Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5:43-47

You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy; But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike]. For if you love those who love you, what reward can you have? Do not even the tax collectors do that?And if you greet only your brethren, what more than others are you doing? Do not even the Gentiles (the heathen) do that? Matthew 5:43-47

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

For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. Matthew 6:14-15

DO NOT judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. Why do you stare from without at the very small particle that is in your brother's eye but do not become aware of and consider the beam of timber that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, Let me get the tiny particle out of your eye, when there is the beam of timber in your own eye? You hypocrite, first get the beam of timber out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the tiny particle out of your brother's eye. Matthew 7:1-5

Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Philippians 2:9-11

9 Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,

Jesus has been given authority over all flesh. He has The Name. He has The Power. He has The Authority.

We also know that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages). Hebrews 13:8

So the question is: did Jesus come to be sacrificed for just a few of us or was He sacrificed for all of us? 

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. Romans 5:15

OK, so we are shown in Romans that Jesus came so that many could have His free gift of righteousness, but just how many?

10 That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 And every tongue frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

[Just as] You have granted Him power and authority over all flesh (all humankind), [now glorify Him] so that He may give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. John 17:2

Jesus came so that every person would be set free and saved from the Lake of Fire, which is Hell. Jesus wasn't sacrificed for just a couple of us or even for just most of us, what type of sacrifice would that be? Jesus is God, so the sacrifice had to be huge. God came and made Himself a sacrifice, you think that it didn’t far outweigh Adam's sin? Jesus allowed Himself to be sacrificed so that all flesh could have eternal life with right along with Him. 

When Jesus was here on the earth 2000 years ago He forgave people who did not ask for forgiveness and He healed people who did not ask to be healed. He feed people who would later kill Him. So on Judgment Day do you really believe that Jesus will change and now begin to damn people? Do you really believe that Jesus would condemn those who He just had bow down to Him? Do you believe that He will begin to act like modern day dictators who kill people for disobeying them?  Think of it, millions of people will all be bowing down confessing Jesus as Lord on Judgment Day, which is what we are told that we must do to be saved, and then Jesus tells them to go to Hell? No, His sacrifice was far more successful then that and that is not what Grace does! 

Jesus Bridged The Chasm To Hades

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who want to pass from this [place] to you may not be able, and no one may pass from there to us. Luke 16:26

For the last several years our Father has really used me to share the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Ruler. The two main things, until yesterday, that our Father had really given me great peace with this parable were that Hades is not just a place of torment, but a place of correction. Hades isn’t a place that our Father uses to get even with people for not living right. We can see this Truth because Jesus tells us that the Ruler begins to care and take thought about others, something that he had not done on this earth. This gives me great hope because Jesus went to Hades to preach to its captives and He set them free, 1 Peter 3:20. If Hades is a place of correction and a place that our Father uses to make people have concern for others, then it is not a given that those who are sent there must then be thrown into the Lake of Fire on Judgment Day. Secondly Jesus never said in the parable that Lazarus was a faithful man, or a believing man, Jesus only told us that because Lazarus had suffered so greatly on this earth, that he was allowed to go directly to paradise, Luke 16:25. This gives me great Hope as well for those who have such a terrible lot in this lifetime, even if they do not confess Jesus as Lord, we have a hope of an eternity of prosperity, health, and peace for these people. Think of all the untold millions who are killed and suffer and have never heard of Jesus. Jesus tells us that they will be taken care of through this parable. 

The thing that religious people have always attacked me on this parable was: Jesus said that the chasm to Hades was too great to bridge. So yesterday, after a religious guy attacked me again, here is what our Father told me. In this parable the Ruler did not call out to Jesus, he called out to Abraham, Luke 16:24. Abraham cannot bridge the chasm, no man can, only Jesus holds the keys to Hades, Revelation 1:18, so only Jesus can bridge the chasm. Not only can Jesus bridge the chasm, He has bridged it. 

