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This study may be freely posted on other bbs' and distributed to others provided this leader remains with the study text at all times. WHO HAVE THEIR NAMES IN BOOK OF LIFE BEFORE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD? ******************************************************************** Revelation 17: 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. If we are to KNOW who the people are who are taken in by this awful religious system, we must know who those are WHO ARE NOT DECEIVED IN SUCH A MANNER. Revelation 17:8 implies very accurately that there are people WHOSE NAMES WERE WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE FROM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. The best way to begin our study of this subject is to find out what the writer is referring to when he speaks of the "book of life". It should be obvious that the "book of life" is not a book of physical life, as such would make Revelation 17:8 a ridiculous statement. It would be impossible for people who never lived (physically) to "wonder" at anything. This leaves us one other possibility; the "book of life" must be a record of SPIRITUAL LIFE. Let's check and see if any other texts will help us see if this is true. Revelation 20: 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Obviously this verse does not mean that whosoever was not found in the book of "PHYSICAL" life, as such a meaning would be absurd. You cannot cast someone who never existed into anything. Since the "lake of fire" is symbolic (IT IS NOT THE SAME AS HELL...SEE EARLIER CHAPTER IN THIS BOOK), it represents SPIRITUAL TORMENT. Therefore, those who do not have spiritual life are cast into spiritual TORMENT. Revelation 21: 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither [whatsoever] worketh abomination, or [maketh] a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Many people think the "book of life" and the "Lamb's book of life" are two different books. However, it can easily be seen that the "book of life" is a record of those who have spiritual life, and the "Lamb's book of life" is the same thing. In this text those who are ungodly are contrasted with those who are saved from sin. It certainly is not picturing a contrast between those who have physical life and those who do not. Revelation 3: 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. There are those who believe this means that God will not PHYSICALLY KILL a person if they overcome. The "white raiment" is symbolic, and so is the "book of life". BOTH PERTAIN TO SPIRITUAL LIFE AND NEITHER HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH PHYSICAL LIFE. THE "BOOK OF LIFE" HERE IS THE SAME BOOK OF LIFE MENTIONED ALL THROUGH REVELATION. Now that we know the "book of life" is a list of those who will be children of God, we can see that that book is a list of those who the Bible calls "ELECT". This means that those who are "elect" will not be permanently deceived by the Babylonian system of false Christianity (according to Revelation 17 and some other contexts). The BIG PROBLEM we are going to have in this study is with the TRADITIONAL THINKING of the religious world today. Most all of us have been taught over and over that: (1) God loves EVERYONE. HE DOESN'T WANT ANYONE TO PERISH OR BE LOST. (2) Everyone has a chance, and as long as they live there is hope. IF WE CONSIDER WHAT SUCH A SCENARIO PORTRAYS, WE MUST CONCLUDE THAT IF THE TRADITIONAL DOCTRINES SUCH AS WE HAVE JUST MENTIONED ARE TRUE, THEN GOD IS INFERIOR TO MAN'S WILL AND HE WON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN OR WHO WILL TURN OUT TO BE FAITHFUL TO HIM UNTIL AFTER EACH PERSON TAKES THEIR LAST BREATH. WHAT A REVOLTING AND BLASPHEMOUS CHARGE AGAINST GOD THAT DOCTRINE PRESENTS!!! So we must ask ourselves the question: DOES GOD REALLY HAVE FOREKNOWLEDGE (the ability to know all that will occur in the future) AS THE BIBLE STATES, AND IF SO DID HE USE SUCH TO DETERMINE (BEFORE THE WORLD WAS CREATED) WHAT WOULD HAPPEN AND WHO WOULD BE SAVED????? IF SO, THEN HOW DOES IT ALL WORK OUT, AND IS IT FAIR??? This is not an easy subject to present, so we will have to ask the reader to bear with us while we DIG in and check the Bible for the answers. We can be certain that if what we have stated so far is true about spiritual "ISRAEL" or God's true children today, then it will be shown in "type" in the Old Testament writings about LITERAL ISRAEL. Psalm 147: 147:19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. 147:20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and [as for his] judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the Lord. We have already seen in this book that Peter calls the true church a "holy nation" and Paul tells us that God's true children are the TRUE ISRAEL OF GOD. We should be able then to consider the Bible FACT that God ONLY REVEALS HIS TRUE WORD AND JUDGEMENTS unto His TRUE PEOPLE (HIS ELECT). He does not give it to "any nation" other than the "holy nation" which belongs WHOLLY TO HIM. FOR CENTURIES MEN AND WOMEN HAVE ARGUED OVER THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION AND MANY VARIATIONS HAVE BEEN TAUGHT. MANY PEOPLE FEEL THAT THE BIBLE CONTRADICTS ITSELF, AND THEREFORE THERE IS NO WAY TO BE CERTAIN WHAT IS TRUTH ALONG THESE LINES. I BELIEVE THE BIBLE TEACHES ONE ABSOLUTE TRUTH WHICH IS UPHELD BY EVERY TEXT IN THE BIBLE. THE REASON SO MANY DO NOT THINK SO IS BECAUSE THEY HAVE OTHER TRADITIONAL DOCTRINES MIXED IN BY WHICH THEY "DETERMINE" THEIR BELIEFS ALONG THESE LINES. I hope that you who read this study will not form any opinions about what we have to say here until you have carefully considered the ENTIRE PICTURE WE WILL PRESENT. We have already seen in Psalms 147:19-20 that God did not give His WORD to any nation other than His chosen people (ISRAEL). Paul verifies this fact in Romans 3:1-2, 3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision? 3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. We have already studied in this book from many different texts about the true means of salvation. We have found that the only way for anyone to be saved is through the life-giving power of the WORD OF GOD. SINCE THE ORACLES OF GOD ARE THE MEANS OF SALVATION, WHO DO YOU BELIEVE WERE SAVED DURING THE OLD COVENANT??? We know that mankind as a whole has ALWAYS practiced various forms of RELIGIOUS "WORSHIP". While the nation of ISRAEL worshipped the TRUE GOD during the Old Testament age, the other nations of the world worshipped in various manners which THEY BELIEVED TO BE TRUE. They talked about God, sang about God, and went through various ceremonies and rituals to strive to please God. Yet these "heathen" or "GENTILES" were not serving the TRUE GOD at all. THERE WERE MANY SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE WORSHIP OF THE TRUE GOD AND THE FALSE WORSHIP WHICH WAS PRACTICED BY MOST NATIONS: (a) Both had their tabernacles or temples of "worship". (b) Both had various religious rituals which were very similar (since all mankind come from the same parents and the same religious roots, there are always many similarities in any form of corrupted religion). (c) Both offered praise and offerings to their God, god, or gods. (d) Both made various kinds of sacrifice to their God, god, or gods. (e) Both tried to live according to the laws of their God or god(s). (f) Both believed in some kind of "salvation" as a preparation for life after death. Many of the false religious systems were very similar in most ways to the ONE TRUE RELIGION. However, the BIG DIFFERENCE was that only one religion on earth WAS GIVEN THE WORD ("ORACLES") OF THE TRUE GOD. Today the same situation is taking place. There are multitudes of religions and variations of the basic "theme" of CHRISTIANITY. Yet most of those religions are lacking in at least one area; THEY ARE NOT BEING GIVEN THE TRUE WORD OF GOD. ONLY GOD CAN GIVE THEM UNDERSTANDING, AND HE IS HIDING IT FROM THEM. Since the WORD OF GOD is the only means of genuine salvation, is it possible that God is not allowing some people to have the MEANS of SALVATION??? IF THAT IS SO, THEN WHY IS GOD WORKING IN SUCH A MANNER??? Matthew 13: 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. John 12: 12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them. 