GospelNotes.life

Author: Adam

  • Bible Reading List

    The Bible is a pretty difficult read the first few times you read it. A lot of times it says a word that’s not specifically defined till later in the book, or even in another book. The wording and sentences can also be confusing, with long, run-on sentences. It also uses multiple words for the same definition. If I’m not lying, I hated reading the Bible the first few times I read it, because I barely understood what any of it meant. However, the more times you read it, the more connections the Holy Spirit will help you make, and the more it comes alive and becomes super exciting. Every time you read it, you learn something new. You see something new. You connect new things. It’s amazing. The way the Holy Spirit teaches wisdom is that God has given us all of His wisdom in His bible. If we pray for wisdom (as we are instructed to), we must read that bible of wisdom and load the information into our minds – even if we don’t understand it at first. Then, now that we have that knowledge loaded into our minds, the Holy Spirit will help us understand why those things are the way they are as we meditate on them and work through them logically, and bring it to remembrance in times of need to help us act on that knowledge, giving us wisdom. And as you’re reading the bible over and over again, He will bring to remembrance other scripture that connects with the scripture you’re currently reading, to give you a more complete picture of the concept God is trying to explain. If you pray for wisdom but don’t read the bible full of all His wisdom, don’t expect Him to just download all that wisdom into your mind. He’s freely given us all of it in His bible, and expects us to diligently search Him and His ways out via the word. I’ve grown to love reading the Bible now (specifically the New Testament). Hopefully my notes will speed up your learning and understanding of the Bible. However, you have to accept the fact that us humans are just not going to understand everything the Bible has to say 100% until we get to heaven. There may seem like contradictions in the Bible, but God does not contradict Himself. Let yourself be at peace with this, and hold fast to the gospel. Below is a reading list to guide you:

    1. John (Jesus’ life and gospel)
    2. Acts (events after Jesus leaves earth)
    3. Romans (justification by faith alone)
    4. Galatians (justification by faith alone)
    5. Ephesians (our position in Christ)
    6. Genesis (the beginning)
    7. Exodus (escape from Egypt. Giving of law)
    8. Leviticus (law)
    9. Numbers (law)
    10. Deuteronomy (law)
    11. Joshua (taking the promised land)
    12. Matthew (Christ’s life and work on earth)
    13. Revelation (end times Tribulation prophecy)
    14. 1 Thessalonians
    15. 2 Thessalonians
    16. 1 Timothy
    17. 2 Timothy
    18. Titus
    19. 1 Peter
    20. 2 Peter
    21. Jude
    22. Philippians
    23. Colossians
    24. 1 John
    25. 2 John
    26. 3 John
    27. Philemon
    28. Hebrews
    29. 1 Corinthians
    30. 2 Corinthians
    31. James (except James chapter 2 – see note Why You Won’t Find James 2 on This Website)
    32. Anything else

  • How to Read the Bible

    Reading through the lens of grace vs law:
    When reading the bible, you MUST read it through the lens of “grace.” If you read it through the lens of “law“, it will condemn you at every corner.

    For example, see the note: The Works, The Will, The Command, The Overcomer, The Righteous, The Obedience

    Just in the note title alone, if you were to come across those words reading the bible through the lens of “law”, you’d probably think that “The Works” are to follow the law and do good deeds, “The Will” is to follow the law, “The Command” is to follow the law, “The Overcomer” is one who turns from all their sins, “The Righteous” are those that follow the law and “The Obedience” are those that obey the law.

    However, when you come across those words and read them through the lens of “grace”, you can see that they all pertain to simply believing in Jesus. *See note for full definitions.

    Reading a verse in context:

    You cannot cherry pick verses out of thin air and get their proper meaning. You have to understand the meaning of a verse based on (in order of importance):

    1. The immediate, surrounding verses.
    2. The chapter.
    3. The book.
    4. The entire bible.

    Reading the entire book at once:

    It greatly helps to read the entire book in one sitting (not the entire bible at once, but the book, example: John, Romans, Galatians, etc). This is because other parts of the book require the context of previous parts of the book to understand the book as a whole, and if you put it down for a day or so, you will easily forget what you read before. Most books in the New Testament can be read in under 30 minutes, as many are only a few chapters long. The lengthiest one, Matthew or Acts (28 chapters each), can be read in 2-3 hours.

    Understanding the words’ original language meaning:

    The original biblical texts that were divinely inspired by God were written in Hebrew and Aramaic (for the Old Testament), and Greek for the New Testament. English translations (and rather all other language translations) were translated from these original languages, and are not inspired by God, meaning, they aren’t perfect in translation, which is why there’s so many revisions of the Bible in other languages. Let’s talk about the New Testament: English is a rather poor language to use for reading the Bible, and the original Greek is excellent. Why? Because in the original Greek texts, there will be, say, four different words that have a different meaning, yet in English, the same English word is used for all four different Greek words, making the English version confusing and muddled. So, what do we have to do in our English translations to understand a verse that contains a word that isn’t clear? We have to get to the root of that word in its original Greek meaning. We can do this through what is known as The Strong’s Concordance and the Thayer’s Greek Lexicon. Strong’s is named after the author James Strong, and Thayer’s is named after the author Joseph Thayer. What Strong has done, is given each word in the bible a number, and provided its definition in the Greek. Example, Strongs G726 (Greek 726) is the Greek word of “harpazo”, and is the original greek word behind the phrase “caught up” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in the English translation. Harpazo in the Greek means “To seize, snatch, take away by force”. When you’re reading an English Bible and don’t understand the meaning of a word, look it up in Strong’s and Thayer’s Greek Lexicon. To do this, simply Google the book and chapter you want, along with the “Strongs” keyword. For example, if you were reading 1 Thessalonians 4:17 and wanted to know what the word “caught up” means in the original greek, simply Google “Strongs 1 Thessalonians 4:17” and look for Bible Hub’s (biblehub.com) “1 Thessalonians 4 KJV + Strong’s” webpage. Once you click on that, it will show the chapter in the King James Version bible, where you can click the specific word you’re looking for, and it will go to a new page where it will give you the Strong’s definition of the word, and if not more importantly, the Thayer’s Greek Lexicon for the specific meaning of the word in context of that verse. Thayer’s can be lengthy, because it provides the meaning of the greek word in all its various forms throughout the bible, so just do a simple search on the page for the verse you’re looking for (example: 1 Thessalonians 4:17) and it will bring you to the specific meaning for the Greek word in that verse context.

  • Gays Can Get Into Heaven Too!

    Unsaved christians who trust in their own works like to think that all their sins were taken care of by Christ on the cross, but the sin of homosexuality for gays wasn’t – like homosexuality is some sort of extra, super sinful sin that Christ couldn’t pay for.

    The raw truth is that homosexuality is indeed considered a sin in the Bible and to God, as God made woman for man, and man for woman – not man for man or woman for woman. However, homosexuality is just another sin – that Christ paid for on the cross with His blood! And as long as a homosexual believes that Christ paid for that sin (and any other sins they may have), they are saved. Homosexuality is considered adultery. You know what else Jesus said is adultery? Even lusting over another person is considered adultery. So everyone on earth has committed the sin of adultery — Matthew 5:27-28 — “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” You know what else is considered adultery to God? Divorce. And how many people on this earth have gotten a divorce? Matthew 5:31-32 — “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” Thank God for Jesus’ sacrifice!

    Jesus said on the cross in John 19:28-30 that “it is finished (meaning – all humanity’s sin debt paid in full)” — After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished (all sins paid for), that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished! (humanity’s sin debt paid in full)” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

    He didn’t say, “It is finished… well… most of it. I paid for every sin except homosexuality.”

    And know that believing that Christ paid for your sin of homosexuality doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll instantly become straight. I know a few homosexual believers who still struggle with homosexual tendencies – years and years later after becoming saved. The important thing is to always, “Get your butt back to the gospel”, meaning, meditate on the gospel found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — how Christ died to pay for all your sins (including homosexuality), was buried and rose again the third day for your justification, according to the scriptures.

    And rest well knowing that you’re more saved than the religious person next to you who condemns you for being a homosexual, and thinks that they’re holy and righteous and are going to heaven because of it: Luke 18:9-14 — Also He (Jesus) spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee (religious leader) and the other a tax collector (most disgusted by the Jews). The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers (a homosexual?), or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner (possibly a homosexual?)!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”


    Just remember – God loves the person, not the sin. While we’re 100% saved by having all of our sins forgiven by placing our full faith and trust in the gospel of Christ alone, after being saved, we’re called to be holy, just as our Father who just adopted us is holy. He wants His children to grow up to be like Him – like any good father wants for his children. In Revelation 2:6, Jesus speaks about a group of believers called the “Nicolaitans” who used God’s grace and forgiveness of sins as an excuse to keep living in sin – “Hey, it’s 100% true that I’m saved by faith alone and that ‘when sin abounds, grace abounds all the more’, so I’m just going to keep continuing to sin because I’m forgiven!”. In Revelation 2:6, Jesus says He hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans – “But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.” It’s like this: say you adopted a teen who is in a horrible street gang. Well, once he became your son, you wouldn’t say to him, “Now that you’re my son, go, continue in your gang and do sinful things and murder people.” No, you’d patiently work with him with all longsuffering and love to get him out of the gang and get him all cleaned up, and raise him up and instruct him in all the ways of goodness (which are the ways of God) so that he will grow up into a good and perfect man. That’s what our heavenly Father wants to do with us – His adopted children: He saved us, adopted us as His kids, and wants to raise us up to be just like Him in all His ways of conduct and character. Now, again, I know of several homosexuals who have come to the faith and still struggle with those tendencies. However, they choose to suppress the lifestyle and urges, remaining celebate, which is correct. For some encouragement in this: both Jesus and Paul tell us that it is actually better to remain single than get married so that you won’t have the difficulties of marriage and so that you can focus your attention on the things of God rather than pleasing a partner. Separating us as our inner spirit man from our outward fleshly bodies we live in: us as the saved, reborn of God spirit is 100% whole – it’s our unregenerate flesh that burns with passion for other flesh. Even the saved straight people have to suppress their flesh’s passionate desires for the opposite sex, so as to not burn with passion over an adulterous woman or man that comes into their field of vision and lust over them. So don’t be afraid of this – you’re in good company.

  • Where to Find a Grace-only Church

    Can you find one anymore? A church that doesn’t preach some sort of front loaded or back loaded works-based salvation? It’s impossible. Especially not after the rapture – the snatching away of the only true Christians that have faith alone in Christ alone – no works. For, who will be all the “christians” left behind? Those that trusted in their works. So who will preach to you the truth? No churches that are left. That’s for sure.

    How to find a true church:

    1. Do they know the Gospel?
      That believing alone that Christ died for all sins, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day? 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
    2. Do they think you have to have any sort of works to be saved?
      Run! *See the note: The Works, The Will, The Command, The Overcomer, The Righteous, The Obedience
    3. Do they think you can lose your salvation, other than taking the mark of the beast?
      Run! You cannot lose your salvation. *See note: Eternal Security for details.
    4. Do they think that the “proof” of one’s salvation is their “changed life, sinning less, following the law, producing “fruit”, going to church, getting water baptized, speaking in tongues, tithing, helping the needy, etc.?”
      Run! The only proof of one’s salvation is the testimony of what they believe in — if they believe the gospel alone found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — that Christ died for all their sins, was buried and rose from the dead on the third day – no works added. *See note, “You can know you’re saved” for details.

  • You Can Know You’re Saved

    In 1 John 5:9-13, John says that we can know for sure that we’re saved by if we believe in Christ – not by if we have a changed life of less sin: “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

    In Matthew 7:21-23 we can see that many will bring their works to show that they’re saved, ultimately to be rejected by having their faith in their works: “Not everyone who says to Me [Jesus], ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father [John 6:40 — the will of the Father is to believe in Jesus] in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name [a work they bring], cast out demons in Your name [a work they bring], and done many wonders in Your name [works they bring]?’ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity [the sin of unbelief].

    It’s not by having a changed life, sinning less, being a better person, etc. It’s by faith alone in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

    You can’t see someone’s salvation. But you can know they’re saved by their testimony of faith alone in the gospel. Hebrews 11:1 — Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen [their salvation].

    One of the Holy Spirit’s jobs for the believer is to convict them of their imputed righteousness in Christ. The Holy Spirit convicts the unbelievers of their sin, in order to lead them to Christ for salvation: John 16:8-11 — And when He [The Holy Spirit] has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me [unbelievers convicted of sin]; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more [to remind the believer of their righteousness in Christ]; of judgment, because the ruler of this world [Satan] is judged.

  • The Book of Revelation

    The Tribulation outline:

    1. The rapture.
    2. The seven seal judgements.
    3. The seven trumpet judgements.
    4. The seven bowl judgements.
    5. The 2nd coming of Christ.
    6. The millennial kingdom.
    7. The great white throne judgment.
    8. New heaven and new earth.
    9. Eternity.

