"God Doesn't Make Junk" Part 2

From Part One:

"In the post to follow I'll explore the contrasts the Bible gives of people that are headed for hell, and those whom the Lord restores by the power of His might, myself being one of the latter. He didn't have to save me, He could have let me continue to follow the piper happily dancing my way to a hell that I fully and truly deserve. However His grace stopped me from continuing on that path, and He provided me with the wisdom that had me put down my fleshy philosophizing, and all my worldly arrogance, and seek Him with my whole heart though at times I thought I would die from the horrid things I had to face about myself as His Spirit revealed what He had to clean up in me...."

Contrasts are quite revealing, and there are many in the Bible. Today I took a page of printer paper, folded it in half, and listed the traits

Truth

Do we, as Christians, believe Jesus words? Is God's word true? Or are the philosophies that say "There are distortions" or "There are contradictions" or "The Bible's message changed throughout the ages, hell was added later" are these the ones telling the truth?

What did Jesus say?

Jesus said "there WILL BE weeping and gnashing of teeth"  5 times recorded in the gospels.

Matthew 8:12

Matthew 22:13

Matthew 24:51

Matthew 25:30

Luke 13:28

Regarding the sheep and the goats, Jesus said:

Matthew 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.(KJV)

He couldn't really have meant EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT could He? That's probably a mistranslation...or probably that was added later by a monk who was having a bad day...either we believe the Bible, or we will want to change it and believe those who say "it couldn't really have meant it the way it is being exegeted, it must have changed over time or mistranslated". Jesus is "too loving" to allow for this, isn't He?

What about this famous passage:

Matthew 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Matthew 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (KJV)


The way that leads to Jesus is narrow and few find it...what? How unfair! No that cannot be true. The Bible must be lying. It actually says "EVERYONE GOES TO HEAVEN, THERE IS NO HELL" doesn't it? I heard a college professor tell people so when she explained how the Bible's message added hell after the time of Daniel. That's probably where Jesus got the idea, right? Then do you also not believe that Jesus is God and was with the Father from the beginning? Do you also not believe that He raised Lazarus from the dead and that He Himself is raised from the dead?

Jesus said:

Luke 16:31  And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. (KJV)

So who shall we believe? Jesus? Or shall we change things around a bit so that we will "feel better" about ourselves and get around those sticky verses that make us uncomfortable. Let's just make it that EVERYONE goes to heaven. Forget about what Jesus said, that stuff about the straight and narrow that not many will find. Who needs it? Too depressing. Everyone can go, because all we have to do is change what we believe and then all is well. Who cares where such philosophies will lead to because everyone will go to heaven. Period. End of discussion. You can talk all you want to, but now that I have my mind made up, no one, not even Jesus, can change it.

REALLY?

Matthew 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Matthew 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Matthew 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Matthew 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. (KJV)


What foundation do you have your ideas based on? Feelings? Theories? Someone's new religion? Or is it based on what Jesus said?

The only sin that can keep us from truly being born again is rejecting the truth and filling ourselves up with vain doctrines of men. Jesus said to enter into His kingdom we must be born again. It has to be all of Him in our lives, to be regenerated by His Spirit.

 Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Romans 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Romans 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (KJV)


and remember:

 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,  
 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.   
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  
 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 
 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 
 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.  
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.   
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.   
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Matthew 5:2-13 (KJV)

Don't believe the lies. There are many of them "out there". Some do it to make a profit. Some do it to get around the truth of God's word because they think it is "too hard"...it's impossible without the Spirit...you must be born again. There's no way around it. Is that unfair? Is that mean and unloving? No. It just is the way it is. Those who reject it are the unloving ones, because they reject the way of Truth, the way of our merciful and loving God.

Goats and Sheep

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Had this on my Flutterbys blog, decided to bring it here:

Did you know that there are alot of similarities between sheep and goats? I find that interesting in the light of the parable that Jesus gave us about the separating of sheep and goats:

Mat 25:31  When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
Mat 25:32  And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
Mat 25:33  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35  For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Mat 25:36  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Mat 25:37  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
Mat 25:38  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Mat 25:39  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
Mat 25:40  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mat 25:41  Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42  For I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
Mat 25:43  I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
Mat 25:44  Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
Mat 25:45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Mat 25:46  And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. 

Do you notice what Jesus does here? The sheep come from a place of credit where anything they do is added to them. The goats come from a place of debit where the moment they fail to do the right thing, they have failed altogether and hopelessly so.

What can we learn from what these animals are like?

 One of the main differences is what they eat. Goats can eat anything and not get sick. If sheep eat the wrong things, they get diarrhea and it sticks to their wool, which can cause them further problems if the shepherd doesn't take care of his sheep properly. 

More sheep facts (check the links along the top of the page too, lots of interesting facts about sheep)


and goat facts (I do believe the picture of the goat with braces was photoshopped, lol)
and this is a fun site for more info...
and a few insights from a veterinarian...

Goats are more independent while sheep get uncomfortable if they get separated from their group. 

Also check out this John MacArthur article

Most sheep don't have horns like goats do....but some do

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Rev 13:11  And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.


Hmmm looks like a sheep, with two horns, and speaks like a dragon. What does a dragon speak like?

Dan 11:21  And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
Dan 11:22  And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.
Dan 11:23  And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

He will tell people what they want to hear. He will appeal to people's fleshy desires.

Jesus knows what His sheep really need, and it isn't flattering...but He loves us so what He does for us is out of a gracious and loving heart.

Pe 5:2  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

1Pe 5:3  Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.
1Pe 5:4  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Left Hand?

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Matthew 20:21 James and John's mother asks Jesus that her sons will sit next to Jesus, one on His right and one on His left. Jesus tells them that they don't know what they are asking but then goes on to talk about being "baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with" which (martyrdom) He says they will indeed suffer, but that sitting on His right hand or left is not given by Jesus but by the Father who prepares each of us for it (Matthew 20:23)

In doing a word search, being on the right hand is often mentioned. Do a word search with the Blue Letter Bible or E-sword and see what you come up with. It is a very fruitful study. The left hand is where the goats go to in the sheep and goats judgment (Matthew 25:33) so for mom to ask Jesus to give her sons a place on the right and a place on the left....her request was off track right from the start. This reminds me of the saying "he is my right hand man" (someone that is so helpful you cannot do without him).

He goes on to say that these things are decided and prepared by God the Father. We can ask, but the final decision rests with God.