The Good Of The Father (Billy's Battle) # 2173

 

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living, no longer I; but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gives Himself up for me

Paul to the Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament Translation

I noticed a short video of the late Billy Graham the other day which almost made me change my view of the late preacher...almost.  I have known for awhile that Billy adhered to the separation theology of the church throughout his ministry career.  This is the belief spoken by those within the church that it is the sin of man which has separated him from God {Isaiah 59:2}.  While I believe that the old preacher indeed led many to the Lord over his lifetime, I also consider the separation theology to be one of the lies spoken by the mainstream church.  So, what is it that he said which almost changed my opinion of him?  Well, in the middle of one of his crusades, Billy Graham spoke that Christ dwells within us.  I was taken aback, fully expecting to hear the same old church song and dance.  However, through the advice of a good friend I discovered that Billy hadn't turned over a new leaf at all, but was simply exhibiting his own dual beliefs in God.  Yes, he might very well believe that Christ Jesus resides in him, but he also undoubtedly follows the church guidance that he continues to serve his flesh as well.  My friend refers to this belief as a "Dualistic" approach to Christ.  Realizing that Jesus is within us, yet still living with our sinful flesh nature as well.  In other words, they accept the forgiveness of Christ Jesus, but continue to believe that they follow the sinful flesh.  Those who follow this belief will always struggle with the two natures, Christ and the flesh.  In his evangel, the apostle Paul debunks this dualistic belief.  Paul understood that he no longer lived by the flesh, but that his life dwelled within Christ {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  Of course, to understand Paul's rationale, we need to accept the truth that we HAVE died with Jesus on that cross.  For to deny this is to believe that sin continues to have a place in our lives.  Paul is adamant that it is Jesus Who has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  That "We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it?" {Paul to the Romans 6:2}.  

When we know and understand the words spoken by Paul, we realize that there is no room for a dualistic approach to life.  How is it can we continue to struggle with sinful flesh if Jesus has already put it to death?  Therefore, I believe that the old preacher didn't fully grasp what he was saying.  He proclaimed to have Jesus, but didn't understand what that entailed.  I'm not at all ashamed to danced to the church dualistic belief system.  That was how I was taught back in the day.  Anyone who has spent much time in the mainstream church can attest to the fact that there are two competing messages coming from the pulpits, Jesus and the flesh.  That we need to know Jesus, but to be wary of the desires of the flesh as well.  THIS was the message spoken by Billy Graham that day.  He was both confident in the indwelling Christ, but still fought with the flesh nature as well.  This is why believers can attest to believe in Jesus, yet still live in fear of sin and punishment.  Of how God will punish the wicked with eternity in hell.  Growing up, I always lived in fear that God would find me unworthy due to my own behaviors.  I was lost in the dualistic battle.  The words of Paul shed light on the truth we have in Christ Jesus.  That we "By no means should still be slaving for sin" {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  I challenge anyone who continues to struggle with the two natures to read the words of Paul spoken in Romans 6: 6-11.  It is here where Paul lays out the truth about sin, and how Jesus has died to put it to death once and for all.  The truth is that we no longer live with a sinful flesh nature, but within the love of the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  This is the truth we have in Him.  

Knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him, that the body of sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving for sin, for one who dies has been justified from sin.  Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, being roused from among the dead, is no longer dying.  Death is lording it over Him no longer, for on that He died, He died to sin once for all time, Yet in that He is living, He is living to God.  Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus our Lord

Paul to the Romans 6: 6-11, Concordant New Testament Translation

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The God Question) # 2172

 

"Teaching them to be keeping all, whatever I direct you.  And lo!  I am with you all of the days till the conclusion of the eon! Amen!"

Matthews Account 28: 20, Concordant New Testament Translation

I was reminded of a question the other day.  Not a question which I asked of another person, but one I have asked of God more than a few times.  That question is, where are You, God?  I believe that there are more than a few believers out there who have asked that very question of the Father at one time or another.  I also believe that we ask this question due to our own lack of knowing who God truly is.  Back in the day, when I would ask this of God, I had no idea who He was, or how it was that He related to my life.  All I knew of God came from the teachings and the sermons of the church.  From these teachings, I came to see God as someone Who was far distant from my everyday life.  God is in heaven, and I'm here on earth living this human life.  This is all part of the separation theology spoken and taught by those within the church.  See, I was taught that it was my own sin which had driven a wedge between myself and God {Isaiah 59:2}.  Therefore, when troubling times came, as is common in this life, I was left to wonder, where are You, God?  So, I asked Him the question.  More often than not, I failed to receive an answer, but I believe that this was due to my not knowing who I was within Him.  I believe that this is the problem for many believers today, that we simply don't know of our life within the love of the Father.  For if we knew this truth, we would never need to inquire of God where he is, we would already know in our hearts.  So, where is He?  Well, Jesus has spoken that we do not live a life separate from God, but in union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  Many Christians see the words Jesus speaks of "In that day" as some indication of a future event.  But I believe that He was referring to the here and now.  Jesus IS in the Father, we ARE in Him and He IS within us.  This is the truth of our life lived within the love of the Father.  Once we know and understand this, we never need ask God where He is.

I recall the days after my mother passed as being some of the most difficult times I had ever faced.  Up until that point, I had never faced death on a personal level.  I had been praying to God for some time that He would heal my mother and relieve her from the pain she was feeling each day.  Predictably, when she passed away, my first thought was why God had not answered my prayer, but those of all who had been praying for her.  For the first time in my life, I was angry with God.  In my mind, he had abandoned me when I needed Him the most.  That wasn't supposed to happen.  I asked the question, where are you, God?  This time, I felt His answer in my heart.  The answer was simple, she's no longer suffering.  By not knowing who God truly is, I had been blinded into thinking that He had abandoned me, something He has promised me that He would never do {Deuteronomy 31:6}.  Had I known the truth of my life within the Father at that point, it's possible that I would not have had to wonder where He was in my time of need.  But, as they say, knowledge often comes through life experience.  I believe that I had to endure this in order to understand who God truly is.  I now know that God is not some far off entity simply watching over my daily life.  That life is lived within Him.  There is nothing I will ever do or experience that He will never be intimately involved in.  In the difficult times, it is He Who guides me.  I never need to ask Him where He is, for I already know.  

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you

Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (What God Wants) # 2171

 

Now it is Eonian life that they may know thee, the only true God, and Him Who Thou dost commission, Jesus Christ

Johns Account 17: 3, Concordant New Testament Translation

The question was raised this week among us, what is it that God wants?  Why is it that we ask of Him, why God?  Those within the church talk a big game when it comes to recognizing and knowing His will for us, but they all too often fall short.  See, the churches view of God is one which is based upon our separation from Him.  Therefore, when it comes to knowing the Fathers will for us, their teachings are often based upon that separation theology.  I have heard the will of God described as recognizing our own sin nature within us.  Of course, this is a false teaching.  For the church either refuses to recognize or ignores what Christ Jesus has accomplished for us on the cross.  That not only did Jesus die, but that WE died there with Him {Paul to the Galatians 2:20, Paul to the Romans 6:8}.  In the eyes of those within the church, Jesus died alone, with even the Father seemingly turning His back on His beloved Son.  More false teachings from the church.  To understand what the true will of the Father is, we must first understand who He is.  The apostle John gives us a valuable clue the true nature of the Father when he proclaims that God...is love {First Epistle of John 4:8}.  Yes, above all else, God is love.  Knowing this, we can delve deeper into that question of what the desire of God truly is.  So that is what I shall attempt to do.

