My name is Paul. This city, Rome, along with the city of Jerusalem have given me much grief throughout history. Many church leaders from these cities have done much to hinder the hope which comes from the gospel commissioned to me to be delivered to the whole world for all generations.
My message of reconciliation came from above-from Jesus Himself and from the heavenly city, New Jerusalem, not from men of tradition and earthy cities. Those who truly heard and walked in my gospel became ambassadors of Christ, (not the Pope, or Luther, or Calvin or any other man.) They received their instructions from the above, not from political/religious centers of the world.
Over the centuries apparently few have really heard my Gospel. Rome has resurrected the Gospel of the Circumcision, (Peter’s gospel), which mixes law and grace. Peter’s Gospel, the gospel of the Circumcision, was a temporary gospel which was given to those born under the Mosaic Law to give them time to come into pure grace through faith. But God ended this Gospel when the last generation born under the Mosaic Covenant died. This occurred at the end of the generation in which Jesus the Messiah was born. Yahweh made it abundantly clear that the Mosaic Covenant was to end and be replaced with a New Covenant. The Mosaic Covenant was a detailed set of laws and rituals which had to be performed exactly according to the instructions Yahweh gave Moses on Mount Sinai. These rituals could not longer be performed according to God’s instruction to Moses after Rome destroyed Jerusalem, the Temple and its priesthood.
(To those of you who are not Christian, forgive me for going into something of which you may have no understanding. But believe me, it is quite clear to me that the Church-at-large in your age doesn’t have much understanding of these subjects either, so you are not too far behind. I do not exaggerate when I say you will learn more about true Christianity in these next few pages than you will sitting in many Churches. So bear with me, as I speak about some unfamiliar things. Perhaps it will stir you to pick up a Bible and search these things out a little further for yourself.)
The Mosaic Law was one single package. To violate one part of it was to violate it all (James 2:10). Furthermore, it was a two-sided Covenant between a specific group of people and Yahweh, that is, the Hebrews. It is very important to note, this covenant was not with any other people’s or nations other than Israel. Many modern Christian denominations and sects have tried to force the laws and rituals of this covenant upon the nations and peoples of this world. This covenant was never meant for that. This covenant is finished! It was only for Jews up to AD 70 at which time God made it quite clear He had inaugurated a New Covenant not based upon nationalism or ethnic preference.
Jerusalem was the only lawful place to fulfill the sacrifices and rituals commanded by Yahweh through Moses under what Christians term the “Old Covenant.” One of the specifications in this Covenant was that the priests, especially the High Priest, had to be able to trace their descendants back to Aaron and Levi (Exodus 40:12-15; 2 Chronicles 35:3). When the Roman Army entered Israel to stop the rebellion, they raped thousands of Jewish women, thereafter making it difficult for many Jews to prove a descendancy which was pure. Furthermore, when the Temple was burned, the genealogical records were burned thus destroying any evidence which could prove one’s descent.
But the Temple was torn apart stone by stone just as Jesus had prophesied. The furniture was taken to Rome. In later years, it was even unlawful (at the pain of death) for a Jew to even visit Jerusalem which was once the only lawful place, according to Moses, where a Jew was commanded to appear before God three times a year — Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Those who say the Mosaic Law was still in effect after the destruction of Jerusalem do not understand the Law. They are blind guides. It is the very Law which they cling to which makes them blind! Did I not call the Ten Commandments, the cornerstone of the Mosaic Law, the ministry of death, the ministry of condemnation whose glory was fading away even as I wrote? (2 Cor. 3:7-15).
The Mosaic system, after AD 70, could no longer operate lawfully. It was finished. And so was Israel as God’s “chosen” nation. Since Yahweh inaugurated a New Covenant, not based upon genealogy or race, Peter’s Gospel to the Circumcision (Israel) no longer served any purpose. In Christ, circumcision avails nothing! (1 Cor. 7:19).
If we study history, however, a group of Jewish Pharisees, seeing that the destruction of Jerusalem totally destroyed their religious system of laws and rituals, created a new type of Judaism, not based upon the sacrificial system, but based upon “good deeds.” Yahweh never authorized creating such a system. Modern Judaism is not based upon God’s covenant with Israel made on Mount Sinai, but is based upon a group of Pharisees who refused to accept the Messiah which Yahweh had sent to them. Modern Judaism is a perversion, not true to Moses nor true to the Messiah! Do not be entangled with Judaisers whether they call themselves Jews or Christians! But don’t hate or kill them either! They must be won with the love of Christ in you, not with hate. But do not join yourselves to these systems-they are false.