    Detailed outline:

    1. The true believers (the church) are raptured into heaven and receive their glorified, sinless bodies.
    2. The antichrist and false prophet rise to power with, “signs and lying wonders.” The false prophet gets the people to worship the antichrist. The antichrist is mortally wounded, but healed.
    3. The antichrist strengthens a covenant with Israel and, “the many nations.”
    4. The first 3.5 years of the 7 year Tribulation begins. The two witnesses from heaven arrive in Jerusalem in sackcloth preaching the gospel. The first seal judgement is opened — the antichrist goes out to conquer. This next part may be out of place. It may happen at the start of the second half of the Tribulation — the false prophet has an, “image of the beast (the antichrist)” to be made, which shall speak and cause anyone who doesn’t worship the antichrist to be put to death. Maybe this is some sort of artificial intelligence thing. The false prophet also causes everyone on earth to receive a mark of some sorts on their right hand or forehead. No one can buy or sell without the mark. This might be some sort of chip implant with your banking info tied to it that runs on a global digital currency like crypto. We do not know. Somehow it will have the number 666 attached to it. Anyone who worships the beast and its image, or takes the mark, gets a one way ticket to hell.
    5. The second seal judgement is opened — war, people will kill one another.
    6. The third seal judgement is opened — famine.
    7. The fourth seal judgement is opened — 1/4 of the earth’s population will be killed by war, famine, pestilence and by, “wild beasts of the earth.”
    8. The fifth seal judgement is opened — The Tribulation Saints (believers that come to faith during the Tribulation after the rapture) in heaven asking when the Lord will avenge their blood, and He says, “until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”
    9. The sixth seal judgement is opened — a great earthquake happens, the sun is blackened, the moon turned blood red and “the stars of the sky fall to earth.” Every mountain and island is moved out of its place. Fear in everyone on earth, asking to die and be free from the wrath of God.
    10. The 144,000 remnant Jews are sealed. These are the Jews that will be saved out of the Tribulation, and from the wrath of God. These are the Jews that will come to faith.
    11. The seventh seal is opened — noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
    12. The first trumpet sounds — a third of the trees are burned up, along with all the grass.
    13. The second trumpet sounds — something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
    14. The third trumpet sounds — a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
    15. The fourth trumpet sounds — a third of the sun, moon and stars are struck, so that a third of them are darkened. A third of the day will not shine. An angel in heaven cries out, “woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because the remaining three trumpets are about to sound.”
    16. The fifth trumpet sounds — the bottomless pit is opened with a great smoke coming out (a volcano?), with the sun and the air darkened from it. Out come locusts that are commanded not to eat any vegetation, but only to harm the people that don’t have the seal of God on their forehead. They harm them for 5 months by stinging them, but they can’t kill them. The people will wish to die, but won’t find death.
    17. The sixth trumpet sounds – a third of all mankind is killed by an army of 200 million horses that spew fire, smoke and brimstone. The remaining people still did not repent (believe).
    18. The two witnesses killed. Their bodies lie in the streets for three and a half days and everyone is happy.
    19. The two witnesses rise and ascend back into heaven. A great earthquake happens and a tenth of Jerusalem falls.
    20. The seventh trumpet sounds — the people of heaven worship God. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
    21. Now we’re at the beginning of the second half of the Tribulation — the Great Tribulation. The antichrist ceases the sacrifices in the third temple in Israel, sets up the Abomination of Desolation and declares himself to be God. Satan goes to persecute Israel, but they flee into the wilderness for the rest of the 1,260 days, where they are nourished and kept from tribulation. Satan pursued them with an army, but the earth helps Israel and swallows up the army. Satan gets very angry and decides to go after the Tribulation Saints (everyone else on earth that became a believer) and beheads them.
    22. This next part may be out of place. It may happen at the start of the first half of the Tribulation — the false prophet has an, “image of the beast (the antichrist)” to be made, which shall speak and cause anyone who doesn’t worship the antichrist to be put to death. Maybe this is some sort of artificial intelligence thing. The false prophet also causes everyone on earth to receive a mark of some sorts on their right hand or forehead. No one can buy or sell without the mark. This might be some sort of chip implant with your banking info tied to it that runs on a global digital currency like crypto. We do not know. Somehow it will have the number 666 attached to it. Anyone who worships the beast and its image, or takes the mark, gets a one way ticket to hell.
    23. This might happen at the beginning of the first half of the Tribulation. The three angels flying overhead. The first angel preaching the gospel to the world, saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” The second angel saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” This could be the US. The third angel saying that if anyone worships the beast and his image, or takes the mark, will go to hell.
    24. The first bowl judgement poured out — a loathsome sore comes upon those who have taken the mark or worshipped the beast.
    25. The second bowl judgement poured out — the sea becomes blood and everything in it dies.
    26. The third bowl judgement poured out — the rivers and springs become blood.
    27. The fourth bowl judgement poured out — the sun struck and scorches the people of earth. The people still did not believe.
    28. The fifth bowl judgement poured out — pains and sores come upon the people of the earth.
    29. The sixth bowl judgement poured out — the Euphrates river dries up. The armies of the world prepared for the battle of Armageddon at the second coming of Christ.
    30. The seventh bowl judgement poured out — it is finished. Then there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. The cities of the nations fall. Every island and mountain disappear. Great hail rains down on the people of the earth.
    31. The second coming of Christ. Christ, on a white horse, comes on the clouds with all of the saints in heaven behind Him on white horses as well. The whole world sees this event and mourns. The antichrist, false prophet and the world’s armies are waiting for Jesus at Armageddon to try and defeat Him. Christ touches down on the Mount of Olives, splitting it in two. He defeats the army with a great sword that proceeds out of His mouth, and throws the false prophet and the antichrist into the lake of fire. The birds feast on the flesh of the dead men.
    32. A great angel comes down from heaven with a chain in his hand. He bounds Satan with it in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years so that he may no longer deceive anyone. Angels gather the Tribulation Saints from around the world that were still alive to Christ. Christ sends the remaining unbelievers to hell.
    33. Christ sets up his millennial kingdom on earth — a thousand year period of peace, renewal and plenty. The New Jerusalem city descends out of heaven and onto the earth. The kingdom is occupied by the remnant Jews, the Tribulation Saints that were alive at the second coming and all of the saints in heaven. The world is repopulated by the remnant Jews and Tribulation Saints that were alive at the second coming. People born during the millennial reign still have a sin nature and therefore still must accept the gospel. People born in the millennial kingdom will die at 100 and be considered just a child. Christ and the saints from heaven reign and rule over all the nations.
    34. After the thousand years, Satan is released from the bottomless pit and goes out to build an army from some of the nations of the world, to try one last time to defeat Jesus. They encamp around the city, and Jesus calls down fire from heaven and destroys them all.
    35. The great white throne judgement. All of the dead in hell appear before Christ. He opens up books full of all the lawless deeds they have done during their lives, along with the book of life. He judges all the people according to their works and throws them into the lake of fire, where they burn in torment forever and ever.
    36. Eternity. Jesus makes a new heaven and a new earth. The new earth doesn’t have any seas. This is where believers and Jesus will reside for eternity. It is 1,400 miles long, wide and tall. There will be no more sin, pain, suffering, sadness or tears. “In Christ’s right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”

  • Front-loading and Back-loading works into the gospel

    The gospel found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 is: [1] that Christ died to pay for all your sins (past, present and future) according to the scriptures, [2] He was buried and [3] He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

    By believing in the above gospel alone (and not adding any works to it), you are eternally saved and sealed – guaranteeing your salvation.

    Front-loading and back-loading works into the gospel is just that – adding works to the pure, simply gospel message, rendering it a false gospel that doesn’t save anyone who believes in it.

    What are works? [1] You can “work” the law by following the law. [2] Doing good deeds.

    The true gospel that saves (salvation) = Faith + Nothing

    What is front-loading the gospel with works?
    It is flat out saying that in addition to faith in the gospel, you must “turn from your sins” to be saved, which is essentially following the law to be saved. It is trusting partly in Christ’s sacrifice, but mostly in your own works of law keeping.

    False front-loaded gospel (that doesn’t save) = Faith + Works

    What is back-loading the gospel with works?
    This is the most deceitful, deceptive, fearful and evil false gospel out there, and there are many who claim to be Christian that fall for it. Back-loading works into the gospel is essentially saying that faith alone – no works – is salvation, but, if you don’t have a sufficiently changed life (which cannot be explained or quantified because it’s not in the bible), or you’re, “living like the devil” (again, cannot be explained or quantified because it’s not in the bible), you’re not truly saved. What this logic leads to, is to you examining yourself and saying to yourself, “Man, I don’t know if I’m truly saved because I don’t think I have a sufficiently changed life. I mean, I still commit this sin and that sin. I better turn from those sins to prove I’m truly saved.” Thus, “back-loading” works in the gospel (turning from “this” sin and “that” sin to prove you’re saved). So, when you go before Christ and He says, “Why should I let you into heaven?”, and you say, “Well, I believe in you and to prove it I’ve turned from this sin and that sin and that other sin.” This false gospel leads most people into some serious fear, depression and anxiety because they never have assurance of salvation because they know that they never measure up. The others who love this false gospel are so prideful and blinded that they actually think that they have a sufficiently changed life (based on their criteria) and have turned from all their sins, which they haven’t. So, a back-loaded gospel is saying, “You’re saved by faith alone, but if you haven’t turned from all your sins, you didn’t really believe.”

    False back-loaded gospel (that doesn’t save) = Faith + Nothing + (having a truly changed life of law keeping)

    Matthew 7:21-23 tells us that Christ will reject these people and their false gospels — “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father [the will of the Father is in John 6:40 — to believe in Jesus — not to “obey the law”] in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name [brought their works of prophesying], cast out demons in Your name [brought their works of exorcism], and done many wonders in Your name [brought many of their other works]?’ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (the iniquity of unbelief).

    Luke 18:9-14 — Also He (Jesus) spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

  • How the Cross Works

    Law
    God has laws – the 10 commandments. Much like how a country has laws. There’s due punishment for breaking one of those laws.

    Accounts
    You have an account with God – an account that stores all of the bad deeds (sins) you’ve ever committed. All humans have their account with God.

    Jesus is God, but became a human (fully human, fully God) and also had account with God.

    Justice
    God is a holy and just God – meaning that a bad deed cannot go unpunished. Much like how in the U.S. if you commit a crime, “you do the time.”

    The Judgement
    Just like when you commit a crime in the U.S., you go before the judge to get your due punishment.

    Same way with God. At the end of this present evil age, all will go before God – the judge – to give an account of everything they’ve ever done to break his law, and they will receive due punishment – eternal separation from God in hell.

    The Cross – The Switch
    In the U.S., if you commit a crime that must be punished, what if you could have someone who hasn’t committed a crime, take that punishment for you? In the U.S., you can’t. You yourself must pay your own penalty.

    However, with God, He does allow someone who has never committed a sin against Him to take the punishment for you in your place. There’s only one person that ever lived and will ever live that has a perfectly clean account with God – Jesus!

    So what did God do to Jesus on the cross? He opened your account. Took all of your sins and put them on Jesus’ clean account, and punished Jesus on the cross. Now you have a perfectly clean account and when you stand before God – the judge – He’ll open up your account and see a perfectly clean account, and can let you into heaven!

    Believe
    There’s only one requirement, and it’s dead simple. You must believe that Christ did this for you, and you will be forgiven of all your sins. If you try and bring your own good deeds (works), you will be rejected. Just as in the U.S., if you steal something, you can’t just say, “Well I’ll just give $50 to charity and we’ll call it even.” You must pay the penalty!

    And you also can’t take the mark of the beast, or else game over.

  • The Works, the Will, the Command, the Overcomer, the Righteous, the Obedience

    What are the “works”, the “will”, the “overcomer”, the “command”, the “obedience” and the “righteous” of God? Let’s find out:

    The Works
    John 6:28-29 — Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

    The Will
    John 6:40 — For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

    The Command
    1 John 3:23 — And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

    The Overcomer
    1 John 5:5 — Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

    The Righteous
    Romans 1:17 — For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

    The Obedience
    Romans 16:26 — but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith

  • Definitions

    *Note: this is a working document and being added to over time.

    Repent — to change your mind. As in – to change your mind about who Christ is, and go from unbelief to belief in Him. It does NOT mean, “to turn from your sins.” (In fact, the words, “Repent, ‘of your sins’” never once occurs in the bible. God is sinless. God repented some 38 times in the Old Testament — which “sins” did He turn from?).

    Grace — kindness we don’t deserve. God’s unmerited favor.

    Mercy — not getting punished for what we do deserve.

    Justified — declared “not guilty”.

    Sanctified — set apart. Made holy.

    Unto — “to”, as in, “do to others as you would have them do to you.”

    Works — to follow the law or do good deeds.

    The Gospel — that Christ died for all your sins – past, present and future – was buried and rose again on the third day.

    The Truth — the gospel.

    The Word — the gospel. Christ.

  • How to Go to Heaven

    It’s dead simple. It’s by faith alone in Jesus’ gospel (scriptures below). You can’t earn your way to heaven by being a “good person” or “doing good deeds” or “following the law to some extent.” Salvation is a free gift (not earned). Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise:

    The first thing is to realize that everyone is a sinner and falls short:

    Romans 3:23 — for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

    Romans 3:10-12 — As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”

    Isaiah 64:6 — But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteous acts are like filthy rags [filthy menstrual rags]; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.

    So you can see, everyone who has ever lived except Jesus is a sinner unworthy of heaven. Now, how do we get to heaven if this is the case? Simple, believe the gospel alone. What is the gospel (the good news):

    1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the GOSPEL which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are SAVED, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: [1] that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and [2] that He was buried, and [3] that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures

    So by simply believing that (1) Christ died to pay for all your sins – past, present and future – (2) was buried and (3) rose again the third day according to the scriptures, you are saved. It’s about what Christ did on the cross – not about “being a good person.” There are many false gospels out there: “turn from your sins”, “follow the law”, “get water baptized”, “confess your sins”, “attend church”, “speak in tongues.” They all add to the one true gospel above, and therefore will lead you to hell.

    After believing the gospel alone, you’re instantly sealed with the Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of your salvation:

    Ephesians 1:13-14 — In Him you also trusted, after you HEARD the word of truth, the GOSPEL of your salvation; in whom also, having BELIEVED, you were SEALED with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the GUARANTEE of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

    Again, there are many false gospels out there in christianity, Catholicism and other religions, in which most believe in. The bible says the road to heaven is narrow, and only a few find it. Most people are on the “broad road that lead to destruction [hell]”:

    Matthew 7:13-14 — “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction [all false works based gospels, all other religions, atheists, etc], and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and confined is the way [the true gospel alone] which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

    Over the millennia, the institutional church has redefined the word “repent” and have added “of your sins” to the end of it. The biblical definition of repent does NOT mean to “turn from sins.” The true definition is: “to change your mind.” As in – to change your mind about who Christ is, and go from unbelief to belief in Him. It does NOT mean, “to turn from your sins.” Not once in the bible does it ever say to “repent OF YOUR SINS.”

    Proof that salvation is by faith alone, and that you can’t bring your “good deeds”:

    Ephesians 2:8-9 — For by grace you have been saved through FAITH, and that NOT of yourselves; it is the GIFT of God, NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast.

    Matthew 7:21-23 — “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father [to believe in Christ] in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice iniquity [the iniquity of unbelief]!’

    As you can see, the person in the scripture above professed to “know” Christ, but brought their works along as the means for their justification: “prophesied in Your name”, “cast out demons in Your name” and “done many wonders in Your name.” They simply didn’t trust in what Christ did on the cross to pay for all their sins as enough. They thought it wasn’t sufficient, and that they had to have good works. Another example scripture next:

    Luke 18:9-14 — Also He [Jesus] spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee [religious leader] and the other a tax collector [sinner]. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

    What are the “works”, the “will”, the “overcomer”, the “command”, the “obedience” and the “righteous” of God? Let’s find out:

    The Works
    John 6:28-29 — Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

    The Will
    John 6:40 — For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

    The Command
    1 John 3:23 — And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.

