The Death Sentence Has Only Been Postponed Unless There Is Forgiveness.

 Jer. 6:19  Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring calamity upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

Why would God change? Why would God who gave us the plan of salvation before the world began, that same God who gave us the Ten Commandments after that plan was made, change His mind about them?

We say God demands less of people now. That's a lie and yet we live that way. We read how God brought punishment to His chosen people who abandoned Him and worshipped other gods, how He punished those who did NOT hearken unto His words or to His law. He's the same God today.

The sacrificial ceremonial law was the only law done away with by the greatest Sacrifice there could be, Jesus Christ. It makes sense that it would be done away with because there could never be another sacrifice made by man's hands that could atone for their sins. That lamb slain, those doves brought, all the things sacrificed pointed to the ONE who would be sacrificed and only by our going to Him. Just as if we would go to the temple of old for our sins to be forgiven, when we go to Him we find forgiveness and live.

Time and again the people of Israel betrayed God turning away from Him and His law. The punishments were severe, not mere slaps on the wrist. That same God expects us to still keep His law and to listen to His words- all of them.

The punishments were often death in the Old Testament and that was altered. Why?

Why if a woman, or man for that matter, were caught in adultery were they no longer to be stoned for their sin? Was it because adultery was no longer abhorrent to God? What changed? The sin of adultery remained punishable by death, the only thing that changed was the carrying out of the sentence. No longer would people be stoned to death for that, or for murder, or having other Gods before God, or worshiping idols, or taking God's name in vain, or not keeping the Sabbath, or not honoring your parents--ALL punishable by death before Christ died for us. Do you remember they tried to throw Christ Jesus off a cliff for blasphemy? The laws were still in effect when Jesus lived. Jesus taught mercy, Jesus taught repentance, Jesus taught forgiveness all things necessary to belong to Him.

Those who commit adultery, murder and so on- any of the capital offenses- were no longer to be put to death right away. They were to be allowed to live and serve punishments in prisons for their crimes but they were also given a chance to seek forgiveness from Jesus! Those thieves on the cross alongside of Jesus both deserved their death sentence, but only one was spared by the forgiveness of Jesus, that man sought forgiveness.

A person is given their entire life time to seek forgiveness. Yes, some are given the death penalty now, but it's not by God taking away their lifetime opportunity to seek forgiveness, changing their lives and living for Him, it's man taking it away.

God didn't change.

As I said already, the timing on the punishment of the death sentence changed. Not a single unrepentant, unforgiven person will live. Not a single person who rejects God's laws and refuses to listen to God's word will survive their death sentence. There are a lot of people sentenced to death walking around. The gravity of their sins is lost on them. They break all Ten Commandments and seek absolutely no forgiveness. The things they do now they would have been stoned to death for, but now they shrug it off and believe it's of no consequence. They even try to get people to believe it is no longer sin, that what was once worthy of death is no longer worthy of death. Satan has deceived the masses and he's tried to use the Savior's leniency, the Savior's compassion, the Savior's desperate love for all of us- to say it's okay to sin now. They do this because they don't believe the death sentence has just been postponed, but done away with.

Too many people don't believe their sins warrant death. They do. They are just as bad as they ever were. They've done away with the idea of sin and consequences. They either don't care at all whatsoever, or they believe it's not as bad as it used to be.

For those who seek forgiveness for their sins, they do so with the full weight of the truth- that their sin killed the Savior. He died to save them. The weight of their sin was laid upon the dying Christ, He took their punishment. He took their place upon that cross, the cross meant for them. Wake up people, before it is too late! Repentant and recognize the wages of sin is still DEATH. But we do have the Gift of God, Jesus Christ, who can give us life. He won't save us IN our sins, but from the sins we confess and seek forgiveness for, sincerely repenting and forsaking sin, never excusing it in our lives.

God forgive me, a sinner. All glory, thanksgiving and praise, all honor unto You for your sacrifice for me. I can never thank you enough, never. Every day I will lay at the foot of Your cross knowing You died for me. Every day I will pray that because You died for me that You live for me, and that You will live in me, ever my hope, my life! Not I, but Christ always! Amen!

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Holy Scriptures

 The Holy Scriptures. How important are the Old Testament Holy Scriptures? How important were they to Jesus? 

The New Testament points us to their importance. We'd do well to look at the verses talking about scriptures. We do ourselves a great injustice to ignore the Holy Word of God. 

I remember once someone questioning me on the importance of scripture, saying how do you even know it isn't just men writing what they want to write. How do you know the scriptures are God's word? How do we know which version of the scriptures is correct, man has mistranslated so much?

