If God Knew...

 ...that the human race should fear Him, does that mean born-again Christians should fear Him as well?

What does it mean to have the fear of God?

For the unbeliever, the fear of God is the fear of the judgment of God and eternal death, which is eternal separation from God (Luke 12:5; Hebrews 10:31). For the believer, the fear of God is something much different. The believer’s fear is reverence of God. Hebrews 12:28-29 is a good description of this: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ’God is a consuming fire.’” This reverence and awe are exactly what the fear of God means for Christians. This is the motivating factor for us to surrender to the Creator of the Universe.

Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Until we understand who God is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we cannot have true wisdom. True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous. Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21 records, “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name. He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” The fear of God is the basis for our walking in His ways, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him.

Some redefine the fear of God for believers to “respecting” Him. While respect is definitely included in the concept of fearing God, there is more to it than that. A biblical fear of God, for the believer, includes understanding how much God hates sin and fearing His judgment on sin—even in the life of a believer. Hebrews 12:5-11 describes God’s discipline of the believer. While it is done in love (Hebrews 12:6), it is still a fearful thing. When we were children, our fear of discipline from our parents no doubt prevented some evil actions on our part. The same should be true in our relationship with God. We should fear His discipline, and therefore seek to live our lives in a way that pleases Him.

Believers are not to be scared of God. We have no reason to be scared of Him. We have His promise that nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38-39). We have His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Fearing God means having a reverence for Him that greatly impacts the way we live. The fear of God is respecting Him, obeying Him, submitting to His discipline, and worshiping Him in awe.

(Source: gotquestions.org)

Revelation 13:10

10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

In describing the beast from the sea and the terror he brings, Revelation 13:10 declares, “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints” (KJV). The New King James modernizes the verb forms: “He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword.”

The beast is the Antichrist, and one of his acts is “to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (Revelation 13:7, NKJV). It is, in fact, God who grants him that authority. Verse 10, then, is a promise of retribution: “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword” (KJV). In other words, the Antichrist will receive what is due him. As Jesus said, “All who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52, ESV).

Other translations follow a different textual variant, and the result is a slightly different meaning:

If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. (Revelation 13:10, NASB 1995)

If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed. (Revelation 13:10, NIV)

If anyone is meant for captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed by the sword, then by the sword he must be killed. (Revelation 13:10, NET)

In these translations, the idea of retribution is gone; in its place is a simple statement of destiny. It is inevitable that the tribulation saints will suffer. Some will be slated for captivity, and some for execution.

It’s that same sense of inescapable providence that we find in Jeremiah 15:1–2. In that passage, the Lord speaks of a recalcitrant Judah, saying, “Send them away from my presence!” (Jeremiah 15:1). In answer to the question “where shall they go?” God says,

Those destined for death, to death;
those for the sword, to the sword;
those for starvation, to starvation;
those for captivity, to captivity. (Jeremiah 15:2, NASB 1995)

The similarity between Jeremiah 15:2 and Revelation 13:10 is striking. What God seems to be saying in Revelation 13 is that the persecution of the saints, though unjust, is destined to happen. The Antichrist will have his way with them for a short period of time. This echoes Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:9, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name” (NASB 1995).

The last part of Revelation 13:10 is an exhortation to persevere: “Here is the patience and the faith of the saints” (KJV). The suffering of the tribulation saints is not beyond the sovereignty of the Lord. In recognition that God is in control, the saints being persecuted by the Antichrist are to submit to their fate. Their means of victory is their steadfast perseverance and faith (see Hebrews 12:1–3). Saints show their faith by trusting in the ultimate justice of God (see 1 Peter 2:23).

Knowing that suffering for the sake of Christ is to be expected promotes growth and maturity in the Christian life. That knowledge combined with the hope that inspires endurance is essential for meeting the challenges that arise in an oppositional world.

Believers learn to take all that comes from God’s hand, and they continue to glorify God no matter what. Poet Richard Baxter put it like this:

Ye saints, who toil below,
Adore your heavenly King,
And onward as ye go
Some joyful anthem sing;
Take what He gives and praise Him still,
Through good or ill, Who ever lives! (“Ye Holy Angels Bright,” 1681).
For Further Study

Thanks for coming by today, Friends.

Lord willing I will be back on Monday.

Have a good rest of your weekend.

And God bless!

No post today. Will be back tomorrow

If God Knew...

...about pain and suffering, why didn't he take Job's life?

What is a mercy killing?

Mercy killing” is “the act of putting a person or animal to death painlessly or allowing them to die by withholding medical services, usually because of a painful and incurable disease.” Mercy killing is also referred to as "euthanasia."

The Greek word euthanasia translates to “good death,” making it and mercy killing terms that can be comforting in the face of difficult medical situations. When any person, especially a family member or close friend, is experiencing pain, mental degeneration, or other adverse condition, our instinct is to relieve the person in any way possible. Sometimes, this desire to alleviate pain can become so strong in the caregiver or patient that it overrides our deeper impulse to preserve life and survive.

