BIBLE STUDY VIDEOS ON THE RAPTURE BY AUTHOR
⇒ View more of Bible Study videos at the SeekKnockFind YouTube channel.
Prophecy Bible Study Videos On The Rapture
Author: Don Gerrity
Bible Study Videos By JD Farag
JD Farag started his first Bible Study in 2004. As a strong supporter of Israel, JD’s focus is on Bible Prophecy, oftentimes pertaining to the Middle East. In addition to weekly Prophecy Updates, Pastor JD teaches through the bible Sunday mornings and Thursday evenings at his church in Kaneohe, HI. JD and Kellie currently live on the windward side of Oahu with their three children Elias, Levi, and Sabia.
Bible Prophecy That’s Now Happening, Ezekiel 38 – January 25th, 2024
New Hope New Life, Ezekiel 37 – January 11th, 2024
How God Does What God Does, Ezekiel 35-36 – December 7th, 2023
Bible Prophecy Update, An Urgent Last Days Warning – Sunday, January 28th, 2024
The Agonizing Contending For The Faith And The Truth, Jude 1:3-4 – January 28th, 2024
God Multiplies Blessings Upon Us, Jude 1:2 – January 21st, 2024
Bible Prophecy Update, Are We There Yet? – Sunday, January 21st, 2024
Bible Prophecy Update, Profound Last Days Confusion – Sunday, January 14th, 2024
1 John Bible Study Playlist – 11 Video Playlist
⇒ View more of JD Farag Bible Prophecy Update videos at the JDfarag.org.
Paul Van Noy | Perfected Forever
Perfected Forever – Paul Van Noy
This may be the most impacting presentation you will ever hear/see. Paul shows us, in no uncertain terms, the state of grace in which Believers live! Or should live!! This change-your-life explanation of what took place on Calvary is doctrinal sound, yet rarely taught in churches today. What a truth release!!
Filmed at the 2010 Steeling the Mind Bible Conference
Select Amir Tsarfati Bible Study Videos
Behold Israel is a non-profit organization led by native Israeli Amir Tsarfati. Our mission is to provide reliable and accurate reporting on developments in Israel and the region. Amir’s live updates and teachings, based on God’s Written Word, sift out the truth on current events amidst global media bias against Israel.
Through our website, free app, social media and Amir’s teachings in multiple languages, we are able to reach communities worldwide. His teachings abroad and in the land explain the central role of Israel in the Bible as a blessing to the nations and a way to bring them to the Word of God and the Messiah.
Visit Website at: https://beholdisrael.org/
John 5:14: Go And Sin No More
“Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: SIN NO MORE, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” (John 5:14 KJV)
There is no doubt that believers should strive to not sin. Sin has bad consequences. God still hates sin. However, read in context. Some are thinking if we sin the same sin again that we lose salvation because of this verse. We must remember context. In context of the Book of John, John 5:14 does not teach loss of salvation. Jesus said here “…SIN NO MORE, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” He did not say anything about losing salvation.
Also, what about what the other statements of Jesus that we read in the book of John? Jesus never contradicts Himself.
Earlier we read John 3,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18 KJV)
What about these statements as well?
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24 KJV)
“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:28-29 KJV)
“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:37-40 KJV)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.” (John 10:27-30 KJV)
The lesson of John 5:1-15 is that the crippled man believed an angel stirring the water would heal him. It is misplaced faith. We are not to give worship to angels but to God only. In context, this was the sin of this man Jesus says look…I healed you. No angel!! Do not do worship anyone but God. It is just like today where even pulpits preach religious rituals or traditions. It is misplaced faith and can result in the devils schemes for evil against the man.
We should not attribute the work of God to anyone other than Him alone. Apostle Paul warned that,
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8 KJV)
An angel may be an evil fallen angel of Satan ready to deceive you see? And he will scheme evil against you. We are not to worship angels as if they are God. This is the sin that Jesus was telling the man to stop doing. Otherwise something worse will happen. Satan will use it against him.
The lesson for us? Worship God. Trust only God to heal and for everything and every circumstance.
Rev 3:10: Is This Referring To The Pre-Tribulation Rapture Of Church Age Believers?
“Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Rev. 3:10 KJV)
Is this Rev. 3:10 a proof of the Pre-Tribulation Harpazo/Rapture of Church Age believers? Or is this showing a post Tribulation Rapture of Church Age believers view shown in Rev. 3:10?
Some who hold a Post Tribulation belief say it is not Pre-tribulation timing shown. They believe the word KEEP (Greek word G5083 ‘Tereo’) shows this. They believe that the meaning of this Greek word is defined as ‘take care of’ is why they believe this. Therefore, it shows God will take care of believers living THROUGH the Tribulation Period. Some also refer to the use of the Greek word ‘Tereo’ in Jesus’ prayer for the disciples (and us today) in John 17,
“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest KEEP them from the evil.” (John 17:15 KJV)
But what about the next verse 16?
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17:16 KJV)
A born again believer may live on Earth but we dwell in Christ and Christ in us. This is abiding, where we dwell as believers in the Spirit.
In John 17, this is Jesus referring to His early church and is a prayer that God will keep believers after His soon to happen event of the Passion of Christ and the cross. It shows the intention that Christ will work through believers as He did Paul, as ambassadors on Earth, to build His Church. How? Because of the union born again believers have with Christ which we also read in John 17:21-22.
However, in Rev 3:10, it is a different timing view of context.
“Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;” (Rev 1:9 KJV)
In Rev. 3:10, the view is ‘things which are’. It is the Church Age time period we now live in. The ‘…time of testing which will come upon THEM that dwell in Earth’ is the time period once the Church Age ENDS, “…things which shall be hereafter”. We see a pivotal change point in time. A distinct different time period. The Church Age will end and then the Tribulation Period will begin. The wrath of God will start in Rev. 6.
Looking at this in Strongs Greek concordance we see the definition of the word KEEP is ‘to guard from loss or injury, properly, by keeping the eye upon;’.
And when we read on in Rev 3:10 we see a strong pivoting word FROM, which in Strongs Greek concordance (Greek G1537 word ‘ek’) which is defined as,
‘a primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence action or motion proceeds), from, out (of place, time, or cause; literal or figurative; direct or remote):—after, among, × are, at, betwixt(-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for(- th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, × hereby, + very highly, in, …ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, × thenceforth, through, × unto, × vehemently, with(-out).’
The English translated word FROM (EK in Greek it was written) literally means OUT OF the time as well as the location of an event. We see the truth when we realize this pivotal point and see how the word KEEP (Tero) is being used. Church Age saints will be ‘taken care of’ (kept) and will be taken OUT OF the time as well as the location of the time of testing on THEM that dwell on the Earth at that time, Daniel’s 70th week, The Tribulation Period.
Who will endure this time of testing in Rev. 3:10? The verses reads, “…to try THEM that dwell upon the earth.”
The Church is removed, snatched off Earth and it is those left on Earth, not born again believers, but -THEM- that dwell upon the Earth.
Also, there are many other passages that point to a Pre-Tribulation Harpazo/Rapture that cannot be ignored on this topic event. Scriptures such as Romans 11:25, Acts 15:13-18, Romans 5:9, 1 Thes. 1:10, and 1 Thes. 5:9 . These are just some such passages. These cannot be ignored either as part of context about the Harpazo/Rapture event timing, and as examples of Church Age believers being snatched by force off of the Earth (Harpazo in Greek) before God’s wrath upon -THEM- that DWELL ON THE EARTH.
Apostle Paul wrote,
“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which DELIVERED US FROM the wrath to come.” (1 Thes. 1:10 KJV)
‘Delivered’ is past tense. Christ made sure of this on the cross for all who believes on Him (John 3:14-18, 1 Cor. 15:1-4, Eph. 1:13-14, Colossians 2). Church Age believers are promised to be kept OUT OF the time as well as the location of the Tribulation Period which is God’s wrath to come.
All such passages certainly do make a strong case for the rapture taking place before Daniel’s 70th Week, The Tribulation Period on Earth. And Rev 3:10 is also one of the Scriptures in support of a Pre-Tribulation Rapture of Church Age believers.
And what is next? Read Rev 4:1 ! The Harpazo!
“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” (Rev 4:1 KJV)
AMEN!!
Galatians 5:19-21. Is this loss of salvation? NO!
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Galatian 5:19-21 KJV)
Some use this to state that if you commit such sins you are no longer saved and will not be able to enter Heaven. But is that what Paul is stating in Galatians 5 when read in context? The answer is absolutely not.
Let’s have a closer look in proper context.
The very first sentence in Galatians 5 reads,
“Stand fast therefore in the LIBERTY wherewith CHRIST HAS MADE US FREE, and be not entangled again with the YOKE OF BONDAGE.” (Gal. 5:1 KJV)
Once a person is born again by belief on Christ as Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 15:1-4, all their sins were placed on Christ on that cross 2000 years ago by God’s foreknowledge (Ephesians 1, Colossians 2, Romans 6). From that moment the person is sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of their bodily resurrection (Eph 1:13-14, 4:30). God -MADE THEM- the righteousness of God, in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-21). Paul is not flip flopping on his teachings in Galatians 5.
CONTEXT MATTERS
We must understand the context of Galatians 5. First, WHO is Paul addressing? Saved Jews or unsaved Jews? He is addressing born again, eternally saved Jews. Apparently, some believers fell to the lie that a born again believer needed to go back to following the Law as well in order to be saved. Some Judiazers infiltrated the church there, teaching this heresy that our works matter or we can lose salvation. This heresy is one around today rampantly as well and it is called ‘Works for salvation’ and ‘Lordship Salvation’. These Judiazers were spreading lies to the believers and Paul is putting an end to this serious false heresy.
First, we see that it is CHRIST who gave us liberty and MADE US free. It is not anything we did. This is also in agreement with the teaching of Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9 where Paul states works have NOTHING to do with our salvation.
Then Paul wrote this in Galatians 5,
“Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you NOTHING. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is A DEBTOR to do the whole law. “
This echoes James 2:10. Break one Law and you broke them all. Also remember, that it is Paul who wrote that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Paul warns these born again people to not do such a horrendous thing. It is the same as in the book of Hebrews where they were going back to animals sacrifices. God forbid! Jesus paid a heavy price to save us! And here are these Judiazers trying to take glory by their own works for salvation in severe PRIDE. It goes completely against the heart of the Gospel of salvation through Christ crucified, died and rose again.
Then Paul contrasts and follows through on just what it would mean to be trusting in the Law again. The Law which Paul had just stated in verse one as being under bondage again. Why go back under the bondage of the Law that NO ONE EVER kept perfectly , except Christ? The very bondage Christ redeemed us from?