Just before the destruction of Jerusalem, many who I preached to had abandoned my gospel. As I said, they returned to Moses or their pagan practices, or they mixed some of my teachings in their old ways. This mixture made the word of God of no effect in my day and it has the same effect in your day.
When the Temple was destroyed, my gospel received a breath of fresh air. For a brief season, many saw what I was trying to explain-that Yahweh was doing a new thing. Old things were passing away-Yahweh was making a New Creation, yes, even a New Man in which there was no Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave or free. The destruction of Jerusalem vindicated my Gospel, a Gospel based upon grace through faith, not of works of the Mosaic Law. Those Judaizers who were destroying my work among the Gentiles were exposed as deceitful workers by the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. The last generation of Jews born under the Law saw the judgment of God upon Israel as a nation It was a terrible judgment, indeed! (Read Josephus’ Wars of the Jews) The Lord fanned the fire and my gospel spread throughout the Roman world.
I did not preach Moses. I preached the Law of the Life in Christ Jesus, a New Law, and a New Word. I preached a New Man, a New Creation, a New World, and for those who could hear it, a new heaven and earth.
I spoke of the ministry of reconciliation. I spoke of the in-gathering of all things in heaven and earth, and yes, even under the earth, under the headship of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. But today I see thousands of different sects of Christendom and I weep. I said do not divide based on men’s teachings. Paul and Apollos are nothing! Yet most Christians have divided themselves under names like Luther, Calvin, Wesley, and the list becomes endless. Why do you read my words?! Why do you keep them in their Bibles?! You should tear them out!! Apparently no one heeds them.
Most church leaders preach a salvation FROM everlasting torture. Where did they ever get such an idea? Certainly not from my writings! Where did I ever preach deliverance from the pagan concept of Hell? Where did I ever use the word Hell? Where did I ever close the door of hope to anyone? I boldly declared more than hope, I delivered a message of assurance. I made it clear that as all died in Adam, the same all shall be made alive in Christ, each in his own order! (1 Cor. 15:22).
I realize many of your Bible translations have twisted a few words out of their true meaning. Some Bible translations have translated Gehenna, (Jerusalem’s dump), Hades (the unseen), and Tartarus (holding place for angels) all into the Germanic, pagan word “Hell” which has caused great confusion. Translating the Greek word “aion” which meant in my time “an indeterminate period of time,” certainly never everlasting, eternal or forever, has also brought about misunderstandings. And then literalizing many passages, especially the parables and John’s Revelation, is something I never dreamed would ever happen. The languages of the Bible Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, were languages which used many types of figures of speech. The Greek language alone has over 200 different kinds. A literal translation of these passages would totally change the meaning. We Semites employed many figures of speech. We painted our words with wide brushes, so to speak. You Westerners have done yourselves and others in the world a great disservice by translating our words into the modern languages often without due consideration of our idioms and customs. You will never really understand the Holy Scriptures apart from understanding our culture and ways of communication. Many modern Bibles contain passages which do not truly convey the writer’s thoughts. There are many Bibles translated after various “traditions of the elders.” I realize this.
But for those with discernment, my message should still have come through loud and clear. Sometimes what a writer DOES NOT write about can say more than what they put in ink, so I remind you once again — I did not write about Hell! I did not write about deliverance from “everlasting punishment.” I boldly stated that if anyone preached another gospel other than mine, let him be accursed!! Anyone who does is not preaching my gospel! If there is anyone in the entire Bible who should have taught a place of everlasting torture, it should have been me, since it was my responsibility to declare the gospel to the entire world. My message was the message of hope to all mankind!! I taught a ministry of reconciliation. “Be ye reconciled!”
I warned the foolish Galatians that mixing Law and Grace would not bring forth the fruit of the New Covenant of grace. I should have warned all nations because it seems all the denomiNATIONS have forsaken my gospel and gone after another, which is not the true gospel of Christ at all.
