Useful Newbie Intel

[Odë:hgöd]

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People penned up in the fiery section of Hades may or may not be fully aware of all
they've lost. Many are doubtless aware of at least their loss of immortality; but I'm
not so sure they know about the bulk of their loss because not even that many
Christians are aware of all they've gained by their association with Christ.

We today are living in what's sometimes called the church age; which is an era that
began with the day of Pentecost per Acts 2:1-2 wherein Christ has been busy
assembling the "my church" he spoke of in Matt 16:18.

The "my church" is very fortunate because it's a joint-heir (a.k.a. heir in common)
with God's son in his Father's estate. (Eph 1:11 and Rom 8:16 17)

A joint-heir is different than a regular heir. Regular heirs are apportioned an
individual percentage of their benefactor's estate. But joint-heirs inherit, not a
percentage, but the entire estate, as community property, i.e. whatever the Father
bequeathed His son, He bequeathed everyone associated with His son.

For example: supposing a benefactor's estate totals 60 acres of land, 18 gold bars,
plus a hedge fund worth 200,000 US Dollars; and he left it all to six heirs in
common. In that situation; the heirs are corporately one beneficiary instead of six;
viz: all six inherit all the land, all the gold, and the entire fund as if each one were
the only heir.

The extent of the Father's estate is astonishing. It encompasses not only all that is
in Heaven, but also whatever pertains to the new cosmos spoken of in Isa 66:17,
2Pet 3:13, and Rev 21:1; and I don't know what else.

• John 3:35 . .The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into his hand.

• John 16:15 . . All things that the Father has are mine

• Heb 2:5 . . It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come.

It's a good thing that God's son has been appointed chief executive officer of his
Father's estate because I don't think anybody else among men could ever be relied
upon to manage it properly.

Point being: disbelievers in today's era who fail to be accepted into the "my church"
will end up as deprived paupers in the afterlife, whereas those associated with
God's son will be members of a powerful oligarchy-- wealthy and privileged beyond
imagination.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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• 2Cor 4:16 . .Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being
renewed day by day.

As I decline and wax older and older, I feel a sadness for the loss of my youth.
There was a time when I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed: long winded, active,
loaded with stamina and vitality; and could get by with very little rest. The skin on
my face, and under my chin, was tight, and my middle was lean and defined. Today
I'm sag-bottomed and flaccid; the skin on my neck is drooping and developing the
appearance of tortoise hide.

The great cowboy artist Charles Russell once commented that time traded him
wrinkles for teeth. Me too. I've lost a few, some are capped, and my gums have
receded.

While that was going on inside my mouth, the rest of me was undergoing
deterioration too until today, at 77+ the chiseled Greek god with shiny chestnut
hair, ripped muscles, and soft hazel eyes I was at 25 has disappeared; replaced by
an arthritic senior citizen with diverticulosis and prostate cancer, metal knees, lens
implants from cataract surgery, declining short term memory, bags under his eyes,
brittle gray filaments on his head instead of the suppleness and sheen of LΌRÉAL
tresses, the corners of his mouth turned down giving him the appearance of an old
crank, and about as much libido as a dried fig; not to mention taking pills for his
thyroid, his cholesterol, his blood pressure, and his reduced kidney function.
Whoever said "You're not getting older, you're getting better" must've been
smoking mushrooms 'cause it just ain't so.

But the advantage of getting old as a Christian is experiencing for one's self the
remarkable truth of 2Cor 4:16 coupled with Rom 8:11 which says:

"If the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised
Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His spirit, who
lives in you."

Now; an argument can be made that verse is speaking of the resurrection in store
for Christ's followers, but I know for myself-- by comparing the person as I was at
25 with the person I am at 77 --that verse is also speaking of regeneration. Had
that process not taken place, there is no question that I would either be in prison
for murder, or dead from suicide. I was a really messed up man.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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FAQ: The Bible says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:8-10). What happens
to Christians when they die with sins left unconfessed?

A: The purpose of confession and forgiveness per that passage is fellowship; which
is quite a bit different than confession and forgiveness for the purposes of salvation.

Now it may seem contradictory, but God isn't keeping records of the sins of Christ's
followers (2Cor 5:19) and that's because their sins are no longer criminal matters
like before they came to faith in Christ-- now their sins are family matters. (1John
3:1-2)

Were we permitted to examine the books being kept per Rev 20:11-15, we would
not see any entries in it pertaining to our lives on earth because as far as God is
concerned, our lives on earth terminated the day we came to faith in Christ.

• Col 3:3 . . For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (cf. Rom
6:3-7)
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[Lamb]

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FAQ: The Bible says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:8-10). What happens
to Christians when they die with sins left unconfessed?

A: The purpose of confession and forgiveness per that passage is fellowship; which
is quite a bit different than confession and forgiveness for the purposes of salvation.

Now it may seem contradictory, but God isn't keeping records of the sins of Christ's
followers (2Cor 5:19) and that's because their sins are no longer criminal matters
like before they came to faith in Christ-- now their sins are family matters. (1John
3:1-2)

Were we permitted to examine the books being kept per Rev 20:11-15, we would
not see any entries in it pertaining to our lives on earth because as far as God is
concerned, our lives on earth terminated the day we came to faith in Christ.

• Col 3:3 . . For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. (cf. Rom
6:3-7)
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When a Christian dies with a sin that hasn't been confessed...that sin was forgiven at the cross so the Christian should die in confidence that Jesus saves them completely. It is finished.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

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FAQ: The Christian's life on earth was terminated when they came to faith in Christ.
What about their life in Heaven? What's to be done about the sins Christians
commit there?

A: When Christians undergo the supernatural birth about which Christ spoke at
John 3:3-8, they are imperceptibly regenerated with a nature that not only doesn't sin,
but cannot sin.

• 1John 3:7-9 . .The one who practices sin is of the Devil; for the Devil has sinned
from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that he might
destroy the works of the Devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because
His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Two fathers are on view in that passage.

The first is the Devil; identified in the third chapter of the book of Genesis as the
Serpent (Rev 12:9). Human nature as we know it among ourselves, was fathered
by the Devil; which explains why humans are natural-born sinners.

The second father is God, identified in the first chapter of Genesis as the supreme
being responsible for creating the cosmos-- all its forms of life, matter, and energy.
Divine nature, as we know it in the person of God's son, is fathered by the creator;
which of explains why Christ is a natural-born sinless man instead of a natural-born
sinful man.

The human nature and the divine nature are not joined at the hip as an amalgam of
good and evil. God separates the two natures by means of a rather unusual form of
circumcision (Col 2:11) making it possible for Christians to enter Heaven as 100%
righteous people.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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• Eph 4:30 . . Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for
the day of redemption.

The Greek word translated "grieve" is lupeo (loo-peh'-o) which means: to distress;
to make sad; for example:

"The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the Earth, and that every
intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that
He had made man on the Earth, and He was grieved in His heart." (Gen 6:5-6)

So then, we can safely conclude that the Holy Spirit of God is especially grieved
when one's conduct is unbecoming, and every intent of the thoughts of one's heart
are only secular and/or impious, i.e. evil continually.

The Greek word translated "redemption" means to ransom fully. In short, those
sealed with the Spirit have their salvation locked in; however, it won't be finalized
until they step into a new, immortal body; which is yet a future event (Rom 8:23
25). So then; the "day of redemption" could be said to be speaking of closure.
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