B.C. -- Before CHRIST (Part 1)

GOD shows His anger from heaven against sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about GOD because He has made it known to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky.  Through everything GOD made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing GOD.

Yes, they knew GOD, but they wouldn't worship Him as GOD or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what GOD was like. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living GOD, they worshiped idols. So GOD abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. 

They traded the truth about GOD for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things GOD created instead of the Creator Himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! 

That is why GOD abandoned them to their shameful desires. Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge GOD, He abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of GOD, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. (Romans 1, NLT)

Everyone has sinned; we ALL fall short of GOD's glorious standard. No one is righteous -- not even one.  No one is seeking GOD. ALL have turned away; ALL have become useless. No one does good, not a single one. (Romans 3, NLT)

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer! How you are cut down to the ground. For you have said in your heart: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of GOD; I will sit on the mount of the congregation; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High." (Isaiah 14, NKJV) Self-righteousness, self-aggrandizement, self-seeking...PRIDE.

All that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world. (1 John 2:16, NKJV) Gluttony, greed, (self-) glory.

JESUS: "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:28) 




Pornography is the lust of the eyes. Pornography is as adultery to the married person. Pornography is as sexual immorality (fornication) to the unmarried person.

A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. (Proverbs 11:13) They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather gossip, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere. (Psalm 41:6) Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 

(James 1:26) (all NLT)

...this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act...such should be stoned. (John 8:4-5, NKJV) 

For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.  (Acts 8:23, NKJV) Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like...those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of GOD. (Galatians 5:19-20, NKJV)

You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44, NIV)

For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of CHRIST and GOD. (Ephesians 5:5, NKJV)

For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. (James 3:16, NIV) No immoral, impure or greedy person--such a person is an idolater--has any inheritance in the kingdom of CHRIST and of GOD. (Ephesians 5:5, NIV)

But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:15, NIV)

Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn't you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?' Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.

JESUS: "That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart." (Matthew 18:32-35, NLT)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. (John 10:10, NIV) A gossip is a thief who steals a person's reputation.

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. (2 Corinthians 7:10, NKJV)

JESUS: "But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell." (Matthew 5:22, NLT) Deep-seated malice is from the heart, which is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. Abortion--killing babies inside the mother's womb--is murder. A backstabber is a murderer at heart.

...slaves of depravity—for "people are slaves to whatever has mastered them." Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud." (2 Peter 2:19, 22, NIV)

Such is the person Before CHRIST.

The POOR In SPIRIT And The 7 Deadly SINS

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:3)

WRATH

Murderers, adulterers, thieves, whoremongers, prostitutes, liars, cheaters...all who have ever committed any of the seven deadly sins -- wrath, avarice, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony -- are all sinners. We are all sinners.

AVARICE

But all sinners who have come to the realization of their sinfulness, their utter worthlessness -- and have truly repented, have asked for forgiveness, and have received and trusted JESUS as their CHRIST and Savior -- are freely forgiven and set free from GOD's condemnation and wrath for their sins. They are assured peace with GOD -- and their rightful place in the Kingdom of Heaven.

This amazing grace from GOD anger those who protest, "What about the good and moral people who have not believed in JESUS CHRIST? How about Mahatma Gandhi...an icon of non-violence and goodness? Or the Dalai Lama of Tibet -- His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso? Will they go to Hell because they did not put their faith in JESUS -- did not believe that CHRIST is the Son of GOD, sent by Him to die for sinners?"
Gandhi, the Dalai Lama...and all those who seem righteous in the eyes of men (or in their own eyes) and believe that their righteousness is truly righteous in GOD's sight, do not realize that their righteousness are but filthy rags compared to GOD's blinding holiness. But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)

SLOTH

Pride blinds a man to his true condition -- the condition of his heart -- that no matter the many good works he has done or the great accomplishments he has contributed to the "advancement" of mankind -- his good (or even great) works will not get him into Heaven. For who will judge man's good works to be good enough in GOD's sight? What is the standard for good works "good enough" to get into Heaven? Faith in GOD is the standard by which we will be judged by the giver of faith Himself -- GOD, Creator of Heaven and Earth...and Hell.