This struggle between the desire to end suffering and the desire to survive is not new to humanity. In fact, one of the oldest stories in the Bible tells of Job’s longing for death in the midst of his suffering. Job laments his life, even requesting God to kill him rather than allow his pain—emotional, physical, and spiritual—to continue (Job 6:8-11). Most pertinently, Job declares, “I prefer strangling and death, rather than this body of mine. I despise my life; I would not live forever. Let me alone; my days have no meaning” (Job 7:15-16).

Does the Bible endorse Job’s feelings? It certainly recognizes that such feelings exist. Other characters in Scripture have, in desperation, asked for an early end to their lives, including Elijah (1 Kings 19:4) and Saul (1 Chronicles 10:4). Scripture acknowledges that emotion and even logic can support the idea of a “mercy killing.” However, we do not live by emotion or logic but by faith (Romans 1:17). God has plans and an understanding we can never grasp. He is the Giver and Sustainer of life (Nehemiah 9:6), and we do not have the right to usurp His authority. Near the end of Job’s story, his friend Elihu warns him, “Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction” (Job 36:21). It is not our place to decide the time or manner of our death. Mercy killing is a sin against God’s plan and power.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German theologian who had great personal experience with suffering. He was imprisoned and eventually executed by the Third Reich during World War II. While in prison, he wrote this in his Ethics, published posthumously: “The right to the end of life is reserved for God, because only God knows the goal toward which a life is being directed. God alone wishes to be the one who justifies or rejects a life.”

(Source:gotquestions.org)

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

Revelation 13:8 warns that all who dwell on the earth and are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will worship the Beast, highlighting the eternal distinction between the redeemed and the deceived.

Verse Text

"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (KJV)

Meaning and Context

Revelation 13:8 is part of a larger passage describing the Beast, a figure symbolizing ultimate evil or opposition to God, often associated with the Antichrist in Christian eschatology Enduring Word. The verse emphasizes a global deception, where "all that dwell upon the earth" refers to humanity under the influence of worldly powers, political systems, and false religions that align with the Beast Bible Hub+1. Worshiping the Beast represents allegiance to evil and rejection of God.

The Book of Life

The "Book of Life" is a divine registry of those redeemed by Christ, whose names are written because of their faith in Him biblerepository.com+1. Those whose names are not written are separated from God’s grace and are susceptible to the Beast’s deception biblerepository.com+1. This distinction underscores that salvation is not determined by culture, education, or social status, but by a personal relationship with Christ and inclusion in God’s eternal plan Bible Hub.

"Slain from the Foundation of the World"

The phrase "of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" highlights that Christ’s sacrificial death was part of God’s eternal plan, predating creation King James Bible Online+1. Some interpretations connect this to the writing of names in the Book of Life, while others emphasize that the Lamb’s redemptive work was foreordained to secure salvation for the faithful King James Bible Online+1.

Theological Implications

• Separation of humanity: The verse illustrates a stark division between those who follow worldly deception and those secured in Christ biblerepository.com+1.
• Security of believers: Names written in the Book of Life assure believers that they will not be swept away by end-time deception Bible Hub.
• Warning against false worship: Aligning with the Beast symbolizes adopting false values or ideologies, which leads away from God biblerepository.com+1.
• Encouragement for faithfulness: Believers are called to remain steadfast, even when the majority succumbs to the Beast’s influence Bible Hub.

Summary

Revelation 13:8 conveys a sobering yet hope-filled message: while the world may largely worship the Beast, those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life are eternally safeguarded. It emphasizes the eternal consequences of allegiance, the preordained plan of salvation through Christ, and the importance of remaining faithful amidst deception and worldly pressures biblerepository.com+3.

Thanks for coming by today, Friends. Have a blessed day!

If God Knew...

 ... that Jesus was going to die. for our sins, why did he also create purgatory?

What does the Bible say about Purgatory?

Short answer: the Bible says nothing about purgatory. But, since many people believe in purgatory, regardless of the Bible’s total lack of information about it, we should discuss the doctrine.

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, purgatory is “a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace, are not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.” In other words, in Catholic theology purgatory is the place where a Christian’s soul goes after death to be cleansed of the sins that had not been fully paid for during life. Is the doctrine of purgatory in agreement with the Bible? Absolutely not.

An idea foundational to the doctrine of purgatory is that some of a believer’s sin has not yet been paid for. But Scripture teaches that Jesus died to pay the penalty for all our sins (Colossians 2:13). The Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53:5 took our place: “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.” Jesus suffered for our sins so that we could be delivered from suffering. To say that we must also suffer for our sins is to say that Jesus’ suffering was insufficient in some way. To say that we ourselves must atone for our sins is to deny the adequacy of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus (1 John 2:2). The idea that those who are saved by grace through faith have to pay for their sins after death is contrary to everything the Bible says about salvation.

