When a tragedy happens is it God's Will?

Genesis 2: 17

17 But of the tree of the knowledge (Heb. da`ath) of good (Heb. tob) and evil (Heb. ra), thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

NOTE: It is NOT the tree, in and of itself, but rather the “knowledge” of good and evil; this awareness will be achieved only through experience.

Ecclesiastes 9: 2-3a, 11b-12

2 All things come alike to all; One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; To the [b]good, the clean, and the unclean; To him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; He who takes an oath as he who fears an oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. But time and chance happen to them all; 12 For man also does not know his time; Like fish taken in a cruel net; Like birds caught in a snare; So the sons of men are snared in an evil time; When it falls suddenly upon them.

Ecclesiastes 9: 11

11 I returned and saw under the sun that—The race is not to the swift; Nor the battle to the strong; Nor bread to the wise; Nor riches to men of understanding; Nor favor to men of skill; But time and chance happen to them all.

Job 2: 10b

What? shall we receive good (Heb. hatob/the good) at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil (Heb. hara/adversity)?

NOTE: Let's look at the events in Job 1: 13-19 and 2: 7-9: The entire book could also be a metaphor for Life; too. God is in this narrative representative of Nature or Life; in the sense of experience in this Reality. Job has this mysterious lone servant who is present at all these disasters but somehow escapes to tell him the bad news. There is also a repeating pattern. Sabeans steal livestock and kill servants; fire from heaven destroys livestock and servants; Chaldeans plunder livestock and kill servants; a great wind from the wilderness, or, out of nowhere (without warning; suddenly) strikes the house of eldest son where Job's sons and daughters were partying, and the roof collapses, killing the men (fate of daughters not mentioned??). After all this great loss, Job's wife turns on him; and if that wasn't bad enough, he contracts a terrible itching and painful skin disease. The rest of the book, which even be an elaborate parable, show Job's closest friends turn on him. Becoming a victim of a theft or robbery; natural disasters, property damage, death of loved ones, suffering from health issues, a devoted, loved one or life partner criticizing you and friends turning their backs on you at your lowest point and most vulnerable moment when you most need their sound advice and support- "This is Life."

COMMENTARY:

There is a tendency, or perhaps it is resignation and acceptance at the inevitable conclusion that things are beyond your control. Natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other extreme weather conditions) as well as diseases, being a victim of criminal conduct, social injustice and all other outcomes are perhaps seen as simply, God's Will. God is not always seen just as Creator but sometimes acting as an unseen, non-moral agent in the planetary disruptions and violent activity demonstrated in nature. Maybe, just maybe the things that are happening around us are simply Life; in all of it's sublime beauty, complexity and often wretched ugliness. Starting with Adam in the garden of Eden, is perhaps a metaphor for the harshness of this Life. God doesn't need to always micro-manage us because We are created in the image and likeness of God; thereby having an aspect of divine characteristics or qualities within ourselves. There are things we can control or influence, to the extent that we are able, and there are things we cannot because we are flesh and blood. God may be seen as directing, causing, or allowing things to happen but it just could be, and is, what the wisdom of Solomon says: Chance and circumstance happens to every living thing; that's just the way it is. He admonishes us while in this life to fear God and keep His commandments; that is the whole duty (opportunity??) for Man (Ecclesiastes 12: 13).

Robert Randle

776 Commerce St. Apt 701

Tacoma, WA 98402

October 13, 2018

robertrandle51@yahoo.com

Why Christians don't manifest the miraculous Spiritual gifts anymore? EDIT

There are a few believers who claim to have been given the gift of healing and other manifestations of the Holy Spirit, but the vast majorities within Christendom believe that such ability was temporary, ending with the death of the Apostles and the complete canon of Scripture; but is this really the case?

*Mark 16: 20* (Primary text)

And they went out and preached everywhere, the LORD working with [through] them and “confirming” the word through the accompanying [miraculous] signs. Also, in the online KJV Dictionary the word 'confirming' means giving additional evidence or proof; establishing.

NOTE: This is the reassurance of authenticating the truthfulness (veracity) of the Word and the power in serving the only True and Living God.

1 Corinthians 2: 4

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of [a]human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power (Heb. g’burah),

 

1 Corinthians 4: 20 (Secondary ext)

For the kingdom of God is not in word [preaching or teaching, only] but in power (Heb. g’burah) [of the Holy Spirit]. 

 

Acts 10: 38

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power (Heb. g’burah), who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

 

1 Corinthians 12: 1, 4, 8-9

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant There are [d]diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by [f]the same Spirit, 

 

1 Corinthians 14: 12

Even so you, since you are [a]zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the [b]edification of the church that you seek to excel.

Philippians 2: 25-27

25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellow-soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. 26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. 27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

1 Timothy 5: 23

23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

2 Timothy 4: 20

20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

James 5: 14-15a

14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up;

NOTE: Do these 3 passages mean that the supernatural healing gift of the Holy Spirit has ceased?

 

1 Corinthians 1: 7

So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

 

NOTE: Did Jesus mean for miraculous works to be available for the fortunate few in His generation up to the First Century, but not continue in effect until He returns again?

