Author: Jim

HEAVEN – What’s it like?

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There has been many a sermon, even quoting some scripture, about what Heaven looks like and what it will be! Streets of Gold, Pearly Gates, A river lined with fruit trees, Lion & Lamb laying down together, beautiful Mansions, etc. But upon closer examination we discover that these scriptures are talking about the new Jerusalem and the 1000 year kingdom reign of the Lord Jesus Christ from Jerusalem, promised to the Jew beginning with the call of Abraham.

Why do I say this?
Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.
1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
So, what will heaven be like? According to scripture, while it doesn’t tell, it does say it beyond our wildest thoughts. The apostle Paul gives us just a small glimpse:
2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
Though we don’t know what it’s like we can rest assured that all believer’s will be there.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

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The First 2000 Years

The Bible helps us date the Earth by recording the life span of various people from the time God created Adam to Noah and the flood.

Genesis 5-9

5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth: Adam lived 930 years and had many sons and daughters (5:4-5). But the one being tracked is Seth who lived 912 years (5:12).

5:6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: At 105 years Seth fathered Enos (and many other sons and daughters) and lived 905 years (5:11).

5:10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: At 70 years Cainan fathered Mahalaleel (and many other sons and daughters) and lived 910 years (5:14).

5:15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: At 65 years Mahalaleel fathered Jared (and many other sons and daughters) and lived 895 years (5:14).

5:19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: At 162 years Jared fathered Enoch (and many other sons and daughters) and lived 962 years (5:20).

5:21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: At 65 years Enoch fathered Methuselah (and many other sons and daughters) and lived 365 years (5:23). But Enoch never died, God took him (5:24) because he walked with God.

5:25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech. At 187 years Methuselah fathered Lamech (and many other sons and daughters) and lived 969 years (5:27).

5:28-29 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: And he called his name Noah … At 182 years Lamech fathered Noah (and many other sons and daughters) and lived 777 years (5:31).

7:6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.

Methuselah died the year the flood came. Lamech also died before the flood came. Lamech was born when Methuselah was 187 and Noah was born when Lamech was 182. 187+182=369. And the age of Noah when the flood came, 600+369 = 969 the age when Methuselah died (the same year the flood came).

Lamech died before the flood. 182 when Noah was born, plus Noah’s age 600 when the flood came 182+600=782. Lamech lived 777 years, he died 5 years before the flood.
Thus the Godly line continued thru Noah.

When did the flood occur? When the age of each above named individual is added together plus 600 years of Noah’s life, the flood came about 1656 years after Adam was created. 130+105+90+70+65+162+65+187+182+600=1656

9:29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died. And Noah died 2006 years after creation (950-600=350) (350+1656=2006).

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Feast of FirstFruits

Under the LAW, first fruits referred to offerings to God: Be it from labours, harvest, cattle, meat (food), fruit, honey, oil, wine, family etc. The Israelites were to put God first in all things.

Exodus 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

See other mentions of FIRSTFRUITS in: Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:22, Exodus 34:26, Leviticus 2:12, Leviticus 2:14, Leviticus 23:10, Leviticus 23:17, Leviticus 23:20, Numbers 18:12, Numbers 28:26 and
Deuteronomy 26:10

An example of this is found in :
2 Kings 4:42 And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
Other examples are found in: 2 Chronicles 31:5, Nehemiah 10:35,
Nehemiah 10:37, Nehemiah 12:44 and Nehemiah 13:31

Proverbs 3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

More Old Testament references to understand First Fruits: Jeremiah 2:3,
Ezekiel 20:40 and Ezekiel 44:30
Ezekiel 48:14 And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD.

The Apostle Paul used the teaching of firstfruit to illustration the believer’s relationship to God:
Romans 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Romans 16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
1 Corinthians 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)

James writing to Jewish Believer’s:
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

The 144,000 are the firstfruits during the Tribulation.
Revelation 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

The feasts given to Israel were given to teach Spiritual Truths, then and now.

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Signs of the Times

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Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

The above verse is lifted out of our Lord’s discourse to his disciples on things to come (Matthew 24:3). Now he was warning them about the tribulation (Jacob’s trouble, Daniel’s week) see Matthew 24:21, the great tribulation. The world is experiencing the CORONA VIRUS right now, and things are looking bad BUT this is not the Tribulation that the Lord was speaking about. As bad as it may get (there has been worse) we will get through it.

As believers we need to heed the words of 1 Thessalonians 4 which begins with “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition“. Be sure to read the whole chapter which ends with “Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work”.

And we should be (Titus 2:13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; and (Titus 3:7) That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

THE END IS NOT YET

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God’s Secrets

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The Bible is God’s word to Man. And it is a progressive book. God did not reveal His secrets all at once but over many hundreds of Years.

The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29)
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. (Proverbs 25:2)
I would seek unto God,” Job said, “and unto God would I commit my cause: Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number (Job 5:8-9).
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable (Psalm 145:3).
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite (Psalm 147:5).
…There is no searching of his understanding (Isaiah 40:28).
And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken. (Luke 18:34)
For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. (John 20:9)
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9).
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33)
…that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (Ephesians 3:8).

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In this age of Grace, God has revealed many secrets but again, not all of them. Daniel and John (Revelation) have recorded that there are some secrets yet to come.

Daniel 12:8-9 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Revelation 10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

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The 12th Apostle

Who was/is the 12th Apostle? Was it Matthias (Acts 1:26) or was it Paul (Romans 1:1). Did there have to be a twelfth Apostle?