So, what does God want?  I believe that the ultimate will and desire of the Father is that His children would come to know Him for who He is.  Jesus speaks to us that eonian life, our eonian life, consists of our KNOWING the Father, the "Only true God, and Him Whom Thou dost commission, Jesus Christ" {Johns Account 17:3}.  So, this is Jesus telling us the one true desire of the Father.  That we would know Him.  This, above all, is the will of God.  I can definitely understand this, for precious few believers today actually know God for Who He truly is.  As a young believer, I never knew Him as I do today.  What is it that changed all of that?  I grew up in the church, adhering to and swallowing the teachings of the separation theology.  I grew up believing that my sin separated me from the God who loved me enough to create me in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  Yes, I knew that He loved me, but that my own actions had caused Him to be upset with me to the point that He turned His back on that which He created out of His love for me.  Does this sound like a loving God?  It's not, it is the false image of the Father spoken of and portrayed by the church for thousands of years.  This is the image of God that I grew up with.  Knowing He loved me, but that I had let Him down through my sins.  Ironically, these were the very same sins which Christ Jesus has given Himself for {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  So, despite the truth spoken of in the evangel of Paul that Jesus has died to sin "Once for all time," those within the church will continue to treat sin as a relevant issue {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Again I ask, what is it that changed my thinking about Who God is?  Well, one Easter Sunday, as I sat listening to another prepared sermon on the resurrection of Jesus, the pastor invited all who felt that they had "Unresolved sin" to come forward to be prayed over.  I stood up, but not to go for prayer, to leave the church entirely.  The question in my mind was, how is it that this pulpit pounder could teach of the forgiveness of the risen Lord Jesus one moment, then act as if that meant nothing at all the next?  But this is the message of the church when it comes to sin.  This has never been the intention of the Father Who loves us.  His desire is not that we recognize that we have sinned against Him, but that we see Him for Who He truly is.  

He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love

First Epistle of John 4: 8, Concordant New Testament Translation

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (A Christian Contradiction) # 2170

 

Religion has actually convinced people that there is a invisible man living in the sky watching everything you do, every minute of every day.  And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he doesn't want you to do.  And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever until the end of time.  But he loves you.  He loves you, and he needs money.  He always needs money.  He's all-powerful, all-knowing, all-perfect and all wise, somehow he just can't handle money.

~George Carlin~ 

I was listening to a clip of the late reverend Billy Graham the other day.  Now, I grew up listening to the late preachers crusades, and I'm certain that he ultimately led many to follow the Lord.  BUT, in this message, I ran across what I have come to know as the Christian contradiction.  The reverend Graham was encouraging those listening that God loved you no matter what you had done, which is true.  However, this is where he lost me.  For in his next breath, he proclaimed that God despises the sinner, and that those unrepentant of their sin would be cast into hell.  So, the messaging here is that no matter what I've ever done in my life, God still loves me.  BUT, that He despises those who sin.  And, if you sin, that hell is your ultimate destination.  This has been the Christian religious playbook for thousands of years, so I can't blame the late preacher for using it to somehow frighten people into accepting God in their lives.  Back in the days of Jesus' ministry, the Jewish authorities had many traditions and rituals which they demanded that people of the Lord follow.  So, the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree in that respect.  Yet, in His woes to the Pharisees, Jesus admonished the Jewish leaders for their treatment of the children of the Lord {Matthews Account 23:16-24}.  But what is the truth which Billy Graham and countless other pulpit pounders have either overlooked or outright ignored?  The truth is that God does indeed love us no matter what we've ever done, I agree with Billy on that point.  But to claim that God despises sinners is to ignore the very reason why Jesus was dispatched into this world in the first place.  Jesus came, because "God thus loves the world, so that He gives His only-begotten Son {Johns Account 3:16-17}.  Tell me, if God despises the sinner, why is it that He sent His only Son to redeem them?  Why not simply allow those in sin to wallow in their sins?  The truth is that God has NEVER despised the sinner, but cherished them close to Him through His love.  

The old saying is true, that if you tell a lie often enough that eventually people will see it as the truth.  This has been the reality of the Christian contradiction.  God loves you, but He hates sinners enough to banish them to hell.  Does anyone but me see the absurdity of this belief?  I believe that the crux of the contradiction is based on the churches obsession with sin.  So much so, that it is sin which has caused the Father to throw away His love for us.  Now, if God will not and cannot lie, how is it that He hates the sinner?  Has He not proclaimed that "He will not leave you nor forsake you" {Deuteronomy 31:6-8, To the Hebrews 13:5}.  Has not Jesus Himself spoken that "I am with you all the days till the conclusion of the eon! Amen!" {Matthews Account 28:20}.  Something here doesn't add up.  The truth is that God is not a God of punishment or revenge, but a God of love {First Epistle of John 4:8}.  Therefore, to say that God hates the sinner is simply ignoring who the Father truly is, and who we truly are in Him.  The mistaken belief is that our lives are lived outside of God, where sin runs rampant.  God is in heaven, while we're here in this fallen world.  But Jesus Himself has spoken to the truth that we don't live separate from, but within the love of God {Johns Account 14:20}.  But what about sin?  Well, that ship has sailed.  In his evangel, the apostle Paul speaks to the truth that Christ Jesus has "Died to sin once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Paul goes further by proclaiming "We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it?"{Paul to the Romans 6:2}.  Still think that God hates the sinner?  If you do, then you're probably still stuck in the contradiction of the church. 

He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love

First Epistle of John 4: 8, Concordant New Testament Translation

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Ears To Hear) # 2169

 

Now possessing the fullness of faith and holy spirit, looking intently into heaven, he perceived the glory of God, standing at the right hand of God.  And said, "Lo! I am beholding the heavens opened up, and the Son of mankind standing at the right hand of God." 

Acts of the Apostles 7: 55-56, Concordant New Testament Translation

The Hellenistic Jews were livid at the words of the apostle Stephen.  As he preaches the risen Lord within the temple courts, he is brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin to answer for his perceived blasphemous words.  Instead of admitting to his blasphemy, Stephen once again preaches that Jesus is indeed the promised Christ.  Furious, the Sanhedrin orders the apostle stoned to death for his blasphemy.  As he stands before his accusers, Stephen proclaims that he indeed has seen the risen Christ, "I am beholding the heavens opened up, and the Son of mankind standing at the right hand of God" {Acts of the Apostles 7:56}.  As he faced his own death at the hands of his accusers, Stephen perceived Jesus looking and cheering him on, awaiting to receive him into heaven.  For their part, those leaders within the Jewish faith who accused him did not possess the ears to hear Stephens message of the truth that Jesus is the risen Lord they have so eagerly awaited for so long.  Of course, these were the same Jewish leaders who put Jesus to death for the blasphemy of declaring Himself the Son of God.  When we read the scriptures, we often recognize the folly of those who refused the message that Jesus is indeed the risen Lord.  How could anyone deny Christ Jesus?  Yet there continue to be those who will.  There continue to be those who, despite the best intentions of those bringing the message of the truth we find in in Christ, will not have ears to hear that message.  I have dealt with similar situations in my own life.  I currently know a man who, despite confessing to be a believer, will adamantly deny the truth of Jesus found in the gospels.  He will justify his immoral behavior with the belief that, "God wants me to be happy."  Yes, there is no doubt that the Lords desire is for us to be happy, but not in the way you might think.  Gods desire, is that we remain happy IN HIM.  THIS is the truth we have in our life lived within the Father.  

