (Revelation 21:4-8, NKJV). We will live together with, learn from and serve God and Christ in the indescribably glorious and beautifully Jewish accented New Jerusalem “forever and ever,” (Revelation 21:9-22:5, NKJV)!8
1 Read the August 13, 2023 post, There Is A New Beginning!, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
2 See the June 12, 2016 post, The Day Of Israel’s Comfort, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
3 See the September 24, 2017 post, Christ To Restore All Things, under the categories Bible Prophecy and The Cause.
4 Professed Christians practicing sin in the face of Christ are assured of His chastening in Scripture (1 Corinthians 11:23-32; Revelation 3:19). This being so, He calls for His wayward sheep in the pews and pulpits to turn back to Him in this Ministry’s latest Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, on YouTube. Isn’t your life worth thirty minutes?
5 The Lord led me to write on the topic of His design of man to be mortal as a first stage, then, immortal as a second in posts that run from July 3, 2016 through August 14, 2016.
6 For more on these events read the December 27, 2015 post, People And Guns, under the category, Biblical Worldview and the one on November 13, 2022, Jesus Christ: God’s Perfect King, under the category, Glory To God!
7 Read the August 6, 2023 post, The Last Day Of The End, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
8 Being eternal sons, disciples and servants is the destiny of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:7) as He leads me to unflinchingly write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available in the Hard or Soft Cover or E-Book Editions along with the companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study in the Strong Man Store, among internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores.
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