Theological – Eschatological question was asked: “What do you say is the overall theme of the Bible?“

The overall theme of the Bible is Elohim’s restoration of holiness, righteousness, peace, to His eternal Kingdom disrupted by a rebellious cherub angel and unfaithful angels that followed in the Great Kingdom Rebellion – a spiritual war of unfathomable proportions (Genesis 3:15; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:12-17; Revelation 12; Luke 10:18; John 8:44).

Elohim’s eschatological plan is to use this temporary Earth, Time, as a repository for this destructive spiritual war; this, apart from the Spiritual Kingdom and to “to destroy the works of the devil” via Messiah (Genesis 3:15; 1 John 3:8b) via a battle strategy known as the “Gospel” that was ordained “before Time began” (Genesis 3:21; 2 Timothy 1:8-10); the Gospel being an eschatological plan involving victory for Elohim over the Devil (Revelation 20:10) via selfless love demonstrated by Messiah at Golgotha and declared complete with the words “It is finished” (John 19:30); this, in order that volitional love and intimate relationship between Elohim and His faithful angelic creation would be unimpeded, secure, eternally.

The role of mankind in this spiritual war that rages around us and through us is to choose whom we will serve. We are provided the option to honor the Father by faith and trust in His Son, Jesus Christ, and live with Him eternally in victory (John 3) – or – we can choose to reject the Father’s will and honor Satan and suffer a fate similar to that of Satan in eternity (Revelation 20:10-15). The central theme of the Bible is not hidden nor is it a mystery.

The New Covenant – Israel – ridiculing the Gentile…a rebuttal…

“Don’t you understand that the New Covenant is promised only to Israel, not the Gentile?” (Ezekiel 36; Jeremiah 31)

Christian Gentile response,

Do you realize that the Gentile was prophesied through Hosea to be part of Elohim’s New Covenant (Hosea 2) and that said prophecy was reiterated by the Apostle Paul (Romans 9:25)?

Do you realize that Israel’s covenants with Elohim were predicated upon National obedience (Deuteronomy 28) and that Israel was foreordained to be the recipients of the New Covenant (Ezekiel 36; Jeremiah 31) that replaced the Law Covenant (Hebrews 8:7) in order that Elohim fulfill His promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:3b) via the Great Commission (Matthew 28) and do you realize that Jesus came specifically to the “lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 15:24); this, subsequent 400-years of divine silence between Malachi and Bethlehem and Jesus made every attempt to proselytize Israel’s children in the Covenant of Grace through Faith in Him as their Messiah (John 3; John 5:39; Matthew 23:37) but Israel’s children rejected their Messiah; Israel’s children falsely accused Him of blasphemy and conspired with the Roman authorities to murder their Messiah upon a tree; this, while exclaiming-demanding that Messiah’s blood be upon them and their children (Matthew 27:25)?

Do you realize the significance, relevance and necessity for “free will” concerning Elohim’s eschatological will relevant to destroying the works of the devil (1 John 3:8b) through the Gospel via Messiah, the Gospel ordained before Time began (2 Timothy 1:8-10)? Do you understand that Elohim took the promises and blessing of the New Covenant from Israel’s children as a consequence of their unbelief, rebellion, murder of Messiah and gave same to the Gentiles until the fullness of the Gentiles have entered the Kingdom while Israel was placed under judgment in unbelief (Romans 11:25) and do you realize that only a “remnant” of Israel’s children will escape the “second death” in Hell due to unbelief (Isaiah 10:22; Romans 9:27)?

Do you understand that any relevance Israel and the Law Covenant play in the Millennial Kingdom and in the New Jerusalem will not concern Israel’s glorification but Elohim’s glorification due His long-suffering and restraint concerning a stubborn and obstinate people (Exodus 32:9) who rejected His will and ordination and blessings for them as a sanctified and anointed people, these, who failed Him at every turn; this, to magnify the promises and holiness of Elohim as He conquered evil through His own selfless love demonstrated and fulfilled at Golgotha with the words “It is finished” (John 19:30)?

Do you understand that if you reject Yeshua as your Messiah who died for you that you too will die in your sin and not see life in the Kingdom irrespective of your heritage or genealogy (John 8:24)?

Theological question asked: “Is there a difference between laws and [the] 10-Commandments?” Making Sinai an Icon? Why?

