Joe,
Regarding your "you vs. us" contentions that we are not like-minded, have profound differences, and follow different Christs, are you implying that those who differ from your beliefs on hell are not Christians? If so, that's a heavy statement to make, and I would be curious to know when and how God gave you the ability and authority to make such a determination.
As far as I know, belief on either side of the debate about hell (or the rapture, or what foods we can eat, which day is the sabbath, etc.) will not disqualify us from God's grace and gift of eternal life.
And I disagree that it isn't a case of each of us being at different stages in our maturity in Christ, because none of us were born with our current belief system, and some of us have changed our view on something, based on new (or corrected) revelation from the Holy Spirit.
So I think we all need to be humble about who we are in Christ and have a thankful heart. Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of humility in your post, I see pride, which is a deadly sin. Please consider that.
John,
As Mike did, you are confusing my confidence in Christ with pride or arrogance. As you know, I do not believe in "free will". Christ directs all my steps (as He does yours even though you don't acknowledge it).
Christ came to me in Oct 2005 and healed my spiritual blindness. Unless you have experienced His second coming to you personally, you will not know the true Christ. Without spiritual vision, the scriptures are concealed. The book of Revelation is the "Unveiling of Jesus Christ". It is written completely in spiritual language. It is not a book about the "endtimes" - I used to believe and teach that before 2005. It is a book about Christ and knowing Him. The book's primary teachings are about the Kingdom of Heaven coming to you personally and dwelling within you. It was relevant to the first century Christians and every generation since that time. Matthew 24 is no different - it is not about the "endtimes" as is commonly taught. It is about the end of the age coming upon Christ's chosen people in every generation since Pentecost. Once Christ comes a second time to a person, the scriptures open up and at that point, the person can truly see that they have been folowing "another Jesus". The scriptures teach that when Christ comes to a person the first time, that person can only see Him with carnal eyes. Because they see Him carnally (in the flesh), Satan quickly moves (Wheat and tares parable) in and deceives the person into following him (who masquerades as "another Jesus".
When we first come to Christ, we are carnally minded and spiritually blind. Until Christ comes to that person again (the spiritual second coming of Christ) and heals their spiritual vision, they simply cannot see the true Christ. It has been that way since Christ first started His ministry on earth. That is why the churches that the apostles all started quickly became harlot after their passing. For the same reasons, the scribes and Pharisees could not recognize who Christ was when He came to them. Christ told them to their face that they were blind and that they were actually serving Satan and not God. He also said to them that "because you say you see, your sin remains". Christ describes us this way after we are deceived by Satan and enter Satan's church instead of the true church:
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
The above description applies to every carnal Christian. I was in this state until He came again to me in 2005. I was 44 back then and I had been unknowingly in the harlot church since my birth. I truly was "spiritually" wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. This was my true state of being, my spiritual state. My carnal state told me that I was rich and in need of nothing. I was prideful, boastful and very self righteous. All carnal Christians are this way and it is because they follow the ways of Satan instead of Christ.
If Christ didn't return again and "shorten" the days His Elect (chosen) spend in the Harlot Church "no flesh would survive".
Matt 24:21-22 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
We would all die in the wilderness after wandering around for 40 years in "great tribulation". The great tribulation is not in the future as the endtime teachers teach, but it occurs while we are in the wilderness, in the Harlot Church serving Satan. But Christ comes to His elect and empowers them to cross the river Jordon into the promised land. All others die in the wilderness (the Harlot Church) to be raised again into judgment. From that judgment, they too will be made righteous.
All men must come to Christ on the same path. He shortens those days for the elect so that they can be the "first fruits" of the harvest. But God is a great farmer and he will harvest all of His crop of mankind. He has chosen to harvest His church first, then the rest of mankind at the end of the harvest season. He is the one who chooses and blesses those that make up His church. If He didn't "come again" to His elect, they too would die in their sins in the wilderness. We are all at His mercy to save us. He directs our path - we do not. Once a person truly comes to know and believe this about ones self, it is a very humbling experience.
So no, I am not self righteous or prideful as you & Mike contend. Christ took that away from me in 2005.
Only now, when I try to share my joy of Christ with those still in the wilderness, most do not believe or understand. But a few do. John the baptist typified what I do. I am a voice in the wilderness crying out for those whom Christ has chosen to "come out of her my people" and follow the true Christ. I am that voice from heaven (not Christ but merely one crying out in the wilderness) along with all of the other Elect who have made that same cry since the first generation after Christ came.
Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
At this point, most of those in the wilderness are ready to take up stones to stone me. But I am what I am by the grace of God. I will continue serving Him as He directs me until my race is finished. Christ received no better welcome in Jerusalem. They thought of Him as being "mad" too.
Someday, all will hear His voice and come unto the knowledge of the Lord. If Mike wants to remove me from this forum (cast me out of the synagogue), then it is God's will. I will shake off the dust from my shoes and will move on to another town.
Joe
