The BIG Picture (Study)

Co-heirs with Christ Since believers are co-heirs with Christ (Rom.8:17), we have been given the privilege of sharing Christ's inheritance. I was recently watching a video of a Bible lesson by Les Feldick. At one point during his lesson, he read the scripture below in his typical slow and analytical way. As he read it, the scripture made an impression on me, and I felt the need to pause the video and just meditate on it some more. The result of that moment (and subsequent research) caused me to produce this article in the hopes that it will bless you as much as it did me. Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Note: A co-heir and joint-heir have the same meaning. In this article I'll ...

Q-A: Does the Bible instruct us to "Confess our sins?" Let's have a look at a few scriptures that refer to this, and then we'll analyze them by asking some critical questions. 1 John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. James 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Proverbs 28:13  He that covereth his sins shall not prosper:  but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. Psalm 32:5  I acknowledge my sin unto thee,  and mine iniquity have I not hid.  I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord;  and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Leviticus 5:5  And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in on...

I can stare at this image for ages. It never ceases to make my imagination run wild! Every time I look at it, I get transported away in that moment and I experience such awe and longing for the reality thereof. To see Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, to hear His voice and see His face, to touch Him and embrace Him, to feel the undiluted waves of His love washing over me in that moment of inevitable and perfect reunion... ...However, let's come back to the 'now' , ...  Sigh! ... I'd like to comment on a few points regarding the 'Bema Seat' and bring some things to your attention while we are still here in the present. ◾ What is this event all about? The Judgement Seat of Christ (aka, the Bema Seat) will take place soon after the Rapture of the Church, the body of Christ. ( 2 Cor.5:10, Rom.14:10 ). The participants in the judgment seat of Christ are members of the Body of Christ, identified as all people who have responded in faith t...

The Simplicity of Grace Living A short while ago I watched a video of a theological debate featuring 3 prominent speakers who represent 3 different denominations. As a host asked various questions, each of the panelists would respond, and the theology of these participants differed from mildly to wildly depending on the questions. It was interesting to watch how each defended their particular view of theology, and even though they validated their points with scriptures and good arguments, it was quite sad to see how they made the whole debate complex and divisive based on their differences. In Acts 17 , Paul arrives at Athens and sees an array of idols set up around the city, probably near the Areopagus, or Mars Hill, where a council of civic leaders met, as well as the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, who were always looking to discover something “new” to discuss. Can you image the debates that those philosophers had, each believing in a different god and different theologies. Ho...

God's Indescribable (Unspeakable) Gift 2 Cor.9:15 Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable [indescribable] gift . Rom.5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)  Rom.6:23 for the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord  Eph.2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God :  Paul says it like this in 2 Corinthians 9:15,   "Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift " . What is this gift? It is Christ who came to complete a work on our behalf; His cross-work, to die for us, to be buried, and to rise again for us and for our justification. It is an unspeakable gift! The word 'unspeakable' means to not able to be expressed in words, to wonder for words beyond the human vocabulary. Wha...

A List of End Time Judgements As the end of time draws near for this creation, (the time just before what Paul's refers to as the 'fullness of the times', Eph.1:10 ), every living being will be subject to judgement based on their individual motives and actions during their life and ultimately their faith in the existence of God and His Word. According to Hebrews 9 below, what one does during their life, their choices and actions, is what they will be held accountable for after they die.  Heb.9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:  Let's list out the various judgements that will follow this age and provide a brief context of each. 1. Judgement of sin by Christ's crucifixion. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the center point on the timeline of God's great plan for humanity. The pivot point in the history of this creation rests on the life and sacrifice of...

Faith and Works during the Law Program We know as fact, and because of detailed evidence in Paul's writings, that the grace gospel has no works connected to salvation because Jesus has done the 'works' part on our behalf and all that is required of us to be saved is to believe the completed work of Christ. However, under the Law program, there was no such definitive salvation statements and the pattern during the period of law was that one would believe in the Redeemer/Messiah to come, but until then there were also works of obedience . God still required men to do His commands even though they believed in a coming Redeemer/Messiah. Rom.2:12 For as many as have sinned without law [Gentiles] shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law [Jews] shall be judged by the law; 13 ( For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified . ... Gentiles were never given the law and will never be judged by the la...