Paul tells these born again Galatians who were falling for the false teaching of the Judiazers sternly,
“Christ is become of NO EFFECT UNTO YOU, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are FALLEN FROM GRACE.” (Gal. 5:4)
We see here the severity of the false teaching. Those falling for this heresy have to consider were they even saved yet? Paul is emphasizing that salvation is by GRACE and not works of the Law. Paul taught this in much of his writings such as
“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become EXCEEDING SINFUL. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” (Romans 7:12-14 KJV)
“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED in his sight: for by the law is the KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.” (Romans 3:20 KJV)
“Moreover the law entered, that the offence MIGHT ABOUND. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:” (Romans 5:20)
Paul even goes further to proclaim that,
“The sting of death is sin; and the STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW.” (1 Corinthians 15:56 KJV)
The strength of sin is the LAW! Trying to follow the Law for righteousness only result sin more sin.
Grace saves but the Law (even though it is holy and good) is what Paul called the ministry of death and condemnation in 2 Cor. 3:
“But if the MINISTRATION OF DEATH, written and engraven IN STONES, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the MINISTRATION OF CONDEMNATION be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.” (2 cOR. 3:7-9 kjv)
Remember, proper context must include teachings of Paul in his other writings in the New Testament as well, otherwise he would be flip flopping on beliefs, which he is not.
Then Paul brings home the truth about salvation in refuting the Judiazers false heresy. It is not by works of the Law and it is also NOT KEPT by the works of the Law.
“For we THROUGH THE SPIRIT wait for the hope of righteousness BY FAITH. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but FAITH which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did HINDER YOU that ye should not OBEY THE TRUTH?” (Gal. 5:5-7 KJV)
Well, it was the Judiazers that hindered them and that confused them by their heresy of adding works to salvation by grace as a requirement. Who paid for our sins? Us or Christ? Adding us and our works into the salvation equation, even after salvation, is complete heresy. It makes Christ of no effect unto them. Paul is instructing them to stick with the truth of the Gospel as he taught, salvation is by GRACE GRACE GRACE by our faith and trust in that. And grace has a name and it is Christ Jesus, the Lord.
Paul continues in Galatians 5,
“This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.” (Galatians 5:8-10 KJV)
This heresy did not come by the Holy Spirit, that is for sure! These Judizaers who crept into the church of the Galatians were like a leaven affecting the whole lump. They were causing strife in the church there with their false heresy. And Paul states that these Judiazers are gonna be judged over this. It is a very serious offence. Earlier in his letter Paul exclaims,
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would PERVERT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.”
(Galatians 1:6-9 KJV)
Strong words of warning by Paul. Twice he wrote, “LET HIM BE ACCURSED!”
We see here the proper context and purpose of Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians and that continues into Galatians 5.
Paul then tells them that born again believers are not under the Law! Born again believers are now living under the Holy Spirit indwelling us. Jesus made sure of that at the cross. It was His promise; the comforter who would come after the cross and His rising again. (John 14:16)
Paul goes on in Galatians to explain that yes, we should not take this liberty in salvation for granted and just go and sin all we want but instead we should in great gratitude love others. We do this by walking in who Christ MADE US from the moment of belief on Christ, which is THE SPIRIT. Our new born again Spirit which has been perfected, is complete in Christ and is the very righteousness of God, in Christ (Hebrews 10:14, Colossians 2, 2 Cor. 5:21)
“This I say then, WALK IN THE SPIRIT, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of THE FLESH. For THE FLESH lusteth against THE SPIRIT, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of THE SPIRIT, YE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW.” (Gal. 5:17-18 KJV)
There’s been a change in you believer! Our core being received the righteousness of Christ! In Romans 12, Paul taught that we need to RENEW OUR MIND by God’s Word with guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit. My fellow believers, you may not feel perfected and righteous because our body and mind has not yet been fully redeemed and will not be until our bodily resurrection. But when we believe who God MADE US in our core being, in our born again Spirit, things start changing. We live outwardly as we believe in the mind. The more renewing to the truth of who we are, the more good works in love of others starts happening. Not that these good works keep us saved; NO! It is just who we now are and it starts working it’s way outwardly the more we renew our mind to the truth of who God made us.
As Paul just mentioned a war between the FLESH (old wrong thoughts and beliefs left over from when our Spirit was reborn) and the new SPIRIT, he goes on to explain the difference between walking in the old Flesh ways and the new Spirit ways.
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:19-21 KJV)
Is Paul talking about believers here? That if they sin one of these sins that they lose salvation? NOT AT ALL BY CONTEXT! He is using a comparison of living under the Law, by the Flesh and living as born again believers with the new Spirit and the Holy Spirit indwelling them.
Unbelievers are completely in THE FLESH. They have no new born again Spirit. They have the old Adam Spirit which has a bent towards sinning. The works of the FLESH are the works that unbelievers do. They do these things because they have an Adam spirit. It is their very nature and the same nature believers once had. It is like a prison and slavery to unrighteousness. Sinning because it is the very nature. Try to get a cat to act as a dog. Good luck! It is not their very nature to be a dog. Without belief on Christ for our righteousness, apart from our works or works of the Law, a person is not saved. He stands condemned for the wages of their sins (Romans 6:23).
A believer should be and CAN BE walking by who God REMADE THEM to be in their Spirit nature. They now have the Spirit of God. They need to start walking in this truth of who they now are. It takes time to renew our mind to this fact. I mean what an amazing truth that God made us the righteousness of God, in Christ. To God, a born again believer is as righteous as Christ. The results are,
“But the fruit OF THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:22-25 KJV)
What we need to do as believers is to TRUST and BELIEVE who God -MADE US-, not in our own works after salvation to keep us saved. BIG DIFFERENCE!
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might –BE MADE– THE RIGHTEOUSNESS Of GOD IN HIM.” (2 Cor. 5:21 KJV)
Is that an amazing statement of fact and truth or what?! If believers would grasp just how much God gave us with the gift of salvation, and WHO GOD MADE US, what a witness we could become. Instead today, as did the Galatians, there are many many Judiazers teaching works for salvation and works to remain saved (Lordship Salvation). The foretold End Times Apostasy is here, right now today just as foretold.