For those who do not possess the ears to hear the truth, a union life within the Father is simply, blasphemy.  In their limited understanding, the truth resides in the words spoken from the pulpits of the mainstream church.  Yes, Jesus is our risen Lord, but to live IN HIM?  What blasphemy is this?  Well, it turns out that it's not blasphemy as all, but the truth spoken of our life within the Father.  Jesus Himself has spoken that our life is not lived independently of, but within the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  Has Jesus spoken blasphemy?  Well, in the eyes of the Jews who condemned Him to His death, yes.  Yet the truth of our life in Christ Jesus is well documented within the scriptures.  The apostle Paul speaks to this in the book of Galatians.  Paul proclaims that his life no longer exists, "But living in me is Christ" {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  Paul understood the truth, that the old man he once was has been crucified on that cross with Christ.  What remains, as Paul points out, is Jesus.  Yet many who follow the words and the evangel of Paul continue to have ears that will not hear the truth of their life in Christ Jesus.  I know a man who will claim that those who speak of the liberating words of Paul are simply cherry-picking verses in order to advance their blasphemy.  Really?  I thought that we have been taught that the words of scripture are true, and "above any two-edged sword" {To the Hebrews 4:12}.  I guess that only applies to verses mentioned from the church pulpits.  Before his death, Stephen proclaimed that he had seen the heavens opened and Christ Jesus standing at the right hand of God looking on with approval.  Jesus was cheering Stephen on!  Stephen was proclaiming the truth of Christ to those without ears to hear, and for this Jesus delighted in him.  How much so will He also delight is we who speak the truth of our life lived within the Father?  These are not words of blasphemy, but of the truth of Christ.  

For the era will be when they will not tolerate sound teaching, but, their hearing being tickled, they will heap up for themselves teachers in accord with their own desires 

Paul to Timothy (2) 4: 3, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Identity Crisis Facing Men) #2168

 

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me

Paul to the Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament Translation

There have been many attempts throughout our history to determine what defines a man.  I recall the Marlboro man cigarette ads in the 70's that depicted a man as a horse riding cowboy type who smoked multiple packs a day.  Then, we were told that cigarettes were the main cause of cancer, and the definition  of the man changed once again.  The author John Eldredge penned the popular Christian book Wild at Heart, which spoke to the identity of a man as the outdoors, risk taking, care free man we at times dream of being.  But again, this fell short of the one true definition of what a man truly is in the eyes of the Lord.  Most every time someone has tried to define what a man is, it is usually based upon who the world feels that a man should be.  Tough, compassionate or wild, it seems that we can't make up our minds on what makes a man.  The apostle Paul hits the nail on the head with his own truth of who we are in Christ Jesus.  Paul does not strive to define what a man is, but who WE are.  He understood the truth, that the old man was gone, having been crucified on that cross with Jesus.  All which remains...is Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  So, in our attempts to ascertain the identity of a man, we've been missing the mark entirely.  This is why I believe that men face an identity crisis.  This is the same identity crisis which I faced not that long ago.  Believing what the world told me that a man should be.  Ignoring what the Father created me to be.  It's no secret that, as men, we are bombarded with messages about who we are and how we should act.  I have a gym friend who has spoken to the lie that he believes that women hold too much power over men.  In my opinion, we've done this to ourselves.  Instead of following who the Father has created us to be, we manufacture a false identity which is far different. 

So, who is it that God has created me to be?  Answer this question, and you're most likely on the road to discovering who it is that you truly are.  The truth is that we have been created by God in His own likeness/image {Genesis 1:27}.  He has always been a part of who we are.  Everything we are or will ever be, has been created by God.  So, is God an adventurer, as the author Eldredge sought to establish men as?   Absolutely.  Following Paul's lead, we can assume that we have never been an independent creation, but have dwelled within the love of the Father.  When we look in the mirror, we see the image of Jesus.  Jesus Himself speaks to our union life within the Father in the book of John {Johns Account 14:20}.  God has not created us to be a separate entity apart from Him.  He has created us to live within Him.  The lie spoken by the deceiver has convinced many that man is his own, separate being.  This is the lie spoken by Satan the deceiver in the garden, that man would "Be like God" {Genesis 3:5-6}.  The Christian author Norman Grubb writes about the error in this thinking.  That "There is no independent, self-operating self in the universe, except the One Who calls Himself the I AM"{Exodus 3:14}.  For their part, the church has fallen for the lie of the deceiver hook, line and sinker.  You will seldom hear of our union life within the Father preached from the pulpits of the church.  In my opinion, this only adds to the identity crisis facing men today.  The truth is that we have been created to live IN the Father and not outside of His love.  This is the truth of who we are. 

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you

Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (What We Expect From Satan) # 2167

 

We are of God.  He who knows God is hearing us.  He who is not of God is not hearing us.  By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deception 

First Epistle of John 4: 6, Concordant New Testament Translation

There has never been a more aptly applied name.  To many believers, Satan has become known as the deceiver.  We know it, and we proclaim it.  But we all too often don't practice what we preach.  All too often, we fall for the lies of the devil without even realizing it.  The apostle Peter has spoken that the devil roams about seeking whom he may devour {Peter to the Dispersion (1) 5:8}.  He never misses the opportunity to deceive anyone.  I know that I have been the victim of his lies on more than one occasion.  The latest has been during a bout of a feeling of low self-worth, where Satan had a field day feeding me lies about myself.  That I was not important.  That my eternity in the Lord was a false belief.  That my sin had caused Him to deny me.  Lies!  It is in these moments that we need to heed the advice of Peter and be sober...watch!  For we must always be on guard for the lies of the deceiver.  Because deception is his only game plan.  Think about it, what does Satan have to offer us but lies?  Of course, a lie told often enough has a good chance of becoming truth.  Not in this case.  For our truth is within the love of the Father.  The apostle John correctly refers to Satan as the "spirit of deception" {First Epistle of John (1) 4:6}.  Nothing could be closer to the truth than that.  For this is all which Satan has to offer us.  He cannot offer salvation.  He definitely will never offer us unending love.  Everything which he has to offer is based upon lies.  He has spoken the lie that he will ascend above the Lord {Isaiah 14:13-14}.  He has also spoken the lie which speaks to man being separate from God {Genesis 3:4-5}.  I believe that this is one of the most dangerous lies of the deceiver, and one which continues to be preached from the pulpits of the church.  The lie that the sins of man have caused him to be separated from the God Who created him.  As with all of the lies of the deceiver, nothing could be further from the truth.

One of the best defenses to combat the lies of the deceiver is the truth which we have in the Father.  The writer of Hebrews speaks to the truth that God shall be "Imparting My laws to their hearts, I shall be inscribing them on their comprehension also" {To the Hebrews 10:16}.  This is the new covenant of the Lord for His children.  In other words, His desires are not only written in our hearts, but we are always keenly aware of His thoughts if we only will listen to His spirit in which we now dwell.  That's right, contrary to the lie of the deceiver, our life is not lived separate from God, but within His love.  Jesus has spoken to this truth in the book of John {John's account 14:20}.  The apostle Paul, in his evangel, speaks to his life being in Christ Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  THIS is the truth which we have in the Father.  This is who we are!  The deceiver will try to whisper in our ear that our sin has separated us from God, that God could never love a sinner like me.  In reality, it is through the love and mercy of the Father that our sin has been nullified {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  This isn't just for sins of the past, but for our present and future as well.  The truth is that Christ Jesus has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Knowing this truth we have in the Father, we can easily counter the lies of the deceiver.  That I am created in the Fathers likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  That He has breathed into me the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  That I am His loved child {First Epistle of John 3:1}.  A good friend of mine often spoke a simple truth which I remember to this day, when Satan reminds you of your past, remind him of his future!  My future is in the Father.  The future of the deceiver lies within his deception.  This is all he has to offer us.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me

Paul to the Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (How To Be A Church Outcast) # 2166

 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God, for many false prophets have come out into the world 

