Previous Sabbath Thoughts
2021 2022 2023 2024Reasons Jesus Became Human, So We Could be Justified & Righteous – May 17, 2025
Acts 13:39, “and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” None of us can be justified by keeping the laws of God, mainly because we cannot keep them perfectly. But believing in Jesus and having faith in Him as our Savior, that alone justifies us with God the Father. Romans 3:24, 28, “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, … Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” We are first forgiven of our sins by the shed blood of Jesus. However, that alone does not make us “good” or righteous. That happens by the grace of God the Father with faith in Jesus our Savior. Romans 4:25(KJV), “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 5:1, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Galatians 2:16, “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Justification by faith in Jesus is a gift, it is not something we can earn. Titus 3:4-7, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Likewise, we cannot achieve righteousness by our actions. Only by faith in Jesus through the grace of God our Father, Jesus’ righteousness is instilled in us. Romans 4:5, “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.” Romans 5:17, “For if by the 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.” 1 Corinthians 1:30, “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” 2 Corinthians 5:21(NLT), “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Philippians 3:9, “and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;” Let us be thankful and praise God that by the grace of God the Father and faith in Jesus Christ, we can be justified and become righteous in the eyes of God.
Jesus’ 69th Command, Make Disciples in All Nations – May 10, 2025
Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus’ next to last command was for His apostles to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to all nations, not just the Jews and Israelites. The book of Acts is all about how the apostles and their associates began to fulfill this command, starting the New Testament church by the power of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached the first sermon, inspired by the Holy Spirit, with outstanding results. Acts 2:38, 41, “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’ … Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” This outcome was not the result of just one sermon by Peter. Most likely, many of those who were baptized that day had heard about what Jesus preached and numerous of them probably had actually heard Jesus speak. Shortly thereafter, the apostles ordained seven deacons and they all spread the gospel. Subsequently, more were converted, even among the Aaronic priests. Acts 6:1a, 7, “Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, … Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” There are many stories about how the church grew. And then we come to the opening of the gospel to the Gentiles. Acts 10:42-48, “And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.” We have the story of Paul and Silas being jailed, freed by an earthquake and their jailer being converted and baptized (Acts 16:25-34). We all know about the travels of the Apostle Paul preaching the gospel. Acts 18:8, 23, 27, “Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized. … After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples. … And when he desired to cross to Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him; and when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace;” These are just a few of the stories of the establishment of the New Testament Church. Paul in his letters also explained the importance of becoming a disciple of Jesus through baptism. 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” In doing so, we become a “new person.” Galatians 3:27(NLT), “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on the character of Christ, like putting on new clothes.” As disciples of Jesus we should be one big, happy church family. Ephesians 4:2-6, “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” And so Christianity continues to grow to this day. However, there is much more growth needed. And the ultimate spreading of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God will be accomplished at the Second Coming of Jesus.
Reasons Jesus Became Human, To Redeem and Reconcile Us – May 3, 2025
A Biblical definition for “redeem:” "redeem primarily means to buy back or recover something lost, often through payment of a price. In the Old Testament, this could refer to a kinsman-redeemer rescuing someone from bondage or reclaiming property. In a more general sense, it can also mean to liberate, rescue, or free someone from a negative situation, whether physical, legal, or spiritual. The New Testament uses "redeem" in a theological sense, emphasizing the ultimate redemption of humanity through Christ's sacrifice, which delivers people from sin and its consequences. Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” We were all bond servants to sin, but Jesus paid the price to redeem us. 1 Peter 1:18-19, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Colossians 1:13-14, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Titus 2:14, “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” A Biblical definition for “reconcile:” “reconcile (and its related word "reconciliation") refers to the act of restoring a relationship, particularly between God and humanity, or between individuals, after a period of estrangement or conflict. It signifies the restoration of harmony, peace, and favor after a break in relations.” The Bible says our sins separate us from God and our carnal nature is at enmity with God. Jesus buys us back from slavery to sin, cleanses us by forgiving our sin, subsequently reconciling us with God the Father. Romans 5:10, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” Colossians 1:20-22, “and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.”
