Judgment and Wrath: Is God presently sending disasters and plagues and destruction upon earth to punish mankind's sins?

 

9 For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Thessalonians 5:9 MEV

We live in a fallen and fractured creation. When Adam bowed the knee to the enemy's deception, committing high treason against God, he turned over creation to the knowledge of cursing and calamity. That is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or blessing and calamity. Man has chosen to operate out of this tree and the enemy is more than happy to accommodate him.

 Jesus is the tree of life. We in Christ should desire to operate from this tree, not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life brings fullness of joy, Righteousness, and peace. Feed on this tree and not on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The tree of life is resurrection power, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil only supplies fear, anxiety, shame, guilt, and condemnation. 

 When addressing this issue of judgment and wrath and the Goodness and Love of God it is essential to understand what tree you're feeding on. The tree of life offers hope and a solution, the Lord Jesus Christ. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil only reveals problems and gives one the knowledge of the good and the bad. It only sees the wickedness and evil of man and how far they have fallen. It causes one to go on "crusades" to "right wrongs and injustices."    

 The truth is the only hope for true justice is found in receiving eternal life in Christ Jesus. To partake of the tree of life, to partake of Jesus and the Love and life and hope only He can supply. Christian leaders, ministers, and believers feeding primarily on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil can only see the evil conditions upon the earth. They see the sin and wickedness of man. They see the rampant immorality and the hearts sold out to satan and fleshly pleasures. 

 As a result, they look for "good." That is the opposite of evil. That is judgment and wrath upon the perpetrators of darkness, depravity, deviance, and degradation. They rejoice at the destruction of wickedness. 

 Now understand, that evil is still evil and God doesn't delight in wickedness. He is against sin. He is against depravity and immorality. Not because He is a joyless grump who doesn't like people having "fun". Sin and wickedness aren't fun. He is against these things because He knows the heavy toll they take and the heavy burden they bring. Sin is not really fun because it corrupts, robs, it steals, and it keeps people in depressing darkness. 

 Our Father hates sin so much that He actually did something about it. He sent His Son to die as the substitutionary sacrifice for sin and the sins of all mankind. God has dealt with the sin problem once and for all. Jesus became the Lamb of God. He bore all the judgment, the penalty, the punishment, and wrath in His body on that tree. The amazingly Good News is that the Work is Finished and God has fully accepted this work once and for all time.

 With this foundation laid, let's ask the question, is God presently, sending wrathful judgment upon earth to punish the rebellious, the wicked, the depraved, the disobedient? Is God sending disasters to punish man's sins? Is God executing harsh judgment on mankind? The answer is clear in the Word;

  And their sins and their Lawless deeds I will no longer remember. Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required. Hebrews 10:17-18 NASB

 The clear and uncompromised answer is no, God is not sending disasters on mankind to punish them. If God sends any plague or pestilence on earth to punish sins then that means God is not pleased with the sacrifice of Christ. For God to send tsunamis, tragedy and turbulent times on man as a result of their present sins then that is a statement that Jesus' work was incomplete, insufficient and inadequate in paying the complete price for all mankind's sin and wrongdoing. 

 We know from the Word, the victorious and triumphant resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and His present moving among the Body of Christ in signs wonders and manifestations that Jesus is Lord. That He has won. That He perfectly procured our salvation and paid the price in full.

 Look, in a fallen and fractured creation, sadly catastrophes, cataclysm and calamity occur. Famine, floods, and fire can ravage lands and destroy homes and businesses. Don't become despaired or depressed at this realization. Jesus has not forgotten us. He can intervene, He can help restore, and He comforts in loss. Now He didn't ordain or cause the destruction but He can turn it for our good.

 In summation, God is a Good Father. He is satisfied with Jesus' once for all sacrifice. He is not sending doom and despair on man for their sins. He is also not speaking forth from the mouth of self proclaimed prophets that He is sending disasters because of sins in a particular country. 

 God is pleased with Jesus and He is pleased with you His Church. God is also reconciled the world through Christ. In other words, He isn't mad at them. He wants them to know the price has been paid and wants them to freely receive new life, a new nature, and eternity with Him. Let's share the Good News with a lost and dying world. 

Image by Felix-Mittermeier.de from Pixabay 

The Truth about giving under Grace

 Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving]. 2 Corinthians 9:7 AMPC

 Over our last few articles, we've been looking at the practices of tithing and giving in the New Covenant. This study somewhat responds to the uproar and outrage of traditional churches and ministries because an international megachurch pastor spoke the truth concerning tithing under Grace. It seemed good to continue examining our giving in light of Grace. 

 Over the many years that the Church has thrived in America, and throughout the earth, one constant is always prevalent. That is the act of giving financial donations. Just as with any practice, man has perverted it, corrupted it, misused and abused it. This is why God allows men of God with international platforms to address controversial issues to help us get back to the center, to the basics once again, in essence, to bring Jesus back into the focus. 

 When we see Jesus again as the focus, as the center of it all, our motives and our actions become Christ-centered. We are engaging in Christian practices because we are honoring our risen Savior. We pray, we read and study the Word, and we volunteer our time and talents to help others, we are a blessing to our local church, and yes we give financial donations. All these are sincere responses to Jesus and His Grace and Goodness in our life.

 We aren't acting under compulsion, pressure, or spiritual obligation. We aren't bowing to the crippling commands of the religious taskmaster. We aren't dutiful to the demands of traditional religion. We are responding to the Love of a loving Savior who took our place, bore our shame, and received our due punishment gladly.  

 This is what God intended. This is Grace in action. This is how life in Christ flows so freely. No demands, no obligations, and zero pressure. Just simply abiding in Him. Just basking in His Goodness and Grace. 