First Epistle of John 4: 1, Concordant New Testament Translation

I have some advice for those who will ever plan on questioning your pastors teachings...don't.  I also have some advice for those who will ever espouse to a different interpretation of the scriptures than what those within the church preach...DON'T.  Take a lesson from me, because I've had to learn that lesson the hard way.  There was a time when I was a loyal church attender, taking my place in the pew every Sunday as was expected.  I took in the sermons which the pastor spoke convinced that it was God ordained, which it may well have been.  But I felt like something was missing.  Over time, that feeling grew into a longing within my heart.  Knowing what I now know, I believe that this was the beginning of the Fathers revelation within me.  Still, I sat in that pew each week.  I had heard the ramblings for years, that sin had corrupted me to the point that I was now separated from a holy God.  But one question remained, had not Jesus died in order to take away that sin?  When I asked that question, I was told that sin is ongoing, that man is inherently sinful {Paul to the Romans 3:23}.  Still the question remained, what about Jesus?  The longer I remained in the church, the more I witnessed how the church dealt with those who had beliefs which were out of line with what the pastors were preaching.  I recall a few individuals who were quietly asked to leave.  I didn't want to be one of those outcasts.  The church was my gateway to God.  This all changed one Easter Sunday.  While sitting through the usual Easter sermon on how Jesus had died for the forgiveness of sin, the pastor encouraged anyone who felt the need to confess their sin to come forward and receive prayer from the church staff.  Again, that question ate away at me, if Jesus has given Himself for the forgiveness of sin, why would I need to seek His forgiveness for that which He has already accomplished?  That was the day that I left the mainstream church for good.

My reason for leaving the church was simple.  I had a question in my heart, a question those within the church could not, or would not, answer.  I had become that person that only a few years back I had not wanted to become.  Now I was the outcast.  At this point, I needed to address the question which those within the church couldn't answer.  Thankfully, I had a dear friend who had felt the same tugging upon his heart which I had.  Together we have discovered the truth which the church has refused to proclaim for thousands of years.  Yes, Jesus has indeed given Himself for the forgiveness of sin {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  Make no mistake, I was the one who needed to die for my sin.  The apostle Paul has spoken that we HAVE died with Christ Jesus on that cross {Paul to the Galatians 2:20, Paul to the Romans 6:8}.  Obviously, this is something I never heard mentioned within the walls of the church.  But does that make it any less true?  This is not something which I have pulled out of thin air to proclaim.  This is the proclaimed truth of Christ Jesus as documented through the scriptures.  Yet whenever I have attempted to broach this subject with those in the church, I am accused of cherry-picking the scriptures in order to suit my blasphemous narrative.  This is how those within the church treat those who don't follow the church teachings.  It's also why I kept the longings of my own heart a secret while I took my place in that pew each Sunday.  If I were to give some advice to someone with the same questions as I had it's this, you will NEVER find the truth about God while adhering to the teachings of the church.  I never did.  My good friend never did.  It was only after I had been out of the church for a short time that I began to realize the revelation of my life in the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  That Christ Jesus, and I along with Him, has died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  I take comfort in knowing that those who opposed Jesus back then also considered Him to be an outcast.  I guess I'm in good company.  

For the era will be when they will not tolerate sound teaching, but, their hearing being tickled, they will heap up for themselves teachers in accord with their own desires 

Paul to Timothy (2) 4: 3, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (Keepers Of Conformity) # 2165

 

"Take heed to yourselves and to the entire flocklet, among which the holy spirit appointed you supervisors, to be shepherding the ecclesia of God, which He procures through the blood of His own" 

Acts of the Apostles 20: 28, Concordant New Testament Translation

Very few Christians know of the First Council of Nicaea, which was convened in the summer of the year 325.  However, it is through the works and decisions of this gathering of church bishops that shaped the teachings and ideology of the church as we know it today.  Convened by the emperor Constantine, the councils primary focus was to somehow develop a consensus within the church through a gathering of those from throughout Christendom.  That is, to develop an understanding and a primary focus of the church.  In other words, to create conformity within the church.  It is through the Nicaea council that we have many of the traditions and theologies preached by the church today.  Make no mistake, the same bishops which gathered in the year 325 were the ones most responsible for establishing conformity within the Christian religion.  They were the original keepers of conformity.  While we still have bishops in many Christian dominations today, including the Catholic and Eastern orthodox churches, within the mainstream church, it is the local pastor(s) who now carry that weight of the keepers of conformity.  It is the pastor who speaks the words taught for centuries by the church.  Seldom wavering in the message which is given unto the congregations.  Make no mistake, there can be no non-conformity within the congregation.  Many churches have boards which decide the message and direction of the church.  These are the modern day keepers of conformity.  I have been blessed with the experiences a dear friend of mine has shared with me over the years of his own experiences as a pastor and the keepers of conformity of the congregation.  I've seen first-hand how those who do not conform to the standards set by the council of Nicaea are treated.  Consider the truth which I have come to know of my own life within the Fathers love.  Back in the day, the bishops of Nicaea may well have deemed such beliefs as blasphemy.  For they do not fall in line with the church message established so many years ago.  

For those who have had the revelation from the Father as I have, your biggest struggle will be fighting against thousands of years of church teachings.  The keepers of conformity will not tolerate the truth being spoken within the walls of the church.  What is this truth?  The truth which speaks to the fact that I am no longer a sinner {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  The truth which testifies to the fact that I no longer life a life of flesh, blood and sin, but a life within the love of the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  To the keepers of conformity, this is heretical thinking.  It goes against the church message which the council of Nicaea agreed upon all those years ago.  The fact that my beliefs are grounded in the scriptures makes no difference to them.  In their eyes, I am simply cherry picking verses to support my blasphemous viewpoint.  The keepers of conformity will use sin as a weapon to keep the congregation in line.  The same sin, by the way, which Christ Jesus has already given Himself for {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  The only thing which makes their teachings certified and mine heresy is that decision by a group of bishops thousands of years ago.  In all of my years within the church, I've never heard a pastor utter anything in the way of living my life within the Father.  The closest they would come is to proclaim that we "Be like Jesus."  But the apostle Paul speaks to the truth that we're not like Jesus, we ARE Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  Paul understood that he was dead, having been crucified with Christ at the cross.  What remains, is Christ.  Yet this thinking, taken straight from the evangel of Paul, is seen as blasphemy by the keepers of conformity.  And that cannot be accepted in the church.  

Two priests came round our house tonight

One young, one old, to offer prayers for the dying 

to serve the final rite

One to learn, one to teach, which way the cold wind blows

And fussing and flapping in priestly black like a murder of crows

~All this time~ Sting 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (God Of All) # 2164

 

But the Most High is not dwelling in what is made by hands, according as the prophet is saying, "Heaven is My throne, yet the earth is a footstool for My feet.  What kind of house shall be built for Me?"  The Lord is saying, or what is the place of My stopping?"

Acts of the Apostles 7: 48-49, Concordant New Testament Translation

Think about this for a minute, what is it that we give to God?  Christians are fond of proclaiming that they "Give" all sorts of things to God.  We give praise, we give prayers and, most of all, we give Him money.  I recently watched a short flick by Christian influencer Martin Zender, who titled his video as God FORCING His love upon His children.  Now, I grew up in churches where I was taught that I have been created with free will.  Indeed, many believers continue to hold onto this mistaken belief.  It is the basis of our decision to choose or reject Christ Jesus.  We are seemingly free to do just that, or are we?  According to Mr. Zender, we do not give love to God, He freely gives His love to us.  Not only that, but the very nature of God, is love {First Epistle of John 4:8}.  Christians are also fond of referring to their church as "Gods house."  As if He is somehow dwelling within its walls.  Well, Luke writes in the book of Acts that "The Most High is not dwelling in what is made by hands" {Acts of the Apostles 7:48}.  The question which I asked myself while preparing this page was, what do I have to offer God which He does not already have?  This is the question which every believer needs to be asking.  What is it that we offer God?  Is He not the creator of all which we will ever see or experience?  The simple truth is that we DO NOT offer anything unto God, but God delivers unto us through His love and mercy for us.  It is God who gives unto us love, life and all things {Acts of the Apostles 17:28}.  We offer God nothing.  It is the Father Who gives unto us life, health and all.  So, what does this say about the church lie of free will?  Do we, as the Fathers creation, really have free will?  Is it truly our responsibility alone to somehow "Choose" Jesus as our Lord and Savior?  Well, the church would have us believe so. 