Jesus’ 68th Command, Feed My Sheep – April 26, 2025
John 21:15-17, “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these? “He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.” Most Christians know Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus. But God forgives. We all make mistakes. For Peter, Jesus’ commission to him and all of Jesus’ disciples was to minister to the flock of God’s chosen people, the Churches of God. The New Testament is a history of that being carried out. These apostles ordained other ministers and directed them to do likewise. Acts 20:28, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” These ministerial responsibilities are for the edifying of the church, to nourish it with spiritual food, to promote unity. Ephesians 4:11-16, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” The Apostle Paul emphasizes that all the members of the Body of Christ are important. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, “For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.” Paul continues this discussion comparing a foot vs a hand and an eye vs an ear. We need them all in order to have a functioning body. An important principle in the Churches of God or a marriage, is that everyone is equal in the eyes of God, but each individual has a different responsibility. We are all brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. We should be one big happy family. 1 Timothy 5:1-2, “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.” The word minister can be either a noun or a verb. When someone is a minister, noun, in the church, they should minister, verb, their fellow brothers and sisters. There should not be a “class” hierarchy, everyone in the church should serve one another as they are able. The Apostle Paul was diligent in putting these principles into practice in his ministry. 1 Thessalonians 2:6-8, “Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.”
When is Wavesheaf Sunday this Year? – April 19, 2025
Leviticus 23:9-11, “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “When you come into the land which I give to you, and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted on your behalf; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.”’” The Churches of God originally understood this to always be the weekly Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread as this instruction occurs within the context of those days. However, most all of the Churches of God will not do that his year, they will use the Passover Feast of God as the weekly Sabbath to determine the Wavesheaf. Let us consider if this is correct. One, the weekly Sabbath of this year’s Passover is used because the churches state that Wavesheaf Sunday must fall within the Days of Unleavened Bread. This requirement is nowhere stated in the Bible. This is adding a new requirement to the scriptures that the Bible warns should not be done. Deuteronomy 12:32, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” See also: Deuteronomy 12:32, Proverbs 30:5-6, Revelation 22:18-19. Two, Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread are two separate feasts of God. One should not take a command of God for the Days of Unleavened Bread and apply it to Passover. Three, Wavesheaf Sunday is a workday. The Israelites were not allowed to harvest and eat any grain from the new spring harvest until they had offered the Wavesheaf. Leviticus 23:14, “You shall eat neither bread nor parched grain nor fresh grain until the same day that you have brought an offering to your God; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.” There were different practices for offering the Wavesheaf, all grain farmers had to do this; plus, the High Priest would also do this symbolically for the whole nation. The Jews in their hurry to be able to start harvesting at first light Sunday morning, moved the Wavesheaf offering to our Saturday night right after sundown—this is likely not what God intended. Let us emphasize that if one uses the weekly Sabbath of Passover this year, choosing the weekly Sabbath outside of the Days of Unleavened Bread, then Wavesheaf Sunday is on the first Holy Day where no work can be done. This defeats a major purpose of what the Wavesheaf offering represented, the beginning of the spring harvest. Four, Jesus was resurrected on the weekly Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread. He then presented Himself to God our Father in heaven above on the first day of the week as our Spiritual Wavesheaf Offering. John 20:17, “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”’” If the Passover Sabbath is used this year to make Wavesheaf Sunday on the first Holy Day, then one would be using the Passover Sabbath to represent, on the same day, both the death of Jesus and His resurrection, as His resurrection must occur before the Wavesheaf. This doesn’t make logical sense from a spiritual point of view. Five, Jews who choose the weekly seventh day Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread to determine when the Wavesheaf should be, have fixed it as April 20th this year, after the Days of Unleavened Bread are over. We should not make exceptions to the laws of God. It doesn’t make spiritual sense to use the weekly Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread every year to determine Wavesheaf Sunday except when that Sabbath is also the last Holy Day, a “double Sabbath” as we refer to it. For 40 years, the Churches of God always used the weekly Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread even if it was also the last Holy Day. They never used the Passover on the weekly Sabbath to determine the Wavesheaf. Now, only a few small churches still adhere to that original teaching. There is no Biblical requirement that Wavesheaf Sunday has to fall within the Days of Unleavened Bread. The requirement is that we must use the weekly Sabbath during the Days of Unleavened Bread. We should not be using the weekly Sabbath of Passover when it occurs on our Friday evening after sunset to determine Wavesheaf Sunday. Let us not add requirements to the Word of God and alter when Wavesheaf Sunday occurs this year.