In which He went and preached to the spirits in prison, [The souls of those] who long before in the days of Noah had been disobedient, when God’s patience waited during the building of the ark in which a few [people], actually eight in number, were saved through water. 1 Peter 3:19-20

Jesus went to Hades and set the captives free and He also came back from there. The chasm is not too great for Jesus. It is too great for Abraham, but not for our Lord and Savior! We are also told in Revelation 20:13 that Hades will again give up those who are in it on Judgment Day. This is a wonderful Truth, because we are told that on that Day every one will confess Jesus as Lord.

For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise]. Revelation 14:11

This is the time that everyone will call on Jesus. Some of us will have been calling on Him in this world, some may have to be corrected through Hades, but they too will also call on Him. Our Father would that all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth, 1 Timothy 2:4, and because of the power of Jesus they will! 

But if any person’s work is burned up [under the test], he will suffer the loss [of it all, losing his reward], though he himself will be saved, but only as [one who has passed] through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15

Everyone may not be the Bride of Christ in eternity. They may suffer the loss of that reward, but they will be saved from Hell. They will be saved from Hell because they went through the fire of Hades! Our Father has caused me to believe this with all my heart and spirit and He has given me peace with this Truth that passes all understanding and all attacks of men! My prayer is that He does the same for you! 

Also notice how those in paradise have to be restrained from going to those in Hades. Could you imagine being in paradise and your loved ones being in Hades and you knew that they were being punished only to be thrown into the Lake of Fire on Judgment Day? That wouldn't be very much of a paradise would it? But if your knew that it was to bring them to a better place of being, then you could enjoy paradise. 

Man Has No Excuse

For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], Romans 1:20

I had an elder the other day quote this verse to me and tell me that men have no excuses. He told me whether they have heard of Jesus or not, our Father’s handy work is so plain to see, that no man will be able to have an excuse on Judgment Day. He quoted this verse as he spoke of his belief that many will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, because they will have no excuse. 

Here is what our Father showed me as this man spoke. My two children, Kennedy and Lauren, have done many things that were flat out wrong. They had absolutely no excuse for why they did them either. There was no denying that they had no excuse, yet that did not mean that my responsibility as their father, their provider, their teacher, and their protecter ended. It only meant that they had no excuse for messing up. 

The same glorious Truth will hold true on Judgment Day. Many will stand before Jesus, the One Who has been given all of the responsibility of Judging, John 5:22, and they will have done many wrong things. They will have no excuse for why they did what they have done, yet their actions will not nullify Grace, it will only magnify it!

But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God’s unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded, Romans 5:20

There was no excuse for the woman who was caught committing adultery, John 8:3, yet there was forgiveness. There was no excuse for Peter denying Jesus, Matthew 26:34, yet there was forgiveness. The sick man on the mat had no excuse, Mark 2:5, and he did not even ask for forgiveness, yet that did not stop Jesus from giving him. The Pharisees and Scribes knew the scriptures. They had personally seen Jesus’ miracles. They had no excuse for torturing and killing Jesus and yet they still were forgiven, Luke 23:34. The Truth is that none of us has an excuse for the things we do wrong, yet that in no way stops Jesus from freely giving us Grace.

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

Revelation 22:13-15

13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last (the Before all and the End of all).

Jesus is the End of it All. Which means that Jesus, our Groom, is the completion of love. He is the completion of sacrifice, of faith, of hope, and of interceding on the behalf of others. Jesus ever lives to intercede for all that He has been given, so that they might be saved to the uttermost, Hebrews 7:25. This is not just Jesus being arrogant here, this is Jesus telling us that He will cause all things to come to pass to carry out our Father’s will of Grace. This is our peace that regardless of what we think, Jesus is in complete and total control. 

14 Blessed (happy and to be envied) are those who cleanse their garments, that they may have the authority and right to [approach] the tree of life and to enter through the gates into the city.

We were just shown that the Tree of Life is for the healing and restoration of the nations. The Bride does not need restored. So blessed are those who are not the Bride of Christ, who are allowed to eat of the Tree of Life and live with our Father forever. This is a blessing for the guests of the Bride, Matthew 22. These people who are raised up at the end of the Millennial Reign of Christ will cleanse their garments with the Blood of Christ and be allowed to stay. 

