A Mercy-FULL Warning

CHRIST JESUS Himself said -- “If GOD were your FATHER [but He is not], you would LOVE and recognize Me, for I came from GOD [out of His very Presence] and have arrived here. For I have not even come on My own initiative [as self-appointed], but HE [is The ONE Who] sent Me. WHY do you misunderstand what I AM saying? It is because [your spiritual ears are deaf and] you are UNable to hear [the TRUTH of] My Word. You are of your father the devil, and it is your will to practice the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does NOT stand in the TRUTH because there is NO TRUTH in him. When he lies, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths. But because I speak the TRUTH, you do not believe Me [and continue in your UNbelief]. Which one of you [has proof and] convicts Me of sin? If I speak TRUTH, why do you not believe Me? Whoever is of GOD and belongs to Him hears [the TRUTH of] GOD’s Words; for this reason you do not hear them: because you are NOT of GOD and you are NOT in fellowship with Him” (John 8:37-47, AMP).

EVERY person belongs to a family. Ultimately, there are ONLY two families... ONLY two fathers... ONLY two lines of descent. ANCESTRYdotCOM may reveal your long-dead ancestors from the PAST -- but only GOD's Word of TRUTH, by the supernatural work of The SPIRIT of the Risen CHRIST, will reveal your PRESENT spiritual family, true father and actual line of descent.

EVERY person would prefer to be in GOD's heavenly Family, with GOD as spiritual FATHER, partaking of His divine Nature. NO reasonable person would choose the OTHER family, the OTHER father, the OTHER nature that The One TRUE Living TRIune Sovereign GOD has already judged and condemned to EVERlasting Hell. EVERY person would prefer Heaven over Hell as his/her FINAL destination.

You say you believe in GOD, you claim to be a blessed child of GOD, and you are certain that your immortal soul is destined for Heaven -- BUT you do NOT love the TRUTH of GOD's Holy Word and you do NOT love The Holy SON of GOD -- CHRIST JESUS -- Who is Himself co-equal, co-eternal with GOD The FATHER and GOD The Holy SPIRIT. The LORD JESUS Himself  IS The Living TRUTH -- The Living WORD Himself, THE I AM (see John 1:1-3,14; 8:58). How can you say that you love GOD The FATHER, but do not love GOD The SON? The LORD JESUS Himself said, "The one who does not honor The SON does not honor The FATHER Who sent Him" (John 5:23).

You gladly receive the gracious Works (the blessings of GRACE) of GOD that come through The SON -- but you do NOT receive the Words of TRUTH from The SON of GOD Himself, The LORD JESUS. You desire to go to GOD's heavenly Kingdom -- but you do NOT desire The KING of GLORY Himself, The Risen CHRIST, to be there, rightfully ruling over HIS Kingdom of GLORY. How is GOD your FATHER, when you have NOT received The ONE and ONLY Savior Whom GOD sent to save you from Hell? CHRIST JESUS Himself said: "I AM The WAY, The TRUTH, and The LIFE. NO one comes to The FATHER except THROUGH Me" (John 14:6).

You hope to R.I.P. after this fleeting earthly existence -- without placing your Faith IN The PRINCE of Peace Himself, JESUS The CHRIST of GOD. You hope that your "good" works will be good enough to gain entrance into the UNapproachable LIGHT of GOD's heavenly Splendor in The GLORY (see 1 Timothy 6:16). You hope that you'll be prayed into GOD's Majestic GLORY through many novenas, much incense, and lighted candles. You hope that your church attendance and offerings will open the door INto GOD's Kingdom of GLORY. And yet, you will not the believe the TRUTH -- the REALity that without CHRIST JESUS' sacrificial DEATH, His atoning BLOOD shed at The CROSS for the SINs of SIN-natured, SIN-practicing SINners like you and me -- we would STILL be in the family of that devil, Satan, STILL ruled by him in his Kingdom of Darkness, STILL members of his captive Walking Dead.

And here's the REALity, the TRUTH, the FACT -- 'it is APPOINTED and destined for ALL men to DIE once and after this [comes certain] JUDGMENT' (Hebrews 9:27); 'But as for the cowards and UNbelieving and abominable [who are devoid of character and personal integrity and practice or tolerate IMmorality], and murderers, and sorcerers [with intoxicating drugs], and idolaters and occultists [who practice and teach FALSE religions], and ALL the LIARS [who knowingly deceive and twist TRUTH], their part will be in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone, which is the Second DEATH' (Revelation 21:8).

'BUT GOD -- demonstrates HIS own LOVE toward us, in that while we were STILL sinners, CHRIST DIED for us' (Romans 5:8).