Be Ready to Take the Passover – April 11, 2025
Passover is this Friday evening, April 11, after sunset. Passover is a once a year Holy Feast of God. Leviticus 23:5, “On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover.” Jesus gave the New Testament symbols for the Passover as rehearsed by the Apostle Paul. 1 Corinthians 11:24-26, “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” Jesus is our Passover Lamb of God who died for the forgiveness of our sins. One things Jesus preached was a call to repentance. Matthew 9:13, “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” We all sin and need forgiveness. Christianity is the only religion that proclaims forgiveness of sins and that only because God became flesh and blood and died, shedding His blood as a sacrifice to God our Father. Romans 9:23-25(NLT), “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past.” As a Christian, we have a responsibility to examine ourselves, repent and change in order to be ready to take the Passover. 1 Corinthians 11:28-29, “But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” Repentance is something we should do every day, but this is especially true in order to be baptized and then to take the Passover. Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” Repenting implies changing, we should not continue to live the same sinful ways. Ephesians 4:22-24(NLT), “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” Jesus if referred to often as the Lamb of God in both the Old and New Testaments. John 1:29, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” We will not read these, but the book Revelation refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God 26 times. We will close with the only New Testament scripture that directly calls Jesus as our Passover. 1 Corinthians 5:7, “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”
Reasons Jesus Became Human, To Sanctify Us and Be a Ransom for Us – April 5, 2025
As we approach Passover in one week, we will continue our review of the many different reasons Jesus sacrificed Himself. Hebrews 10:10, 14, “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. … For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Sanctified means to be set apart for a holy purpose. Only the shed blood of Jesus could cleanse us of our sins in order that we might be sanctified in the eyes of God our Father. Hebrews 13:12, “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” Being sanctified by the blood of Jesus allows us to become “at one” with God our Father and Jesus our Savior. Hebrews 2:11, “For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” There are other scriptures that state we are sanctified by Jesus. 1 Corinthians 1:2, “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Jesus not only died to sanctify us as individuals, in addition He died to sanctify His church. Ephesians 5:25-27, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” The Apostle Paul tells us that when we sin, we are slaves to sin, in other words, we are “owned” by sin. Jesus’ death frees us from that slavery. Romans 6:6, “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” In addition, Jesus’ death “buys” us back from our slavery. Matthew 20:28, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” A ransom is something that is paid to provide for the release of someone who is held captive. Jesus’ death paid the ransom to free us from being slaves to sin. 1 Timothy 2:5-6, “there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” Our sins separate us from God, condemn us to death, make us as unclean rags, create a criminal record and subjugate us to evil. The sacrificial death of Jesus frees us from the power of sin, clears the record of our offences, cleanses us from the filth of sin and unites us with God our Father. Let us never take for granted the terrible price Jesus willing paid in order to accomplish our salvation.
Reasons Jesus Became Human, to Lay Down His Life as an Offering – March 29, 2025
This Sabbath we will continue to review the many different phrases the Bible uses to emphasize the multifaceted sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. God the Father did not force Jesus to become flesh and blood and die for our sins, Jesus volunteered to do what was necessary. John 10:11, 15, 17-18, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. … As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. … Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” Galatians 1:4, “who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.” Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Titus 2:14, “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” 1 John 3:16, “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” In addition, the Bible says Jesus voluntarily gave Himself as a sacrificial offering for our sins. Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Hebrews 7:27, “who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Hebrews 10:4-5, 10(NLT), “For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, ‘You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer.’ … For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” This willing sacrifice of Jesus not only forgives our sins, but cleanses our consciences of the gilt of sin. Hebrews 9:14, “how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 10:22, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Jesus’ willing sacrifice accomplishes so much in our Christian lives: the forgiveness of sins, the cleansing of our souls, the removal of guilt so that we might be clean and acceptable before God our Father.
