Why Raise Up The Wicked From The Dead?

I [also] saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is [the Book] of Life. And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done [their whole way of feeling and acting, their aims and endeavors] in accordance with what was recorded in the books. And the sea delivered up the dead who were in it, death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) surrendered the dead in them, and all were tried and their cases determined by what they had done [according to their motives, aims, and works]. Revelation 20:12-13

The way that these verses were always preached to me went something like this. Our Father sent these wicked people’s souls to Hades to be tormented and suffer for their disobedience. Hades does nothing to change them, it only is a place of torment and suffering for them. Then when our Father returns to the earth, after the Millennial Reign of Christ, He raises these souls up and reunites them with their physical bodies. They will stand before our Father, they will be judged guilty, and then their bodies and souls will be thrown into the Lake of Fire to suffer for all of eternity.

Let me ask you a couple of questions, is our Father really this mean? Is He that cruel? Is that how He deals with you? Is this how He tells us to deal with the wicked now? The Truth is that our Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He never changes, Hebrews 13:8. Do we ever read in the Bible where our Father tortured people for vast periods of time or where He tells us to? We are shown that He does show wrath, but His punishment was always quick, just look at Sodom and Gomorra. Even the plagues on Egypt happened quickly, our Father didn’t torment the people of Egypt for years and years. We are shown that the Great Tribulation will only last for 3 1/2 years, Revelation 12:6. Yet we are so often told to believe that simply because people don’t believe our Father, that He is going to cause them, body and soul, to be tormented and suffer for all of eternity. That goes against everything that the Bible actually shows us about our Father and it sure goes against the way that He has always treated me. Do we ever see Jesus, who is our Father in the flesh, tormenting the wicked? What we do see is Him healing them, feeding them, teaching them, and loving them. He knew that they were going to kill Him, yet He still served them. Why would He change?

Doesn’t this better fit our Father’s personality? He loves everyone even those who don’t believe Him, John 3:16. Hades is a place of correction, not just a place of suffering. Jesus tells us in Luke 16:27-3 that Hades actually changes peoples hearts. The ruler in Jesus’ parable began to think of others and actually wanted Lazarus to be raised up from the dead to become a prophet. Doesn’t it make more sense that when these souls are raised up out of Hades and reunited with their bodies, that they are allowed to be forgiven and then allowed to stay as guests for the Wedding Supper of the Lamb, because Hades actually accomplished something in changing them?

The Wedding Banquet of the Lamb is going to be filled with people, both with good people and with those who were bad, Matthew 22:10. The only ones not permitted to stay is going to be those who committed blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The Bible even teaches us that these people will just consume away as smoke, Psalm 37:20, they are not tormented forever.

This is a short blog entry. Be as the people of Berea were with Paul and search the scriptures and you will see that the Word points towards far more people being able to be with Jesus for all of eternity. Some as His Bride and some as His guests.

Philippians 1:28

28 And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God.

How is it that we can be fearless? 

Anyone who confesses (acknowledges, owns) that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides (lives, makes His home) in him and he [abides, lives, makes his home] in God. And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him. In this [union and communion with Him] love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him], because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love's complete perfection]. 1 John 4:15-18

Our Father is continually in us and so His Love is continually in us. Our Father’s Love is what allows us to love those who hate us. His Love causes us to bless those that curse us. God’s Love is never harsh or brutal or unforgiving, even towards those that would like to do us harm.

For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. Ephesians 6:12

Our Father’s Love does not prove to us that those who come against us will be destroyed. It is proof to us that the sin within them will be destroyed. People who seek revenge and who desire to get even are never happy and confident, they are bitter. But our Father’s Love causes us to know beyond any shadow of a doubt that those who do us harm will be set free and the evil within them will be destroyed and the person will be set free. Love insures us that all things, even attacks against us, will all work out for good.

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. Romans 8:28

Ephesians 5:1 Part 2

1 THEREFORE BE imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father].

Jesus also told us to be perfect, even as our Father in Heaven is perfect.