 My times in prayer, devotion, and detailed study of the Word are not "forced" or chores I must finish before I can enjoy my day. Religion turns relationship into tasks that must be completed. Instead of I get to spend time with my Father, I get to invest in His work, and I get to help that work come to pass through my talents, religion twists it into, I better spend time with God or He won't hear or help me later. I better give or I am cursed, or won't prosper in life, I better volunteer or I will never be rewarded. 

 The truth is God so loved this world and sent His Son so He could offer life everlasting to whosoever will freely receive it. He gave His Son, so He could have more sons and daughters. His Grace and Goodness are what motivated God our Father to do this. That's the point of it all. His Love. His Grace. His Goodness. 

 This is what draws the love response from His people, His family, His kids. God's Love for you, God's Love for me, that's what strengthens and encourages us to follow this Savior, to lay our plans down and embrace His. This is what moves us to know Him more and more. This is what moves us to invest our time and talents and our finances so others can see and know this beautiful Savior!

 What is not of God, what is the works of tradition, of man, is this obligatory concept concerning our walk with God. Use all the mental gymnastics you want to convince yourself and others, but when one says we must give a certain percentage, and/or teaches our giving or our doing is the source of blessings and prosperity then it's no longer about Grace but the works and performance of man.

 Want to be blessed and protected financially? Then you better give ten percent! Well, what about the people who've tithed faithfully for years and went bankrupt? Must have been in sin, is the only response they have.

 Want to be blessed and prospered? Give and keep giving above ten percent. Give right and you'll receive the hundredfold return! I have given above the ten percent consistently for years and never even saw thirty times, or sixty times. Let alone one hundred times my giving returned to me. Their response? You didn't give in Faith!

 Wait, let's analyze that comment. Faith is of the heart. Real Faith, Bible Faith is a persuasion, a fully persuaded heart that moves one to act on what is heard from God. Those of us who heard the teaching about giving to receive were persuaded in our hearts and minds. We, therefore, gave our finances. The fact we gave means we gave in Faith. 

 The disconnect is God never promised any believer if you give money you're going to get more money. So in reality, we were giving in "faith" to man's misuse and misinterpretation, and manipulation of the Father's Words. Keeping it about Jesus, and being transparent, giving and then getting more money in return, is not about giving to increase the work of God, but giving to increase the bank account, and fatten the wallet or purses of men and women. There is no Grace in this!

 Look at Jesus alone! Look to Jesus alone! Jesus is our Savior. Jesus is the source of life, healing, hope, protection, and prosperity. Our behavior isn't our Savior, Jesus alone is! 

 In summation, look again at Jesus Christ. The Author and Finisher of our Faith. The only One who can satisfy. The Lord of all, who died for all, so that whosoever will may come and abide with Him forever. 

 Look at this Savior, The Lord of Heaven and earth. This loving Savior, who gave all so He could be with me and you. Put Him back in the center of it all. When Christ is the focus, when He is the exalted One, our performance, our doings, our works, and disciplines, fade away in comparison. Live your life loved by this Savior. Live life with Him as the center of it all, the exalted One, and see how dead works fall by the wayside, and genuine worship and responses to the Love of God flow from you without strenuous effort. 

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The Great Misunderstanding

10 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting a yoke on the necks of the disciples, such as neither our forefathers nor we [ourselves] were able to endure? 11 But we believe that we are saved through the grace (the undeserved favor and mercy) of the Lord Jesus, just as they [are]. Acts 15:10-11 AMPC  

 The Gospel has been revealed more and more to this generation than ever before. It has become more apparent and more evident that this Gospel is truly about the Lord Jesus Christ. A true move of God has filled all the earth.

 Believers from all quarters of the Body of Christ are receiving this move of God. Believers from traditional, mainline denominational backgrounds to believers from Pentecostal, and Charismatic Word of Faith camps are all embracing this powerful move of God. This move is the restoration of the truth of what the Gospel is. The Gospel is the Grace of God proclaimed and manifested in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

 Grace has turned the world upside down again. People are seeing it's about Jesus, not our pledges, promises, or performance. It's not about our promises to do better, to behave better, to do more for Him. It's not about our pledges of loyalties, or how well we perform in our daily lives. It's about Grace. It's about what Jesus has done, fully accomplished, and how the Father has received and accepted this Finished Work once for all time.

 Grace has overturned the proverbial tables of tradition and man-made works and idols of man. Believers are seeing things that have been taught for generations through the lens of Grace. Ministers and believers alike are seeing things from a new perspective, a Grace perspective. In this process, let's not throw away truth but examine truth with Grace, and let's not get into strife with other believers who may not see it the way we do.

 I am not speaking of end-time teachings, for there is no set end-time teaching that is hand stamped as the Grace view. Even among the differing views of end times, I see Grace being shared with those who disagree and all coming to common ground. Jesus is coming again we can all rejoice with that. 

 I am speaking of the truths of the Gospel that many are now seeing being opened up. The eternal security of the believer, the truth that it is Jesus who started the work and Jesus alone who will complete it. The other is concerning this issue of our giving. The subject of the tithe.

 A Word of Faith minister with a major platform has come forth with the Gospel light of Grace concerning our giving. This minister from the Atlanta, GA area, whom this site links to, has made headlines concerning the teaching of tithing. I believe along with this minister that tithing and giving have been a source of great misunderstanding in the Body of Christ.

 This Grace resource site has written extensively on the subject of tithing wherein all the Scriptures concerning tithing and the objections for and against it are expounded on in depth. You can see them and study them for yourself, New Covenant tithing, redeemed, under Grace, tithing for today, giving or tithing, Tithe to be blessed, all these will help you go deeper in the Word concerning our giving.