15 [But] without are the dogs and those who practice sorceries (magic arts) and impurity [the lewd, adulterers] and the murderers and idolaters and everyone who loves and deals in falsehood (untruth, error, deception, cheating). 

There will be no more sin after Judgment Day, so there will be no more sinners. Our Father will make everything new and all of the pain, sorrow, and misery that came with sin will be gone. This does not mean that people who did these things are in Hell suffering as we are partying. It means that the world, the nations, the sinners, those raised up from Hades have been restored and healed. Jesus’ sacrifice is that strong and it is that powerful. Think of the worst person that you know of and yes, even that persons sin’s are covered by Jesus’ Blood. 

Revelation 21:4

4 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away.

Here is the Truth about the Lake of Fire being an eternal suffering place for the unsaved. We have been shown that our Father will make His abode among men, remember Jesus said men, not just saved men. We are shown that our Father wipes away every tear from men, there is no more death with men, there is no anguish among men, no sorrow, mourning, grief, or pain among men. We are shown plainly that the old conditions will pass away. So all pain, grief, sorrow, anguish, mourning, and tears shall be done away with after Judgment Day. If this verse is true, what are men suffering in the Lake of Fire? All of these things have passed away from mankind, not just saved men. If someone is thrown into the Lake of Fire, do they become something other than a human?

The Truth is the Lake of Fire destroys spirit, soul, and body. Anyone or anything that is thrown into the Lake of fire is totally done away with. This is why Jesus told us that we are to fear Him Who is able to destroy body and soul, Matthew 10:28. We are only shown that satan, the anti-christ, and the false prophet suffer eternally in the Lake of Fire, and they do, because they are not human! 

It is a great study, and I highly recommend that you do it. Go and read just what the Bible teaches on the eternity of Hell and the lost. If the lost were to suffer eternally, it would be a suffering that did not include tears, pain, mourning, grief, or anguish. And they would have eternal life, and Jesus tells us that the only way that a person could have eternal life was to be born again of Him, John 6:51. There cannot be an eternity in the Lake of Fire for men and these verses still be true.

As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol (the place of the dead) shall come up no more. Job 7:9

Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them. They cannot even deliver themselves from the power of the flame [much less deliver the nation]. There is no coal for warming or fire before which to sit! Isaiah 47:14

Such people will pay the penalty and suffer the punishment of everlasting ruin (destruction and perdition) and eternal exclusion and banishment from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 2 Thessalonians 1:9 (Our Father is Omnipotent. How can someone be cast out of His presence? They only can if they cease to be.) 

FOR BEHOLD, the day comes that shall burn like an oven, and all the proud and arrogant, yes, and all that do wickedly and are lawless, shall be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. Malachi 4:1

Revelation 20:9-12

9 And they swarmed up over the broad plain of the earth and encircled the fortress (camp) of God's people (the saints) and the beloved city; but fire descended from heaven and consumed them. [II Kings 1:10-12; Ezek. 38:2, 22.] 

10 Then the devil who had led them astray [deceiving and seducing them] was hurled into the fiery lake of burning brimstone, where the beast and false prophet were; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (through the ages of the ages). 

The devil is thrown into the Lake of Fire where the anti-christ and false prophet are. Notice that only these three are mentioned as suffering and being tormented forever and ever. Keep this in mind as we study on. 

11 Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 

12 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. 

The dead are raised back to life here to be judged. Think about it, not just those who died before and during the Great Tribulation are raised here, but those who lived and died during the 1,000 year reign of Christ, are also raised back to life. Death will not have been thrown into the Lake of Fire during the Millennial Reign of Christ. All of the dead will be raised and judged. If it was a given that all would be judged guilty of Hell, then why have the Books opened. Why raise these people, only to throw them back to the Lake of Fire?

