tschuckman@aol.com
I am always learning more, even though I have studied for many years and surely know how to gain Salvation in Jesus Christ and the Spirit. Being a "doubting Thomas" I also heard that it might be common [to many] to question your relationship [the Devil loves to torment us by telling us that we are too sinful to receive forgiveness and Salvation.] with the Lord. The devil is lying, of course, but is skilled in misleading and planting doubt in our minds and hearts. The best thing to do, IMHO, is to stay as close as you can to the Lord and read/ study His Word, the KJV Bible often, like every day! This has been beneficial for me, at least. And rub elbows with other mature, long time Christians, who 'walk the walk,' not just 'talk the talk.' So many times I have had serious questions, and some older, more mature brother helped me see the real truth and light !! Thank You, dear brothers ! There is no doubt in MY mind that the Lord sent those brothers to aid me at the right, precise time. PTL.
I have also been told that anyone who professes to be a Christian, certainly has a JOY and HAPPINESS in knowing that he is Saved and going to heaven. But we are still bombarded by Satan and his earthly agents constantly-- who wants to tear, cripple, silence us in the preaching ministry, and bring us down ! Beware... 'Bad associations spoil useful habits.'
Christian Guilt
Q. Hebrews 10:1-2 reads, “The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.”
If we flip this verse around it’s also saying, promising actually, the reverse, i.e. that those who have accepted Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf and have accepted Him as Personal Savior will no longer experienced guilt. Why then are so many Christians tortured with guilt?
A. If only it was that simple. In Hebrews 10:1-2 the writer was comparing the numerous sacrifices for sin required by the Levitical system with the once for all time sacrifice the Lord made on our behalf. If your hypothesis about turning the verses around was correct, no believer would ever experience guilt. But the fact is we do experience it, more so than any unbeliever, and the reason we do is that we’re being convicted by the Holy Spirit to confess and be forgiven.
There are lots of preachers who teach we can lose our salvation if we don’t toe the mark, and once we lose it we can never get it back. And there are lots of preachers who teach that since we’re already saved forever we don’t need to ask the Lord to forgive us when we sin. These are opposite approaches but they produce the same result, guilt.
But there is almost nobody teaching that while we’ve already been forgiven in the eternal sense and no one can take us out of the Lord’s hands (John 10:27-30), confessing when we sin, as 1 John 1:9 instructs, will purify us from all unrighteousness here on earth. This has the effect of absolving us of our guilt in the here and now. So for the Christian, the old Scottish proverb “confession is good for the soul” is literally true **************************
If we flip this verse around it’s also saying, promising actually, the reverse, i.e. that those who have accepted Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf and have accepted Him as Personal Savior will no longer experienced guilt. Why then are so many Christians tortured with guilt?
A. If only it was that simple. In Hebrews 10:1-2 the writer was comparing the numerous sacrifices for sin required by the Levitical system with the once for all time sacrifice the Lord made on our behalf. If your hypothesis about turning the verses around was correct, no believer would ever experience guilt. But the fact is we do experience it, more so than any unbeliever, and the reason we do is that we’re being convicted by the Holy Spirit to confess and be forgiven.
There are lots of preachers who teach we can lose our salvation if we don’t toe the mark, and once we lose it we can never get it back. And there are lots of preachers who teach that since we’re already saved forever we don’t need to ask the Lord to forgive us when we sin. These are opposite approaches but they produce the same result, guilt.