One of our core Christian beliefs is that we have been designed and created in the Fathers likeness {Genesis 1:27}.  That He has breathed into His creation the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  What is it that we have which God has not provided us?  Nothing.  I would say, not even that which we cherish as humans, free will.  For to possess free will is to suggest that we somehow operate out of the jurisdiction of the Lord.  This simply is not true.  The author Norman Grubb writes that "There is no independent, self-operating self in the universe, except the One Who calls Himself the I AM {Exodus 3:14}.  Understanding this, we began to see that we ourselves have nothing to offer unto the Father.  For He has given us all we will ever have or know.  Again I ask, what can we ever offer unto God which He doesn't already have?  Do we really offer Him praise?  Do we truly offer Him our hearts?  No, for what God requires, He takes unto Himself.  I dare say that God desired for His children to be reconciled unto Him.  This was accomplished through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus.  We do not choose Christ, He has chosen us.  Through His love for us, He has chosen death {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}.  Those within the church cannot truthfully say that we are the ones who must choose Christ, for out of His love for us, He has chosen us.  The simple truth is that we have nothing to offer He Who has created all which we will ever see.  Even our life is lived within His love {Johns Account 14:20}.  But, that message doesn't fill too many pews on Sunday mornings.  

The God Who makes the world and all that is in it, He, the Lord inherent of heaven and earth, is not dwelling in temples made by hands, neither is He attended by human hands, as if requiring anything, since He Himself gives to all life and breath and all 

Acts of the Apostles 17: 24-25, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Jesus Fraternity) # 2163

 

And He is the head of the body, the ecclesia, Who is sovereign, Firstborn from among the dead, that in all He may becoming first

Paul to the Colossians 1: 18, Concordant New Testament Translation

If you hang around amongst Christian circles often enough you might just hear "The" question thrown in your direction.  What church do you belong to?  I've heard this question often enough in my life until it made me think that I not only needed to attend a church, but I needed to belong to a church.  Doesn't this sort of sound like a Jesus fraternity?  I had this conversation with a friend this week, one who knows all too well the inner workings of fraternities, as he was in one while in college.  Not only was he in said fraternity, but he "Belonged" to that elite group.  Now, this is nothing against fraternities per se, because I'm sure that they have their finer points.  For the purpose of this post, my goal is to illustrate how our belief in Jesus has been hijacked by those within the mainstream church.  I believe that it is no longer acceptable for the church that someone simply believes in Christ Jesus.  No, we not only need to believe, but we need to accept and proclaim Jesus as Lord and devote ourselves to one particular church.  Think I'm off base here?  Consider the requirements which many churches openly speak to, requirements which they fully expect from their members.  Requirements to attend the church, to serve said church AND to be initiated into the church.  Initiated?  Yes, initiated.  Like so many college fraternities out there, far too many churches insist upon a requirement which one must perform in order to be accepted as a member of the church.  I'm talking about the ritual of baptism.  I can recall going through the membership classes of the last church I attended, classes which were required if someone were to be considered a member of the church.  Sounds like a fraternity to me.  Part of joining almost any fraternity is the initiation into said group.  This is where the pledge is judged worthy of joining the fraternity.  Of course, this is just the first step, for even after joining, the new member is saddled with expectations that they serve the fraternity.  My friend offered up more than a few stories of how he was expected to perform.  What church doesn't follow these same practices? 

There might be more than a few people who will get bent out of shape by this comparison of the church to a common fraternity, but the similarities are simply too hard to ignore.  They demand that those who choose to worship in "Their" church adhere must prove themselves worthy of the congregation they seek to join.  Still think I'm wrong?  Why is it that so many churches continue to offer up membership classes, as if the requirement is to somehow "Join" the church?  Why is so much importance placed upon serving said church?  When someone askes me what church I belong to, I smile and tell them the church of Jesus.  I am a member of that church which Jesus is actively building among us.  The church where Christ Jesus is the head of the body {Paul to the Colossians 1:18}.  In His church, there are no requirements to prove you belong.  In the church Jesus is building, all are welcome.  I commented to a good friend of mine this week that I see similarities in my group of gym friends to that church which Jesus is building.  We gather and we talk about Jesus.  We are contractors, doctors and industrial workers.  At first glance, you might not see this group as a church.  We don't have all the traditional trappings one might expect to see in any run of the mill church.  There's no worship music, no offering and, above all, no new membership classes people need to attend in order to become a member.  THIS is the church Jesus is building.  Jesus isn't looking for someone to prove that they belong here.  In the Lords eyes, this is His assembly, His ecclesia.  My invitation is the same which Jesus gave to those who sought to know about Him, come and see.  

Now Jesus, being turned and gazing a them following, is saying to them, "What are you seeking?"  Yet they said to Him, "Rabbi (Which, being construed, is termed "Teacher"), "where are thou remaining?"  He is saying to them, "Come and see."  They came, then, and perceived where He is remaining, and they remain with Him that day, it was about the tenth hour. 

Johns Account 1: 38-39, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (For Heavens Sake) # 2162

 

And in My Fathers house are many abodes; yet if not I would have told you, for I am going to make ready a place for you.  And if I should be going and making ready a place for you, I am coming again and I will be taking you along to Myself, that where I am, you also may be

Johns Account 14: 2-3, Concordant New Testament Translation 

Depending on what your own view of Jesus is, you might have a differing view on heaven as well.  There are some who see it as a future reward, while I tend to look at it as my present reality.  Like I said, this knowing depends on your own personal knowing of Jesus.  Do you see Him as a distant savior, or as the very reason for your life?  Those within the church will tell us that sin has distanced us from God.  That we have been separated from the Father by our own sins.  While it is true that all have sinned and wanted for the glory of the Lord {Paul to the Romans 3:23}.  Many misread or simply ignore the passage which follows Paul's warning we find in Romans.  That verse which proclaims that we have been justified "Gratuitously in His grace, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus" {Paul to the Romans 3:24}.  Yes, we've sinned, but Jesus has given Himself for the death of that sin {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Not only that, we  ourselves have also died to sin with Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  Here is where the present reality of the kingdom of Heaven comes into play.  Jesus has spoken that "I am going to make ready a place for you" {Johns Account 14:2}.  If you believe that Jesus is not simply a far off observer, but the purpose of your life, then you will hold a different view of heaven than those in the church who claim to be the experts on preaching about it.  Jesus has spoken that our life is now lived in union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  So, if we live in union with the Father, are we not in heaven now?  Isn't God dwelling in heaven?  If you adhere to the teachings of the mainstream church, you might just consider this line of thinking as blasphemous.  Yet I do not speak to this truth of my own accord, but of that which has been recorded in the scriptures.  

For some, it might be difficult to understand how heaven could resemble such a reckless, sinful place as the world in which we live.  Yet even the apostle Paul reminds us that "Our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which we are awaiting a savior also, Jesus Christ" {Paul to the Philippians 3:20}.  Are we still awaiting a savior?  The way I understand it, that savior, Christ Jesus, has already arrived.  Paul's words are but another example of the truth we find that our home is now in heaven with the Father.  The world around us may not look much like the gold lined streets of the Fathers kingdom, but rest assured heaven is real and it is now!  Like I said, your own view of heaven will depend on your view of Christ Jesus.  I see my life as being lived within the love of the Father.  My home is not of this world, but in the Fathers kingdom.  THIS is my home.  However, if you are of the mindset that you live a life separated from God, then you might have difficulty in understanding your place in the Fathers heaven.  For you, sin is still the obstacle needed to be overcome in order to "Punch your ticket" into heaven.  As if our place in heaven is something we must achieve ourselves.  Jesus has spoken that He has gone to make a place for us, "That where I am, you also may be."  If I live a life within the love of the Father, then I believe that heaven is a current reality for me.  I AM where the Lord Jesus is.  My home is in heaven, not within this world.  

