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“God
So Loved the World
”
November 2008
John 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.”
Speaking of God, a discovery by William Keel
and his associates in 1992 is absolutely awesome. Our solar system
with planet Earth is situated between, not inside, the two spiral
arms of our galaxy. Moreover, super-giant stars reside inside the
spiral arms that would expose Earth to radiation intense enough to
prevent life.
Providentially, our sun
is located between two of the four spiral arms and away from
super-giants and high star densities. Also, the spiral arms are
loaded with gas and dust. If planet Earth were located within
a spiral arm, such gas and dust clouds would block our view of
anything but the nearby stars.
Why could the Psalmist David write, “The heavens
declare the glory of God”? Astronomers have determined that David’s
message of the heavens can only be read if one is sitting on a
uniquely clear-viewed cosmic window seat. Earth’s inhabitants enjoy
this unique window to our solar system, our galaxy and the whole
universe. Our solar system is located in the exact galactic locale
that affords both a safe haven for life and a clear window of the
cosmos. This is thrilling! God exclusively positioned the Earth
between the spiral arms so we can see and
exclaim—“The heavens declare the glory of God.…” Psalm 19:1, 2
The Lord only revealed this in the 1990s. Why?
Post-Modernism is corrupting Biblical ideals. With no moral
absolutes, anyone can do his own thing—pre-marital sex, live-ins
instead of marriage, Gay-rights, etc. Also, the United States is
threatened to be superceded by China, Russia or even Islam.
Christians are living in an unprecedented time of uncertainty and
attacks on our faith along every line. How inspiring to have this
added proof of the reality of God and His power in our lives.
There are many other scientific facts in the Bible
that anticipated scientific discovery by up to 3,000 yrs. For
example, Job 38:31, 32. “Canst thou bind the sweet influences of
Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? … Canst thou guide Arcturus
with his sons?”
“Canst thou…loose the bands of Orion?”
Garrett P. Serviss, the noted astronomer, in his book
CURIOSITIES OF THE SKY wrote about the bands of Orion:
At the present time this band
consists of an almost perfect straight line. “These [3] stars
that we see forming one of the bands of Orion are like three
ships out on the high seas that happen to be in line at the
present moment, but in the future will be separated by thousands
of miles of ocean. In fact, all the stars constituting the
constellation of Orion are bound for different ports, and all
are journeying to different corners of the universe, so that the
bands are being dissolved.”
Incredible, in ten thousand, a
million or more years Orion will be no more.
“Canst thou bind the sweet influence of the
Pleiades…?” Dr. Robert
J. Trumpler of Lick Observatory:
“Over 25,000 individual
measures of the Pleiades stars are now available, and their
study led to the important discovery that the Pleiades are not a
temporary or accidental agglomeration of stars, but a system in
which the stars are bound together by a close kinship.” That was
exactly God’s challenge to Job. Can you keep them bound together
so that they remain as a family of stars forever?
“Canst thou guide Arcturus with
his sons?” Garrett P.
Serviss wrote:
“Arcturus, one of the greatest
suns in the universe, is a runaway. Our sun is traveling only
12½ miles a second, but Arcturus is traveling 257 miles a
second. It could be turned into a new course by a close approach
to a great sun, but it could only be stopped by collision
head-on with a body of enormous mass. Barring such accidents, it
must, as far as we can see, keep on until it has traversed our
stellar system, whence it may escape and pass out into space
beyond to join perhaps one of those other island universes of
which we have spoken.”
The wonders of God’s universe
never cease to amaze us. Arcturus and his sons are individual
runaway suns that seem to be out of orbit in our galaxy. Traveling
at such immense speeds, why don’t they crash with other suns or
planets? Where are they headed? Only God knows. Indeed they are not
runaways. They will not crash. Why? God is guiding them.
What an awesome God! This same awesome power and
wisdom is carrying out a plan of opportunity for the world
God loves—every single member of mankind.
Now Back to Adam’s Test in Eden
God told Adam that if he obeyed he would live and
enjoy the blessings of Eden. If he disobeyed he would die—and “dying
thou shalt die” —a process of suffering, sickness and death.
Consequently, the human race was yet in Adam’s loins
when Adam sinned. As the Psalmist observed, they were born in sin
and shapen in iniquity (Psa. 51:5). Thus we read in I Cor. 15:22:
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
What was involved in Adam’s trial? Before ovens were
well insulated, a baby crawling on the floor could receive a severe
burn from touching a hot oven. So the mother would warn with words
like hot, burn and pain. But these words have no meaning to the
baby. It would inevitably touch the stove. So a wise mother would
lightly touch the baby’s hand on a less heated part of the oven that
the baby might have a controlled experience with heat.
God warned Adam that if he disobeyed—“dying thou
shall die.” Death would be a process of suffering, sickness and
death. These words were meaningless to Adam. He never experienced
suffering, sickness and death until he disobeyed. First Adam, now
his descendents are learning by experience the consequences of
Adam’s sin—a controlled experience with sin. Ecclesiastes 1:13;
3:10. But “God so loved the world, that he gave his…Son” to die for
the world—all mankind.
Jesus Died a Ransom for All
The common words ALL and EVERY are two of the most
important words in the Bible. In Luke 2:10 the angel who announced
the birth of Jesus said, “Behold I bring you good tidings of great
joy which shall be unto ALL people.” Some limit this to all people
of good will, but verses 30 and 31 speak of salvation for “ALL
people.” First Timothy 4:10 speaks of “the savior of ALL men.”
