It looks like the reconstruction of the main page on James Flanders website is now through. Although it was a bit of a shock to see, since things have looked exactly the same for a year.
I must conclude that I like the changes!
It seems to be much more used friendly and will help first time visitors to find the topics they are looking for quickly and easily.
In the upper left is a link to the most current teaching. Below that are direct links to "Hot Topics" such as universal reconciliation, hell/eternal torment/the lake of fire, suffering, the problem of evil (a great and challenging series of teachings), and a study through the Paul's letter to the Romans.
The right hand column is filled with "Listener Favorites."
It looks like the favorites list was compiled based upon the number of clicks the "like" button received for the teachings.
The new main page has also reminded me that there are certain teachings that are worth listening to more than once because some of them cram way too much content into too short a time and I end up missing a lot the first go round.
Take some time to explore the new website. I believe you will enjoy it.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Was John The Baptist A False Prophet?
It's a simple question that the vast majority of Christians would answer with a resounding NO!
John the Baptist is not only a prophet, but according to Christ he is the greatest of all the prophets!
Ok, if he was the greatest of all the prophets, that would mean that the messages he proclaimed regarding Christ Jesus would have to be one hundred percent true and accurate. Right? Yes!
What was the big prophecy of John? What message was so great? Here it is: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
There you have it. Simple. Powerful. Profound!
Do you really believe it?
If Christ has taken away the sin of the world, then what sin is left to be judged?
If Christ has taken away the sin of the world, then why would you at the same time believe that God will torture people in hell eternally for their sin which you also believe Christ has taken away?
Oh the joys of wading through the muck created by orthodox, religious, tradition, and the teachings of man.
If you have a few minutes, you might enjoy listening to this recent audio from a teacher (James Flanders) who will really make you think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn3YSOG6qJY
Could it be that the love, mercy, and grace of God is greater than you ever imagined?
Could it be that the blood of Christ shed upon the hill called Calvary is more powerful and effective than your pastor has ever taught? Could it be that your pastor has never considered the questions above?
John the Baptist is not only a prophet, but according to Christ he is the greatest of all the prophets!
Ok, if he was the greatest of all the prophets, that would mean that the messages he proclaimed regarding Christ Jesus would have to be one hundred percent true and accurate. Right? Yes!
What was the big prophecy of John? What message was so great? Here it is: "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
There you have it. Simple. Powerful. Profound!
Do you really believe it?
If Christ has taken away the sin of the world, then what sin is left to be judged?
If Christ has taken away the sin of the world, then why would you at the same time believe that God will torture people in hell eternally for their sin which you also believe Christ has taken away?
Oh the joys of wading through the muck created by orthodox, religious, tradition, and the teachings of man.
If you have a few minutes, you might enjoy listening to this recent audio from a teacher (James Flanders) who will really make you think.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn3YSOG6qJY
Could it be that the love, mercy, and grace of God is greater than you ever imagined?
Could it be that the blood of Christ shed upon the hill called Calvary is more powerful and effective than your pastor has ever taught? Could it be that your pastor has never considered the questions above?
Monday, May 27, 2013
The Problem Of Evil by A.E. Knoch
In a world filled with very light, touchy feely, self oriented books on the topics of things such as seven steps to your happiest life ever, etc., it has been extremely refreshing, eye opening, and challenging to read a book by the late A.E. Knock entitled "The Problem Of Evil."
I had never heard of Knoch until James Flanders referred to him in passing during an audio teaching last month on his website.
In this book the author tackle topics I have never heard dealt with by any pastor or author. Topics which others seem to run from Knoch tackles head on. Although these topics on the origin of evil and it's purpose will make the average orthodox person (or recovering orthodox person) very uncomfortable, they are very well worth exploring. In the end, the studious person who is not afraid to go for the jugular of truth will grow exponentially through a study such as this and their view of Christ and His work will be greatly expanded. They will experience greater peace as they come to know the greatness of the power, wisdom, and work of God.
At this point, I am not sure how to put into words the impact this book has had on me. All I can say is, at the first opportunity you should read it.
Due to the subject matter, mainstream "Christian" publishers wouldn't touch this book or any like it with a ten foot pole, so you won't find it in your local Lifeway or other Christian trinket shop.
Here is a link to a rare book seller who carries this great work along with many others that will challenge and enrich you as you draw closer to God.
http://www.studyshelf.com/knoch.htm
I had never heard of Knoch until James Flanders referred to him in passing during an audio teaching last month on his website.
In this book the author tackle topics I have never heard dealt with by any pastor or author. Topics which others seem to run from Knoch tackles head on. Although these topics on the origin of evil and it's purpose will make the average orthodox person (or recovering orthodox person) very uncomfortable, they are very well worth exploring. In the end, the studious person who is not afraid to go for the jugular of truth will grow exponentially through a study such as this and their view of Christ and His work will be greatly expanded. They will experience greater peace as they come to know the greatness of the power, wisdom, and work of God.