These verses tie right in with Jesus’ parable of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Matthew 22. In Jesus’ parable He tells us something very interesting and it is this: when our Father comes to the earth, which is happening here in Revelation 20, He only finds one man not worthy to stay, Matthew 22:11-13. Ask yourself this question, why did Jesus only tell us one man wasn’t allowed to stay, if it were true that all of the dead who are raised will be found guilty of Hell? Jesus tells us that both the good and bad are here when our Father returns, Matthew 22:10. Yet Jesus tells us that only one is not allowed to stay? 

Grace tells us that people are judged innocent, regardless of what they have done. Grace is all free and it is all undeserved. Jesus has been given all flesh and He tells us that He will not lose any that He has been given, except one, Judas, John 17:12. People will be judged, but not to see if they will be thrown into Hell or not, but to see where they stand in eternity. There will be those who were first now and they will be judged to be last for eternity. There will be those who were last, that will be judged to be first, Mark 10:31. Read Micah Chapter 4 and you will see that there will be nations of people who finally come to understand that Jesus is Lord. Jesus wins and He wins huge! Not everyone is a Bride of Christ, there are many guests of ours at the Wedding celebration. Matthew 22:10.    

Revelation 19:1-2

1 AFTER THIS I heard what sounded like a mighty shout of a great crowd in heaven, exclaiming, Hallelujah (praise the Lord)! Salvation and glory (splendor and majesty) and power (dominion and authority) [belong] to our God! 

John heard a great crowd rejoicing in Heaven. He heard all of the angels, all of the created beings, and all of the souls of the chosen who have died. John heard that they all agree and rejoice with what is going on. Just because we may die in the flesh does not mean for one second that our spirits are not actively participating in the affairs of our Father’s Kingdom, Revelation 6:9-10. 

2 Because His judgments (His condemnation and punishment, His sentences of doom) are true and sound and just and upright. He has judged (convicted, pronounced sentence, and doomed) the great and notorious harlot (idolatress) who corrupted and demoralized and poisoned the earth with her lewdness and adultery (idolatry). And He has avenged (visited on her the penalty for) the blood of His servants at her hand. 

Notice that our Father condemns the harlot, not that He condemned to destruction those who had affairs with the harlot. Think of how the love of money has corrupted so many in the world throughout all of the centuries. Then think of the freedom that we now have by being as our Father is, even while we are on this earth. Our Father doesn’t go and buy what He needs or wants, He speaks it into existence and now His children will live forevermore as He is, 1 John 4:17. Nothing is put before our relationship with our Father. Those who follow after Babylon will suffer loss for their wickedness, but they will be saved as those who have passed through the fire, 1 Corinthians 3:15. But those who are chosen by our Father to be in Christ will have peace that passes all understanding, because we are more than conquerors through Christ, and because of Him our joy is full, John 15:11. Because of Jesus we have peace that passes all understanding, Philippians 4:7. Also because we have been chosen and given all of this, much will be expected of us, Luke 12:48. We will be required to serve, or rule and reign, with our Lord forever, Revelation 20:4. 

The point can be made here again, that the harlot is not just one single church. Why would our Father bestow His wrath on the world, when the world does not participate in just one church? But the world does participate in the love of money and corrupt power. The world is drunk with the wine of greed and ego. These things are the Harlot and they will all be utterly destroyed by the wrath of our Father. Our Father will not destroy us, the wheat, but He will destroy the chaff, the unusable stuff in our life’s, Luke 3:17.

Revelation 14:14-18

14 Again I looked, and behold, [I saw] a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud One resembling a Son of Man, with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp scythe (sickle) in His hand.

15 And another angel came out of the temple sanctuary, calling with a mighty voice to Him Who was sitting upon the cloud, Put in Your scythe and reap, for the hour has arrived to gather the harvest, for the earth's crop is fully ripened.

16 So He Who was sitting upon the cloud swung His scythe (sickle) on the earth, and the earth's crop was harvested. 

17 Then another angel came out of the temple [sanctuary] in heaven, and he also carried a sharp scythe (sickle). 

18 And another angel came forth from the altar, [the angel] who has authority and power over fire, and he called with a loud cry to him who had the sharp scythe (sickle), Put forth your scythe and reap the fruitage of the vine of the earth, for its grapes are entirely ripe.