'BUT GOD, being [SO VERY] RICH in Mercy, because of His GREAT and WONDERFUL LOVE with which He loved us, even when we were [spiritually] DEAD and separated from Him because of our SINs, He made us [spiritually] ALIVE together With CHRIST (for by His GRACE—His UNdeserved Favor and Mercy—you have been SAVED from GOD’s JUDGMENT). And He raised us up together With HIM [when we believed], and seated us With HIM in the heavenly places, [because we are] IN CHRIST JESUS, [and He did this] so that in the ages to come He might [clearly] show the IMmeasurable and UNsurpassed RICHES of His GRACE in [His] Kindness toward us IN CHRIST JESUS [by providing for our REDEMPTION]' (Ephesians 2:4-7, AMP).

'For it is by GRACE [GOD’s remarkable Compassion and Favor drawing you to CHRIST) that you have been SAVED [actually DELIVERED from JUDGMENT and given Eternal LIFE] through FAITH. And this [SALVATION] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [UNdeserved, gracious] Gift of GOD; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his SALVATION]. For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created IN CHRIST JESUS [REborn from Above—spiritually TRANSFORMED, RENEWED, ready to be used] for GOOD works, which GOD prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the GOOD Life which He PREarranged and made ready for us]' (Ephesians 2:8-10, AMP).

HOW do you KNOW if you truly love GOD and are of GOD? You LOVE the TRUTH -- His HOLY Word; and you LOVE The SON of GOD, Who is Himself THE TRUTH. IF you say you love GOD, but do NOT love the TRUTH -- GOD's Written WORD, The HOLY Scriptures; nor do you love The TRUTH Himself, Who is GOD's ONE and ONLY Begotten SON -- The LORD JESUS -- you are self-deceived. You are STILL of that UNbelieving family of Satan, STILL under his dominion, STILL lost in Darkness.

BUT TOday, by The Holy SPIRIT's supernatural work of giving LIFE to the spiritually DEAD -- may you acknowledge your own SINfulness in light of GOD's INfinite Holiness. REPENT -- turn away from your lifestyle of SIN, and turn to GOD for forgiveness through CHRIST JESUS' atoning Death. 

May you receive by Faith, GOD's Gift of REDEMPTION -- cleared of eternal condemnation, punishment, and guilt -- made JUSTIFIED and gifted with the perfect Righteousness of GOD's own Beloved ONE and ONLY Begotten SON JESUS, The CHRIST sent of GOD, Who was Himself the The Propitiation that satisfied GOD's Holy WRATH for sinners like you and me, Who was Himself the Sacrificial LAMB of GOD Who took upon Himself the Righteous JUDGMENT and JUST Punishment for sinners like you and me. 

May you receive GOD's Gift of RECONCILIATION -- the REAL Peace from GOD that surpasses all human understanding, through a restored FELLOWSHIP with GOD -- through The PRINCE of Peace Himself, JESUS CHRIST. May you receive GOD's Gift of REGENERATION, a NEW and EVERlasting Life -- through The RESURRECTION and The LIFE Himself -- The SON of GOD, CHRIST JESUS. AMEN! \o/

"FALSE Assurance of the Religious" -- Sermon on John 8:37-47, by Pastor John MacArthur -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBLkSJVfg1Q

"The HOPELESSness of the Stubbornly BLIND" -- Sermon on John 9:35-41, by Pastor John MacArthur -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkSWopGbtug

"Through CHRIST" -- Sermon on Ephesians 2:7, by Pastor Martyn Lloyd-Jones -- https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons/book-of-ephesians/through-christ-jesus-2/

KNOWing GOD is The WAY to Eternal LIFE

"A high view of GOD leads to high and holy worship. A high view of GOD leads to transcendent living. A low view of GOD leads to trivial worship. A low view of GOD leads to common, mundane living. So, what you believe about Who GOD IS is really the rudder of the ship. It's the engine of the car and it's the steering wheel. Your whole life, whether you realize it or not, is being driven and directed by Who you believe GOD IS.

"The doctrine of GOD is the most important doctrine in the Bible, because your doctrine of GOD becomes the paradigm or the lens or the template through which you see everything else. What you believe about GOD affects your worldview and how you view history and how you view the culture and how you view society. It affects how you view politics. It affects how you view marriage. It affects everything. Your knowledge of GOD either blurs or brings sharply into focus how you see what you see. It is the knowledge of GOD that affects how you see trials, how you see persecution, how you see tribulation. It is all governed by the knowledge of GOD" (Steven Lawson -- "The Attributes of GOD" seminar).

The One TRUE Living TRIune GOD -- 'HE Who is THE Blessed and Only SOVEREIGN, The KING of those who reign as kings and The LORD of those who rule as lords, Who alone possesses IMmortality and dwells in UNapproachable LIGHT, whom no one has seen or can see. To HIM be Honor and Eternal DOMINION! Amen.' (1 Timothy 6:15-16)

"The Sovereignty of GOD is the towering, foundational TRUTH of ALL CHRISTian Theology -- that GOD IS -- and The GOD Who IS, is The GOD Who reigns over the entirety of HIS created order. HE has supreme authority in His right to exercise His Sovereignty -- His absolute, active, continual reign over the Heavens and the Earth and Hell itself. It is HIS undisputed right to govern ALL He has created" (Steven Lawson -- "The Sovereignty of GOD").