At this point, I am not sure how to put into words the impact this book has had on me. All I can say is, at the first opportunity you should read it.
Due to the subject matter, mainstream "Christian" publishers wouldn't touch this book or any like it with a ten foot pole, so you won't find it in your local Lifeway or other Christian trinket shop.
Here is a link to a rare book seller who carries this great work along with many others that will challenge and enrich you as you draw closer to God.
http://www.studyshelf.com/knoch.htm
Saturday, May 25, 2013
The Lamb Of God Who Takes Away The Sin Of Who?
Once more as I listened to another audio teaching on James Flanders website I realized that as I've read the Bible for most of my life I haven't been paying attention. How is it that things that are right in front of my eyes can be missed? Is it because my religious tradition was blinding me? Was it because God was keeping my eyes closed for some reason? How is it that even when I would quote the passage in the following teaching transcript that I would do all I could in my mind to explain why it couldn't possibly mean what it says. Yet, in doing that I was completely discrediting Christ and absolutely missing the point John the Baptist was making. Actually, more than simply missing the point John was making, I was actually (without realizing it) calling John a False prophet. How was I doing that? Read the transcript of Flanders teaching below to find out.
In Matthew chapter 11 Jesus was talking to a crowd of people about John the Baptist.
Let me read the passage to you. It’s Matthew chapter 11 verses 7 through 11.
7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written:
‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;
So… as Jesus talks about John the Baptist, He tells us that John was a prophet, but not just any old prophet. He was a prophet other prophets had prophesied about and Jesus says that out of all the prophets John was the greatest.
Think about that. Jesus calls John the greatest. THE GREATEST PROPHET.
Now, it seems to make sense that if a person is going to be called a prophet then the messages that they proclaim would have to be absolutely true. And so if Christ calls John the GREATEST of all the prophets, oh my goodness without a doubt we would have to say that the messages that John proclaimed, the words of prophecy he spoke would have to be spot on… or else he would not have been the greatest, and I’m not sure we could call him a prophet at all.
If what John proclaimed was not true… and Jesus not only called him a prophet… but the greatest… What would that say about Jesus.
Please think it through… If John wasn’t spot on in His proclamations to the people, you would have to say he wasn’t a prophet, much less the greatest of them.
And if Jesus had called him the greatest among the prophets, but yet John was wrong in his prophesying, then well… that would mean that Jesus was wrong.
If Jesus was wrong in his proclamations about John… Oh my goodness…
Listen. I am convinced that Jesus was absolutely correct in calling John a prophet… and the greatest.
And I am convinced that since John was the greatest of the prophets, then the messages that he spoke, the proclamations he made had to be spot on.
So, what was his big message?
Let me read it to you. This is from John chapter 1 verse 29.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
You’ve probably heard those words many times. Maybe you’ve read them many times.
This is the message from the one Christ calls the greatest… a prophet among prophets…
“Behold! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Do you believe that proclamation is true?
That Christ is THE LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF…. Who was that?
The what? The world!
The word which has been translated as world in our English translations is the word Kosmos.
Have you ever heard that word before? Kosmos?
Here’s the way it is used in the King James Bible according to Strong’s… here’s how it is defined.
The world, the universe, the circle of the earth, the earth, the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family, the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ, world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly, the whole circle of earthly goods, any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort, the Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews.
Wow. That is a pretty all encompassing word.
The universe, the world, the human family, the whole mass of humanity, including those that are presently hostile to the cause of Christ.
What was John’s message? “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the Kosmos.”
He takes away the sin of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Can that mean what it sounds like it means? Is this true? Or was John a false prophet and Jesus just a guy who had no clue what he was talking about when He called John a prophet and said he was the greatest?
Wait a minute. This goes so against the grain of institutionalized religion and tradition, orthodox theology, that there’s gotta be something wrong with the translation. John couldn’t have really meant that Christ would take away the sin of all humanity including those who are hostile to him.
Maybe the original word translated as “takes away” actually mean something other than “takes away.”
After all, there are a few words that have been poorly translated, like the words that were translated as hell in the King James… and the word Aion which is wrongly translated as forever.
Hold on my friend. There is nothing wrong with the translation here.
The term “takes away” is translated from the word Airo. (I ROE)
Let me read you the rather lengthy list of definitions from Strong’s.
1) to raise up, elevate, lift up a) to raise from the ground, take up: stones b) to raise upwards, elevate, c) to draw up: a fish 2) to take upon one's self and carry what has been raised up, to bear 3) to bear away what has been raised, carry off a) to move from its place b) to take off or away what is attached to anything c) to remove d) to carry off, carry away with one e) to appropriate what is taken f) to take away from another what is his or what is committed to him, to take by force g) to take and apply to any use h) to take from among the living, either by a natural death, or by violence i) cause to cease
Oh my goodness… That’s a pretty powerful word!