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 12:40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. Romans 11: 11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 11:6 And if by grace, then [is it] no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if [it be] of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded Acts 13: 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 2 Timothy: 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. We have already shown that God limited the revelation of His WORD to just one nation during the Old Testament age. Now we see that even many of the people who were a part of that nation (the verses just quoted were all spoken about people who were LITERAL ISRAELITES) were not allowed to understand the TRUTH that Jesus came preaching. The verses mentioned here in Matthew, Luke, Paul, and John's writings state: (1) There are some people to whom God does not give the privilege of understanding HIS WORD. (2) Since the WORD OF GOD is the means of TRUE FAITH (Romans 10:13-17), such people cannot have TRUE FAITH. (3) GOD BLINDS SUCH PEOPLE SO THEY CANNOT BELIEVE. (4) Such people CANNOT BE SAVED. (5) Everyone who is "ordained to eternal life" or in other words is "foreknown" by God as an honest heart, will be saved. (6) The terrible difficulties that Paul had to face to preach the WORD (2 Corinthians 11) were only for the benefit of the ELECT. (7) God causes all except HIS "ELECT" to be BLINDED, and they cannot understand the WORD OF GOD which would bring salvation. I would like for the reader to consider this question VERY CAREFULLY. If such people CANNOT BE SAVED, can we say that it is GOD'S will that they be saved, AND DID JESUS DIE FOR THEM??? IF JESUS DID DIE FOR THEM, WAS HIS SACRIFICE AND DEATH PARTLY IN VAIN?? Matthew 7:13-14 tells us that only a "FEW" FIND ETERNAL LIFE. If Jesus really died for everyone and God really wants everyone to be saved, then God's will is violated and Jesus' sacrifice is mostly wasted. This would bring God and Jesus down to a level beneath man because that would mean that man's "free will" (as he calls it), is stronger than God's will. Hopefully we all KNOW BETTER THAN TO BELIEVE SUCH A THING. Let's study and learn for whom Jesus died. Acts 20: 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Ephesians 5: 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Here we have a definite picture. Paul is telling us that Jesus pictures a husband sacrificing himself for his bride. If you will read the context of Ephesians 5, you will see that husbands are instructed to LOVE THEIR WIFE; NOT THEIR OWN AND EVERYONE ELSES. The common belief of false religion today is that Jesus GAVE HIMSELF FOR HIS BRIDE AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE AS WELL. False religion says that Jesus died for EVERYONE. That is like telling men to give of themselves because of their love for their wife, and their love for everyone else's wives as well. BLASPHEMY!!! Jesus did not die for all men. The religious world does not like this TRUTH, and no wonder; do prostitutes like it when husbands give themselves only to their wives and no one else? Would you say that prostitutes do not like faithful husbands? False "christianity" is "MYSTERY BABYLON", and therefore is a SPIRITUAL PROSTITUTE system of religion. God established that a man marry a wife and that she alone be the one for whom he gives himself and loves. Then the world tries to tell us that Jesus loves everyone and that he gave himself for everyone. That is as BIG A LIE as the old DEVIL ever "hatched". What did Jesus pay for when he sacrificed himself? He gave of himself that he might purchase the Church of God. A lot of people today believe that Jesus paid the price to cover for everyone, and that he got cheated in the transaction. They believe he did not have enough sense to realize he was spending too much and got a bad deal. Romans 9: 9:10 And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac; 9:11 (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 9:14 What shall we say then? [Is there] unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 9:16 So then [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharoah, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth. 9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 9:20 Nay but, O man, who are thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus? 9:21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another to dishonour? 9:22 [What] if God, willing to shew [his] wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory. Paul is telling us that some people's lives were foreordained by God to be vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. They were foreordained by God to be LOST. At the same time, he says that some were made according to God's grace as vessels of mercy which He prepared BEFORE unto glory. God prepared them BEFORE something! What does this mean? Our original text in Revelation 17:8 provides the answer. BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, GOD (THROUGH HIS FOREKNOWLEDGE) PREPARED THOSE WHOM HE SAW WOULD RECIEVE AND LOVE HIS WORD, THAT THEY MIGHT COME TO HIM AND BE HIS CHILDREN. I CAN JUST HEAR SOMEONE SAYING; "But God does not do that kind of thing. God doesn't choose between people like that". Joshua 11: 11:20 For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, [and] that they might have favour, but that he might destroy them, as the Lord commanded Moses. God said that He wanted to harden those people's hearts so He could destroy them. Does that sound like what the religious world preaches concerning God? They teach that God is too loving to send anybody to hell unless they are the worst folks on the face of the earth. They reason among themselves and say "God would not send us to hell because we are not that bad". I realize there are some verses of scripture in the Bible that may seem at first to contradict the statements and scriptures we have presented thus far. However, those verses are misunderstood by people who do not study the contexts carefully enough. In our last chapter of this book, we illustrated how this happens by showing the true meaning of Peter's often quoted statement, "It is not His will that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance". We need to study carefully because when those texts of scripture were being written, the most difficult doctrine of that day had to do with whether or not anyone other than literal Jews could be saved. By carefully reading the entirety of Acts 10 through Acts 15 you will see this. It was such a major problem the apostles finally said, "Okay, we will let the Gentiles be saved if that is the way it has to be, as long as they follow a few rules that we are going to lay down'. The big battle amongst the church in the first century was over the doctrine of who could be saved. It was not a question of individuals, but rather the question as to whether or not anyone other than literal JEWS could be saved. The GENTILES WERE LOOKED UPON AS BEYOND THE HOPE OF SALVATION. The real key is God's election. God's election is going to be the factor which determines whether or not an individual receives the word of God. How can we tell if we are truly receiving the TRUE word of GOD? WE CAN CHECK OURSELVES AND TRY TO HONESTLY DETERMINE OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN. The majority of people today hate sin only because they are afraid it will send them to hell. If hell was not a condition to consider and this were their only life, they would be thrilled to live in sin and enjoy its "pleasure for a season". Those types of individuals cannot be honest hearts. If an honest heart were living in sin, they would become miserable and begin to hate sin as the result of God's dealings with them. When you see people who are not convicted other than by the fear of eternity in hell, that is not the same as God dealing with them and making them sick of themselves and their sinful ways. God's true people also realize that there are many more things that are sin in God's sight than what the WORLD labels as sin. Someone might be thinking there are a lot of seemingly good moral people in the world today. We are living in a world that has been fairly well educated in basic principles of civilization. Today, most individuals have been taught to be polite and (if you do not necessarily like someone or what they are doing), to keep your mouth shut when you are around them and only talk behind their backs. We are living in a very hypocritical world. Let's consider an example of an honest heart. Let's say we have two individuals sitting in the congregation. Individual number one feels that they love the word of God. They want to learn it and live by it. They are faithful in their attendance and try to study and receive the things of God. As they do so, they expect themselves to get more spiritual and live a better life. In other people's eyes they are achieving this. However, in their own mind they look at themselves and see attitudes and other spiritual deficiencies in their lives, etc. They begin to spot areas of their life that at one time they did not even recognize as sin. They feel terrible as they see more and more such areas showing up and think that the truth is making them worse, not better. They think, "I must not be an honest heart because the more I learn, the worse I get," In reality, their lives are being cleaned up, but their spiritual blindness is fading away and they are getting more spiritual vision to see themselves as they really are. Paul was in such a circumstance when he said, "Oh, wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (Romans 7)". Paul had his eyes opened spiritually in a great way at this point and he could see himself. Others looking on would have said, "Here is the greatest man of God walking the face of the earth". Individual number two also sits under the truth and listens while learning all kinds of information. He knows this teaching or that doctrine is wrong and how to prove it so. Maybe he is able to walk up to people and say, "You are wrong in your beliefs and this is the reason." He does not see very much wrong with his own self. Such a person becomes more concerned with getting everyone else to change than to look for and deal with problems in their own life. The information about truth has entered their head creating head knowledge, but there is no spirit of God within their heart to burden them with the need of very carefully living up to the TRUTH they have received. An honest heart will feel privileged to have truth and desire to really get down to business for God. Instead, individual number two has no conviction of sin because God is not dealing with him. He goes along with the information in his head, making use of it only as he sees fit. There is no heaviness of heart because of his sins, or warring against those areas in his life. All who put God first in their lives by exalting His word and His people above all else are God's elect. If anything can cause us to fail to put God first, then that raises a question as to our election. We need to search our hearts to see if we just need to get down to business, and bring our fleshly lives under