 

COMMENTARY: If only the Christian Church today really understood the awesome responsibility and authority that she has, namely, to proclaim and re-introduce to an unbelieving world that the Kingdom of God is more than just a religious experience but rather it is the divine government and power of the Creator impacting and changing society in all areas. There are far too many individuals in hospitals, mental institutions, or living with cancer, diabetes, immune disorders, heart attacks, birth defects, addicted to alcohol and drugs, pornography, sickness, diseases, blindness, paralysis or lameness, suicidal tendencies or clinical depression, etc., and all the average believer does [including the author] is attend worship services for the traditional Bible study and hearing a sermon preached, singing hymns, praying, and tithing. On a few limited occasions when a visitor seeks a miraculous healing and it doesn’t happen, the petitioner’s lack of ‘faith’ is often used as the reason for this failure.

 

Among various denominations within Christianity are echoes of the popular refrain about receiving the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost but what is the evidence of this experience? It is more than just “repentance” [teshuvah] and living under the Lordship of Jesus [Yahshua], even if a believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (Cp. 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20). To be sure, there are members of Pentecostal and Holiness congregations who speak in tongues and even priests in the Catholic Church practice the centuries-old rite of performing exorcisms, but outside of these and a few scant other such practices, the Christian Church as a whole is woefully lacking in manifesting to a significant extent the miraculous healing gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

 

Robert Randle

776 Commerce St. #B-11

Tacoma, WA 98402

October 6, 2018

robertrandle51@yahoo

Can a Christian lose their Salvation?

One of the most contentious issues facing Christians is the doctrine of eternal security, or to put it simply, can someone who is saved become unsaved? There are 2 separate things that need to be unpacked, I think, is the free gift of salvation through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross/tree, which is offered an act of unmerited favor to us on God's part. This involves the forgiveness of sins, receiving the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, and all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus; etc. Now, this other part, which is misunderstood pertains to receiving the inheritance, which is “CONDITIONAL.” Let me repeat that, again. The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, but the inheritance is CONDITIONAL; and is based on our “good works.” 

In most Scriptures that are read on this matter the issue is not Salvation, but rather Destination (the Heavenly inheritance). The two blessings are NOT the same but certainly related. There is also the matter of type and anti-type: The children of Israel was in Egyptian bondage, which is symbolic of sin. They were delivered or separated from their bondage to the slavery of Egypt by going through or rather down into or underneath the waters of the Red Sea; seeing the Egyptians no more. This is a type of baptism (1 Peter 3; 20-21; Rom 6: 1-7;16) where sin no longer has them as captives or slaves. The next or intermediate phase is the "Wilderness Experience" to prove whether we will obey God's commandments as a holy nation for the children of Israel; and us, now (1 Peter 2: 9). Lastly, is the promise "actualized" such as inheriting or possessing all the things that as heirs we are entitled to; but it does not necessarily mean we will receive them.

Exodus 3: 8a

I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey...

1 Corinthians 10: 1-2, 5

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; v5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

Hebrews 3: 14, 16-17

14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?

Hebrews 4: 1-2, 11

Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, [a]not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.  Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

Acts 20: 32

32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

1 Corinthians 6: 9-11

9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous[a] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,[b] 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Galatians 5: 19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do[b] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Ephesians 5: 5-7

5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them;

1 Corinthians 15: 50

50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

1 Peter 1: 3-5

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Colossians 1: 12

12 giving thanks[a] to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Colossians 3: 22-24

23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Ephesians 1: 13-14

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee[a] of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,[b] to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 2: 10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

NOTE: The word ordain means, according to Merriam Websters Dictionary to establish or order by appointment, decree, or law.

Revelation 21: 7

7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son

NOTE: You must overcome the things of this world (struggles in the flesh) and then you “shall” (future tense) inherit all things (the Kingdom of God/Christ).

Romans 7: 22-25

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

NOTE: Does this mean since the Apostle Paul was struggling so mightily with sin that he lost or in danger of losing his salvation?

Ephesians 6: 12

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

2 Peter 1: 1-2, 4-9

1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.9 But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Galatians 5: 2-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Titus 2: 14

Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good works. WEB

CONCLUSION:

We have been redeemed or purchased like Gomer, the prostitute who became the wife of the prophet Amos from the slave market of sin. While we were yet sinners, Jesus died for our sins but will we be like Gomer, although she belonged to another man. she continued to run away and found herself right back in the brothels indulging in her whoredoms; and yet, Amos would search to find her and bring her back, Why?? Because he loved her.

Romans 6: 12-13, 16

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as [b]instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Luke 16: 13a

13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.

Philippians 2: 12

12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Hebrews 10: 29, 31

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Romans 5: 6, 8-10

6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

8 But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we “shall be” saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we “shall be” saved by his life.

John 16: 33

I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” Berean Study Bible

Jesus says: “He that Overcometh”

1. Eat from the Tree of Life Rev. 2: 7);

2. Not be hurt by the “Second Death” (Rev. 2: 11);

3. Eat the hidden manna; receive a new name written in white stone (Rev. 2: 17);

4. Have power over the nations (Rev. 2: 28);

5. Become a pillar in God's Heavenly Temple and have Jesus' new name written upon you (Rev. 3: 12);

6. To be seated “in” the Heavenly Throne alongside Jesus (Rev. 3; 21);

7. Will inherit all things (Rev. 21: 7);

Robert Randle

776 Commerce St Apt 701

Tacoma, WA 98402

October 4, 2018

robertrandle51@yahoo.com