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Define New Testament Hope.

• 1Pet 3:15 . . Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a
reason for your hope.

The Greek word translated "hope" in that verse is elpis (el pece') which means to
anticipate (usually with pleasure) and to expect with confidence. Note the elements
of anticipation, expectation, and confidence.

In other words: New Testament hope is a know-so kind of hope rather than a cross
your fingers hope-- i.e. a sure thing, a.k.a. in the bag: signed, sealed, and aboard
the FedEx truck headed your way for delivery (so to speak).

• Rom 12:12 . . Rejoicing in hope.

When people are praying for the best, while in the back of their mind dreading the
worst, they have absolutely no cause for rejoicing; no; but they do have plenty of
cause to fear the unknown.
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What Is Grace?
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What Is Grace?

The common Greek word translated "grace" refers to graciousness; defined by
Webster's as kind, courteous, inclined to good will, generous, charitable, merciful,
altruistic, compassionate, thoughtful, cordial, affable, genial, sociable, cheerful,
warm, sensitive, considerate, and tactful.

Cordial stresses warmth and heartiness

Affable implies easy to approach, and readiness to respond pleasantly to
conversation or requests or proposals

Genial stresses cheerfulness and even joviality

Sociable suggests a genuine liking for the companionship of others

Generous is characterized by a noble or forbearing spirit; viz: magnanimous, kindly,
and liberal in giving

Charitable means full of love for, and goodwill toward, others; viz: benevolent,
tolerant, and lenient.

Altruistic means unselfish regard for, or devotion to, the welfare of others; viz: a
desire to be of service to others for no other reason than it just feels good to do so.

Tactful indicates a keen sense of what to do, or say, in order to maintain good
relations with others in order to resolve and/or avoid unnecessary conflict.
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What Is Redemption?
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What Is Redemption?

A couple of Greek words are translated redemption.

One is lutrosis (loo'-tro-sis) which means a ransoming.

The other is apolutrosis (ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis) which means to ransom in full.

Webster's defines "ransom" as:

1» A consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from
captivity

2» The act of paying the consideration.

In the divine scheme, Christ is the payer; and the life of his body is the
consideration; plus. according to apolutrosis, his life isn't a down payment, rather:
the entire sum demanded leaving no balance outstanding.

FAQ: Who/What is the captor?

A: The architect spoken of by Genesis 1:1

FAQ: God is holding the world hostage?

A: Not quite like that. A better comparison depicts the world as indicted fugitives in
imminent danger of arrest and trial at the great white throne event described at
Revelation 20:11-15.

In other words: Christ satisfies the justice due to the fugitives so they can be
acquitted-- which is much better than parole because an acquittal leaves behind no
record. It's as though a wanted man has never been anything but 100% innocent
his entire life.

I cannot imagine a better way to settle out of court with God than by means of the
redemption that's available in Christ Jesus.
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What Is Justification?
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What Is Justification?

• Rom 4:25 . . He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for
our justification.

The Greek word translated "justification" in that passage means acquittal; which
Webster's defines as a judgment that a person is not guilty of the crime with which
the person has been charged.

To give a rough-hewn idea of how this plays out: according to Rev 20:11-15, God is
keeping books on everyone wherein is inventoried their entire life.

Were those books to be opened to the pages wherein is supposed to be an
inventory of the life of someone who managed to obtain the justification available
by means of Christ's death and resurrection, those pages would be missing because
when someone obtains the justification, God closes their case and it's never
reopened-- not because it's a cold case, but because all charges against them were
dropped, i.e. transferred to Christ.

• Rom 8:33-34 . .Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?
It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns; Christ Jesus ,who died?
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What Is Meant By The Quick And The Dead?
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Why Is Death The Wages Of Sin?


It's my educated guess that the penalty is so severe because Man was created in
the image and likeness of God.

For example: according to Gen 9:5-6, murderers deserve capital punishment-- not
because murder is wrong per se, rather --because the image and likeness of God
lends Man a degree of honor and dignity as near the honor and dignity of God that
a creature can possibly get.

