SOLA FIDE. "JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH"

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 By Jack Kinsella

It seems from some of the feedback from our discussions on grace and eternal security, I am not doing as good a job of articulating my positions as I thought I was.

The doctrines of eternal security and grace are both articulated in Reformist Martin Luther's famous "Sola Fide" -- or "justification by faith" upon which the Protestant Reformation was based.

"Sola fide" acknowledges that all people have come short of the glory of God and have disobeyed His commands. Therefore, God declares 'obedient' those who put their confidence and faith in what God has done through the Life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus.

"Sola fide" counts Christ's obedience as one's own, and is the only example of meritorious obedience in a sinnner's life. Those who trust God do not trust what they themselves have done (which has no worth, because of sin) as playing a role in their salvation.

The doctrine holds that it is not through personal goodness that sinners are reconciled to God. Reconciliation is only through the mercy of God, who made reconciliation through His Son.

"Sola fide" holds that Christ was given in substitution for the disobedience of believers, Whose Resurrection is evidence that believers are heirs in eternal life.

Martin Luther made 'sola fide' the rallying cry of the Protestant Reformation and identified it as the chief distinction between evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism.

Martin Luther was a Roman Catholic monk, fully dedicated to his calling. Desperate to please God, he devoted himself to fasting, flagellation (the practice of beating oneself with whips) prayers, pilgrimages, and confession.

Brother Martin was soon elevated to the priesthood, where he began teaching theology at the University of Wittenburg. Now 'Father' Martin, Luther despaired at the fact that the harder he tried to cleanse himself of sin, the more aware he became of his sinfulness.

Luther's academic studies and teaching lectures drove him deep into the Scriptures, and from there into a deep study of the Bible and the early Church. Luther became convinced that the Vatican had lost sight of the most central doctrine of Christianity, the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

Luther began teaching salvation as a gift of grace through Christ received by faith at about the same time that a Dominican friar, Johann Tetzel , was enlisted to travel throughout Archbishop Albert of Mainz's episcopal territories promoting and selling indulgences for the renovation of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

Tetzel was good at his job. "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs," tradition says.

A little background: An 'indulgence' is a dispensation from the Vatican; a kind of 'get out of purgatory free' card. I am not being flippant; that is what it was in Luther's day, (and still is).

In Catholic theology, a person who dies with unconfessed minor (venial) sins doesn't go to heaven until he spends time in 'purgatory' - a place of temporary punishment not unlike hell -- in which the believer can be purged of his remaining sins. Depending on the number of venial sins, a stay in purgatory can be hundreds, if not thousands of years.

An 'indulgence' is a reduction in time for the sentence of a loved one suffering in purgatory. In modern Catholicism, indulgences for specific numbers of years can be obtained in exchange for prayers to certain saints or for certain acts of charity.

A 'plenary' indulgence -- a 'pardon' from purgatory, can be obtained by going through the ritual of the 'Stations of the Cross' on All Saint's Day, for example.

But in Luther's day, one could buy indulgences for hard cash. Pay a little, get a little time shaved off in purgatory. Pay a lot, get a plenary indulgence.

Luther challenged this practice, preaching three different sermons condemning it, and drawing the attention of Pope Leo X, who initially dismissed Luther as "a drunken German who wrote the Theses" who "when sober will change his mind," before realizing the full extent of Luther's challenge and dispatching the Grand Inquisitor to Wittenberg to meet with Luther.

Luther was excommunicated from the Catholic Church, but it was too late to stop the Protestant Reformation.

Assessment:

'Sole fide' is the bedrock doctrine of evangelical Christianity, not heretic rantings about libertine Christianity. It is rooted in the recognition that our salvation is by faith and not by our works, that it is an extension of unmerited grace from God, and that we play no other role in our salvation than to accept it as offered.

By definition, 'sole fide' implies eternal security. The logical principle known as 'Occam's Razor' says that given two equally predictive theories, choose the simpler. If one is saved by faith and not works, then the applying the efficacy of works at some point later on is not logical.

If works can't save you, then how can they 'lose' you? At the extreme ends of the theological spectrum one finds two opposing views. On one end is 'legalism' -- a term to refer to a fixation on the law and codes of conduct for Christians.