The wheat and the tares have been allowed to live together until this point in time and now it is finished! The tares shall be burned first and then the wheat will be gathered up to be with Jesus, Matthew 13:25-41. The testimony of Jesus has been presented with such power and clarity during these last 3 1/2 years that no one could deny it. The perfect church without spot, wrinkle, or blemish, fully mature and fully empowered, with no sin has been testifying the Truth that sets the world free, Ephesians 5:27.

The truly saved will be called and chosen first, before the final hour is allowed to arrive. The world will not be allowed to end until all who our Father has chosen can be born again. Then as soon as the last child of God is born, we are caught up to be with our Lord. This happens when the last trumpet is sounded, 1 Corinthians 15:52. And when the Seventh Trumpet, the last trumpet, sounds Jesus returns, Revelation 11:15. Those who are gathered together for battle against Jesus by the three loathsome spirits at Armageddon will be destroyed with fire that flows from His mouth, Revelation 16:12-24. Those who have taken the mark of the beast and have fully joined with the anti-christ will be completely destroyed at this time. 

Think of something here though. There will be those who never took the mark of the beast, who were never gathered to Armageddon, who were not killed by the effects of our Father’s wrath, and also who were never saved. These people will be left on the earth and these people will be who we rule and reign over with Jesus for 1000 years! We were shown at the beginning of Revelation that Jesus rules with a rod of iron during this time, do we ever read of Jesus speaking of ruling His Bride with a rod of iron? We will also read about the nations of the earth bringing their wealth into the Holy City. Who are these people if not those who are left after Armageddon? It cannot be the chosen who bring the wealth of the nations in, because we live with Jesus in the Holy City. We will see more of this later in Revelation, but the Truth is there will be people left besides the saved for the Millennial Reign of Christ.

Revelation 14:11 Part 2

11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night--these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him.

This is a great place to go and study the Truth about Hell. Many will use verse 11 to teach that people who are sent to Hell will suffer for all of eternity, because our Father had it written that “the smoke of their torment ascends forever.” This teaching is false and once our Father teaches you the Truth about Hell, it will remove a great deal of fear and dread that so many in religion try and place on us. 

Hell is very real. In Revelation it is called the Lake of Fire. Death and Hades will be thrown into it, Revelation 20:14. The angels that rebelled will be thrown into it, 2 Peter 2:4. The anti-christ and the false prophet will be thrown into it and those who take the mark of the beast will be thrown into it. The Bible is very clear about these. But here is the thing, just because the smoke rises forever, does that mean that the people who are thrown into it suffer forever? Here are some verses that address it.

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. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away. Revelation 21:1-4

But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs [that is consumed in smoke] and as the glory of the pastures. They shall vanish; like smoke shall they consume away. Psalm 37:20

FOR BEHOLD, the day comes that shall burn like an oven, and all the proud and arrogant, yes, and all that do wickedly and are lawless, shall be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. Malachi 4:1

And you shall tread down the lawless and wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 4:3

Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them. They cannot even deliver themselves from the power of the flame [much less deliver the nation]. There is no coal for warming or fire before which to sit! Isaiah 47:14

As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away, so he who goes down to Sheol (the place of the dead) shall come up no more. Job 7:9

Drought and heat consume the snow waters; so does Sheol (the place of the dead) those who have sinned. Job 24:19

Such people will pay the penalty and suffer the punishment of everlasting ruin (destruction and perdition) and eternal exclusion and banishment from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 2 Thessalonians 1:9

There is a Hell and our Father tells us that some people will be thrown into it. My hope is that it is only one person as Jesus alluded to in His parable of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Matthew 22:11 and John 17:12. The things and people that are thrown into the Lake of Fire cannot suffer forever because our Father does away with all suffering when He comes. Their punishment is eternal, these people can not come back into being, that is why the smoke of Hell is eternal. Those who are cast into the Lake of Fire are eternally cast out of the presence of the Lord, Who is omnipotent, so they have to just cease to be, or our Lord would not be omnipotent. So there is a Hell and the punishment is eternal, but the idea of the people who are thrown into it being eternally aware and tormented does not fit with the scriptures about Hell. Nor does it fit with what we have ever seen from our Lord, Who alone holds the Keys of Hell, Revelation 1:18, and Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8.  