So, what do you think about the message of John? Is it true? Or was he a false prophet? If he was a false prophet what would that make Jesus?
Here’s the message of John… The Prophecy about Christ!
Behold the LAMB of GOD, who completely lifts up, removes, carries away, takes upon himself, removes from the living, by death, and causes to cease… the SIN of the Kosmos… the universe, the world, the inhabitants of earth, including those who are hostile to him.
Wow… Was that a true prophecy? Or was it false?
I have heard way too many people explain it away and make it much less than what John says. Are they correct in making John a false prophet? Or was Jesus correct in saying John is the greatest among prophets?
There’s a bunch of Scripture I could share at this point, but I just want to leave you with this particular one in mind… along with what we looked at yesterday.
Remember what that passage was?
The angel on the night of Christ’s birth proclaiming to the shepherds, the announcement of all announcements: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Good news! Christ the LORD is born. He is a Savior!! I bring you good tidings of great joy for ALL PEOPLE!
And now we see John saying, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
My friend. This is truly good news. Way better than most people have ever imagined. And sadly, it’s a message that is explained away and watered down… and flat out denied.
My name is James Flanders, and each day, the greatness of the work of Christ, the Lamb of God, blows my mind more and more. How about you?
Thank you for spending time with me today.
Be blessed my friend. Be blessed.
------------
So what do you think after reading that? If John spoke the truth, what are the implications? If Jesus didn't take away the sin of the world, then whose sins did He take away? If having sins taken away rest on the effort of any man or woman, then who is actually doing the saving? Is it Christ or is it the man of the woman?
On another note, what kind of teacher is James Flanders? Is he a heretic because he doesn't parrot what the religious majority teaches? Is he a false teacher? I've had friends tell me so as I've talked to them about these teachings. However, most of them have never actually taken the time to listen or read the things he has to say.
At this point, even if he is way wrong, one thing is for sure. The things he has to say have really pushed me to study the Scripture with more zeal and fervency and that's a good thing. I pray that God will continue to lead me toward the truth.
Lot's of his teachings are being uploaded to YouTube. You can find them at the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8TgnMyX2WnC_lSEMYG7Sg?feature=watch
Some other websites are starting to post his articles as well.
http://www.content4reprint.com/religion-and-spirituality/a-life-altering-dinner-conversation.htm
John The Baptist: Greatest Prophet Or False Prophet?
Transcript of Audio Recording Click Here To ListenIn Matthew chapter 11 Jesus was talking to a crowd of people about John the Baptist.
Let me read the passage to you. It’s Matthew chapter 11 verses 7 through 11.
7 As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 10 For this is he of whom it is written:
‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
11 “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist;
So… as Jesus talks about John the Baptist, He tells us that John was a prophet, but not just any old prophet. He was a prophet other prophets had prophesied about and Jesus says that out of all the prophets John was the greatest.
Think about that. Jesus calls John the greatest. THE GREATEST PROPHET.
Now, it seems to make sense that if a person is going to be called a prophet then the messages that they proclaim would have to be absolutely true. And so if Christ calls John the GREATEST of all the prophets, oh my goodness without a doubt we would have to say that the messages that John proclaimed, the words of prophecy he spoke would have to be spot on… or else he would not have been the greatest, and I’m not sure we could call him a prophet at all.
If what John proclaimed was not true… and Jesus not only called him a prophet… but the greatest… What would that say about Jesus.
Please think it through… If John wasn’t spot on in His proclamations to the people, you would have to say he wasn’t a prophet, much less the greatest of them.
And if Jesus had called him the greatest among the prophets, but yet John was wrong in his prophesying, then well… that would mean that Jesus was wrong.
If Jesus was wrong in his proclamations about John… Oh my goodness…
Listen. I am convinced that Jesus was absolutely correct in calling John a prophet… and the greatest.
And I am convinced that since John was the greatest of the prophets, then the messages that he spoke, the proclamations he made had to be spot on.
So, what was his big message?
Let me read it to you. This is from John chapter 1 verse 29.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
You’ve probably heard those words many times. Maybe you’ve read them many times.
This is the message from the one Christ calls the greatest… a prophet among prophets…
“Behold! The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
Do you believe that proclamation is true?
That Christ is THE LAMB OF GOD, WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF…. Who was that?
The what? The world!
The word which has been translated as world in our English translations is the word Kosmos.
Have you ever heard that word before? Kosmos?
Here’s the way it is used in the King James Bible according to Strong’s… here’s how it is defined.
The world, the universe, the circle of the earth, the earth, the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family, the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ, world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly, the whole circle of earthly goods, any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort, the Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews.