Paul wrote,
“There is therefore -NOW- no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1 KJV)
Believe it! Walk by you new Spirit in Christ!
The Pre-Tribulation Rapture, The Tribulation Period To Come, Judgment On The World & Noah
The Pre-Tribulation Rapture, The Tribulation Period To Come, Judgment On The World & Noah
I always looked at Noah and the Ark as a foreshadowing of the Rapture. Where Noah and his family, the believers are TAKEN and protected from the judgment in the Ark and the unbelievers who died in the flood. I have seen some believers saying that the church will go through the Tribulation because Noah and his family got a protected ride IN THE ARK, ON THE EARTH, through the flood. And they use that as a proof that the Pre-tribulation Rapture is a false teaching.
Now I am seeing this in a different light! Why is Enoch mentioned in the Bible? That question has brought me a huge light bulb about this foreshadowing and has brought me to a place where the Pre-Tribulation Rapture is even more convincing.
. : : First a few points
1. We see in the story of Noah that before the flood was this guy called Enoch who believed in God. This guy was actually Raptured off the planet by God and was seen no more.
2. In Genesis 6, we see that the ‘sons of God’ had children with the human women. Where ever in the Bible we see the phrase ‘sons of God’ it is talking about a being that was CREATED by God at some point as eternal from the moment of their creation. This describes angels perfectly. They were at some point CREATED by God but created to live forever. This caused a hybrid race of beings called the Nephilim. They were not born as pure humans. They were a hybrid and this combining of genes from two different types of beings caused severe evil in the world at that time (Genesis 6:5).
“And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, IT WAS CORRUPT; FOR ALL FLESH HAD CORRUPTED HIS WAY upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end OF ALL FLESH is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence –THROUGH THEM–; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Genesis 6:12-13 KJV)
Extreme violence and evil through who? Noah and his family? No. Through “THEM”, through the Nephilim hybrid humans. They kept procreating and the pure humans kept dying off until only Noah and his family were left as pure humans. All the rest were just evil doers continually with extreme violent intent and works. They were no longer human.
God created all creatures on Earth to mate only with their own kind. But satan tried to corrupt all humans to destroy us and to stop the blood line to the Messiah who would save the world from it’s sin problem.
3. Noah and his family is said to be the only humans left on Earth because they were ‘perfect in their generations’ (Genesis 6:9). It reads in Genesis 6 that all flesh had been corrupted (This word generations is actually where we get the word Genetics from today! A light bulb went off. The Bible tells us that during the Tribulation Period that the Antichrist will demand to be worshipped as God and mandate that all receive the Mark Of The Beast or be hunted down, imprisoned and put to death. The Bible shows that this Mark will be required to be able to buy and sell (new global economic system) in the Tribulation Period and hints that it will also be a medical device. A deception upon the whole world which they will be judged for and will end in disaster.
The English translated word “sorceries” from the following passages about the Tribulation Period is the Greek word “pharmakeia” and is Strongs concordance G5331. This Greek word is where today we get the word “Pharmacy” from!
“Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their SORCERIES G5331, nor of their fornication, nor of their THEFTS.” (Rev.9:21 KJV)
Speaking about the destruction of End Time Babylon being destroyed by an asteroid that will strike the ocean near it, we read that it is a judgment on that nation. Why? Because of their deceptive “pharmekeia”. All the nations were deceived and affected by this medical technology which today we would know as an injected material that will reside in the hand/forearm or head. We can already see today that we are headed for this technology. I believe now more than ever that this Mark of The Beast that Antichrist will mandate world wide, will be a medical injection technology or perhaps a medical tattoo technology (which is already being created today – search it out on youtube).
“And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy SORCERIES G5331 WERE ALL NATIONS DECEIVED.” (Rev. 18:21 KJV)
We also see that those who take this mark at one point will be attacked by locust looking creatures that will sting them and cause boils on their body. We also read that those who take this Mark of the Beast will SEEK DEATH but not find it! (Rev. 9:4-6).
Could this Mark of the Beast technology be something that ALTERS THEIR DNA? In Matthew 24, Jesus spoke of the Tribulation Period to come stating that as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be when He returns at the Second coming event (Matthew 24:36-39). We see that during the Tribulation, those who refuse the Mark will be persecuted and put to death. They will refuse an done day the people who took the Mark will be judged and condemned. I also think this is even more significant than that folks! Is there a foreshadowing from Noah’s story that include the Tribulation Period and also the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of Church Age Believers? I think this goes beyond just evil abounding in the world.
4. After the judgment on the unbelieving world is complete, God makes the waters recess and Noah and his family walk off the Ark onto a new cleansed Earth.
I still think the story of what happened with Noah is a foreshadowing of future events in the End Times but now I see it more clearly and in support of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of Church Age believers.
. : : A thought….
- First Enoch was TAKEN by God. He was Raptured. Gone! Never to be found by anyone back in those days! (He is likely one of the 2 Witnesses that God will send in the Tribulation Period as seen in Rev. 11)
- Years and years later, Noah and His family were sealed in the Ark and protected through the judgment flood on Earth.
- The unbelieving world was judged and perished in the flood.
. : : Look At The Foreshadowing!
Enoch represents the Church Age believers Raptured before the Tribulation Period judgment falls. They are taken off Earth before satan indwells the Antichrist and starts changing peoples genetics with the Mark of the Beast medical technology, making them a hybrid human race, no longer pure humans. Evil will abound.