    The Overcomer
    1 John 5:5 — Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

    The Righteous
    Romans 1:17 — For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

    The Obedience
    Romans 16:26 — but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith

  • Jesus is the Promised Jewish Messiah

    God promised Israel a messiah (a savior) through them. This messiah was to save them from their enemies and set up his earthly kingdom and rule. 2,000 years ago, the Jews were under Roman rule. They were somewhat oppressed by the Romans, and had to pay hefty taxes to the Roman government. They didn’t like it – at all. The Jews thought that when the messiah arrives, he will get rid of their enemies and set up his earthly kingdom there in Israel. But God had bigger plans…

    The truth is, is that God actually first promised a messiah to Adam and Eve, after the devil had gotten them to sin in the garden of Eden: Genesis 3:14-15 — So the Lord God said to the serpent [Satan]: “Because you have done this [gotten Adam and Eve to sin], You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman [Eve], And between your seed and her Seed [the messiah]; He shall bruise your head [defeat Satan at the cross], And you shall bruise His heel [put Him on the cross].”

    This messiah was to come from the Jews, coming from children of the forefather of the Jews – Abraham. But as I said earlier – God had bigger plans than to just save Israel and the Jews. He had plans to save the entire world – Jews and gentiles (anyone that’s not a Jew) alike: Genesis 17:3-4 — Then Abram [Abraham – the father of the Jews] fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying: “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you [Abraham] shall be a father of many nations (not just Israel). Genesis 22:18 — In your [Abraham] seed [through the Jewish lineage] all the nations of the earth shall be blessed [have access to salvation through the Jewish messiah], because you have obeyed My voice.”

    This Jewish messiah did indeed come already 2,000 years ago. This Jewish messiah was indeed – Jesus.

    Several Old Testament prophecies concerning the birth and coming of the messiah are given:

    A virgin will conceive the messiah — This Scripture points to the manner in which he will be born, and also to one of the names given to Christ: Immanuel, meaning God with us. This was pointing to both his human birth and his divine nature. This was written over 700 years before Christ was born.

    Old Testament Prophecy: Isaiah 7:14 — “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

    New Testament Fulfillment: Luke 1:26-38 — Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus [meaning — God is salvation]. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man [have never had sex]?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

    The messiah will be born in Bethlehem — this Scripture tells us in advance the place Jesus would be born. This prophecy was written by Micah approximately 800 years before Christ was born.

    Old Testament Prophecy: Micah 5:2 — “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One [the messiah Jesus] to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

    New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 2:1 — Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,

    So Jesus the messiah was born of a virgin in Bethlehem, as prophesied. He grew up to about 30 years old when He began to start His ministry, teaching and performing many miraculous signs and wonders over the next few years to prove that He was indeed the messiah from God – as no mere man could perform those miracles without the hand of God on Him. You can read all about these many miracles in the first four books of the New Testament Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – which pick up from where the Old Testament left off and document the life and ministry of Jesus on earth.

    After about 3 years of Jesus’ ministry, many Jews were convinced that He was indeed the messiah to come, and tried to set Him up as King. As stated earlier, they thought Jesus was going to save them from the Roman oppression and set up His earthly kingdom and rule them. Again, as stated earlier, God had bigger plans – plans to not just merely save the Jews from earthly oppression, but plans to save the entire world from their sins, so that the whole world (Jews and gentiles) might receive eternal life (rather than just a “comfortable” life while alive on earth)! However, to accomplish this, it would mean that He would have to sacrifice Himself on the cross and shed His blood – to become the ultimate sacrifice for all of humanities’ sin. *See the note, “How the Cross Works” for more detail on how actually Jesus dying on the cross paid for our sins.

    A few days after Jesus was brought to Jerusalem by the Jews to be made King, the religious leaders of the Jews (the Pharisees and Sadducees) who hated Jesus convinced the Jews that He was a fraud and that He should be crucified and put to death by the Romans for claiming to be God. This eventually happened on Passover, where Jesus fulfilled the feast of Passover by becoming the perfect, unblemished lamb of God, sacrificed for our sins, shedding His blood, that whoever should “cover themselves by His blood” by believing in His sacrifice should be protected from death (the second death that is – hell) and receive eternal life.

    After Jesus died on the cross, He was buried in a tomb for 3 days (fulfilling the feast of Unleavened Bread) proving He was dead, and on the third day He was raised back to life (fulfilling the feast of Firstfruits – the firstfruits of many to be resurrected from the dead) proving His sacrifice was accepted by God for our justification.

    After He rose from the dead, He stayed around on earth for around 40 more days, witnessed by the apostles and over 500 others, and then ascended back into heaven, where He would spend the next 2,000 years building His church of true believers that have faith in His death, burial and resurrection. At the end of the 2,000 years, He will come again at His 2nd coming to defeat the antichrist and Satan, and will then set up His earthly kingdom and will rule all the nations for 1,000 years in what’s called the “Millennial Kingdom.” *See the note, “The Book of Revelation” for more details on the end times and 2nd coming, including the Millennial Kingdom.

    There’s another major prophecy in Isaiah 53 in the Old Testament, prophesying of what the messiah would do for humanity on the cross roughly 700 years before Jesus was born:

    Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He [Jesus] grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

  • The Rapture

    The event prophesied in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, where Christ comes down in the clouds and the dead believers that are in heaven are resurrected with their new, glorified bodies, and then those true believers with faith alone in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) that are alive on earth, their bodies are transformed into their new, glorified bodies and then are caught up together with the resurrected saints to Jesus in the clouds, and then Jesus takes us all to heaven for 7 years while the Tribulation is happening on the earth.

    Hundreds of millions of people will suddenly vanish. A strong delusion will come over the whole world to explain away the rapture, and it will probably be an alien abduction.

    Young children and babies that can’t comprehend the gospel yet may even be taken as well.

    1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 — For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

    1 Corinthians 15:51-52 — Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

  • Matthew 25 – The Sheep and the Goats

    A wonderful post by a sister in Christ named Eva Saved by Grace:

    The reason why I believe there are so many horrible interpretations of Matthew chapter 25 is because most people do not see the gospel clearly.. I’ve seen horrible interpretations that say that you are made righteous on the basis of works of handing out water and food and clothing to naked people, visiting people in prison, inviting them in as a stranger and this is how you get eternal life are saved and are made righteous… Another horrible interpretation I’ve seen is where people pass the buck to some futuristic group to say that there will be these sinless perfectionist Jews that will be keeping the law perfectly and they’ll be believing a different gospel and their righteousness will be based on their works and deeds as mentioned in Matthew chapter 25… Matthew 25:31-46 ( 31“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. 34“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 38And when did we see You as a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of Mine, you did it for Me.’ 41“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you accursed people, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ 44Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not [i]take care of You?’ 45Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for Me, either.’ 46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”) Most people do not discern what these verses are saying because they are discerned through the light of the gospel and you have to see the light of the gospel and clearly understand and know what the gospel entails and provides… On the contrary what false gospels do not provide but actually rob people of the spiritual necessities of being clothed by the righteousness of Jesus Christ who is the bread of life by which Jesus says when you come and believe you shall never hunger and thirst again … The true gospel invites strangers into the family of God and sets the captive free from their mental prison of condemnation fear guilt and conceptualizations to sin law and Judgement.. Through the knowledge of the cross the sinful sick are healed by His stripes… So let me breakdown what these verses mean starting from top to bottom… 35For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, ) As ambassadors of Jesus Christ when we bring the real gospel we bring Jesus Christ who is the bread of life that satisfies… John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty.) Only the real gospel brings the true Jesus Christ who is the spiritual food and drink that is referenced in Matthew chapter 25 that if you have done it for the least of these you have done it for me… In other words giving the gospel to someone who is spiritually hungry and thirsty that God loves, died for and wants to save.. Revelation 22:17 (The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires, take the water of life without cost. ) Jesus is that eternal fountain of life that we can drink freely without cost according to the true gospel that you give to the spiritual hungry and thirsty… ( I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; ) Only with the real gospel are you inviting people into somthing..False gospels dont invite people into anything..They’re just inviting them into condemnation and damnation ..With a false gospel it’s like inviting a person into a house that’s burning down..Only with the true gospel are you inviting people into the family and the household of God… 36i was naked, and you clothed Me; ) Only with the true gospel of imputed righteousness are people clothed from their nakedness before God a spiritual necessity for salvation.. Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.) So according to scripture the gospel of salvation clothes us with the robes of righteousness from our nakedness… Which On the contrary false gospels do not clothed anybody nor does it give them spiritual bread and drink ( which is Christ ) nor does it invite them in as a stranger… ( I was sick, and you visited ) Only with the real gospel are we helping people with their spiritual sickness which is their sin before God and giving them the remedy by which they are healed… Isaiah 53:5 ( 5But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. ) Only the gospel has the true remedy by which people are healed from their sin before God…People with false gospels do not help people that are sick they just bring the law that produces the power of sin and makes things worse… in prison and you visited me.’ ) Only with the true gospel can we visit and help people out of their mental prison of condemnation and set at liberty the captive and make them free through the truth of the gospel … John 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ) Psalm 146:7 Who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;) Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,) So the Lord through the truth of the gospel sets the prisoner free and they that are held captive and He the true Christ gives food for the hungry.. Understanding this through the light of the gospel we then understand that confused reaction of the people who say but ( ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or as a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not [i]take care of You? ) They like so many people today look to their works and performance, physical actions and deeds and pass up the spiritual necessity of the true gospel and what its supplies and provides and they believe that they have done the good deeds that they believe are necessary to enter into heaven… However even with all their works performance in the outward physical realm of trying to do works they rob people of the spiritual necessity of the spiritual food and drink of Jesus Christ the clothing of righteousness that He gives us by faith according to the gospel inviting us in as a stranger to the family of God and visiting and setting the prisoner free and helping the the spiritually sick to be healed from their sin according to the glorious light of the gospel of Jesus Christ… So as a thought exercise knowing what the gospel entails and what it provides read through those verses in Matthew chapter 25 again in light of the gospel and you should see things clearly that it’s referencing the gospel… ’ 46These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”) 2 Corinthians 5:21 ( 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. ) Romans 3:22 ( Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: ) Romans 4:5 ( But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness,) You don’t have to work to be justified or made righteous in other words you don’t have to invite strangers into your house, hand out food and bottled water, visit people in hospitals or in prisons .. We believe on the son of God according to the gospel who gives us all things and gives to people all things through the proclamation of His gospel….

  • The Fruit of Faith

    Matthew 7:15-20 — “Beware of false prophets [people who teach a works-based salvation message – “turn from your sins/follow the law to be saved”], who come to you in sheep’s clothing [their message sounds correct], but inwardly they are ravenous wolves [sending you to hell]. You will know them by their fruits [the fruit of their faith – what they believe saves a person]. Do men gather grapes [good fruit] from thornbushes [a worthless tree] or figs [good fruit] from thistles [a worthless tree]? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree [a tree that produces the fruit of the gospel – salvation by faith in Christ alone] cannot bear bad fruit [a works-based salvation message], nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire [unsaved people thrown into hell]. Therefore by their fruits [what they believe in] you will know them.

    The above verses are always taken out of context by the false teachers – the very people they’re talking about – to teach a works-based salvation message. They turn the “fruit” into works, to say that anyone that doesn’t turn from their sins or do good deeds will be thrown into hell.

    John 15:1-8 is where Jesus is explaining how He is the vine (like the root and trunk of a tree), believers are the branches that bear fruit, and God the Father is the vinedresser/gardener who cultivates the vine/tree.

    Christ = Tree
    Believers = Branches
    Fruit = The message of the gospel (salvation by faith in Christ alone 1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
    Vinedresser/Gardener = God the Father

    The vinedresser/gardener wants His tree to make good fruit that is useful for Him and others. The good fruit believers produce for the vinedresser is the fruit of our faith (the fruit of our lips – what comes from our heart/mind – what we believe in for salvation – the gospel). This is fruit that others can pick from the tree of Christ, eat it and become truly nourished and it will give them eternal life.

    The fruit of the good tree of Christ is not works. You can’t get nourished and saved by seeing my works – by seeing me turn from my sins or by seeing me do a good deed. So works can’t be the good fruit, and are not useful to the vinedresser or others. No one can eat my fruit of works and get nourished and saved.

    Romans 11:16-24 tells us that when you eat that good fruit of the gospel (believe in the gospel), you are grafted into the tree of Christ as a branch and now produce the good fruit of faith that others can then pick from your branch and eat and become saved themselves. They are then grafted into the vine/tree of Christ as a branch and produce the fruit faith as well that others can eat of and be saved, and so on.

  • Lukewarm

    The term “being lukewarm” scares a lot of people. Let’s clear it up:

    Revelation 3:15-21 — ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

    When Jesus talks about the Laodicians being lukewarm, He says they’re neither cold nor hot. They are a mixture of cold and hot, making them lukewarm. Cold = All faith. Hot = All works. Mixing the two is what makes you lukewarm: faith + works for salvation (which doesn’t save) instead of faith alone for salvation (which is reauired). In Revelation 3:17, Jesus shows that the Laodicians are trusting in their works: they think they’re good by their works. Verse 18 tells them to get their valuable things (their righteousness) from Christ – not by providing their own righteousness through law keeping. In verse 19, Christ tells them to repent – to change their mind about being righteous by their own works and turn to faith in Christ alone for their righteousness. In verse 21, Jesus tells them that the overcomers will be with Him. 1 John 5:5 tells us who the overcomers are: those with faith in Christ alone (not those who turn from their sins) — “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Revelation 12:11 also tells us that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb, not by turning from our sins: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” Isaiah 64:6 tells us that even our best attempts at righteousness is but “filthy menstrual rags” in the sight of God. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that it’s impossible to please God without faith – not without faith and works: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him [by faith]”. Yes, it’s good to uphold the law, as we’re asked, urged, begged, pleaded with and exhorted to abstain from sin, but never required to for salvation or to go in the rapture. Yes, we try to uphold the law because we agree that it is good, but when we fail to (not if – but when), we are not condemned or judged by the law (Romans 8:1-2) because we have died to the law and are no longer under the law (Galatians 2:19), as we are now under grace (Romans 6:14) – God’s kindness and mercy we don’t deserve, His unmerited favor. Ephesians 1:13-14 tells us that the moment we believe the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — that Christ died to pay for all our sins (past, present and future), was buried and rose again the third day), we are sealed with the Holy Spirit which is the guarantee of our eternal life, and we are sealed with Him till the day of the rapture: “you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance [eternal life] until the redemption of the purchased possession [at the rapture]”. We cannot lose the Holy Spirit, and God will never leave us nor forsake us for any reason (Hebrews 13:5). Hope this clears up the gospel for some.