Wow. That is a pretty all encompassing word.
The universe, the world, the human family, the whole mass of humanity, including those that are presently hostile to the cause of Christ.
What was John’s message? “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the Kosmos.”
He takes away the sin of all the inhabitants of the earth.
Can that mean what it sounds like it means? Is this true? Or was John a false prophet and Jesus just a guy who had no clue what he was talking about when He called John a prophet and said he was the greatest?
Wait a minute. This goes so against the grain of institutionalized religion and tradition, orthodox theology, that there’s gotta be something wrong with the translation. John couldn’t have really meant that Christ would take away the sin of all humanity including those who are hostile to him.
Maybe the original word translated as “takes away” actually mean something other than “takes away.”
After all, there are a few words that have been poorly translated, like the words that were translated as hell in the King James… and the word Aion which is wrongly translated as forever.
Hold on my friend. There is nothing wrong with the translation here.
The term “takes away” is translated from the word Airo. (I ROE)
Let me read you the rather lengthy list of definitions from Strong’s.
1) to raise up, elevate, lift up a) to raise from the ground, take up: stones b) to raise upwards, elevate, c) to draw up: a fish 2) to take upon one's self and carry what has been raised up, to bear 3) to bear away what has been raised, carry off a) to move from its place b) to take off or away what is attached to anything c) to remove d) to carry off, carry away with one e) to appropriate what is taken f) to take away from another what is his or what is committed to him, to take by force g) to take and apply to any use h) to take from among the living, either by a natural death, or by violence i) cause to cease
Oh my goodness… That’s a pretty powerful word!
So, what do you think about the message of John? Is it true? Or was he a false prophet? If he was a false prophet what would that make Jesus?
Here’s the message of John… The Prophecy about Christ!
Behold the LAMB of GOD, who completely lifts up, removes, carries away, takes upon himself, removes from the living, by death, and causes to cease… the SIN of the Kosmos… the universe, the world, the inhabitants of earth, including those who are hostile to him.
Wow… Was that a true prophecy? Or was it false?
I have heard way too many people explain it away and make it much less than what John says. Are they correct in making John a false prophet? Or was Jesus correct in saying John is the greatest among prophets?
There’s a bunch of Scripture I could share at this point, but I just want to leave you with this particular one in mind… along with what we looked at yesterday.
Remember what that passage was?
The angel on the night of Christ’s birth proclaiming to the shepherds, the announcement of all announcements: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Good news! Christ the LORD is born. He is a Savior!! I bring you good tidings of great joy for ALL PEOPLE!
And now we see John saying, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
My friend. This is truly good news. Way better than most people have ever imagined. And sadly, it’s a message that is explained away and watered down… and flat out denied.
My name is James Flanders, and each day, the greatness of the work of Christ, the Lamb of God, blows my mind more and more. How about you?
Thank you for spending time with me today.
Be blessed my friend. Be blessed.
------------
So what do you think after reading that? If John spoke the truth, what are the implications? If Jesus didn't take away the sin of the world, then whose sins did He take away? If having sins taken away rest on the effort of any man or woman, then who is actually doing the saving? Is it Christ or is it the man of the woman?
On another note, what kind of teacher is James Flanders? Is he a heretic because he doesn't parrot what the religious majority teaches? Is he a false teacher? I've had friends tell me so as I've talked to them about these teachings. However, most of them have never actually taken the time to listen or read the things he has to say.
At this point, even if he is way wrong, one thing is for sure. The things he has to say have really pushed me to study the Scripture with more zeal and fervency and that's a good thing. I pray that God will continue to lead me toward the truth.
Lot's of his teachings are being uploaded to YouTube. You can find them at the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH8TgnMyX2WnC_lSEMYG7Sg?feature=watch
Some other websites are starting to post his articles as well.
http://www.content4reprint.com/religion-and-spirituality/a-life-altering-dinner-conversation.htm
Friday, May 24, 2013
Good Tidings Of Great Joy! But For Who?
After a very heavy and mind numbing series on the problem of evil and asking tough questions about whether or not God works in and through evil... or even sends it (for instance God sending a tormenting evil spirit upon Saul), it was great to visit the Path of Grace website to find that series is over. It was good stuff, but after five of those teachings my head was spinning.
The new series seems to be something more people will be able to follow and understand.
The transcript of the first teaching (which is below) explains what it's about.
Enjoy!
--------
Hey there my friend,
This is James Flanders and I am so glad that you are here
with me today. Last night I didn’t get the opportunity to really sleep much, but
today I have had the opportunity to have a whole lot of coffee, so I’m a little
bit spazzy. So please bear with me.