Reasons Jesus Became Human, to Cleanse Us and Clear the Slate – March 22, 2025
Passover is three weeks away. This Sabbath we will continue to review the many reasons Jesus became a flesh and blood human being. The major reasons that we usually think about, especially this time of year, are relative to the forgiveness of our sins. The Bible uses serval different key words and phrases to emphasize this import topic. The Bible tells us Jesus came to cleanse and purify humans. Acts 15:9, “and made no distinction between us [Jews] and them [Gentiles], purifying their hearts by faith.” 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” Titus 2:14, “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 3:5(NLT), “he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” 1 John 1:7, 9, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. … If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Revelation 1:5, “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” Another way the Bible describes the forgiveness of our sins is by stating Jesus’ death wipes away our sins and clears the charges against us. This is more clearly stated in modern paraphrases. Acts 3:19(NLT), “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.” Romans 3:25(TMSG), “God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear. God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured.” Romans 4:7-8(TMSG), “Fortunate those whose crimes are carted off, whose sins are wiped clean from the slate. Fortunate the person against whom the Lord does not keep score.” Colossians 2:13-14(NLT), “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” How thankful we should all be that God the Father send Jesus in the flesh to die for our sins so the record of our sins would be wiped out, so that we would be cleansed and be made pure in the sight of God our Father and Jesus our Savior.
Reasons Jesus Became Human, To Sacrifice Himself – March 15, 2025
We are reviewing the many reason why Jesus became flesh and blood. We are emphasizing the different words and phrases the God- inspired Bible uses to teach us these lessons. There are several scriptures that simply state Jesus sacrificed His own life, saying He did it for us. John 10:11, 15, 17-18, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. … As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. … Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Ephesians 5:2, “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” 1 Timothy 2:6, “who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” Hebrews 7:27, “who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” The main reason for Jesus self-sacrifice is, of course, the forgiveness of our sins. Hebrews 9:26,28, “He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. … so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Hebrews 10:11-14, “And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” 1 John 2:1-2 (NLT), “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” It is almost five weeks until Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. We should be examining ourselves in order to strive to remove our sins as represented by leavening for these two separate feasts of God. The Apostle Paul gave this admonishment in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”
Reasons Jesus Became Human, To Take Away Our Sins – March 8, 2025
We are only five weeks until Passover which represents Jesus’ sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. The Bible uses many different words and phrases to emphasize this single most important event in our Father’s Plan of Salvation. We have in the past covered several of these, let us now examine a few more. The Bible tells us that Jesus bore our sins, carried them on His shoulders, so to speak, as He was crucified. Hebrews 9:28, “so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” The Apostle Peter quotes from Isaiah 53 where is was prophesied that the Messiah would suffer and die for our healing and the forgiveness of our sins. 1 Peter 2:24, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” Another concept the Bible uses is that Jesus takes away our sins, puts them away or purges them from our lives. John 1:29, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” Hebrews 1:3, “being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 9:26b, “but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. ” 1 John 3:5, “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” The Apostle Peter also emphasizes that Jesus had to suffer for the forgiveness of our sins. 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” 1 Peter 2:21-24, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” Peter then tells us that since Jesus suffered and died for our sins, we should strive to eliminate sin in our own lives. 1 Peter 4:1, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.” Our sins required a great penalty to be paid, God becoming flesh and blood in order to die, Jesus’ shed blood paying the price for them to be forgiven. Let us be thankful and give God praise for this act of forgiveness. As we approach Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread let us examine ourselves, repent and seek to live a better Christian life in the eyes of God.
Jesus 67th Command, Receive the Holy Spirit, Part 5 – March 1, 2025
We will conclude our review of the many beneficial aspects of having the Holy Spirit active in our Christian lives. God uses the power of the Holy Spirit to call individuals into His church. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 12:3, “Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Peter 2:5, 9, “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. … But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” We as Christians are to have our bodies as a temple for the Holy Spirit to dwell in. 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 John 3:24, “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” It is by the Holy Spirit that there should be unity within God’s church. Ephesians 4:3-6, “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Philippians 2:1-2, “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” It is by the power of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ that Jesus intercedes on our behalf giving us access to God our Father. Romans 8:27, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Ephesians 2:18, “For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” The Apostle Paul also tells us that we as Christians should use the Holy Spirit God has given us to help one another. 1 Corinthians 12:7, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:” Paul also talks about this in Romans 12. And we have a list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” In one sense we have only scratched the surface of the power of the Holy Spirit in Christian lives and what it does for us in our relationship with God our Father, Jesus our Savior and also our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith. Let us close with an admonition from Paul. 2 Timothy 1:6-7, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Jesus 67th Command, Receive the Holy Spirit, Part 4 – February 22, 2025
The Bible gives many benefits of the Holy Spirit in our Christian lives. Let us continue our review of them. By the Holy Spirit we are washed and sanctified. 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13, “But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” Titus 3:5, “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” It is through the Holy Spirit that we have a comforting relationship with Jesus and the Father. John 14:16, 18, 26(KJV), “And I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. … I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. … But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 15:26(KJV), “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me.” Acts 9:31, “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.” Other translations use the words Advocate or Helper in place of Comforter. The Holy Spirit can influence and even inspire us in what to say to be convincing to others about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Matthew 10:19-20, “But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” Acts 2:4, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 4:8, “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, ‘Rulers of the people and elders of Israel.’” 1 Corinthians 14:1, 3, 5a(TEV), “It is love, then, that you should strive for. Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God’s message. … But those who proclaim God’s message speak to people and them help, encouragement, and comfort. … I would like for all of you to speak in strange tongues; but I would rather that you had the gift of proclaiming God’s message. For the person who proclaims God’s message is of greater value than the one who speaks in strange tongues…” 1 Peter 1:12, “To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.” Let us as Christians be sure to keep the power of the Holy Spirit active in our daily lives.
