Repentance, or Not?

 What the Word Says

This is a growing debate. I do not understand why, no. No, that is not true. I do understand why. Is repentance required? By whom? To whom? When? This is what we will be talking about. Let us pray.

Heavenly Father, LORD God, we come before you with joyful hearts today. We thank you for all we have, and we pray for forgiveness of our sins and our foolishness. Thank you so much for Your grace and all of the blessings You have and continue to bless us with. Father, as we enter into Your Word, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a Spirit to understand what You want us to know. In Jesus' name, Amen!

I truly do not understand the debate. How would anyone read this (Holding up the Bible) and come away with the conclusion that repentance is not needed? Then you will have some who will respond ok, ok. Repentance is needed, but for everyone? To whom are we to repent? The God of the Bible? Does God’s grace not cover all of us? We will start today with what repentance is. 

What repentance is not is saying “Oops, sorry. I did it again. Forgive me until tomorrow.” Or even “Father, forgive me for what I’m about to do.” I have indeed prayed that prayer. I do not know about you. But I know people who are so entrenched in their sins that they ask for forgiveness before and after, sometimes during, their sin. So in love with their sin, they simply do not want to give it up. Some examples? Sex, drugs, greed, and even hate. 

I know, Father, you don’t like this. But I just cannot stop. I have to do this. I know, Lord, you say to love everyone, but I just can’t love this person. Or these people. I understand that sex outside of marriage between one man and one woman is sin. But it feels so good. Looking at uh, stuff? Who cares? I’m not hurting anyone, and no one knows anyway. 

God does. He wants what is best for you. Now make no mistake about it. I’m about to upset some people. Drinking alcohol is not a sin. Smoking marijuana is not a sin. Wait what? The Bible tells us often that people drank wine. Jesus Himself drank wine. The Bible is not anti-alcohol. It is anti-drunkenness. The Bible's concern is that you do not lose control. That you do not indulge to the point where your mental capacity is compromised. 

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:18 

And 

“Woe to those who rise early in the morning, that they may run after strong drink, who tarry late into the evening as wine inflames them!” Isaiah 5:11

But rather, God wants you to be filled with the Spirit. 

“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13 

What about greed? 

“A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched.” Proverbs 28:25

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” 1 Timothy 6:9 

Of course, Jesus said this. 

“And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15 

Let's talk about sex. Listen. Hear me. Anything, anything, outside of the marriage between one man and one woman, is sin. Anything.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

Once married, 

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Hebrews 13:4 

Then, not only are you encouraged to, you are commanded to. 

“The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” 1 Corinthians 7:3-5

What is fornication? Again, ANYTHING outside of marriage is sin. Sex before marriage. Homosexuality, Transgenderism, Pedophilia, Beastiality- yes, all these are talked about in the Bible. Homosexuality- Leviticus 18:1-5, 22-24, 29, Leviticus 20:13, Ezekiel 16:49-51, Romans 1:18-32, just to name a few. Transgenderism- Deuteronomy 22:5, Romans 1:18-32, 1 Corinthians 11:14-15, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, Pedophilia - Mark 9:42, Luke 17:1-37, 2 Timothy 3:1-17, 1 Corinthians 5:1-6, Beastiality- Leviticus 18:19-30, Exodus 22:19 

Did you know that sexual sin is the worst? I’m not some old fudy dudy; oh, I’m never saying that again; that is just making this up. 

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:18

“For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;” 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

Therefore, there is no doubt that sin is real and against God. 

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21

Read that again. “Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” What do we need to do then? Repent. Repentance (along with faith) is a covenant requirement of both the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. But what is repentance?  Is it spiritual sorrow?  Is it a cessation of sinning?  The best place in the NT for understanding the different connotations of this concept is 2 Corinthians 7:8-11, where three related, but different, Greek terms are used. 

“For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it--though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point, you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.”

The word " sorrow" (lupeō, cf. Verse 8 [twice], V 9 [thrice], V 10 [twice]. It means grief or distress and has a theologically neutral connotation.

"Repentance" (metanoeō; cf. V. 9, 10).  It is a compound of "after" and "mind," implying a new mind, a new way of thinking, and a new attitude toward life and God.  This is true repentance.

John the Baptist, in Matthew 3:2, Mark 1:4, Luke 3:3,8.  Peter Acts 2:38, 3:19, 8:22,11:18, 2 Pet. 3:9.  Paul Acts 13:24, 17:30, 20:21, 26:20, Rom. 2:4, 2 Cor. 2:9-10. Jesus Matt. 4:17, Mark 1:15, Luke 5:32, 13:3,5, 15:7, 17:3.  So yes. Repentance is important and is called for. 