submission to the desire of our hearts. Notice the following principles: GOD'S TRUE "ELECT": (1) Will have a tremendous desire in their hearts to do God's will. (2) WILL LEARN TO LOVE THE WORD OF GOD MORE AND MORE EVERY TIME THEY "FEED" ON IT. THIS WILL MOTIVATE THEM TO PUT GOD'S WORD FIRST IN THEIR LIVES. THIS WILL CAUSE THEM TO: (a) Choose to go to a church which teaches the greatest depths of truth concerning God's WORD. (b) Desire to be faithful and attend the services everytime God sends His word for His people. (c) Strive to learn to serve God in various capacities as they learn more how to please Him. (d) Have increasingly less desire for the fellowship of the world and all it offers. They will grow in their hunger for TRUE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. (e) Live a life more and more separated from the world, and more and more sacrificial in nature in order to please the Lord (Romans 12:1-2). Galatians 3: 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed [is] every one that hangeth on a tree. (1) Jesus became a curse for "US"... i.e. THOSE HE "REDEEMED". (2) Jesus redeemed "US"...i.e. GOD'S ELECT!! NOT ALL MANKIND!!! (3) The "curse" was the result of hanging on the tree. (4) Therefore, when Jesus hung on the "tree" he did it for "US", which refers to those who are redeemed and for whom he became a curse and DIED. Someone will probably say, "but John 3:16 says God loved the "world", and that means He sent Jesus to die for everyone". Please notice the context of that often misused verse of scripture: 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. People quote John 3:16 daily and never pay any attention to the FIRST WORD of the verse; "FOR". Anyone with any knowledge at all of the English language should see at once that the only way to TRULY understand the true meaning of this verse is to study the previous verse(s). The word "FOR" refers back to the previous statement. Jesus has said that his death is TYPIFIED in the picture painted by the "type" of the BRAZEN SERPENT that Moses "LIFTED UP" for Israel to look upon that they might be "healed". NOTICE: (1) As we studied in an earlier chapter of this book, the Brazen Serpent was NOT FOR EVERYONE ON THIS PLANET, but was only for God's ELECT people, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. (2) The BRAZEN SERPENT was lifted up for LITERAL ISRAEL ONLY. Jesus was crucified for SPIRITUAL ISRAEL ONLY (God's ELECT). (3) The word "world" is used in several different ways in the BIBLE, since its real meaning is "the arrangement of things". 1 John 2:15 says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Obviously this verse uses the word "world" in an entirely different manner even though it is written by the same person who wrote John 3:16. (4) The "world" or arrangement of things that God loved was that which was the ORIGINAL WORLD OR ARRANGEMENT OF THINGS (WHICH AS REVELATION 17:8 SHOWS, INCLUDED GOD'S FOREKNOWN "ELECT". Isaiah 53: 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. That is a wide ranging statement which seemingly could be applied to every person in the world, but he is not talking about everyone in the world. He is talking about those whom God foreknew. He is telling us that the Lord laid on Jesus our iniquity. That ties right in with what 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." The spiritual death we deserve because of sin was placed on him. Jesus died, so those he died for do not have to die. If Jesus died for all men, then some folks (LOST PEOPLE) have their debt for sin paid twice; ONCE BY JESUS, AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE TO PAY THE PRICE FOR THEIR OWN SIN!!! Do any for whom Jesus died still have to die (spiritually...i.e. go to hell)? They would not have to would they? If Jesus died in my place, then the debt for sin is paid and I do not have to die. Not only do I not have to die, I will not die. It is guaranteed. Therefore, Jesus could only have died for those whose names were written in the Lamb's book of life before the foundation of the world. All others will have to face eternal death (spiritually) to pay for their own sins. Many people will tell you that Jesus "PAID THE PRICE FOR EVERYONE IN THE WORLD, BUT ONLY THE ONES WHO ACCEPT WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THEM WILL RECEIVE THE BENEFIT. That may sound real plausible to people if they do not consider the implications of such a statement. That is the same as saying the following (keep in mind that the following STATEMENTS ARE NOT ALL CORRECT): (a) Jesus paid the price and bought me the "GIFT" of salvation. (b) If I do not accept the "GIFT", it is not his fault; he still bought it for me. (c) According to false religion, the "GIFT" was purchased and paid for sufficiently to provide enough to give ALL MANKIND. IF THOSE STATEMENTS WERE ALL TRUE, THEY WOULD IMPLY THE FOLLOWING (I WOULD LIKE TO EMPHASIZE AGAIN THAT NOT ALL OF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE CORRECT, BUT WOULD BE IF FALSE RELIGION'S THEORIES WERE CORRECT): (1) Jesus sacrifices were very much like someone going to a HUGE PARTY and buying THE SAME GIFT for all the guests. After arriving at the party this person learns too late that most people at the party do not want their gift (AND IT IS THE NOT THE TYPE OF GIFT THAT YOU CAN GIVE EXTRAS TO THE OTHER RECIPIENTS (NO ONE CAN USE MORE THAN ONE OF THIS GIFT), and therefore this person has WASTED A FORTUNE. (2) JESUS WOULD HAVE BEEN (IMPLIED BY FALSE RELIGION'S THEORIES) A REAL "DUMMY" FOR NOT USING HIS FOREKNOWLEDGE (WHEN HE WAS STILL "GOD WITH GOD") TO DETERMINE WHO WOULD SERVE HIM. The theory that says "JESUS DIED AND PAID THE PRICE FOR EVERYONE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD" is a doctrine that BLASPHEMES JESUS CHRIST. IT IMPLIES HE HAD LESS "BRAINS" THAN THE AVERAGE MAN. It says that (symbolically) Jesus went "shopping" (purchasing of his bride), paid for BILLIONS, and only got a few. People talk about "RIP-OFFS".......!!!!! (3) If Jesus paid the same price (for someone who will never receive any benefit from what Jesus spent), AS HE DID FOR THOSE WHO ARE HIS TRUE "ELECT", THEN WE WHO BELONG TO GOD HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING SPECIAL. After all, if Jesus did the same for the BILLIONS of others who will not receive him, then OUR LITTLE PART OF HIS SACRIFICE IS NOT THAT BIG A DEAL!! LET ME GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT I AM SAYING: Let's say a man walks up to you and hands you $10,000 (I know that is no comparison to salvation, but I am just illustrating). You would probably be THRILLED TREMENDOUSLY!!! You might even consider him a special friend of yours, but if you look around and notice that he is giving EVERY person in the world the same amount, and MOST of them are burning the money or throwing it away, YOU MIGHT BEGIN TO FEEL THAT WHAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED IS NOT SO SPECIAL AFTER ALL. In fact, you begin to wonder if it is really worth what it is said to be worth, since MOST PEOPLE ARE TREATING IT AS THOUGH IT WERE "PLAY MONEY". I guess another way to express what I am trying to get across is for us to consider the following (I realize there is absolutely not enough money in this world to compare to Jesus's sacrifice. I am just using this for an illustration.): If Jesus' sacrifice were worth $1,000,000,000,000.00 (one trillion dollars), and there were ONE TRILLION PEOPLE WHO WERE PAID FOR WITH THAT AMOUNT, then the sacrifice was worth $1.00 (one dollar) to each person for whom the "price was paid". If one thousand people were purchased by that amount (I know there have been far more than 1000 honest hearts purchased by Jesus... this is just an illustration), then the sacrifice was worth ONE BILLION DOLLARS TO EACH RECIPIENT. God does not require unjust payment. All through the Old Covenant he illustrates his principles and laws by requiring "just" weights and measures. The Bible tells us that God is a "just" God. Let us look at an example. A father buys and pays for a car for his son. The son goes in to get the car, and the car dealer charges him the price all over again. Would you say that the car dealer is just and honest? You would say that he was crooked, sinful, and certainly not following after the principles of God. God's law requires that sin be paid for. Either we are going to pay for it ourself, or Jesus is going to pay for it. If a person ends up paying the price for their sin, it is proof that Jesus did not pay for it. Someone might say, "I believe Jesus would have had to pay the same price for just one person or for everyone." It all depends upon how you are looking at it. Jesus would have had to die physically and spiritually for one person, or for all of the elect. HOWEVER, the degree of suffering in his physical and spiritual deaths (consistent with God's plan) were TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON HOW MUCH SIN HE HAD TO ATONE FOR. Even God's elect have placed varying "burdens" of pain upon their SAVIOR, dependent on the type and degrees of sin in their lives. God does not cause even lost people to suffer the same in eternal hell. He requires varying degrees of suffering based on the "price" they owe. There are varying degrees of punishment in hell, depending upon the degree of rejection of light and the degree of immorality in the person's fleshly life (Matthew 11:22 & 24, Luke 11:32, Mark 12:40, Matthew 10:15, John 19:11, etc.). That means God does not make anyone pay an unfair price. He does not make the person who did not have the opportunity to receive as much light and understanding of the WORD OF GOD (or who was not as immoral as someone else) pay as great a price for their sins in eternal HELL. Would God be any less fair to Jesus? For