As the Director of Strong Man Ministries and lead instructor in our Strong Man Institute in-person and virtual course offerings, I am excited to announce the roll out yesterday of our Fruitful Bible Study Self-Paced Video Course on our Strong Man Virtual Institute YouTube Channel!1 With the Lord’s leading, this video course addresses the great need in His Body for knowledge of the Word through the spiritual discipline of Bible study in these latter days. For He and His apostles warned us great deception would exist in the times before His return as it does and lacking knowledge of the Word, many are being deceived and fall away as also foretold (Mark 13:3-6, 22-23; 1 Timothy 4:1-5).
Though there are many false and deceitful doctrines of demons within professing Christianity at this hour, one of the most insidious is in fact “a different gospel;” the likes of which the apostle Paul puts the purveyor under a curse of destruction and that strikes at the very heart of the Christian faith “once for all delivered to the saints,” (Galatians 1:6-10; Jude 3-4, NKJV). It asserts that God does not judge what people do in sin anymore since Christ completely atoned for human sins past, present and future on the cross. Those who know the truth from their regular, Holy Spirit led and helped study of the Bible recognize the foregoing assertion is preposterous and thoroughly false!
Truly, as Scripture teaches the Lord’s death on the cross most certainly did make a full and eternal atonement for human sin before God (Isaiah 53:10-12; John 1:29, 19:30; Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:17, 9:11-15). However, it is only the one who repents of his sins, places faith in the Gospel and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit that will be saved which Scripture also teaches (Acts 2:36-39; Romans 1:16-17, 3:21-26; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). As it is written and cited in Romans 1:17, ‘“The just shall live by faith,’” (NKJV). There is no work or deed a sinner can do to earn salvation wrought through Christ’s sacrifice God has made available to all mankind by grace (Romans 3:27-4:25; Ephesians 2:1-10).2
I will declare it again. Although He died for all mankind, only those individuals who genuinely repent of their sins, believe the Gospel and receive new birth by the indwelling Holy Spirit, obtain salvation! Those who refuse to repent and believe the Gospel remain in their sins, will die in and face Christ’s “judgment seat” to answer for them (John 8:21-24; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11, NKJV).3 For of first importance salvation is “remission (by God’s forgiveness) of sins” upon repentance and faith in Christ (Luke 24:46-47, NKJV). Anyone who preaches anything contrary to this core, historic and biblical truth for salvation, puts themselves justly under the apostle Paul’s curse since it is a different gospel!
Now, even though no work or deed we do of ourselves prior to salvation can earn it, works and deeds afterward matter as evidence of its authenticity, fruitfulness and enduring faith in Christ which is not a one and done thing (James 2:14-26). We enter salvation through faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and continue living by faith in Him moment by moment going forward. Purposely practicing biblically defined sin without repentance is not proof of faith, but of possible insincere or false profession, rank disobedience which is rebellion or apostasy which can never please God who despite another false doctrine, ‘“will judge His people,’” (Hebrews 10:26-39, 11:6, NKJV)!4
Thus, even though Christ’s work to pay for human sin was finished on the cross, our responsibility before God for personal sin does not end there! For this reason, the Lord Jesus explains one must “believe in Him” whom God in love sent into the world to die for our sins in order to “not perish” and instead, “have everlasting life.” Otherwise, apart from appropriating His saving work to themselves by faith, the unsaved are “condemned already” with no other hope; their deeds certifying God’s righteousness to condemn them (John 3:16-21, NKJV).5 Also, what professed Christians do reveals whether they know Christ and bear good fruit (Matthew 7:15-23,13:1-9, 18-23).6
Indeed, the whole Word of God teaches what one does whether in sin or not during this mortal life matters to God! Consequently, every human being that has ever lived will face judgment by Jesus Christ to be rewarded accordingly--those with the fruitful deeds of faith in Him having nothing to fear (Job 34:10-15; Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Romans 1:28-2:11, 14:10-12, 23b; Revelation 22:12). Ours is not a made to order salvation of human construction. It has sprung from the heart and mind of the living God from eternity (1 Peter 1:13-21)! Christians must get and stay in God’s Word to recognize and avoid the many false doctrines today; careful not to even pass along sound good posts on social media from maybe well meaning sources, but that are not biblical.
1 The very first Short-Term Study from the Strong Man Virtual Institute can be viewed on its dedicated YouTube Channel. A course overview with description is provided in Session One of the six session study. While it is not required, a Study Guide is available as a free download in the Strong Man Store to help interested learners as they engage with the video course at their own pace.
2 Read the March 21, 2021 post, Good Works Cannot Save You, under the category, The Cause.
3 See the April 24, 2022 post, Messiah Comes Second For Salvation, under the category, The Faith.
4 What has death been to mankind but judgment from God who lovingly, graciously warned Adam of it as the consequence in the day of his disobedience (Genesis 2:15- 17, 3:6-11, 17-19)? And as it concerns Christians, the falsehood God does not judge what we do becomes crystal clear from faithfully reading and studying the New Testament where God is seen intentionally instilling fear of offending His holiness through willful sin after He put to death Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, on the same day for lying to Him--something many professed Christians in our times foolishly consider no big deal (Acts 5:1-11). For further reflection on God as the Judge of His people in the New Testament, read the two-part post that begins August 23, 2020, The Churches Under Judgment, under the category, Instruction.