 I affirm and agree with this Pastor that tithing is not a command for the New Covenant believer in Christ. I agree with what Paul declared in 2 Corinthians 9. 

 each one, according as he doth purpose in heart, not out of sorrow or out of necessity, for a cheerful giver doth God love, 2 Corinthians 9:7 YLT

 The word necessity is crucial in discussing this topic. Look at the Greek definition here;

ἀνάγκη (anankē)

Strong: G318

GK: G340

necessity, Mt. 18:7; constraint, compulsion, 2 Cor. 9:7; obligation of duty, moral or spiritual necessity, 

See that the definition of the word is constraint or compulsion. That's addressing the manipulative gimmick tactics employed sadly by some ministries in order to get one to give. For purpose of this study, we want to focus on the latter definition. 

 Obligation and spiritual necessity are the antithesis of Grace. A gift is not obligatory. Those are two counter concepts. Some warn against preaching against the tithe, why? 

 If tithing is under Grace, that is ten percent of all you earn, then that means you are under obligation to bring this amount of financial resource to a ministry. If tithing is under Grace then that means something is required of you. That means your giving is of necessity. 

 You can't do enough mental gymnastics to make 2 Corinthians 9 equate tithing as grace giving. Secondly, before we continue let's make a really vital point. Those who preach Grace and claim tithing is still required, don't fully define what it means to tithe. 

 To tithe means you bring ten percent of your increase. That means you are required to tithe on gross, not net income. Some would argue no that's tithing under Law. Abraham tithed before Law. True, but he only did that one time. He didn't tithe from his income either, he tithed from the spoils of war. He didn't keep anything for himself. How is this a model for us to give then? He didn't give anything from his own income. Read it again in Genesis 14. 

 Some would say what about Jacob? That's great you mentioned him. His giving meets Paul's words. Jacob on his own, without compulsion or necessity, chose to offer God a tenth of what He gave him. 

 Back to the word necessity. If as it's taught that tithing causes a financial blessing, then in order to be blessed it would therefore be necessary to give ten percent. Hence, that would be the definition of spiritual necessity. So in essence the Cross forgives, makes new, and heals our bodies, but our ten percent, not Christ Finished Work, is the source of our blessing materially.

 What about the widows, and single mothers in the inner cities in America? What about the destitute and downtrodden in third-world nations? They literally do not have enough income to give away ten percent. What? Is God beholding them with arms folded in stern disappointment speaking over them, stop being poor, give me ten percent and I'll help you? 

 How is this the Gospel of Grace?! Fear of bucking tradition, fear of disagreeing with a leader, and ignorance of what the Bible actually says is why people fight this revelation. 

  I love and highly honor the Grace pastors who have brought forth Gospel truths that have changed my life. I love them and again honor them, however, they're not my Savior, Jesus is. It's ok to disagree with the particular light they have on a topic. 

 Is tithing the source of blessing? I say no it is not. Jesus and the Finished Work is our source. Abraham gave a tenth not to get blessed, he was already blessed. We don't give to get blessed. We give because we are already blessed. We give in response to how we've been blessed already.

 There is no condemnation or judgment for not giving ten percent. God only asks we give in response to His Love and Goodness poured out upon us. Give cheerfully, not out of some spiritual necessity. Give not in fear, or concern that you won't be blessed if you don't. 

Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving]. 2 Corinthians 9:7 

 In summation, let's be clear and faithful to actual Scripture. Tithing isn't a command for believers, isn't an expected practice today, isn't an expression of Grace giving. Tithing is an Old Covenant requirement. Christ is our source of blessing, not our donations. God's not mad at you! Give knowing that.   

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Grace vs Law: the Woman caught in adultery

 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 MEV

 We've been in a series contrasting Grace and Law. We've been seeing how the Gospels have hidden gems found in the parables, miracles, and even the temptation of Christ, confirming how the Law is finished and fulfilled and Grace has come. The Gospels confirm Jesus is the person of Grace.

 Jesus is the King of Kings! He is the Lord of all! Jesus is the Savior, He paid the price for all mankind. What a Savior! He's strong to deliver! He is worthy of every crown for the way He saved us and for the way He Loves us so unconditionally! This Grace is what's worthy of all praise and adoration and accolades. Grace leaves no place for our works, our achievements, our performance, our doing, our disciplines taking center stage, or seeking recognition. 

 We exalt Jesus and His Grace. We look at what He's done and stand amazed and in awe of what a Savior we have in Jesus Christ. When Grace becomes more real than anything we can do we will lift Jesus higher and begin to truly see just how great He is. 

 When we look at the woman caught in adultery we see Grace overshadowing Law. John's Gospel records this powerful event. The woman was caught committing sin, sexual sin. She couldn't deny it. She was guilty as accused. Shame and indecency and ruined reputation were glaring bright in her mind and emotions. 

 She was brought out into public for all to see. She, by Law, was facing possible death by stoning. These accusers had stones in their hands. The stones were representative of the Law, which is the ministry of death and condemnation. The Law was poised to execute severe judgment. But Jesus, who is God in the flesh, the very one who wrote the Law, came to fulfill and reveal a new and living way.

 The Ministry of Righteousness exceeds the ministry of death and condemnation. Where the Law had some ready to stone her, Jesus revealed the true weight of the Law and its true purpose and intent. We see Jesus writing on the ground. Much debate is made as to what He wrote.

 I believe it's simple what Jesus was writing. Jesus is God manifest among us. His writing represents the writing of the commandments on stone by the finger of God Himself. In essence, He's telling the religious, don't quote Law to me, I AM He that wrote it. 

 Jesus then makes the masterful statement He who is without sin cast the first stone. He gave these accusers the full weight of the Law. They saw their own weakness and flaws and their need for mercy and not judgment. One by one they left dropping those stones. 