one person or for multitudes, God's justice required two deaths. One, his spiritual death, was for the spiritual redemption of God's elect, and the other (PHYSICAL DEATH) typified the spiritual, but "covered" for the physical aspect of our redemption. Our minds cannot comprehend the manner that Jesus suffered. We see it with such limited "vision". He suffered extreme spiritual anguish. He suffered more spiritually than any lost person will ever suffer in eternal hell. When you consider that God himself gave up His position having taken upon Himself spiritual death, his suffering in comparison was worse than anyone will suffer for all eternity. I am talking about JESUS' spiritual death. The physical death was not nearly as important as his spiritual death. He was paying the price for that which is ETERNAL. The death Jesus died and therefore the price he paid was SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DIE. Yet every Christian who does not live to the end of time will have to DIE physically. Jesus did not PAY FOR THAT EXPERIENCE FOR ANY OF US. His physical death was a "TYPE". HIS SPIRITUAL DEATH WAS THE REALITY THAT DELIVERS GOD'S ELECT FROM ETERNAL DAMNATION. There are scriptures which show us that the Father gives Jesus everyone whom he paid for. Jesus does not get short-changed. They are all his sheep, and no one is powerful enough to take them away from him or from the Father. They will not take themselves away. They might stumble along, fail, and be chastised by God, but they will not die and go to hell if they are foreknown and their names are in the Lamb's book of life. John 11: 11:41b ...Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 11:42a And I knew that thou hearest me always.... 1 John 5: 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 5:15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. If we ask according to the Father's will, He will always hear us. If He hears us, He will grant our petition. That is saying that if Jesus was heard by the Father, the Father answered and gave him what he was asking for. Jesus said that he was ALWAYS heard by the Father (John 11:41-42 as quoted above). Therefore, we must recognize that Jesus had learned how to pray according to the Father's will. He had learned sufficiently of the Father's will that he did not ask for things which he knew were contrary to the Father's will. Therefore, everything he asked for, he received from the FATHER. John 17: 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. His prayer had to do with our salvation, and the Father and Jesus dwelling in us. The characteristics that Jesus prayed for have to do with the salvation of honest hearts. NOTICE JESUS SAID HE DID NOT PRAY FOR THE WORLD, but only prayed for those who the Father "GAVE HIM". Jesus only prayed for the ELECT, therefore, let us look at the text in Isaiah 53 and see who Jesus really DIED FOR: 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 53:5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 53:12 Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Have we read anything here that ties in with what we have been studying? Did you notice any statements which reach out and grab you? Notice the last statement in verse 8, "...for the transgression of my people was he stricken." Is everyone in the world a part of God's people? This text says Jesus was stricken for God's people's sake. Whose sins did Jesus bear? Verse 11 says Jesus "justified MANY" and BORE THEIR iniquities. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows....he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (verses 4-5). WHO is the "our" and "we" he is talking about? Everyone who is healed. Isn't that what he said?? "WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED". He did not say that we CAN be healed. He said that with his stripes WE ARE HEALED. If we understand this passage as Peter applies it in 1 Peter 2:24 and context, Isaiah is talking about spiritual healing; healing from sin...REAL GENUINE SALVATION!! Many people say that divine healing is in the atonement. I do not agree. Divine healing is a step of faith which we can achieve through reaching out to God by faith as described in James 5. This healing Isaiah is talking about has nothing to do with physical healing. Every person for whom Jesus was wounded, bruised, grief stricken, sorrowing, and chastised, are healed in the manner of which both Isaiah and Peter speak. We need to understand that these prophecies were never given for anyone other than for God's people. What if I wrote you a letter asking you to come to my house and said, "If you will come, I will feed you all"? Would you go out and tell the world that I have said that I will have a meal ready for everyone in the world who comes to my house? If you brought the whole world, there would not be enough food or room for everyone. God wrote a love letter to His elect. Many people who do not know what it means to be His ELECT think that "love letter" should be circulated world-wide. Jesus did not feel that way. The religious world today says, "Let's give a Bible to everyone." They are trying to give the Bible to all the unsaved people. God did not send the love letter to everyone. Lost people DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BIBLE MEANS ANYWAY. THAT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO PROVE GOD DID NOT SEND IT TO THEM. NOTICE WHAT PAUL HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD AND WHO CAN UNDERSTAND IT: 1 Corinthians 2: 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 2:10 But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. Someone might say, "What if one of the ungodly people is honest hearted?" God does not want him to get anything out of the Bible anyway. Spiritual conception comes from the relationship between Jesus as the husband and the church as the mother. The relationship between them brings about the word of God in such a manner that there is a spiritual conception brought to pass. Just giving Bibles to people does not accomplish that. You just have an entire world reading the Bible, and feeling saved because they are doing so. They do not begin to understand it, but they take on a profession of religion because they are reading it. HOW SAD. Someone might say, "I read scriptures where God seems to be telling the whole world to repent." Could God hold men guilty of doing wrong AND THEREBY BRING THEM TO JUDGEMENT if He did not issue the decree that they do right? God has told all mankind to repent BECAUSE THEY WILL BE JUDGED BY THE EVIL IN THEIR LIVES. Repentance does not bring salvation. JUDAS REPENTED BUT IT DID NOT SAVE HIM (MATTHEW 27:3). As we showed in an earlier chapter, TRUE REPENTANCE is only possible for a true CHILD OF GOD. However, ALL people in the world will face less punishment in eternity if they "repent" (i.e. turn away from their ungodliness). True salvation produces more than "repentance". It causes us to strongly desire to do the WILL OF GOD. Jesus let us know that his food (his "meat") was to do the will of God. It is perfectly legal to eat. The Lord would like for us to come to the place where we love to feed upon God's word more than we love our physical food. He is looking for a heart which says, "There is nothing wrong with eating, but I would rather feed upon the things of God. There is nothing wrong with sleeping, but I would rather study the word of God. There is nothing wrong with working, but I would rather serve the Lord and please him." He is looking for hearts who say, "I am not bound by this physical life. I am not wrapped up in what this life has to offer. I am anxious for eternity where I can get free from this physical life in which I dwell. I will eat physically in order to live, but will NOT LIVE TO EAT. I will sleep in order to stay healthy, but will not be slothful. I will work at my job in order to buy the necessities of life, but will not let my work interfere with serving the Lord". There are basically three possibilities concerning the teaching "Did Jesus really die for all men?" (1) Jesus died for everyone in this world, but wasted most of his sacrifice. (2) Jesus died for everyone in this world and everyone is saved. (3) Jesus died for some in this world and those for whom he died are saved or will be in the future. Ephesians 1: 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (a) Verse 1 and the entire context gives us positive proof Paul is writing here only to TRUE CHILDREN OF GOD. (b) Paul states God's children were CHOSEN BY GOD ACCORDING TO HIS WILL BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. (c) God's children are "predestinated" according to the purpose of God and GOD'S OWN WILL. The Bible shows us that God did not randomly select His elect, but rather CHOSE them through HIS FOREKNOWLEDGE. If you were a millionaire who was going to choose a few people to bestow your money upon, would you give it to someone who was going to throw it away? Let's say you wanted to buy your child a bicycle. You were not sure whether to buy them a $5.00, $50.00, or $200.00 bike. If you had foreknowledge and could see what they would do with the bicycle, would you spend $200.00 if you could see that the child would end up smashing it into a tree? You would very likely only spend $200.00 if you could see your child was going to work hard and learn to use the bicycle carefully as a valuable tool with which they could make deliveries and earn an income. You would consider it a good investment. God has such foreknowledge. In a sense, He is like the millionaire who has everything to give, but is concerned with who he is going to give it to and how they are going to use it. In His mind He checks the hearts and sees what everyone would do if given the WORD OF GOD and the resulting salvation. The Bible tells us that God searches the heart. If He sees someone who if given salvation will use it to bring great glory and honor to Him, then He cannot hand it out fast enough as far as He is concerned. He is anxious to establish and strengthen you. Why? Because He is going to get the glory in the end. God deserves every bit of the GLORY WE CAN GIVE TO HIM AS HIS CHILDREN. Someone says, "I am afraid He did not foreknow me?" Friend, the only way you will know if He foreknew you or not is to get busy and start trying to feed on the word of God. Do it now. It is that simple. If you really want to, then you will. If it is not in your heart, you will shrug it off and let it go. You will wait for another time and that time will never come. God knew all along that is how it would be. We can sit around and wait and say, "Well, I will wait and see if I am honest." That is ridiculous. We can get in there and be honest hearted. If we do it, then we KNOW God foreknew it. Think about that fact. WHAT EVER WE DO, GOD FOREKNEW WE WOULD DO IT. IF YOU FEEL THE DESIRE OF YOUR HEART IS TO SERVE HIM AND PUT HIM FIRST IN YOUR LIFE, AND YOU ARE NOT JUST TRYING TO ESCAPE HELL, then by all means realize friend that He is "calling" you and YOU CAN GO FORTH TO SERVE HIM. Is there anything that you or I can do to begin the process of receiving the grace of God? People say, "Ephesians 2:8 says, '...by grace are ye saved through faith...'