5 There are those in Christian media and not a few pastors that refute the Bible they claim to uphold teaching God does not condemn. Some even boast that you will not hear them talk about such a thing, though the whole narrative of salvation in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is about God saving willing mankind from our sins in light of His certain coming wrath and condemnation to Hell! Being unwilling to declare “the whole counsel of God” especially for the sake of gaining money from people who want to hear nothing but positive statements about Him for them, followers or to fill auditorium seats is fraud (Acts 20:26-31; 2 Corinthians 2:17, 4:1-2, NKJV)! It is also false teaching to deny or purposely omit the fact unrepentant sinners stand condemned before a holy God--woe to the false teachers who bring the Lord’s judgment upon themselves (2 Peter 2:1-3)! Who really cares for your soul: the one that tells you only the parts of God’s Word you like and want to hear or the one who gives you God’s whole Word (1 Thessalonians 2:1-12)?
6 Though he may struggle, the saved one is done with sin and is helped by the Holy Spirit to live a holy and righteous life in the image of Christ through his purposeful, persevering faith (Romans 6-8). As the Lord leads, I present this truth in some detail to the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and its companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study as well as Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study. These are all available in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
Two days after celebrating the one hundred and fifty-fifth year since the end of slavery here in America on Juneteenth and now, for Father’s Day, I write as the Lord leads to speak to the globally seen first degree murder of black American male, George Floyd, by a white male Minneapolis police officer as three other officers watched back on May 25, 2020. All of the men have since been fired and brought up on charges in the case which is righteous. In the meantime, violent rioting, looting and protest marches broke out in cities across America. While the rioting and looting have calmed down, protest marches demanding the end to national systemic racism and police reform persist.1
I have said little publically as is typical when these all too frequent events occur since I am not my own, but the Lord’s watchman/prophet speaking what He puts in my mouth and at the time He wants it spoken (Ezekiel 33:1-9).2 What I have written in social media posts as the Lord led has been directed to black and other angry protesters calling for peaceful protest and thoughtful consideration of the fact the problems of racism and police misconduct are larger and more difficult to overcome systemically than a few changes in laws, policies, procedures and in the extreme, defunding the police which no society built on the rule of law as ordained by God can afford to do (Romans 13:1-7).
To be sure, as with the Law of God, so, the laws of man are made not for those that are righteous, but those that are “lawless,” (1 Timothy 1:8-11, NKJV)! To keep order, the police are hired among other reasons as agents of society to enforce its laws amid those that for whatever reasons break them. Depending on the law, an encounter with police can occur for those that are otherwise law abiding.3 For credibility, the police are expected by God if not the governments that hire them or the people they serve to be law abiding--the same as us preachers who supposedly discipline ourselves so, after preaching to others, we are not “disqualified,” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, NKJV).
Without a doubt though, in only the news clips I have viewed the white police officer that kept his knee on the neck of George Floyd cold-heartedly murdered him.4 It was shocking, sickening and infuriating to watch as it surely has been for blacks since our forefathers as slaves began to make their inhumane voyages from West Africa to this land. For as in those days among heartless slavers and on May 25th, the evil eyes of that white police officer displayed utter contempt and disregard for George Floyd as a human being; the same contempt and disregard for human life that is in the thoroughly evil heart of Satan who hates all (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-11, 17-19; John 8:44, 13:21-30).
It is therefore, understandable that most black Americans are outraged. What has been new and amazing to see is the unprecedented numbers of white, other Americans of color and those around the world that have risen up in protest too. Watching a man being murdered as he pleads that he cannot breathe while the police officer responsible and those with him ignore this, should be more than any normal human being can take without some kind of moral offense and need to act! For this reason, I appreciate the largely peaceful uprising that has occurred in the stand many are making against systemic racism and for police reform in our society.
I am also glad my children and grand-children old enough get to see this brief moment when all but a relative few willful white Americans that refuse, finally understand our righteous cry to end the bigoted, contempt driven mistreatment of black Americans and especially our men who have been strategically targeted since slavery.5 Nevertheless, I urge that all move away from the street protests for your health since God’s Coronavirus judgment remains and because you have the attention of the nation and world--changes man can make are taking place! Keep vigilant through every legal means to hold government authorities accountable. Lastly, check yourself too, as I have urged in social media posts--racism is an issue and evil of the human heart (Mark 7:20-23)!
As such, not only our police officers that are guilty, but you also need what only God has the power to do and that is transform hearts. He has made His power available to all through repentance and faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day; sending His power through the Holy Spirit into the hearts of those that believe to make loving our neighbor possible--or if you are white, do you only intend to march for, but refuse to love your black neighbors (Matthew 18:1-5; John 3:1-8; Titus 3:1-7)? This is a clarion call for authentic Christian white Americans to redeem the failure of your forefathers to be true ambassadors of reconciliation and represent biblical Christianity as God intended to all (2 Corinthians 5:17-6:2).
