.
Is God in all humans? Does one have to accept Christ into his/her life in order to have Jesus come into his/her life? Is God living His life in us 'conditional' until we do something? Is there a quotient of belief and acceptance we have to come to in order for God to then come into us and live in us? Have we had the cart before the horse theologically?
Paul says to the pagans at Athens in Acts 17:28-31, that "we live and move and have our being in God and that God has has given ASSURANCE to ALL men".
Jesus had already said in John 14:20 that "He was in the Father, the Father was in Him and that He (Jesus) was in you/us/all." And that one day we would realize it.
When Paul writes in Colossians and Ephesians that Christ is in all he is again emphasising what Christ had already said in John 14:20 and John 17:20-26. Paul says it this way in Colossians 3:11, "....but Christ is all and IN ALL." Note Paul did not say Christ was in "you" or "you all" speaking to or referencing those at Colosse
only, he said " Christ is all and IN ALL".
In Ephesians 4:6, Paul again says it this way, " One God and Father of ALL, who is above ALL and through ALL and in you ALL."
I realize that there are those who will disagree with this but that is ok. It won't change the truth that ALL are the children of God the Father and that the Holy Spirit has been poured out in greater measure and degree on ALL flesh (Acts 2) and that Jesus lives in everyone on the planet. The caveat is that when one does not know this they do not ACT like it. When they come to a change of mind ( metanoia,Gk) of who they are in Jesus then they will begin to change and ACT like who they really are and Experience the abundant life Jesus brought to us all. (John 10:10)
Blessings,
Paul
.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD--gods did not!
The concept of "HELL" can be found in the ancient religions of Egypt, Greece, and in most all religions of the world going back to the first world religion, Zoroastrianism. Eternal rewards for good and eternal punishments of the most horrible description can be found in studying 'Egyptian hell' and other's concept of the torture of damnation. ( See Internet articles on 'Egyptian Hell' and 'Greek Hell').
Note: None of the ancient gods existence was base on love. All were perceived as wanting to be worshipped and aggrandized. If one were not found bowing down to or extolling one of these gods that person would be on their way to a torturous afterlife of suffering. It was all about the god. There was no love lost on the human subjects of the particular god. There was no love relationship between the god and humans. There was no blessing on the people by the god. So the point....
John 3:16-17, John shows a very different kind of God that the true God really is. He says, " For God so LOVED THE WORLD that He GAVE His ONLY begotten Son...." This great God never intended for anyone to "perish" or continue to suffer, but that through belief in this loving God one would continue in relationship with Him forever.
The true God never says things like, " Worship me" or "Extol me" or "Build me up continually". He just loves us and wants us to love Him back and believe that all of our future is secured in Jesus for the blessing of all of us including every blessing of the heavenly realm. ( Ephesians 1:3-14).
Jesus did not adopt the pagan concept of a punishing, torturing and suffering Hell Fire for those who would not lift Him up or measure up with good deeds in order to escape eternal punishment. Jesus said He came to seek and to save what was lost and He did. ( Luke 19:10). The same Jesus says in John 14:20, that He is in the Father, the Father is in Him and He, Jesus, is IN US!!! We are asked to believe it. That is all.
The creation of God of the Cosmos and humanity was born out of pure love and a desire on the part of the Great Triune God to share that love with His creation of which man was supreme.
The Devil's religions do not change. The Good News in most churches is NOT Good News at all. It is rewards and punishment. Rules and regulations. It is RELIGION. And it is BAD NEWS!
The GOOD NEWS is , "God so loved the world" and secured and saved the creation through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. And Jesus said," It is FINISHED". John 19:30. And you are INCLUDED.
God Bless,
Paul
Note: None of the ancient gods existence was base on love. All were perceived as wanting to be worshipped and aggrandized. If one were not found bowing down to or extolling one of these gods that person would be on their way to a torturous afterlife of suffering. It was all about the god. There was no love lost on the human subjects of the particular god. There was no love relationship between the god and humans. There was no blessing on the people by the god. So the point....
John 3:16-17, John shows a very different kind of God that the true God really is. He says, " For God so LOVED THE WORLD that He GAVE His ONLY begotten Son...." This great God never intended for anyone to "perish" or continue to suffer, but that through belief in this loving God one would continue in relationship with Him forever.
The true God never says things like, " Worship me" or "Extol me" or "Build me up continually". He just loves us and wants us to love Him back and believe that all of our future is secured in Jesus for the blessing of all of us including every blessing of the heavenly realm. ( Ephesians 1:3-14).
Jesus did not adopt the pagan concept of a punishing, torturing and suffering Hell Fire for those who would not lift Him up or measure up with good deeds in order to escape eternal punishment. Jesus said He came to seek and to save what was lost and He did. ( Luke 19:10). The same Jesus says in John 14:20, that He is in the Father, the Father is in Him and He, Jesus, is IN US!!! We are asked to believe it. That is all.
The creation of God of the Cosmos and humanity was born out of pure love and a desire on the part of the Great Triune God to share that love with His creation of which man was supreme.
The Devil's religions do not change. The Good News in most churches is NOT Good News at all. It is rewards and punishment. Rules and regulations. It is RELIGION. And it is BAD NEWS!
The GOOD NEWS is , "God so loved the world" and secured and saved the creation through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. And Jesus said," It is FINISHED". John 19:30. And you are INCLUDED.
God Bless,
Paul
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