The Lord called 12 men to follow and work with him during his earthly ministry:

Matthew 10:1-4 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Matthew 26:47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, …
Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, …

One of them, Judas, betrayed him and was lost, leaving 11. After the resurrection, he had to be replaced so the message of the kingdom could be fulfilled. The apostles were to rule from 12 thrones over Israel.

Matthew 19:28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Acts 1:15-25 Peter declared (according to Scripture) that there should be a twelfth apostle named. Speaking of Judas “his bishoprick let another take”.

Then he lists the prerequisites for the selection:
⟹ had to be with them from the beginning of Jesus ministry (1:21),
⟹ from the beginning of John the Baptist unto the resurrection, must have witnessed the resurrection (1:22). (kind of disqualified Paul).

Matthias became the twelfth Apostle for Israel. Paul was a special Apostle for the Church (gentiles).
Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
Called by the Lord to go to the Gentiles Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:


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New Creatures

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The state of Gentiles before Paul was called to be the Apostle to the Gentiles:

Ephesians 2:11-13 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

1st wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision

2nd ye were without Christ,

3rd being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,

4th strangers from the covenants of promise,

5th having no hope,

6th without God in the world:

7th who were far off.

But now in Christ Jesus ye (gentiles) who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

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1 Corinthians 15:1-4 tells us what to believe and Romans 10:9-13 tells us what to do!
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Reverend / Pastor

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What is the difference between Reverend and Pastor?

Matthew 23:8-10 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

Psalm 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.

The Reverend is an honorific style most often placed before the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions.

Wikipedia:

  1. used as a title or form of address to members of the clergy. “the Reverend James Jones”
  2. a member of the clergy.

According to the dictionary, a Pastor is defined as a minister or a priest in charge of a church. He may also be a person giving spiritual care to a group of believers. On the other hand, “reverend” refers to a title or an initial for anyone who is a member of the clergy, worthy of reverence or respect. Reverend (Noun) A title warranting great respect, prefixed to the names of Christian clergy. Reverend (Noun) A person who has earned the designation and is entitled to use it publicly; minister.

A priest is an ordained person in the Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican churches. … ‘Reverend‘ is a common form of address for ordained people regardless of their position (whether pastors, priests, bishops, etc.). So, for example, The Reverend Smith might be the pastor at your local Presbyterian church.

The Reverend is a courtesy title that describes a person. Sometimes The Reverend is shortened by some to Rev. and used as an honorific like Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. before the name. This is not the most formal form, but is the preference in some congregations.

A Pastor is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Protestantism, pastor may be ordained or not while in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches, the Pastor is always an ordained priest.

Wikipedia:

pas·tor

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  1. a minister in charge of a Christian church or congregation.
    Similar names: Priest, minister (of religion), parson, clergyman; cleric, chaplain, padre, father, ecclesiastic, man of God, man of the cloth, churchman, preacher, kirkman, dominie, reverend, Holy Joe, sky pilot, josser
  2. be Pastor of (a church or congregation).
    “he pastored Peninsula Bible Church in Palo Alto”

Jeremiah 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, …
Jeremiah 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Jeremiah 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
Jeremiah 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, …
Jeremiah 17:16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was right before thee.
Jeremiah 22:22 The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: …
Jeremiah 23:1-2 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

It would seem that only God is Reverend and men are Pastors.

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An Apostle – what is

If you check a dictionary you will find several definitions:
1.  any important early Christian teacher, especially St. Paul.
2.  the first successful Christian missionary in a country or to a people.

But how does the Bible define an Apostle? During His ministry, the Lord Jesus called 12 men (Apostles) to follow Him. Luke 6:13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

One of them was lost: Mark 14:10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

This left eleven. After the resurrection/ascension of the Lord Jesus, Peter knew the position Judas held had to be filled:  
Acts 1:20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Then he proceeded to give the qualifications:
Acts 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

They appointed two men, and then cast lots to see who would be the
12th Apostle to fulfill the great command and Matthias was then numbered among the apostles. See Acts 1:22-26.

Some 12 years later, as Israel continued to reject the resurrected Lord Jesus as their Messiah, the risen, ascended Lord Jesus selected Saul of Tarsus, to become the 13th Apostle, to go to the Gentiles. See Acts 9.


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Moses and Paul

SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP

These two men are perhaps the greatest spiritual leaders the world has ever seen. Moses delivered the Law to the Jews (Exodus 21:1) and Paul brought the gospel of the Grace of God to the Gentiles (Acts 20:24).

MOSES was chosen by GOD to lead the Jewish Nation to serve God.

NUMBERS 12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)
DEUTERNOMY 4:1-2 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
MARK 1:44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.
MARK 10:3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
MATTHEW 23:1-3 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
DEUTERNOMY 4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
DEUTERNOMY 4:14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
EXODUS 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: …
NUMBERS 12:2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it. NUMBERS 12:6-9 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. With him will I speak mouth to mouth,…

PAUL was chosen by GOD to offer salvation to the Gentiles.

ACTS 22:17-18 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
ACTS 26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
ROMANS 11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
GALATIANS 1:11-12 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 CORINTHIANS 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
EPHESIANS 3:1-4 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
1 TIMOTHY 1:12-16 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
1 TIMOTHY 6:3-5 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
GALATIANS 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
1 CORINTHIANS 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1 THESOLONIANS 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
GALATIANS 1:11-12 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
2 CORINTHIANS 13:2-3 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:18-19 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Law verses Grace

GALATIANS 5:1-4 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

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