Still, I must caution particularly my fellow Christian black Americans that will please God and do His will biblically not to walk again into the snare of believing we have arrived at what we have waited for so long: a widespread permanent change of heart among and acceptance by our white neighbors.6 Indeed, we have seen this movie before and already the call to defeat is being sounded by those who lead the Civil Rights Movement today; who make our righteous quest for racial, morally equivalent to gender and sexual justice.7 The dream of racial harmony well articulated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963, yet awaits the Second Coming of Jesus Christ because as He foretold, even natural human love that could get us close is diminishing as lawlessness increases (Matthew 24:12).
1 Before I could begin to reflect good before the Lord about this post, another black male, Rayshard Brooks, was shot in the back in Atlanta, GA by another white officer
while fleeing arrest on Friday, June 12th. That officer was fired immediately and has since been charged with murder.
2 See the July 29, 2018 two-part repost addressing the Trayvon Martin tragedy, The Racial Double Standard, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 I have had a few traffic violations over the course of my more than fifty years of driving, for example, and a couple of incidents that brought me into direct encounter
with the police. Most officers were professional and courteous. But as a black male, I have also had the humiliating experience of being disrespected by a few arro-
gant white police officers that were overbearing in wielding their authority.
4 Those that have watched the entire video time out the episode at eight minutes and forty-six seconds.
5 Read especially part two of my 2015 Father’s Day post, Mama’s Boys, under the category, Black History that began on June 21st. While it is an ancient tactic of war-
fare to target men for death when subduing peoples because of their natural will and ability to protect their families if given the opportunity, the prolonged and cruel
acts of guilty white males from slavery to thoroughly oppress, humiliate, dominate and demoralize black males with religious sanction surely ranks high among all of
the evil acts of mankind. I urge all men to read my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics to understand how to handle our business in the image of Jesus
Christ as God wills. Get a print copy or digital download of the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple
(digital only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
6 Does anybody remember the 1978 Allan Bakke Affirmative Action Reverse Discrimination case and the Supreme Court decision? Also, see the November 29, 2015
post, When The Glory Comes, under the category, Glory To God! The counsel the Lord gave me in this post stands and will be fulfilled sooner than anyone reading
this can imagine! However, ‘“the just shall live by faith,’” (Hebrews 10:35-39, NKJV). We do not wait for sinful man, but the living God!
7 A man I have deep admiration and respect for as one of the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, Congressman John Lewis, expressed the politically and socially
liberal heart of today’s leaders and participants in an interview on June 7th while visiting the DC street painted “Black Lives Matter” with its Mayor and reported by
BET.com. Search the Bible from Genesis to Revelation to see if God ever sanctions racial injustice (Deuteronomy 1:17, 10:17-19), calls mortal man other than male
or female (Matthew 19:1-4) or sexual perversion righteous in His sight (Romans 1:18-32). You automatically kick the God of the Bible to the curb and assure certain
eventual defeat when you advocate for and make coalitions with those in active rebellion against Him (Psalms 2, 33:12-22; Isaiah 31:1-3; 1 John 5:4-5).
Let me begin by wishing any mother reading this a blessed Mother’s Day! In spite of the successful work of feminism over the past half century to diminish the high view of motherhood God instilled in humanity from creation, an aspiring great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ especially that has fully devoted herself to His assignment is still blessed by Him (Luke 7:11-17).1 Indeed, a mother’s love historically self-denying, patient, kind, sacrificial and protective to name a few excellent qualities is patterned after God’s own. Historical motherhood is remarkable given the intrusion of sin by Satan’s deceit, God’s judgment, life and death in a fallen world (Genesis 3-4).
In God’s image and by His design, a mother’s natural love for her children provides and cares for, manages, nurtures and protects them. It is typically a mother’s protective love that can cause her to stand up for and defend her children against harm at the risk of her own life though, this facet of love is plainly not active when she decides to abort her unborn or otherwise murder her child outside of the womb--instances of which fill these latter times. Jochebed, the mother of Moses in the Bible, is an outstanding example of a mother’s protective love as is a harlot in Solomon’s dilemma of wisdom. Both sought to protect the lives of their children (Exodus 1:22-2:10; 1 Kings 3:16-28).
No doubt, it is protective love that would cause a mother who does not truly know God or His nature and character presented in the whole Bible to react against the truth of His coming wrath upon her progeny as I was directed by Him to warn about in a recent post.2 While a mother’s protective love is commendable and appropriate in the right situations as we saw in the earlier biblical examples, to be willing to lash out against sound doctrine to the point of corrupting God’s Word to redefine Him and revise the truth is a great evil that without repentance, He will not leave unpunished. For in the falsehood, such a mother is seeking to create a made to order god of her own liking!
As I have encountered this diabolical falsehood inspired of demons and cherry picked from God’s Word, it insists that since God is love, He cannot possibly bring wrath upon any human being, but particularly children. Now, this statement sounds good at first glance because there is the New Testament passage that declares truthfully, “God is love,” (1 John 4:8, NKJV). In context, the apostle John is asserting the source and standard of love in the eternal nature of God that ought to exist in and among born again Christians because He lives in us by the Holy Spirit. We know Him so intimately and completely in love, “the day of judgment” holds no fear for us (1 John 4:4-19, NKJV).