Jesus 67th Command, Receive the Holy Spirit, Part 3 – February 15, 2025
We are reviewing the many different ways in which the Holy Spirit helps us to be good Christians. While there may be many scriptures that support each point, we will only list a few. A very important aspect of the Holy Spirit is that it gives us the ability to obey the spirit of God’s laws. 1 Peter 1:22, “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.” Romans 8:1, 4-5, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. … that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” Another way of saying this is that we are to walk in the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” The Holy Spirit is a down payment of eternal life the Father will give us at the First Resurrection. 2 Corinthians 1:22, “who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.” 2 Corinthians 5:5, “Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” Ephesians 1:13-14, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 4:30, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” We have a responsibility with the Holy Spirit, to renew it every day with prayer, Bible Study and meditation. 2 Corinthians 4:16, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” Ephesians 3:16, “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.” Titus 3:4-7, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Let us give thanks to God our Father and Jesus our Savior for the gift of the Holy Spirit that enriches our Christian lives.
Jesus 67th Command, Receive the Holy Spirit, Part 2 – February 8, 2025
We are reviewing how the Holy Spirit guides us and helps us to be good Christians. A very important aspect of the Holy Spirit is the spiritual understanding it gives us. John 14:26, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 16:13, “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” The Apostle Paul declared that hidden truths were understood through the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:10-12, “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” Ephesians 1:17, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” 2 Timothy 1:13-14, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.” The Apostle Peter stated that through the Holy Spirit, Christians can understand the gospel that the apostles were preaching. 1 Peter 1:12, “To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.” The Apostle John refers to the receiving of the Holy Spirit as an anointing. 1 John 2:27, “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.” An additional interesting thing that the Holy Spirit sometimes does in our lives is to lead us to someplace we need to be. Or sometimes it may cause us to be early or late in order to avoid an accident or some other bad thing that would otherwise happen to us. This happened a few times in the early New Testament Church, but can happen, usually unnoticed, to Christians today. Simon, a devout believer was led by the Holy Spirit to be in the Temple courtyard when Joseph and Mary were there to make an offering after the days of her purification. Luke 2:25-30, “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ‘Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation.’” We see two more example of this in Acts, first, concerning the eunuch from Ethiopia. Acts 8:29, “Then the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go near and overtake this chariot.’” Second, the Holy Spirit delayed Paul’s trip into Asia in order that he first preach in Greece. Acts 16:6-10, “Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.” The power of the Holy Spirit is essential for Christians to live as disciples of Jesus before God our Father. We will review more scriptures next Sabbath relative to how the Holy Spirit helps us to live as Christians.
Jesus 67th Command, Receive the Holy Spirit, Part 1 – February 1, 2025
Luke 24:49, “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city [of Jerusalem] until you are endued with power from on high.” Christians recognize that Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit. Here in Luke, Jesus is telling His disciples to receive this gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is power from God received at baptism with the laying on of hands. Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 8:15-17, “who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” Jesus gave a commission to His disciples, to makes disciples of others and baptize them so they too would receive the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” The power of the Holy Spirit guides and helps Christians in many ways. We will review these now and on the upcoming Sabbaths. A very important one is that the Holy Spirit helps us communicate with our Father and Jesus in prayer. Romans 8:26-27, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” 1 Corinthians 14:15(NLT), “Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand.” Ephesians 6:18, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” Jude 1:20, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” We will continue listing ways in which the Holy Spirit helps us to be good Christians next Sabbath.