Over the next several days here’s what I want to do. I want
to share with you passage after passage of Scripture which paint a beautiful
picture of God’s ultimate plans for humanity being much more than what the
religious institutions give God credit for. These are passages that not only
reveal the heart of Father being one of love, but which also help us to see the
glorious and amazing, far reaching effects of what Christ accomplished on the
cross of Calvary and what He is ultimately going to do.
Now, today as we begin to look at these passages, I want to
ask you to do two things for me as a favor. OK? Good. Thank you.
Here’s what I want you to do. First of all, please jot down
these references so that you can look them up later and stare at them with your
Bible in hand asking Father to give you ears to hear what He is speaking
through them.
Secondly, as I share these with you, try to listen with
fresh ears. Do what you can to set aside any preconceived religious ideas that
might cause you to try and explain the truth away. Keeping in mind just one
thing, the word Gospel means good news! The Evangel we have been given is to be
a message of good news. We have good news to share! Good news to celebrate!
Good news we can hope in. Good news we can rest in!
Alright, you ready? Here we go.
Do you remember what the angel announced to the shepherds on
the night of Jesus birth? You’ve probably heard the passage a million times. In
a Charlie Brown Christmas Linus read it.
In Luke chapter 2 verses 8 through 11, listen to what the
angel said. This is the announcement accompanying the birth of the only begotten
Son of God.
Luke 2 verses 8 through 11.
When I read these words, I want to cry because it’s so good.
8 Now
there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping
watch over their flock by night. 9 And
behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone
around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Hhhmmm… Fear. Does that sound like something a lot of folks
are experiencing today in the world we live in? Fear. Is it something people
have always dealt with?
10 Then
the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings
of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For
there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the
Lord.
It was a proclamation. It was an announcement of very good
news. “I bring you good tidings of great joy for who?
Good tidings of great joy for ALL PEOPLE!” Not just a few.
Not just a tiny minority who happened to live in the right geographical
location to hear the message at the right point in time. Nope, this is good
news for ALL people. I take that to mean all who have ever lived and all who
will ever live at any place and at any time.
The angel said I bring glad tidings… good news for all
people… Good tidings that will lead to great joy for all people!
And here’s the news: “For there is born to you this day in the
city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!”
Have you ever heard of anyone needing a Savior? Let me ask
you, have you checked the statistics on death for all of humanity? Those statistics
are staggering! There is a one hundred percent death rate.
From the moment Adam ate the fruit until now, we’ve have
been born with death dwelling in us. That realization gnaws at us. We do all we
can to avoid it because we’re scared of it. We’re afraid. We see it all around us. Some die young, some
die old. But regardless all people are in the process of dying and there is
nothing we can do to stop it.
If you’ve lived any length of time, you have closed the lid
on at least one casket containing someone you love. You have dropped a handful
of dirt into their grave and choked back the tears. You have experienced the
agony and the pain of sorrow and grief.
But this angelic proclamation is truly good news! That
greatest enemy… The enemy of enemies… Death… It does not have the final say.
Death does not win. Love wins!
The Apostle Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians
chapter 15 verse 26 that ultimately on the agenda of the babe born in Bethlehem
is that He will destroy death itself.
Again, that’s 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verse
26.
Not only will we be raised from the dead thanks to the
sinless One who died and was also raised, but we will be raised up and death
itself will be destroyed to no longer gnaw at or instill fear in anyone! Eventually
everything is going to change, but right now, we need a Savior and according to
that angelic messenger sent from the throne of God’s grace, this is good news,
good tidings for all people because a Savior was born. He is Christ the Lord.
I want you to notice that the angel did not say a potential
Savior has been born, which is what religion teaches. Religion teaches that
Jesus kind of only sort of got part of the saving done. He is the potential
Savior of everyone, but and it’s up to you and me to somehow complete what He
didn’t finish. We have to do something to merit it.
If that were true, then Christ could not be called the
Savior because we in effect would be saving ourselves through our own effort or
merit. That cannot be!
The good news is that our Savior was born and Scripture
teaches us that He succeeded at what He came to do! The message Paul the
Apostle makes clear to you and me is that it is all of grace. It is purely a
gift, given gratuitously to humanity by God.
Some believe sooner. Some believe later. But Scripture tells
me one day all will be believe. All will bow. All will confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. I’m getting ahead of myself, stepping into some passages
that I wanted to reserve for a few days from now.
I pray though that you would believe it.. that you would rejoice
in it.. and that you would rest in it right here right now, and that you would
share it with somebody else because this is good news the world needs to hear.
My name is James Flanders. Thank you for spending this time
with me. Be blessed my friend. Be blessed.
-----
Here is a link to the original audio: http://www.jamesflanders.com/3/post/2013/05/good-tidings-of-great-joy.html
Thursday, May 23, 2013
"Life Altering Dinner Conversation" or "The Contradications Of The Orthodox Good News"
I found an article that was based upon an audio James Flanders did several months back that I wanted to share here.