Legalism in its extreme, is the belief that obedience to certain Christian conduct supercedes faith as the main principle to redemption.

On the other end of the spectrum is what is called 'antimonianism' -- the belief that members of a particular religious group are under no obligation to obey the laws of ethics or morality as presented by religious authorities.

Taken to its extreme, antimonianism is every bit as heretical as legalism. If God forgives sins, what exactly is the disadvantage in sinning, or the reward of obedience?

Being called an 'antimonianist' means, by implication, someone whose chooses a libertine doctrine for the express purpose of justifying a lifestyle of sin.

The truth of Scripture lies somewhere in the middle between the two extremes.

Salvation is a gift of grace, not works. If it is to be earned by works,[or good conduct] it is not a gift, but wages.

If it can be rescinded by works, [or bad conduct] then it wasn't a gift, but a conditional loan based on conduct.

That is neither legalistic nor antinomonial. The Bible is clear that there is no sin that goes unnoticed, and says,

"every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12)

Eternal security doesn't give license to sin, neither does it hold an habitually sinning believer unaccountable. All sinners will give an account for their sins before God.

The difference lies in the Court to which they are called upon to give testimony. Believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, where they will be judged according to their works.

"Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire." (1st Corinthians 3:13-15)

The lost will give account of themselves before the Great White Throne, but, conversely, the lost will NOT be judged according to their works, but according to whether or not one's name is recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Eternal security is NOT license to sin. Grace is NOT antimonianism. They are, as I've noted before, bandages and medicine that keep us from succumbing to our wounds and get us back into the fight. The battle with sin is a lifelong conflict.

Scripture promises;

"if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1st John 1:9)

There are those who do use eternal security as a license to sin, but they are kidding themselves. Sin takes its toll on a body. Drunks, drug addicts, smokers, gluttons, sex addicts, etc., all bear the marks of their sin on and in their bodies, saved or lost alike.

Sinners, saved or lost, will all die of their sins. What is of eternal consquence is whether or not one dies IN their sins.

"If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire." (1 Corinthians 3:15)

A BEAST FROM THE EAST, NORTH KOREA

 J.L. Robb -

Does North Korea have a part in the final act of the current civilization on Earth? Is North Korea symbolized somewhere in the Book of Revelation? Is North Korea the catalyst that will ignite the third and final world war?

These are questions that have come to mind lately as N. Korea continues its quest to terrorize the civilized world via nuclear proliferation. Like an unruly child, the leaders of N. Korea have had no discipline from the world to keep it in check. If a child never receives discipline, they grow up to be a brat, like Kim Jong-un, the current leader of N. Korea. His father and grandfather were the same.

Could N. Korea play a role in the invasion of Israel by the kings of the East?

According to scripture, in the last days an invasion force will come from the East and join the final Battle of Armageddon in Israel. For whatever reason, the Euphrates River will be dry and the force of "two hundred million" soldiers will cross easily.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. Revelation 16:12

Revelation is very specific on the number of the forces at 200,000,000; and at the time John wrote this vision, there were no armies of 200,000,000.  World population estimates when John wrote the words of Revelation were less than 170,000,000, so an army of 200,000,000 would be quite the miracle.

For church scholars who say John was referring to Emperor Nero as the anti-christ and Revelation has already happened, where was the army of 200-million? When was the invasion?

World War II had combined armies of less than 50-million. It is only recently that a single country could man an army of 200,000,000.

And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. Revelation 9:15-16 NASB

China is the 4th largest country in area but the largest country in population at 1.4-billion. China is rumored to already have mandatory/voluntary military forces in excess of 200,000,000.

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim country and has a military of 400,000.
India can field an army of 1,400,000 with a population of 1.3-billion.

N. Korea, with a population of only 25,000,000 has an army of 1,300,000, almost the size of India's.  

When one examines a map of China, N. Korea looks like a small appendage, like an appendix. N. Korea is the inflamed appendix and China's puppet to see how much the world will actually put up with before striking back. China could stop N. Korea's nuclear shenanigans in a minute, but why should they. China is building man-made military islands in the South China Sea and claiming the international waters as their own. They need their puppet to keep the world busy.