You, therefore, must be perfect [growing into complete maturity of godliness in mind and character, having reached the proper height of virtue and integrity], as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48

Think about what the Holy Spirit is repeatedly telling us through the Word. We are plainly told that we are one with God, so we should act like it. We are told that we should imitate God and that we should be perfect as God. Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of our Father, Romans 10:17. How many sermons have you heard preached that we are one with God right now through Christ, so we should walk just as our Father walks? Many believe that we are somehow blaspheming our Father when we even dare to hope that we could live as powerfully and perfectly as He lives. There a lot of people who I know that believe that we have to wait until we get to Heaven to have any real power at all. The Truth is that we don’t have to wait and the Truth sets us free and the Truth is that today is the day of our salvation and now is our accepted time, 2 Corinthians 6:2. Today we are one with our Father and through Christ we are perfectly united with Him, so today is the day that we are one with all of His power and abilities, Ephesians 3:20. Today our Father can use us to do even greater works than He did through Himself when He was here as Jesus.

I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. John 14:12

We should encourage each other daily with the Truth that our Father will use us in all of the fulness of His power. Today time no longer matters for us, just as it does not matter to our Father. Today we are in this world, but we are not of this world. Today we will be used by our Father to heal the sick, raise the dead, forgive sins, prophesy Truth, and set the captives free. Freely we have been made to be one with all of the power of God and freely we will be used by Him share it. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father Who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

This Thanksgiving we have been empowered with the Holy Spirit of our Father to go into all of the world and serve all of the needs of all of the people. We have been empowered to forgive sins, heal the sick, preach the Truth, give, and intercede for others in the full and complete power of our Lord. We are never left alone and we are always more than conquerors through Him. There is not one demon or devil that can stand against the power of our Father’s Love that flows freely from us. There is not one sickness that can stand against the Grace of our Father that has been bestowed upon us. The power of our Father is always greater in us then anything that is in this world. 

This Thanksgiving we have been empowered by God to not just to talk about what we are thankful for, but to go and be used by Him to show it to the world. In His might we will be taken to Iran, North Korea, New York, Pakistan, Egypt, Israel, San Francisco, London, Syria, and every other country, tribe, and tongue. We will be used to tell the Truth that will set the world free. We are one with our Father, just as Jesus is One with Him. 

In the Love and power of Jesus, this Thanksgiving we will forgive all sin. The Grace that has been so freely given to us, we too will freely give. It doesn’t matter either whether the people ask for it, want it, or even believe that they receive it. Through Christ we give it and the people will have it! Through Christ we don’t just talk about being thankful, we take action and show it! 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. This is the day of our salvation and now is our appointed time! 

Ephesians 1:4-6

⁴ Even as [in His love] He chose us [actually picked us out for Himself as His own] in Christ before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy (consecrated and set apart for Him) and blameless in His sight, even above reproach, before Him in love.

⁵ For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent]—

⁶ [So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

An awful lot of people shy away from predestination and for the life of me I don’t know why? The same people will tell you that our Father knows the beginning and the end. They will also tell you that He is the Potter and that He is the Head. So why is there all of this shyness with predestination? Our Father controls everything, Colossians 1:16. He knows everything and He has a purpose and a plan for everything, so of course He had to predestine everything. But to help people along with this glorious and absolutely freeing Truth, here are some other scriptures.

 For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. Ephesians 2:10

Declaring the end and the result from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure and purpose, Isaiah 46:10

For in this city there actually met and plotted together against Your holy Child and Servant Jesus, Whom You consecrated by anointing, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and peoples of Israel, To carry out all that Your hand and Your will and purpose had predestined (predetermined) should occur. Acts 4:27-28

But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart [even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor and blessing), saw fit and was pleased. To reveal (unveil, disclose) His Son within me so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles (the non-Jewish world) as the glad tidings (Gospel), immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood [did not consult or counsel with any frail human being or communicate with anyone]. Galatians 1:15-16

Your eyes saw my unformed substance, and in Your book all the days [of my life] were written before ever they took shape, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:16

O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. Jeremiah 10:23

For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being]. Romans 8:29-30

Revelation 22:8-12

8 And I, John, am he who heard and witnessed these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell prostrate before the feet of the messenger (angel) who showed them to me, to worship him. 