 Jesus then comes to her and asks where are her accusers? Is there anyone left to condemn you? She responded no one, Lord. Jesus then gives her the full weight of His Grace; 

When Jesus had stood up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”  John 8:10-11 MEV

Jesus and His Grace give the gift of no condemnation. This is the ministry that exceeds in glory. This is the ministry of Righteousness. The ministry where Jesus is the central figure of our trust, our hope, and all our worship and adoration. 

 The ministry of death and condemnation is the ministry of Law. What's of interest to note is the fact that Paul tells us this ministry of law, though it is condemning and brings death, still has glory. This is something we must understand.

 Churches and ministries that preach mixture may have powerful meetings. They may have wonderful charitable outreaches. They may win the lost and even spread the message of salvation through Christ around the globe. Yet they are ministering death and condemnation and don't even grasp that they are.

 I have seen some spectacular miracles and signs and wonders that would leave you in awe and amazement at our loving Savior's power and might. I have seen God heal bodies that were beyond help medically. I have seen recreative miracles where people have gotten out of wheelchairs and are now walking. These were in ministries that preached mixture strongly.

 Why is this? God is not giving His approval of mixture. It's just that there was a glory to the ministry of condemnation. Knowing what Jesus has done for us in the Finished Work, how much more glory should we be expecting and seeing under the ministry of Righteousness?

 The ministry of Righteousness exceeds in glory. God meets people right where they are. He shows up in the very midst of their sin and problems bringing Grace and restoration. Religious ones who cling to Law only know to grab stones when addressing anyone's failures.

 Going through a divorce? Tradition only knows to grab stones and forbid you to ever marry again. They are stoning you figuratively, killing your chance of ever finding a peaceful Godly marriage.

 Struggling with addiction? The stone throwers will "kill" any chance of finding forgiveness and acceptance as the stigma of addiction will always be present with them. God can't keep forgiving you and other such lies being spoken over you.

 A minister that has failed? The stones come strong and swift. You'll never be allowed to minister again. God could never use you again. 

 The Law becomes stones in the hands of the religious poised to accuse and condemn at a moment's notice. Grace has hands that stoop down to pick up the downtrodden, not stone them. Grace brings with it the gift of no condemnation which empowers us to go and sin no more.

 When Jesus arose victoriously, the stone was rolled away. The stone made way for the new and living way. The Law being fulfilled gave way to the true glorious ministry of life and Righteousness. 

 For one to find lasting peace, wholeness and fulfillment look only to the Cross of Christ. Behold His glorious Resurrection. Set your affections and heart desires only upon Him and see how He is your all and all. There is nothing He won't do for you. There is nothing His Grace can't overcome and bring forth victory. There is nothing you've done or could do that would stop God from working on your behalf. If He died for you while you were His enemy how much more will He do for you now that you're His child? 

 In summation, Grace is greater. Grace outshines Law. Throw away the stones and be a channel of healing and forgiveness and restoration. Our hope is built upon His Righteousness not our own.

Image by Angi Yowell from Pixabay 

Grace vs Law: Lazarus raised from the dead.

 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 MEV

 We've been in a series contrasting Grace versus Law. We've seen how the Gospels have hidden gems revealing just how Jesus came to fulfill the Law, bring an end to the Old, and usher in the New Covenant and Grace. Jesus' life represents God's heart to mankind.

 In John's Gospel, we see the power of God on display for all to see. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. John 11 details this wonderful miracle of God's Love and Goodness. Looking closer we can see once again how Jesus reveals His work of Grace and completion of the Old Covenant and the Law. 

 To begin with many have questioned and come up with traditional answers to explain why Jesus waited four days before He came to Bethany. God wasn't delaying His coming to create some new theology where God delays intervening in His children's lives to teach them patience, or to create catchy phrases like "delayed, not denied", so preachers can elicit an emotional response from their audience. He didn't wait four days to prove some type of sovereignty principle, that He alone is God and can do whatever He wants.

 When we understand that Jesus knew the end from the beginning, that He spoke out His confession of Faith the moment He heard the news of Lazarus' sickness, we can gain better insight as to why He waited. Jesus spoke the end from the beginning. His confession was the sickness wasn't unto death but for the glory of God.

 Now don't get goofy, Jesus wasn't implying that sickness and disease bring God glory. Don't adopt some man-made theology, some ridiculous concept, that leads one to speak out thankfulness that they or a loved one is sick or diagnosed with a disease. Jesus was speaking the end from the beginning, He was speaking Faith. He was speaking forth the end result of the situation. Jesus knew He'd raise Lazarus from the dead.

 With that understanding, we can see that Jesus took an opportunity to not only bring about a miracle to demonstrate God's Goodness, and Love but also to give mankind an illustration of His full redemptive work. He remained for four days as the first picture of redemption. Mankind at this time had been spiritually dead for four thousand years from the time of Adam to this point.

 Peter reveals a thousand years is as a day with the Lord. Mankind had been dead for 4,000 years, but what about what Paul said in Romans 5:13? Paul was speaking of how God dealt with man through these years, but mankind was spiritually dead for 4,000 years but didn't know it. The Law came to reveal to man his sinfulness and separation, and need for a Savior. Jesus waiting four days was a type of His appearing after 4,000 years.

 When Jesus came to Bethany, He declared to Lazarus' sisters that He was the Resurrection and the Life. He went to the tomb and instructed them to roll away the stone. Then He called Lazarus forth from the dead. A miracle of the dead being raised was seen by all.

 Too often we stop there. We aren't seeing what God is revealing. Jesus came after 4,000 years of spiritual death to roll away the stone of the Law. The Law kept man entombed in spiritual death. 