The definitions of both the Hebrew and Greek terms are required to grasp the full meaning of repentance. The Hebrew term demands "a change of action," while the Greek term demands "a change of mind."  

The saved person receives a new mind and heart 

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” Ezekiel 36:25-27

He thinks differently and lives differently.  Instead of "What's in it for me?" The question is now, "What is God's will?"  Repentance is not an emotion that fades or a total sinlessness, but a new relationship with the Holy One that transforms the believer progressively into a holy one. 

“Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is no Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave free; but Christ is all, and in all.” Colossians 3:9-11

It is not so much what one ceases doing or gives up, but a new focus or direction in life. The Fall causes us all to face ourselves, but the gospel allows us to face God. Repentance is the turning from, and faith is the turning to. 

Is repentance required? Yes. Now that we've got repentance clear, the next question is, to whom are we to repent? Seems like a pretty silly question. Or is it? This is what we will talk about next time. 

Remember, you can always find this, and so much more, in the archives, over at TAG

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the Lord our God go before you as your way maker, as well as behind you as your rear guard, and may He be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Coming up, Song of Solomon.

 

Hey Folks, it is that time again. The time when we dedicate Wednesdays to a more in-depth look at an entire Book in the Bible. Starting next week, we will begin in Song of Solomon, often The Song of Solomon (also known as the Song of Songs) is a unique book in the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. Unlike much of the surrounding scripture, it is not focused on law, history, or prophecy; instead, it is a collection of deeply passionate love poetry.

Here is a synopsis of its core themes, structure, and interpretations:

The Core Narrative - At its heart, the book is a lyrical dialogue celebrating romantic and physical love between two main speakers. The Beloved (a young woman): Often referred to as the Shulammite woman, who speaks with intense desire, longing, and independence. The Lover (a young man): Frequently associated with or portraying a king (historically attributed to Solomon), who praises her beauty in rich, naturalistic metaphors. The Chorus ("Daughters of Jerusalem"): A group of women who observe, question, and interact with the lovers, acting as a sounding board for the narrative.

The poetry does not follow a strict, linear plot. Instead, it moves through a series of waves, cycles of longing, searching, finding, and celebrating. The lovers express mutual desire, describe each other’s physical beauty using vivid imagery of the ancient Near Eastern landscape (like spices, vineyards, and wildlife), and navigate the intense, sometimes overwhelming power of love.

Key Themes - The book explicitly celebrates the emotional and physical intimacy of human love, presenting it as inherently beautiful, pure, and worthy of praise. It famously describes love as a fierce, unyielding force: 

"For love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame." Song of Solomon 8:6

The frequent imagery of a locked garden, fruit, and flowing springs evokes the themes of purity, exclusivity, and a return to the unashamed innocence of the Garden of Eden.

Because the book explicitly focuses on romantic love and does not directly mention God (with a possible exception in chapter 8 regarding the "blazing flame"), it has historically been understood through two primary lenses:

The Allegorical / Spiritual View: Jewish Tradition: Historically read as an allegory of the deeply passionate, covenantal love between God (the Lover) and the people of Israel (the Beloved).

Christian Tradition: Frequently interpreted as a symbol of the profound spiritual union and love between Jesus Christ and the Church (or the individual human soul).

Modern scholarship widely views the text as a celebration of human romantic love and fidelity, ordained by God as a beautiful and natural part of creation. Join us, won't you, for a walk through this very interesting book. 

You can always reach out to me for questions, comments, or just say "Hi" at truthbygod1@gmail.com. 

Join us every Sunday for various messages, led by God, from His Word, without the traditions of men called religion. Just the Truth According to God.

May the Lord be your way maker, as well as your rear guard. May God be with you. 

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Too Late

 Time's up. 

I want to start by saying this. Well, not I but the Word says this.

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew 24:36

If I or anyone else tells you, on XYZ day, at XYZ time, Jesus is coming back, do not believe them. Do not believe me. Could the world end tomorrow? Yup. Could Jesus descend from heaven, open that door in the back, walk down that aisle before I'm done speaking today? Yup. 

Let us pray. Father, we come before you today with thanksgiving and praise. We acknowledge you for who you are, God. The creator of all there is, was, or ever will be. We thank you for life itself, for life everlasting, and all things in between. Father, we want to sound the alarm, to blow the trumpet, to tell people the time is near. Please Father, help us to understand by giving us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive what you want us to know today. The time is near; people need to be ready. In Jesus' name we ask and pray, Amen!