Like Walid Shoebat, I consider an Islamic invasion as Muslims from Kazakhstan, Takistan, Chechen and other areas to the east join China, India and Indonesia, to be the greatest possibility because there are so many Muslim countries between China and Israel.

A few weeks ago, N. Korea threatened Israel and claimed they (Israel) were the only illegal possessor of nuclear weapons in the Middle East.

N. Korea is a renegade, pariah country. They appear to listen to no one. They do not believe in the God of Abraham so do not believe the Jews are any different than anyone else; only inferior to them. If there is an anti-christ spirited country on the planet, they qualify.

Another way N. Korea fits into prophecy of the last days is their kinship with ancient Persia (Iran). While the world gnashes teeth over the possibility of Iran developing nuclear weapons, my guess is they already have acquired them from N. Korea.

According to a missile proliferation expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, "The very first missiles we saw in Iran were simply copies of North Korean missiles. Over the years, we've seen photographs of North Korean and Iranian officials in each other's countries, and we've seen all kinds of common hardware."

N. Korea is developing more than nuclear weapons and delivery systems, as we the world sit idly by while they plan Armageddon.

According to CNN, officials, they "...are also investigating suspicions that North Korea might have been involved in the recent ransomware cyber-attack on computers around the world, which hit close to 300,000 machines in 150 different countries, in one of the largest incidents of its kind ever recorded."

Rabbi Levi Sa'adia Nachamanii's prediction in 1994 seems to have called it:

"Not Syria, not Persia (Iran), and not Babylon (Iraq), and not Gaddafi (Libya)," the rabbi said, referring to Israel's greatest threats at the time. "Korea will arrive here."

Nachmani also correctly predicted the Six Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973.

N. Korea has been a thorn in the world's side since the non-ending of the Korean War in 1953. In 1968, they captured a US Navy ship, the USS Pueblo and humiliated the crew and the United States. Now the thorn has become the size of a telephone pole... or a ballistic missile. They have stated their intent. Destroy the United States. Nuke Tokyo. Sell Iran nuclear weapons. Terrorize S. Korea. This is a Satanic country, but let's just keep our heads in the sand and let it happen. Seems we are destined.

Normally if you have cancer you get rid of it. Why are we not?

WE NEED ANOTHER BLACK ROBED REGIMENT

By Pastor Mike Taylor

“ I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine.

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” (2^nd Timonty 4:1-5)

In the opening passage, Paul warned Timothy to preach the word of God, not turning to right or to the left from what God's Word said. But to use it to rebuke, exhort and teach sound doctrine. He also warned what we are experiencing today, in that the maninstream religions, from Roman Catholic (which always has strayed) to now infecting Protestant churches with fables of men. Those who sit in the pew on any given Sunday morning want a “new modern” religion that will make them feel good, entertain them, and not face what they really need, and that is repentance from their sins and turn to Jesus Christ as Personal Savior and the only remedy for their God forsaken immorality, and sinful lives.

We as born again Christians, lament how the church of this modern era has grown cold and preaches a watered down version of salvation through faith, applying God's mercy and grace to the broken and contrite heart that sees their lost condition and realizes that without God and the Lord Jesus Christ, they are doomed for a devil's hell. But the Laodecian Age of the church has come to pass, just as Jesus warned us in Revelation 3:

“14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” (Revelation 3:14-17)

I spoke of this very thing in a past sermon and this is but a follow up of that message when I spoke of how this age has become nothing but lukewarm, water down Christianity and anything else pagan. You can read that message here to augment this one:

http://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2016/09/have-main-stream-religions-gone-mad.html

FRAUDS IN THE PULPITS

You need not look any further than your local TV evangelist found on TBN, or the mega churches that have thousands of members in huge facilities of brick and mortar to the tune of Creflo Dollar, or Joel Olsteen, or T.D. Jakes that preach another Gospel. I watched Joel Olsteen one Sunday morning and the man didn't even have a Bible in his hands, He never quoted scripture, but gave a pep talk about this being the “best years of your life” AND as he spoke, passed around the plate for tithes and offerings....when you understand the modern religions today, they are about money, about personal ambition of this being your best life, and forgetting we must be getting our houses in order for the next life, as this life will pass away shortly. You may have riches in this life, but to be your focus and neglect the next one, will leave you wanting at the judgment of God.