Christian response,

The Ten Commandments are a codified fragment of the Spiritual Law of Conscience (Romans 2:14-15) given specifically to Israel’s children for eschatological purposes. The Commandments were etched in stone for the Hebrew Tribes as they were sanctified, set apart, by Yahweh for His eschatological purposes going forward; this, concerning the Gospel and His coming Messiah who would enter Time through the Tribe of Judah. Israel’s children were commanded to be holy as Elohim is Holy (Leviticus 19-20; 1 Peter 1:15-17) and the Decalogue was given as a tutorial for this specific purpose.

Reasoning for the Decalogue (The Ten Commandments),

Yahweh was concerned relevant to His relationship with the Hebrew Tribes as they were inundated by paganism serving pagan gods; therefore, Yahweh codified specific laws (nine-moral, one-ceremonial) providing a bulwark against specific, immoral, destructive, behaviors practiced by these pagan tribes, behavior that would have alienated Israel’s children and broken covenant with Yahweh, much like the defiled behavior of the Adamic and Noahic generations before them, a wicked and perverse people through whom Elohim refused to bring about a people group that would further His eschatological plan to “destroy the works of the Devil” (1 John 3:8b) through His primary battle strategy, the Gospel (Genesis 3:21), ordained “before Time began” (2 Timothy 1:8-10); Elohim’s chosen Vessel to implement the Gospel, Messiah Yeshua (1 John 3:8b) who came specifically to Israel’s children to proselytize them in the “Good News” of Elohim’s grace through faith; in fact, it was Israel’s children who were foreordained to be ministers of the Gospel concerning the “Great Commission” thereby fulfilling Yahweh’s promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:3b).

Elohim’s 2nd-Eschotological effort concerning victory over the Devil,

The demonically rooted behaviors of the Adamic and Noahic generations were so repulsive to Elohim (Genesis 6) that He destroyed all but eight with water. The Patriarchy of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was Elohim’s second eschatological effort at maneuvering Time and physics via free will toward victory over the Devil at Golgotha; this, via Elohim’s own selfless love as a critical demonstrative act of compassion for the sake of maintaining volitional love and intimacy with His faithful angelic creation witnessing the struggle between Satan and Elohim within the created Realm of Time (Genesis 3:15; John 8:44; Luke 10:18; John 16:11).

Far too many theologians, Judaizers, legalists, religions, place eschatological emphasis on the Decalogue, Sinai, to the point of idolatry not understanding that the foundational root of the Decalogue is the Spiritual Law of Conscience (Romans 2:14-15) that has been extant from the creation of the angels forward as an arbiter of free will; the Spiritual Law having been infused within the human genome on Day-6 by Elohim for His eschatological purposes going forward; the Spiritual Law, the Law of the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2) written upon the heart of humanity at conception in the womb and utilized by the Holy Spirit in the New Covenant via the redeemed human conscience (2 Corinthians 5:17) via the daily process of sanctification to produce “fruits of righteousness” (Galatians 5) in the redeemed by faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah; the Spiritual Law of Conscience that will remain extant throughout Eternity as free will remains relevant in Eternity concerning intimacy, relationship, with our Creator. The Spiritual Law being eternally and infinitely superior to Sinai’s Decalogue.

In closing,

The Decalogue certainly has its theological place in Time but should not be an Icon of worship but understood and interpreted as Yahweh’s codified laws given specifically to Israel’s children and sojourners with them; this, as a bulwark against compromise with paganism. The Christian should not be idolizing nine-moral laws carved in stone given a Nation of people who rejected Elohim’s New Covenant ordination, but the Christian should be focused upon the One that is the fulfillment of those codified laws and offers humanity a perfected imputed-gifted righteousness in exchange for our sin through His sinless perfection; who is, Jesus Christ our God and Messiah. Worship Jesus, not that which points humanity to Him by faith (Galatians 3:24-26).

If the Christian is saved by GRACE through faith in Messiah, why must they seek forgiveness, repentance, of sin subsequent salvation?

Christian response,

GRACE is NOT a license to sin void repercussions…

The one who has trusted in Jesus as Messiah by faith, having established New Covenant relationship with the Father and received the Holy Spirit as Guarantor of that Covenant (John 3; Ephesians 1:13-14), these are declared “not guilty” by the Father via covenant promise, forever (Hebrews 8:12).