I preached Christ crucified for ALL MANKIND! I exempted no one, past, present, or future, in heaven, on earth, and under the earth! Please, please stop this foolish preaching that my Father and yours would torture any of his children in literal fire forever!
Have you all become pagans in the name of Christ? Can you not discern any of the Biblical symbols and their meaning? Do you really think there is a dead lamb on a throne in heaven? If your mind is quick enough to recognize this as a symbol, why do you literalize something that should naturally be recognized as a symbol? Is there really a woman riding a beast somewhere? Then why would you think the fiery lake is not also a symbol? Did John not make it plain at the beginning of his Revelation, “These things ‘signify things that must shortly take place” (John 1:1). Notice also that he even told you these things were to take place shortly. How can those who put these events 2000 years later say they rightly divide the word when John said several times in his Revelation book that these things would take place “shortly?” He also said that these visions were symbols of what would take place. In your modern world can you not see that for a third of the stars to fall upon the earth would be an impossibility? Why one single star remotely close to the earth would snuff out all life. Tell me, if the stars fell to earth, do you think there would be any life or even the planet itself? We find this verse in Revelation 6:13, yet in the chapters following this account, we find peoples and entire nations still alive. Surely, the world has been greatly harmed by literal interpretations of Revelation and many other portions of Scripture which were never meant to be taken literally.
Now I implore you, put off these foolish preachers of nonsense who parade around as ministers of the gospel who paint my God and yours as some fire breathing dragon lurking about seeking to devour his own children. Throw these scoundrels into the den of myth-makers and let them spin their tales amongst themselves. Separate yourselves to your heavenly Father, even the Father of us all. Draw neigh unto Him and He will draw neigh unto you.
I beseech you. Read my letters bound into your Bibles, especially my later ones, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. Remember the race I was running had nothing to do with salvation. Salvation is a gift, not a race, especially the kind of race the hell-fire preachers have portrayed it.
Now hear my words again. Let them sink deeply into your hearts and minds. Let them erase the dark, even demonic images burned into your conscience by men dragging through the ages the traditions of the same pagans I did battle with in my generation. Put down the superstitions fabricated by the carnal mind and rise up to your inheritance in Him Who purchased you with His own life. For God so loved you…that He gave His life to you and for you.
I am not boasting when I say that if a person does not understand my gospel, he doesn’t understand God and His plan of salvation. I left ample warnings of those who would enter in bringing with them all sorts of abominations. I warned of the Judaizers sent from Jerusalem who would mix Mosaic Law with Grace which would leaven my whole message and produce all manners of abominations. My warnings are still in your Bibles and they are very plain. Heed them!
Did I not say that I was the example of those who would follow in Christ? Did I “decide” to follow Jesus? Or was I shown what I must suffer for the Lord’s name sake? Did Christ Himself not say that no one can come to the Father except the Father draw him? And did He not further say that He would draw all mankind unto Himself? (John 6:44, 12:32). Does the sea have the ability to rise into the heavens in its own strength or decision? Or is it the sun which draws up the water? The sea of humanity cannot come into the heavenlies unless drawn by the Son of Righteousness. And when drawn by the sun, does the water of its own will have the ability to resist the sun?
I have made it perfectly clear that God locked up all mankind in unbelief and disobedience. For what purpose? That He may have mercy on ALL!!! How many? ALL!! (Romans 11:32)
The Mosaic Law was sent forth not to do away with sin, but that sin might abound!
“Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:20-21).
The Law never perfected anything. It just brought up what was latent in man, sin! Israel, after 1500 years under the Law, became some of the most lawless people on the face of the earth. Read Josephus’ Wars of the Jews and see for yourselves. They used the Holy Law of Moses to accuse and despise the Gentiles while they were guilty of the very same things themselves! I say this to your shame, you moderns do the same thing and with the same religious zeal, a zeal which will surely bring forth death. Look at church history. Is it not a stream of blood up to the horses bridle? This mixture has not produced life, and never will. It will produce self-righteousness which will always gravitate to death!
My letter to the Romans, especially chapter 5, makes it abundantly clear again that all have sinned; Christ died for all while they were yet sinners; that just as death was imputed to all men from the transgression of one man, Adam, righteousness would be equally be imputed to all mankind. Did men “choose” to die? No, it was imputed to them. In exactly the same way, no one can “choose” life. It is also imputed to them.