What I see, my reader, is this nation....and the world...needs the old time religion that most of us were brought up in. God fearing, hell and damnation, fire and brimstone, and Jesus is the only Way to heaven kind of sermons that makes the sinner tremble with Holy Spirit conviction that they can't stay in their seats, but shake holding onto the back of the pew, sweating profusely from conviction of their sins and their understanding that they are LOST, DOOMED, unless they let go of that pew and come down to the altar to repent in “sack cloth and ashes” so to speak.

People, we are in the time of the end of this age, and the world is going to hell all around us. Our job and the job of the sold out man of God is to preach the unadultered truth and not what “itching ears” want to hear. We need men that made this country what was from the founding of this nation. We need another “Black Robed Regiment” that will pound the pulpit and say what must be said from God's Word to convict the lost souls who are under their charge!!

THE NATIONAL BLACK ROBE REGIMENT

When I speak of “Black Robe Regiment” what does that mean and who were they?

“The Black Robed Regiment was the name that the British placed on the courageous and patriotic American clergy during the Founding Era (a backhanded reference to the black robes they wore). [1] Significantly, the British blamed the Black Robed Regiment for American Independence, [2] and rightfully so, for modern historians have documented that:

There is not a right asserted in the Declaration of Independence which had not been discussed by the New England clergy before 1763. [3]

It is strange to today’s generation to think that the rights listed in the Declaration of Independence were nothing more than a listing of sermon topics that had been preached from the pulpit in the two decades leading up to the American Revolution, but such was the case.” (from the Natrional Black Robe Regiment)

These men were fearless. They were not politically correct under British rule. They spoke the truth that gave the revolutionaries the vision, the strength and the guts to go out and win out freedom from tyranny.

“But it was not just the British who saw the American pulpit as largely responsible for American independence and government, our own leaders agreed. For example, John Adams rejoiced that “the pulpits have thundered”] and specifically identified several ministers as being among the “characters the most conspicuous, the most ardent, and influential” in the “awakening and a revival of American principles and feelings” that led to American independence.”

But as Paul admonished Timonty in the above opening verses:

“ But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. “ (2^nd Timonty 4:5)

As Paul wrote to Timothy, I admonish YOU to pound the pulpit and let the words thunder from your lips of the coming judgment of God and the salvation from wrath of our Lord Jesus Christ, that was purchased by His own blood on Calvary's cross.

That is the minister of God's duty, his call for the spreading of the Gospel. Will the world hate you because you speak the truth? Inside the church it may not be so evident even thou you miht ofend the rebellious member, but outside, each of us will experience the world's revulsion of God's Truth and Satan hates for anyone to speak the truth found in your Bible.

18 “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.” (John 15:18-23)

SPIRITUAL WARFARE ON AMERICAN SOIL

Folks, we are living in a spiritual war not unlike the Revolutionary war. We are being taken for fools by the men who are in power today, be they in Washington DC or foreign governments across the Big Pond. I was thankful that the people of America rose up and would not elect a satanic inspired liberal in this last election, but voted their conscience and vote for the principles that made this country great...WE envisioned “Make America Great Again”....but we will have to keep watch and see if this man we elected follows through with all he promised. God put him in office, and no amount of liberal hand wringing, or under handed tricks will thwart God's Will. May he follow God and have the wisdom of Solomon that is God inspired. But don't stop there, rise up and claim this country for God, each minister and each Christian.

Our Spiritual war goes even further than what our founding fathers brought to this country and the Black Robes Regiment pounded this truth home.