  • Praising God

    People in heaven aren’t just going to be standing around in a field all day saying, “Praise God.” God says that there will be “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). Infinite pleasures to experience that go on and on for eternity. 1 Corinthians 2:9 — “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” 2 Corinthians 12:4 — “How that he was caught up into paradise (heaven), and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” Imagine the most wonderful music on earth. Imagine the most comfortable weather on earth. Imagine the most beautiful places on earth. Imagine the most beautiful architecture on earth. The Bible tells us that this earth has been subjected to death and decay as part of the curse of mankind when Adam sinned in the garden of Eden. Imagine when it is restored to full glory at the end of the age. There’s going to be nothing on earth that’s better than what will be in heaven and the earth during the 1,000 year millennial kingdom, nor on the eternal new heaven and earth that is created after the millennial kingdom is finished. What’s the point of life? Aren’t our greatest times in life in getting together with friends and family and having a good time, loving on each other (not sexually) and enjoying things together? That’s what we’ll be doing in heaven and on the new eternal earth with God our Father, the Lord Jesus Christ and our friends and family. The Bible tells us in Romans 14:17 that the kingdom of heaven is of righteousness, peace and joy — “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”. Righteousness — there will be no evil or injustice. Peace — there will be no stress, anxiety, worry, fear, pain, tears and the like. Joy — there will be no sadness or depression or boredom. Galatians 5:22-23 gives us even more insight into God’s character, as it will be for us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We will also be immersed in God’s love – a love that makes us feel like we’re the only one He loves (even though we know He loves all His children equally) – for God is love (1 John 4:8 — He who does not love [by not believing the gospel] does not know God, for God is love.). Not only was the earth subject to decay when Adam sinned, but the animal kingdom was also affected. In heaven, during the millennial kingdom and on the new eternal heaven and earth the animal kingdom will be restored. Just a couple glimpses into this from the Bible: Isaiah 11:6-8 — “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.” All of this is made possible because of who God is: His character, his attributes, His power, His creativity, His beauty, His intelligence, His knowledge, His wisdom, His grandness, His vastness, etc. All of this is summed up as His glory – His amazingness. True worship isn’t just lying on a mat in a field saying, “Praise God.” True worship is experiencing and enjoying all that God has created for us to enjoy, and enjoying our personal relationships with God the Father, our God and Lord Jesus Christ and our friends and family, and ultimately thanking Him for all that He is (His glory) that allowed all this to happen in the first place, and simply letting Him know you love Him for it. That’s true worship.

    The only other alternative to this eternal paradise is the lake of fire and brimstone for all eternity, where “the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is never quenched” — Mark 9:48.

    If you’re interested in heaven, God made it the easiest way possible to get there. No, you don’t need to turn from your sins and do good deeds. In fact, Christ said that if you bring your works and don’t rely solely on Him, that He will say to you, “Away from me, I never knew you.” — Matthew 7:21-23. The way to heaven is to simply believe the gospel (the good news) found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — that (1) Christ died to pay for all your sins (past, present and future), and (2) He was buried, and (3) He rose again the third day. Believe that and you’re saved. You can’t lose your salvation for any reason either. The nanosecond you believe the gospel, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of your salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14 — In Him [Jesus] you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.). Again, it’s not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9 — For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.) You can know you’re saved by if you simply believe (1 John 5:13 — These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God).

  • 1 John Untwisted

    The book of 1 John is a brain twister. But when you iron it all out, it says one thing about 17 different ways: “Those who believe the gospel are saved”:

    Definitions (they are all “the gospel”):

    1. To know God:
      1 John 2:3 — Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments [Definition 4].
    2. Born of God:
      1 John 5:1 — Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.
    3. To Love God:
      1 John 5:3 — For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments [Definition 4]. And His commandments are not burdensome.
    4. Keep His Commandments:
      1 John 3:23 — And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another [Definition 5], as He gave us commandment.
    5. Love the brethren/children of God:
      1 John 5:2 — By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God [Definition 3] and keep His commandments [Definition 4]. 1 John 1 — everyone who loves Him [Definition 3] who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
    6. Overcome the world:
      1 John 5:4-5 — For whatever is born of God [Definition 2] overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
    7. The will of God:
      John 6:40 — And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
    8. An antichrist:
      1 John 2:22 — Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 4:3 — and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh [as the Christ] is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
    9. His word:
      The gospel. His commandments [Definition 4]. 1 John 2:4-5 — He who says, “I know Him,” [Definition 1] and does not keep His commandments [Definition 4], is a liar, and the truth [Definition 13] is not in him. But whoever keeps His word [His commandments – Definition 4], truly the love of God [Definition 3] is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
    10. His promise:
      1 John 2:25 — And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.
    11. To practice righteousness:
      Galatians 3:11 — Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”
    12. To abide in Christ:
      1 John 3:24 — Now he who keeps His commandments [Definition 4] abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. 1 John 4:12 — No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another [Definition 5], God abides in us, and His love [Definition 15] has been perfected in us. 1 John 4:15 — Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
    13. The truth:
      The gospel. Christ.
    14. To purify oneself:
      To believe the gospel.
    15. The love of God:
      1 John 4:9 — In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him [the gospel].
    16. The witness/testimony of God:
      1 John 5:11 — And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
    17. Believers [as the inner man] cannot sin:
      1 John 3:6 — Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known [Definition 1] Him. 1 John 3:9 — Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God [Definition 2]. 1 John 5:18 — We have known that everyone who has been begotten of God [Definition 2] does not sin, but He who was begotten of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him;

  • The Gospel

    The gospel means, “the good news.”

    The gospel is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

    So by believing that:

    1. Christ died for all your sins – past, present and future
    2. Christ was then buried
    3. Christ rose from the dead 3 days later

    You are saved and sealed by the Holy Spirit which is the guarantee of your salvation.

    Ephesians 1:13-14 — In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance (eternal life) until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

    It is by faith in Christ alone, not by works (law keeping/doing good deeds): Ephesians 2:8-9 — For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

    It’s just that easy. Don’t add works to it.

    Ever worried about a scary sounding teaching or Bible verse? Get your butt back to the gospel.

  • The Knowledge and Wisdom of God

    *This is an unfinished note, and is being added to daily.

    Doing a quick and shallow reading of these things won’t do you any good. They must been deeply considered and meditated on.

    All of the nuggets of Godly wisdom and knowledge found throughout the New Testament, extracted and condensed here:

    This note contains:

    1. Salvation Knowledge (how to be saved)
    2. God’s Glory Knowledge (His glorious character and attributes)
    3. Jesus’ Identity Knowledge (Who He is as God)
    4. Godliness Knowledge (walking worthy of Him, doing His will, fully pleasing Him)
    5. Familial Knowledge for Men (their role in the family)
    6. Familial Knowledge for Women (their role in the family)
    7. Familial Knowledge for Children (their role in the family)
    8. Employer Knowledge
    9. Employee Knowledge
    10. Church Knowledge (pertaining to the structure of the church, as well as the church’s relationship to Christ)
    11. Our Identity in Christ (who/what we are/have as children of God)
    12. Satan’s Identity
    13. The Antichrist’s Identity
    14. The Mysteries
    15. Crowns (the various crowns we can receive at the bema seat)
    16. Eternal Security Knowledge (you can’t lose your salvation)
    17. Rapture Knowledge
    18. Spiritual Knowledge (Godly knowledge not pertaining to salvation, our walk, family or the church, such as: Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father)
    19. Definitions

    Salvation Knowledge (how to be saved):

    1. God saved us by faith. (2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Timothy 4:10)
    2. We are called to Christ by God. (2 Timothy 1:9)
    3. We are saved by mercy and grace through faith in Christ and not by works. (2 Timothy 1:9; 2 Timothy 3:15; Titus 3:5)
    4. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
    5. Grace was given before time began to those who would have faith (before the foundation of the world; those God foreknew would believe in Christ once in the world and called to Him). (2 Timothy 1:9).
    6. Christ has abolished death and brought us life and immortality through faith in the gospel. (2 Timothy 1:10)
    7. Christ is able to (and will) keep what we have committed to Him (our lives through faith) through to the rapture/resurrection. (2 Timothy 1:12).
    8. Those who have “died/crucified” with Christ will gain eternal “life” with Christ. (2 Timothy 2:11)
    9. Those who deny the gospel will be denied eternal life by Christ. (2 Timothy 2:12)
    10. If a believer finds himself without faith for whatever reason, God remains faithful to him, and still lives inside Him forever and cannot deny that person an entrance into heaven because God lives inside him, and God cannot deny Himself entrance into heaven. (2 Timothy 2:13).
    11. The Lord preserves us for His heavenly kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:18)
    12. Christ gave Himself for us. (Titus 2:14; Ephesians 5:2)
    13. Christ was an offering and sacrifice to God for us. (Ephesians 5:2)
    14. Christ redeemed us from every lawless deed. (Titus 2:14)
    15. We have been sanctified and cleansed by faith in the gospel. (Ephesians 5:26)
    16. Christ purified us for Himself. (Titus 2:14)
    17. We have been washed, regenerated and renewed by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5)
    18. We have been justified by God’s grace. (Titus 3:7)
    19. We have been redeemed and “brought near” through Christ’s blood. (Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:13)
    20. We have been reconciled back to God (His eternal purpose), accomplished through the cross of Christ. (Ephesians 3:11)
    21. We have received forgiveness of sins by God’s grace. (Ephesians 1:7)
    22. We have become heirs of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)
    23. Jesus is our hope of eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:1)
    24. Christ gave Himself a ransom for all. (1 Timothy 2:6)
    25. The true saints are those with faith in Christ. (Ephesians 1:1)
    26. We were once dead due to our trespasses and sins, but God, because of His great love for us and His abundant mercy, made us alive through faith in Christ by His grace. (Ephesians 2:1,4-5)
    27. A “mystery” hidden in ages past, but has now been revealed to us in the church age through the Holy Spirit to the apostles and prophets: the Gentiles should be fellow heirs [of eternal life], of the same body [of Christ, as are the Jews], and partakers of His promise [of the Holy Spirit that gives eternal life] in Christ through [faith alone in] the gospel. (Ephesians 3:3-6; Ephesians 3:9)
    28. Those who believe in Christ are born of God and are children of God. (John 1:12-13; John 12:36)
    29. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth (salvation) came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
    30. Jesus is The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29,36)
    31. God gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal/everlasting life. (John 3:15-16,36; John 6:40,47,50-51,53-57; John 20:31)
    32. God did not send His Son Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:17)
    33. Whoever believes in Him (Jesus) is not condemned. He who does not believe is condemned already and shall not see life, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God, and the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:18,36)
    34. The Holy Spirit and everlasting life is a free gift from God, received by faith in Christ. (John 4:10-14; John 7:37-39)
    35. Those who believe in Christ shall not come into judgement, and have already passed from death to eternal life. (John 5:24)
    36. (In an inverted fashion) Those who believe in Jesus have the Holy Spirit in them and have life. (John 5:38-40; John 8:12)
    37. The work that God requires (for salvation) is to believe in Jesus. (John 6:28-29)
    38. Whoever believes in Jesus will never die (has eternal life). (John 6:35; John 8:51; John 10:27-30; John 11:25-26; John 17:3)
    39. All who believe in Jesus, He will by no means cast out. (John 6:37)
    40. If you do not believe in Jesus, you will die (perish in hell for eternity) in your sins. (John 8:24)
    41. Believing the truth (of the gospel) will set you free (from the bondage of sin and the law). (John 8:32-36)
    42. Those who believe in Christ are saved, and they do not listen to false works-teachers and false Christs. (John 10:1-16)
    43. Jesus gave His life to save believers. (John 10:11)
    44. The Father gave a command to Jesus to speak to the world that whoever believes in Him will have everlasting life. (John 12:49-50)
    45. Jesus washed us clean (saved us) with His blood. (John 13:8-10)
    46. Jesus is the way [to the Father], the truth [the embodiment of the gospel], and the life [eternal life through faith in Him]. No one comes to the Father except through [faith in] Christ. (John 14:6)
    47. (In an inverted fashion) Those who believe in Christ are not thrown into hell. (John 15:2,6)
    48. Those who believe in Christ are saved (clean). (John 15:3)
    49. We will abide with Christ if we keep His commandments (to believe in Him, found all throughout the book of John, as well as 1 John 3:23). (John 15:10)
    50. We are sanctified by faith in the truth (the gospel). (John 17:17)
    51. Jesus paid our entire sin debt on the cross, and signified it right before He died by saying, “It is finished!” (Sin debt paid in full). (John 19:30)
    52. The “implanted word” (the gospel) saves the soul. (James 1:21)
    53. Faith in Christ leads to life [eternal]. Unbelief leads to death (eternally in hell). (2 Corinthians 2:15-16)
    54. Christ died to pay for the sins of all. (2 Corinthians 5:15)
    55. God was in Christ and reconciled us back to Himself through Christ on the cross. (2 Corinthians 5:18)
    56. Our sins are not imputed to us, and Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us if we believe the gospel. (2 Corinthians 5:19,21)

    God’s Glory Knowledge (His glorious character and attributes):