 22 But the Scripture has confined all things under sin, that the promise through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were imprisoned under the law, kept for the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 So the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Galatians 3:22-25 MEV

 The stone being rolled away from Lazarus' tomb was a picture of Jesus removing the Law and bringing forth a new and living way to approach God. Jesus called him out of death unto life. He commanded those old grave clothes to be removed. We who believed must remove the old grave clothes of dead religious works, trying to earn God's Love, trying to gain favor through performance, and seeking to warrant the blessings of God by spiritual disciplines or actions. Jesus wants us to rest in His Righteousness not our works.

 The stone is a perfect representation of the Law. Look at the words Paul used to describe the Ten Commandments and the entire Old Covenant, and all the 613 commands of the Law in general.

who has made us able ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. If the ministry that brought death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, the glory which was to fade away,  how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation is glorious, the ministry of righteousness much more exceeds it in glory. 2 Corinthians 3:6-9 MEV  

 The Law is the ministry of death and condemnation. This ministry entombs people into spiritual death. It can't supply Righteousness. It can't supply forgiveness of sin. It can't provide the power to overcome sin and live in abundance. The ministry of Grace and Righteousness on the other hand supplies us with all we need to reign victoriously in life. 

 The ministry of Law is a ministry of death and condemnation. Yet in so many churches and ministries throughout the world pastors and leaders cite the principles and statutes of the Law as the way to come before God. As the means by which we receive answered prayers, healing, provision, protection, and wholeness.

 They look at Deuteronomy as a guide for New Covenant Christians to receive abundance and blessings. If you diligently hearken to God. If you obey all His statutes you'll be blessed, if not you're cursed. Want healing in your body? They point you to Exodus, heed the voice of God, do what is right in His sight, and keep all His statutes, then you will be healed.

 You can readily see under Law, that receiving from God is all contingent upon your doing, your hearkening, your diligence, your observance, and your obedience. Where is Jesus in all this? Where is the Finished Work of Jesus? Where is His sacrifice? It's not the focus.

 Jesus rolled away the stone of Law. He called us out of the tomb of death and condemnation. Let us not go back to the tomb and roll the stone of Law back and imprison ourselves to our works and performance. 

 In summation, Jesus came to fulfill the Law and complete the Old. The New has come. Jesus' perfect Finished Work has provided a new and living way. Let's embrace the New and no longer cling to the Old. Jesus provided a better way. Let's exalt and honor His Finished Work and New Covenant. Our freedom, our wholeness, and our everlasting joy are found only in the new and living way of Grace and Righteousness. It is glorious! 

Image by Jondolar Schnurr from Pixabay 

Faithful and True

Next I saw heaven opened, and there before me was a white horse. Sitting on it was the one called Faithful and True, and it is in righteousness that he passes judgment and goes to battle.  Revelation 19:11 CJB 

 Whenever we hear about God what comes to mind? That He is Love? That God is always Good? That He is our Father? All of these are wonderful and amazing attributes of God. Have you ever heard though that He is Faithful? 

 We may have heard of this attribute of our Father, through hymns or a Scripture reading. However, through traditional religious instruction, it is possible we as believers have not fully grasped just how amazing this attribute of God really is. Let's explore this attribute of God further.

 The Faithfulness of God is an astounding and astonishing expression of God's Love, mercy, and amazing Grace. As men, we look at the failures, the falling, and the foul-ups of others or ourselves and conclude God must be finished with us. We look upon our circumstances or situation and see impossibility. Yet in the midst of it all, He is there shining bright and drawing us close. He is there turning things around for good, working miracles, and restoring all that's been lost.   

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,  for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:21-24 NIV

 God's Love and Faithfulness are there for us no matter what. This is what makes God so Good! That He is always keeping His Word. He doesn't make a promise to us and then fail to keep that promise. He is Faithful and true.

 The enemy, the world system, the religious traditions of men, and contradictory circumstances work overtime it seems sometimes to convince us that God is unfaithful and will not keep His Word. That He will let us fall, He will walk away if we mess up one more time. The temptation is to get us to quit believing that God is Good and Faithful and true.

 Look at Sarah;

By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Hebrews 11:11 NKJV

 Sarah received strength by faith to trust God to conceive. Why? Because she counted God to be a Faithful Father! God's Word and promises are true. They are true not because we have experienced them. They are true because God, who is Faithful, declared them.

 We therefore can place our whole trust in God our Father no matter what we are facing. No matter the situation, we can trust Him. No matter what we are experiencing we can trust that He is there for us and there with us and will do what He said He will do.

 God's Faithfulness never ceases. His Love is steadfast and unending. No matter how far we've gone His Love is still there searching and finding us. God's Faithfulness and Love are what compels Him to leave the ninety-nine, and seek out the one. His Grace is inexhaustible. He is Faithful and true!

 In summation, no matter what you're going through, know God is there. He has not forgotten you or forsaken you. He is the One who holds you in His unfailing hands. He has engraved your name in the palm of His hands. There is nothing impossible with God and there is nothing you can do that could change or alter His Faithful Love for you. What a Loving Faithful Father He is. He is for you not against you, rejoice child of God! 

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The Theology of sickness and disease: What does God call evil?

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. Acts 10:38 MEV

Dear Friend, I pray that in every way you may prosper and be in good health,  just as your soul is prospering. 3 John 2 Mounce 

 God is an unchanging God. He is Love. He is Faithful and True! His love for us is unmatched in this universe. God is for us and never against us. 

 Many would quickly and passionately agree. However, when it comes to health, the sad reality of a fallen world, and sickness and disease, many have adopted a different theology. Through tradition, many have embraced a theology of sickness and disease. 