Had God brought Man into existence as just another organic species like meerkats,
lobsters, chickens, and microbes; then Man's conduct would likely be so
insignificant in regard to justice as to not even be worth God's notice. But the
image and likeness of God makes Man a near-deity and thus magnifies the
consequences of his actions.

The image and likeness of God is definitely something to be grateful for, but at the
same time, it's definitely something to fear.
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What Is Meant By The Quick And The Dead?

• 2Tim 4:1 . . Christ Jesus, who will judge the quick and the dead

The Greek word translated "quick" means living, i.e. alive.

The question pertains to judgments rather than spiritual conditions, For example
John 5:24 speaks of spiritual conditions; whereas 2Tim 4:1, along with 1Pet 4:5,
speaks of judgments.

There's a judgment for the living depicted at Ezek 20:33-38 and another depicted
at Matt 25:31-46.

A judgment for the dead is depicted at Rev 20:11-15.
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Why The Everlasting Gospel?
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What Is Original Sin?
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The men who knew too much
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Deuteronomy 29:19-20 (ASV) and it comes to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart, to destroy the moist with the dry.

Jeremiah 13:13 (NKJV) Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land--even the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem--with drunkenness!

Deuteronomy 29: 20 (NKJV) Jehovah will not pardon him, but then the anger of Jehovah and his jealousy will smoke against that man, and all the curse that is written in this book shall lie upon him, and Jehovah will blot out his name from under heaven.

Ezekiel 23:33 (NKJV) You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, The cup of horror and desolation, The cup of your sister Samaria.

Luke 21:34 (NKJV) "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

Proverbs 23:21 (KJV) For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Proverbs 26:9 (KJV) As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools.

Jesus foretold the future
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Luke 7:33-35 (NKJV) For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'
The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'

Luke 15:1-2 (NKJV) Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.
And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." But wisdom is justified by all her children."

Matthew 9:9-13 (NKJV) As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.
Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house that beholds, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.
And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
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."

Matthew 24:2 (NKJV) And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

 

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Why The Everlasting Gospel?

• Rev 14:6-7 . . And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every
nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, announcing with a loud voice: Fear
God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him
that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

The everlasting gospel is a bounce from the very first chapter of Genesis; and
reiterated at Ps 19:1-4 and Rom 1:19-20. It's very elementary; pretty much all it
says is:

1» There's a supreme being.

2» He deserves respect.

3» There's a frightful reckoning looming on the horizon, and

4» The cosmos-- all of its forms of life, matter, and energy --is the product of
intelligent design.

Jesus is absent from the everlasting gospel; as is his crucifixion, his resurrection,
and his future kingdom on Earth.

Most of the Bible teachers that I've listened to sincerely believe that Jesus' church
will be completely gone from the Earth when the fourth chapter of Revelation
begins coming to pass, viz: the era of the so-called great commission (a.k.a. the
church age) will be over; there won't be any born-again, Spirit-empowered
Christian evangelists left anywhere on Earth preaching the gospel of Christ, yet
according to Rev 7:9-17, many thousands of people will be saved out of the
Tribulation during the church's absence.

In my opinion, some of those numbers can be attributed to the success of the
everlasting gospel which, in my opinion, can be rightfully called the timeless gospel
because it's always been here whereas the gospel of Christ hasn't.
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What's To Learn From Moses And The Snakes?
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What's To Learn From Moses And The Snakes?

• John 3:14-17 . . Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the
Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal
life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send
his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved
through him.

Long story short: Moses' people became sick and tired of living in the desert and
eating manna all the time at every meal. But instead of courteously, and
diplomatically, petitioning their divine benefactor for tastier food and better
accommodations, they became hostile and confrontational.

In response to their insolence; God sent a swarm of deadly poisonous snakes
among them; which began striking people; and every strike was 100% fatal, no
exceptions. In no time at all, much people of Israel died. Then those not yet dead
got nervous and appealed to Moses for help. In reply; The Lord instructed Moses to
construct a replica of the beasts and hoist it up on a pole in plain view so that
everyone dying from venom could look to it for immunity.