Noah and his family represents Israel in the Tribulation Period. The Unbelieving world in the tribulation period is judged. The survivors are who? The ones that refused the Mark of the Beast medical technology. They will be the only pure humans left.
Christ returns to Earth and His feet land on the Earth, He judges the goats (all who took the Mark of the beast) and puts them to death. The sheep (believers who refused the Mark under great persecution of Antichrist) that survived will now enter the Kingdom Age promised to the Jewish believers in Christ from Old Testament times. This new age on Earth is where we see Christ restore all things, the Earth was cleansed by fire and is renewed and the surviving believers in Christ who refused the mark will have been seen as ‘perfect in their generations’ and refused to worship the Antichrist as god but instead believed on Christ to come.
So Noah’s story does fit a foreshadowing of End Time Events perfectly and in depth, as signs for us that Jesus gave Israel in Matthew 24 when He foretold what will happen in the Tribulation Period and it being as the time of Noah.
When we see Enoch in part of this story who was Raptured off Earth and went with God, That INCLUDES the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of Church Age Saints.
A Personal Note:
I am not an expert in End Time Bible Prophecy. There are those that dedicate their ministry to just the topic of End Time Bible Prophecy. My personal ministry’s main focus is teaching against the false ‘works for salvation’ gospel running rampant in these end times. That said, with 2/3 of Scripture on the topic of Bible Prophecy, I believe it is an important topic that most pulpits are just ignoring. I have learned a lot over the years and still am open to learning more and more on End Time Prophecy.
I welcome anyone’s feedback and join in on this Facebook post discussion at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/seekknockfind/permalink/2085614148306887/
2 Thessalonians 1:6 , Does This Mean It Is Okay To Wish Bad On Our Enemies?
“Seeing it is a RIGHTEOUS THING with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;”
(2 Thessalonians 1:6 KJV)
This is truth. God will one day take vengeance on all who do not believe and who persecuted believers. That is what God will do in righteousness. He offered them the gift of salvation and as a gift, it can be accepted or rejected. By rejecting such a great gift, they will pay for their sins themselves (John 3:18).
But should we use this as a positive thing in how we treat our enemies? Like this?.. “You will pay one day!!! I call God to curse you!” Unfortunately I see those calling them self believers doing just that! Or should we boast about this fact in gladness at all? NO. It is just a statement of fact Paul is giving to encourage believers under persecution to stay the course, keep the faith.
How about we should LOVE OUR ENEMIES and PRAY for those that persecute us as Jesus taught?
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?” (Matthew 5:44-46 KJV)
How about we forgive our enemies and pray that God not hold it against them as Jesus prayed on the cross…
“Then said Jesus, FATHER, FORGIVE THEM; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” (Luke 23:34 KJV)
…and as Stephen prayed while being stoned,
“And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:60 KJV)
The point is encouragement to keep our faith in being saved in 2 Thess. 1, but in our walk we are to love above all.
Did Jesus Teach To Add The Law To Salvation?
What way to salvation was Jesus preaching to the Jewish people
at the time when Messiah came to Israel?
How are we forgiven sins?
How do we do what God requires of us to be justified in God’s eyes?
Jesus was asked these questions very directly. Let us have a look at Jesus’ own answers without adding or subtracting from the answers. Inspect the Scriptures on salvation by Jesus’ own words and the words of the Apostles as well.
See the truth in context using these principles of Hermeneutics:
1. THE CLEAR INTERPRETS THE OBSCURE: No single verse of Scripture should be interpreted if it contradicts the overall message of the Scripture passage, especially if it is about the Gospel. When we are faced with an unclear verse, we find a clear verse to help interpret it. The more direct and clear verses are the ones to understand as the foundation of the truth, not the unclear verses, especially when taken out of context to a point of contradiction on the same topic.
2. SCRIPTURE INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE: Often Scripture interprets itself. In some cases, another Biblical writer interprets another Biblical passage. Teachings on a topic of the writers cannot contradict, otherwise we are interpreting incorrectly and need to dig a bit deeper, watch the exact words more closely etc. If Jesus taught one things and then later we read a Scripture in another book of the Bible from the same writer, or reads quoting what someone taught; they cannot contradict. If we see a contradiction, we are missing the context of the verses and need to find the proper context of each to see the truth. For example, if we read that Jesus said one thing in Matthew and what seems to be an opposing saying in another, we are missing proper context. If Paul wrote one thing to the Ephesians and another to the Corinthians that seem opposing, we have missed the proper context.
3. CONTEXT INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE: No single verse(s) in a chapter should be read without understanding the surrounding verses, the chapter being read, and the Book of the Bible the verses are read within. Sometimes cultural context matters as well. The point is that reading a few verses and making assumptions without seeing the actually context will produce very wrong interpretation, sometimes even a meaning opposite to the intent of the writer. Such should never be used to make doctrine, and this is especially true regarding salvation.
4. INTENT OF WRITER INTERPRETS SCRIPTURE: All Scripture has an INTENDED MEANING. There can only be ONE correct interpretation of verses, while it may have more than one correct application.
I have found in my personal studies on Scripture that whenever I read what seems to be a contradiction it gives me a red flag to pay closer attention in greater detail to the specific words and intent of the writer or the saying of the person quoted. and the context the verse(s) are read within. Doing so has thus far helped me see the truth and even greater truths that amaze me. The Holy Spirit guides when we seek the truth of Scripture.
What way to salvation was Jesus preaching to the Jewish people at the time when Messiah came to Israel?