“As a body of men, the clergy were pre-eminent in their attachment to liberty. The pulpits of the land rang with the notes of freedom. [6] The American Quarterly Register [MAGAZINE], 1833

If Christian ministers had not preached and prayed, there might have been no revolution as yet – or had it broken out, it might have been crushed. [7] Bibliotheca Sacra [BRITISH PERIODICAL], 1856

The ministers of the Revolution were, like their Puritan predecessors, bold and fearless in the cause of their country. No class of men contributed more to carry forward the Revolution and to achieve our independence than did the ministers. . . . [B]y their prayers, patriotic sermons, and services [they] rendered the highest assistance to the civil government, the army, and the country. [8] B. F. Morris, HISTORIAN, 1864”. (National Black Robed Regiment)

AN AMERICAN REVIVAL DREAM

What would happen if we had fearless, sold out men of God who preached the unvarnished truth of Jesus being the only way back to the Father? What if these same men preached against the immorality, the sinfulness of this present age and would not back down from anyone, be they the IRS, or any government agency and it spread from coast to coast? My estimation, you would see a revival that would rival anything we have ever seen in American history, even from the Revolutionary War's men speaking truth to power in their pulpits in the churches of that era.

I am speaking of what ifs, folks, as the tide may be too hard to turn back, but I can dream and pray it comes to pass. . Our God Jehovah, YHWH, the Living God told us what would happen if this was even possible in this end of days.

14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.”( 2^nd Chronicles 7:14-15)

Who is to say that this could not be possible. Yes, I know that the American countryside has become a cesspool in the major cities and like a cancer, it is spreading...But if what I am saying was even possible, and the American public rose up, and the pastors of this nation got fearless and demanded change in the spiritual realm of this country, you would see a change to gather the last straws of wheat that God will usher into His Kingdom. Note the parable of the seed sower.

25 “But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:25-30)

God could use YOU to spread His message and gather that last straw and seed of the final wheat into the kingdom of God. Pastors of this nation, are you listening?

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.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” (2^nd Peter 3:9-12)

Is God holding off sending His Son for the church of the Living God because He desires to save even that last soul who will come to Him? If the ministers of this nation would take a look at their calling, and put God first in everything they say from the Pulpit, we would see a move of God that would rival the “Black Robed Regiment” as God would use pastors of today, even as He used these men of our historical past to bring that last soul into the ark of safety which is Jesus Christ our Lord.

My plea to every ordained minister, and those who are following Jesus footsteps is to become fearless. To approach anyone, and everyone you may think needs to hear God's Word. Do not preach to their itching ears, but to their heart and minds. Tell them the truth of coming judgment, the wrath of God and this world being burned up in the coming Tribulation and salvation from Jesus Christ, as the only way to enter God's Kingdom. .

WE may not have much time, either you or me. WE must be about our Father's business and spread the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God, but also warn that the time of Tribulation is fast approaching, and those tares that Jesus spoke of will be gathered and thrown into the fire. Note the passage that spoke of what happens to those who are the “tares” or weeds that grown among God's wheat, which are His chosen body and His bride..

30 “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. “( Matthew 13:30)

What does the Lord mean “bind them in bundles to burn them”?

11 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”( Revelation 20:11-15)

This is the ultimate fate of those who are considered “weeds or tares” that are gathered to the Great White Throne judgment of God. They either heard the Word of God and refused it, or have taken the mark of the coming Beast power.

I may not be wearing a black robe right now, but I call on every man and woman who professes Jesus Christ to share that story with your family, your friends, even your enemies in a spirit of Godly love. How much time we have to the work of God may be drawing to a close very soon.

Those that are found without Jesus Christ, when He breaks through the clouds and cries “come up hither” will experience what they could have avoided by believing on the Name of Jesus Christ and giving over their life as Lord and Masgter to Him. I speak of a literal Hell on earth that will wipe this planet nearly totally clean of all human life that Jesus said would be the greatest trial that humanity has every experienced.

21 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened”( Matthew 24:21-22)

That is why we need a “black robe regiment” because the tribulation and the great tribulation is going to be so horrific, that no words can explain the reality of this awful time, when God's wrath and the satanic ambition of the Anti-Christ to destroy all who believe in Jesus during those last 7 years of man's rule upon the earth. I calculate 80% or more of those living among the nations being destroyed in 7 short years...think of it...8 billion people x 80% or 6.4 billion people destroyed in the worst possible ways. Think of the carnage...think of he smell and wild animals roaming to eat dead carcasses. Can it be any more gruesome to think on such a thing?