 This theology, this belief system, allows for God to willingly afflict people with sickness and disease. Or this theology says God, for some mysterious purpose, allows sickness and disease to ravish the bodies of His people. This theology of sickness and disease is prevalent throughout the Body of Christ. 

 When we see sickness and disease so common in the bodies of saints and sinners alike it is a challenge not to adopt and accept the theology of sickness and disease. The alternative seems only to stick our heads in the proverbial sand and ignore what is clearly in front of us. However, there is another answer. That is the theology of Jesus.

 Jesus is perfect theology. He perfectly demonstrated the eternal Love of the Father. He perfectly revealed the Goodness of God. He perfectly showed us the power of God. He perfectly made known the will of God concerning sickness and disease. He freely healed whosoever came to Him. Jesus is perfect theology, He perfectly showed us the Father.

 We have to embrace the Father's heart on a matter, not what we see through our natural eyes. We see sin abound in these days we live. Yet God says Grace much more abounds. Though sickness and disease seem prevalent, so also is His healing power!

 What is the Father's heart concerning healing? Through Jesus' actions, and the revealed will of God through Scripture, we can rightly conclude sickness and disease are considered evil by our Good Father. Look at this powerful event recorded in the Old Covenant, 1 Kings 17. 

 What a powerful demonstration of God's Love and Goodness. In the time of famine, God sustained Elijah and the widow and her son. God provided for His own. When the child became sick and died, God raised up the child.

 and crieth unto Jehovah, and saith, `Jehovah my God, also on the widow with whom I am sojourning hast Thou done evil -- to put her son to death?' 1 Kings 17:20 YLT

 Due to limited understanding and information available under the Old Elijah assumed God brought the sickness. Of course, God healing and raising up the boy from the dead proved that He didn't cause it or "allow" it. The focal point one could miss is the words Elijah used. He called sickness and death evil.

 Even under the Old Covenant, In a Covenant that is not as good as the New, God's prophet knew sickness and death are evil. Elijah, a prophet who only had the Spirit come upon him, not even dwell within him, a man who was not even born again, had enough spiritual discernment to know sickness and death are a curse and not a blessing.

 Today, instead of the man of God commanding death to leave and trusting God for a miracle, religious leaders would just counsel the widow on how it was God's will for her son to die. That God needed a little flower and heaven so God "plucked" her son from the earth. That God had some mysterious purpose, and God is in control, that she should just trust God knows what's best. 

 The fact that God raised the widow's son up from sickness and death, confirms Elijah's words. Sickness and death are evil. The Body of Christ should stand strong against sickness and disease. We should never accept it or welcome it in anyone's life.

 God calls sickness oppression from the enemy. God calls death an enemy, the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Jesus went about doing Good and healing all who were oppressed by the enemy. The theology of Jesus says healing is God's highest and best, and sickness and disease are evil, are a curse, are what Jesus bore on that Cross purchasing our Redemption.

 In summation, let's embrace the theology of Jesus. Let's reject the theology of religious men. Let's reject the theology of sickness and disease. God is always Good, and sickness and death are always evil. Let's look to and embrace the Love of the Father, let's trust Him and receive of all His perfect Redemption. God wants us well, healed, and whole!

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Redeemed from the curse of sickness and disease.

 

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Galatians 3:13 BSB

 We've been in a study examining our redemption from the curse of the Law. We've seen that the curse is threefold. That though the curse covers various areas of life it can be summed up as a threefold affliction. The curse is poverty and lack, spiritual death, and sickness and disease.

 So far we've seen how poverty and lack isn't something the Lord delights in. Looking at the earthly ministry of Jesus one could never conclude God takes pleasure in poverty or scarcity. This message of abundance and prosperity must stay centered of course. Prosperity isn't "balanced" by accepting a little lack and insufficiency, nor is it "balanced" by concluding all will be millionaires, and that all God cares about is our material gain. 

 We've seen how Jesus' Finished Work of Redemption forever redeemed us from spiritual death. We are never again to be separated from our Father. We are forgiven and made eternally secure forever.

 Sickness and disease are part of the curse, see Deuteronomy 28. The good news is in His Redemptive work, Christ also redeemed us from the curse of sickness and disease. Isaiah and Matthew and Peter speaking of Jesus' work on the cross, declared He bore our sickness and pains and by His stripes, we were healed.

In fact, it was our diseases he bore, our pains from which he suffered; yet we regarded him as punished, stricken and afflicted by God. Isaiah 53:4 CJB

Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering;
yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5 WEB 

 Jesus has procured for us our healing and wholeness in His perfect Redemptive work. He bore sickness and disease so we never need to bear it. Sickness and disease aren't the handiwork of God. He is the author of Goodness, not evil. 

 Some seriously ignorant and misguided religious tradition-minded believers and ministers teach and believe healing was not in the work of the cross. They write books, preach sermons, host seminars, create videos, and flood social media doing all they can to convince the masses of this. They believe and teach that this healing only speaks of the healing of sin.

 This sounds real spiritual but we were not sick or disease-ridden with sin. The Word is quite clear. We were not sick with sins and therefore needed to be healed from sin. We were dead in sins. Because of sin, we were all spiritually dead. We didn't need healing we needed new life. Paul revealed our condition, we were dead and needed to be made new. In Christ, we are a New Creation, not a "healed" old creation.

 Healing is ours through the Redemptive Work of Jesus. When we see all the types and shadows of the Passover lamb, the sacrifices offered by the priests, none of the animals were ever scourged and tortured. Yet Jesus, the Lamb of God was shamed, humiliated, scourged, and tortured. Why? 

 Jesus took the chastisement of our peace, our wholeness, and by His wounds, we were healed. Jesus bore the pain and shame for the joy set before Him. He gladly took our place, for the joy of seeing us healed and being made whole. Our healing, our deliverance, and our protection were a joy set before Him. He willingly gave His body for us.