Could Jesus return a thousand years from now? Yup. See, the truth is, we have no idea. Jesus even told us we have no idea. However, the Bible does tell us this.

"Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all, so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed." Luke 17:26-30

The Bible also tells us this.

"Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!” Luke 12:37-38

We could spend all day talking about the end times. Armageddon. Revelations. The return of Christ. Oh, we could spend weeks breaking it all down. It will happen. It is coming. However, when does it happen? We do not know. But this I know. When it does, it will then be too late to do anything.

Remember, it was not raining, nor even cloudy, when Noah started building the Ark, when God told him to. All those people who died waited until the last minute. But when the flood came, it was too late. In Sodom, the same. They continued to live in their routines. In their sins. They went about their daily lives. Then the fire fell from the sky. Too late.

The Bible says it is coming. So the question is not, will it come, or what do we do when it comes? The question is, what do we do now? As I said, we could talk for weeks about the end times. We could talk for weeks about the Anti-Christ. We could look around and see the decline of America. The slaughter of Christians all around the world. We could talk about the hatred of Jews. The cashless society. The one-world government. We could talk about all the signs and wonders that are depicted in the Bible. We could question: Are we in the End Times?

However, none of this would be all that helpful. What is the best thing for us to do? We should do what the Bible tells us we should. "Occupy till I come." Luke 19:13. In the ESV version, it is said this way: "Engage in business until I come." "Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes."

Remember, 2 Timothy 3:1-5 says this.

"But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people."

That last part? You can use the word "religion" here. This move includes the sins of mankind with the teachings of God. In some cases, doing away with God to justify man. Turn away from such. Do not be sucked into believing that compassion and compromise have any place whatsoever in the teaching of the truth according to God.

So what should we, as children of God, be doing in these times? Should we become recluses? Should we lock ourselves away and wait? No. "Occupy till I come." Live your life, "Engage in business until I come," but be watchful and ready. We must not join in with the world but be separated from the sins of the flesh. Jesus told us this.

"If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:19

In Isaiah, we read this.

“Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:30-31

You see, even though we know that this end time is coming, and even though we know that the very world we know will indeed pass away, we also know that we are children of God. Look at this in 1 John 3:2

"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him because we shall see him as he is."

It doesn't matter if the world sees us as anything special. It doesn't matter what man says at all. It doesn't matter what they believe. We should all be living our lives every day. Then one day, tomorrow or a hundred years from now, Jesus will return. People will be going to work and/or perhaps coming home. People will be eating dinner. People will be sleeping. People will be planning out the next few days, weeks, months, and years.

Then the sky will grow dark. The clouds will form. Jesus will ascend in the clouds. "We shall see him as he is." Oh, He will not be coming as the Lamb this time. He will not be coming to tell you that you must accept all people, no matter who or how they live. He will not be coming to remind us to turn the other cheek. No, no, no. He will be coming as a lion. As a warrior. As a conquering King. 

People will run to Him and fall on their faces. "I did not believe it. But I do now." Too late. Jesus could ask them, "Why did you mock me?" Their answer? "I did not believe it. But I do now." Too late. "Why did you persecute my people?" "I did not believe it. But I do now." Too late. "Why did you kill my people?" "I did not believe it. But I do now." Too late. "Why did you not believe them when they warned you this was coming?" "I did not believe it. But I do now." Too late.

The Religious will run to Him. However? It will not be well for all.

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’" Matthew 7:21-23

Too late. We do not need to hide. We do not need to fear. We need only to wait on the Lord. Now, today, while there is time. Today. Today, we need to tell people the truth. Today we need to be sowers of the seed. Today we need to be the children of God we claim to be. Share the Gospel. Especially with those you love. Let them know that although these dark days are coming, and they are coming, we have no reason to worry. This same Jesus who will be coming to destroy everything will also be coming to bring us home. What are you waiting for?  Close your eyes. Hear these words. 

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." 

I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." 

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 

In his right hand, he held seven stars; from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.  When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Revelation 1:1-18

As sure as you just heard these words, it will happen. Open your eyes. Look around. See what you see. Roman 1 is being played out right in front of us. 2 Timothy 4:3 is happening right in front of us. There is a drop of rain. Did you feel it? Some dark clouds are rolling in. Do you see them? It is getting darker. Time is almost up. 