"GOD is preeminent in Power and Authority. GOD’s Sovereignty is a natural consequence of His Omniscience, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence. The fact that GOD is SOVEREIGN essentially means that HE has the Power, Wisdom, and Authority to do ANYthing He chooses within His Creation. GOD rules the Universe" (Got Questions).

'And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, Who was and Who is and Who is to come"' (Revelation 4:8).

"The one attribute of GOD that is raised to the superlative degree is the Holiness of GOD -- that HE is Holy-er than any of His works/creatures, HE is the Holy-est of ALL beings; that HE is elevated to the very highest level of Holiness. GOD Himself is perfectly HOLY... The angels are not crying out LOVE, LOVE, LOVE... nor TRUTH, TRUTH, TRUTH... nor WRATH, WRATH, WRATH -- but they are crying out day and night, HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is The LORD GOD Almighty! EVERYthing about GOD IS HOLY" (Steven Lawson -- "The Holiness of GOD").

The LOVE of GOD is AGAPE-Love -- the highest expression of REAL Love. "It is a LOVE that is rooted deep within The ONE Who loves, that sacrificially gives to seek the highest GOOD in the one who is loved... who is unlovely... who is abhorrent to GOD because of their sin and their disobedience. GOD's LOVE is redeeming LOVE -- a Love SO great that He has given His ONLY Begotten SON to die for us upon Calvary's CROSS" (Steven Lawson -- "The Love of GOD").

'And may you have the Power to understand, as all GOD’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His LOVE is. May you experience the LOVE of CHRIST, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with ALL the fullness of Life and Power that comes from GOD.' (Ephesians 3:18-19)

The breadth and length and height and depth of the Love of GOD IN CHRIST "was proven when GOD sent His SON to die on the Cross for sinners. When CHRISTians look at GOD's LOVE, they see their FATHER Who cares for them, Who redeemed them through His SON, and made them HOLY by His SACRIFICE. ALL Believers should experience the Depth and Breadth of GOD’s LOVE for them IN CHRIST JESUS. This great TRUTH is an anchor for all in times of suffering and depression, and it is this TRUTH in which all CHRISTians can put their Hope and Trust" (Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones -- https://www.mljtrust.org/sermons-online/ephesians-3-18-19/breadth-length-depth-height/).

'And this is The WAY to have Eternal LIFE—to KNOW You, The ONLY TRUE GOD, and JESUS CHRIST, The ONE You sent to earth' (John 17:3).

("Attributes of GOD" sermons by various preachers -- Steven Lawson, John MacArthur, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, R.C. Sproul, Ligon Duncan, W. Robert Godfrey, Sinclair Ferguson)

Such WERE Some of You... BUT GOD!

  

'DO YOU NOT KNOW that the UNrighteous will NOT inherit or have ANY share in the Kingdom of GOD? DO NOT BE DECEIVED -- neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [by perversion], nor those who participate in homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers [whose words are used as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander], nor swindlers will inherit or have ANY share in the Kingdom of GOD' (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Amplified Bible, with brackets).

'Now the practices of the SINful nature are clearly evident -- they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality [total irresponsibility, lack of self-control], idolatry, sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these... those who practice such things will NOT inherit the Kingdom of GOD' (Galatians 5:19-21, AMP).

'Now we know [without any doubt] that The LAW is GOOD -- IF one uses it lawfully and appropriately, understanding the FACT that Law is not enacted for the RIGHTeous person [the one in RIGHT standing with GOD], but for LAWLESS and REBELLIOUS people, for the UNgodly and SINful, for the irreverent and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for sexually immoral persons, for homosexuals, for kidnappers and slave traders, for liars, for perjurers—and for WHATever else is CONTRARY to SOUND Doctrine' (1 Timothy 1:8-10, AMP).

'And such WERE some of you [before you believed]. BUT you WERE Washed [by the ATONING Sacrifice of CHRIST], you WERE Sanctified [set apart for GOD, and made HOLY], you WERE Justified [declared FREE of guilt] in the Name of The LORD JESUS CHRIST and IN The [Holy] SPIRIT of our GOD [The SOURCE of the Believer’s NEW Life and CHANGED behavior]' (1 Corinthians 6:11, AMP).

BUT GOD -- 'JESUS said to her (the woman caught in ADULTERY), “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She answered, “No one, LORD!” And JESUS said, “I DO NOT CONDEMN you either. GO. From now on SIN NO MORE”' (John 8:10-11, parenthesis mine).