It seems those who choose not to believe that scripture is from God want an outside source, something other than the Bible to reveal it is from God. They don't want God's written word to tell them it's holy. They want proof in some other way. They don't want to be duped by fairy tales made up by a cult of deceived believers. It doesn't matter that some of the greatest literary scholars have believed the Bible as God's inspired word, they are just more people among those deceived. 

Quite the conundrum, yes? 

I remember these spoken lyrics in a Casting Crowns song-

'The Bible was inscribed over a period of 2000 years

In times of war and in days of peace

By kings, physicians, tax collectors, farmers

Fishermen, singers and shepherds

The marvel is that a library so perfectly cohesive

Could have been produced by such a diverse crowd

Over a period of time which staggers the imagination

Jesus is its grand subject, our good is designed

And the glory of God is its end'

The sheer complexity of the Bible as God guided it to be put together book by book (scroll by scroll) writing by writing is a 'marvel'.  Men were the instruments God used. The Holy Spirit guided the men. 

Some might argue that a lot of the history- especially the family lineages that go on and on are unnecessary filler taking up space making reading difficult and boring, serving no useful purpose. Then they'd wonder why God would include such nonsense. Others would say there are a lot of bad things in the Bible - sex, drunkenness, betrayals, murders, tortures etc why would God allow that stuff in there? I've seen people who have proudly created memes that say how God ordered women and children killed. Why would God put bad public relations information in His holy word? Those people posting the memes are hoping to disparage God and get people to stop believing in Him. How could a God of love, have children killed? How do you accept a God like that? 

They ask these questions as if God wouldn't ultimately give every innocent child salvation when Christ returns, raising those who died. Jesus said to suffer the children, to let them come to him and He also said that anyone who hurts one of them is better off having a millstone tied about their necks and drowned. Here read it yourself-

Mat 18:6  But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 

The same God who told warriors of His chosen people to kill children, is the one who is in full agreement with His declared son, Jesus, he and his father are one.  

God's ways are not our ways. To think that we know better than God is utterly ridiculous. We may not comprehend all the reasons beyond God's ways, but we know each and every one of them comes from a place of love so deep and pure that any suffering of any one, in any way will all be understood one day. 

That Jesus, a God himself, suffered unimaginably in order to bring us salvation is something we can scarcely truly comprehend. 

Our trouble comes when we are convinced that this world is all there is and all there will ever be. Our trouble comes when we choose to believe there is no God in control. Our trouble comes when we believe to allow suffering for our ultimate good, is something wrong. Our trouble comes when we can't think past 100 years of life, if we're blessed. Our trouble comes when we choose to believe in deception rather than truth and call the truth lies. Our trouble comes when we want nothing to do with faith, in believing in the unseen even though our lives are testament to the idea of believing in an unseen tomorrow, every day. You can choose to believe and gain everything, or you can choose not to believe and risk losing everything. Choosing to believe doesn't rob you of anything eternally important. Choosing not to believe robs you of eternity. Living with hope in the unseen, having faith which is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, is a beautiful thing. 

Suffering is horrific, especially in innocent children, innocent developmentally disabled, innocent animals, it's completely and utterly horrific. The only reason suffering is allowed is because the only other alternative was to wipe humanity out completely. We suffer now for a little while (compared to eternity), in order to be a part of eternal humanity ultimately putting an end to ALL suffering forever.

The millions of deceived faux Christians are not are our role models, only Jesus Christ is our role model and none other. Walk your Christian walk following ONLY Jesus. Don't let the deceived Christians who are wolves in sheep clothing and don't even know it, keep you from learning of Jesus Christ, your Savior in all truth. 

Take a few minutes and read this list of verses about the scriptures. Trust that God will guide you as you study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). Let the Holy Spirit who inspired the words bring them to life for you daily. 

2Ti_3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness

Mar_12:10  And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner

Mar_15:28  And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

Luk_4:21  And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

Joh_2:22  When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

Joh_7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Joh_7:42  Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

Joh_13:18  I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

Joh_17:12  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Joh_19:24  They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

Joh_19:28  After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Joh_19:36  For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

Joh_19:37  And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

Joh_20:9  For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Act_1:16  Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

Act_8:32  The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth

Act_8:35  Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Rom_4:3  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Rom_10:11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Rom_11:2  God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying

Rom 11:3  Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 

Rom 11:4  But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 

Rom 11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Gal_3:8  And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Gal_3:22  But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

Jas_2:8  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well

Jas_2:23  And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

1Pe_2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

2Pe_1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.