The foregoing exclusively involves born again Christians who have been delivered from God’s coming wrath through repentance and faith in the Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ! His sacrifice to save us from our sins and wrath is a clear display of God’s love as John reminds us in the passage cited. But God in nature has other attributes besides love. Among His eternal attributes are also holiness, righteousness and justice from which flows His condemnation of and wrath toward mankind as sinners.3 His love delays carrying out the fullness of His wrath to give time to repent as in the days of Noah, Sodom and Judah (Genesis 6:5-22, 7:11-24, 14:1-17, 18:16-19:29; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21).
In the latter instance of His wrath, children are specifically mentioned among those that would perish as the Lord Jesus also warns the women weeping for Him on the way to the cross. This happens as God comes against the sin of their parents (Ezekiel 8-9; Luke 23:26-31).4 No mother could possibly love her children more than God does mankind or His Son yet, He gave Him up to His wrath and death on the cross for us all (Isaiah 49:5-6, 14-16; Jeremiah 31:1-3; Matthew 3:16-17, 27:45-50; Romans 5:6-11)! In His image (fallen as it is), mothers that love their children have had to discipline them for cause after any number of warnings. Surely, you understand God made His own Son to suffer His wrath so we would not have to and has graciously given the world time to repent!
God’s offer of pardon and a free pass from His wrath to mankind through repentance and faith in the Gospel of His Son is now, reaching its expiration date. Whether it is my progeny or yours (God does not show favoritism) all need to take full advantage of His grace. Otherwise, “the wrath of God abides on” them and no mother’s protective love can prevent this by force of will or corrupting Scripture to propagate a falsehood to somehow make Him over and take it away (John 3:36, NKJV). Just as there can be no made to order salvation, neither is there a made to order God!5 He is who the Bible as it is written fully says He is!6 For this reason, every professed Christian must study His whole Word for themselves to know what it actually says in totality to avoid being deceived.7
1 The blessedness of motherhood as the purposeful and exclusive assignment to females by God is taught from His Word by me in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and its companion Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study. Both are available in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
2 Read the March 27, 2022 post, No Baby Boomer Free Lunch, under the categories Biblical Worldview and Call To Repent.
3 See the March 28, 2021 post, The Righteous Wrath Of God, under the categories Bible Prophecy and The Cause.
4 God is not out to get children or anyone else for that matter! However, taking Him seriously as they ought in His Word, parents are warned in the context of His prohibition of the practice of idolatry deeply offensive to Him: ‘“I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth gen- erations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments,’” (Exodus 20:3-6; Deuteronomy 5:7-10, NKJV). Sin- ning parents are the ones that in reality show a lack of love and regard for their own progeny by thumbing their noses at God’s Word and warnings about the conse- quences of disobedience (Ezekiel 18:30-32)! If you do not wish for your progeny to endure God’s coming wrath, be and live saved yourself. Then, proclaim the Gospel and witness Christ to them in the prayerful hope of their repentance, faith and salvation to escape!
5 See the May 1, 2022 post, Made To Order Salvation?, under the category, The Faith.
6 Read the May 31, 2020 post, Keeping It Real About God, under the category, Instruction.
7 Get sound help and encouragement to engage beneficially in the spiritual discipline of Bible Study by taking the Fruitful Bible Study Self-Paced Video Course on our Strong Man Virtual Institute YouTube Channel. A Study Guide is available as a free download in the Strong Man Store to help follow along with the series of short videos.
Surely, especially the young souls of this 21st century will ask me, “What is the big deal about women leading men in the churches? They are doing so everywhere else in the world. Aren’t you just being sexist, legalistic and judgmental?” If the matter of divine order was not to be taken seriously, then I am thoroughly convinced God would not have me wasting my time bothering with it as it concerns restoring men or for any other reason. However, divine order is the critical issue of this present age. Since fallen angels and mankind have rebelled against it, the Holy God has pronounced judgment on both! God is a God of order throughout all of existence (Jeremiah 23:24). As the Lord led me to write about in The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, the divine Family of Father, Son and Holy Spirit have order within their triunity and equality as God. God the Father reigns as absolute supreme, sovereign with the Son and Holy Spirit in joyful submission. The Holy Spirit carries out the will of the Father and the Son. From eternity, the triune God has reigned over the environs and creatures of the spiritual realm (Exodus 3:13-14; Psalm 90:2). Led by a single rebel, some of the holy angels created in the order of their domain and ranks rebelled against God to be condemned to everlasting fire (Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 12:3-4, 20:10). It is written: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth,” (Genesis 1:1, NKJV). With that statement as the opening of the divine commissioned written communication to mankind through Moses, God makes the unequivocal declaration that God is the Creator of the entire physical creation or what is called today, the cosmos which according to the Encarta