    1. 1. God is loving: (Galatians 5:22)
      1. Patient. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
      2. Kind. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
      3. Not envious. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
      4. Not boastful. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
      5. Not proud. He is humble. (1 Corinthians 13:4)
      6. Is not rude. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
      7. Is selfless. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
      8. Not provoked to anger. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
      9. Thinks no evil. (1 Corinthians 13:5)
      10. Does not rejoice in sin, but rather in what’s good. (1 Corinthians 13:6)
      11. Always bears with others. (1 Corinthians 13:7)
      12. Believes all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7)
      13. Hopes all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7)
      14. Endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:7)
    2. God is joyful. (Galatians 5:22)
    3. God is peaceful. (Galatians 5:22)
    4. God is patient. (Galatians 5:22)
    5. God is kind. (Galatians 5:22)
    6. God is good. (Galatians 5:22)
    7. God is faithful. (Galatians 5:22)
    8. God is gentle. (Galatians 5:23)
    9. God is self-controlled. (Galatians 5:23)
    10. God cannot lie. (Titus 1:2)
    11. God is eternal. (1 Timothy 1:17)
    12. God is immortal. (1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:16)
    13. God is invisible. (1 Timothy 1:17; 1 Timothy 6:16)
    14. God alone is wise (and we get to share in His wisdom – not ours). (1 Timothy 1:17)
    15. God dwells in unapproachable light. (1 Timothy 6:16)
    16. God has everlasting power. (1 Timothy 6:16)
    17. God is above all. (Ephesians 4:6)
    18. God is “through all” (diffusing his saving influence through all). (Ephesians 4:6)
    19. God cannot be tempted. (James 1:13)
    20. God does not tempt anyone. (James 1:13)
    21. God does not change and there is no variation with Him. (James 1:17)
    22. God is merciful. (2 Corinthians 1:3)
    23. God is a comforter. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

    Jesus’ Identity Knowledge (Who He is as God):

    1. Jesus is the Son of God. (John 1:34,49; John 6:69; John 9:35-37; John 11:27; John 20:31)
    2. Jesus is the King of Israel. (John 1:49)
    3. Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ, and the works He did during His earthly ministry bear witness of Him being the Christ. (John 1:41; John 6:69; John 10:24-25; John 11:27; John 20:31)
    4. Jesus was the one whom the law of Moses and the prophets spoke of. (John 1:45)
    5. Jesus was also a teacher come from God. (John 3:2)
    6. Jesus is above all. (John 3:31)
    7. Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Father. (John 1:14; John 3:16)
    8. Jesus is the Bread that came down from heaven and gives life to all people. (John 6:32-33,35,48,50-51)
    9. Jesus only speaks the truth. (John 7:18)
    10. There is no unrighteousness in Christ. (John 7:18)
    11. Jesus is from the Father and was sent by Him into the world. (John 5:30,36; John 7:29; John 8:23,42; John 11:42; John 12:45; John 13:3; John 16:28; John 17:8)
    12. Jesus receives honor from the Father. (John 8:54)
    13. Jesus is the great “I Am”, and has always existed. (John 8:58)
    14. The Father is greater than Jesus. (John 14:28)
    15. Jesus loves the Father. (John 14:31)
    16. Jesus loves us. (John 15:9)
    17. Jesus knows all things. (John 16:30)
    18. Jesus has overcome the world and its ways. (John 16:33)
    19. Jesus is one with the Father. He is in the Father and the Father is in Him. (John 17:11,22)
    20. Jesus is not of the world (the ungodly multitude). (John 17:14,16)
    21. The Father has given Jesus glory. (John 17:24)
    22. Jesus is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4)
    23. Jesus is the Lord. (2 Corinthians 4:5)
    24. Jesus was sinless. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

    Godliness Knowledge (walking worthy of Him):

    1. Walk in the Spirit (produce love [patience, kindness, not envying, not prideful or boastful, not rude, think no evil, selflessness, not provoked to anger, not rejoicing in iniquity, rejoicing in good, bears with others], peace, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control). Live righteously and godly. Walking worthy of your calling. Put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Be imitators of God. Be filled with the Spirit. (2 Timothy 2:22; Titus 2:2; Titus 2:12; Titus 3:2; 1 Timothy 6:11; Ephesians 4:1-3,24,32; Ephesians 5:1-2,8-9,18; James 1:20)
    2. Abstain from sin by walking in the Spirit. Cleanse yourself from all filthiness of the flesh, perfecting holiness. Flee youthful lusts. Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. Keep yourself pure. Do not share in other people’s sins. No longer walk in the ways of the unbelievers. Put off the old man that is corrupt according to sin. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit. Don’t let these things even be named among you. For because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the unbelievers who practice such things. Therefore do not be partakers with them. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, rather, expose them. (2 Timothy 2:22; Titus 2:12; 1 Timothy 5:22; Ephesians 4:17-22,25,28,30,31; Ephesians 5:3-4,6-7,12,18; James 1:21; 2 Corinthians 7:1)
    3. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power (to achieve godliness) and of love (to be able to walk in love towards others) and of a sound mind (self-control through godly wisdom). (2 Timothy 1:7)
    4. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind in the ways of God. (Ephesians 4:23)
    5. Do not be ashamed of the gospel or fear any sufferings or persecutions of yourself or others (ie: Paul) that may ensue. A person of God must endure hardships and afflictions (persecutions) in this life. (2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 3:12; 2 Timothy 4:5)
    6. Be strong in the gospel. (2 Timothy 2:1)
    7. Do not strive/battle with others about the truths of God, which will only cause disputes rather than godly edification (which is in faith of the gospel), and will profit nothing and only ruin the hearers’ faith. (2 Timothy 2:14; 1 Timothy 1:4)
    8. Rightly divide scripture. (2 Timothy 2:15)
    9. Avoid false teachings and those that teach them. (2 Timothy 2:16; 1 Timothy 4:7; 1 Timothy 6:20-21)
    10. Depart from all iniquity and dishonor, that you may be a useful vessel for God to work through. (2 Timothy 2:19-21)
    11. Exercise yourself in godliness, which greatly benefits (blesses) you in this life with godly peace and joy. (1 Timothy 4:7-8)
    12. Godliness with contentment is great gain. Be content with food and clothing. (1 Timothy 6:6, 8)
    13. Be thankful for everything always, giving that’s to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:4,20)
    14. Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes that generate strife. (2 Timothy 2:23)
    15. Don’t quarrel. (2 Timothy 2:24)
    16. Teach, convince, exhort, correct, rebuke with all authority, humility, gentleness, patience, integrity, reverence, incorruptibility and sound speech that cannot be condemned. (2 Timothy 2:24-25; 2 Timothy 4:2; Titus 2:7-8; Titus 2:15)
    17. Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters. Exhort with all purity in word (in humility, love, gentleness, patience, self-control, kindness. Not with rudeness or anger or pride). (1 Timothy 5:1)
    18. Turn away from ungodly people. (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
    19. Preach the gospel when you’re “feeling it” and even when you’re not “feeling it”. (2 Timothy 4:2)
    20. Be self-controlled (watchful) in all things: mentally and spiritually alert, remaining clear-headed and focused on your faith and responsibilities toward God. (2 Timothy 4:5).
    21. Don’t pay attention to the message of works-salvationists who turn from the truth of the gospel of faith alone. Don’t get into arguments over the law, they are unprofitable and useless. (Titus 1:14; Titus 3:9)
    22. Forgive one another, just as God forgave us through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 4:32)
    23. Lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. (1 Timothy 2:2)
    24. Be sober (not given to much wine). (Titus 2:2; Titus 2:3)
    25. Be reverent (worthy of honor and respect for your godly wisdom and knowledge, as well as for your high moral principles), as well as revering others that deserve respect and honor. (Titus 2:2-3)
    26. Be chaste. (Titus 2:5)
    27. Do not slander others. (Titus 2:3)
    28. Speak evil of no one. (Titus 3:2)
    29. Let no corrupt word or foolish talking proceed from your mouth. Only speak what is good for necessary edification that may impart grace to the hearers (that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness). (Ephesians 4:29; Ephesians 5:4)
    30. Don’t let coarse joking be even named among you. (Ephesians 5:4)
    31. Watch for the rapture. (Titus 2:13)
    32. Be ready and zealous for good works, which are good and profitable to others. (Titus 2:14; Titus 3:1; Titus 3:8; Titus 3:14; 1 Timothy 2:10)
    33. Work quietly with your own hands, that you may have something to give (financially) to him who lacks. (Ephesians 4:28)
    34. We’re to send up supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all men, kings (leaders) and all who are in authority. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
    35. Pray everywhere, all the time without anger or doubt toward God. (1 Timothy 2:8)
    36. Dress modestly (not lustfully). (1 Timothy 2:9-10)
    37. Be an example to the believers in word (in your speech: the things you say and the way you say them), in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity (morality; sinlessness). (1 Timothy 4:12)
    38. Don’t trust in uncertain riches, but rather trust in the living God (be content with food and clothing and trust that God will always provide you with these things). (1 Timothy 6:17)
    39. Those who are rich should not be haughty (not feel arrogantly superior). (1 Timothy 6:17)
    40. Those who are rich, your abundance is designed to supply the lack of others, and should do just that with all of their abundance: giving it away to those in need. (1 Timothy 6:17)
    41. Walk/live carefully, not as fools (in the ways of the world), but as wise (in the ways of God found in this note). (Ephesians 5:15)
    42. Redeem the time (to make a wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good), because the days are evil.
    43. Do not get drunk with alcohol, especially frequently (it’s perfectly biblical to have some alcohol during the day, and to have big celebrations at times. It’s not good to be drunk everyday). (Ephesians 5:18)
    44. Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19)
    45. Submit to one another (let their will be done instead of imposing your will on them). (Ephesians 5:21)
    46. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemings of the devil, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand: waist – the truth, breastplate – righteousness, feet – gospel, helmet – salvation, sword of the Spirit – the word of God, above all the shield – faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (Ephesians 6:11,13-17)
    47. Pray always. (Ephesians 6:18)
    48. Do not judge according to [mere outward] appearance, but judge with righteous (fair) judgment. (John 7:24)
    49. Serve one another, as Jesus (our master and Lord) served us (His servants). Do for others. (John 13:12-17)
    50. Love one another. (John 13:34)
    51. Be joyful when you fall into trials (tests), as they produce perseverance. And be patient during those tests, that you may be made perfect and complete in the ways of God, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)
    52. Be quick to listen, slow to speak. (James 1:19)
    53. A wise person of God is peaceable, gentle, willing to yield (a person who is open to reason, easily persuaded, and willing to yield to others. It conveys a sense of being agreeable and cooperative, particularly in the context of wisdom and understanding), full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. (James 3:17)
    54. The fruit of righteousness (in the context of: integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting) comes from peace. (James 3:18)
    55. Resist the devil (and all his demonic angels) and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)
    56. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. (James 4:8)
    57. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (exalt you). (James 4:10)
    58. Do not speak evil of your brethren in Christ. (James 4:11)
    59. To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17)
    60. Wait patiently for the coming of the Lord at the rapture. Strengthen yourselves, as the Lord is coming quickly. (James 5:7-8)
    61. Do not complain against each other. (James 5:9)
    62. Do not swear by oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” (be honest and faithful to what you promise) lest you fall into judgment (be found a hypocrite). (James 5:12)
    63. Pray for one another. (James 5:16)
    64. The patience we have and the faith we uphold while enduring tribulations, persecutions, trials and sufferings is manifest evidence to God that we are deemed worthy of the kingdom of God – when we don’t lose faith in the midst of these troubles. (2 Thessalonians 1:5)
    65. Work quietly with your own hands. (2 Thessalonians 3:12)
    66. Our joy should be in the joy that we bring others. (2 Corinthians 2:3)
    67. We should be comforted by others [godly] comfort. (2 Corinthians 7:13)
    68. After inflicting punishment on someone, you need to forgive, comfort and reaffirm your love for them, so they don’t become too sorrowful. (2 Corinthians 2:6-8)
    69. We walk by faith (in God to handle our current situation; in what awaits us in heaven), not by sight (our current situation). (2 Corinthians 5:7)
    70. Do not have fellowship (keep company) with unbelievers (bad company corrupts good character: 1 Corinthians 15:33). I would say, don’t go making friends and relationships with unbelievers. “Come out from among them and be separate.” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15,17)
    71. Godly sorrow is designed to produce repentance. (2 Corinthians 7:10)
    72. Our giving to the poor, and what matters, is not the total amount we give, but rather the percentage of what we willingly and cheerfully (not by compulsion) give based on our own net worth. Example: a rich man out of compulsion gives $100,000 (0.2%) to a charity, but has $100,000,000 in his bank account. Whereas a man with a humble net worth of only $1,000 in his bank account willingly and cheerfully gives $200 (20%) to a person in need. The rich give out of their wealth, and as Jesus puts it in Matthew 23:24: they swallow a camel (hoard millions upon millions for themselves) and strain out a gnat (give only a wee, tiny portion of that money to those in need). (2 Corinthians 8:12; 2 Corinthians 9:7)

    Familial Knowledge for Men (their role in the family):

    1. Love your wives with agape love (selflessly, sacrificially and unconditionally), just as Christ loves His bride, the church. (Ephesians 5:25,33)
    2. Do not provoke your children to anger. (Ephesians 6:4)
    3. Raise your children in the training and instruction of the Lord (in the ways of God found in this note). (Ephesians 6:4)

    Familial Knowledge for Women (their role in the family):

    1. Love their husbands. (Titus 2:4)
    2. Love their children. (Titus 2:4)
    3. Be a good homemaker. (Titus 2:5)
    4. Be obedient and submissive to their own husbands as they are the head of the wife, just as they would to the Lord (who is the head of the bride/church). (Titus 2:5; Ephesians 5:22-24)
    5. Respect their husband. (Ephesians 5:33)

    Familial Knowledge for Children (their role in the family):

    1. Obey your parents in godly instruction. (Ephesians 6:1-3)

    Employee Knowledge:

    1. Be obedient. (Titus 2:9)
    2. Be well pleasing in all things, not answering back. (Titus 2:9)
    3. Not pilfering (stealing). (Titus 2:10)
    4. Showing all good fidelity (honesty). (Titus 2:10)
    5. Count your employer worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed. (1 Timothy 6:1)
    6. Those who have believing employers, don’t despise them, because they are brethren. But rather serve them because those employers who are benefited are believers and beloved. (1 Timothy 6:2)
    7. Be obedient to your employer (with obvious limits on lawlessness). (Ephesians 6:5)
    8. Serve with respect, not with eyeservice, but with sincerity and goodwill, as if working for Christ. (Ephesians 6:5-7)

    Employer Knowledge:

    1. Be good to your employees, and do not threaten. (Ephesians 6:9)

    Church Knowledge (pertaining to the structure of the church, as well as the church’s relationship to Christ):