CLARION CALL TO ACTION

Will you take the challenge? Will you heed the call? Will you preach only God's Word to those in your church and those who you are charged to leading spiritually? Or will you continue to “tickle their itching ears” ...You will either be rewarded for doing God's will and preaching the Truth, or be found condemned for being a spiritual fraud that was in religion for his own gain. Be not one of those who will give an account either in the Bema Judgment Seat of Christ and loose your reward for service, or be found as a tare of the ministry and stand before the Great White Throne judgment to give account of your perverting the Truth of God Word and cast into a lake of fire burning with fire and brimstone. Are you afraid of offending someone with God's Truth?

Note what God our Lord Jesus Christ said of the parable of the seed sower when we speak the truth in the coming tribulation and can even be applied now:

18 “ Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.” (Matthew 13:18-21)

But let us cast the seed of the Truth of God's Word found in no other but Jesus Christ our Lord. We are responsible to no other but to ourselves and God. If we neglect our calling and do not spread the seed of Truth, then brother, you will be found judged of not speaking truth. Put on those righteous robes of the “Black Robed Regiment” and thunder the Word of God to the salvation of men's souls.

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)

and again, believe and confess to God:

8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Roman 10:8-11)

This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying you take the challenge and spread the REAL Good News of the Coming Kingdom of God. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, email me at realteam1999@sbcglobal.net,  God bless you all,

TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET

UNDERSTANDING THE DAY OF THE LORD

- By Chuck Steele -

1 Thessalonians 5:1-9

1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

The key in being able to better understand how God's final judgement is going to unfold in these last days, and when it begins, can easily be found by first looking at what the Bible refers to as, 'the day of the Lord.' It is absolutely necessary that we know the meaning of it, what it's consequences on the world are going to be, and what we need to be doing right now in order to prepare ourselves for it so that we don't have to go through it.

Before I began my own research on this subject only a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea what it was all about other than knowing that it's going to be a horrible time for anyone unfortunate enough to be here when it comes I knew it was God's judgement on an unbelieving and wicked world but there is so much more to know about it than that. It is my hope and prayer that people take this message seriously and begin making their own preparations so they can avoid it. Jesus Himself described it this way in Matthew 24:21: "For then shall there be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."

In order for me to get a better grasp of what the 'day of the Lord' is, I decided to look up other verses that talk about it and it didn't take long for my eyes to be opened. As soon as I began reading them the scales fell away from my eyes and God showed me exactly what I was looking for. Things just began falling into place for me as far as being able to better understand God's timing regarding certain events which are about to take place. There is no 'secret knowledge' involved in any of what God showed me because it is all found in His written Word.

The following are verses that helped me the most in my study and I want to share them with you. There are many others that also talk about it but I wanted to limit how many I included for the sake of time and space. Here they are:

Isaiah 13:6 - Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.

Isaiah 13:9 - Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.

Ezekiel 30:3 - For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen.

Joel 1:15 - Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

Amos 5:18 - Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light.

Obadiah 1:15 - For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

What stands out for me more than anything else is the unmistakable clarity as to who the 'day of the Lord' is intended. It's purpose is to 'destroy the sinners' and it is 'the time of the heathen.' The day of the Lord will be accompanied by 'wrath and fierce' anger. That leaves all of us out who have made our preparations ahead of time for not having to be included in this time of judgement by repenting of our sins and asking Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. We have asked for His forgiveness for all of our many sins and have received the gift of eternal life. There is no longer the danger of having to experience God's wrath:

1 Thessalonians 5:9 - For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,"

Romans 5:1 - "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Peace with God means that He no longer has anything to be angry with us about or to judge us for because Jesus took our punishment upon Himself on the cross.)

2 Corinthians 5:21 - "For he hath made Him to be sin for us: who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

Ellicott's Commentary defines the 'day of the Lord' as being "a fixed time for vengeance to be taken upon the heathen." It also defines it as a "general day of judgement for mankind."