9 But he said to me, Refrain! [You must not do that!] I am [only] a fellow servant along with yourself and with your brethren the prophets and with those who are mindful of and practice [the truths contained in] the messages of this book. Worship God! 

Once again, no bowing to anyone but our Father and our Lord. We are repeatedly shown that we are not to bow to any person!

10 And he [further] told me, Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book and make no secret of them, for the time when things are brought to a crisis and the period of their fulfillment is near. 

Again we are shown to not shy away from the Book of Revelation. Jesus will lead us to go and share it, to read it aloud, and to study it. There is a wonderful blessing in doing so and Jesus will make sure that we do openly share His revelation!

11 He who is unrighteous (unjust, wicked), let him be unrighteous still; and he who is filthy (vile, impure), let him be filthy still; and he who is righteous (just, upright, in right standing with God), let him do right still; and he who is holy, let him be holy still.

We are told that our Father is in total control. If we are called and chosen, He will cause us to be righteous and holy. If we are not chosen, we can never be holy, regardless of what we do. Our Father holds all of the power. We are only born again by His will, John 1:13. 

12 Behold, I am coming soon, and I shall bring My wages and rewards with Me, to repay and render to each one just what his own actions and his own work merit. 

Thank God the saved are now dead in Christ and our works are now Jesus’ works through us, and Jesus merits a great reward! Jesus is the Author and the Finisher of our faith and we can do nothing without Him. Jesus does the works through us and we receive the rewards. 

Now there are many people who will use this verse to tell us that we must fear and work our little tails off or we are doomed. The first thing to remember is that our righteousness is as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. Jesus said that there was nothing good in Him and only that the Father was good, Mark 10:18. And our Father tells us that He made all of us to be disobedient, so that He may have mercy on all of us alike.

For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Romans 11:32

Our own actions and our own merits all merit grace and mercy and that is exactly what we will all receive! 

Revelation 22:1-3

1THEN HE showed me the river whose waters give life, sparkling like crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb 

We shall be as Jesus is, so these waters are not for us, they are for the people who live outside of the city. 

2 Through the middle of the broadway of the city; also, on either side of the river was the tree of life with its twelve varieties of fruit, yielding each month its fresh crop; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing and the restoration of the nations. 

We are shown here that it is our Father’s provisions that now keep the nations healthy and whole, it is no longer commerce and governments, or another words Babylon. Isn’t it cool to see that there still will be nations when the New Jerusalem and Earth are brought into being. The question is why would the nations need restoration? Why would they need to be restored if the only people who were left here were ourselves and those who were alive and did not side with satan when he was released from the abyss? The reason that the nations need to be restored is because millions upon millions of people will have been raised up from Hades and they need to be brought into the Light. The Bride doesn’t need restored and those who lived and flourished during the Millennial Reign of Christ don’t need restored, but those who have just been raised up from Hades will need to be and amen they will be. 

3 There shall no longer exist there anything that is accursed (detestable, foul, offensive, impure, hateful, or horrible). But the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall worship Him [pay divine honors to Him and do Him holy service].

After the Millennial of Jesus, there will be no more sin, there will be no more separation from our Father, and all people will be able to see our Father’s face. He will no longer be shrouded in a cloud of covering. Everything will be pure after Judgment Day. Verse 3 is just another great scripture that shows us that the sin of the lost will no longer exist. The shortcomings of man were nothing but foul, offensive, impure, hateful, and horrible. Nothing that has been a curse for man will be around any longer after Judgment Day. All men will finally be able to understand and see that our Father dwells with them. Wicked men will no longer exist, because all wickedness will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. The chaff of men, or their wickedness, will have been removed and burned, not the men, but the sin of the men. This is why we are shown that people will be restored.  

Revelation 21:1-3

1 THEN I saw a new sky (heaven) and a new earth, for the former sky and the former earth had passed away (vanished), and there no longer existed any sea. 

There are many in religion who teach that the Lake of Fire is the earth and Heaven being burned up. But remember that the anti-christ and the false prophet were cast into the Lake of Fire a thousand years before this is all happening here in Chapter 21 of Revelation! So the Lake of Fire has to be another thing that exists in another place. 