    1. Christ is the head of the church, and the church is His body. (Ephesians 1:22-23)
    2. Teach all of this godly wisdom and knowledge to faithful men who will be able to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2).
    3. Elders/Bishops of the church are to be: blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict. (Titus 1:6-9)
    4. Women are to learn in silence with all submission, and are not permitted to teach in church (I don’t know. This has something to do with Adam (man) coming first, then Eve (woman), and Eve being deceived with the forbidden fruit first). (1 Timothy 2:11-14)
    5. A bishop of the church must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;  not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;  one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice (a new convert), lest being puffed up with pride (thinking he knows everything) he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:2-7)
    6. Deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith (the gospel) with a pure conscience, the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. (1 Timothy 3:8-9, 12)
    7. Those who are to become deacons must be tested in the things of God first, being found blameless. (1 Timothy 3:10)
    8. The wives of bishops and deacons must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. (1 Timothy 3:11)
    9. Concerning the taking care of widows: (1) Before the church takes care of them, let their children or grandchildren take care of them first, so as to not let the church be burdened, which is good and acceptable to God. (1 Timothy 5:4; 1 Timothy 5:16) (2) Do not take in a widow under 60 years old. (1 Timothy 5:9) (3) Do not take in a widow unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work, etc. (1 Timothy 5:9-10) (4) As for the younger widows (under 60 I presume), Paul’s desire for them is to marry, bear children, manage the house. (1 Timothy 5:14)
    10. The elders of the church who rule well, especially those who teach, are worthy of double honor. (1 Timothy 5:17)
    11. Those who teach in the church are worthy of their wages: they’re allowed to make a humble living from it. (1 Timothy 5:18)
    12. Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. (1 Timothy 1:19)
    13. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear (understand that something is wrong and not do it themselves). (1 Timothy 5:20)
    14. Do not lay hands on anyone hastily. (1 Timothy 5:22)
    15. Operate in the church by doing these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality. (1 Timothy 5:21)

    Our Identity in Christ (who/what we are/have as children of God):

    1. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing (spiritual/godly: nature, wisdom and gifts). (Ephesians 1:3)
    2. We are holy, without spot, wrinkle or blemish. (Ephesians 5:26-27)
    3. A spiritual blessing: those whom God foreknew would believe in Christ (the gospel) for salvation from before the foundation of the world were “chosen/elected/predestined/qualified” for salvation by Him to be adopted as sons of God, and were called by Him to that gospel upon entering the world. (2 Timothy 2:10; Ephesians 1:4; Ephesians 1:5; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)
    4. A spiritual blessing of our divine nature: we are holy and without blame before God. (Ephesians 1:4)
    5. We are “accepted in the Beloved”, meaning, we are now part of the love with which God has for His own son, Jesus, as we are now adopted sons and daughters of God through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 1:6)
    6. We have obtained an inheritance (eternal life) through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 1:11-12)
    7. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption after believing the gospel. (Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30)
    8. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our eternal life. (Ephesians 1:14)
    9. We have confident, bold access to God through faith in Christ. (Ephesians 3:12)
    10. God the Father is in us all through faith. (Ephesians 4:6)
    11. Christ gave each of us spiritual gifts according to His grace (It can sometimes take years to figure out your gift, and I’d venture to say that many don’t ever realize their gift). These gifts are: apostles, prophets, evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. These different gifts are given to the members of the church for the equipping of the saints/church for the work of ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, so that we should no longer be children (babes in Christ), tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of false works-based doctrine that comes our way from false teachers. (Ephesians 4:7-16)
    12. We are members of His (Christ’s) body, of His flesh and of His bones. (Ephesians 5:30)
    13. We are children of God. (John 1:12)
    14. Jesus is in the Father, and we are in Jesus, and Jesus is in us. (John 14:20)
    15. We are of God and not of the world (we know God, who He is, His way of salvation, and His ways of life found throughout this note, and we try to walk in them, vs walking in the ways of the world). And the world hates us and persecutes, as it hates and persecuted Christ first and foremost. (John 15:18-19)
    16. We were chosen by God (because He knew we would have faith) from the foundation of the world. (John 15:20)
    17. The Father loves us because we believe in Christ. (John 16:27; John 17:23)
    18. We have peace in Christ. (John 16:33)
    19. We are not of the world (the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ) anymore. (John 17:14,16)
    20. We are dearly loved by the Lord and our Heavenly Father. (2 Thessalonians 2:13,16)
    21. We have everlasting consolation (comfort) from the Father and our Lord. (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
    22. We are a new creation (us as our inner man has been reborn of incorruptible seed [1 Peter 1:23], renewed) when we believe in Christ. (Although our outward man, the sinful flesh, is still unregenerate — Romans 7:14-25). (2 Corinthians 5:17)
    23. We are the temple of God (He literally lives in us). (2 Corinthians 6:16)

    Crowns (the various crowns we can receive at the bema seat):

    1. The crown of life: received by enduring temptations (of faith or morally). (James 1:12)
    2. Crown of righteousness: received by those watching for Christ’s appearing at the rapture. (2 Timothy 4:8)

    Satan’s Identity:

    1. He’s a murderer, and has been from the beginning. (John 8:44)
    2. He is a liar, the father of lies. There is no truth in him. (John 8:44)
    3. Satan is the “small g” god of this world/age. (2 Corinthians 4:4)

    The Antichrist’s Identity:

    1. Various names for the antichrist: the man of sin; the son of perdition; the lawless one. (2 Thessalonians 2:3,8-9)
    2. The antichrist opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped. (2 Thessalonians 2:4)
    3. The antichrist will make himself as God and sit in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:4)
    4. The Holy Spirit had been restraining the antichrist from rising up until 1/20/2025 when He was taken out of the way. (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8)
    5. The antichrist will be destroyed by the breath of the Lord at His second coming. (2 Thessalonians 2:8)
    6. Satan is behind the antichrist, and the antichrist comes on the scene with all power (the power to get great things accomplished in this world), signs (deception by false teachers telling the masses that he’s a man sent from God) and great lies (he’s a liar). (2 Thessalonians 2:9)
    7. The antichrist deceives the world, especially those who are unsaved by not believing the truth (the gospel). (2 Thessalonians 2:10)

    The Mysteries:

    1. The mystery of lawlessness: the bringing about of the lawless one, the antichrist, in which the Restrainer (the Holy Spirit) had been restraining his revealing from the time of the apostle Paul until 1/20/2025. And now the Holy Spirit has been taken out of the way, and the antichrist is on the rise. (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8)

    Eternal Security Knowledge (you can’t lose your salvation):

    1. John 5:24 — Upon believing the gospel, we have already passed from death to eternal life.
    2. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into [everlasting] life.
    3. Romans 8:1 — There’s no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
    4. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit [all born again believers walk in the Spirit].”
    5. Romans 8:38-39 — Nothing can separate us from the love of God – not even ourselves.
    6. “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
    7. Hebrews 13:5 — God will never leave us nor forsake us – no matter how much we sin.
    8. “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
    9. John 10:28-29 – -No one is able to snatch a believer out of Christ’s and the Father’s hand – not even ourselves.
    10. “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.”
    11. John 3:16 — When we believe the gospel, God gives us eternal life – not probationary life until we sin again.
    12. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
    13. Ephesians 1:13-14 — The instant we believe the gospel, we’re sealed with the Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of our salvation.
    14. “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”
    15. Ephesians 4:30 — We’re sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption – not until we sin again.
    16. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”
    17. 2 Corinthians 1:22 — Again, sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of salvation.
    18. “who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”
    19. John 6:39 — Jesus will not lose any who come to Him.
    20. “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.”
    21. 2 Timothy 2:13 — Even if we have a crisis of faith, God remains faithful to us.
    22. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”
    23. 2 John 1:2 — Christ will be with us forever.
    24. “because of the truth [Christ] which abides in us and will be with us forever”
    25. John 8:35 — When we believe the gospel, we become a child of God, and a child of God remains a child forever.
    26. “And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.”
    27. John 14:16 — The Holy Spirit will be with us forever.
      “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever”
    28. 2 Corinthians 1:22 — God has sealed us with the Holy Spirit which is the guarantee of our eternal life.
    29. 2 Corinthians 5:5 — We have the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation.

    Rapture Knowledge:

    1. The rapture will not happen until the apostasy of the church happens and the antichrist is revealed. Given our current time: has the church gone apostate? Absolutely: most churches believe in and teach some sort of front-loaded or back-loaded works-based gospel. The vast majority of institutional churches primary exist today teaching a false gospel and to entertain and exploit its congregation for greed. Has the man of sin (the lawless one; the antichrist) been revealed? Absolutely: on 1/20/2025 he went out to rise (Revelation 17:8-11 was fulfilled that day). (2 Thessalonians 2:3)
    2. God will send a strong delusion on the earth at the rapture so that those left behind, the unsaved, should believe the lie of what really happened because they chose not to believe the gospel and so be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:12).

    Spiritual Knowledge (Godly knowledge not pertaining to salvation, our walk or the church, such as: Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father):