This teaching of “deciding” to follow Jesus is a lie out of darkness. Did Jesus’ disciples choose Him? Did I, Paul, “choose” to follow Jesus? No! I chose to persecute the church. Jesus called me and I became a bond-slave who was shown what I must suffer for His name’s sake. Did I not say that I was made the example of those who would follow? I am the chiefest of sinners and I was “dragged” to the throne of grace. “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all long-suffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting (aionian) life.
I tell you this, those of you who think you made a decision to follow Christ are still in your sins!! It was saving grace which caused you to open your mouth to even be able to confess His name!! Stop your foolish boasting and repent. Salvation is all of God, not of man lest you do what most of you moderns are presently doing…boasting in your works, even if it is as simple as boasting in your “decision.” This way of thinking, my friends, will surely lead to self-righteousness and spiritual death.
The all or “the many” who were imputed death in Adam, this same group would be imputed Life in Christ. Some translations have eliminated the definite article in front of “many” making it appear that many would be made righteous, not all. But I made it perfectly clear in the Greek that “the many” who were condemned in Adam was all mankind! Equally “the many” who received the free gift resulting in justification of life was the same “the many.” Oh, Christian study to show yourselves approved! Will you have the sin of Adam abound more than the righteous act of Jesus Christ? Wake up sleeper!! Please read the last half of the fifth chapter of my letter to the Romans slowly and carefully. Use a Greek/English Interlinear Bible. One will clearly see the definite article “the” (oi, in Greek) in front of “many.” Compare the KJV and NIV in Romans 5. The KJV eliminated the definite article whereas the NIV put it in. The Greek clearly has the definite article. This kind of study is what Christians should be spending more time on instead of Soap Operas and Sunday Football! The world needs to know this. It has been appointed to His people to make these things known to the world.
I preached the Abrahamic covenant, a covenant God ratified with Himself, not with Abraham! Abraham fell asleep as God sealed the covenant as a smoking oven and a burning torch passed between the pieces of animals (Genesis 15:5-21). If Abraham had a part to play in this covenant, he was required to also pass between the animal halves, but he didn’t.
And what was the promise of this covenant, and to whom would this blessing go? “Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him” (Genesis 8:18). This promise was repeated to Isaac (Genesis 26:4) and expanded to all the families of the earth to Jacob (Genesis 28:14). All the families of the earth shall be blessed by God’s promise to Abraham! Not some, not just Israel, or those grafted into Israel …all the families from beginning to end! And what does it mean to be blessed by Yahweh-to be endlessly tortured??!! Oh, I am mad enough right now to come out of my grave to shake some of you who claim to be alive out of your state of death!
Tell me! Where did I limit God’s redemptive plan in any way? Where did I cut short any of God’s promises to mankind? I declared in full boldness and in the power of the authority Jesus Christ gave me as apostle to all the nations that Jesus Christ is the Savior of all mankind to be testified in due time (1 Timothy 2:4-6) John, the apostle declared Him the Savior of the whole world in his gospel in 4:42 and his first letter in 4:14.
In the very first chapter of my letter to the Ephesians I clearly stated that ALL would come INTO Christ in the fullness of time. Think! Will the pagan concept of Hell be eternally “in” Christ? Never!
Tell me, if you paid the price for all mankind, would you be satisfied if you got less than what you paid for? Isaiah speaks of Christ’s great suffering on the tree of crucifixion and tells us that Christ shall see the travail of His soul and will be satisfied (Isaiah 53:11). Would you be satisfied if you gave your life for all, but only received a handful? Or half? Or ninety per cent? No, my friend, Christ’s love for mankind shall not be satisfied if even one is lost. He will leave the ninety-nine to find the one lost.
Now hear this and carefully think it through. Jesus purchased those who belong to Him. From Whom did He purchase them? The Devil? The powers of this world? Hear the Scriptures and not your traditions! “This is the will of the Father Who sent Me, that of all He has given Me, I should lose nothing, but raise it up at the last day” (John 6:39). “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands” (John 3:35, NIV1984). All were LOCKED UP in unbelief! The Father’s wrath was on all. And Jesus redeemed, purchased, ransomed, restored, reconciled all unto Himself. He will impute to them all His righteousness and then deliver them back to the Father Holy and blameless! Praise His wonderful Name! I just want to shout hallelujahs when I think on the wondrous things our Savior has done for us all.