2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, all arrayed like a bride beautified and adorned for her husband; 

3 Then I heard a mighty voice from the throne and I perceived its distinct words, saying, See! The abode of God is with men, and He will live (encamp, tent) among them; and they shall be His people, and God shall personally be with them and be their God.

We are shown here that we are forever with our Father and that He is forever with us. The Truth is that He has always been with us, so it must just become clear to all that He is, Colossians 1:16. We have been empowered with the Holy Spirit to know this now, but many don’t know this Truth, so this is when it becomes clear to all, Micah 4:2. 

Notice that we are told that the abode of God is now with men! Jesus does not tell John the abode of our Father is with only saved men, or only His children, or only righteous men. The Voice clearly tells us men, all men! Don’t add to or take away from what Jesus shows us here. We will see why this is so important later in this Chapter.

Verse 3 ties right in with Jesus’ parable of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Matthew  22:11-12. Our Father is the King in Jesus’ parable and He returns to live with the people. 

I want you to remember what John taught us about the Bride of Christ. When this is all happening, we are no longer men. 

Beloved, we are [even here and] now God’s children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [as God’s children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is. 1 John 3:2

Just as Jesus is no longer a man, neither will we be. There will be men when our Father reveals Himself completely. Just as Jesus told us that there are guests at the Wedding Feast.  

Romans 7:5

5 When we were living in the flesh (mere physical lives), the sinful passions that were awakened and aroused up by [what] the Law [makes sin] were constantly operating in our natural powers (in our bodily organs, in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh), so that we bore fruit for death.

The important Truth here in verse 5 is that the Holy Spirit writes that when we were in the flesh. He does not have Paul write that these passions are in our flesh now. I have found that most people still believe that we are limited by our flesh. They believe that our spirits are somehow the only things that our Father sent Jesus to deal with. How weak would salvation be if our Father knew that there was nothing good in our flesh and then He did nothing about it?

And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God]; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 1 Thessalonians 5:23

    

And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall heed My ordinances and do them. Ezekiel 36:27

We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin. Romans 6:6

Jesus came so that we could be one with Him right now, even while we are on this earth and even though we possess flesh. We are right now completely one with Jesus, John 17:23. How can Jesus be connected to sin, when He has died to sin once and for all, Romans 6:10? So it is impossible for us to still have a sin nature in our flesh and be one with Christ. 

Also notice what our Father tells us here in Romans 7:5, that the Law awakened and aroused a sinful attitude in us. I know that most people do not believe this, but it is the Truth, our Father made man to want to do what we are told not to do. He did this so that none of us could ever depend on ourselves. We were made to depend on our Father being greater in us. We were made to need Christ, John 15:5. 

For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Romans 11:32

Romans 6:6

6 We know that our old (unrenewed) self was nailed to the cross with Him in order that [our] body [which is the instrument] of sin might be made ineffective and inactive for evil, that we might no longer be the slaves of sin.

    

Do you believe that people really know what our Father tells us here? Do they really know that their flesh is now ineffective for evil? Do people really know that they are no longer slaves to sin? I can tell you from my experiences is that most people do not believe this glorious Truth and they often times will aggressively attack it when it is told to them. But amen, it is the Truth. Jesus came and was sacrificed for our shortcomings. He was raised from the dead and that work was far, far, greater then any evil work our flesh has done or will ever do! Jesus deprived sin of any opportunity to take us away from Him. 

Jesus was successful in removing any law that could ever convict us of a sin, Romans 8:1-4, Romans 10:3-4, Galatians 2:16-21, and Galatians 3:10-14. Jesus came and was successful in implementing grace and grace is all undeserved and all unearned. Our righteousness is as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. Our best is sin. Even Jesus said that His Own flesh wasn’t good enough, Mark 10:18. So if Jesus’ flesh wasn’t good enough, how could ours be? Our Father knew who and how we were, so He gave a sacrifice and that sacrifice secured our eternal life with Him through Christ. There is no sin in Christ and we are now in Christ, John 17:23.