." They think all they have to do is show faith. However, verse 8 continues, "...and that (i.e. FAITH) not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Paul is stressing that faith is not a work, and therefore is not something you can do on your own. What is faith? It is a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5). Nobody has faith unless God gives it to them through the Spirit. FAITH IS OBTAINED BY "HEARING OF THE WORD OF GOD" (ROMANS 10:17), AND NO ONE CAN HEAR THE WORD OF GOD UNLESS GOD GIVES THEM THE ABILITY TO HEAR (Matthew 13:10-17). Only people who have physical life can eat physical food. The WORD OF GOD is our spiritual food, and can only be eaten by those who have SPIRITUAL LIFE. People who eat good physical food receive ENERGY from such. People who have spiritual life and thereby "feed" upon the WORD OF GOD gain spiritual ENERGY (called "faith") FROM IT. Do you realize that for God to require that we have responsibility in our gaining initial salvation is to say, "If a man is dead and will come to life long enough to get up and manifest faith, then he will be made alive." If an individual is lost, they are spiritually dead. If we require anything from them in order that they might be brought to life, then they are required to have life in order to be given life. Hopefully, we have covered enough in our brief look at this HUGE subject, that the reader will at least begin to consider that what we are saying may be the TRUE BIBLE TEACHINGS. We will cover more proof texts later in this chapter, but for now we need to outline the basic characteristics of an "HONEST HEART". Luke 8: 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 8:13 They on the rock [are they], which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep [it], and bring forth fruit with patience. Recently I was reading a popular "CHRISTIAN" publication, and a well known theologian stated in the article that Jesus spoke in simple parables so everyone hearing him could easily understand his meanings. I have read that same basic statement in MANY commentaries and religious books. That is the OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. JESUS SAID THAT HE SPOKE IN PARABLES TO CONCEAL THE MEANING OF HIS MESSAGES (Luke 8:10). (1) There are basically FOUR different kinds of people: A. Those who don't receive the WORD OF GOD at all! B. Those who receive it but give up because of persecution. C. Those who receive it, but fall to RUIN in their Christian lives because of this world's RICHES, CARES, AND PLEASURES D. God's ELECT...those who are "HONEST HEARTS" and TRULY PUT GOD FIRST PLACE IN THEIR LIVES. (2) Luke 8 shows us that "HONEST HEARTS" hear the WORD, and also LIVE BY IT AND "KEEP IT". Therefore, an honest hearted person will: (a) Strive to find a TRUE PASTOR who teaches the FULLNESS of "LIGHT" for the day in which they live (Romans 10:13-17). (b) They will strive to be faithful in the church services so they can spiritually "feed" upon the WORD OF GOD as it is taught. (c) They will strive to put God and HIS WORD first place in their life. (d) They will strive to LIVE by all of the TRUTH THAT THEY RECEIVE. (e) They will (as a result of all these things) BRING FORTH FRUIT...THEY WILL HELP TO BRING FORTH CHILDREN UNTO THE LORD. Many people think this "fruit" Luke mentioned is the "fruit of the Spirit". NOT SO! This refers to the CHRISTIAN'S FRUIT which follows the BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLE of every living thing bearing fruit "AFTER HIS KIND". We studied in an earlier chapter about the "type" of the BLOOD. This type enables us to see what happens to people who CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIANS, BUT ARE NOT TRULY HONEST HEARTED. THEY FALL PREY TO THE SPIRITUAL "DISEASE" WHICH IS THE EQUIVALENT (SPIRITUALLY) TO THE AIDS DISEASE which is so prevalent today. Notice the following: (1) Most people realize that the AIDS epidemic in the world today MUST BE sent by God as some form of JUDGEMENT. (2) Many people think that AIDS is a different form of punishment sent for the same reason that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah (i.e. the terrible condition of sensual lust and homosexuality). (3) I will agree that God has sent LITERAL AIDS disease and that it IS somewhat a form of His wrath on the terrible ungodliness in the WORLD. However, as we have shown in earlier chapters, SPIRITUAL FORNICATION (i.e. sexual perversion and uncleanness) IS EVEN WORSE IN THE EYES OF GOD ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES. (4) We need to understand the TRUTH that God is trying to picture to us by the LITERAL AIDS disease, and thus we can be very careful to stay away from the SPIRITUAL FORM of the disease which is even MORE DANGEROUS. SPIRITUAL "AIDS" IS DAMNING MULTITUDES TO SPIRITUAL DEATH EVEN AS LITERAL AIDS IS SENDING MULTITUDES TO THEIR PHYSICAL GRAVE. (5) The Bible uses VENEREAL DISEASE, LEPROSY, and other diseases to illustrate spiritual "types", or symbolic pictures of spiritual TRUTH. Surely the reader will agree that something so devastatingly terrible as AIDS has to be sent by God for spiritual lessons as well. (6) Literal AIDS affects the BLOOD. Therefore, spiritual AIDS would have to affect the spiritual "blood", which is the WORD OF GOD (see proof in earlier chapters). (7) Literal AIDS affects the blood in such a manner as to destroy the IMMUNE SYSTEM within the human body. This causes the body to be easy prey for all kinds of infections and diseases. Many of these would normally not be very serious, but AIDS can cause the body to be unable to fight off these relatively minor afflictions, and therefore they become the means of death. THE SPIRITUAL EQUIVALENT TO THIS CONDITION CAUSES A PERSON TO BE SPIRITUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO EVERY WORK OF THE ENEMY, AND THEREFORE THEY ARE EASY PREY. (8) If you will study the earlier chapter on the BLOOD "TYPE", you will see how similar the spiritual is to the literal. The WORD OF GOD is the life of our spirits even as the literal BLOOD is the life of the flesh (Leviticus 17:11). Since our SPIRITUAL LIVES are even more important to us than our physical lives, we need to strive with all of our might to stay away from every means of CONTAMINATION. (9) Spiritual FORNICATION (spiritual relationship with FALSE "CHRISTIANITY") is one of the primary means of spreading SPIRITUAL AIDS. ANOTHER DANGER IS IN SPIRITUAL "BLOOD" TRANSFUSIONS (i.e. receiving the WORD OF GOD from someone who is contaminated with FALSE DOCTRINES which destroy spiritual immunity. (10) The TRUE CHURCH is spiritually the "body of CHRIST" (1 Corinthians 12), and has many "members" or people who make up the "body". As we have shown, the pastor has the responsibility to "pump the blood" (i.e. teach the WORD OF GOD), AND ONLY THOSE MEMBERS OF A TRUE CHURCH ARE "CONNECTED" TO THE (spiritual) HEART. IF YOU REGULARLY ATTEND A TRUE CHURCH AND STRIVE TO "CONNECT" WITH THE "HEART" AS HE "PUMPS THE BLOOD", THEN YOU WILL BE RECEIVING PURE AND SAFE "BLOOD" (TRUE WORD OF GOD). That is why it is so important that you make certain that the pastor where you attend church is getting the DEEP THINGS OF GOD from God to "pump" to you in order to sustain your spiritual life. (11) MYSTERY BABYLON, (FALSE "CHRISTIANITY") has spiritual AIDS. All who receive of her "blood" (religious instruction) will be contaminated spiritually. (12) So if we are to be spiritually we must follow the principles which we have been studying in this book, including those "types" and doctrinal scriptures which show us how to identify a "TRUE GOD SENT PASTOR". To spiritually survive, we must: (a) Be a TRUE child of God and therefore HONEST HEARTED. (b) Regularly attend a TRUE "BODY OF CHRIST"...a true church or assembly of God's true ELECT. (c) Strive to receive of the TRUTH, and allow the "two witnesses" (our spiritual kidneys) to purify our beliefs from our own ideas and the traditions and doctrines of men. (d) Strive to not receive any polluted "blood" (i.e. teaching of the Bible) from the various FALSE SYSTEMS CLAIMING TO BE CHRISTIANITY. Romans 9:7-14: 9:10 And not only [this]; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, [even] by our father Isaac; 9:11 (For [the children] being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. 