Revelation 13:8

8 And all the inhabitants of the earth will fall down in adoration and pay him homage, everyone whose name has not been recorded in the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain [in sacrifice] from the foundation of the world. 

Everyone will worship the anti-christ, everyone except those who have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, those who have been empowered, and those who are chosen to be one with Jesus. We are one with our Father and our Father bows to no one. We are God’s body, empowered with our Father’s Strength; we will be lights shinning brightly on the sides of the hills. We will still be the salt of the earth even during the Great Tribulation, Matthew 5:13. We will still lay hands on the sick and they will recover, the gifts of the Spirit will operate through us in their full power and demonstration for all to see, Mark 16:15.

Now here is an interesting point, Jesus shows us that there is a book called the Lamb’s Book of Life and we are also shown in Revelation 3:5, and several other places in the New Testament,   that there is also a Book of Life. I have always heard that the two Books are the same. But the more that our Father shows me I believe that there are two distinct Books: One For the Bride of Christ and one for the Guests of the Bride. I believe that those who are called to be the Bride have their names in both books, but the Guests of our’s only have their names in the Book of Life. These people will not be able to see the Truth that the anti-christ is actually wrong. He will look and sound so right. They will see miracles and very amazing things. They will believe the lie, but I honestly do not believe that it is just so that our Father can get even with them for what they have or have not done. I believe that it is to bring them to a point of true repentance. It will be a disciplining, but what our Father allows to happen will be out of love and it will bring in the Truth for all to see. 

Many of these people will even have to go to Hades to be further disciplined, but I honestly believe that in the end, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord and that they will be saved, Romans 14:11. Everyone will confess the Truth. The death of our flesh does not stop our Father from working on us to see the Truth that will set us free.  Jesus went to Hades once before and preached to the disobedient and set them free, 1 Peter 3:19-21. Why would He not do it again? Our Father wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth, 1 Timothy 2:4. The Bible shows us one thing very clearly and it is that our Father gets what He wants! So we have been given the hope, that will not disappoint us, Romans 5:5, that our Father will do whatever it takes to keep us all from Hell. He will do this even though we are weak, even though we are ignorant, and regardless of our abilities to accepts and believe it! That is just how powerful Jesus’ sacrifice is for us all. 

This is also another great verse that teaches us that there is no pre-tribulation rapture. Notice how there are those who are still on the earth whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life who do not worship the anti-christ. If there was a rapture of the Church, then why are these people still here. Our Father left some of the Bride while taking others? Or He left those who are new to being the Bride here while taking away all of the older ones?

Revelation 12:15-16

15 Then out of his mouth the serpent spouted forth water like a flood after the woman, that she might be carried off with the torrent. 

Satan pours people out to persecute the Church. Most of the world will be against us, many are called to be the Bride of Christ, but only a few are chosen. Waters represent people in prophetic writings. We can look at History and see that this is true; the world has always been against our Father and His chosen ones. Our Father has always allowed them to be. He does this because it allows us to see that He is alive and real, and it gives the world no excuses when they are judged.

We can especially see that satan has always used wolves in sheep’s clothing. He has always used those who look religious, but whose hearts desire is to take you from God and place your trust in a lie. Examples like praying to Mary, or some other person that was used by our Father. Making graven images and bowing down before them. Placing one man above every other and then telling us that that man is the substitute for Christ on this earth. There are several other religions that do the same things, I am only pointing out the Catholic Church here, to go along with the anti-christ, who I believe will be the last Pope. The anti-christ’s seat is in Rome and he will have great political power. We will study more on this later, but as we study the Revelation of our Lord, keep this in mind.