I was asked yesterday if this is true, why is there a Hell? That is a great question, why is there a Hell, if Christ now has all flesh and has given eternal life to all flesh, John 17:2?  There is a Hell because that is where our Father throws things that are to cease to be, Revelation 20:14. Once something is thrown into Hell, it ceases to be, it can never come back. Our Father will throw death and Hades and all that has to do with them into Hell, or the Lake of Fire, and they will forever cease to be. Our Father will throw satan and the fallen angels into Hell and they never come back, Revelation 19:20 and Revelation 20:10. There will also be at least one person thrown into the Lake of Fire, Matthew 22:13. Jesus tells us in John 17:12 that He has only lost one person that He has been given and that one person is Judas. There is a Hell, but no one is there yet, because Judgment Day has not yet occurred. Hell exists for our Father to end things.   

But amen, there are far less things ended then most of us believe. Because as we have studied where sin abounds, grace much more abounds, Romans 5:20. Our Father is not so insecure that He will destroy people because they don’t believe Him. Actually the Truth is that we can only believe Him because He first empowers us to believe Him, 1 Corinthians 12:3. Grace tells us that people are still blessed even though they do not believe. We are told to bless those who curse us, Luke 6:28. We are told to feed our enemies, Romans 12:20, and we are told to always forgive, Matthew 18:22. This is how our Father is and this is how He is through us and He never changes, Hebrews 13:8. Grace saves us, not our works, thank God that is True!  

Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the Truth that will set them free, our Father's grace will accept nothing less. 

Romans 5:15-19

15 But God's free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man's falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God's grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many.

    

Look at what our Father had written: His grace is profoundly out of proportion to Adams sin! Our Father’s grace abounds towards us, it overflows to us, and it it is all underserved. Grace is underserved, it cannot be earned, there is nothing that we do to get it. We can’t even do the work of believing that we have it. So many believe that grace has to be accepted to be enjoyed, that is rubbish. If that were true then grace would be earned. The people who killed Jesus didn’t believe or accept His grace when He said that they were for forgiven. But amen, they all were forgiven.   

For God has consigned (penned up) all men to disobedience, only that He may have mercy on them all [alike]. Romans 11:32

Our Father will have mercy on all of us, not just those of us who accept His mercy. 

16 Nor is the free gift at all to be compared to the effect of that one [man's] sin. For the sentence [following the trespass] of one [man] brought condemnation, whereas the free gift [following] many transgressions brings justification (an act of righteousness).

17 For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

Notice that those of us who are empowered to receive our Father’s grace now will reign as King’s. Our Father tells us about His Bride here. All men alike are going to receive our Father’s mercy, but not all men will reign as King’s. 

18 Well then, as one man's trespass [one man's false step and falling away led] to condemnation for all men, so one Man's act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God and life for all men.

    

Read what our Father had written here, Jesus’ act lead to the acquittal and right standing of all men. Jesus was extremely successful on the Cross. 

19 For just as by one man's disobedience (failing to hear, heedlessness, and carelessness) the many were constituted sinners, so by one Man's obedience the many will be constituted righteous (made acceptable to God, brought into right standing with Him).

Adam’s disobedience led to the many, or all, to be sinner’s. So for Jesus’ act of obedience to be more successful then Adam’s act, all must be constituted righteous. Jesus was that successful, He has not and will not loose any of us and He will cause all of us to have life and have it more abundantly. Grace is all undeserved. We do not have to accept it to get it. Some of us are empowered by the Holy Spirit to accept it now, some of us will be empowered later. But all men will enjoy the gracious and free gift of our Father’s grace. 

Romans 5:12-13

12 Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned.

    

13 [To be sure] sin was in the world before ever the Law was given, but sin is not charged to men's account where there is no law [to transgress].

Here is a Truth that so many in religion fail to realize: our Father does not charge sin against anyone when there is no law. Take hold of this Truth, it will set you free from all guilt and condemnation. 