The simple logic of Jesus dying for ALL is found in 1
Cor. 15:22, “As in Adam ALL die so in Christ shall ALL be made
alive” and put on trial in the kingdom for eternal life. Similarly,
Romans 5:18 shows that “by the offense of one [Adam] judgment came
upon ALL men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one
[Christ] the free gift came upon ALL men.” Father Adam sinned with
the unborn race yet in his loins.
Therefore, ALL were born in sin and shapen in
iniquity (Psalms 51:5) and thus worthy of death. God foreknew that
Adam, due to a lack of experience, would disobey, thus 1 Peter
1:19-20 speaks of the blood of Christ as being foreordained for our
redemption even before Adam was created. Since ALL were lost in
Adam, it was necessary that Jesus “by the grace of God should taste
death for EVERY man.” Hebrews 2:9.
Luke 3:6 reveals that “ALL flesh shall see the
salvation of God.” John 1:7 speaks of Jesus as “the Light, that ALL
men through him might believe.” Whether they do believe is up to
them. Verse 9 says he is “the True Light, which lighteth EVERY man
that cometh into the world.” How can this be? Countless millions
died before the time of Jesus. They never saw the True Light! They
never heard the name of Jesus. And since the death of Jesus millions
died never hearing of the only “name under heaven given among men
whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). No one is saved through
ignorance but only by believing in Jesus as their Savior.
The key is found in 1 Timothy 2:5,6, “Jesus Christ,
who gave himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified in due time(s).”
The Greek word here for “time” is plural—“times.” Now is not the
time for ALL to hear the name of Jesus. God is not trying to convert
the world before the Millennium. If He was, then He has failed, for
less than 1/3 of the world’s population even profess to be
Christians. But, Jesus will yet enlighten EVERY man.
Mark 4:11-12, “Unto you it is given to know the
mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all
these things are done in parables. That seeing they may see, and not
perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any
time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven
them.” This is powerful! The
Bible is not written like a textbook that starts at page one and
follows a sequence of logic. The Bible was purposely written in
parables and symbols so that many would not be converted and have
their sins forgiven. This is why there are over 500 Christian
denominations with so many different interpretations of the Bible.
God has not attempted to convert the world but is only calling a
“little flock” (Luke 12:32) at this time.
Acts 15:14-17 reveals that God is visiting “the
Gentiles, to take out of them a people for His name” (not to convert
all). “After this I will return [Second Advent] and build again the
tabernacle of David [set up the kingdom of God again]...That the
REMAINDER of men might seek after the Lord and ALL the Gentiles upon
whom my name is called.…”
The due time for the “little flock” to hear and believe on the name
of Jesus is between the First and Second Advents. The due time for
the “remainder of men” to hear and believe is in the 1,000-year
Kingdom of Christ. The “little flock” or “Church of Christ” will
reign with Christ as kings and priests to bless and judge the world
(Revelation 20:6 and 1 Cor. 6:2).
Revelation 11:15-18 reveals that the sounding of the
seventh trumpet, which denotes Christ’s Second Advent, is “the time
that the dead should be judged.” Daniel 12:1-4 also confirms this.
Note this is at the beginning of the 1,000 years and not when the
1,000 years are over. Jesus said in John 5:18-19, “ALL who are in
their graves shall come forth; they that have done good [the “little
flock”] unto a resurrection of life [live and reign with Christ] and
they that have done evil to a resurrection of judgment.” Most
translations say “judgment.” The Greek word is “Krisis.” A doctor
will speak of a patient reaching their crisis. The crisis time is
when the patient will take a turn for the better or the worse. The
“crisis” or probation time for most of mankind will be in the
Kingdom. First Timothy 2:3-4
states that God “will have ALL men to be saved and to come unto the
[Greek — accurate] knowledge of the Truth.” There is a salvation
that comes before knowledge. Christ’s ransom for ALL guarantees that
ALL who died in Adam will be saved from Adamic death. That is, ALL
will be awakened from the sleep of death and given an accurate
knowledge of the Truth. In
the Kingdom “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as
the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). Also Jeremiah 31:34 says,
“For they shall ALL know me from the least of them unto the
greatest.” Verse 29 shows that for the majority the kingdom will
provide the first full, fair opportunity for salvation. They will no
longer die for the inherited sins of their fathers but for their own
iniquity. Jesus’ death for “ALL” guarantees a full, fair opportunity
for “ALL.” The “ALL” Jesus
died for includes those called during the Gospel or Christian Age to
be of the Church of Christ. Also, it includes the remainder of the
human race who will have their trial for life during the 1,000-year
reign of Christ. According to Rev. 20:4, 6, Christ and his Church
reign over the earth to bless and judge mankind to determine their
worthiness for eternal life.
Do ye not know that the saints
shall judge the world?
I Corinthians 6:2
I Corinthians 6:2 proves the
faithful Church will share with Christ in judging the world.
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth
say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will,
let him take the water of life freely.
Revelation 22:17
Revelation 22:17 shows that the
bride of Christ (The Church) will share with Jesus in giving the
“water of life” to mankind in the Kingdom.
If you aspire to be of Christ’s faithful Church who
will reign with Christ over the “remainder of men” in his Kingdom,
you will want the free booklet, “Why Are You a Christian?” It
contains the details of their thrilling future work of tutoring,
judging and blessing the “remainder of men.” Acts 14:15-17. Why?
Because Jesus “tasted death for every man.” Hebrews 2:9
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