“You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Luke 12:40

Be ready. Look around. Then look up. 

“For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

What will tomorrow bring? You do not know. Will it even come? You do not know that either. Today is now. He is available. He is warning us. He is waiting. He will not wait forever. 

Live your life. "Occupy till I come." Be watchful and ready. "When he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." Even though it will happen "as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all." We need to be assured that we have nothing to fear. Not, as the world does. For we will be with Him. 

Remember, you can find so very much in the archives at TAG 

The Email is, as always, truthbygod1@gmail.com 

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

2 Peter 3

 Chapter 3 

The Day of the Lord Will Come

1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them, I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Final Words

14 Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. 15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

God Does Not Force

 God does not want robots. 

If there is an all-knowing, omnipotent God, then there is no free will. He knows who will serve Him and who will not. What is the point? There is, in and of itself, a problem for some. The concept of a Creator who holds ultimate power but chooses to restrain that power to allow for genuine love and free will is one of the most beautiful aspects of the Christian faith.

This is what we will discuss today. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you today in praise and thanksgiving. We thank you, Father, for allowing us to be adopted into your family rather than being forced to be slaves serving you. As we enter your Word, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and the ability to receive and understand your Word and your love. In Jesus' name we ask and pray. Amen!

Here is the main thing. True love requires a choice. If God forced us to serve Him, we would be programmed, not partners. Love forced is not love at all; it’s coercion. From the very beginning, God placed a tree in the garden. The presence of the tree wasn't a trap; it was the presence of a choice. Without the ability to say "no," saying "yes" has no moral or relational value.

Then God gave man a choice. To be obedient, or not to. 

“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17

Now I want you to see two things. One, God gives man a choice. Obey or not. Live or die. Two, notice this also. Eve was not there yet. Do you see that? This is also man’s first opportunity to lead in a Godly direction. 

Sounds a bit like this, does it not? 

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you today, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:15-20

God desires a relationship, not mere obedience. Robots can obey; only free-willed beings can love. Do you want more examples? Here are a few more powerful passages that highlight God’s invitation versus coercion.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20

Jesus knocks; He doesn't kick the door down. He waits for an invitation.

"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

Joshua echoes God's heart here. The choice is laid out clearly, but the decision is left to the people. Also here. Remember when Jesus was heartbroken? 

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" Matthew 23:37

This shows the heartbreak of God. He has the power to force them, but He respects their will, even when it grieves Him. Imagine a man who wants to marry a woman. Instead of asking her, he uses a chemical to brainwash her into saying yes. Is that a marriage? Does he actually have her love? No. God wants a bride, not a hostage. 

We are going into this detail for a reason. Hang in there. Remember the prodigal Father. No, not the son, although if not for the son, we would not know about the Father. When the prodigal son wanted to leave, the father didn't lock him in his room. Deny his inheritance. No. He gave it to him. He let him go. He watched him walk away with a broken heart. Then, he waited patiently for the son to choose to come home on his own. Luke 15

Knowing this. Should it not change how you live? Not only on Sunday morning, but on Monday? Everyday? See, we can rest knowing that God genuinely wants us. We aren't draft picks who were forced into His army; we are chosen, and we chose Him back.

Now we talked about this aspect before. If God doesn’t force people, we shouldn't either. Our job is to invite, love, and reflect Christ. Not to manipulate or coerce others into faith. Sharing the Truth with others is our obligation; however, their acceptance is not our responsibility. No matter how much you may want someone you love to follow Christ and be saved, it is up to them to do it. To accept and live, or reject and die.  

Now I know, I understand, some disagree with this. Often called "double predestination" or strict Calvinism, they argue that if God is completely sovereign, He must choose every individual outcome, leaving human free will as an illusion. However, this creates a massive theological crisis when it comes to the character of God. 

If Sue goes to hell simply because God skipped over her, it makes salvation an arbitrary lottery and turns God's unconditional love into something highly conditional. If God chooses Sue and forces her to love Him without her consent, it completely redefines the biblical definition of love.

If Sue has absolutely no choice in the matter, how can she be held morally responsible for rejecting God? You cannot justly punish someone for failing to do something they were physically and spiritually incapable of doing. Right? 

Scripture repeatedly commands humans to "repent," "believe," and "choose." If we have no choice, those commands are empty theater. God wouldn't command us to do something we are utterly incapable of doing just to mock our inability.