The Christian is covered – protected – sealed in the imputed-gifted righteousness of Jesus by faith (2 Corinthians 5:21) yet the Adamic sin-nature (Romans 5:12) struggles with the new-nature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 7:14-25); therefore, when a Christian sins in word, thought or deed, they remain forgiven by grace but the Christian is given 1 John 1:9 for the sake of conscience and intimacy with our Lord.

Our misbehavior…our temporary rebellion or mistake or error in judgment does NOT threaten eternal covenant with the Father but it does weaken intimacy as the Holy Spirit is grieved within us and our conscience is likewise grieved as the Holy Spirit employs, makes applicable, the Spiritual Law via the conscience (Romans 2:14-15); therefore, the Christian apologizes to the Father for their indiscretion and thereby reestablishes “intimacy” and “peace” within the inner man as intimacy with our Lord is the most cherished and fulfilling gift provided by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:1).

The Law of the Spirit of Life v. the law of sin and death,

This is but one-reason why the “Law of the Spirit of Life” in the New Covenant is infinitely superior to the law of sin and death, the written code (Romans 8:2), as the indwelling Holy Spirit, in the New Covenant, methodically works through the redeemed conscience of the faithful in Messiah (2 Corinthians 5:17) and meticulously discerns applied discretion within the redeemed relevant to every moral decision encountered daily, a divine discernment that is not subject to rationalization, obfuscation, justification by the flesh; whereas, the written code is easily rationalized away by the sin-nature and a seared conscience, a compromise with the World that culminates in the death of mind, body, soul, eternally.

Theological question was asked: “Who is the “Us” and “Our” in Genesis 1:26-27?

Angels or the Father, Son and Spirit and WHY? (Why did Elohim create?)

It is written,

26 Then God said, “Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27 (NASB)

Christian response,

The “Us” and “Our” represent Elohim (Genesis 1:1), the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Angels don’t create nor are we created in the spiritual image of an angel nor did humanity inherit angelic attributes but mankind inherited certain divine communicable attributes from Elohim; this, for His eschatological purposes as humanity is created in the spiritual image of Elohim.

The Father and the Holy Spirit tell you that the World was created through the Son, Jesus Christ (John 1; Hebrews 1; Colossians 1) and we know the Holy Spirit is the Logistical Overseer of the Creation Narrative as He is first introduced in Genesis 1:2.

Genesis 1:26-27 represents a unique collaborative working of the Father, Son and Spirit in the creation of the unique human genome that would play an intimate role in the Father’s eschatological plan “to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8b) via the Son via the Father’s unique battle strategy of “selfless love” articulated in the Gospel that was ordained “before Time began” (2 Timothy 1:8-10).

Creation Ex Nihilo?

Theologians have argued over the process, the particulars, of the Creation Narrative for millennia and an overwhelming majority incorrectly assume that Time-Matter-the complex Human Genome were created ex nihilo (out of nothing) but this is NOT what the Holy Spirit teaches.

In response to Satan’s destructive rebellion in the Kingdom, the Father delegated authority to the Son (John 3:35; Matthew 28:18) as Creator (John 1; Hebrews 1; Colossians 1) and the Son proceeded to take elements from the unseen Spiritual Realm and fashion those elements into matter that can be apprehended and interacted with by a spirit encapsulated by flesh and bone (spirit with matter) and that spirit of man was fashioned in the spiritual image of Elohim; hence, it is written,

3 By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible. Hebrews 11:3 (NASB)

What the Holy Spirit is teaching here is the truism that all matter, Time, everything possessing physicality finds its origin in the unseen Spiritual Realm and this is why the Evolutionist, Physicist, Anthropologist, will NEVER define origin as the physical, constrained by time and matter and physics, will never adequately define or explain the Spiritual Realm, that which Jesus tells us is the Realm of His Kingdom; hence, it is written,

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” John 18:36

What has the Father said about His Son as Creator in the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chapter 1?

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by 👉👉👉his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

________________________

👉8 But of the Son he says,

👉“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,

the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has anointed you

with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

10 And,

👉👉👉“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,

and the heavens are the work of your hands;

11 they will perish, but you remain;

they will all wear out like a garment,

12 like a robe you will roll them up,

like a garment they will be changed.[a]

But you are the same,

and your years will have no end.”