It's hard to read due to the content. It seems a bit sarcastic in places, but I think the sarcasm was necessary to make the point.
Keep in mind as you read it that the term orthodoxy basically refers to accepted or popular thought within religious institutions.
Enjoy!
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Have you
ever been confused by the message of orthodoxy? I have.
Let me share with you in condensed form, the confusing and somewhat
contradictory message which is often presented. Then I will share the response
I heard from a non-orthodox person during a dinner conversation a few years
ago.
The following is the good news as presented by some.
“The majority of mankind is going to burn in hell forever
and ever and ever and only a few will be saved. Every day hundreds of thousands
of people are dying and instantaneously being catapulted into the fiery flames
of hell where they will be eternally tormented with no possibility of even
slight relief much less deliverance. This tormenting and agony will last
forever and ever and ever. God unconditionally loves all mankind. There is nothing
anyone can do to cause God to love them more and nothing they can do to cause
Him to love then less. However, if those poor souls born on the other side of
the world or in some remote jungle somewhere are not reached with this good
news of the love of GOD, and unless they believe God loves them before they
breath their last breath, God has no choice but to cast them into hell to be
tortured relentlessly without end, because He is a just GOD. Torturing them
forever in fire breaks God’s heard because He loves them so much. You must
understand that because of the sin of Adam all of mankind was plunged into the
condition of being born into sin and death, but yet that condition brought upon
them by Adam is the responsibility of each individual. Therefore, the only
righteous thing for God to do (GOD by the way, whose mercy is new every morning
and who is defined by the Apostle John as love) has no choice but to show no
mercy and endlessly torture those who don’t have a chance to hear this good
news, along with those who do hear but failed to make the right decision before
they breathed their last breath. Sadly, their will to not believe God loved
them so much trumps God’s will to redeem them. It breaks God’s heart that he
must torture them forever. Jesus did try really hard with His sacrifice on the
cross. He tried His best with redemption, but in reality it all rests on the
shoulders of humanity to save themselves through an act of their own will. You
see, the hard heartedness of man is the problem. True, the Bible teaches that
it is God who blinds eyes and hardens hearts but the responsibility for it lies
squarely upon the shoulders of each individual. Again, we must repeat that it
was Adam’s fall that placed all of us under death and sin and true the Bible
does say that where sin abounded grace abounded much more, but it apparently only
abounds much more for those who hear the message, respond, and then do all the
right things for the rest of their life. Although grace is defined as unmerited
favor, grace doesn’t cover the sins of the poor slob that we Americans didn’t
reach with this simple and straight forward message of the good news of the
loving GOD whose son bled and died for all the sin of the world. Therefore, their
damnations is also the fault of those who failed to reach them. On a positive
note, there is a loophole for babies who die in the womb as a result of
abortion. They are instantly transported into heaven. There is also a loophole
for children who make it through to delivery, but only up to a certain age (although
no one knows exactly what age). If they reach that age, hear the good news of
the loving GOD, but they are too stupid to respond, or fail to get baptized,
attend regular services, etc. they are doomed. The blood of Christ the Lamb of
God who takes away the sin of the world doesn’t take away their sin. Realize that
regardless of whether the unbeliever lived fifteen years or 100 years, the
justice of God requires that they burn alive in fire without end for all
eternity because that is true justice and the penalty which they deserve for
the sin of Adam and their own unbelief (regardless of whether they have heard
of Christ or not). Yes, God calls us to love our enemies, bless those who
persecute us and to do good to those who spitefully use us. He also tells us
not to be overcome with evil but to overcome evil with good. However, that is
not the way of God. You see, God’s ways are not our ways. In the economy of
GOD, eternal torture is good and just.”
Some within orthodoxy will add another loophole or two for
escaping eternal torment In other words, they add another way of salvation.
Such as…
“There is also a loophole for those who are developmentally
challenged mentally. If they die, they escape hell because of their poor mental
state. However those with physical disabilities do not get the same gracious free
ride. Those who are physically disabled must also do a few things to merit the
unmerited unconditional love of GOD. They need to repent, be baptized, attend
weekly services, etc. in order to receive this absolutely free gift or they
will be cast forever alive into fire, where their nerves will be laid raw and
the indescribable pain will be relentless forever and ever as we rest in joy on
the bosom of Abraham watching them squirm. This is glorious good news! Praise
GOD for HIS mercy and grace. What an indescribable gift! True, the Bible tells
us that the wages of sin is death and the gift of God is eternal life, but when
the Bible speaks of death, it doesn’t mean death. It means to be tortured
forever and ever in fire. True, the Bible speaks of salvation being a free
gift, but there are things you have to do…”
Now let me share with you a paraphrase of the response of a
non-orthodox friend who had just been exposed to the confusion above. The
following statements were made at dinner with a half dozen or so people around
the table.