I declared to you that God subjected ALL to unbelief (disobedience). No, I didn’t blame the Devil, or Adam, or free will! I put it directly on the shoulders of our Creator! For what purpose would God do such a thing? So that He could show mercy to ALL! (Rom. 11:32). Our Father put all of His children in a position of needing His mercy so there would be none who would boast in their own righteousness. All will receive His mercy because ALL of us need it. Did Ezekiel not tell us, that even Sodom, the example of God’s fiercest judgments, would be restored to her former estate? (Ezekiel 16:55).
You modern Christians are so afraid of fire. Where did this fear come from? The Bible is full of examples that our God is an all-consuming fire! Are you not like the Israelites when God desired to come into their midst? They did not want God to come into their midst because they feared they would die (Exodus 20:18,19). Did He not often appear in fire? Remember the burning bush, the pillar of fire, the refiner’s fire of Malachi? Do the Scriptures not say that everyone would be salted with fire? (Mark 9:49) How about the three children thrown into the fire seven times hotter than normal in the Book of Daniel? Yes, God’s children had better get used to being in fire. Will there not be some saved by fire? (1 Cor. 3:15). Did we not warn of fiery trials which would come upon you sent from on high? Look to heavens and what do you see? Billions of very hot stars which sometimes speak of Saints. Read the Book of Revelation. See how the symbols of fire and light are used there. Fire everywhere! Why even the lake of fire, which many of you moderns have grossly distorted, speaks of a divine cleansing fire. Look at the Greek word your translators translated “sulfur.” It is derived from “Theos” which means God. Learn of the manners and customs of our day. Was sulfur a sign of wrath or was it a sign to us which speaks of healing and divine purification? We used sulfur to purify temples and heal wounds!
Go find a good lexicon and see what the true meaning of the Greek word “basanos” meant in my day. Many of your translators horribly translated that word as “torment,” but it really is nothing more than a touchstone. Go see for yourself! A touchstone was a stone mined in Lydia used to determine the quality of gold. The lake of fire is a divine fire to test divinity which is what gold represents!!! But more importantly, it speaks of the work which God does in the hearts of men and women. It does not speak of physical fire burning physical flesh! Oh, foolish modern Christians, why do you spend so much time entertaining yourselves with the lies from your television sets? Do you know the word of God so well than you can spend hundreds of hours a year watching men and women chasing balls of all sorts around sports fields? You have so much to learn of the precious things entrusted you by our Father. The entertainment of your day reminds me of the circuses of the Greeks and Romans. You have become blind guides leading the blind. Will we again one day see true believers used as human torches to light up festivities as Caesar Nero did in my day? Or will you once again come like Nero as did the Christian religious leaders of the Inquisition, Programs, and Crusades? If your generation of believers does not repent and spend time in diligent study and prayer, your lack of light (understanding) will surely bring back days as dark as the Dark Ages.
I said Jesus would be heir of ALL things. Please, study this ALL out very thoroughly in the contexts I used this word. I said Jesus would “fill all things” (Ephesians 4:10) I said after Jesus subdued all His enemies, the last being death, He would deliver up the kingdom to God the Father, that the Father might be ALL in ALL (1 Corinthians 15:28) When this happens, we can be assured that: “every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess Jesus as Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). No one can do this apart from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). This word “bow,” my Christian brothers and sisters, is not a military term of one submitting under force. No, my friend, this is a worship word. John tells us that even those under the earth will worship and confess Jesus as Lord (Revelation 5:13).