Dictionary is “the universe considered as an ordered and integrated whole.” Indeed, the order that exists in the universe from the smallest particles to the largest galaxies in the billions filled with solar systems and planets such as our earth in orderly procession is mind boggling (Psalm 147:4-5; Isaiah 40:25-26)! Clearly, the God of order created the cosmos with order! Even the most cynical fools among scientists today that say “there is no God,” must acknowledge the staggering order of the cosmos (Psalm 14:1-3, 19:1-6, NKJV). Our Creator even created His cosmos, the earth and its contents in an orderly fashion leading to the apex and ultimate purpose for the divine work: the creation of man to rule over all that God had created (Genesis 1:2-26; Psalm 8; Hebrews 2:5-8a). God gave mortal man purpose and order (Genesis 1:27-28, 2:7). Man dwelt in a body of order and could appreciate not only the technical wonder of the creation that surrounded him, but its beauty (Genesis 2:8-14). In the order God gave man, God retained the right of sovereign Headship as Creator giving him tasks and a commandment (Genesis 2:15-17). After creating his female companion from him for him in accord with the divine order of marriage, she led them to rebel against God (Genesis 2:18-3:6). Nevertheless, their sin did not cause God to change the divine order of marriage. As I wrote in an April 2011 Commentary for another platform, “Man as male and female in marriage is God's orderly program for them to fulfill His purposes in this age. Man the male as the head of his family--even after falling in sin--is so by divine will, design and order (Genesis 3:16b).” We now exist in and observe a cosmos as well as earth with all of its many systems of order after their ruin at the rebellion and fall of man (Genesis 3:17-19). As God did not change the divine order of marriage after man sinned and the pre-announced judgment was carried out, neither did God alter the ultimate divine purpose for mankind to rule over the cosmos. In accord with the foreordained divine plan, the Son of God came down to make atonement for our sins in His death on the cross, burial and resurrection so that God might righteously forgive and fully restore men that believe (Hebrews 2:8b-18). After redeemed men, God will also restore the cosmos (Romans 8:18-22). Truly, the Lord Jesus and His apostles joyfully heralded God’s good news! The apostle Paul in particular sent to the Gentiles taught the will, instructions and commandments of God’s order faithfully (1 Timothy 2:11-15). But now, knowing the plain warning of the apostle Paul that applies to all men (Romans 1:18-2:16), many professing Christians are participating in the world’s rebellion against God’s order of marriage and that of His house with women leading and taking authority over men. Therefore, as only a foretaste and warning of the wrath to come, the whole world that banks on the dependable order of time installed by God at creation will experience among other of His judgments very near, its abrupt disruption as humanity has known it on earth (Revelation 8:12-13). Again, as I wrote in that 2011 Commentary, “If the fixed order of day and night that God has established were to be disrupted, chaos on earth would ensue. So it is now with human rebellion against His fixed order of the family” and I add for this blog, His house. But no one seems to care about this except the faithful--every aspiring strong man and great woman of God! Since the world and many professing Christians in rebellion believe that casting aside the divine order is no big deal, God is about to show them as a consequence how wrong they are. Let the faithful saints be comforted in their foreknowledge and understanding of why the Lord’s judgment suddenly falls. The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, “Who is on the Lord’s side?”
It is impossible to study the whole Bible and come away with only one aspect of the nature, character and demeanor of God or His Anointed and Son, Jesus of Nazareth! Yet, this is exactly what many guilty professed Christian media personalities, pastors and teachers who know better have purposely done in falsehood as the Lord led me to write in a recent post footnote.1 Indeed, as with much of the false teaching arising from within professing Christianity in these latter days, not only the false teachers, but those that are guilty from among the people taught seize upon some passage from the Bible in isolation to construct their own one sided depictions of the Lord Jesus.
The most popular made to order Jesus is the portrait of Him as “only lowly, meek and mild” who is not a Judge I wrote about in another post.2 Purposely misrepresenting the Lord Jesus for whatever motive even if well intended is sin (2 Peter 2:1-19; Jude 3-19)! Consequently, from the Lord I warn all another time that any standard raised up for behavior which may be creatively suggested is or contemporarily desired of Him that is less than or strays from how He is portrayed in the Bible is sinfully misrepresenting Him and a misleading of those being taught (John 13:12-17; 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, 11:1; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4; Ephesians 4:17-24; 1 Peter 2:18-25).3
Not as a contrast to the God of the Old Testament Law supposedly stern and testy, but as the fullest possible revelation of God’s nature in Human form as His “only begotten” did “grace and truth” come “through Jesus Christ,” (John 1:1-5, 14-18, NKJV)! When you encounter the God of the Old Testament Law, you are encountering Jesus Christ, the eternal Son as well since as He taught, He and the Father are One in nature, character and demeanor (John 10:30-39, 14:7-11).4 Or who do you think was with Israel in the Exodus (Exodus 24:9-18; 1 Corinthians 10:1-11)? In Christ we see the perfect fulfillment of the old adage, “like Father, like Son,” (John 5:16-23, 8:48-59, 17:1-5)!