The argument for absolute predestination usually hinges on verses that say we are "chosen" or "elect." But a closer look at the context of those words often reveals a different meaning. In the ancient world, "choosing" was often corporate, not just individual. God chose the Nation of Israel to be His vehicle for blessing the world. He chose the Church, or the body of believers, to be His bride. Anyone who chooses to enter Christ becomes part of that "chosen" group. Think of it like a cruise ship: God chose the ship and its destination, but individuals still choose to step on board.

In the New Testament, when God "chooses" an individual, it is almost always for a specific task or ministry, not just a ticket to heaven. He chose Paul to carry the gospel to the Gentiles, but Paul still wrote about the necessity of running the race so that he himself wouldn't be disqualified, 1 Corinthians 9:27.

Whenever someone argues this with me, I always have to ask, then what does the word 'whoever' mean? Whoever, whosoever, all, everyone- what do these words mean? These are all part of the universal invitations of the Bible. The Greek word pas ("whosoever" or "everyone") is used intentionally to show that the door is open to all.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

If salvation were restricted to a pre-selected few, it would say "that the elect believe in him." 

“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4

If God wants all people saved, but only some are, and He is the only one who has a say, then God's own will is being thwarted by Himself. That makes no sense. Remember,

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

God is all-powerful. He could force Sue to love Him. He could drag everyone into heaven or push them into hell like chess pieces. But supreme power doesn't mean supreme control. True sovereignty means God is so powerful that He can create a universe with free-willed creatures, allow them to genuinely choose or reject Him, and still ensure His ultimate plans are accomplished. He doesn't need to manipulate Sue to be God’s. He wants her heart, and hearts cannot be forced.

If God doesn't force anyone, then the ball is entirely in our court. That changes everything about how we view our relationship with Him. If salvation isn't a cosmic lottery, if God isn't pulling strings to force some in and lock others out, then that means something incredibly beautiful, but also incredibly urgent for every single one of us here today. It means God is looking at you right now, holding out His hands, and waiting for your reply.

Many people live their lives waiting for God to hit them over the head with a lightning bolt or force them into obedience. They say, "Well, if God wants me to stop this habit, He'll take away the desire," or "If God wants me to serve, He'll make it happen." Sorry, that is an excuse—a copout. God is a gentleman. He won't drag anyone into modern discipleship. If they want a deeper relationship with Him, they have to choose to wake up and pursue it actively.

When people believe God forces or coerces us, Christianity becomes a religion of checklist obligation, of doing things just so we don't get punished. Because God invites rather than forces, our service to Him shouldn't come from fear or guilt. It should come from gratitude. We serve Him not because we have to, but because we want to. It turns "I have to go to church/pray/give" into "I get to."

This is a massive point for how we live on Monday. If the Almighty Creator of the universe refuses to force people to align with Him, we have no right to force, manipulate, or badger people into alignment with us. This changes, or should change,  how we parent, how we treat our spouses, and how we share our faith with neighbors. We stop using guilt, anger, or coercion to get our way. Instead, we learn the patient, long-suffering art of loving invitation. Just like God does.

God’s love is vulnerable. By giving us a choice, He gave us the power to break His heart. And yet, Jesus still chooses to stand at the door and knock. Today, the door doesn't need to be kicked down from the outside. It just needs to be opened from the inside. Are you getting up? Are you ready to open it? He is patient. However, there will come a time when it is too late. 

This is what we will be discussing next time. 

  

Remember, you can always check out the vast archive here at TAG

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit and the peace of our Lord Jesus be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

2 Peter 2

 Chapter 2

1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

22 But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

Unlimited Atonement

Free Will Series.

What is  "Unlimited Atonement?” It is the view that Christ died for everyone, everywhere, even if not all choose to accept that gift. At its core, Unlimited Atonement (sometimes called general or universal atonement) is the understanding that Jesus Christ's death on the cross was sufficient, intended, and offered for every single person who has ever lived.

Let’s talk about it. Let us pray. Father, we come before you with thanksgiving and praise, and we thank you for all we have, had, and ever will have. We gather today to learn about your Unlimited Atonement and how it fits with our free will. We pray, Father, for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and understand your Truth and Revelation. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen!

To break it down clearly. The scope is Universal. Christ paid the penalty for the sins of the entire world, not just a select group. While Christ provided salvation for everyone, that salvation is only applied to those who believe. It doesn't mean everyone is automatically saved (which would be universalism); rather, it means the door is genuinely open to all.

“He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”  1 John 2:2

I want you to picture an open door. Look at that door. Look around the door. Do you see anything saying VIP only? No. Do you see Muslims, Jews, or Christians only? No. What do you see? An open door. 