People take the teachings of Jesus and come up with all sorts of ways to be justified with God. They take His words like ‘pluck out your eyes’ and ‘cut off your hand’ and then conclude that our works matter in being justified in God’s eyes. Is that true or is the context of those verses not being seen correctly regarding the intent of the writer or the intent of the sayings of the one saying something?
Did Jesus teach to the Jewish people at that time that it is their behaviour and works of the Law that would justify them? Well, if He did, it would not be opposing their wrong view of the Law of Moses. All through the Gospels we see that the Jewish people at the time of Christ’s first coming had fallen away from the truth about the Law and were believing that doing the works of the Law and keeping the Law is what justified them. The Pharisees leaders thought they were more holy than anyone else because they knew the Scriptures in-depth and made themselves look clean on the outside to others by their works of the Law following. But were they? Not according to Jesus!
Because of their wrong belief regarding the Law of Moses, Jesus called them ‘VIPERS’ and ‘HYPOCRITES’ headed for damnation in hell (Matthew 23). Clearly they got it wrong about the Law and justification with God. Israel had fallen away from the truth that it was the belief in the promised coming of the Messiah who would save them by paying for our sins one day in His blood (Isaiah 53). The animal sacrifices were only a temporary covering of sins, year to year, and never paid for the people’s sins (Hebrews 10). They were a temporary covering until the promised Messiah came. The promise in Old Testament Scripture foretold that the Messiah would come and be the final sacrifice for sins. The Animal sacrifices were a reminder of how terrible sin is to God and their need for a Savior Messiah.
Jesus Was Not Opposed To The Truth Of The Law Of Moses
Not at all. The Law is 100% absolute truth. What Jesus taught is that HE IS the foretold Messiah who has come to fulfill all the Law perfectly, as a spotless Lamb brought to sacrifice, never sinning (1 John 3:5, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Isaiah 53:9), in order to be the once for all perfect blood sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10) in payment for all sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Living on this side of the cross event Apostle Paul taught this very clearly as well writing,
“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’ (2 Cor. 5:21 KJV)
Jesus claimed straight up that HE IS the foretold Messiah by quoting the Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah that would one day come to the Jewish people when He spoke to His fellow Jews, in the community He was brought up in by Joseph and Mary, in the synagogue in Nazareth, quoting Old Testament Scripture.
“16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, THIS DAY IS THIS SCRIPTURE FULFILLED IN YOUR EARS.” (Luke 4:16-21 KJV)
Jesus claimed this very directly to those whom He grew up with. To those who knew Him as the carpenter Joseph’s son it was hard to believe as we see in verse 22 where it reads they said to each other, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”. By claiming that this Scripture is fulfilled in Himself, Jesus was stating that He is the foretold Messiah to come and who was now among them in there own hearing! Jesus was basically calling Himself the only begotten Son of God, who is God, come to be this final sacrifice for the sins of humankind. That is why the Jews sought to stone Jesus on many occasions and kill Him claiming His teachings were blasphemy; because they would not believe the truth that He is the Messiah, the Christ. Again, this was all foretold in the Old Testament that this would be the case; and it all happened exactly as foretold so that we can all know Jesus IS that foretold Messiah.
John 3 And The Personal Interview Between Jesus And A Chief Pharisee, Nicodemus
One of the chief priests of the Pharisees was a man named Nicodemus. He had seen the teachings of Jesus when He preached to the people. He had seen all the miracles and healings and raising from the dead being spoken of. He knew that this man Jesus must be sent from God (John 3:2), but His teachings about justification, righteousness and claiming He is the Messiah come, caused great anxiety and confusion to Nicodemus. So much so, that he “came to Jesus by night” so the other Pharisees would not see him and went to Jesus to ask Him DIRECTLY what this all means. Think about that clear context for just a moment. If Jesus taught that works of the Law are required to be justified, why would Nicodemus be confused over Jesus’ teachings? I mean, following works of the Law is how the Pharisees and Jewish people at that time thought they were justified with God. See how this teaching by many today of ‘works required‘ for salvation is just not fitting here? How is a person justified with God according to Jesus’ teachings then? This is the very question Nicodemus had for Jesus.
This was a very intimate conversation with direct questions and Jesus gave direct answers. Being asked very directly and specifically like this, do you think that Jesus would only give a half answer? Certainly not and Jesus did answer Nicodemus’ questions about how a man is justified with God and no where does Jesus answer even mention doing good works of the Law. If doing works of the Law is part of how a person is saved why would Jesus leave that out of His answer to such a direct and honest question?
In John 3, we see that first Jesus answered Nicodemus that a person ‘must be born again in the Spirit’ (John 3:3-6) and then Jesus went on to tell Nicodemus HOW a person becomes born again in the Spirit,
“14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM should not perish, but have EVERLASTING LIFE. 17 For God SENT NOT his Son into the world TO CONDEMN THE WORLD; but that the world THROUGH HIM might be saved. 18 He that BELIEVETH ON HIM is not condemned: but he that BELIEVETH NOT is condemned already, because he hath NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:14-18 KJV)
Now that is a direct answer! Talk about over emphasizing the word believe as the foundation of salvation! Look how Jesus repeated Himself to get the point to Nicodemus and us all today learning from this passage. Jesus starts with the event in the Exodus from Egypt that Nicodemus would have known very well as a as Chief Pharisee. This is significant to understand as Jesus starts His answer to how a person is justified with God with verse 14. Let’s take a quick look in Numbers 21 about this event,
“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.” (Numbers 21:5-8 KJV)
I ask you, did Moses say to them that they must DO THIS or DO THAT? Nope. As long as they beheld and looked upon, IN BELIEF, that looking at the risen bronze serpent on the pole would prevent death if bitten. Every word in Scripture is important and Bronze is a metal in Scripture that is associated with judgment. And that is what Christ did for us when He took the judgment for our sins upon Himself on the cross, in our place.