The angel declared Jesus a joy to all people (Luke 2:10). How could this be if most of the world would be tortured endlessly? If the love of Christ were truly in all Christians, do you really think there could ever be true joy and peace in heaven knowing that someone’s mother, father, brother or sister was being tormented? Can you not see that even one single soul being tortured would be a blot, a stain on the very power, love, and character of the One Who created us, gave Himself for us, and redeemed us? Oh, Christian will you please use the new heart you have been given and find the compassion of your heavenly Father? You say His wrath is endless, yet the Scriptures declare He would not always be wrath, but His mercy would last forever. Psalm 136 declares 26 times that His mercy would endure forever. Yet the church of your day says just the opposite. Do we have another contradiction? The Hebrew word “Olam” often translated as forever actually means an “indeterminate period of time.” It is a period of which the length cannot be determined until the end comes. A man’s life was considered an “olam.” Jonah was in the belly of the fish for an “olam.” God’s wrath and His mercy exist until there was no longer a need for them. God will determine that. When God becomes All in All (1 Corinthians 15:28), neither wrath nor mercy will be needed. One only needs mercy when one falls short of the law. When we all return into Christ, many things we depended upon on earth will lose their power and need. We will enter a higher kingdom in which dwells perfected righteousness peace, and joy. We will enter Love Himself in Whom all needs are fulfilled. The Scriptures speak of these things. Who has turned you from them?
I tell you this, I am furious enough right now to raise from the dead to speak right into the faces of those who would move you so far from the truth which I delivered and made plain in my epistles. I suffered much reproach in my day and I’ll gladly suffer it again, if by my suffering I might deliver you from the darkness which has beset you. For what message did I labor and suffer? “For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, Who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. These things command and teach” (1 Timothy 4:9-11) This I want to know from you. Who deceived you into not following my teachings? A little leaven leavens the whole lump. From what I see almost the entire congregation of Christendom has been infected with this pagan disease you call Hell.
Can love ever fail? (1 Corinthians 13:8). Is anything impossible with God? (Jeremiah 32:17). Can anything or anyone upset God’s plans, promises, word, will, or desires? (Psalm 135:6; Proverbs 19:21; Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 46:10; 1 Timothy 2:4-6).
As sure as I am that I was called to deliver the good news to the nations, even more sure am I that God will meet His promises, keep His word to all generations, and draw (drag in the Greek) all mankind back unto and into Himself, not to endlessly torture His creation, not to pour out vindictive vengeance upon His creation, but to pour out His nature, which is an unconditional love without respect to race, time, place of birth, gender, color or anything else which would make Him a respecter of people. Mercy will triumph over judgment, even if there is presently a church which will not stand in agreement with Him (James 2:13). The Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, and I, Paul of Tarsus, do testify that in due time all the families of the earth shall be blessed (1 Timothy 2:6; Genesis 12:3; Genesis 28:14). The Father has always had witnesses to this glorious truth throughout all generations. (If you humble yourself to hear them, this writing could be the fire you need to turn wholeheartedly to God Himself and become one of those witnesses to His Love which never fails.
I knew even at the end of my life that most would forsake my gospel and, like a wild ass, run after other gospels which smell more like flesh than the fragrant pure grace which I was commissioned to pour out. Never in my wildest dreams, however, did I think those who espoused the name of Christ would divide under so many lies and gospels which are not good news at all. Any gospel which closes the door to anyone, is not good news. Who knows … the one to whom the door would be closed just might be you!
Now repent! Enough of this foolishness. Return to my gospel which is really good news to all mankind. Don’t turn to flesh and blood for your answers. Turn to the Holy Spirit Who, I am certain, will bear witness that my gospel is the gospel to all mankind …Christ crucified … for all … and the travail of His soul shall be satisfied! (Isaiah 53:11). I tell you this . . . Christ shall not be satisfied until He has found and restored every single lost sheep!
It was given to me to declare a great mystery which was hidden from all ages and generations before me, that is, Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Oh, how I wish you would all take to heart and know by the Spirit what I tried to express in my latter letters to the Colossians, Ephesians, and Philippians.
Oh, how I wish the body of Christ would believe my words written to the Corinthians:
“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors of Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him Who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Yes, Christians are to be ministers of reconciliation, but I fear you have become estranged from Him again in your consciences, having mixed all sorts of abominable teachings to the simplicity found in the message of grace through faith, a gift, not of works, lest anyone should boast. The fire will test what manner of works has been brought forth from these strange doctrines of which I greatly warned against, especially in my letter to the Galatians.