For our realm is inherent in the heavens, out of which we are awaiting a savior also, the Lord Jesus Christ 

Paul to the Philippians 3: 20, Concordant New Testament Translation

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (Not Who We Were Expecting) # 2161

 

Who, being inherently in the form of God, deems it not pillaging to be equal with God, nevertheless empties Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming to be in the likeness of humanity

Paul to the Philippians 2: 6-7, Concordant New Testament Translation

Here's a question for all of you out there who claim to know Jesus.  Would you know Jesus if you saw Him?  What would He look like?  Would He resemble those illustrations we've all seen in the children's bibles and paintings?  That traditional image of Jesus we've all been accustomed to seeing?  Indeed, there have been many illustrations and paintings done over that past few hundred years that depict the image of Jesus which the church wants us to see.  But what is the true image of Him?  For myself, I did not realize the true image of Christ until I had been out of the church for more than a few years.  Up until then, my image of Jesus was exactly what I saw in the bible illustrations and paintings of Him.  An unkempt, bearded man, sometimes sporting a halo over His head, sometimes not.  In 2008, Christian author Wayne Jacobsen penned a book titled "So you don't want to go to church anymore."  In it, the main character has encounters with an individual which he suspects resembles (In characteristics) the apostle John.  So, along those lines, would you recognize Jesus if you were to encounter Him on the street?  What would you be expecting He would look like?  Well, you might be surprised to learn that you may have already encountered Him more times than you can count.  You might be even more surprised to know that you are more than able to enjoy that personal relationship with Christ Jesus, but you simply have not realized the truth of who you are in Him.  That's right, you and Jesus linked together in an unshakable bond.  The apostle Paul speaks to this union in Galatians.  Paul proclaims that "Yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ" {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  Paul understood that his life as he once knew it, was no more.  Having been crucified with Christ, what was once his life as he knew it, was now Jesus in Him.  Or, for lack of a better definition, He in Christ.  

In the book of John, Jesus has proclaimed that we now live in union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  So, I ask you again, would you know Jesus if you were to encounter Him?  I would suggest that the Jesus you've been looking for looks nothing like you expected.  One of the most difficult truths which I have struggled to unpack is the truth that I live as Jesus.  Follow me here, we know that Paul has spoken to the truth that we no longer live, but Jesus lives within us.  We know that Jesus Himself has proclaimed that we now live within the love of the Father.  So, knowing this truth, what does Jesus look like?  Well, how about this, try taking a look in the mirror.  What you see is who you really are, a reflection of Christ in Whom you now live.  The sad part of this is that the mainstream church has tried to deflect this truth for over 1500 years.  This is why it has been so difficult for me to address that it is not I who live, but that I live within the Father.  Trust me, 1500 years of church teachings are difficult to overcome.  But this in no way diminishes the fact that we now live within God.  Through Jesus, we have been reconciled once again unto Him {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:18-20}.  The church will tell us that sin has separated us from God, but this is but one lie spoken by those within the Christian religion.  For Jesus Himself, and we as well, have died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  Those within the church will wring their hands upon hearing this.  They will say, "What about our daily sin?"  Fortunately, Paul gives us his response to this in his evangel.  As he proclaims, "We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it?" {Paul to the Romans 6:2}.  Indeed, the Jesus you have been looking for is most likely not the savior you were expecting to see.  Not only do you look like Him, you ARE Him.  

Yet all is of God, Who conciliates us to Himself through Christ, and is giving us the dispensation of the conciliation, how that God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them, and placing us in the word of the conciliation.  

Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5: 18-19, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Carnal Mind) # 2160

 What, then, shall we declare?  That we may be persisting in sis that grace should be increasing?  May it no be coming to that!  We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it? 

Pual to the Romans 6: 1-2, Concordant New Testament Translation

I recently saw a video posted by disgraced Christian pastor Mark Driscol in which he made the statement that sexual sin has been the cause of many families to cease to exist.  Now, I can't dispute his claim, as my own family was broken up over the misguided thoughts of my father.  Meanwhile, my own thoughts once migrated to the desires of the flesh as well.  Like father like son?  Growing up, my main goal was that I did not become the man that my own father had been.  I'm thankful to say that it never happened.  While I might have dabbled in the misguided thoughts of the flesh which he did, my thoughts would eventually be guided by the Father and not the flesh.  Many Christians might have described my fathers life as one prone to sin, and they might not be too far off the mark.  What is obvious is that his thoughts were focused on the flesh and not on the man he truly was in the Father.  This is where I and my father differ.  While I may have gone through a time when my thoughts were focused on the pleasures of this life, I eventually realized that this is not the man that I am.  This knowledge of the flesh came knocking at my door once again recently as I have been aware of the thoughts and actions of an acquaintance of mine.  I look at him and I see that which I once partook in.  I see in him the thoughts of the flesh.  This is the carnal mind.  The mind directed more towards thoughts of what this world has to offer than what the Lord has already given unto us.  The scripture tells us that to be carnal minded is death, but to dwell in the spirit is "Life and peace" {Paul to the Romans 8:6}.  Again, I would say that when are thoughts are on the pleasures of this world, that they are misguided.  THIS is not who we are.  Indeed, when it is revealed unto us who we truly are in the Lord, our thoughts and mind will follow.  My own father never realized that which was revealed to him.  

I don't think that I would be too far off base to say that my acquaintance is suffering from a mental disorder.  His mind is set on that which is not beneficial to him.  This was my own mindset for some time.  Of course, along with these thoughts came those of guilt and shame over what I was doing.  Yes, I knew that what I was doing went against those plans which the Lord had for me, but I also had been taught that God was on a different plane that I was.  I hadn't yet realized that my life...is His life.  Jesus has spoken to the union which we have within the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  There is truth in the passage that we will know the truth and that it shall make you free {Johns Account 8:32}.  That truth is knowing who we are in the Father.  If Christ Jesus has set us free, then we shall indeed be free {Johns Account 8:36}.  It is Christ Who has freed us from that bondage, that we would no longer be "Slaving for sin" {Paul to the Romans 6:6}.  Those within the church will describe the person entrenched in thoughts of the flesh as someone engaging in sin.  Yet the apostle Paul had a different understanding.  He understood that one who has died to sin cannot be living in it any longer {Paul to the Romans 6:1-2}.  The truth is that we have died to sin together with Christ {Paul to the Galatians 2:20, Paul to the Romans 6:8}.  This is the truth which sets us free.  Free from the guilt and shame of a mind focused on the carnal world.  Free from that which once held us in bondage.  Our issue, as with my own father, is that we do not yet realize that Christ has freed us.  

Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also 

Paul to the Romans 6: 8, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (Truth That Sets You Free) # 2159

 If ever, then, the Son should be making you free, you will be really free 

Johns Account 8: 36, Concordant New Testament Translation 

I had a conversation the other day about those doubts fears which I used to carry with me for so many years.  Fears of not being accepted by others.  Fears of not being accepted by God.  In a sense, I wasn't free at all.  Sure, I knew Jesus in the sense that I had read and heard of Him, but I didn't truly know Him, and this is why I was not free.  Jesus has spoken in the book of John that "If the Son should be making you free, then you shall really be free" {Johns Account 8:36}.  So, you could make the case that without knowing Christ Jesus, we are not really free at all.  We might think that we are, but only through knowing the truth which we have in Christ can we really be free.  Those within the church will talk about being free in Jesus, but they rarely preach the truth which truly makes us free.  Growing up in the Christian religion, it was my understanding that freedom in Christ meant following the rules set forth by the church.  That was the depth of my understanding of Jesus.  What I knew about Jesus came from what the church taught me.  What the church taught me was that Jesus and I were separated.  The best that I could ever hope was to "Be like" Jesus.  My friends, THAT is not true freedom in Christ.  What it is is submission to the narrative preached by the church for over 1500 years.  The narrative that man is inherently sinful, and that is what separates him from God.  The root of this lies with the Roman emperor Constantine, who in 325 AD convened the First Council of  Nicaea.  This gathering of bishops was convened in order to attain consensus in what the church taught.  That is, to affirm the narrative which they would preach to the masses.  That narrative still exists today, and it has kept many from realizing the truth we find in Christ Jesus and knowing true freedom in Him.  

In order to realize the freedom which we have in Christ, one must know who we are in Him.  Jesus has spoken to this truth, that we do not live our lives separated from God, but within His love {Johns Account 14:20}.  When I swallowed the church kool aid, I had no idea of that freedom which I already had in Christ.  The truth that I was already saved through Him, and just didn't realize it at the time.  This is the predicament which too many believers find themselves in today.  Free in Christ Jesus, yet unaware of who they are in Him.  All they know is what the church feeds them.  I've mentioned to a good friend of mine a few times the fact that the struggle we face is fighting 1500 years of church teaching.  The truth found in Christ is not found in a Sunday sermon, but by the revelation of the Father.  For all of the years I spent warming a pew each Sunday, I didn't realize who I was in Christ until I made the decision to leave the brick and mortar church.  Once free of the false teachings and theology, I was free to discover who I was IN Christ Jesus.  The words of the apostle Paul were beneficial in that Paul speaks in his evangel that "Living in me is Christ" {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  Jesus in me?  You mean, I'm not a sinner like the church told me for so many years?  Again, Paul helped me to understand the truth found in Christ.  That Christ Jesus died to sin "Once for all time" {Paul to the Romans 6:10}.  That the sacrifice of Jesus is real and final.  Sin is no longer an issue for us, for through Christ we have been freed from it.  Paul affirms this when he speaks that "We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it" {Paul to the Romans 6:2}?  THIS is the truth we have in Christ Jesus.  This is the freedom we have in Him.  

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you

Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament Translation

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (What You Never Knew About Jesus) # 2158

 

For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified 

Paul to the Corinthians (1) 15: 22, Concordant New Testament Translation

The prevailing wisdom among Christians is that Jesus died on the cross that our sins would be forgiven AND that those who believe in Him shall be saved.  Yet somehow, those within the mainstream church have succeeded in hijacking this truth for a counterfeit message spoken from the pulpits for thousands of years.  The message that our salvation is somehow a transaction which must take place.  That in order to be saved one must accept Christ Jesus.  Growing up in the church, I often struggled with if I was indeed saved or not.  Was I behaving well enough?  Was my belief in Jesus sincere enough for Him to allow me to be saved?  This is what the false message spoken by the church has given us.  But what if I was to tell you that your salvation is less about what we do, and all about that which Jesus has already done?  Would you be interested?  Most Christians will hold the line that salvation rests with our decision to accept Christ Jesus into their lives {Paul to the Romans 10:9}.  Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved {Acts of the Apostles 16:31}.  This act of acceptance has become the transaction by which our salvation is purchased.  But how is it that we can conduct a transaction with that which has already been freely given unto us {Paul to the Ephesians 2:8-9}?  As the apostle Paul has spoken in his evangel, salvation is the free gift of the Lord unto us.  Paul knew that were salvation simply a transaction, that those who have been able to achieve it would boast of their own status of being saved.  This is something which I have witnessed first-hand within the church.  This is not how salvation was meant to be.  Yet too many believers are not aware that they have already been saved.  That Jesus has already provided for our eternity within the Fathers presence.  Again, Paul speaks to this relatively unknown truth in his evangel.  The truth which speaks to "As in Adam, all are dying, yet, in Christ, shall all be vivified" {Paul to the Corinthians (1) 15:22}.  

What Paul is speaking to is that salvation is less about a transaction and all about the person of Christ Jesus.  Now, I have written about the concept known as universal salvation before, but never with the understanding that our salvation rests not with our acceptance of Jesus, but in the truth that Jesus Himself IS our salvation {Paul to the Romans 5:19}.  Indeed, through the obedience of Christ Jesus shall many be considered saved.  The simple truth is that you have already been saved, you simply are not aware of it.  You're not aware of the truth that salvation has never been about what we do, but all about what Christ has done for us.  Too many Christians have had this truth hidden by the false narrative preached from the pulpits of the church.  Therefore, it does not surprise me in the least that very few have the understanding that their salvation lies within Christ.  My own realization of salvation has only recently been revealed unto me by the Father.  Like most, I've struggled with thoughts of if my salvation was indeed secure.  The truth is, when we see our life for what it really is, this truth becomes more and more apparent.  Jesus has spoken that our life is lived within the love of the Father {Johns Account 14:20}.  This is our union life with Him.  This is also our salvation given to us through the obedience of Christ Jesus, that our life AND our salvation now reside with Him {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:15}.  We no longer live to ourselves, as those within the church are so fond of saying, but to Christ.  THIS is the Jesus you never knew. 

And He died for the sake of all that those who are living should by no means be still living to themselves, but to the One dying and being roused for their sakes 

Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5: 15, Concordant New Testament translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Case For Salvation) # 2157

 That in the name of Jesus every knee every knee should be bowing, celestial terrestrial and subterranean, and every tongue should be proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, for the glory of God, the Father 

Paul to the Philippians 2: 10-11, Concordant New Testament Translation 

Ask most Christians who it is that will be saved and you'll probably hear of a conditional salvation.  That is, Gods free gift salvation with a condition attached.  That being that one must accept and believe in the Lord Jesus.  I get it.  This has been something which I have struggled with for some time.  Not because I don't believe in Jesus, but because it seems that our salvation is tied to something which we do on our own, of our own free will (more on free will later).  The apostle Paul makes it clear in Ephesians that our salvation IS NOT of our own efforts {Paul to the Ephesians 2:8-9}.  Now, the rub comes from if we constitute our choosing to believe in Jesus as conscious effort on our behalf.  If so, then we're contradicting the very words spoken by Paul that salvation is not of our own doing.  This has been my struggle with the truth of salvation.  But there's another wrinkle to add to this discussion.  Suppose that it was never Gods intent that any of His children would be condemned to hell.  This is the concept of universal salvation, and many Christians bristle at the very mention of it.  In their minds, the good must be rewarded and the wicked punished.  This is what they have been taught through years of church theology.  This is what I was taught growing up in the Christian faith.  If I was good enough, then I would be saved.  But I continued to worry that God would somehow find me unworthy of His salvation.  I blame the church for this, for it is the mainstream church which espouses the teaching that good and wicked are separated.  Not only that, but that sin has separated us all from God.  Many Christians use the words of Paul spoken in Romans that all are deserving of judgement {Paul to the Romans 3:23}.  But they seldom mention that passage which follows this verse, that "Being justified gratuitously in His grace" that through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus that sin no longer defines us {Paul to the Romans 3:24}.  I am no longer condemned.  So, does this guarantee my salvation?  I've believed in Christ, I've fulfilled my part of the deal.  