Jesus was telling Nicodemus what He, the Messiah, would soon do; be put up on the cross. During the Exodus, believing that looking at that bronze snake lifted on the pole; they would be saved. Do you see how significant this event is in the interpretation of John 3? YES! It was an event that God used to foreshadow what the Messiah would one day do. It was for the benefit of our reading today to see the truth about the cross event. It was their BELIEF ALONE that saved them from the deadly serpent. And today it is by our BELIEF on Christ, beholding what He did on that cross to pay for the sins of the whole world (1 John 22, Hebrews 10:10), that saves us from condemnation and from the devil’s false narratives. Interesting how the pole in Exodus had a serpent on it. Who is the serpent in Scripture? The bronze serpent on that pole represented our sin which needed to be judged. God is a God of pure judgment for sin. Looking at how much Jesus went through, we see that is how much GOD went through to redeem us which kept His character traits intact; 100% justice and judgment was paid, 100% mercy was done for us, and with 100% pure love for us. In some ways, I also look at this in a way that the cross event defeated the devil and his fallen angels who tempts us to sin.
The devil and his fallen angels are constantly trying to hide the truth from people on Earth. Using deep deception and cunning, they want us all to believe the lie that we are our own little gods that should rely on our works for salvation. Satan does not even care of people go to a church religiously as long as that Church teaches ‘work for salvation’, which is no salvation at all. To attend a church building based on a false gospel or where they use Jesus’ name but do not believe He is God. In fact, all world religions teach works for salvation or works from salvation as a requirement to be born again, except those that believe the true Gospel of grace through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior. Jesus is the only one way back to God (John 14:6). Satan wants no one to be saved! Jesus’ finished work on that cross paid for all our sins and defeated the devil and as Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2:10-15, God made a shew of the devil and his angels by defeating them on that cross for us! He paid our sin debt COMPLETELY! Amen!
“10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, HE MADE A SHEW OF THEM OPENLY, triumphing over them IN IT.” (Colossians 2:10-15 KJV)
Wow! Look at that! The details of the cross event and how a person is saved eternally by belief on Christ! Jesus made a show of the devil and his fallen angels on that cross.
The Jewish people were relying on ‘works of the Law’ to be justified with God. Even later in John 3, we see John the Baptist state the same truth,
“He that BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH EVERLASTING LIFE: and he that BELIEVETH NOT THE SON shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36 KJV)
Keep in mind this is the Holy Spirit who told John the Baptist this truth. He was not in that private meeting between Nicodemus and Jesus! It is yet another confirmation that salvation is NOT by good works of the Law or by being a ‘good person’. Salvation is only by being born again in the Spirit by believing on Christ and His finished work on the cross, having paid for the sin of the whole world (1 John 2:2).
It was, and is today, an impossible task to keep all the Law of Moses. We cannot even keep just the Ten Commandments perfectly (James 2:10)! That is why we see Jesus saying things to the Jews such things as ‘pluck out your eye’, and ‘cut off your hand’ if it causes a person to sin (Matthew 5 & 18). That is why Jesus said to the Jews at that time, that even just looking a person with lust, is the same as breaking the commandment against committing adultery. That being in anger with a person wrongly, even not acting on that anger, is the same as committing murder in the heart, breaking the commandment to not murder (Matthew 5). Jesus then poured on the extreme truth of Law following for righteousness saying to them,
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matthew 5:44 KJV)
What enemies? The Romans! Imagine what they thought about that one. Love the ones persecuting them. This would show them how extreme truth of the Law will pierce a person to see the truth that we cannot keep all the Law. It will never make us righteous with God! After the cross event, God sent Paul to save the Gentiles and look what he wrote, what the risen Jesus told Him to preach,
“I do not FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is DEAD IN VAIN.” (Gal. 2:21 KJV)
“Christ is become of NO EFFECT UNTO YOU, whosoever of you are justified BY THE LAW; ye are FALLEN FROM GRACE. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness BY FAITH.” (Galatians 5:4-5 KJV)
“The sting of death is sin; and the STRENGTH OF SIN IS THE LAW. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory THROUGH our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57 KJV)
Through who? Ourselves by our good works? No! It is only THROUGH the finished work of Christ alone who died for our sins so we could be made righteous.
By seeing the direct truth of John 3, we can now see that Jesus was presenting to the Jewish people that relying on works of the Law for righteousness will end in utter failure. That their wrong belief about the Law will end in condemnation. Jesus was using the Law as intended, and showing the extreme truth of the Law. Apostle Paul wrote the same about the purpose of the Law,
“Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster TO BRING US UNTO CHRIST that we may be justified by faith. , BUT AFTER that faith is come, we are NO LONGER under a schoolmaster.” (Galatians 3:24-25 KJV)
“Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which NEITHER OUR FATHERS NOR WE WERE ABLE TO BEAR?“
(Acts 15:10 KJV)“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for BY THE LAW IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN.” (Romans 3:20 KJV)
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians and states that The Law is a ministry of death (2 Corinthians 3:7) and a ministry of condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:7). And Paul was not only talking about the 613 Levitical ceremonial Laws as some will mention against the truth of these verses, because he mentions the Law ‘written on stones’ and so that must include the Ten Commandments as well.