“What are you saying? You are making no sense! Your message
contradicts itself over and over! You’re placing a lot of conditions on what
you say is unconditional and making up loopholes that I bet you can’t find in
the Bible. On top of that I don’t think you believe what you are saying anyway.
If you really believe all of that, why do you protest abortion? Shouldn’t you
be pro-abortion? After all if a baby is aborted that’s a sure way to guarantee
that the kid will escape the forever and ever fiery flames of hell and be
guaranteed a place on Abrahams chest where he can then watch with glee as his
siblings that were born but were too dumb to take the deal burn forever and
ever on the other side of the chasm.”
He went on…
“Wasn’t there a woman in the news who killed her children so
that they would not reach the so called age of accountability? She really
believed your doctrine and thought it best to place herself in danger of non-stop
eternal hellfire for the sake of being assured her children would never face
it. So she drowned them, believing she would instantaneously send them into the
so called unconditionally loving arms of GOD who WILLS all to be saved and who
sent HIS son to take away the sin of the world but who according to your
doctrine failed miserably and whose act of obedience and its effects pale in
comparison to the far reaching effects of Adam when he ate the fruit in the
garden. What if you are missing something? What if Jesus was actually a
success? What if He really is THE SAVIOR rather than a potential Savior? What
if you really have good news to share with the world? What if God loves people
more than you ever imagined and you are called to love them in the same way
whether they believe yet or not. Doesn’t your Bible say that one day every knee
will bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father? Doesn’t it
say something about God becoming all in all? Doesn’t it say something about God
reconciling all things to Himself?
When he finished, everyone sat quietly at the table, not
sure what to say.
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Be sure to visit James on Facebook and YouTube.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Why Did God Plant That Tree?
Imagine what it would be like for you right now to be
whisked away to The Garden of Eden.
For you and me living where we live, in this age, having
experienced all that we have experienced, seeing all that we have seen, the
thought of Eden is mind blowing.
If we found ourselves there, we would so very much
appreciate it. We’d be giddy with delight and singing songs of praise! Since we
would be able to contrast it with where we are, right now, we would understand
and appreciate Eden as a paradise.
On the other hand, if you’ve ever read the first few
chapters of Genesis you have probably noticed that not even once do we see Adam
expressing any appreciation, thankfulness, or praise to God.
Adam was surrounded by absolute goodness, but had no
knowledge of that good. He didn’t know that perfect health was good, He didn’t
know that having wonderful tasty fruit readily available was good. He didn’t
know that having Eve by his side in all of her beauty was good. Because he had nothing to compare it to he
could not comprehend the goodness of Eden. So in that Garden, God planted a
tree.
It was called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Although
that’s what it’s called, typically we don’t see it or understand it as being
what GOD calls it. We tend to see it as being the tree of the knowledge of
evil, But that’s not what it was called. It was the tree of the knowledge of
GOOD and evil.
The name of that tree helps us to see that Adam although he
was surrounded by goodness, had no clue, no understanding, no appreciation, and
no knowledge of it. Because Adam had nothing to contrast good with, he could
not comprehend it and therefore had zero thankfulness.
We tend to imagine Adam and Eve being in perfect bliss, totally
giddy with joy over their living conditions, but that’s because in our
imaginations we have a point of reference. We
have experienced hardship, pain, sorrow, and grief. But Adam and Eve had
no clue. So God planted the Tree to serve a purpose.
When you begin to understand the purpose, you will begin to see
the greatness of God’s ultimate plan, and where all things ultimately lead at
the end of the ages… the end of the eons. You begin to see that in every
respect God’s plan was good, and works for the good of all His creation.
The Apostle Paul tells us that God works all things
according to the council of His will, which means that what happened in Eden,
including what the Adversary would do was part of God’s plan from before the
beginning. Satan, in his attempts at making a mess of things, which he did from
the temporal human perspective, would actually be accomplishing the ultimate
will of God. In the same way that later when the Adversary would work so hard
behind the scenes to take Christ to the cross, which from the human perspective
seemed to be a victory, was actually God accomplishing His redemptive will.
Was God’s will thwarted when Christ was crucified? Nope.
God’s will was accomplished.
Christ Himself prayed in the Garden, “Father if there is any
other way, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not my will but yours be
done.”
God’s will was done. Christ was crucified. The adversary and
his scheming actually fulfilled God’s purpose and I’m convinced it was the same
in the Garden.
Adam having his eyes opened, knowing good and evil, and
death entering in was not God’s plan gone awry. It was not God’s will being
thwarted. It was not creation slipping through Father’s fingers. It was all
part of His grand design which would will eventually take all of His creation
in the heavenlies and on earth to a place of appreciation, joy, happiness, and
praise that could not otherwise have been experienced.