    1. Meditate on these nuggets of knowledge and wisdom and may the Lord give you understanding. Give yourself entirely to them. (2 Timothy 2:7; 1 Timothy 4:15)
    2. Paul is an apostle, preacher, teacher, minister and servant of Christ (sent to the gentiles) by the will and commandment of God the Father, according to the gift of God’s grace. (2 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:11; Titus 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:1; 1 Timothy 2:7; Ephesians 1:1; Ephesians 3:7; 2 Corinthians 1:1)
    3. The gospel (the dispensation of the grace of God) was committed to Paul to preach to the gentiles by the commandment of God. (Titus 1:3; Ephesians 3:2; Ephesians 3:8-9)
    4. The “mystery” of the gospel was given to Paul by revelation from God Himself, and not from man. (Ephesians 3:3)
    5. Paul is a frequently a prisoner (for the sake of preaching the gospel to the gentiles). (Ephesians 3:1; Ephesians 4:1)
    6. Paul was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man, persecuting the early church before believing in Christ, saying that he is the chiefest of sinners. And God saved him in His mercy and gave Paul grace and used put him into ministry (even the most important ministry of bringing the gospel to the world) as an example of the longsuffering Christ has with those who will believe in Him: “If Paul can be saved after what he did, then certainly I can!” (1 Timothy 1:12-16)
    7. Paul is “less than the least” of all the saints/people of God. (Ephesians 3:8)
    8. Jesus presents us as a glorious, holy church without spot or wrinkle or blemish (we don’t present ourselves as such by our deeds). (Ephesians 5:27)
    9. Jesus is of the seed of David (of David’s lineage). (2 Timothy 2:8)
    10. Jesus was raised from the dead. (2 Timothy 2:8; Ephesians 1:20).
    11. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven, far above all rule and authority and man, in this age and the age to come, the Father having put all things underneath Christ. (Ephesians 1:20-22)
    12. The Lord knows who are His. (2 Timothy 2:19)
    13. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
    14. Christ will judge the saved believers at His coming at the rapture/resurrection, and will judge the unbelievers at the end of His millennial kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:1)
    15. Those watching for Christ’s appearing at the rapture will receive the crown of righteousness. (2 Timothy 4:8)
    16. The “truth” (the gospel) accords with godliness: faith in the gospel brings about godliness. (Titus 1:1)
    17. God promised eternal life before time began. (Titus 1:2)
    18. The unbeliever’s (especially the works-salvationist) mind and conscience are both defiled. (Titus 1:15)
    19. Honor and glory belong to God forever and ever. (1 Timothy 1:17; Ephesians 3:21)
    20. Spreading the gospel is akin to waging good warfare (we battle works-salvationists and demons in the spiritual realm everyday). Fight the good fight of faith. (1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:12)
    21. Works-salvationists are warped and sinning, being self-condemned. They are proud, knowing nothing, but are obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth (the gospel that saves). They teach false gospels for financial gain. From such withdraw yourself. (Titus 3:11; 1 Timothy 6:4-5)
    22. God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (the gospel). (1 Timothy 2:4)
    23. There is one God (the Father) and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 2:5)
    24. Those who desire the position of a bishop within the church desire a good work (desire a good thing). (1 Timothy 3:1)
    25. Those who have served as deacons within the church have obtained for themselves a good standing. (1 Timothy 3:13).
    26. The mystery of godliness (the bringing about of godliness in people) is thus: the gospel and the spreading of it. (1 Timothy 3:16)
    27. In “latter times” (the church age, especially near the end), some will depart from faith alone in the gospel, and will give heed to false works-based gospels, claiming they’re saved by works, yet they themselves break the law. Their consciences are “seared with a hot iron”, not being able to tell the right way of salvation from the wrong way. Back in the day they would go as far as telling you that you cannot marry or eat “unclean” foods in order to be saved. (1 Timothy 4:1-3)
    28. All foods are clean to eat, for they are made holy (purified) by God. (1 Timothy 4:5)
    29. Some people receive judgement for their sins right away. Others may get away with their sins for a time, but judgement will eventually come. (1 Timothy 5:24)
    30. The good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light. (1 Timothy 5:25)
    31. We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. (1 Timothy 6:7)
    32. The love of money is a root of all evil. Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
    33. God gives life to all things. (1 Timothy 6:13)
    34. Jesus is the blessed and only Potentate (sovereign ruler), the King of kings and Lord of lords. (1 Timothy 6:15)
    35. God has made known to us the mystery of [one aspect of] His will: that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. (Ephesians 1:9-10)
    36. Paul and other apostles in their letters to the church often mention praying for those churches, that God will bless them with: (1) the knowledge, revelation, understanding and wisdom of God (2) the knowledge of the glory of eternal life (3) the power of God toward them (4) to be strengthened with moral excellence (godliness) through the power of the Holy Spirit within our inner man (5) that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith (6) that we may be able to comprehend the vastness of the love of Christ which passes knowledge (7) that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (8) that you find out what is acceptable to the Lord (9) understand what the will of the Lord is. The apostles generally do not follow these prayers with exactly what all this means. But what it does mean, is that the church be filled with all of the knowledge and wisdom found in the New Testament Bible. You see, the early church did not have the New Testament to read. They only had the apostles’ knowledge and a couple of letters from them containing pieces of that knowledge, scattered throughout all the regions. So, they relied heavily on personal revelation from God Himself, that each could share with the church to build one another up, and the apostles would pray that God reveal that knowledge to them through divine revelation. Today, however, we have all of that knowledge of God that He wants us to know neatly compiled for us in the New Testament. So, reading the New Testament and gaining that godly wisdom and knowledge found within is akin to it being “revealed” to us by God. And all of the New Testament knowledge and wisdom is further extracted and compiled into this note. Learning and understanding all of this is a process and takes time. (Ephesians 1:16-19; Ephesians 3:-6-19)
    37. We all used to walk in trespasses and sins according to the ways of the world and Satan, the “prince of the power of the air”, which is the same spirit that currently works in unbelievers today. (This past tense “used to walk” can be a little confusing at first for believers who may still be stuck in sin. Us as our reborn, renewed, saved inward man does not sin anymore and cannot sin because we are born of incorruptible seed, yet our unregenerate outward man, the sinful flesh, still sins.) (Ephesians 2:2-3)
    38. We have been raised up and sit with Christ in Christ in the heavenly places, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us. (Ephesians 2:6-7)
    39. We were created for good works, works that God had prepared for us beforehand for us to do after we are saved by faith alone. (Ephesians 2:10)
    40. The Jews and the gentiles were separate and against each other before Christ, being separated by the law. But Christ through His death abolished the law and reconciled both groups of “men” back to God through the gospel, in turn making “one new man” from the two, thus making peace between the two. (Ephesians 2:14-17)
    41. Both Jews and gentiles now have access to the Father through the same Holy Spirit that dwells in both groups through faith in the gospel. (Ephesians 2:18)
    42. We are citizens and members of the household of God. (Ephesians 2:19)
    43. The household of God is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ being the Chief cornerstone of that foundation, where we believers are being built together into a holy temple on top of that foundation, for the Spirit of God to dwell in. (Ephesians 2:19-22)
    44. From God the Father, the whole family in heaven and earth is named. (Ephesians 3:15)
    45. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power of the Holy Spirit that works in us. (Ephesians 3:20)
    46. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling (the hope of eternal life); one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)
    47. Unbelievers are “past feeling” when it comes to sin (they can’t even feel when something is wrong anymore, they’re numb to it). (Ephesians 4:19)
    48. It is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret (and might I add, also the things they do in public as well). (Ephesians 5:12)
    49. Human marriage is between man (Christ) and woman (the church) is the “mystery” of Christ being joined to His church. (Ephesians 5:30-32)
    50. Whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord. (Ephesians 6:8)
    51. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places (demonic forces). (Ephesians 6:12)
    52. Jesus is God, and was with the Father from the very beginning of time. (John 1:1-2)
    53. All things were made through Christ, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (John 1:3; John 1:10)
    54. In Christ is life. (John 1:5)
    55. John the Baptist was sent from God to go before Jesus as a witness of the messiah Jesus, to get the people prepared for His arrival and that they should believe on Him. (John 1:6-7,27,30)
    56. Although Christ was in the world, they didn’t understand that He was God. (John 1:10)
    57. Christ came to His own people to save them, the Jews, and they did not receive Him as their messiah. (John 1:11)
    58. God as Jesus became flesh (He was born into the world via woman) and lived among the people of the earth. (John 1:14)
    59. No one has seen God the Father except Jesus, but Jesus has revealed Him through teaching. (John 1:18)
    60. John the Baptist is not the Christ, Elijah or “the Prophet”. (John 1:20-21; John 3:28)
    61. John the Baptist was sent by God before Jesus to baptize with water, whereas Jesus baptized with the Holy Spirit (fire). (John 1:26,31,33; John 3:28)
    62. John the Baptist baptized in Bethany beyond the Jordan (river). (John 1:28)
    63. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove at His baptism from John the Baptist. (John 1:33)
    64. Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day. (John 2:19-22)
    65. Jesus couldn’t have done the miraculous miracles He performed amongst the Jews if God was not with Him. (John 3:2)
    66. You must be born again of the Spirit and of water (a human) in order to see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3,5)
    67. Jesus taught the Jews and the Pharisees the spiritual things of God (which He knows and has seen because He used to be in heaven), but they did not believe Him. (John 3:11-13,32)
    68. Jesus was in heaven and came down from heaven. (John 3:13)
    69. A person can receive nothing [good] unless it has been given to him from heaven (from our Father in heaven). (John 3:27)
    70. Jesus speaks the words of God. (John 3:34)
    71. God does not give the Holy Spirit sparingly. (John 3:34)
    72. The Father loves the Son from before the foundation of the world, and has given all things into His hand. (John 3:35; John 17:23,24,26)
    73. Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John the Baptist (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples). (John 4:1-2)
    74. Salvation (the Messiah Jesus) came through the Jews. (John 4:22)
    75. Messiah is the Christ – the Savior of the world, and is Jesus. (John 4:25-26,42)
    76. Jesus does nothing on His own, but only what the Father does (will have Him do, through Him). And the Father loves Jesus, and shows Him all the things He does. (John 5:19-20,30; John 8:28-29; John 17:23,24,26)
    77. The Father raises people from the dead and gives them life. In like manner, the Son, Jesus, also gives life to whom He will. (John 5:21)
    78. The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son. This is so that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. And as Jesus hears from the Father, He judges. Jesus’ judgement is just because He seeks not His own will, but the will of the Father. (John 5:22-23,27,30)
    79. The Father has life in Himself, and He has granted the Son to have life in Himself. (John 5:26)
    80. The Father gave Jesus miraculous works to do on this earth during His ministry. These works bear witness that Jesus is God and that the Father is with Him. Ultimately, it is the Father doing the works through Jesus. (John 5:36; John 14:10)
    81. The Old Testament scriptures testify of Jesus as the Christ. (John 5:39)
    82. Jesus gives the Holy Spirit, which gives everlasting life. (John 6:27)
    83. Jesus came down from Heaven to do His Father’s will. (John 6:38)
    84. All the people that have been given to Jesus (by their faith), He will lose none of them. (John 6:39)
    85. No one can come to Jesus unless the Father draws them (and I believe those He draws are those whom He foreknew from before the foundation of the world would believe on Christine when in the world). (John 6:43,65)
    86. No one has seen the Father except Jesus. (John 6:46)
    87. Jesus sacrificed His body for the life of the world. (John 6:51)
    88. The Holy Spirit is what gives us life (through faith), and not of our works (the flesh). (John 6:63)
    89. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, betrayed Jesus. (John 6:70-71)
    90. Jesus’ doctrine (teachings) are not His own, but that of the Father’s. (John 7:16)
    91. Jesus doesn’t seek His own glory, but rather seeks to glorify the Father. (John 7:18)
    92. No one keeps the law (perfectly). (John 7:19)
    93. Jesus is of the lineage of king David and from his town of Bethlehem. (John 7:42)
    94. Jesus and the Father bear witness that He is from God and is the Christ. (John 8:17-18)
    95. Those who believe in Christ are His disciples. (John 8:31)
    96. Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. (John  8:34)
    97. A slave is not part of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. (John 8:35)
    98. God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will (believes in Him), He hears him. (John 9:31)
    99. Jesus could do nothing if He weren’t from God. (John 9:33)
    100. Jesus is making one flock of sheep (believers) from the flock of the Jews and the flock of the gentiles. (John 10:16)
    101. Jesus knows who are His (who will believe in Him). (John 10:14)
    102. The Father knows and loves Jesus and Jesus knows the Father. (John 10:15,17; John 15:9)
    103. Jesus willingly gave up His own life. No one took it from Him (as I suppose if He didn’t want to die that faithful day on the cross, He most assuredly could have kept Himself from dying). (John 10:17-18)
    104. The Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in Him. (John 10:38; John 14:10; John 14:11)
    105. All the things John the Baptist prophesied about Jesus were true. (John 10:41)
    106. Jesus hears from the Father. (John 11:41-42)
    107. Jesus died for both the Jews and the gentiles. (John 11:51-52; John 12:32)
    108. The Father has glorified His name via Christ. (John 12:28)
    109. Whoever believes in and sees Jesus believes in and sees the Father. (John 12:44)
    110. Jesus came into the world to bring the spiritual knowledge and wisdom of God, and the fulfillment of His plan for salvation into effect, that those who will believe in Him should not walk in spiritual darkness/blindness, but understand the spiritual things of God, mainly His plan for salvation by faith in Christ. (John 12:46)
    111. Jesus did not come the first time into the world to judge the world, but rather to save it. (John 12:47)
    112. Whoever doesn’t believe in Christ will believes judged by their unbelief in the last day (at the great white throne judgement after the millennial kingdom). (John 12:48)
    113. Prophecy is given so that when the prophecies come to pass, we will know that God is real and true. (John 13:19; John 14:29)
    114. Jesus is preparing us our mansions in heaven (presumably in our heavenly city New Jerusalem). (John 14:2)
    115. Jesus will come again at the end to rapture His true believers and bring them to heaven. (John 14:3)
    116. Those who know (believe in) Christ know the Father. (John 14:7)
    117. The Father gives/sends us the Holy Spirit. (John 14:16,26; John 15:26)
    118. Whoever keeps Christ’s commandments (to believe in Him and love the brethren — 1 John 3:23) is the one who loves Him. (John 14:15,21)
    119. Whoever believes in Jesus is loved by the Father and Jesus, and Jesus will manifest/reveal Himself to them. (John 14:21,23)
    120. When we believe in Christ, Him and the Father come to live within us (in the Spirit). (John 14:23)
    121. The Holy Spirit teaches us all things (pertaining to the spiritual things of God), and brings to remembrance all the knowledge and wisdom we’ve learned while reading the Bible (and these notes!) (John 14:26)
    122. Jesus gives us godly peace in the knowledge of His ways. Unlike the way the world gives (which is fame, fortune and power). (John 14:27)
    123. The Father “prunes” believers in Christ (symbolized as branches that bear useful fruit for the vinedresser – the Father) so that they bear more good fruit (works). (John 15:2,4-5)
    124. Our works glorify (bring praise and honor to) the Father. (John 15:8)
    125. Whatever believers ask for or desire, it will be done for them (in the confines of the Father’s will of course). (John 15:7)
    126. Jesus kept His Father’s commandments. (John 15:10)
    127. One of Christ’s commandments for us is to love one another. (John 15:12,17)
    128. Those who believe in Jesus are His friends. (John 15:14-15)
    129. The greatest act of love is to give your life for your friend, and Jesus did just that for us. (John 15:13)
    130. Whoever hates Christ hates the Father also. (John 15:23)
    131. The Holy Spirit convicts the unbelievers of their sin in order to lead them to the Savior, Jesus. And Holy Spirit convicts the believers of their imputed righteousness they have through faith in Christ. And Holy Spirit convicts Satan of his judgement. (John 16:8-11)
    132. The Holy Spirit guides us into all the truths and ways of God. (John 16:13)
    133. The Holy Spirit does not speak on His own authority, but He speaks what the Father tells Him to speak. (John 16:13-15)
    134. The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ. (John 16:14)
    135. Everything the Father has is Christ’s, and everything Christ has is the Father’s. (John 16:15; John 17:10)
    136. Whatever we ask of the Father in Christ’s name we shall receive (as long as it’s the Father’s will – don’t expect to win the lottery). (John 16:23-24)
    137. While in the world, believers will still suffer [small “t”] tribulation. (John 16:33)
    138. The Father has given Christ authority over all men, meaning, that all humans are under him and should submit to His commands to believe in Him for eternal life. (John 17:2-3)
    139. Jesus, during His ministry on earth, finished the works the Father gave Him to do, and brought glory to Him. (John 17:4)
    140. Jesus was with the Father and had glory before the world ever was. (John 17:5)
    141. All the things (words) that Christ has [spoken] are from the Father (all the knowledge and wisdom comes from the Father through Christ). (John 17:7-8)
    142. Those believers whom the Father has given to Christ (who were chosen from before the foundation of the world due to their faith in Christ — 2 Thessalonians 2:13) are the Father’s.
    143. Jesus knew all things that would happen to Him. (John 18:4)
    144. Jesus is King, but His kingdom is not of this world, as in, to be of earthly origin and nature. (John 18:36-37)
    145. The unbelieving world doesn’t know what truth really is in the world: what’s truly right vs what’s wrong; the ways of God (truth) vs the ways of the world (falsities). The world walks in darkness (they don’t understand the truth), whereas believers walk in light (they are spiritually illuminated and know the things of God and know what’s truly right in the eyes of God). (John 18:38)
    146. Jesus rose from the dead the third day. (John 20:9)
    147. Blessed are those who have not seen the Lord and yet have believed. (John 20:29)
    148. James is a servant of God and Jesus. (James 1:1)
    149. If you lack godly wisdom, ask for it from God who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to you. But you must ask in full faith of receiving it from Him, without doubting. Otherwise, you won’t receive anything from Him. (James 1:5-7)
    150. Someone who doubts when they ask of God is “double-minded” (unstable in their faith and has a spiritual deficiency). It must be noted that this can be common amongst new believers, and they must exercise and strengthen their faith to the point where they do not doubt when asking of God. This takes time. (James 1:6-8)
    151. Those in a lowly position in the eyes of the world (financially or in status) are exalted in God’s eyes and should rejoice in that. (James 1:9)
    152. The rich according to the world (financially or in status) should be humble, as their wealth and status in this world will inevitably come to an end (we can take nothing out of this world when we leave it — 1 Timothy 6:7). (James 1:10-11)
    153. Blessed is the person who endures trials, temptation, persecutions, sufferings and tribulations, and is found approved (found to be excellent) concerning upholding their faith and integrity, and will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12; James 5:11)
    154. We are tempted when we are drawn away by our own desires and enticed by others. (James 1:14)
    155. Every good and perfect gift comes from our Heavenly Father. (James 1:17)
    156. It was God’s will to spiritually rebirth us through our faith in Christ. (James 1:18)
    157. Teachers of the things of God will receive a stricter judgement. (James 3:1)
    158. If anyone controls their tongue (the things they first think and then speak), they are a mature person, able also to control their whole body. But then later in verse 8, James goes on to say that no one can tame the tongue. (James 3:2,8)
    159. Words (what we speak) can (and often do) cause an enormous amount of hurt and damage by us humans, and ought not be the case. Unlike the wisdom of the world: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” (James 3:3-12)
    160. Where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. The fruit of the Spirit of love does not envy and is not self-seeking (Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7). So I suppose you could say that without godly, biblical love, confusion and every evil thing exists. Is this not true in our world today? (James 3:16)
    161. The wisdom that is from above (from God; godly wisdom vs worldly wisdom) is first pure (free from every fault; immaculate; there’s no error in it), then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield (submissive. A person who is open to reason, easily persuaded, and willing to yield to others. It conveys a sense of being agreeable and cooperative, particularly in the context of wisdom and understanding), full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. (James 3:17)
    162. Christ says throughout the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John that anything you ask for in His name, it will be given to you. John in 1 John 5:14 adds to this and says if you ask for anything that is in the Father’s will, He hears us. James further adds to this in James 4:3 and says that “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss (with wrong intent), that you may spend it on your pleasures.” In the next verse, James adds to this and says “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” Putting all this together, if you ask for worldly things such as winning the lottery or a new luxury car or a fancy mansion, don’t expect to receive anything. (James 4:3-4)
    163. God’s ways (the fruit of the Spirit, humility, contentment, etc.) are against the world’s ways (fame, fortune and power). If you want to be “a friend of the world” (you want fame, fortune and power), then you are going against what God wants for you, and He is a jealous God, that you would rather go after Satan’s worldly ways vs wanting to live in His ways. Therefore, stop going after the things of the world and submit to God and His ways. James 4:8-9 says: “Cleanse your hands, you sinners (get out of the world); and purify your hearts, you double-minded (having your interests divided between God and the world). Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter (from what you found to be joyfully humorous in the world, perhaps in the misfortunes of others) be turned to mourning (see the true sadness behind the things you found humorous) and your joy (of what you derived pleasure from in the ways of the world) to gloom (don’t find joy in the ways of the world anymore. Rather, find your joy in the ways of God, where there is actually true peace and joy).” Humble yourself and submit to God’s ways and find true peace and joy. See note “The Ways of God vs the Ways of the World” for more details. (James 4:4-10)
    164. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)
    165. Those who are suffering should pray for their relief. (James 5:13)
    166. Are you cheerful? Sing psalms (godly songs). (James 5:13)
    167. The Lord heals the sick: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up (will cause him to recover).” Of course, your *faithful* prayers for healing on behalf of yourself will be answered if you believe. Healing is in the will of the Father, as Christ’s entire ministry on this earth to prove that He was the messiah was a ministry of miraculous healings. But you must not doubt, or else don’t expect to receive anything. (James 5:14-15; James 1:6-8)
    168. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous (upright, virtuous, keeping the commands of God) man avails much. (James 5:16)
    169. God will repay with everlasting destruction (in hell) those who have troubled us in this life (who are not saved believers in the gospel). (2 Thessalonians 1:6,8-9)
    170. We true believers in the gospel who were troubled in this life will be given rest when the Lord comes for us at the rapture. (2 Thessalonians 1:7,10)
    171. Unbelievers of the gospel will be punished with everlasting destruction (in the lake of fire and brimstone). (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
    172. The Father gives us strength for our good works. (2 Thessalonians 2:17)
    173. The Lord will establish us and guard us from the enemy. (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
    174. Withdraw (do not keep company with) any brother or sister that is disorderly (idle), not working for a living and living off of others. But do not count them as an enemy (an unsaved person). This is designed to bring them godly shame that will hopefully produce godly repentance (a change of mind) in that they will find work for themselves and stop burdening others. We are commanded by the apostle Paul (and given an example through his manner of life) that if anyone will not work, then neither shall he eat. And we have an example of Paul’s life to follow, that wherever he went to preach the gospel, he worked, that he may not be a burden to anyone. The following things should be noted, found throughout Paul’s other epistles: (1) A worker for the Lord (one who teaches the things of God) is “worthy of his wages” (he is allowed to make a living off of his work as a minister). (1 Timothy 5:17-18) (2) It is absolutely ok for those who are struggling financially to receive donations to help them in times of need. Our abundance is designed to supply the lack of others. (1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians chapters 8-9) (3) This isn’t found in Paul’s epistles, but it’s common sense that those with a mental or physical handicap that are unable to work should be helped by others. (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15)
    175. Since we understand what it’s like to be comforted by God in all our tribulations, we know how to comfort others in their troubles. (2 Corinthians 1:4)
    176. God raises the dead. (2 Corinthians 1:9)
    177. Don’t trust in yourself, but rather trust in God. (2 Corinthians 1:9)
    178. Prayers to God for others helps. (2 Corinthians 1:11)
    179. God establishes us (makes us unreprovable) and anoints us with the Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
    180. God always makes our godly efforts victorious. (2 Corinthians 2:14)
    181. The law (the letter) kills (you are condemned to death when you break it), but the Spirit (obtained through faith in the gospel) gives life [eternal]. (2 Corinthians 3:6)
    182. The law is also known as the ministry of death or the ministry of condemnation. (2 Corinthians 3:7-8).
    183. The gospel is also known as the ministry of the Spirit or the ministry of righteousness. (2 Corinthians 3:8-9)
    184. The law had glory even though it brought death. And if something that brought death had glory, how much more glorious is the ministry of the Spirit (the gospel) that brings eternal life? (2 Corinthians 3:7-11)
    185. You can only understand the Old Testament if you understand the New Testament. (2 Corinthians 3:13-16)
    186. When we focus on Christ and His glory (His character: the fruits of the Spirit), we become transformed into that same image. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
    187. Satan has blinded the minds of those who do not believe the gospel, so that they cannot understand it. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
    188. God raised up Jesus from the dead. (2 Corinthians 4:14)
    189. God will raise the dead in Christ (at the rapture/resurrection). (2 Corinthians 4:14)
    190. Our outward man (our fleshly bodies) are perishing, but our inward man is being renewed with strength and vigor day by day. (2 Corinthians 4:16)
    191. We have a new eternal body made from God waiting us in heaven. (2 Corinthians 5:1)
    192. “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” This is the “bema seat” judgement that all believers will go through. This is not a judgement of our sin for salvation, as Jesus paid for all our sins and there is no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1). This judgement is not to be confused with the great white throne judgement for unbelievers at the end of the millennial kingdom, where they will be judged for their sins and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. The believer’s bema seat judgement is further described by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 3:9-15, in which Paul describes our works for the kingdom of God being tested by fire to see if they were the good works done by God as we yielded to Him (in which we will receive a reward), or whether they were dead works done by us in the flesh with the wrong mindset (these will be “burned up”). (2 Corinthians 5:10)
    193. God comforts the downcast (those brought low with grief, depressed). (2 Corinthians 7:6)
    194. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” ‘The grace of Christ,’ in that through pity for sinful men Christ left his state of blessedness with God in heaven, and voluntarily underwent the hardships and miseries of human life, and by his sufferings and death procured salvation for mankind. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
    195. Our abundance (any wealth we come into) is designed to supply the lack of others. (2 Corinthians 8:14-15)
    196. If you give little, you will receive little. If you give a lot (according to what you have), you will receive a lot. This truth has been corrupted by greed, thinking, “If I give away a lot of my money, God will bless me with a ton more money so I can buy myself that fancy new car I’ve been coveting.” This is not the design of such a principle. We’re to be content with what we have with all thanksgiving, and any abundance we receive is designed to supply the lack of others. So, if you’re found faithful to bless others in need with a little bit of abundance that you may possess, then God will count you worthy to handle more money, knowing that all the more abundance is also designed for good works to benefit the needy, and not our own greed. (2 Corinthians 9:6,8)
    197. Giving to the poor in the name of Christ benefits God through many thanksgivings from the beneficiaries to Him. (2 Corinthians 9:12)
    198. It is the Lord who approves us (commends us). We don’t get to approve ourselves. (2 Corinthians 10:18)