16 But the earth came to the rescue of the woman, and the ground opened its mouth and swallowed up the stream of water which the dragon had spouted from his mouth. 

Satan’s people are always stopped. So whether it is a wilderness that our Father delivers us to, a natural disaster, or a miraculous event, satan fails each and every time. Failures always cause anger, and satan is always angry. During the end times the whole world is against us and many of us will be sacrificed for our testimony, but not all of us! There will be those who are alive in Christ that will be caught up to be with our Lord in the air when the seventh trumpet is sounded.

Remember what we have been shown, a third of the water is ruined; there are earthquakes, asteroids, darkness, and plagues. Our Father will use humans, as well as supernatural events, to pour His wrath upon the children of the devil. But Grace is never abounded by our Father. He is always love. Our Father’s wrath is not revenge, it is wrath against what is wrong and He will aggressively cleanse it from His creation. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord and eternity will be filled with multitudes of people who at one time aggressively attacked the Church, just like Paul did. 

The Word Became Flesh: Judgment Day

And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. John 1:14

Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages). Hebrews 3:18

Jesus is and was and will be the Word of our Father. Heaven and earth will pass away, but our Father’s Word, or Jesus, will remain and He will remain the same, Mark 13:31.

That all being said, if we want to see how the Word will Judge on Judgment Day, we can simply look at how He Judged when He was here on the earth 2,000 years ago.

And when Jesus saw their faith [their confidence in God through Him], He said to the paralyzed man, Son, your sins are forgiven [you] and put away [that is, the penalty is remitted, the sense of guilt removed, and you are made upright and in right standing with God]. Mark 2:5

The powerful Truth with this first example is that the sick man did not show the faith in Him, but his friends who had brought him did. The other Truth is that the sick man did not ask to be forgiven, yet Jesus forgave him.

And He said to her, Your sins are forgiven! Luke 7:48

This was an especially wicked woman who came and worshipped Jesus before He died. She did not specifically ask for forgiveness, yet Jesus forgave her. 

When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you? She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more. John 8:10-11

This woman was caught in adultery, the law said to kill her. She did not seek out Jesus, she was just brought to Him by a bunch of religious leaders who were all hypocrites. Jesus forgave her sins and she never asked to be forgiven. 

And Jesus prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they divided His garments and distributed them by casting lots for them. Luke 23:54

These people had denied that Jesus was Lord. They had blasphemed Him. They had lied about Him. They had tortured Him and they were killing Him. These people did not ask for forgiveness, they did not believe that Jesus could forgive them, and they did not believe that they had received it, yet Jesus forgave them and they were forgiven.

If there is a religious person around you that wants to talk about Jesus seeing justice on Judgment Day, or vengeance, or wrath, just remember how the Word Judged and you will see how He will Judge. Our Lord does not judge for man’s justice, He judges for Grace’s justice and grace is all unearned and it is all undeserved. Judgment Day will be easier for most people then what religion wants us to know. Our Lord will be the same on that day as He was 2,000 years ago! 

Roman 7:1 Continued

Even the Father judges no one, for He has given all judgment (the last judgment and the whole business of judging) entirely into the hands of the Son, John 5:22

Our Father has given all judgment over to Jesus. This is a glorious thing, because Jesus is our High Priest and He knows what it is like to be human, Hebrews 4:15. When Jesus was here on the earth as a man we repeatedly were shown how He judges. Jesus forgave and let an adulterous woman go free, John 8:11. He forgave the very people that were killing Him, Luke 23:34. He forgave a sick man His sins and the man was restored to health, Matthew 9:2. Jesus told us to always forgive, Matthew 18:22. The glorious Truth is that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8. There is also another powerful Truth here with these examples of Jesus’ judging style: none of the people being forgiven by Jesus were asking to be. This shows us plainly how Jesus will judge on Judgment Day because He never changes. He will judge with pure grace, all freely given and all completely underserved!

There is also another Truth that many people do not know and that is that we will sit in judgement with Jesus on Judgement Day, 1 Corinthians 6:2. 