How could Adam appreciate perfect health when he had no
understanding of disease? He couldn’t!He had an abundance of food but it meant
nothing to him because he had never felt deep hunger, much less a famine.
What we looking back at and imagine as pure pleasure between
Adam and Eve who were the perfect physical specimens of manhood and womanhood,
apparently it didn’t mean much to them. They could not truly appreciate
pleasure because they had never known the pain which you and I have known.
In Scripture we don’t read anything about them expressing
thankfulness or having an appreciation for the amazing blessings that they were
surrounded with. The goodness of GOD was not even acknowledged by them. Even
though they were immersed in it, it was meaningless.
Adam was incapable of love, adoration, and worship because
of what he did not know. So, in the wisdom of God, He planted the tree. The
tree didn’t just spring up and take God by surprise. The adversary didn’t plant
it. God planted the tree.
True, the serpent came and tempted them and they ate of the
tree, but who created the serpent? If his very existence was not part of God’s
plan, then who or what thwarted the will of God All-mighty? Would not God’s
will being thwarted make God less than All-mighty?
My friend, what is commonly referred to as the “fall of man”
actually set in motion the very forces that would remedy the defect which
caused them to eat from the tree in the first place.
The goodness, love, mercy, and grace of GOD could be known through
the events that took place.
God is light. However, light can never be known or
appreciated without the existence of darkness.
Think about the stars. They are constantly shining. Yet, we
can only see them when darkness comes. If it weren’t for the darkness we would
never see their beauty.
How does this work? It’s simple. All things are known
through contrast. Contrast is a necessary part of knowing. Without contrast
there is no knowing.
Something else, it’s obvious, but I have to say it. God did
not plant two trees. There was not a tree of the knowledge of good and separate
which was for the knowledge of evil. It was one tree because the one cannot be
known without the other. We only know good when it is contrasted with evil and
vice versa.
How can a God who is good, who is called love, reveal
Himself without contrast? Apparently He can’t, so He did things as He did,
created what he created for the good of all His creation with the ultimate goal
of fully engaging the affection of all His creation.
That’s what Paul tells us in 1st Corinthians
chapter 15, although He words it a bit differently than that. See if you can
find it.
Imagine how much of a drudgery might it have been to forever
experience perfect goodness but to never know it. God wants us to know it.
That’s why He planted that tree knowing exactly what the result would be.
Have You Ever Wondered About Forever?
Have you ever really stopped to think about how we use the word forever?
We use it to mean without end, yet at the same time we use it to refer to a definite period of time with an end. For instance,
"Waiting for those test results took forever."
"Standing in line to get my drivers license took forever."
"Registering for my classes took forever."
I could give more examples, but you get the idea. Right?
When you read the Bible and come across the word forever, have you ever stopped to think about it?
Have you ever wondered if it might be possible that the writers of Scripture could be using the word in the same way we do today?
Have you ever taken time time to try and find out what the original words translated as forever, everlasting, and eternal actually are?
These may seem like unimportant questions, but in light of the fact that the word forever us used to refer to the lake of fire, it seems more than just a little important.
Below is a lins to a teaching on the word forever that James Flanders recorded in late 2012, it is a follow up to his teachings on Sheol and other words that have been translated as hell in the King James Version and a precursor to a teaching on the lake of fire in the book of Revelation.
Here is the study on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYdeVwpo2qg
Let me reiterate that this is a very important topic especially as we consider the topic of eternal torment, the judgment of God, and hell.
Also, if you are looking for James Flanders on Facebook, here is a link to his page:
https://www.facebook.com/james.flanders1
We use it to mean without end, yet at the same time we use it to refer to a definite period of time with an end. For instance,
"Waiting for those test results took forever."
"Standing in line to get my drivers license took forever."
"Registering for my classes took forever."
I could give more examples, but you get the idea. Right?
When you read the Bible and come across the word forever, have you ever stopped to think about it?
Have you ever wondered if it might be possible that the writers of Scripture could be using the word in the same way we do today?
Have you ever taken time time to try and find out what the original words translated as forever, everlasting, and eternal actually are?
These may seem like unimportant questions, but in light of the fact that the word forever us used to refer to the lake of fire, it seems more than just a little important.
Below is a lins to a teaching on the word forever that James Flanders recorded in late 2012, it is a follow up to his teachings on Sheol and other words that have been translated as hell in the King James Version and a precursor to a teaching on the lake of fire in the book of Revelation.
Here is the study on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYdeVwpo2qg
Let me reiterate that this is a very important topic especially as we consider the topic of eternal torment, the judgment of God, and hell.
Also, if you are looking for James Flanders on Facebook, here is a link to his page:
https://www.facebook.com/james.flanders1
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