    Definitions:

    1. The light [of men; of the world] — spiritual illumination. Knowing the things and ways of God, and the way of salvation: all the knowledge and wisdom found throughout this note, which is the “truth”, as opposed to the ways of the world (spiritual darkness), which are lies. Read and understand this note and you will be illuminated spiritually, and will become “light” in this dark world. You can now see the difference between right and wrong.
    2. Darkness — spiritual blindness, and the resulting evil that ensues. Not knowing the truth of the ways of God found throughout this note, thus walking in “darkness” (the ways of the world).
    3. The promise — the promise of the Holy Spirit (who gives eternal life), or the promise of eternal life (which comes via the Holy Spirit), which is given by faith in Christ alone.
    4. The truth — the gospel; Jesus as the Christ (the messiah/savior).
    5. The Inheritance — eternal life through faith in Christ.
    6. Godliness — becoming more Christlike in conduct and character. Encompassing (1) your faith in the gospel (2) your inner devotion to your relationship with Christ (talking to Him daily) (3) your outward devotion to God in your daily walk in holy conduct. In the New Testament, “eusebeia” (godliness) refers to a reverent and devout attitude towards God, characterized by a life that reflects His holiness and commands. It encompasses both an inner piety and outward conduct that aligns with God’s will. This term is often associated with living a life that is pleasing to God, marked by moral integrity and spiritual devotion.
    7. Sanctify — to make holy. The verb “hagiazó” primarily means to sanctify or make holy. It involves the act of setting something or someone apart for a sacred purpose or dedicating them to God. In the New Testament, it is used to describe the process by which believers are made holy through the work of the Holy Spirit, aligning them with God’s will and character. It also refers to the consecration of objects or places for divine use.
    8. Reverent — worthy of honor and respect. The Greek adjective “semnos” conveys a sense of dignity (worthy of honor and respect) and respectability. It is used to describe qualities or characteristics that are noble (having high moral principles and ideals) and worthy of honor. In the New Testament, it often refers to the demeanor (outward behavior) or conduct of individuals, particularly those in leadership or those who are to be emulated by others. The term suggests a seriousness of purpose and a gravity that commands respect.
    9. Temperate; A Sound Mind; Discreet — self-controlled. A mind founded upon and rooted in godly wisdom and knowledge. The Greek adjective “sóphrón” conveys the idea of having a sound mind, being self-controlled, and exercising prudence (cautious wisdom) and moderation. It is often used in the New Testament to describe a person who is disciplined in thought and action, exhibiting a balanced and rational approach to life. This term emphasizes the importance of inner restraint and the ability to govern one’s desires and impulses in accordance with godly wisdom.
    10. Sober-minded — exercising self-control. The verb “sóphroneó” conveys the idea of having a sound mind, exercising self-control, and being sober-minded. It implies a balanced and disciplined approach to life, where one’s thoughts and actions are governed by wisdom and prudence. In the New Testament, it often refers to the Christian virtue of self-control, which is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:23).
    11. Meekness — humble, calm gentleness. In the New Testament, “prautés” refers to a quality of gentle strength, characterized by humility and a calm demeanor (behavior). It is not weakness but rather power under control, reflecting a spirit of submission to God and consideration for others. This virtue is often associated with the fruit of the Spirit and is a mark of true Christian character.
    12. Chaste — pure; holy. The Greek word “hagnos” primarily denotes purity in a moral or ceremonial sense. It is often used to describe something that is free from defilement or corruption, whether physical, moral, or spiritual. In the New Testament, “hagnos” is used to emphasize the importance of purity in thought, action, and intention, reflecting a life that is set apart for God.
    13. Integrity — moral uprightness. The term “adiaphthoria” conveys the idea of being free from corruption or decay, both in a physical and moral sense. It implies a state of purity and integrity that is untainted by external influences or internal moral decay. In the New Testament, it is often used to describe the incorruptible nature of the believer’s inheritance and the moral purity expected of Christians.
    14. Doctrine — a teaching. Instruction.
    15. Hope — an earnest expectation and assurance of what is certain (not merely wishful thinking). In the New Testament, “elpis” primarily denotes a confident expectation or trust in God’s promises. It is not merely wishful thinking but a firm assurance based on the character and faithfulness of God. This hope is often linked with faith and love, forming a triad of Christian virtues (1 Corinthians 13:13).
    16. Supplication — a deep, heartfelt prayer. The term “deésis” refers to a heartfelt petition or supplication, often directed towards God. It conveys a sense of earnestness and urgency in prayer, reflecting a deep personal need or desire. In the New Testament, “deésis” is used to describe prayers that are specific and fervent, often in the context of seeking divine intervention or assistance.
    17. Intercession — a prayer for others. The term “enteuxis” refers to the act of interceding or making a petition on behalf of another. In the New Testament, it is used to describe a form of prayer that involves earnest appeal or supplication to God, often for the needs of others. It emphasizes the role of believers as intercessors, standing in the gap for others through prayer.
    18. Bishop — an overseer (the head) of a church. The term “episkopé” primarily refers to the act of overseeing or supervision. In the New Testament, it is often associated with the role and responsibilities of a bishop or overseer within the early Christian church. The word conveys the idea of careful and responsible management, often in a spiritual or ecclesiastical context.
    19. Deacon — a servant within the church, subject to the Bishop. The term “diakonos” is used in the New Testament to denote a servant or minister, one who executes the commands of another, especially of a master. It is often used to describe those who serve in a spiritual or ministerial capacity within the church. The word emphasizes the role of service and humility, reflecting the example set by Jesus Christ.
    20. Fable — a false teaching. In the New Testament, “muthos” refers to a fabricated account or fable, often used to describe false teachings or beliefs that stand in contrast to the truth of the Gospel. It implies a narrative that is not grounded in reality or divine revelation, often used to deceive or mislead.
    21. Wanton — The verb καταστρηνιάω is used to describe a state of becoming wanton or indulging in excessive luxury and sensuality. It implies a turning away from discipline and self-control, often leading to moral laxity. In the New Testament, it is used to caution against the dangers of idleness and the resulting moral decline.
    22. Blessed (in the context of God) — giving God praise and honor. The term “eulogétos” is used in the New Testament to describe someone who is worthy of praise or blessing. It is often applied to God, highlighting His divine nature and the reverence He is due. The word conveys a sense of honor and adoration, acknowledging the goodness and majesty of the one being blessed.
    23. Blessing (in the context of man) — doing something that benefits (blesses) someone. The verb “eulogeó” primarily means to bless or to speak well of someone or something. In the New Testament, it is used in various contexts, including the act of blessing God, blessing others, and the act of God blessing individuals. It conveys a sense of invoking divine favor, expressing gratitude, or bestowing praise.

    *See note on: Why You Won’t Find James 2 on This Site

    Books completed:

    1. Matthew
    2. Mark
    3. Luke
    4. John
    5. Acts
    6. Romans
    7. 1 Corinthians
    8. 2 Corinthians
    9. Galatians
    10. Ephesians
    11. Philippians
    12. Colossians
    13. 1 Thessalonians
    14. 2 Thessalonians
    15. 1 Timothy
    16. 2 Timothy
    17. Titus
    18. Philemon
    19. Hebrews
    20. James
    21. 1 Peter
    22. 2 Peter
    23. 1 John
    24. 2 John
    25. 3 John
    26. Jude
    27. Revelation