9:14 What shall we say then? [Is there] unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 9:16 So then [it is] not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. There are many times when we can check what Paul means in his teachings by the things that he anticipates people will think or say. Paul knew people would probably say that God did not actually hate Esau, but He just loved him less than Jacob. To believe that God just loved Esau less than Jacob would not bring to pass the response that Paul believes he is going to get in regards to this statement. Paul said, What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. Paul anticipates that this question will come to people's mind; "Is God unrighteous? How could God love one man and and actually HATE the other when neither one of them had done evil or good?" If Paul was only meaning that God loved Jacob MORE than Esau, then there would have been NO REASON for people to accuse God of being "UNRIGHTEOUS". We can double check. Let us read Romans 9:15-16; For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. The idea of your own human "FREE WILL" bringing you to salvation is completely eradicated by the meaning of that text. A fear of eternal Hell will cause people to take on a profession of religion, but they do not actually come to God unless he "drags" them unto Himself!!! THERE IS NOTHING ANY HUMAN CAN DO TO INITIALLY "RECEIVE" GOD'S SALVATION. ONLY AFTER WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN SPIRITUAL LIFE BY GOD CAN WE EARN HEAVENLY REWARDS BY SERVING HIM. Verse 17, For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Verse 18, Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Verse 19, Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? There are no doctrines whatsoever that can be taught from this text that will cause that kind of question to arise, except exactly what we are teaching. I know people try to do away with this text by saying that it does not mean what it says. If it does not mean what it says, why did Paul anticipate this kind of question? Paul did not say that he did not mean it the way it sounds. In verse 20 he said, Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? He does not say, "You misunderstood me brother". He says that it is none of our business, and we should not speak out against God's ways. Verse 20, May but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Can we cry out and say, "God, you did it all wrong"? Paul condemns that. This text will cause people to say, "How can God find fault when nobody is resisting his will?" Here is the answer. He speaks in verse 22 and clarifies something that he taught in chapter 8. Verse 22, What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: Verse 23, And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory. Through his foreknowledge, God sees the people who will not take the gift of His WORD, and the resulting salvation and keeping power and use it rightly. Therefore, He follows after the plan of His will and refuses to give it to them. He is merciful in having within His will the desire to extend to them His longsuffering and at least give them a degree of freedom by turning them loose from GREAT obligations to Him in this life. Consider these questions: 1. Is God obligated to save everyone? No. 2. Is God obligated to save anyone? No. 3. Therefore, is it wrong if God sees fit to save some? Jesus could have allowed everyone to be lost. This is what Paul is trying to teach. The wonder of it all is that he saw fit to save anyone at all, because it cost him his life to do so. It cost him his position as God to do so. The marvel is not how Jesus could leave the multitudes lost, but the marvel is how he could save anyone at all. If he has called you and has seen fit to teach you these divine truths, do not hurt him by failing to use the salvation that he has given you in a worthwhile manner. I realize that this chapter may seem like I am just rambling on, but I really am concerned that I express this as clearly as possible so we will now look at some of the verses of scripture which people twist to imply the doctrine that Jesus died for ALL MANKIND'S POSSIBILITY OF SALVATION. Hebrews 2:5-18 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 2:16 For verily he took not on [him the nature of] angels; but he took on [him] the seed of Abraham. 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto [his] brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. The Bible does seem to contradict itself from time to time. Hebrews 2:9 tells us that Jesus tasted death for every man, which would imply that Jesus died for everyone. Many times people will come back at us with scriptures such as this by pointing at them and saying, "See there, Jesus died for everyone." We have studied this subject enough to find that there are definite and positive BIBLE principles that are very strong in opposing such a thought. It is impossible to preach a message without the possibility of misconceptions. The only way to preach a message that would be impossible for anyone to misunderstand would be to preach all truth in one message, and THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. In Hebrews 2:9, Paul says, "...he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Is there a possibility that as a child you have made statements like, "Mom, I ate it all gone", or "Everyone has one Dad"? I don't think your parents jumped to the conclusion that you ate all of the food in the world, or that all of the kids in the world had one of the things you were asking for. They would have realized that the words you were speaking were to be taken in the context of your experience and understanding. Obviously, since you had NO WAY to contact all of the kids in the world, they would have taken your words to mean that you felt most everyone you knew had one of those things, and you also meant that you ate all of the food that was given to you. Why do people make words in the Bible so all inclusive when in our everyday language we use the same terminology, and do not mean it in such a manner? We have two possibilities of meaning in Hebrews 2: (1) Either Paul meant the statement in the manner taught by the majority of preachers and teachers today; THAT JESUS DIED FOR EVERY PERSON IN THE WORLD. (2) OR Paul expects the Hebrew people to whom he was writing to be aware of the fact that WHEN HE USES THE WORD "ALL", HE HAS REFERENCE TO "ALL OF THE ELECT" (i.e. all those whom Paul was striving to serve with the gospel. IN USING THE WORD ALL, PAUL IS INCLUDING ALL TRUE BELIEVERS WHO WOULD READ THE LETTER, WHETHER JEWS OR GENTILES. If Paul means that Jesus gave his life for every human being who would ever live, then he contradicts himself, Jesus' teaching, and a lot of other writers throughout the scriptures. Paul does NOT mean such, and in fact, Paul did not write Hebrews 2 in the manner it is translated in our Bibles. THE GREEK WORD TRANSLATED "every man" ("pantos") DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN EVERY "MAN", BUT RATHER MEANS "EVERY THING","EVERY ???", and can even mean "EVERY CHOSEN" or "EVERY SON". So how are we suppose to know WHO Paul is speaking about? We simply check out the entire Bible teaching on this subject and we can know for certain. We don't have space here to cover everything, but we can give you enough to get you started in your study. There are many vague statements similar to Hebrews 2:9 that we can examine and see from their contexts that they definitely do not refer to every person in the world. By checking one of those verses, we can at least know something about Paul's general manner of expressing himself. 1 Corinthians 12:7 (7) But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. Paul is talking about spiritual gifts in this context. If we interpret this verse the way most people interpret Hebrews 2:9, it would be saying; "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every person in the world for the benefit of every person in the world." We surely know better than to believe something like that!! Instead Paul is saying that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to all of God's true children for the benefit of all of God's true children. Hebrews 2:10 (10) For it became him, for who are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. That is whom Jesus died for; those "many sons" he was going to bring unto glory. Hebrews 2:11 (11) For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Who is the every man that Jesus died for? It is those whom he calls "brethren". Jesus died for those he is "one" with (John 17:21-23). Hebrews 2:12 (12) Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. He is describing the "church". This helps us to see that those whom Jesus tasted death for are those whom he calls his "brethren" and who are "in the midst of the church". Hebrews 2:13 (13) And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Who is he talking about? God's ""children; the "church"; his "brethren". Hebrews 2:9 tells us that Jesus "tasted death for every ...." Whoever Jesus tasted death for will not have to DIE!! That tells us TWO MAIN TRUTHS: (1) Jesus' SPIRITUAL DEATH is the subject here and NOT his physical death. WE CAN SEE THIS IS TRUE BECAUSE ALL HUMANS HAVE TO DIE PHYSICALLY (Hebrews 9:27). Whatever kind of "death" this text is speaking of, it is one which those for whom Jesus died do not have to experience. In other words, IF JESUS DIED IN PLACE OF OTHER PEOPLE, THEY DO NOT HAVE TO DIE ALSO. (2) JESUS' DEATH PREVENTS HIS ELECT FROM HAVING TO DIE IN THAT MANNER. If Jesus tasted death for you, HE DIED IN YOUR PLACE SO YOU MAY LIVE. THOSE WHO ARE LOST AND BOUND FOR HELL are NOT covered by Jesus' DEATH or they could not be LOST. Colossians 1: 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: (a) Paul did not preach to and warn "every man" in the world. (b) Paul did not teach "every man" in the world "ALL" wisdom. (c) Paul did not present "every man" in the world "perfect in Christ Jesus". Most people agree that Colossians 1:28 and 1 Corinthians 12:7 do not mean everyone in the world. Yet they will run over the Hebrews 2:9 and say it does mean everyone in the world. What terrible confusion! There are some verses of scripture that are not ambiguous. We have seen Ephesians 5:25 is very plain stating that Jesus GAVE HIMSELF for the CHURCH. John 10:11 (11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. Acts 20:28 says that he gave his life for the church of God. The question is, "Did he purchase anyone else?" Every text of scripture that people use to teach that he purchased everyone else are always ambiguous statements such as what we are looking at in Hebrews 2:9. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour. (4) Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. According to the Bible, are all men saved (i.e. Matthew 7:13-14)? NO! We know that beyond a shadow of a doubt. Do all men come unto a knowledge of the truth? NO! Notice Paul's words: 2 Thessalonians 2: 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (A) Paul tells Timothy that God wants all men to KNOW THE TRUTH and be saved. (B) Paul tells the church at Thessalonica that God sends "strong delusion" in order that people should "believe a LIE" and be DAMNED! IS GOD'S WILL THWARTED BY MAN??? DOES GOD'S WILL CHANGE CONTRARY TO WHAT THE BIBLE STATES??? IS IT GOD'S WILL FOR EVERY PERSON IN THE WORLD TO BE SAVED AND RECEIVE THE TRUTH??? IF YOU ANSWER YES THEN WHY DO TEXTS SUCH AS MATTHEW 13 AND JOHN 12 (SEE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS IN THIS BOOK) TEACH THAT GOD WORKED IN SUCH A MANNER AS TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING THE TRUTH AND BEING CONVERTED??? The letter to the Thessalonians does not state how many people experience what Paul described, but it does make it very clear that some people do experience such things. If some people are kept from the truth and from salvation, then 1 Timothy 2:4 cannot mean what most people take it to mean. Let's find out from the context what Paul was really stating. 1 Timothy 2: 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2:2 For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 2:3 For this [is] good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, [and] lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. There are TWO POSSIBILITIES as to the meaning of the word "all" in this text: (1) The "all" refers to everyone in the world, and therefore refutes many other PLAIN texts of scripture. (2) The "all" refers to "ALL" types of men (i.e. KINGS as well as LOWLY SERVANTS, etc.). IN OTHER WORDS, "ALL" WOULD REFER TO PEOPLE IN EVERY POSITION AND WALK OF LIFE WHETHER JEW OR GENTILE, BOND OR FREE, RICH OR POOR, MALE OR FEMALE, ETC. Since Paul often stressed that fact in those very words (1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:28, Ephesians 3:8, Colossians 3:11, etc.), AND SINCE ANY OTHER MEANING WOULD CONTRADICT MANY PLAIN TEXTS, WE CAN BE CERTAIN THIS MEANING IS THE CORRECT ONE. Isaiah 2:2 (2) And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. Isaiah is speaking here of the New Testament church. He says that all nations shall flow unto it. There is enough in the context to show us that this does not mean that every human being flows into it. Either he means "all" in the sense of every human being, or he means it in the sense of all types of people. In other words, God chose His ELECT from amongst All NATIONS;...Jews and Gentiles; people of all races and backgrounds. Could it be that Paul being a Jew (a strict religion that says "No Gentiles allowed"), felt the continuous need (as the apostle to the Gentiles) to stress that the gospel was for all kinds of men? Brother, I believe in a God that does what He wants to. If I couldn't believe that God does His own will and runs everything accordingly, then I could not have enough confidence to serve Him. If something is the wishes and desires of His heart, then He will bring it to pass. If it is His will that everyone be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, then that would be happening and NO ONE WOULD BE LOST. 1 Timothy 4:10 (10) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. One of the major goals of the Roman Catholic church was to win everyone in the world. In the past times when they were influencing the interpretation of scriptures such as this, they were a RELIGIOUS/POLITICAL system that depended on huge membership in order to exercise powerful control over national and world affairs. Protestantism followed in their footprints and built an "IMAGE" to the "BEAST". Therefore, they followed the same interpretation and began to teach that Jesus died for everyone, and they ALL STILL try to get everyone to become "Christians". Therefore, it is common for people to use verses of scripture such as this (1 Timothy 4:10) in order to back up such a theory. However, please consider the following thoughts: (1) If Paul's statement that Jesus is the "SAVIOR" of "ALL" men is taken at face value without considering the teaching of the rest of the BIBLE, then it would NOT MEAN that Jesus only died that all men could have the opportunity for salvation. IT STATES THAT JESUS IS THE SAVIOUR OF ALL MEN, WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT ALL MEN ARE SAVED!!!! That is the doctrine of UNIVERSAL SALVATION, and is a false teaching that is believed by many people today. It is FALSE, FALSE, FALSE!!! Such a doctrine takes a few vague texts of scripture out of context and ignores the entire overall picture the Bible presents. (2) Who did God give His word to, and who did He work with in the Old Testament age; the whole world...OR ISRAEL??? (3) Who did God allow to benefit from the PASSOVER LAMB which is a type of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7)? Were those lambs sacrificed for the WHOLE WORLD, or ISRAEL??? (4) Who did God give the deliverance of the BRAZEN SERPENT which was a "type" of Jesus Christ (John 3:14-18); the whole world or ISRAEL?? (5) All Bible students realize that the sacrifices offered to God in the Old Testament were types of Jesus Christ who (as Hebrews shows so plainly) is the sacrifice for God's people in the New Testament age as well as the TRUE sacrifice for those who lived in the past. 1 Corinthians 10 teaches us that the things that happened to LITERAL ISRAEL were for our learning and for our examples today. WERE THE SACRIFICES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT OFFERED IN BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE WORLD, OR WERE THEY ONLY OFFERED TO BENEFIT THOSE WHO WERE ISRAEL??? (6) Were the High Priests (types of Jesus Christ; see book of Hebrews) of the Old Testament for the benefit of and intercession for the entire human population of their day, or for the ISRAELITES? I could go on and on, but basically we can summarize all of these statements, and the many more we will not cover here by saying: EVERY "TYPE" IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AGE WHICH WAS GIVEN BY GOD TO PORTRAY THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS CHRIST, SHOWS THAT JESUS' SACRIFICE WAS ONLY FOR HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE, AND NOT FOR EVERYONE!! There is one other verse of scripture which is often quoted to "prove" that Jesus died for "all men". It is more ambiguous than first impressions might lead one to believe. Let's look closely: 1 John 2: 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world. At first glance, verse 2 seems to be saying that Jesus is to be the Saviour for all mankind, but we must consider the following: (1) The meaning of the word "propitiation". (2) What did John mean by "the whole world". (3) Who was John writing to? We have already answered the third question in a previous chapter of this book. It should be easy for the reader to see that this text is written to children of God; TRUE CHRISTIANS. We should also consider the fact that John was writing to a particular KIND of Christian, and we can determine what KIND by examining the context: (a) In order to understand any LETTER from John, we must keep in mind that LETTERS are usually written to someone in particular. For example, although we can still learn from the principles which are covered in Paul's letters to the church of God at Corinth, we must always keep in mind (while studying them) that they were LETTERS written to particular people in a particular age with a particular set of circumstances and questions. One of the best ways to get miles off from the truth doctrinally is to forget that fact. (b) This letter from John was written to people he called "BRETHREN". This terminology in itself does not tell us much, but when we notice how he describes those "brethren", we begin to learn something very important in the proper understanding of John's words in the first few verses of the second chapter. We will also look at several other verses in John's other two letters which will help us to determine to whom he was writing. Notice: 1 John 2: 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 1 John 2: 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. 1 John 3: 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 2 John 1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. 