But there is almost nobody teaching that while we’ve already been forgiven in the eternal sense and no one can take us out of the Lord’s hands (John 10:27-30), confessing when we sin, as 1 John 1:9 instructs, will purify us from all unrighteousness here on earth. This has the effect of absolving us of our guilt in the here and now. So for the Christian, the old Scottish proverb “confession is good for the soul” is literally true **************************
Continued: -------The State mailed me a questionnaire demanding that I serve in Jury duty, and would have to drive a long way to Marquette, MI., [perhaps an hour and a half driving time, one way.] and prob be sequestered. While I always thought that I would do well in this field, with my good education and love for the Bible, I am old, disabled, and hurting a lot from my past injuries, and find it very difficult to even walk, with my bad left heel getting worse. So I filled out the mandatory paper work and told them all of these facts, and will also talk to my doctor at the VA... but I said in the letter, that 'if they demand that I serve in their Jury, I will. I use a power scooter, Oxygen at night, a CPAP for my sleep apnea, and COPD, etc. Those accidents and hard dangerous work all my life have taken a toll. Yet, I have studied some law in my spare time, just for the fun of it-- being curious, Constitution and laws of the land. Albeit, there are "two sets of laws" in this land:, IMHO: ONE for the common people, and one for the rich folks like Hillary Clinton and Obama, who are enamored with Teflon and Chicken grease... lol. I am even paranoid enough to believe that the IRS is messing with me now, saying that I owe them a ton of money, and it makes no sense, but how can the common man fight them. I knew a fine Christian gentleman who was a millionaire, and helped many people with his created businesses in Kenosha, WI., and he LOST MOST OF HIS MONEY FIGHTING THE STINKING IRS !!! He was a stubborn man, but I respected him. But it seems like a many with lots of money can help the poorer ones. I like the notion of Soup Kitchens, and making industry to provide real work for the disabled, and good lodging for the homeless Vets, etc.
Don't get 'Left Behind !' If that happened to ME I would be is such horrible misery, and just walk up to the heathen, Socialist NWO pigs and let them cut off my head, for my FAITH ! I am afraid that my fear of being left behind forces me to be straight forward, a better Christian, and afraid to commit some sins..... I know: Shame on Me. So I pray for a new, or cleansed heart and mind set. And sometimes I wonder if the good Lord 'allowed me to get in some horrible accidents --- to keep me out of serious trouble and sin...
Psalm 6: 1, "O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure."
Psalm 9:17, "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God."
Friends, America [the USA] is never once mentioned in the KJV Bible, in any shape, color, form, symbol, anywhere !! When good people continue to raise a big movement or fuss: 'God Bless America,' or pray for America to turn back to God, I just think it's all wasted, sorry. The Bible is black and white, written on a 6th grade level, and not that hard to understand. Many other countries ARE mentioned who will turn on Israel, to destroy her in the End Times, BUT NOT AMERICA. We will become [by some event or happening, what ever...] a 3rd world country, out of commission -- out of the big picture, even though we are strong and great right now. Things could change in a heart beat !! An EMP device/ bomb could put us back into the horse and buddy days, the mid- 1800's ear, over night !! Our enemies are slick, strong and well armed, and Obama even let's them cross our borders, ON PURPOSE. He is a Muslim and hates America !!! Most of our Congress is complicit, or they would have acted to impeach the 'fake in the WH' long ago. Is the "President" coated with Teflon ??
Just remember, everything happens for a reason, and God above is controlling the entire game.... and just watch when His Son, Jesus, Raptures up His Saints and Believers ! But friends, then it will be TOO LATE for millions of people... I didn't say "BILLIONS", but only Millions. Some experts say that there are MORE born-again, real Christians underground in China --- than all of Europe and America put together ! And they are more persecuted than we are in the good old USA ! Go figure.
Warm Regards,
Tom
En Español The Multitude Of Rev. 7
Q. Recently I started reading your book, Understanding Revelation. Coming to chapter 7, you commented that perhaps the multitude of believers that John sees who have come out the great tribulation came to faith from knowing the Rapture had taken place. I have always taken the position that those who heard the Gospel before the Rapture, but rejected it because they did not come to love the truth (2 Thess. 9-12) will then be forced to believe the lie, whom I see as the anti-christ. No doubt there are millions of people who have not heard the Gospel, who will be given the chance to come to faith as a result of the faithful Jewish witnesses of chapter 7.
A. I believe that those who have refused to believe the truth and be saved will be deceived into believing the anti-Christ’s lie, as 2 Thes. 2:9-12 asserts.
But I also believe there are many “fence sitters” and “Christians in name only” who will be surprised to find themselves left behind at the rapture and will become born again due to the witness of those who will be taken. Many of them will die for their faith during the Seal Judgments and become the martyrs of Rev. 6:9-11 and Rev. 7:9-17.
A. I believe that those who have refused to believe the truth and be saved will be deceived into believing the anti-Christ’s lie, as 2 Thes. 2:9-12 asserts.
But I also believe there are many “fence sitters” and “Christians in name only” who will be surprised to find themselves left behind at the rapture and will become born again due to the witness of those who will be taken. Many of them will die for their faith during the Seal Judgments and become the martyrs of Rev. 6:9-11 and Rev. 7:9-17.
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