The Lord presented Himself to Israel and the world as that approachable gentle and lowly Lamb of God in the first century A.D. displaying His eternally humble nature, character and demeanor in complete submission to His Father’s will and purposes (John 1:29-51). However, flashes of His nature, character and demeanor as the strong and commanding “Lion of the tribe of Judah” were also displayed as He stood against the desecration of God’s “house,” the powers of darkness and corrupt religious authorities (Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 1:21-28, 2:23-28; Revelation 5:5, NKJV)! These two portraits of Christ are not contradictory, but in Him perfectly balanced and blended!5
Thus, as the Lamb, Christ humbled Himself before God to serve our need for an Intercessor and eternal “Advocate” to deliver us from sin and its consequences reaching into eternity (Isaiah 59:1-16; John 3:13-18; Romans 8:31-34; 1 Timothy 2:1-7; Hebrews 7:20-28; 1 John 1:5-2:2, NKJV). It is He who comes to the humble, broken in their sins and desperate for connection to God in His love, humility, gentleness and mercy to present Himself as “the way” to, “the truth” about and “the life” of God that fully meets their need for salvation (Matthew 5:1-6; John 14:6, NKJV)! Even so, it is Christ too, that is “the keeper” of God’s vineyard in His parable who intercedes for an extension of time and labor to a spiritually fruitless soul before certain death if no fruit is forthcoming (Luke 13:1-9, NKJV).
From this last statement, we see that Christ is not sappy as the Lamb our Advocate. While by His Father’s appointment in grace He advocates for forbearance, He only goes so long until, in total agreement with His Father sin must be judged! This is the Lion in Him through which raised from the dead that successful Intercessor, He now, also reigns as King, Lord and Judge in Heaven and earth (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2:9-11; 2 Timothy 4:1). Those with the Holy Spirit see Him judging now, in our lives and churches out of His blended Lion and Lamb Persona as it is written (Revelation 1:9-3:22)! Soon, He will be seen by the entire world when He comes to judge in His and His Father’s wrath and deliver Israel (Psalm 98; Isaiah 59:17-21; Revelation 6:12-17, 19:11-16).
Study of the whole Bible plainly exposes the falsehood in portraying the Lord Jesus solely out of His nature, character and demeanor as the Lamb or possessing these opposite His Father! He cannot be made to order. His Person is anchored in the Bible--take or leave Him as He is! In our first short-term self-paced video course, Fruitful Bible Study from the Strong Man Virtual Institute, I appeal above all to aspiring strong men and great women of God in the image of Christ to engage daily in the spiritual discipline of Bible study for its many benefits.6 Not the least of these benefits is becoming so familiar with the truth one cannot easily be deceived by the many falsehoods and doctrines of demons that proliferate within professing Christian during these latter days of foretold deception.
1 See footnote five in the May 1, 2022 post, Made To Order Salvation?, under the category, The Faith.
2 Read the August 1, 2021 post, Jesus Christ King And Judge!, under the category, Instruction.
3 I pray my brothers in the Christian men’s movement especially will receive the warning. Our Lord Jesus is God’s perfect standard of what Man is He conforms us to (Romans 8:29)! This is a staggering truth and one that should cause fear in the hearts of any pastor or other teacher of men who supposes he is helping them by teaching (or purposely modeling for that matter) a lower standard than the Christ of Scripture! You may get thousands of men following you, but is that the biblical goal of our Kingdom labor (Matthew 16:13-18, 28:19-20; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12)? See the June 29, 2014 post, Fully Restoring Men and Christ: The Perfect Model Of Manhood!, posted on July 6, 2014 both under the category, Instruction.
4 Thus, the display of grace and truth through the Lord Jesus is not about Him and the Father playing the game of “bad cop, good cop” as some seem to teach. The Father is also full of grace and truth (Hebrews 1:1-4)! However, John under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writes to inform us that in contradistinction to the Law which condemns sinful men who cannot keep it, the grace and truth of the triune God who loves and seeks to save mankind shone forth brilliantly in Christ the Word become flesh (John 1:14)!
5 I am awed and remain grateful to the Lord for allowing me to write about Him the perfectly blended Lion and Lamb as the Strong Man of God in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics. It is available 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, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
6 Learn more about the course in its first session on our Strong Man Virtual Institute YouTube Channel. A Study Guide is available as a free download in the Strong Man Store to help you follow along during the six short sessions of the course.
As the Lord led me to write about earlier this month and celebrate from Palm through Resurrection Sunday, God’s Messiah was foretold by Him through His Jewish prophets in the Bible to come twice.1 The first coming of God’s Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, during the first century A.D. was all about sacrificing Himself to save willing mankind from our sins. He finished this part of the mission on Calvary’s cross with His death. After His burial, resurrection and ascension back to glory, at God’s appointed future time He is slated to return “a second time” to fulfill every promise of salvation God has made to those of us who have put our faith in and wait on Him (Hebrews 9:28b, NKJV).
“Scoffers” living captive “to their own lusts” as foretold, for nearly 2,000 years have scoffed at the faith of faithful Christians in our willingness to wait on “the promise of His coming.” “They willfully forget” the Bible’s instruction on God’s mighty Word in creation and past visitation in destructive wrath using water; foretelling of yet another to come with fire in judging earth’s “ungodly men,” (2 Peter 3:1-7, NKJV). What the scoffers and apparently many professed Christians also fail to realize is that the return of Messiah has been purposely delayed by God this long out of His love and “longsuffering” to save the willing He foreknows from His wrath and eternal damnation (2 Peter 3:8-9, NKJV).2
As the apostle Peter soberly warns, the return of Messiah entails the outpour of God’s wrath in the eternal onset of “the day of the Lord” as earth is reclaimed for His dominion from fallen angels and men, then later, destroyed to make way for “new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells,” (2 Peter 3:10-15; Revelation 11:15-19, 21:1-8, NKJV). His wrath does not fully unfold, however, until after Messiah gathers His two elects--Israel’s mortal remnant and His followers from all nations--to Himself (Mark 13:24-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, NKJV).3 These events fulfilled are among the promises of salvation God has made to both elects in His Word!