 Now some have said in light of what we can see around us, and the experience of others, that we don't need messages about how God wants us to avoid suffering, but how to endure suffering better. This sounds noble and I am certain those espousing this mean well, but what exactly are we to suffer? What do we need to endure?

 Are we to suffer poverty and lack? Are we to suffer sickness and disease? If we are to endure suffering better, and we are meant to suffer what Christ bore on the cross, then why are so many gainfully employed? Why are so many using medicine and seeking help from the medical field to get better? 

 These phrases are poetic in nature but we must use the Word of God as our source for truth. In a fallen and fractured world, challenges and afflictions may arise. The key to enduring better is to first and foremost understand God isn't the author of suffering, loss, or affliction. 

 The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 34 that in this world there are troubles, fears, and afflictions. Thanks be to God he doesn't stop there. Through it all, God is there with us. God is bringing us through them. God is also delivering us from these afflictions. 

 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of sickness and disease. Healing is God's highest and best for His children. Sickness and disease are the work of the enemy. God procured our healing and wholeness in the Finished Work. Freely receive it.

 Because healing is a work of Redemption, we, therefore, can't earn or merit it. Healing is a work of Grace, not our effort. We can't ever arrive at a place whereby we are good enough to receive. We can't do enough, give enough, serve enough to merit or earn healing. It is freely received by Grace through Faith alone.

 In summation, rejoice in the Good News of our Redemption. We are redeemed from poverty. We are redeemed from sickness. We are redeemed from spiritual death. For poverty, He has given us wealth, for sickness, health, for spiritual death, eternal life. Jesus has perfectly purchased and procured our redemption. We are healed and whole because of Jesus. Claim what Christ has purchased and provided freely, and walk in it. Let the Redeemed say so, we are healed because of Jesus!

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Redeemed from the Curse: Redeemed from Spiritual Death

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Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Galatians 3:13 BSB 

 We've begun a series studying our Redemption from the Curse of the Law. We have seen just what this curse entails. The curse is threefold; poverty, sickness, and spiritual death. 

 We've seen that we have been redeemed from poverty and lack. God's great Love for us includes increase, provision, supply, and sufficiency. Tradition has forgotten that God is the Almighty, the All-Sufficient One. They have fought for so long to exclude any provision for this life from the Gospel presentation and benefits of salvation. 

 I acknowledge that there have been excesses surrounding prosperity. Sadly, it's our default setting as people to gravitate towards extremes on either side of truth. Brother Kenneth E. Hagin did a masterful job in his book The Midas Touch of addressing these excesses while still upholding Biblical truth concerning prosperity. 

 Balancing truth doesn't mean we look to opposite extremes. We don't balance Faith with unbelief, we don't balance healing with sickness, and we don't balance Grace with Law. In addressing prosperity and provision, we also don't create a new gospel, the "suffering gospel", where agony, anguish, and affliction bring better acceptance with God. A Gospel where trauma and tragedy are what prove our true devotion, our worth, our value, and our sincere commitment to God. That is a works gospel, our worth and value and acceptance come from Jesus' suffering not our own. 

 Redemption is the Good News. It's the glad tidings of all Jesus died for and arose to ensure we'd receive. Sure, there are excesses but don't throw the truth away because of error. Look at how David saw our Good God. Look at how Moses saw God. Look at Jesus in His earthly ministry. He fed the multitudes, He paid off debts through miraculous means, He brought financial increase to Peter through a boat sinking catch. God is a God of abundance, don't allow unbelieving believers to rob this aspect of redemption from you. 

 Let's look at the next aspect of Redemption. Jesus has redeemed us from spiritual death. What is spiritual death? Death in our minds means to cease to exist. That is man's definition of death, that is not God's. 

 Death in the Bible simply means separation. What about physical death then? When we don't understand man is a tri-part being we don't understand spiritual truths. When a person dies their spirit separates from the natural body. They don't cease to exist. They are still in existence in one of two places. If they rejected Grace they are in Hell. If they received Christ they are in Heaven.

 Let's see this curse in Scripture;

but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:17 MEV

 We know from Scripture that when Adam and Eve ate of the tree they continued living for many many years. Did God miss it? Was He mistaken? No, when they ate they tasted and partook of spiritual death. Mankind from that point on are born spiritually separated from God. 

 What people misunderstand about redemption is that they only see God forgiving our sins because of the Cross. Yet if all God did was forgive sins we'd still be lost and on our way to eternity in Hell. We needed to be regenerated. To be made a new creation. 

 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 MEV

 Through God's great work of Redemption Christ paid the price whereby all can receive new life spiritually. Christ bought us back from death, separation, and the kingdom of darkness and translated us into the kingdom of light. The moment one simply believes, they are instantly given new life, a recreated spirit, forgiven forever, and placed in the Family of God, the kingdom of light never to be lost again.

 Because of the redemption from spiritual death, the believer in Christ shall never be separated from God. Religion teaches that when we sin or blow it we are out of fellowship with God. That somehow our sin has made us distant from our Heavenly Father. Thanks be to God that is an untruth, and this precious work of redemption ensures we will never be apart from God, no matter what. 

 If we are redeemed from something we never need to fear that something again. We are redeemed from spiritual death. Therefore we who have believed are secure forever. How can the redeemed partake of spiritual death again? To say we can be lost again after believing is to say this redemptive work was insufficient and faulty and didn't fully pay the price for all eternity. In Christ, we are forever secure because of this powerful and precious gift of redemption.

