This blog is written to be both an encouragement (towards Christ, hope, and finding salvation) and an edifier (for believers), to know:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
ENCOURAGEMENT
• This is the gracious gift of God, for all to hear!
God is the creator of all things and everyone, and His word is relevant worldwide!
2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
1 Timothy 2:4-6 [God,] who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
• There is a GOSPEL, Good News! for the world to hear and confess, to lean on and set all hope and faith in, as it is God’s new covenant and way of promised victory and life eternal! It is His provision and mercy that frees us from spiritual death and the wages of sin.
It is what God calls His children whom He shepherds like sheep, teaching and guiding in light and truth, who He dearly loves, to rise up in zeal and spread!
Matthew 28: 18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
It’s a message to be proclaimed and preached in the presence of rich and poor, healthy and sick, pagan and religious persons because it is the powerful truth of God that humbles and restores anyone, able to capture and liberate the Spirit of ALL who believe in what it says, which is:
We are in sin, under God’s coming and justified wrath, but Christ rose again from the grave after dying as God’s accepted offering of a righteous savior who sacrificially interceded on our behalf by taking our wages and debt in sin, paying its fine (of God forsaking and punishing the wicked), so instead we could be vindicated and counted as clean, washed of evil record, by the blood of Jesus (the lamb of God), in the sight of God, and given new life, being repentant of our fallen nature, for a reunion with the Holy Spirit and God’s presence and paradise, as a reborn child, not of the world, but of our heavenly Father.
— It’s the message that John the baptist preluded for Christ.
Mark 1: 1-4
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the Prophets:
“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.”
3 “The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ”
4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
— It’s the message that Jesus spoke.
Mark 1:14-15
“… Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
— It’s the message that God foreshadowed throughout scripture, prophecying about a Messiah to come.
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
♥ God loves you, and this is the Gospel/ Good News to ALL Nations, as we are all children of Adam.
WHAT DOES SIN LOOK LIKE? It’s the various forms of darkness that amount from breaking God’s ten commandments explained in Exodus 20:1-17, given to the prophet Moses to warn humanity about ungodliness, evil, and corruption. Galatians 5: 19-21 “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; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Romans 5: 12-17
12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification.
17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 3:10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one
Romans 5: 6-7 When we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
Romans 5: 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5: 1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
This is the message of God’s love for us to rest, marvel, and rejoice in! A message where God alone can be glorified, as it’s about God’s work, through Christ, so no man can boast. God’s work of love whereby we’re relieved from a weight of supreme perfection and standard that God alone can fulfill.
Hebrews 11:6 Without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to Him must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
EDIFICATION
There are countless misconceptions about the faith, in relation to who salvation, Jesus, or the Good News belongs to, that scripture itself would counter and correct. Some have rumored it as only “White Man’s Religion”, forced on “black” people during slavery. Some on the flip side say it belongs only to “The Hebrew Israelites” whose captivity and later “salvation” was prophecied in scripture.
God’s word does in fact talk about there being an elected and chosen people, but God refers to the “chosen/elected” in two ways, 1: who He originally introduced Himself to and walked with, in ways of righteousness and faith, (ISREAL), and 2: as whoever is positioned in THE (true) continuous faith (ALL WHO BELIEVE).
God consistently clarifies that the people who are truly His are not those who have the physical appearance of ties to Him (say through traditions, race, or covenant), but who have the posture of a genuine spiritual redemption, those saved by faith and walking in it (bearing the image of His Holy Spirit, which keeps ties to righteousness where the covenant isn’t broken and unity with God is reverenced and upheld).
Romans 1:16-17 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 2: 28-29 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Romans 4:1-8 “What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,
And whose sins are covered;
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
It’s always been this way. God loves the world! He welcomes the world! He’s always had a special people for Himself, who He demonstrates special love to, but He’s also always extended this treasure to whoever makes Him their own.
Psalm 51:16-17
16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
Ezekiel 18:25-32
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? 26 When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity, and dies in it, it is because of the iniquity which he has done that he dies. 27 Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. 28 Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
30 “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways,” says the Lord God. “Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”
God allowed outsiders to dwell among His (chosen) Isrealite people so long as they kept His ways, and He rebuked and demonstrated wrath against His (chosen) Isrealite people when they abandoned His commandments. No one in the end could keep God’s commandments perfectly, which is why sacrificial offerings continued in the Old Testament and covenant, but Christ has now completed law, and full sacrifice for His people. And Christ now sanctifies our works through the Holy Spirit, and faith.
Romans 10: 5-21
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law,
“The man who does those things shall live by them.”
6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart,
‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above)
7 or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”
(that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart
that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all
is rich to all who call upon Him.
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:
“Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.”
19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:
“I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation,
I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”
20 But Isaiah is very bold and says:
“I was found by those who did not seek Me;
I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”
21 But to Israel he says:
“All day long I have stretched out My hands
To a disobedient and contrary people.”
Your salvation is not dependent on anything other than faith, which God is faithful and active to bear fruit through, as through faith the veil of darkness is lifted, and you welcome God’s truth and light, and become apart of His kingdom.
If you desire God, know He desires you!
1 Corinthians 8:3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
Luke 15:7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
God faithfully sends this message TO ALL NATIONS, for people to find freedom from sin and darkness in Him! God calls us to know a living hope, who is our savior Jesus!
• Faith unites you with the promises of God! And the lack thereof becomes a stumbling block, whereby you’ll fall away from God’s favor without it.
1 Peter 2:6-10
6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
“Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
7 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,
“The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”
They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
God calls to wake and love the full heart of all people of all nations, given to child-like faith where He’s able to be seen as the Lord and Savior He is! Repent and believe the good news! The Gospel is for you!