As I've said, the idea that all will be saved is often considered to be akin to heresy by many Christians.  They've done their part, they believed, now they want their reward.  On top of that, they want those who haven't believed as they have to be condemned to hell (if there is such a thing, but more on that later).  But is that what Gods desire is for us?  Well, if the stellar requirement for achieving salvation is that one believe in and accept Christ Jesus then God has an answer for that, but it's not one which the church theology Christians want to hear.  Paul speaks in Philippians that "In the name of Jesus every knee should be bowing" {Paul to the Philippians 2:10-11}.  So, eventually, EVERYONE will confess and believe in the Lord Jesus.  Will God condemn to hell all who have done their part to achieve His salvation?  Will He deem their belief in Jesus not good enough, or too late for them to be saved?  Christians are fond of telling stories of death bed conversions, of how those who have not believed suddenly change their minds in their final moments of life.  Are they worthy of Gods free gift?  If we say yes, then we must also agree that in that day all will be saved, as in that day everyone will accept Jesus as Lord.  This is the predicament many Christians find themselves in.  To accept the truth that salvation is dependent upon ones belief in Christ is to accept the truth that all will acknowledge Him as Lord and shall be saved.  Bingo, universal salvation!  But what about the wicked being punished?  This is no longer relevant when every knee bows to Jesus.  Of course, this opens up an entirely new list of questions.  Is there even a hell?  What ultimately happens to the wicked?  Does God condone wickedness?  These are the issues which Christians wring their hands over.  All the while ignoring the truth of the free gift of the Lords salvation.  That all will be saved.  

For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is Gods approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting

Paul to the Ephesians 2: 8-9, Concordant New Testament Translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (The Perfect Union) # 2156

 

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you 

Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament translation

Since it has been my habit from time to time to speak to things you probably more than likely will not hear coming from the pulpits of the mainstream church, I thought I'd add another installment to that list.  So, here's my question, when was the last time that you ever heard a pastor speak to your union with God and/or Christ Jesus?  If I were to guess, not many believers have been introduced to this truth which we have in the Father.  My own knowing of this truth didn't come from some Sunday sermon, but from the revelation of the Lord.  My eyes have been opened, the veil has been lifted.  I'm not speaking from my own personal opinion here, but from the very words spoken by Jesus.  It is Jesus Who has proclaimed that we shall know that He is in the Father, that we are within Christ and that He is in us {Johns Account 14:20}.  Has there ever been a more perfect union than this?  My own realization of my union life within the Father has led me to look at my life very differently than before.  No longer do I see myself as being separated from God, as those within the church have been so very fond of proclaiming.  To put it simply, I go where the Father goes.  I do as the Father does.  I live AS the Father in whose love I dwell.  Is it any wonder why the powers that be within the church would not speak to this truth?  If everyone knew of this wonderful truth of our life lived within God, what need would we have for organized religion?  We would know that He is in us.  We would no longer be searching for Him.  Ironically, my revelation of my union with God didn't arrive while I was still an active church member.  In those days I swallowed whatever the pastors taught me.  It wasn't until after I left the organized church that I began to have these conversations with a good friend of mine.  Conversations of how God was closer to me than I had ever realized.  That sin was no longer the central issue of my life.  THIS is the truth which the church needs to be speaking to.  

My first introduction into what the church might refer to as blasphemy came from the words spoken by the apostle Paul in Galatians.  Paul speaks to the truth of his own death with Christ Jesus {Paul to the Galatians 2:20}.  Having been raised in the church and Christian theology, this was difficult for me to accept at first.  You might say that I needed to deprogram what I had learned about God up until that point.  The church claimed that I was a sinner, Jesus assures me that I no longer carry that scar with me.  The church says that I need to work for my salvation.  The words spoken by Paul assure us that salvation is the free gift of the Lord {Paul to the Ephesians 2:8-9}.  But what about our life?  That day to day struggle we all endure.  Are you separate from God or do you live each day within Him as Jesus has assured us?  I would say that to live thinking that you're separate from God is to live the lie of the deceiver.  For it is Satan who has spoken the lie that we can "Be like God, knowing good and evil" {Genesis 3:5}.  How is it that we could ever be separated from God Who has created us in His likeness {Genesis 1:27}?  Yet this is what you'll more than likely hear spoken from the pulpits of the church.  Not the truth of our perfect union with the Father, but the lie proposed by Satan that we have been separated from Him.  I firmly believe that we were never meant to live life governed by fear {Paul to Timothy (2) 1:7}.  The fear of not being saved.  The fear of never knowing what it's like to be closer to God.  This is not the life He has in store for us.  The words spoken by Jesus assure us that our life is lived within the Father.  The perfect union. 

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living, no longer I; but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me

Paul to the Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament translation 

~Scott~ 

The Good Of The Father (All Will Be Saved) # 2155

 

(for for this we are toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the savior of all mankind, especially of believers

Paul to Tomothy (1) 4: 10, Concordant New Testament 

One of the biggest hijackings of the truth man has ever known is not the governments coverup of the existence of UFO's.  No, the biggest coverup of the truth mankind has ever known comes from inside the mainstream church.  For it is those within the church who have not only hijacked the good news of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also the best news of all.  That being that all shall be saved through the love, grace and mercy of the Father.  For centuries, the church has spewed the lie that only those who have accepted Christ Jesus in their lives were worthy of the salvation of the Lord.  Indeed, they have not only overlooked the truth, but have hijacked it entirely.  They have filled the minds of millions of believers with a false condition by which the salvation of the Lord is tied to.  I grew up living this lie, believing that my eternity with God (more on that later) was somehow tied to my belief in Jesus.  But here's the kicker which those within the church rarely mention, were those of Old Testament times saved?  Are they deserving of the Lords presence for eternity?  If we answer in the affirmative then we must also agree that these individuals of the faith never once believed nor put their trust in the Lord Jesus.  Seeing as Jesus had not yet been miraculously conceived, how is it that these of the faith could enjoy the benefits of Gods salvation without fulfilling the requirement that one must accept Jesus in order to be saved?  I mean, the church will tell us that accepting Christ Jesus into our life is the basis of our acceptance into heaven.  Our ticket into heaven if you will.  But their words are contradicted by the very scriptures they proclaim speaks to our requirement for the Lords salvation.  The apostle Paul, writing to young Timothy, speaks of their reliance on "The living God, Who is the savior of all mankind, especially believers" {Paul to Timothy (1) 4:10}.  Why didn't Paul speak especially of believers in this passage?  Why doesn't he mention even once the requirement for salvation which the mainstream church speaks of?  Why indeed?  The answer is that there IS NO requirement for that which is freely given to us by God.  

Those within the church have hijacked that which is freely given to us by the Lord and spread the lie which claims that there is a requirement to be met for that gift.  That being the acceptance of the Lord Jesus.  But, if we accept this requirement as truth, doesn't that make our salvation no longer a gift, but a transaction which we must pay for?  Again, Paul disputes this lie spoken by the church when he proclaims "For in grace, through faith, are you saved" {Paul to the Ephesians 2:8-9}.  Paul continues by reminding us of our salvation "It is Gods approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting."  Paul knew that were our salvation dependent on our own abilities, that there would be boat loads of arrogant believers out there proclaiming that they themselves were responsible for their own salvation.  But, isn't this what those within the church have been telling us for generations?  That WE are the ones who are ultimately responsible for our own salvation?  That in order to be saved that we must accept Christ Jesus into our lives?  So, you're telling me that Paul got it wrong?  That salvation is not the free gift of God, but of our own ability to choose and accept Christ?  Do we simply deny the words of Paul written in the scriptures in order to save the churches hijacking of the truth?  Of course, those within the church are more than happy to proclaim the truth of the scriptures when it fits their agenda.  When it fits the hijacking of the truth.  The truth has always been that our salvation is not a transaction we conduct, but the free gift given unto us by the Father.  But, I'm guessing that the truth doesn't fit into the church narrative.

For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is Gods approach present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting

Paul to the Ephesians 2: 8-9, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~