Now the key issue here is that the replica, lifted up, was the only God-given
remedy for the people's terminal condition-- not purity, not sacrifices and offerings,
not tithing, not church attendance, not missionary work, not confession, not holy
days of obligation, not the Sabbath, not charity, not good deeds, not good
behavior, not piety, not Bible study and Sunday school, not catechism or yeshiva,
not one's religion of choice, not self denial and/or self control, not the so-called
golden rule, not vows of poverty and/or chastity, not the Ten Commandments, not
the Eucharist; no, none of that: not even prayers. That replica, lifted up, was it;
viz: it was all or nothing at all-- there was no other option. Whoever failed to look
to that replica, lifted up, for immunity died: no exceptions.

In other words then: Christ, lifted up on the cross to satisfy justice for the sins of
the world, is the only God-given option for protection from the second death
depicted at Rev 20:11-15. The default is terminal; no exceptions. People relying
upon religion and piety, instead of putting all their trust in Christ's crucifixion, are
dead men walking, no exceptions.

• John 3:18 . .Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever disbelieves
stands condemned already.
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What Is Sheol?


Sheol is an Old Testament word that's sometimes transliterated instead of
translated; likely because there is so much controversy about its meaning.

During Jonah's nautical adventure, he spent some time in sheol (Jonah 2:2) which
is a region that he placed at the bottoms of the mountains. (Jonah 2:6)

Well, Jonah's fish was under the sea rather than under the mountains, and seeing
as how no part of a mountain is located in a fish's tummy, then we can be
reasonably certain that what Jonah experienced was that he and his body parted
company; implying that Jonah wasn't alive in the fish for the whole three days and
three nights reported by Jonah 1:17; which corroborates Jonah 2:9 that the
prophet's body underwent putrefaction and would've been completely destroyed
had not God resurrected him in time to stop the process from getting out of hand.

Jesus appropriated Jonah's experience to illustrate his own. Jesus predicted that at
some time during his three days and nights deceased, he would be in the heart of
the Earth. (Matt 12:40).

Well; Jesus' body was laid to rest on the surface of the Earth; so in order for him to
be down inside the Earth at same time, he and his body had to part company. In
other words: Jesus spent some of his three days and nights at the bottoms of the
mountains, i.e. sheol. And he too was resurrected in time to stop the process of
putrefaction from getting out of hand. (Ps 16:8-10 and Acts 2:25-32)
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How Could Abraham's Posterity Possibly Amount To Stars And Sand?


• Gen 22:17 . . In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed
as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;

I think it best to interpret stars and sand as ancient idioms for overwhelming
numbers of just about anything. Compare Heb 12:1 where "cloud" is a term for the
same purpose.

But as a matter of interest: back in Abram's day, prior to the invention of optics,
the only stars that people could see with their own eyes were those in our home
galaxy, the Milky Way; which consists of an estimated 100-400 billion stars. But
many of those estimated billions of stars appear to the naked eye not as stars but
as glowing clouds; viz: they cannot be individually distinguished by the naked eye
so those didn't matter to Abram when it came to actually tallying the heavens.

The entire global sky contains roughly five or six thousand stars visible to the naked
eye. However, we can't see all those stars at once; only the ones when the sky is
dark. So then; in Abram's day, he could see at most three thousand discernible
stars from dark till dawn. God had said "if you are able to count them" (Gen 15:5).
Well; even at only three thousand, the task would be difficult.
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Why Was Jesus Baptized?


• Matt 3:13-15 . .Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by
John. But John tried to deter him, saying: I need to be baptized by you, and do you
come to me? Jesus replied: Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all
righteousness. Then John consented.

An important point worth noting is that everything Jesus did, it was to please his
Father. (John 8:29)

Also, Jesus did nothing on his own initiative. His daily itinerary was planned for him
(John 6:38 and John 8:28). In other words: Jesus was micro managed.