Reasons Jesus Became Human, to Become Sin for Us – January 25, 2025
This Sabbath we will continue reviewing the different ways the Bible states that Jesus became human to die for our sins. Jesus came “to bear our sins,” to take our sins upon Himself and then die to forgive them. 1 Peter 2:24, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” Peter is quoting from Isaiah. While the Jews would only recognize a Messiah that came in glory to restore the Kingdom of Israel, they ignore the Old Testament prophecies that state the Messiah would first suffer and die for the forgiveness of sins. Isaiah 53:3-6, 11, “He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. … He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.” The Apostle Paul states the separate purposes of Jesus’ first and second comings. Hebrews 9:28, “so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Another way the Bible describes Jesus’ purpose is to “take away our sins.” John 1:29, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” Paul uses similar terms, “purge” and “put away,” to describe this. Hebrews 1:3, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrew 9:26, “then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” The Apostle John confirms this description of what Jesus did. 1 John 3:5, “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” The Bible uses a variety of terms to emphasize what Jesus did for the forgiveness of our sins. We’ve reviewed two more this Sabbath.
Promises of God, A Resurrection, Part 4 – January 18, 2025
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” This is one of the clearest scriptures in the Bible about the coming resurrection from the dead. Christians will come back to life again after death. The resurrection of the dead is one of the seven core doctrines of the Christian faith mentioned by the Apostle Paul. Hebrews 6:2, “of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” Peter reiterates what we saw last Sabbath, that because Jesus was raised from the dead, so will we. 1 Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” The Apostle John tells us there will be more than one resurrection, a first resurrection for Christians and latter, another one to give everyone an opportunity to know and accept Jesus as their Savior. Revelation 20:4-6, “And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.” There is a day of judgment coming for the dead. Revelation 20:11-15, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” There is no eternal burning hell fire. There is a Lake of Fire where the incorrigible wicked will be burnt to ashes. Those who love the Father and Jesus as their Savior will live forever. Those who do not will cease to exist, God will not make them suffer forever. This is how a loving God offers salvation to His people.
Promises of God, A Resurrection, Part 3 – January 11, 2025
There are several scriptures that tell us that because Jesus was resurrected from the dead, we also have the hope of a future resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.” This chapter is called “the Resurrection Chapter” because the Apostle Paul tells us a great deal about the resurrection. Let us read just a few more verses. 1 Corinthians 15:50-53, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” Paul also wrote to the church at Rome that Jesus’ resurrection related to a future resurrection for Christians. Romans 6:5, 8, “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, … Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.” Romans 8:11, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” The resurrection of the dead is a central theme in the New Testament. Jesus was crucified and resurrected so that we might receive the gift of eternal life through a resurrection into the Family of God the Father. 1 Corinthians 6:14, “And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.” 2 Corinthians 4:14, “knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.” Paul’s goal was to be in the First Resurrection. Philippians 3:10-11, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” By the resurrection from the dead to eternal life, we will live in glory with Jesus Christ. Colossians 3:4, “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” We will conclude this important topic of a resurrection next Sabbath.
Promises of God, A Resurrection, Part 2 – January 4, 2025
We continue this Sabbath with New Testament scriptures about a resurrection of the dead. Mainstream Christians do not emphasize a resurrection because they mistakenly believe they go to heaven or hell immediately upon death. However, the Bible only states there is a resurrection and that no one has yet gone to heaven. The Apostle John was inspired to write his gospel late in his life around 90 AD, 60 years after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. John 3:13, "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven." John goes on to say the dead are in their graves waiting for their resurrection. John 5:28-29, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” Jesus said several times that the resurrection of the just will occur at the last days, that is, at the His Second Coming. John 6:40, 44, “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. … No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” Martha talked with Jesus about the resurrection after her brother had died. John 11:24-25, “Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’” Jesus also said those who help the poor would be rewarded in the resurrection. Luke 14:14, “And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” A major part of the apostles’ ministry was preaching about the resurrection. When Paul preached about the “unknown god” in Athens, the Gentiles had a mixed reaction. Acts 17:32, “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’” When Paul was brought before Jewish and Roman leaders, he proclaimed the resurrection. Acts 23:6, “But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, ‘Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!’” Acts 24:15, “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.” Acts 26:7-8, “To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?” We will continue this important discussion of the resurrections next Sabbath.