What has the Holy Spirit said about Jesus Christ as Creator?

John 1 (NASB)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind. 5 And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Holy Spirit continues relevant to Jesus as Creator…

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: 16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1:15-20 (NASB)

In closing,

The entirety of the Heavens, the Earth, the complex human genome, were created in response to Satan’s destructive rebellion in the Kingdom and this Earth is nothing more than a temporary “battle ground” where the destructiveness of Satan’s rebellion was removed from the Kingdom, where nothing impure is permitted to exist (Revelation 21:27), and that “Kingdom War” has been placed here upon this Earth and partially constrained by Time and physics (Ephesians 6); this, as Elohim deals with a rebellious cherub angel and those that followed that angel in the rebellion…Elohim is victorious and His victory was won via selfless love via the Gospel via the Son via Golgotha and the remaining faithful angelic creation observes with awe. The war between good v. evil rages on around us and through us while we possess the volition, free will, to chose whom we will serve, Satan or Elohim.

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Elohim =

Father – Administrator

Son – Creator, Warrior, Messiah, Judge

Holy Spirit – Logistics

Boat Ramp Anxiety – Offering encouragement to the novice boat owner…

I use the little T-16 to offer suggestions from one boating rookie to another that may reduce the dreaded “Boat Ramp Anxiety” that can spoil a day on the water, endanger your marriage relationship and damage your boat. This video is applicable to the new boat owner not familiar with boats, launching a boat or loading same from the water.

I apologize for the poor video quality…we’re using a little “Go Pro” type recorder…it’s seen better days.

John the Baptizer said:  “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance… but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire…” Matthew 3:11 (KJV) 

The deceptive world of Charismata, Full-Gospel religion…

In Matthew 3, “he that cometh after” is the Messiah concerning the Holy Spirit and “baptism” means to be “immersed in” in this context and in the New Covenant, the one who believes Jesus is Messiah is subsequently “immersed in” the indwelling Holy Spirit by covenant promise (Ezekiel 36:27; Jeremiah 31:31-34) as He, the Holy Spirit, takes-up residence within the believer as the Seal and Guarantor of New Covenant with the Father (Ephesians 1:13-14) at which time the Holy Spirit begins a new work, a good work, in the redeemed through the conscience where “fruits of righteousness” (Galatians 5) are produced as Jesus said “You will know them by their fruit” (Matthew 7:15-20). 

In the world of Religious Charismata, there is a false teaching that the Holy Spirit is given through a subsequent “baptism” following salvation by faith in Jesus as Messiah; this is a misunderstanding of Scripture as the Holy Spirit is given to all who believe; this, by covenant promise, as the Holy Spirit is the Seal and Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father, forever (Ephesians 1:13-14).  

At the MOMENT you believed in Jesus as your Messiah who died to pay your sin-debt owed the Father, you received every ounce, every potential omnipotent degree of power and strength provided by the Holy Spirit that you will ever receive; the potential power and success of the Holy Spirit’s work in your life is wholly predicated upon how much of your personal will you’re willing to surrender to the Father’s will for your life and your willingness to step-out in faith and exercise the Spiritual Gifts granted you by the Father at the moment you believed; these Spiritual Gifts given to provide you the opportunity to serve the Father and His Kingdom while constrained by Time and physics on this Earth.  

There is no subsequent “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” following salvation relevant to the one who has truly believed in Jesus Christ as Messiah by faith; this, following the initiation of the New Covenant Church on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. The moment you believe Jesus is your Messiah, you are a born again child of the Living God and the Holy Spirit takes-up residence within you as your Counselor, Intercessor, Guarantor, Truth, Teacher, Friend, forever.

It is not necessary for you engage in the laying-on of hands type ceremony or a subsequent baptism in order to receive the Holy Spirit Who is promised you as the Seal-Guarantor of covenant the moment you believe in Jesus as Lord.  

Your salvation, your anointing by the Holy Spirit, is NOT contingent upon another man’s will or work, a Church, a congregation or religious tradition but your salvation is made complete in Jesus, His work at Golgotha, a work performed by Jesus for you that you believe and trust in by faith…your salvation is between you and the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and no one else…this is intimacy, this is peace, this is faith, exercised (Romans 5:1).

Theological Question was asked: “Which comes first, accepting God or Baptism?”