Do you not know that the saints (the believers) will [one day] judge and govern the world? And if the world [itself] is to be judged and ruled by you, are you unworthy and incompetent to try [such petty matters] of the smallest courts of justice?

In Revelation John saw the Thrones of the Judges, not the Throne of the Judge.  

Then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom authority to act as judges and to pass sentence was entrusted. Also I saw the souls of those who had been slain with axes [beheaded] for their witnessing to Jesus and [for preaching and testifying] for the Word of God, and who had refused to pay homage to the beast or his statue and had not accepted his mark or permitted it to be stamped on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived again and ruled with Christ (the Messiah) a thousand years. Revelation 20:4

As we talked about in our Study of Romans 7:1, so many in religion try and fear us into acting right by threatening us about the consequences of our actions on Judgment Day. The Truth is that we are raised up, transformed to be just like Jesus, 1000 years before Judgement Day. We actually rule with Him for the 1000 years prior to Judgment Day. So for us to be judged on Judgment Day doesn’t make any since. Jesus would actually be judging Himself and His actions, because we are now members of His body, flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bone, Ephesians 5:30. The Truth is that we have already passed from judgment and now live a new life in Christ Jesus. This is the Truth that allows us to live righteously and honor our Father and our Kingdom, not that we have to fear. 

I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words [who listens to My message] and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him Who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life. And he does not come into judgment [does not incur sentence of judgment, will not come under condemnation], but he has already passed over out of death into life. John 5:24

Romans 5:14

14 Yet death held sway from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who did not themselves transgress [a positive command] as Adam did. Adam was a type (prefigure) of the One Who was to come [in reverse, the former destructive, the Latter saving].

Ask yourself this question: was Jesus successful on the Cross? Really think about it, was Jesus more successful then Adam? Adam sinned and all men died because of his disobedience, so for Jesus to be more successful then Adam, all men must be able to live and have life more abundantly because of what He did. If Jesus only died for the few of us who accept Him in this life, then Adam was far more successful then Jesus was. 

There is a glorious Truth that many do not believe and it is this, all men are going to accept Jesus. Our Father plainly tells us that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord, Romans 14:11. Jesus tells us in John 17:2 that He has been given all flesh and then He tells us in John 17:3 that He is going to the Cross so that He may glorify all that He has been given. So the Truth is Jesus has been given all of us whether we believe and confess it or not. Some of us will be empowered to acknowledge Him in this lifetime, we are His Bride. Some will be empowered to acknowledge Him after they are raised up from Hades, these are the guests of the Bride, Matthew 22:11. But amen all will be saved by what Jesus did! 

It’s a shame that so many don’t believe this wonderful Truth, but that doesn’t change the fact that all men are going to believe with their hearts and confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord. I marvel that people really believe that our Father is going to raise people up from Hades, reunite them with their bodies, have them bow down and confess that Jesus is Lord and then throw them into Hell to suffer for all eternity. Our Father tells us to pray that our sins are forgiven as we forgive those who sin against us, Matthew 6:14. Jesus tells us to forgive or we cannot be forgiven. Jesus actually forgave the people who killed Him and He tells us that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8. Why would He change on the Day of Judgment? 

Here is another Truth that many do not understand, we are going to be the Judges on Judgement Day. Jesus tells us that all Judgement has been given to Him, our Father doesn’t judge anymore, John 5:22. We are now one with Jesus, we are flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone, Ephesians 5:30. As Jesus is, so are we, even while we are in this world. So we act as our Head acts. This is why the Holy Spirit had Paul write that we would judge the world, 1 Corinthians 6:2. John wrote that he saw the thrones of those who would judge, not the Throne, Revelation 20:4. If we are empowered with our Lord’s Love to forgive sins now, we will forgive sins on Judgment Day as well. Jesus’ grace has no ending, it will be applied to all! 

These postings are intentionally short. They only begin to scratch the surface of topics. My hope is that they are a starting point for you to really be led to see the glorious Truth of just how successful Jesus was.