The Gospel Of Repentance

Another way to ask this question is, “Does God treat everyone the same way?” The answer to the question is no. The opponent of that statement  would say, “God is partial then isn’t He?” The first thing we to do is define the word partiality which means to  show favor to someone or something over something or someone else. We show partiality to a particular person when we are fond of them. That means that person will receive benefits from us that others will not receive because of the importance of the relationship.  The person we favor has said or done something to merit or earn our favor. But God is not that way. Whoever we are, God rewards obedience and punishes disobedience as a universal rule. There are several passages that tell us that God is no respecter of persons : "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour." (Leviticus 19

Galatians 3:8, “And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the   Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, In you all the nations shall be blessed.” Romans 4:3b says, “Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”        The above text was originally recorded in Genesis 15:6 by Moses. Romans 4:3b and Genesis 15:6 is synonymous with II Corinthians 5:21, “He (Jesus) who knew no sin became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” What all three verses declare is that when the sinner believes the word of God, God places His righteousness in the sinner’s account; God treats them as if they had never sinned. Here we   see the congruence between the OT and NT. Old Testament Saints were saved or justified by their faith in the word of God just like New Testament Saints are. The difference is that the OT Saints were looking ahead to the cross, whereas NT Saints look back at the cro

To all, these are mutually opposed realities. They should never be paired in the same phrase most would say. But, does the Bible condone slavery in any way? The answer is yes. Bible translators uses the word servant in place of slave because of the negative connation the word slave has. The word servant contains several meanings. Two of those meanings in the Greek language are: doulos , meaning “in bondage”. It also means to be in subjection without bondage. The verb form of doulos is douloo which means “to enslave to bring into bondage” Because of the horrendous, evil slave trade enterprise of blacks by whites, the Trans Atlantic Slave trade/Middle Passage of the last few centuries along with the inhumane treatment of blacks slaves by white slave masters in America, the reality of slavery in the Bible is abhorrent by all people. That is why many people do not believe the Bible because they automatically assume the slavery that was permitted in scripture was the same harsh servit

In Him (Christ) we have obtained an inheritance, having predestined according to the purpose of Him who works   all   things according to the counsel of his own will .                                                                                                                                                        -Ephesians 1:11   Isaiah 46:10 says this of God, “ declaring the end from the beginning (emphasis added), and from the ancient times things not yet done, saying my counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose”. The despot Gentile King of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar declared to the known world at that time   regarding the sovereignty of God, “all the inhabitants of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay His hand or say to Him, “What have you done?” (Daniel 4:35). Regarding the judgment on the nation of Assyria Isaiah says this, “ The L

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes and even his own life can not be My disciple. -           Luke 14:26   The word hate means to feel hostility or animosity toward. To detest.   The Greek verb is miseō; having malicious and unjustifiable feelings toward others, whether toward the innocent or by mutual animosity. So, is this what Jesus is commanding us to do? Hate our loved ones and our own lives too? Doesn’t this command seem way too harsh, extreme, contradictory to other parts of scripture? Don’t we read in other places where Jesus commands us to honor our mother and father, to love one another; even our enemies? To Jesus live audience this must have seemed like a mixed message. How would you feel if in one speech Jesus is commanding you to love, and in another speech He is commanding us to hate our family and even our own lives?                 What’s goin here? Jesus definitely isn’t contr

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