BUT GOD, speaking through the holy prophet Isaiah -- '“To the EUNUCHS who keep My Sabbaths and choose what pleases Me, and hold firmly to My covenant -- to them I WILL give in My house and within My walls a memorial, and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I WILL give them an EVERlasting name which will not be cut off"' (Isaiah 56:4-5).

BUT GOD (The Holy SPIRIT), through the apostle Philip's preaching the GOOD News to an Ethiopian EUNUCH -- quickened ALIVE the spiritually DEAD eunuch, and by GOD's GRACE granted the eunuch Saving FAITH (in the finished atoning work of The GOD-Man CHRIST JESUS) who then  proclaimed '"I BELIEVE that JESUS CHRIST IS The SON of GOD"' -- and after having been baptized in obedience to The LORD's command, 'went on his way REJOICING' (see Acts 8:26-39).

BUT GOD (IN CHRIST JESUS), speaking to the Samaritan woman (an outcast of ill-repute who've had FIVE husbands and living with another man who was not her legal husband) -- revealed to her that HE Himself was the long-awaited Jewish MESSIAH, The CHRIST Who was sent of GOD to this world to SAVE sinners from their SINs -- '"I Who speak to you AM HE"' (see John 4:9-26).

BUT GOD -- The ONE TRUE LIVING TRIune SOVEREIGN LORD of ALL Creation -- forgives ALL PENITENT SIN-natured SIN-doers who've realized their NEED of a SAVIOR and who've received The LORD JESUS in their Hearts to be GOD/Master of their reNEWed lives! By GOD's GRACE alone (HIS totally UNdeserved Favor, HIS totally UNmerited Mercy), through FAITH alone (fully TRUSTing) in GOD The SON's shed BLOOD for the REMISSION/FORGIVENESS of ALL his/her sinS, through FAITH alone IN CHRIST's DEATH and RESURRECTION to rescue him/her from ETERNAL Hell and to bring him/her to The FATHER of GLORY, to the REALITY of ETERNAL Life IN The GLORY with CHRIST JESUS Himself -- The LORD of GLORY! HalleluJAH! \o/

'Therefore, reject ALL FALSEhood [whether lying, defrauding, telling half-truths, spreading rumors, ANY such as these], speak TRUTH each one with his neighbor, for we are all parts of one another [and we are all parts of the Body of CHRIST]. Be angry [at SIN—at IMmorality, at INjustice, at UNgodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down. And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into SIN by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness]. The thief [who has become a Believer] must NO LONGER steal, but instead he must work hard [making an HONEST living], producing that which is GOOD with his own hands, so that he will have something to share with those in need. Do not let UNwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is GOOD for building UP others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a BLESSING to those who hear [you speak]. And do not grieve The Holy SPIRIT of GOD [but seek to please Him], by Whom you were sealed and marked [branded as GOD’s own] for the Day of Redemption [the FINAL Deliverance from the consequences of SIN]. LET ALL BITTERNESS and WRATH and ANGER and CLAMOR [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and SLANDER be put away from you, along with every kind of MALICE [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]' (Ephesians 4:25-31, AMP).

'BE KIND and HELPFUL to one another, TENDER-HEARTED [compassionate, understanding], FORGIVING one another [readily and freely], just as GOD IN CHRIST also forgave you' (Ephesians 4:32, AMP).

'But SEXUAL IMMORALITY and ALL [moral] IMPURITY [indecent, offensive behavior] or GREED must not even be hinted at among you, as is proper among saints [for as Believers our way of LIFE, whether in public or in private, REFLECTS the validity of our FAITH]. Let there be NO FILTHINESS and SILLY talk, or COARSE [obscene or vulgar] joking, because such things are not appropriate [for Believers]; but instead speak of your thankfulness [to GOD]. For be sure of this: NO IMMORAL, IMPURE, or GREEDY person—for that one is [in effect] an IDOLATER—has ANY inheritance in the Kingdom of CHRIST and GOD [for such a person places a higher value on something other than GOD]' (Ephesians 5:3-5, AMP).

O PRAISE our ALL-Wise GOD for the many "BUT GOD"s written in His HOLY Word -- from the O.T. Book of Genesis to the NT Book of 1 Thessalonians -- so that those who are Born-Again of GOD, vitally united WITH CHRIST Himself, INcorporated INto CHRIST's Body, HIS Church -- may be enCOURAGEd, enLIGHTened, emBOLDened with His INfallible TRUTH! For i, myself, WAS such ALSO before the "BUT GOD" of The WORD 'Who is able to do EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY ABOVE ALL that we ask or think, according to the POWER that works IN us -- to HIM (our TRIune GOD, FATHER SON SPIRIT) be GLORY!' (Ephesians 3:20-21a) \o/

Are you bound for The GLORY?