The cross of Jesus Christ wasn't a limited-capacity rescue mission. It was God throwing the doors of heaven wide open to the whole world.

Before we can understand the scope of the cross, we have to look at the heart of the One who planned it. The atonement is unlimited because God’s love and desire for a relationship are unlimited. God does not take pleasure in anyone's loss; His baseline desire is rescue.

“This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:3–4

God desires all people to be saved. Say “all,” and 2 Peter 3:9: He is patient, not wishing that any should perish.

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

If God’s revealed desire is for all to come to repentance, then the provision He made on the cross must match that desire. An unlimited invitation requires an unlimited provision. It must be sufficient for all. 

Let's move from God's character to Jesus's action. What actually happened on the cross? Jesus didn’t just pay for a specific subset of human sins. The weight of the world's brokenness was placed on Him. This is John the Baptist.

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!“ John 1:29. 

Also in Isaiah 53:6 

“All we like sheep have gone astray; 

We have turned--everyone--to his own way; 

and the LORD has laid on him 

the iniquity of us all.”

Sufficiency vs. efficiency. The sacrifice is sufficient for all, but efficient (effective) only for those who believe. A check has been written for the whole world, but a check must be cashed to benefit the recipient.

Remember, "whosoever will.” Because God’s heart is for all, and Christ's death paid for all, the preaching of the Gospel can be offered to anyone with absolute honesty. No caveats in the offer: When we tell someone "Jesus died for you," we don't have to wonder if it's legally true for them. It is.

Of course, we have John 3:16-18 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

And Revelation 22:17

“The Spirit and the Bride say, 'Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

This is why Jesus gave us the Great Commission. 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Because the atonement is unlimited, our mandate to preach is unrestricted. Every person your congregation meets is someone Jesus explicitly died for. 

“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" Romans 10:13-15

 We serve a God whose love is boundless, who paid a flawless price, offering a timeless invitation. Sadly, an unlimited gift still requires acceptance. The tragedy of a lost life isn't that a payment wasn't made; it's that the payment was refused. Look here.

“When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, 'Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’ 

 But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they all began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.' And another said, 'I have bought five yokes of oxen, and I am going to examine them. Please excuse me.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' 

So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'" Luke 14:15-24

I understand that this can be a hard lesson. Some become offended by it. However, it does not change the reality. The Banquet is the marriage of the Lamb, the gift of Salvation. The “invited guests” are the Jews. The Jewish people. Those who refused, you guessed it, the Jewish People. Those in the “highways, byways, the poor and crippled, and blind and lame.” Well, they are us. Me, you, them, everyone. 

“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:11-14

As you know, 

“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.“ Galatians 3:27-29

Look at where we stand today. Look at the sheer beauty of what Christ accomplished. You never have to look at your neighbor, your coworker, or even your enemy and wonder, "Did Jesus die for them?" He did. We have been sent out into the highways and hedges to compel people to come in. There is still room at the table!

The check has been signed in the blood of Christ. But a check left on the counter doesn't pay the bills. It has to be accepted. An unlimited gift still requires a personal choice.

And that brings us to a crucial, sobering reality. God threw the door wide open. He paid for the lock to be broken. He handles the hinges, and He stands on the other side with open arms. But God will not drag anyone through it. He respects human choice too much for that.

Today, we see the glorious side of the coin: God’s provision is grand enough for every single soul. However, we have to look squarely at the other side of that coin, the heavy responsibility that comes with our ability to choose. God does not force.

Consider the immense significance of it all. Love, by its very nature, cannot be forced. A love that is coerced isn’t love at all; it’s more like conscription. God is a Father seeking a family, not a dictator demanding obedience from puppets. When He granted humanity free will, He bestowed upon us something incredibly precious yet daunting. He gave us the ability to say "Yes" to Him, which also meant that He had to allow us the ability to say "No."

Next time, we are going to unpack exactly what that means. We're going to look at how real free will works, why it matters so deeply to God, and the tragic reality of what happens when a human heart stubbornly uses its free will to walk away from a banquet that has already been fully paid for.

But today, as we close, the door is open. The invitation is without price, but it demands a choice.  Let us stop making excuses. If you haven't walked through that door, choose Christ today. And if you have, let’s get out into the highways and byways to bring others to His table.

Remember, you can find a vast archive at TAG

The email is, as always, truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the Lord our God go before you as your way maker, as well as behind you as your rear guard, and may He be with you, always. 

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!