Likewise, my brethren, you have undergone death as to the Law through the [crucified] body of Christ, so that now you may belong to Another, to Him Who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4

But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment [to express itself], got a hold on me and aroused and stimulated all kinds of forbidden desires (lust, covetousness). For without the Law sin is dead [the sense of it is inactive and a lifeless thing]. Romans 7:8

For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death. Romans 8:1-2

For Christ is the end of the Law [the limit at which it ceases to be, for the Law leads up to Him Who is the fulfillment of its types, and in Him the purpose which it was designed to accomplish is fulfilled. That is, the purpose of the Law is fulfilled in Him] as the means of righteousness (right relationship to God) for everyone who trusts in and adheres to and relies on Him. Romans 10:3-4

Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified); Galatians 3:13-14

Here is a link listing all of the New Testament Scriptures that say that there is now no Law: 

web.mac.com/ijn/IJN/Topic_Scriptures/Entries/2009/11/8_No_Law_For_The_Saved.html

The glorious Truth is that there is now no Law to be broken and that means that our Father will never reckon sin against us. 

Blessed and happy and to be envied is the person of whose sin the Lord will take no account nor reckon it against him. Romans 4:8

Romans 5:10-11

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more [certain], now that we are reconciled, that we shall be saved (daily delivered from sin's dominion) through His [resurrection] life.

Notice when we were reconciled to our Father: when we were enemies! We were not reconciled to Him when we were saved, but when we were enemies. Amen that is awesome. So if we were reconciled to our Father when we were enemies, it is a certain thing that sin no longer has any hold on us. Sin is a thing of the past for us, there is nothing that can now separate us from our Father’s love, Romans 8:35-39. 

We have already died to sin, it no longer has any dominion over us, Romans 6:6. We are now as Jesus is, even while we are on this earth, 1 John 4:17. Jesus died to sin once, it can never have any effect on Him again, and we are now as He is, Romans 6:10. To think any other way is a lie, Romans 6:11.  

11 Not only so, but we also rejoice and exultingly glory in God [in His love and perfection] through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received and enjoy [our] reconciliation.

We now enjoy all of the freedom that Jesus enjoys. Now is our accepted time and today is the day of our salvation.

For He says, In the time of favor (of an assured welcome) I have listened to and heeded your call, and I have helped you on the day of deliverance (the day of salvation). Behold, now is truly the time for a gracious welcome and acceptance [of you from God]; behold, now is the day of salvation! 2 Corinthians 6:2

Romans 5:7-9

7 Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a noble and lovable and generous benefactor someone might even dare to die.

8 But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

Amen, the glorious Truth is that our Father does great things for us, even if we are  sinners. You ever hear the statement: “I accepted the Jesus as my Lord?” This is not really what happens, the Truth is our Father chooses us to be the Bride of Christ, we do not choose Him. It is also True that we were chosen to be the Bride before our Father ever created the world, Ephesians 1:4. Our Father attracts and draws us to Him by the power of His Holy Spirit that operates within us, 1 Corinthians 12:3. We were chosen before we ever did any works at all.

And the children were yet unborn and had so far done nothing either good or evil. Even so, in order further to carry out God's purpose of selection (election, choice), which depends not on works or what men can do, but on Him Who calls [them], Romans 9:11

Think about it, sinners have only done bad works and yet Jesus died for them so that He could marry them. Jesus also repeatedly healed sinners even though He knew that they would go sin again. He fed sinners and He constantly ate and fellowshipped with them. Jesus loved hanging out with the sinners and as He did He told them to be wary of the religious people. Our Father’s love and responsibility for us isn’t limited by our works. Our Father has chose those of us who He wants to be the Bride of Christ. Our works do not effect His choice at all. Our works did not save us and they will not un-save us, Galatians 3:3.

I was always told growing up that God cannot bless us past our last act of disobedience,  BULL! Our Father’s correction is a blessing, Hebrews 12:5-7. Everything that we now do works out for the Kingdom’s good and we are part of the Kingdom, Romans 8:28. Could you imagine a life were we were the instruments that initiated God’s blessings? We would fail 100% of the time, it would be a miserable life. Thank God we are blessed beyond expression, regardless of what we do. Even in correction we are blessed. 

    

9 Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ's blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God.

We are righteous and justified by Jesus’ Blood, not by our works. We are saved from our Father’s wrath because we are going to be used by Him to serve up His grace during it. The Lord has used me to post several studies on the Truth that we are justified apart from our works. If you struggle with this glorious Truth, please go and read them. The Truth will set you free! 