The primary scriptural passage Catholics point to for evidence of purgatory is 1 Corinthians 3. Verses 10–15 picture the Christian life as a building project, with the caution that “each one should build with care” (1 Corinthians 3:10). Our work will be tested and “will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work” (verse 13). At the judgment seat of Christ, we must give an account of what we’ve done for Christ. First Corinthians 3:14–15 then says, “If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”

According to 1 Corinthians 3, if our works are of good quality (“gold, silver, costly stones,” verse 12), they will pass through the “fire” unharmed, and we will be rewarded for them. If our works are of poor quality (“wood, hay or straw,” verse 12), they will be consumed by the “fire,” and there will be no reward. The fire is not literal in this passage, any more than the “gold” is literal gold or the “hay” is literal hay. The passage does not say that believers pass through the fire but that a believer’s works pass through the fire. That is, the works are put to the test. First Corinthians 3:15 refers to the believer “escaping through the flames,” not being cleansed by the flames. There is no purging of sin here, only a testing of works.

Purgatory, like many other Catholic dogmas, misrepresents the nature of Christ’s sacrifice. Catholics view the Mass/Holy Eucharist as a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice, ignoring the fact that Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice was absolutely and perfectly sufficient (Hebrews 7:27). Catholics view meritorious works as contributing to one’s salvation rather than recognize that Jesus’ payment has no need of an additional “contribution” from us (Ephesians 2:8–9). Similarly, purgatory is taught to be a place of cleansing in preparation for heaven, overlooking the truth that, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are already cleansed. We are also justified, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled, adopted, and sanctified.

The very idea of purgatory and the doctrines that are often attached to it (prayers for the dead, indulgences, meritorious works on behalf of the dead, etc.) imply that Jesus’ death was insufficient to pay the penalty for sin. The Bible says that Jesus, who is God incarnate (John 1:1, 14), paid an infinite price for our sin by providing the only acceptable sacrifice (1 John 2:2). To limit Jesus’ sacrifice to atoning for original sin or sins committed before salvation is an attack on His person and work. If we, in order to be saved, must pay for our own sin, then Jesus’ payment was not enough. If ridding ourselves of sin requires us to suffer interminably in purgatory, then Jesus’ suffering and death did not provide a powerful, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice.

Due to Christ’s death and resurrection, the believer’s position in heaven is as secure as can be. It’s as if we are already there: “It is by grace you have been saved! And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5–6, BSB).

After death believers are “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8; cf. Philippians 1:23). Notice that this verse does not say, “Away from the body and in purgatory suffering in cleansing fire.” Because of the powerful, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice of Jesus, we are taken immediately into the Lord’s presence when we die. Because we are in Christ, we are fully cleansed, free from sin, glorified, and perfected.

(Source:gotquestions.org)

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. Revelation 13:7

Revelation 13:7 describes the beast being granted temporary authority to wage war against God’s people, highlighting both the severity of persecution and God’s ultimate sovereignty.

Context and Overview

Revelation 13:7 states that the beast was given power to make war against the saints and to overcome them, with authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation (KJV) biblerepository.com. This verse emphasizes that the beast’s power is permitted by God, not autonomous, reflecting a recurring biblical theme where God allows evil to operate within limits for His purposes (Job 1:12; Luke 22:31–32; Daniel 4:17) Bible Hub. The “saints” refer to faithful believers who remain steadfast in their devotion to God, even under intense persecution biblerepository.com+1.

Symbolism of the Beast

The beast symbolizes a formidable, oppressive power aligned with evil, often interpreted as the Antichrist or a tyrannical empire that opposes God and His people BibleRef.com+1. Its authority over all nations, languages, and tribes indicates a global scope of influence, suggesting that the persecution of believers is not isolated but widespread biblerepository.com+1. The imagery conveys the intensity and universality of the trials that the faithful will face.

Theological Significance

The verse underscores several key theological points:

• Delegated Power: The beast’s authority is granted by God, showing that even evil operates under divine sovereignty Bible Hub. This reassures believers that God remains in control despite apparent triumphs of evil.
• Persecution and Martyrdom: The saints will face real and costly opposition, including potential martyrdom, as the beast wields its temporary power Bible Hub+1.
• Temporary Reign: The beast’s authority is limited in duration, echoing Revelation 13:5, which restricts its power to forty-two months. This highlights that God sets both the scope and timing of evil’s activity Bible Hub.
• Ultimate Victory of God: Despite the beast’s temporary victories, believers’ eternal standing is secure, and God will ultimately defeat the beast (2 Thessalonians 2:8; Romans 8:37) Bible Hub.

Summary

Revelation 13:7 portrays a terrifying period of persecution where the beast exercises unprecedented authority over the world and wages war against God’s faithful. Yet, the repeated emphasis on phrases like “was permitted” and “was given” reminds readers that this power is temporary and under God’s control, serving to purify believers and prepare the way for Christ’s ultimate triumph over all evil Bible Hub+2. The verse calls believers to remain steadfast, trusting in God’s sovereignty even amid trials.

Thanks for stopping by today, Friends.

I pray for you to have a glorious, blessed day

in Jesus!