|
Jesus
A Tyrant or a Savior? Psalm 86:15 15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. |
Truth about Jesus
1 Timothy 1:15-16
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy,
that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering,
for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
This was written by a man who persecuted Christians.
A man who watched Steven die for his testimony.
A man who held the coats of those who stoned Steven to death.
Paul states here that the Lord is merciful, and longsuffering (patient).
Paul is a perfect example of Christ’s longsuffering.
After Paul’s encounter with Christ was there a change in his life?
Galatians 5:22-24
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Strongs Concordance
Temperance - self-control (the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites)
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
1 Peter 3:18-20
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
For 120 years the people in Noah’s time were preached to
Concerning the coming destruction.
(sin is the prison they were in).
Here again the longsuffering (patience) of God is being displayed.
But did the flood eventually come?
When the door of the ark was finally shut,
the fate of all had been decided.
At the time of Jesus future return,
the fate of all will have already been decided as well.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance.
Does this sound like the mind of a tyrant?
Does this sound like a harsh, uncaring disciplinarian
desiring only to punish?
But will punishment eventually come?
Why has Christ not come already?
Revelation 7:1-3
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth,
nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God:
and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels,
to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God (in their foreheads).
The wind they are holding back is the wind of strife.
The reason Christ has not yet come is, His people are not yet ready.
The servants of God are being sealed in their foreheads.
All will chose to follow man’s law, (the mark) or
God’s law, (The seal).
Once the loyalty of all has been determined, what will happen?
Revelation 9:13-15
13 And the sixth angel sounded,
and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet,
Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day,
and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
The plagues begin.
What are we encouraged to do today?
Ezekiel 18:30-31
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,
saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions;
so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed;
and make you a new heart and a new spirit:
for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
His desire is that we will live!
Transgression/iniquity, (breaking God’s law) leads to death.
The Lord is pleading with them here that they might avoid this fate.
There are those who claim God will enjoy hearing
the screams of the rebellious, but is this His character?
Ezekiel 33:11 (KJV)
11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD,
I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked;
but that the wicked turn from his way and live:
turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Does this sound more like the words of a tyrant, or a Savior?
Romans 3:23-26
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,
to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:
that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Romans 8:10-13
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,
he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Life and forgiveness is being offered to all who
will accept the sacrifice for sin, (Jesus Christ)
and (repent or forsake) the previous life of sin.
Revelation 22:14
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Is this the promise of a tyrant, or our Savior?
After accepting Christ,
we are to obey the commandments, as he did.
1 Timothy 1:15-16
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy,
that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering,
for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
This was written by a man who persecuted Christians.
A man who watched Steven die for his testimony.
A man who held the coats of those who stoned Steven to death.
Paul states here that the Lord is merciful, and longsuffering (patient).
Paul is a perfect example of Christ’s longsuffering.
After Paul’s encounter with Christ was there a change in his life?
Galatians 5:22-24
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Strongs Concordance
Temperance - self-control (the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites)
24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
1 Peter 3:18-20
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,
wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
For 120 years the people in Noah’s time were preached to
Concerning the coming destruction.
(sin is the prison they were in).
Here again the longsuffering (patience) of God is being displayed.
But did the flood eventually come?
When the door of the ark was finally shut,
the fate of all had been decided.
At the time of Jesus future return,
the fate of all will have already been decided as well.
2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish,
but that all should come to repentance.
Does this sound like the mind of a tyrant?
Does this sound like a harsh, uncaring disciplinarian
desiring only to punish?
But will punishment eventually come?
Why has Christ not come already?
Revelation 7:1-3
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth,
nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God:
and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels,
to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God (in their foreheads).
The wind they are holding back is the wind of strife.
The reason Christ has not yet come is, His people are not yet ready.
The servants of God are being sealed in their foreheads.
All will chose to follow man’s law, (the mark) or
God’s law, (The seal).
Once the loyalty of all has been determined, what will happen?
Revelation 9:13-15
13 And the sixth angel sounded,
and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet,
Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day,
and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
The plagues begin.
What are we encouraged to do today?
Ezekiel 18:30-31
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,
saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions;
so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed;
and make you a new heart and a new spirit:
for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
His desire is that we will live!
Transgression/iniquity, (breaking God’s law) leads to death.
The Lord is pleading with them here that they might avoid this fate.
There are those who claim God will enjoy hearing
the screams of the rebellious, but is this His character?
Ezekiel 33:11 (KJV)
11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD,
I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked;
but that the wicked turn from his way and live:
turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Does this sound more like the words of a tyrant, or a Savior?
Romans 3:23-26
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,
to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of God;
26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:
that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
Romans 8:10-13
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you,
he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies
by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Life and forgiveness is being offered to all who
will accept the sacrifice for sin, (Jesus Christ)
and (repent or forsake) the previous life of sin.
Revelation 22:14
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Is this the promise of a tyrant, or our Savior?
After accepting Christ,
we are to obey the commandments, as he did.
|
|
|
|
|
|