I want to bring you all to a place of strength, joy, and hope. To those of you who have never tasted of the goodness of the Lord, I say, be ye reconciled to God. Our Father, yes, the Creator of the Universe is your Father, Who demonstrated His love and forgiveness towards us by allowing man to crucify Him and still forgiving us. Perhaps you have heard that God the Father poured out His wrath, which mankind supposedly deserved, upon His Son-that Jesus Christ took the penalty which rightfully was ours. What foolishness and what a horrible and abominable teaching!! God the Father was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself! (2 Corinthians 5:19). This horrible teaching has made Jesus a hero and God the Father look like a fiend! Jesus Christ is the visible image of the Father. They are one in Spirit. The nature of Jesus was expressed as an innocent lamb.
This is also the nature of our Father! No wonder Christians and non-believers have a hard time coming to the Father, yet that was the very purpose of Jesus’ coming-to reconcile us to our Father. The wrath which Jesus received came from man, not from the Father. Jesus, on the cross demonstrated the power which will ultimately conquer all, even death. That power is the ability to lay down one’s life rather than to take another’s life. Here is the demonstration of the power of the Creator. Jesus proved this power by being resurrected from the grave. Death, hatred, and murder could not, and never will, overcome true love — a love than esteems others over itself, a love which would lay down its rights, its liberties, its very life, rather than take someone else’s. Here is manifested the “vengeance of the Lord.” His vengeance is mercy!! The power which will overcome the murderous vengeful spirit in man is the power to lay down one’s life. God has the power to raise that life back up again and Jesus Christ is the living proof of that. Here is the hope of mankind. Here is the goal, the mark. This is what the church should be demonstrating each day around the world.
I weep as I reflect upon the history of the church. I do not see this spirit in action to the degree I had hoped for. The Israelites were told by God that they would not stay true to the covenant they made. That came to pass. It seems the Church has followed the pattern of Israel-unfaithful. I, as well as some of the other apostles like John and Peter, warned there would be a great falling away. This falling away has gone on for hundreds of years. God is not surprised by this. He will weave even this into His marvelous plan of Creation and bring forth an end too wonderful to put into words.
It seems that those who God chooses to use for His purposes often get carried away with self-importance. There is a tendency to think we are more important than others because He chose us rather than someone else. But the Jews and Christians have forgotten for what they were “chosen” to do — they were chosen to be a blessing and a light to those around them. Instead of being a light, they looked down upon those who weren’t chosen and therefore lost the light they had. This is one of the key bad side-effects the doctrine of eternal torment has had on many Christians. Because most Christians think they have been chosen for eternal life while others either have not been or have disqualified themselves from it, they quite naturally think they are in better standing with God then others. This arrogance is the very power which makes a Christian’s witness either negative or worthless.
I am deeply grieved at the sickness of mind this teaching of Hell has caused in many Christians. I have heard some Christians say that if there is not Hell, why bother living a Holy life? Why not go out and live it up if there are no eternal consequences for doing wrong? Such reasoning reveals the lack of Christ’s love in this kind of Christian. How can someone with the love of Christ in his bosom even voice such words without hiding their head in shame? This kind of person surely has not been touched in any measure by Christ’s compassion.
A Christian who has been touched by the love of Christ loves out of nature, not out of rewards for doing do. The act of doing good IS their reward. They desire to live Holy lives because a Holy God lives inside them and they see that this Holiness is desirable. A true Christian no longer finds pleasure in dark deeds. They are of the light and desire to live in the light. Those who have tasted of the fruit of the Holy Spirit and experienced His power no longer desire to wallow in the mire. So to those of you who espouse the name of Christian, who make remarks like the ones above, I say, “Hang your head in shame and repent!” Does a son or daughter who truly loves and honors his or her Father desire to do things which would disgrace His Name? Surely not! And if your only reason for not indulging in the pig pen is your fear of Hell, then by all means, plunge in, because you have already been judged and found guilty. Have you forgotten Jesus’ words saying that if a person has lusts in their heart like hate or adultery etc., that they are already guilty even as if they had committed the acts? (Matthew 5:19-48). If you chose to live by the Law of Moses, surely you will die by that very Law.
To those of you who are not Christians who have been stumbled by the actions or doctrines of Christians or Churches, remember — Truth is not in a man or in a system of belief-Truth is a person. This person has prepared Himself to also be the Way to True Life. His name is Jesus. Knowing about Him or using His name is not the same as truly knowing Him. When you do, your life will never be the same. May your heart be opened to receive Him.