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| ETERNAL LIFE |
The Resurrection Season was not limited to Resurrection Sunday.
It lasted until Ascension Day. This
Resurrection "season" was the 40 days and 40 nights the Resurrected
LORD JESUS CHRIST spent with His+
disciples, coming and going among them --- in His+ glorified body ---, teaching
them things and opening their understanding unto the Scriptures which told about HIM+.
( See Luke 24:27, Luke 24:44-45, Mark 16:20, Acts 1:3. )
These Scriptures, of course, were the Prophets and Patriarchs and
Psalms found in the Old Covenant because ... the New had not yet been written.
... That Ye Might Believe ............
But these things have been written,
in order that ye might
believe
that JESUS is the CHRIST,
the SON+ of GOD;
and that believing,
LIFE
ye might have
through His+ Name.
John 20:31
***
Literal Greek
+ + +
MEDITATION
All the flurry of events recorded in the Gospel accounts of when
the Followers of JESUS first saw HIM+ in His+ glorified Body --- including the
crucifixion scars --- were recorded for one purpose: THAT WE ALL MIGHT BELIEVE IN JESUS.
Now, BELIEVE ... that particular Greek verb is a familiar word, pisteu0 # 4100 in Strong's.
It normally is translated as "believe." It means to credit
with faith or to trust.
Let's replace "believe" with "trust" in this
verse.
But these things have been written,
in order that ye might
TRUST
that JESUS is the CHRIST,
the SON+ of GOD;
and that TRUSTING,
ye might have
LIFE
through His+ Name.
Thus, these accounts were recorded so that we might TRUST that
JESUS is the REAL CHRIST Who+ was to come into the world.
Now, let's look at another familiar verse , the last verse in the
third chapter of John, verse 3:36.
He that believes [ TRUSTS]
on the SON+
has everlasting life:
and [but]
he that believes not
[ DISOBEYS] the SON+
shall not see LIFE;
but [ contrariwise]
the wrath of GOD
abides on him.
Here, then, is a major, MAJOR problem with the translation.
There are two DIFFERENT Greek words used for "believe," but
the KJV translators reduced them down to one common word.
That was MOST unfortunate. The Christian world has paid dearly for that verse's errors.
[ NOTE: The Aramaic-Syriac Peshitta agrees with the Greek text,
both quite early. It seems the KJV translators followed the Latin
Vulgate text for this one verse. Why, I do not know. --- sjh ]
Because the translators were not completely honest in their
translating, many, many souls have relegated their walk with GOD to a mere
mental "agreement" to an historical event.
By accepting the ERRORS, for instance, a reader might think that
BELIEVING was a mental exercise... sort of like agreeing with the FACT of an
historical event, that the event took place.
For instance, we believe that Napoleon lived and led his people into
wars.
That is a mental belief, based on trust-worthy historical
records. It requires NO CHANGE OF HEART
to accept that as a true fact even though we who are alive now did not
experience the Napoleonic wars.
No change of heart is required as long as one holds to the
"correct" doctrines, yes ?
NO. Absolutely NOT. A change of heart is required.
Belief is NOT a mere mental agreement to an historical fact or a set of doctrines.
In Scripture the pisteu0 word entails a TRUSTING of
one's Self to JESUS CHRIST. That act goes far beyond a mental acceptance as a
"belief."
This kind of believing is made effective ONLY BY EXPERIENCE, only
when we actively ARE entrusting our lives unto HIM+.
The second word is apeithe0. That is the second
"believe (not) " found in John 3:36.
Now this word is scary ! This verse is terrifying,
if read in the Greek.
This "believe (not)" literally means " to
refuse to be persuaded"... and that means "obstinately
and willfully refusing GOD'S will even when one knows it." It means being stubborn... stubbornly un-accepting
GOD'S Truth even though one KNOWS HE+
is right.
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| ETERNAL DAMNATION |
For that person, the WRATH of GOD abides on --- remains on --- sits on him.
He cannot turn to the left hand nor to the right without running head-long
into the wrath of GOD.
But these things have been written,
in order that ye might
TRUST
that JESUS is the CHRIST,
the SON+ of GOD;
and that TRUSTING,
ye might have
LIFE
through His+ Name.
+ + +
Let Us Pray...
O Gracious Heavenly FATHER,
I come to THEE in trembling for all the persons I know who are
willfully obstinate in their refusal to bend the knee to THEE and to Thy SON+,
The RISEN LORD JESUS.
Grant me, I beseech THEE, an anointing to reach these lost, lost
souls for THEE.
Help me to pray with Thine Anointing.
Let the fire of Thy SPIRIT go forth, so that not by might nor by
power, but by Thy SPIRIT may their yoke of hardness be broken, O LORD, that
they may be saved from facing Thy wrath.
We know, O Merciful FATHER, that it is Thy
desire that all should turn and be saved and come to the knowledge of the
TRUTH+. For it is written, Turn ye, Turn ye, at MY Reproof,
for why will ye die ?
Therefore, we ask these things in the Name of
Thy Beloved SON+ our Risen and Glorified LORD JESUS CHRIST. Amen.
+ + +
I+ am the resurrection, and the life:
he that believeth in ME+,
though he were dead,
yet shall he live:
And
whosoever liveth
and believeth in ME+
shall never die.
Believest thou this?
Yes, LORD, I+ believe
that THOU+ art the CHRIST,
the SON+ of GOD,
WHO+ should come into the
world.
+ + +