 In summation, rejoice we have a Good God who is bigger than our situation and circumstance. He is greater than anything we are facing and will always be there for us, He will never let us down. God has perfectly purchased our redemption because of His great Love and Grace. We are redeemed. We shall never be lost or separated from God again. He is with us always. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so! 

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Redeemed from Poverty and Lack

 

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Galatians 3:13 BSB

We've begun a new study looking at our redemption purchased for us by Christ Jesus. Many Christian denominations and ministries will rightly agree that Jesus has redeemed us from sin, but that's as far as their theology will go. In any other area of life, we are apparently offered no promise or guarantee. 

 Is this what the Bible actually teaches? Is this really the full scope of Jesus' redemptive work? Does God offer redemption only for sins and nothing more? If we honestly study Scripture and see Jesus' work of redemption in its fullness we can see just what His death and burial and resurrection purchased and procured for us. 

  In this curse of the Law, we see poverty and lack overtaking those who fall under it. Recall the curse of the Law is threefold; spiritual death, poverty, and sickness. Jesus gave His life for us, thus purchasing our full redemption. We are redeemed from the curse of poverty and lack because of Jesus. 

 Now when the subject of blessings instead of lack is mentioned much controversy rises up. When ministering and proclaiming the Good News Gospel of Jesus Christ I always endeavor to bring Biblical balance to this topic. Biblical balance, not man's so-called balance. I have addressed the excesses and the balance before. You can see the answer to excess in this post here, you can see the balance in these studies here and here.  

 With this foundation laid let's explore our redemption further. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law. Poverty and Lack are part and parcel of the curse we have been redeemed from. Deuteronomy 28 clearly details this curse. 

 What has Jesus done for us in the New? What has His perfect work of redemption procured for us concerning blessings and abundance?

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 MOUNCE

 This is Jesus' work of redemption. This aspect of the Cross has been long neglected in most circles of the Body of Christ. Paul revealed to us that Jesus bore our poverty and lack on the Cross. This is His Grace in action. His Grace took our poverty and insufficiency and gave us freely His abundance, His fullness, His supply, and His access to all of Heaven's blessings and riches in glory. 

 I know the word rich in this passage causes some religious traditional ruled minds to seemingly lose their minds. In others, it may trigger concerns about some of the abuses and excesses they experienced concerning prosperity. Let's allow God, His Word, and His Grace to settle the issue.

 Strongs defines this word rich here as to be increased with goods, Mounce defines this word as to abound in, be abundantly furnished with. This is reminiscent of something Jesus said in John 10. 

The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 MEV

 Jesus redeemed us so we can possess, walk in, and have abundant life. Abundant life in this life and in the hereafter is ours through Him. Abundant life is a life that is superabundant in quantity and superior in quality. This is the God kind of life. A life that is enjoyed, a life that is so full it overflows. This life is ours now procured by Jesus on our behalf.

 This doesn't mean, of course, that all believers will become millionaires. It doesn't mean there won't be any challenge in life. It does mean that God desires His riches and best be ours because of Jesus.

 What we must herald and proclaim is that God's Love for us is all-encompassing. Jesus loved us enough that He bore the punishment for all our sins. God loves us enough to have forgiven us of all our sins past and present and future. This is such good news, but child of God there is more. There is much more redemption in Christ Jesus. God also loved us enough that He bore our poverty and lack, and exchanged it with His supply and increase and sufficiency.  

 Where the excess prosperity misses it by teaching that our behavior, our performance, and faithfulness and giving are what causes us to be blessed and not Jesus' Faithfulness and goodness alone, religious tradition also cling to an additive to the Gospel. They reject any message that includes provision and blessing in this life. Just as the prosperity extreme morphed unwittingly into works, likewise religious tradition's "suffering gospel" creates a new standard of what makes someone a real "committed" and "sincere" and "mature" Christian.

 These religious-minded believers when presented with any message that proclaims the good news of blessing in this life quickly point to the early church. They only see early Christians as paupers, who lived in squalor and were tortured and murdered at all times and everywhere. This view is an overstatement of the lives of early Christians.

 We don't want to understate the persecution of the early church but let's not overstate it either. The early Church truly suffered persecution, but they were also victorious. The Church grew and grew despite the efforts against them. 

 Tradition actually teaches the Church grows stronger through the blood of the martyrs. They exalt suffering and death. This is an affront to Grace and the Finished Work. Jesus' Blood is the only blood that makes the Church strong and brings growth. The blood of imperfect men is not the sacrifice God looks for.

Religious tradition in an effort to come against prosperity has created a new gospel where suffering is what makes one a real Christian. Instead of Jesus' words declaring I have come that you might have abundant life, they reject and renounce this as false teaching and instead proclaim God came to give you needy, wanting, and insufficient life. 

Whereas the Good News reveals we can have our best lives here and in the next, religious tradition objects teaching God demands we live our worst lives now. If we want to be counted as God's real committed saints, we must experience some form of suffering. The God kind of life is a meager, depleted and lacking life. 

 Receive the fullness of God's Goodness and Grace. Receive freely the perfect redemption He purchased for us. Yes, this is a fallen and fractured creation. Yes, the enemy is on the loose. In spite of the attacks from the enemy, and the effects of the fall, we can still live victoriously in this life. We can trust God in the midst of circumstances. Many are the afflictions of the Righteous, but thanks be to God He delivers us from them all.

 In summation, Christ has purchased a perfect redemption for us. Not only does He give us new life in Christ and forgive our sins, but He also redeemed us from poverty and made Heaven's blessings available to us. Again religious tradition has more faith that afflictions are many but reject the faith for God to deliver them. Our performance or behavior isn't what causes God to accept us more, and hear this, how much we suffer doesn't either. We are redeemed and accepted and approved because of Jesus. He procured for us abundant life, so freely receive it and gladly walk in it. 

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