The Gospel Of Repentance

I recently read a story where a father asked his young son, “ Do you know where you are going when you die?” The son replied, “Yes. I would go to heaven.” The Father asked his son a second question, “If you were to die tonight and God asked you why should I let you into my heaven what would be your answer?” The son answered immediately, “Because I’m dead!” Do we see the logic in the child’s response? From his understanding of these questions, he believed that a person automatically goes to heaven when they die. Why did the son respond the way he did? It would be safe to say the reality of hell had never been taught to him. This boy like most people (this includes many in the church) believe in what someone called Justification by death.   A more popular way to say it is Universalism – meaning that everyone is automatically saved when they die.   This is a novel idea, an emotionally comforting one especially when loved ones and friends die. It makes us feel better to believe t

Yet she will be saved in childbearing – if they continue in faith and love and holiness with self control.   -I Timothy 2:15   To understand the aforementioned passage we need to start at verse 8 to verse 15 to get the whole flow of thought . The Apostle Paul speaking says, “I desire that in every place that men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or quarreling (some versions say without wrath and doubting); likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel with modesty and self control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper of women who profess godliness – with good works. Let the women learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather she is to remain quiet. [i] For Adam was created first then Eve, and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor (of the command of God not to eat the fruit from t

Imputation by definition means: the act of placing something into one’s account. To lay something to one’s charge.   Imputation is the effect of a prior cause; some act someone has committed. In the Bible we deal with imputation negatively and positively.             Let’s begin with the negative. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, their act of sin was imputed, reckoned or charged to everyone of their descendants, the entire human race. Since we were all in the loins of Adam when he sinned, we in God’s eyes are guilty and condemned before we were ever born!             Guilty by association to our father Adam. Remember God told Adam specifically, “the day you eat of the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, you will die” (Gen 2:17).   Death was the result of disobedience to the command of God. The scripture says when Adam died (spiritually and eventual physical death), we all died (Rom 5:12). We were born dead as a result of Adam’s sin (Eph 2:1; Col

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."                                                                                                                                     - Revelation 12:11 The question needs to be answered because there a lot of Christians making this declaration. This is a particularly popular confession in the Neo Pentecostal – Charismatic movement. This phrase is used in prayers all the time. To many using this phrase no doubt is supposed deliver more power and force in their prayer; to move the hand of God to grant their petition. Just recently a neighbor who admitted she’s afraid of certain animals in the neighborhood like Skunks and Raccoons   said that she “pleads the blood” that God will not allow her to see these animals. Others will use this same phrase when it comes to protecting their homes, cars, finances, loved ones, health,   jobs, etc. Bu

Husband love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her, that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that He might present the church to himself in splendor without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church.                                                                                                                                                                 -Ephesians 5:25-29   This is a tall order for a man. This command is a huge responsibility for us as husbands. It requires obedience by both spouses. The husband has to be willing to lead his wife in this manner, and the wife must be willing to follow her husband as he endeavors to imitate Christ’s love for

The Bible tells us that Jesus chose twelve disciples to be his full time followers and helpers. These are their names:   Simon who Jesus surnamed Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John the sons of Zebedee. Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus (sometimes called James the Less), and Lebbaeus whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanites   or   Zealot and Judas Iscariot. Jesus gave these men power over all demons and to cure all diseases. They also were called to preach the gospel of repentance (Matt 10:1-8a; Mark 6:8-13; Luke 9:2-6). But, there was one disciple who did all the things the 11 did, but was not true. He was Judas Iscariot the last one always mentioned in the roll call of the apostles. It is important that we ask the question, was Judas genuinely saved at one point, but due to his betrayal of Jesus lost his salvation and became eternally lost or was he chosen like the rest, but was never a true followe

In Matthew 5:27-30 Jesus preaching at the sermon on the mount teaches these words:                 “ You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that whosoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell.”                 This is very strong language from our Lord. Is Jesus advocating self mutilation? No. Jesus is using a literary rhetorical device called Hyperbole. He is using exaggerated language to drive home his point. [1] Jesus is discussing the sin of adultery. This sin along with all sin is so dangerous and