Jesus told them, "This is what GOD wants you to do: Believe in the One He has sent." (John 6:29) Without faith in Him, it is impossible to please GOD. (Hebrews 11:6)

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Faith is the substance, and it is a reality. GOD wants to bring us to the fact of it. He wants us to know that we have something greater than we can see or handle, because everything we can see and handle is going to pass away. (Smith Wigglesworth, Faith, p. 19)

Faith is believing in Love so great, so unfathomable, and so incomprehensible that a person who has committed the most heinous crime can be forgiven by GOD. Faith is standing firm on GOD's Word that the most religious, most upstanding person will not be forgiven for wilfully rejecting the Son whom GOD sent to die for all mankind -- whether a Mother Teresa or a man on death row, whether Jew or Gentile, man or woman, heterosexual or homosexual.

PRIDE

Moses killed a man, Rahab was a harlot, David committed adultery, Paul murdered many CHRISTians, Mary Magdalene had seven demons, the Treasurer of Ethiopia was a eunuch -- all divested themselves of pride and self-righteousness...all came to repentance...all were forgiven their sins. The Father, and all the angels in Heaven, are overjoyed for each repentant sinner, for each prodigal son (or daughter) who returns to GOD.

Peace with GOD does not come from faith in one's own goodness: "GOD will accept me for i've done many good works in His name. i have not committed adultery -- or killed or cheated or stole. i am a good provider for my family, i go to church, i tithe, i serve my community -- all my good works will get me into Heaven. i am good...i am righteous." (Matthew 18:10-14)

No one but GOD is good. No one but GOD is holy. No one but GOD is righteous.

When a person righteous in his own eyes stand before GOD in His blinding holiness, and the person's righteousness is put to the exceedingly piercing light of GOD's scrutiny -- will he outshine GOD's purity and holiness? Never.

LUST

In man's inner heart are sins not seen on the outside. But GOD who sees clearly to the innermost core of a man's soul sees all -- to the farthest nook and cranny of a man's heart -- his lusts, motives, self-aggrandisement, and pride.

Only by the shed blood of JESUS is one made righteous in GOD's sight. Covered by His blood, pure and holy -- GOD sees the righteousness of JESUS in the believer -- for CHRIST, by the indwelling Holy SPIRIT, is on the inside. He is the One GOD sees, the personal Advocate who will stand in front of the Judge on the Day of Judgment. He will say, "This person goes free. I have already paid his debt in full."
By faith, believers receive JESUS as their Savior and Advocate. By faith they stand boldly in front of Almighty GOD who sees all their dirtiest deeds -- past, present and future. And He judges the believers righteous because JESUS has imparted to them His righteousness... for our form of righteousness is but filthy rags and will not stand up to GOD's standard of holy righteousness, no matter the good works we've done.

i know i have no good thing in me. i know that whatever good that comes out of me is not my own doing, but of the SPIRIT who does the work of the Father through me. i know i am nothing but filthy rags without CHRIST.

ENVY

Pride in man is when he believes (despite all the evidence before his very eyes) that GOD does not have the power or intelligence to create man. Pride in man makes him believe that he is good enough to stand and be counted righteous in front of the most righteous and holy GOD. Pride in man is one who continues in his sin, knowing GOD hates sin.

GOD loves the sinner -- you and me. He sent JESUS to die for all sinners. (John 3:16)

GLUTTONY

But GOD hates sin...in every shape and form.

GOD hates pride...the pride that puts oneself above the Creator...pride that puts the student above the Teacher...pride that puts the servant above the Master.

GOD blesses those who recognize their bankruptcy of spirit. GOD blesses those who acknowledge that apart from the True Vine, they are nothing and can do nothing. GOD blesses those who come to Him broken and repentant, devoid of self-righteousness and pride.

Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith? Was it because of his good deeds that GOD accepted him? If so, he would have had something to boast about. But from GOD's point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride. For the Scriptures tell us, "Abraham believed GOD, so GOD declared him to be righteous." (Romans 4:1-3)

PRIDE -- Lethal Weapon of the Fallen Angel

Pride is so wily, more wily than Wiley Coyote.

Pride is so subtle, under radar like a stealth bomber.
Pride is deadly and satanic...it's of Lucifer -- the angel of light who fell from Heaven.
Pride will keep the lost, lost; the prisoner, shackled; the sinner, forever condemned.

On Rapture Alert, Ron Graham details the truth about pride in his essay: For Every Man. May the SPIRIT of GOD cause the reader's heart to be pierced with the liberating Truth. May the chosen people of GOD, the Jews, and all Gentiles of the world, come to the awesome revelation of GOD...that Messiah has come. And will come again!

Ron Graham (twotug@embarqmail.com) also wrote:

Jeremiah records the words of God, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).

The Jewish Scriptures (The Torah, The Prophets, and The Writings, which make up the Tanakh or the Jewish Bible) paint a very clear picture of who the Mashiach (Messiah) will be when He eventually comes to the nation of Israel. In fact, there are over 300 prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures, which detail many facts about this coming Messiah/King.

Here is just a sampling (and remember, all these verses come from the Jewish Bible):

Messiah was to be born at Bethlehem: Micah 5:1.

Messiah would be from the tribe of Judah: Genesis 49:10.

Messiah would present himself by riding on an ass: Zechariah 9:9.

Messiah would be tortured to death: Psalm 22.

Messiah would arrive before the destruction of the Second Temple: Daniel 9:24-27.

Messiah's life would match a particular description, including suffering, silence at his arrest and trial, death and burial in a rich man's tomb, and resurrection: Isaiah 52:13-53:12.

Prophecy is remarkably specific. In detail as to lineage, birthplace, time and lifestyle, Jesus matched the Messianic expectations of the Hebrew Scriptures. The record of this fulfillment is to be found in the pages of the New Testament.

Interestingly, the Jewish Scriptures paint seemingly two different pictures about the Messiah to come. For one, they talk about the Messiah who will come as the reigning King, who will usher in a period of unprecedented peace on earth. But many verses talk about the Mashiach who will be a suffering Servant, who will suffer and die for the sins of the people. For many hundreds of years the rabbis believed that there would be two Messiahs, the King Mashiach ben David, and the suffering servant Mashiach ben Joseph. The rabbis, unfortunately, were not able to see that one Messiah would accomplish both missions.

Prophecy was indeed fulfilled in the Jewish Messiah. Yeshua came to the "lost sheep of the House of Israel" 2,000 years ago. He came as Isaiah chapter 53 so clearly states, to die and "suffer" for the sins of the Jewish people. He came to the nation of Israel, but was rejected.

If the Jews would have accepted His "once for all" (Hebrews 10:10) atonement for sins, Yeshua would have ushered in the Kingdom of Heaven at that point in history. But the Jews did not recognize Him. Even though they had the Word of God in their own Hebrew Scriptures, and more than 300 descriptions of who He would be when He comes, they missed Him.

As a result, the Good News of God's Kingdom went forth to the Gentile world, and for 2,000 years now, both Jew and Gentile have come together in Mashiach, looking forward to His soon return as reigning King, just as the rabbis have always expected.

Although the nation of Jews rejected Yeshua when He came, God has always, through the last 2,000 years, kept a "remnant" of believing Jews for Himself. Many thousands of Jews alive today, have received Yeshua as their Lord, and Savior, and Mashiach. They have been blessed with "new life" in Him, and they look forward to eternal life with Him in God's heavenly Kingdom.

i've shared the above for Jewish friends, those who may be part of the Remnant, on the cusp of receiving the Way, the Truth, and the Life. May the deadly pride in all of us be blasted to smithereens(!) by the purifying Light of CHRIST JESUS.

(Note: art illustrating pride is not mine, but "life" above is.)