The next promises of salvation to be immediately enjoyed by the faithful followers of Messiah gathered to Him from Heaven who are resurrected and those relative few mortals alive on earth at His Second Coming are glorified immortal bodies and eternal righteousness (1 Corinthians 15:50-57; 2 Timothy 4:8)! For in God’s justification by grace through our faith in Messiah looking to that Day, is our being clothed now, with His righteousness as both a spiritual position we occupy and experience we have despite the endless attempts of sin to reassert its dominion over us with the aid of Satan and his temptations we are to vigorously resist (Romans 6-8:17; Galatians 5:16-25; 1 Peter 5:8-11).
Thus, in Messiah Jesus, I am a sinner made righteous in the sight of God through faith and understand myself to be a righteous man who sins when I do in the weakness of the sinful flesh. In sin, I confess and repent of it availing myself of God’s readiness to forgive and cleanse me through the finished work of Messiah on Calvary’s cross as often as needed (Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 1:5-2:2). So, when I say I am a sinner to sinners as a Christian, it is not because I am going about practicing sin as a way life any longer, but I am humbly and honestly acknowledging that I still sin as one redeemed by and righteous before God in my mortal journey toward perfection!4
Today, secular films and television programming regularly mock and belittle God’s social and moral order He established at creation for the good of mankind in favor of what they call “progressive” correctives, but which are evil. Contrarily, another promise of salvation Messiah will fulfill in the Day of His Second Coming is the restoration of God’s will and way now, declared in His Word across every aspect of surviving mortal human earth existence in which He will reign as King and Judge (Psalm 72; Micah 4:1-3; Matthew 25:31-46).5 Indeed, we His glorified redeemed followers and saints from all time will reign and judge with Him (Psalm 149; Revelation 1:4-8, 2:26-29, 5:8-10, 20:4-6)!6
At the end of Messiah’s millennial reign in this present earth and age, by His Father’s election as God and Man, He shall resurrect “those who have done evil” and judge for eternity every human who has ever existed that He had not already judged (John 5:16-30; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23; 2 Corinthians 5:9-11; 1 Peter 4:1-5; Revelation 19:11-21, 20:11-15, 22:12-15, NKJV).7 Daniel in his book where we started back on January 9th this year among the prophets of the Bible were shown the coming resurrections of the righteous and the wicked along with their final judgment by Messiah (Daniel 12:2-3).8 Clearly, things will not go well in the judgment to eternal fire for the unsaved who have shown contempt for God’s Word. But the saved who love God’s Word will delight in it forever!
1 See the April 3, 2022 post, Messiah Comes Twice: Once For Sin, under the category, The Faith.
2 Read the two-part post beginning July 18, 2021, No Repentance, No Peace, under the category, Call To Repent. Also, consider the February 6, 2022 post, The Divine Delay, under the category, Bible Prophecy, to appreciate if you will, that as He gave sinful humanity in Noah’s day time to repent and be saved from His wrath, so, all in these last days since He offered up His own Son on the cross to make our salvation possible nearly 2,000 years ago!
3 See the August 15, 2021 post, The Honor Of Bypassing Death, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
4 The Christian journey toward perfection is about allowing God to make us over into the image of Messiah Jesus, His Son. This is the rallying cry and content of my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and its companion Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study as well as Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study all available in the Strong Man Store, at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore.
5 That’s right! The same transcendent eternal spiritual principles, morality and ethics contained in the Bible the wicked now, mock and belittle as well as many professed Christians corrupt and compromise, will be put in play and enforced by Messiah since as He Himself teaches, neither the content of God’s Law or any of His Words will fail to endure forever (Matthew 5:17-20, 24:35)! See the August 1, 2021 post, Jesus Christ King And Judge!, under the category, Instruction.
6 Read the August 8, 2021 post, Kings And Judges With Christ, under the category, Encouragement.
7 Behold the perfect justice of God the Father to allow His Son, Jesus, as perfect Man to judge His fellow man (Acts 17:29-31)!
8 See the January 9, 2022 post, Easier To Read Bibles, under the categories Bible Prophecy and Instruction.
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity and in whose spirit there is no deceit,” (Psalm 32:1-2, NKJV). Hallelujah! I continue to rejoice in God’s salvation as I experience the awesome reality of His forgiveness of all my past sins when I first believed the Gospel and every day since as I have obeyed His Word to “confess” and repent from them as they occurred or upon later conviction (Psalm 32:3-5; 1 John 1:5-2:2, NKJV).1 While God’s salvation begins with forgiveness, its blessed benefits do not end there. As biblical Christianity, they bountifully and gloriously expand reaching into eternity!