Meyer's New Testament Commentary (which also includes some of the Hebrew words) defines it as the "near impending period, when the present order of the world will come to an end, and Christ in His glory will return to earth for the resurrection of the dead, the general judgement, and the completion of the kingdom of God;"

And finally, gotquestions.org, which I have always found to be a good and reliable source of information, defines it this way: "The phrase "day of the Lord" usually identifies events that take place at the end of history and is often closely associated with the phrase "that day." One key to understanding these phrases is to note that they always identify a span of time during which God personally intervenes in history, directly or indirectly, to accomplish some specific aspect of His plan."

To recap: The day of the Lord will cover a span of time, it is intended for all those who never gave their lives to Christ, and will be all inclusive in that it will include all of the various elements (more on these shortly) of God's judgement for the purpose of the destruction of sinners. That sounds pretty horrible, and it is, which is why we need to keep sharing the gospel of love to the people we come into contact with and pray for them!

Now that we have all of this information before us, the question to be asked is, when does it start? That can be found in the following verse:

1 Thessalonians 5:2,3 - 2 "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape."

There you have it. The Rapture of the Church is what ushers in the 'day of the Lord' and is the first judgement to take place in it and is accompanied by 'sudden destruction' which is actually triggered by the Rapture itself. Think about it, the world will be turned on it's head after the Rapture occurs.

Since we know the Rapture (or the "catching away of the believers") is what ushers in the 'day of the Lord', then that means the Rapture will be the first element of God's judgement that all of those who were left behind will have to deal with, as well as the sudden destruction which goes hand in hand with it. Further, it also means that all of the other elements that make up this time of judgement which are to follow the Rapture, such as the arrival of the Antichrist, the signing of a peace agreement and rebuilding of the third temple, the Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl judgements included in the 7 year Tribulation period, and anything else I failed to mention here, have absolutely nothing to do with those of us who are saved because we will be in heaven when they take place. That means the whole debate about whether the Rapture of the Church is a pre/mid/post tribulation event has now become a moot point for us. The 7 year Tribulation period is what makes up the heart of the day of the Lord and as we've learned we will have no part in it. We won't even be around it.

The Tribulation, as most people refer to it as, is also called 'the time of Jacob's trouble' and it is during this 7 year period that God is going to restore His relationship with the Jewish people. It is during this period that they will finally come to believe that Jesus Christ really is their long awaited Messiah. It is not going to be an easy time for either the Jews or the world while all this is going on. God's wrath and anger are going to be poured out like no one has ever seen before and will never be seen again.

Let's take a quick look at Revelation 4:1,2 so that we can bring this to a close:

1 "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne."

What many scholars and teachers have believed all along, is true, that John was allowed to witness and record the actual Rapture event itself. The similarities between these verses in Revelation 4 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 are undeniable. I believe that our Rapture experience is going to be the same as what John experienced in his vision and that we are going to see the same things that he saw which is why God had him record it. What John recorded in Revelation 4:1 is what takes place in 1 Thessalonians 5:2. The statement God made to John, "...and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter" is to further establish what we've already learned and that is that first comes our departure and then comes judgement.

To sum it all up, I think that the confusion and controversy regarding our blessed hope (Titus 2:13) may be caused by the fact that there is no mention of 'the day of the Lord' in our Rapture discussions. You can't have one without the other. Just focusing on the Rapture event itself has caused so much confusion through the years that it's created major divisions in the Church. God, as we know, isn't the author of confusion so He made clear in His Word exactly how and when it's going to happen.

I think that Isaiah 28:9-13 (google it) applies quite well here but you will need a commentary to really understand it. From Forerunner Commentary; "This is very similar to Jesus' explanation of parables. God says He scatters understanding on any given subject throughout the Bible, and our job is to put it all together and see the amazing truth that results. Therefore, parables cannot be interpreted alone; they rely on the revelation of the rest of Scripture." - Richard T. Ritenbaugh, Parables and Prophecy

It's time to make our preparations for the coming of the 'day of the Lord' and the only way we can do that is to be absolutely certain that our relationship with God is where it needs to be. Simply believing that God exists isn't enough (James 2:19). "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." - John 3:3