1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. The Greek word translated "beginning" ("arches") means the "commencement". SINCE BOTH THE LAW OF MOSES AND THE MINISTRY OF JESUS TAUGHT THE MESSAGE OF "LOVE", John was referring to one of TWO THINGS in these verses: (1) The "beginning" of their experience with the GOSPEL message which was first preached by Jesus Christ. (2) The "beginning" of their instruction under the LAW OF MOSES (if the people to whom John was writing were Christians who were previously Jews serving God under the Old Testament Mosaic Law). Remember, the WORD OF GOD was originally given (in the beginning) to the children of Israel (Romans 3:1-2, Psalms 147:19-20). The OLD TESTAMENT writings taught the doctrine of LOVE, of which John was speaking. Notice: Leviticus 19: 19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I [am] the LORD. Luke 10: 10:26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 10:27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 10:28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. It is not an easy task to determine which of the two possibilities is correct. Since this book is intended to be a study OUTLINE and not complete coverage of every detail, we will give you a few suggestions for study, and trust you will search the scriptures until you are satisfied with the answer to this question. John has given us a key if we notice his words carefully. Let's look again at the scripture in 1 John 2: 2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. Do those texts seem to be conflicting or contradictory statements? Close scrutiny will demonstrate to the reader that John was saying the teaching he was REMINDING them of was NOT NEW, and yet it WAS being presented in a manner which was NEW! NOTICE: (A) It was not new in that they had the commandment "from the beginning". (B) It was new in that John is placing a different light and emphasis upon the commandment. We can understand better what John is trying to say if we notice Jesus' words in ANOTHER BOOK WRITTEN BY THIS SAME JOHN. JOHN 13: 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 13:35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. THE OLD COMMANDMENT SAID TO "LOVE ONE ANOTHER", BUT DID NOT TEACH THAT TRUTH IN THE SAME MANNER as what John called the "NEW COMMANDMENT". Because of the difference IN THE MANNER THE COMMANDMENT WAS STATED, IT COULD BE SAID THAT THOUGH THE JEWISH PEOPLE WERE GIVEN THE COMMANDMENT IN THE VERY BEGINNING, THE NEW TESTAMENT MANNER OF STATING THE TEACHING WAS LIKE A NEW COMMANDMENT. The people to whom John was writing were LITERAL JEWS of the literal nation of Israel, and they were also CHRISTIANS WHO HAD RECEIVED NEW TESTAMENT SALVATION. To further verify this fact, notice the words of Paul in Galatians: 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as [the gospel] of the circumcision [was] unto Peter; 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we [should go] unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. This text tells us the following: (1) Paul's ministry was primarily to preach the GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION (GENTILES). (2) THE GOSPEL OF THE CIRCUMCISION (JEWS) was primarily preached by Peter (Cephas - John 1:40-42), James, and JOHN WHO WROTE THE LETTER IN 1 JOHN. Thus we can see that John would have most likely been writing to Jewish Christians. Should someone have difficulty seeing that John is writing to CHRISTIAN people, I would like to remind you that we have proven that fact in an earlier chapter, and also show one more proof that I hope will be of help in your studies. 1 John 2: 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. The underlined portions of the above text are obviously written to SAVED PEOPLE. However, there is another lesson for us in the portions of the above text that we have put in BOLD PRINT (the statements; "I write unto you", and "I have written unto you"). Though the meaning is basically the same, the words, "I have written" would be a little easier for us to understand today if we realize that the Greek text is saying, "I WROTE UNTO YOU". That makes the fact clearer that John is referring to a previous writing other than the letter we are reading in 1 John. Please notice that the first parts of verses 13 and 14 state the very same thing!!!! IS JOHN SIMPLY INTERESTED IN KILLING TIME, OR FILLING SPACE IN HIS LETTER??? NO!! HE IS SPEAKING OF TWO DIFFERENT WRITINGS THAT WERE PENNED BY HIM FOR THE PURPOSE OF INSTRUCTING THESE SAME PEOPLE!!! I believe that any honest hearted reader who is willing to study very carefully the entire context of 1 John, will agree that this LETTER or epistle of John is written as a companion to the Gospel of John, which he wrote for the benefit of the same people to whom he addresses this letter. If this is true, then John is saying in verses 13 and 14 (words in parenthesis are added by me to clarify this truth): 2:13 I write (this letter) unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. 2:14 I have written (my gospel) unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I REALIZE THAT JOHN COULD BE REFERRING TO SOME OTHER LETTER THAT HE HAD WRITTEN WHICH WE HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF OR COPIES OF TODAY. HOWEVER, I WILL SHOW ANOTHER REASON WITHIN THE CONTEXT THAT CAUSES ME TO BELIEVE JOHN IS MAKING REFERENCE TO HIS GOSPEL WHICH HE HAD WRITTEN PREVIOUSLY. 1 John 1: 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen [it], and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 1:3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. From this text we can see: (1) John describes in detail the fact that he had FIRST HAND knowledge of Jesus Christ. HE STATES THAT HE WAS REPORTING TO THEM THE DETAILS ABOUT JESUS WHICH HE HAD KNOWLEDGE OF (verse 3). YET THIS EPISTLE IS NOT A REPORT OF SUCH THINGS!!! John's gospel IS! (2) The introduction to this letter is written in such a way as to CONNECT (in the mind of one who has read the Gospel of John) with the introduction to the GOSPEL OF JOHN. NOTICE: 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Compare this with "WORD OF LIFE" in verse one of 1 John as shown above). 1:14 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. (Compare this statement with "manifest to us" in 1 John 1:2 above). Surely the reader can see that John is referring to something he has previously written to these people in which he declares to them the first hand information which he has knowledge of concerning the life of Jesus Christ. That DEFINITELY is a reference to what we today call the GOSPEL OF SAINT JOHN. To summarize all of this, we should be able to see that: (a) John is writing to CHRISTIAN PEOPLE who were of the JEWISH religion before they came into the GREATER LIGHT AND SALVATION of the NEW TESTAMENT FAITH. (b) John had written previously to these same people (the Gospel of John), and now refers back to that writing, while attempting to bring them to a greater understanding of the TRUTH which was originally conveyed in the Gospel of John. 1 John 2: 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. That should be enough to enable the reader to see or at least start studying the fact that 1 John was written to people who had been saved under the OLD TESTAMENT and were also saved under the NEW TESTAMENT through their belief in Jesus as their messiah (i.e. CHRIST). Now WE NEED TO LEARN THE ANSWER TO THE FIRST QUESTION WE PRESENTED EARLIER: WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THE WORD "PROPITIATION"????? We will not go into a detailed explanation of the word here as most people realize that PROPITIATION means an offering or sacrifice which appeases or atones (for sin). We have already proven in this study that Jesus did NOT die for all men, so we need to be careful in an interpretation of this text. A proper understanding of John's words in 1 John 2:2 would show us that Jesus is NOT ONLY A PROPITIATION (SIN-BEARER) FOR JEWISH CHRISTIANS, but also for the WHOLE WORLD. John cannot be saying that Jesus paid the price for the every man's sins, because if that is the case, then every human being is saved!!!. INSTEAD, JOHN IS SAYING...."JESUS IS NOT ONLY THE SIN-BEARER AND SACRIFICE FOR THE JEWISH CHRISTIANS, BUT ALSO FOR HIS "WORLD" (a particular group or arrangement of things) WHICH IS HIS ELECT WHICH THE FATHER HAS GIVEN HIM; BOTH JEW AND GENTILE!!!! NOTICE: John 10: 10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand. 10:29 My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand. John 17: 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. 17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received [them], and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we [are]. John 6: 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. Friend, these are not VAGUE TEXTS. Jesus distinctly differentiated between the "world" in general, and those that the Father GAVE HIM. ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WHOM THE FATHER GIVES TO HIM CAN COME TO HIM, AND ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE "ELECT" ACCORDING TO GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE ARE GIVEN TO HIM BY THE FATHER!!!!!!! This is true both of Jews and Gentiles. NOTICE: Acts 13: 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 2 Timothy 2: 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. Did you notice what the SEAL of the FOUNDATION OF GOD is? It is God's knowledge of those who are HIS. God KNOWS who will be saved, and those are the PEOPLE HE LOVES. Those are the PEOPLE FOR WHOM JESUS DIED. THAT IS THE TRUTH WHICH IS THE "SEAL" OF THE FOUNDATION OF GOD; THE VERY FOUNDATION UPON WHICH ALL TRUTH IS BUILT!!!!! I thank God that Paul goes on to show us that all those who identify themselves as Christians are to depart from iniquity (presumptuous sin), but we must NEVER forget the fact that the FIRST thing Paul emphasized in this matter is the seal of the FOUNDATION;...GOD KNOWS WHO ARE HIS PEOPLE (now and in the future). Romans 9: 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.