Also, please go and read the postings on the guests of the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. Even though only a few of us have been called to be the Bride, does not mean for a second that our Father is going to send the rest to Hell. Eternity is filled with guests! 

Romans 5:6

6 While we were yet in weakness [powerless to help ourselves], at the fitting time Christ died for (in behalf of) the ungodly.

  

There is a powerful Truth here in verse six and it is that we can do nothing on our own.

I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:5

I was raised in a Full Gospel, Tele-evangelists, Mega Church. It was preached to us all of the time that we had to first believe in order for our Father to do anything in our lives. That teaching is so false and it is straight from the mouth of satan. The glorious Truth is that we are always powerless to help ourselves, Romans 11:32. We need Jesus for everything. We need Him for the big things in our life’s, the small things, and everything in between. We can never do anything on our own without Him, especially to first believe. 

Think about when Jesus came, no-one believed Who He was. The Disciples said they did, but they ran away when He was arrested and crucified. They doubted that He could feed the masses, even after they saw Him feed the masses. When Jesus was raised from the dead no one believed Mary when she told them that He had been. Thomas didn’t even believe that Jesus was alive when the other ten Disciples told him and none of the Israelites believed that He was the Lord. Yet even though no one believed, Jesus still died for all of them and He helped them. And He is helping us all today whether we believe that He is or not. 

Look at the sick man at the Pool of Bethesda. When Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed the guy didn’t believe that Jesus could. The sick man only complained to Jesus. He never acknowledged Jesus as Lord. He never even said that he wanted to be healed, yet Jesus healed him, John 5. Jesus acted first and the sick man responded. 

Our Father is never limited by our weakness. He does not need us to first do anything on our own for Him to then act in our life’s. Our Father is The Activator, He does not react. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Jesus is our Shepherd and shepherds lead, they don’t follow. A vine does not react to the branch, a vine first causes the branch to react, and Jesus is our Vine. All things, whether seen or not, exist for and through our Father and all things are for His good pleasure.

For it was in Him that all things were created, in heaven and on earth, things seen and things unseen, whether thrones, dominions, rulers, or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [by His service, intervention] and in and for Him. Colossians 1:16

Romans 5:3-5

3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.

The Bible asks us: how will people hear without a preacher, Romans 10:14? Far too many of us believe that troubles and sufferings come on us because we have done something wrong. That is flat out wrong and we need to preach this Truth! Troubles and sufferings come into our lives so that our Father can become stronger in us. Think about Jesus’ life, what did He do wrong? Jesus was perfect, yet He was constantly afflicted. He healed thousands of people and then they tried to kill Him. They were constantly trying to arrest Him and throw Him into jail. Look at Paul, Peter, John, and James. They were constantly being beaten, imprisoned, and killed and all they were doing was healing people and telling them that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand and that Jesus came so that they could have life and have it more abundantly. 

Paul was sick all of the time, Galatians 4:14. So was Timothy, 1 Timothy 5:23. What did these two do wrong to suffer this? According to Paul what He did was get caught up to the third Heaven and hear powerful things, so our Father sent a messenger of satan to constantly harass him so that he would stay humble, 2 Corinthians 12:7. Paul actually began to rejoice when he was sick and afflicted because he realized that it was making our Father stronger in him, 2 Corinthians 12:10.  

4 And endurance (fortitude) develops maturity of character (approved faith and tried integrity). And character [of this sort] produces [the habit of] joyful and confident hope of eternal salvation.

5 Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us.

We are plainly told in Romans 8:1 that there is now absolutely no condemnation for us who are in Christ. We are never left alone by our Father to do anything on our own. Our Father never leaves us or forsakes us, Hebrews 13:5. Jesus is always our Shepherd, we are never left alone to make a choice, because Jesus is always our Head. The glorious Truth is that we are persecuted and afflicted to cause us to be strong in our Father’s might. 

Here is the Truth: if we are doing things right, it is only because our Father has empowered us to do them right. This is why we cannot boast. So for this to be true, it also has to be true that if we are doing things wrong, it is only because our Father has not yet empowered us to do them right. This is why there is now no condemnation for us. Don’t ever let anyone, including yourself, tell you anything different. So rejoice in all things, even when you are suffering!