However, John's baptism was unto repentance (Matt 3:11). This is curious because
according to Isa 53:9, John 8:29, 2Cor 5:21, Heb 4:15, 1Pet 2:22, and 1John 3:9;
Jesus committed no sins of his own; and as he always pleased his Father, then
there was never a time when Jesus needed to ponder his life's direction and think
about turning from evil and returning to God.

The reason for Jesus' baptism is very simple: his Father required it. Even if Jesus
didn't know the reason why God wanted him to submit to John's baptism, it was the
right thing for Jesus to do at the time because it was God's will; just as baptizing
Israel was the right thing for John to do at the time because it was God's will. Both
men were acting in compliance with God's directions. (John 14:31)

Obedience fulfills righteousness. For example Eph 6:1 where it's said:

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right."

NOTE: Orwellian societies-- e.g. Communist China --tend to ban religions like
Christianity because one of their means of control is to turn children against their
parents. This particular management practice was put into full swing during the
Cultural Revolution under Chairman Mao Zedong back in the era 1966-1976. (cf.
Malachi 4:6)
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Isn't Christianity's Human Sacrifice Against The Laws Of God?


God's codified law per Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy is very
narrow, viz: any human sacrifice-- whether underage children or consenting adults
--is illegal because none are specified.

• Deut 4:2 …You shall not add anything to what I command you or take anything
away from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I enjoin upon
you.

• Deut 5:29-30 …Be careful, then, to do as the Lord your God has commanded you.
Do not turn aside to the right or to the left: follow only the path that the Lord your
God has enjoined upon you.

However: the codified law isn't retroactive (Deut 5:2-4, Rom 4:15, Rom 5:13, Gal
3:17) This is extremely important because Jesus was designated, and scheduled, to
give his life a sacrifice for the sins of the world not only prior to God's codified law,
but also prior to God creating even a single atom for the current cosmos. (1Pet
1:18-21 & Rev 13:8)

The past-tense grammar of the passage below reflects that ancient pre cosmos
determination.

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way;
and Jehovah has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isa 53:6)

That passage isn't a prediction, rather, it's a statement of facts, i.e. a telling of
things reckoned already gone by prior to Isaiah writing them down more than 700
years before Christ was born.
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What Is Meant By Proverbs 27:17?


"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend."

The Hebrew word translated "countenance" has to do with one's face rather than
their mind.

A friendly face is usually soft and mellow; whereas a hostile face is usually accented
with tight lips and glaring narrow eyes; and sometimes even bared teeth. We call
that kind of look "daggers" --and if those kinds of looks could kill; they would.

No sharpening of two metals rubbing together can take place without them wearing
on each other. However, in Prov 27:17 only one of the metals experiences wear
while the other is the cause of it.

In my judicious estimation, that proverb is not speaking of building your friend up
but instead speaks of tearing him down by means of chafing, i.e. relentless fault
finding, mockery, and/or carping criticism; none of which are acceptable social skills
for making friends and influencing people.

• Job 16:9 . . He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me
with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

The eyes of Job's enemy were knives, and reveals that causing somebody's
countenance to sharpen should not be construed a good thing. In point of fact some
of Webster's definitions related to "sharp" in include:

severe and/or harsh: such as

a : inclined to or marked by irritability or anger a sharp temper

b : causing intense mental or physical distress a sharp pain

c : cutting in language or import

NOTE: The Hebrew word for "friend" in Prov 27:17 doesn't necessarily indicate a
buddy; but includes a variety of others, i.e. companions, associates, fellows,
husbands, lovers, neighbors, etc. --just about anybody with whom we come into
personal contact whether temporary or extended, e.g. waitresses, taxi drivers,
retail clerks, fast food workers, gas station attendants, dog walkers, flight
attendants, druggists, coffee barristers, food cart vendors, doctors, dentists,
nurses, et al.

I think everyone, Christians especially, ought to avoid rubbing people the wrong
way lest we become known as a toxic influence that the world would be a better
place without.
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