God’s forgiveness opens the way for sinners to be reconciled to and enjoy familial relationship with Him as well as to receive all of His promised benefits. Of the many benefits as spiritual blessings God has packaged in His salvation from sin by grace through faith in the Gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ, forgiveness of all past sins is foremost and foundational (Romans 4:5-8, 5:10-11; Ephesians 1:1-10). As David testifies, God’s forgiveness for sins committed thereafter is absolutely essential to avoid the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical issues that consequentially arise from being unwilling to confess them to Him in all repentance. Sin guilt will make you sick and destroys!2
Enjoying peace with God by His forgiveness of our sins through the blood of Christ,3 the saved in Him are also indwelt and brought to spiritual life by the Holy Spirit; having an eternal inheritance as adopted sons (John 3:1-8; Acts 2:38-39; Romans 8:14-17). The spiritual life we have by the indwelling Holy Spirit is nothing short of the very life of God dynamically and eternally flowing as “rivers of living water” in our inmost being (John 7:37-39, NKJV)! There is nothing in all of human experience to which this can be compared.4 This is uniquely of God “the fountain of life,” “everlasting” and abundant David and the Lord Jesus speak of (Psalm 36:7-9; John 4:7-14, 10:10, NKJV).
The life of God in us by the Holy Spirit is evident in the display of the divine eternal nature beginning with love, character and power (Romans 5:5; Galatians 5:22-25; Ephesians 3:14-21, 5:9; 1 John 4:8). The presence of the Holy Spirit in believers seals us not like contents in a closed jar that cannot escape, but as a living imprint that marks us out as belonging to God. Too, He is “the guarantee” and earnest payment of the Father fulfilling all He has promised us in His great salvation! As our eternal “Helper” (Comforter) and Companion, He oversees and actualizes our regeneration as well (John 14:16-17; 2 Corinthians 1:3, 19-22, 3:17-18, 5:17; Ephesians 1:11-14; Titus 3:4-5, NKJV).
As if the foregoing were not enough, the Holy Spirit carries out the will of the Father and Christ in answering our petitions for protection and deliverance (Psalm 32:6-7). He is also our Teacher teaching us the riches of God’s way in Christ through the written Word; guiding us with His “eye” that has seen and knows all past, present and future if we will be submissive to learn (Psalm 32:8; John 16:12-15; 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, NKJV). Believers as disciples are not to be stubborn, resistant and without understanding like an unbroken “horse” or “mule” that have to be forcefully “harnessed” and controlled or “they will not come near you” much less be teachable (Psalm 32:9, NKJV).
Submission to learn is God’s perfect will for everyone He saves! A submissive heart to learn describes Christ who is the perfect display and example of what a disciple is (Isaiah 50:4-5; John 8:28-29) and who commanded that His disciples be taught (Matthew 28:18-20). Further, being taught the Word of God leads to spiritual growth and maturity which are still more benefits of God’s salvation (Ephesians 1:15-23; 2 Peter 1:1-11)! Otherwise, any professed Christian that will not be taught walks in the way of the unbroken horse, mule and "the wicked" suffering “many sorrows” in contrast to those who submit to and obey God’s will through faith and experience His "mercy," (Psalm 32:10, NKJV).
Indeed, for those believers who submit to and obey God’s will through faith--even every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Christ--the Holy Spirit willingly serves as our Intercessor interceding for us with the Father when in weakness we have no clue (Romans 8:26-27).5 He is also our Equipper and Source of ability to serve God and fellow man through spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). In briefly addressing just some of the benefits of God’s salvation as biblical Christianity, it should be easily seen why those of us that are His “righteous” by grace through faith are “glad in the LORD” “and shout for joy,” (Psalm 32:11, NKJV)! Forgiveness of sin in Christ is only the beginning of these blessings that create the joy of salvation in us! Won’t you share in our joy?
1 It is deceit for any unsaved person or professed Christian to believe one can hide or God not notice or care about their sins no matter how small in human eyesight! There
is no possible way to deceive God so, why try? “...you have sinned against the Lord; be sure your sin will find you out,” (Numbers 32:23, NKJV). Christians are supposed
to walk before God and “worship in spirit and truth,” (John 4:23-24, NKJV). And forget the "nobody is perfect" argument--He already knows this while still expecting our
sold out heart attitude to obey His whole Word (not just the parts we agree with) out of love (John 14:15). His way freely offered in love is for us to own our rebellion,
missing of the mark of His perfect righteousness and perversion of His straight ways so that He can forgive these in Christ!
2 For the professed Christian David says particularly in Psalm 32:4a about the time he spent refusing to confess and repent from his sins: “For day and night Your hand was
heavy upon me,” (NKJV). There is no way a blood bought, Spirit-filled believer can sin without sooner or later experiencing His convicting work which may be quietly
resisted in denial and pretense nothing was done wrong, but as David is explaining, this does not turn out very well for the person doing so.
3 Peace with the living God is a blessing beyond description since it includes not having to fear the Day of His wrath!
4 Having been an abuser of drugs and alcohol and committed hedonist in my unsaved youth, I know what I am saying.
5 Read about the aspiring strong man of God and great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, published by Open
Door Communication Ministries, Inc. and available in print or digital formats at major internet booksellers. You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
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