Christian response,

If one desires life, they must first repent (turn away from) of their sin (Luke 13:3), believe-trust-acknowledge Jesus Christ as Messiah who died for them to pay their sin-debt owed the Father, a debt humanity could never pay through self-righteousness (Ephesians 2:8-9), and thereby enter into New Covenant relationship with the Father and subsequently receive the indwelling Holy Spirit as their Seal and Guarantor of that Covenant (John 3; Ephesians 1:13-14).

Water Baptism is commanded by Jesus (Matthew 28) and “follows” salvation by grace through faith. Water – Baptism is not a “saving element” of the salvation process but only publicly demonstrates what has already manifest in the life of the redeemed in Jesus by faith; therefore, water baptism “follows” salvation (acknowledging Jesus as Messiah) and is a believer’s first true act of obedience integral with the daily sanctification process via the Holy Spirit.

Yes, there are a number of scriptures in the epistles and Acts that appear to suggest water baptism is mandated for salvation but a well performed exegesis verifies that water saves no one from death in Hell nor does water initiate covenant with the Father and only the blood of Messiah shed on a Roman Cross at Golgotha is the element of acceptable atonement that the Father acknowledges as “payment” for our sin-debt (Leviticus 17:11; 1 Peter 1:19).

Theological question was asked: “Can someone please explain Matthew 5:17?”

Jesus said,

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”  Matthew 5:17 

Brief exegesis of Matthew 5:17, 

The Law, both the Spiritual (Romans 2:14-15) and the Written Code (Sinai – Law of Moses) only define our sin but provide no form of atonement or hope for humanity concerning establishing covenant relationship with the Father (Romans 3:20; 1 Timothy 1:8-9); therefore, anyone who seeks to please the Father through vain attempts to keep the Law is cursed (Galatians 3:10) and their works of self-righteousness are interpreted by the Father as a “filthy rag” (Isaiah 64:6); this, because the Law demands absolute perfection in obedience if one is to attain righteousness (a right standing) with the Father by law-keeping (James 2:10); but the problem is this, all of humanity is under the condemnation of sin (Romans 3:23) as children of Adam (Romans 5:12); therefore, all of humanity is condemned by the Law; fortunately, the Father did not leave us in our hopeless condition but ordained the Son, Jesus Christ, to destroy death, Hell, the grave, (the works of the Law and of Satan) via the Gospel which was ordained “before Time began” (1 John 3:8b; 2 Timothy 2:8-10; Romans 8:1-6).  

Jesus entered the Realm of Time born of the virgin seed via the Holy Spirit (Luke 1) and thereby circumvented the sin-nature of Adam passed to all of humanity genomically (Romans 5:12); Jesus, being fully Elohim (God) and fully man (Philippians 2:5-11), walked this Earth for 33.5-years in sinless perfection (John 8:46) by keeping every jot and tittle of the Law in perfection and thereby became our Spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World through His blood atonement provided at Golgotha and thereby fulfilled the mandates of Leviticus 17:11 for us, once and forever (John 1:29; 1 Peter 1:19; Hebrews 8 – 10).  

The Father, by New Covenant promise, acknowledges the work of Jesus Christ at Golgotha on our behalf and agrees to forgive our sin, past-present-future (Hebrews 8:12), when we believe-trust in Jesus Christ by faith as Lord-Messiah-Redeemer who died for us (John 3).  

This redemption is ultimately made complete by New Covenant promise in that the Father agrees to impute-gift the sinless perfection/righteousness of Jesus over the life of the one who believes Jesus is Messiah who died for them (2 Corinthians 5:17; Genesis 3:21); this, in exchange for our sin; plus, the Father imparts-infuses His Holy Spirit into the life of the one who has believed in Jesus as Lord and the Holy Spirit is the Seal and Guarantor of New Covenant relationship with the Father, forever (Ephesians 1:13-14); in addition, the Holy Spirit enters the life of the faithful in Jesus and begins a good work within them by employing the redeemed conscience (2 Corinthians 5:17) of the faithful and combines that with the enlivened Spiritual Law written upon our heart at conception (Romans 2:14-15) and the Spirit produces “fruits of righteousness” in the life of the redeemed in Jesus, fruit that pleases the Father and validates our saving faith as authentic (Galatians 5; Matthew 7:15-20); this, as the Holy Spirit prepares the faithful in Jesus for service in the New Jerusalem.