Jesus was clear from the very day in the synagogue in Nazareth that He is the foretold Messiah and told Nicodemus when asked directly, to BELEIVE in Him; Jesus as Messiah, the only begotten Son of God. Everything that has been added to His answer to Nicodemus for salvation, whether it be water baptism, works required once believing on Christ as a requirement of salvation, religious rituals, do this, do that to remain saved, repent of every sin we commit or lose salvation, has all been added by man. But it is not the truth by the very context of John 3. We read earlier in the book of John,
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them THAT BELIEVE ON HIS NAME:” (John 1:12 KJV)
We see the very same thing later in John 6 when Jesus was talking with those who would not believe who Jesus claimed to be. In John 6, Jesus was asked very directly what a person needs TO DO to accomplish the works of God and Jesus answer is astounding truth! It goes against what one would expect because we have a fallen sinful nature before believing on Christ.
“28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?…35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he THAT BELIEVETH ON ME shall never thirst. 36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and BELIEVE NOT. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME. 39 And this is THE FATHER’s WILL which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, that every one which seeth the Son, AND BELIEVETH ON HIM, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:28..35-40 KJV)
Again, see any WORKS in Jesus’ answer when asked so directly? NO. But we do read BELIEVE BELIEVE BELIEVE ON CHRIST!
“I AM THE DOOR: BY ME if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9 KJV)
Are we our own door by our works to be in a righteous standing before God? NO! It is only by the work of Christ that we can be made clean and deemed as righteous and complete in Christ in our Spirit (Colossians 2), sealed in salvation (Eph. 1:13-14, Eph. 4:30, 2 Cor. 5:21, 1 Cor. 15:1-4, Romans 5). Jesus is the door and HIM ALONE! We have NO part in being justified and made righteous before God, except to believe on Him and His finished work on the cross.
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: HE THAT BELIEVETH IN ME, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth AND BELIEVETH IN ME shall never die. BELIEVEST THOU THIS? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I BELIEVE that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” (John 11:25-27 KJV)
Again here, we see Jesus stating about a person’s salvation that it is by BELIEF ON HIM, not by our works.
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth MY WORD, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24 KJV)
“But these are written, THAT YE MIGHT BELIEVE that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and THAT BELIEVING ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31 KJV)
“And he said to the woman, THY FAITH hath saved thee; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50 KJV)
I could go on and on showing Scripture and the very words of Jesus regarding how a person is born again in the Spirit and saved and redeemed.
This is the clear and direct context from Jesus’ own words and later we see Apostle Paul stating the exact same thing. Salvation is by BELIEF ON the finished work of Christ – not by works of the Law.
“8 For BY GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT of yourselves: it is the GIFT OF GOD: 9 NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should BOAST.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)
Paul is saying that believing our works have anything to do with our salvation and justification is boasting in the sin of PRIDE. A very clear passage! Paul does go on in verse 10 to state we should have good works in love for others after saved by belief on the gift of salvation by belief on Christ, but that is about our walk as a person created in Christ. it does not negate the previous verse 8-9 that works do not save us nor keep us saved.
“O FOOLISH Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not OBEY THE TRUTH, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, CRUCIFIED AMONG YOU? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing OF FAITH? 3 Are ye so FOOLISH? having begun IN THE SPIRIT, are ye now made perfect BY THE FLESH? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the WORKS OF THE LAW, or by the hearing OF FAITH? 6 Even as Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was ACCOUNTED TO HIM for righteousness.” (Galatians 3:1-6 KJV)
Through what Spirit? Paul taught, through our born again Spirit with the Holy Spirit indwelling us and having had sealed us the moment we believed on Christ for righteousness.
“IN WHOM YE ALSO TRUSTED, after that ye heard the word of truth, THE GOSPEL OF YOUR SALVATION: in whom also AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED, YE WERE SEALED with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14 KJV)
Jesus’ half brother James wrote the same,
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and YET OFFEND AT ONE POINT, HE IS GUILTY OF ALL.” (James 2:10 KJV)
“And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham BELIEVED GOD, and it was IMPUTED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS: and he was called the Friend of God.” (James 2:23 KJV)
SALVATION IS NOT BY WORKS NOR KEPT BY GOOD WORKS, NOR BY LAW KEEPING
Even ‘many wonderful works’ can end up in condemnation (Matthew 7:21-23) unless a person is born again in the Spirit by believing who Jesus is; THE CHRIST (John 3:14-18, John 6:37-40) who paid for the sins of the whole world on the cross (1 John 2:2), a once for all blood sacrifice in payment for our sins (Hebrews 10:10).
Lordship Salvation Is False. Good Works Matter After Salvation – But Not To Remain Saved
Once we are created in Christ with a new Born Again Spirit (Eph. 2:10) with the Holy Spirit indwelling us and we should have good works. Our core being has been completely changed! We are Heaven ready, all sins forgiven, made the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21) from the very belief on Christ for salvation and righteousness (Eph 1:13-14).
Jesus will reward us for our good works after salvation (1 Cor. 3). I think some read the Scriptures and do not see the proper context of passages regarding rewards and mixing them with salvation passages. They mix together Scriptures that are verses about our eternal UNION with Christ and our DAILY WALK with Christ after being saved. Yet, they are separate meanings based on the context.
Salvation Is Not A Reward (by our works). Salvation Is An Inheritance Which Is Freely Given By Spiritual Birth Into The Family Of God
The truth is that salvation itself is not a reward; it is an inheritance (1 Peter 1:3-4) for all whosoever will believe on Christ alone for our justification and salvation. A person born physically is not a child of God, they are a creation of God. Only when a person believes on Christ alone and accepts the free gift of salvation does a person become born again in The Spirit and then become part of God’s family, which is a Spirit nature. John stated this clearly,
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” (John 1:2 KJV)