And when they forgot the Lord their God, He sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.(1 Samuel 12:9)
They forgot God their Savior, Who had done great things in Egypt, (Psalm 106:21
A voice was heard on the desolate heights, Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel. For they have perverted their way; They have forgotten the Lord their God.(Jeremiah 3:21 )
In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,” says the Lord God.(Ezekiel 22:12)
“Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have forgotten Me and cast Me behind your back, Therefore you shall bear the penalty Of your lewdness and your harlotry.’ ” (Ezekiel 23:35)
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge,(Hosea 4:6)
When a Nation, a Church, forgets God, worships and lusts after the things of this world...The lust of the flesh and of the mind, the lust of the eyes and cravings of sinful mankind. Unbridled immorality, perversion, and acceptance of such abominations ,God gives that nation up a reprobate mind, God abandons them to vile affections and degrading passions. Though they are fully aware of God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve to die, they not only do them themselves but approve and applaud others who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32)
They say '"Oh it's grace, grace, grace. That was the Old Testament. God punished and judged in the Old Testament. Really? And God doesn't punish or judge in the New Testament?
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. (Eph. 5:6)
Well, ONE accomplished what sinful mankind never could do. He was/is prophet, priest, King and was the one time perfect sin (blood) offering for the sin of the world, for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. The ceremonial law done away with. For the blood of bulls and lambs could never take away sins. Hense, the priestly sacrifice had to be done over and over again. Sin is that bad. A blood offering was required. For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. That much of an affront to a holy and righteous God is mankinds separation. But Scripture tells us ....
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
You probably heard that verse or saw it somewhere. But that same chapter in Scripture says this.... Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Why Jesus you say. There has never been or ever will be one like him again. Only Jesus (the) Christ, the Holy One of God, who was in the beginnng with God and was God. That Word became flesh and dwelt among us. As He said in John 8:58 "Before Abraham was "I AM."
And the Jewish leaders of that time picked up stones to stone Him because they knew and we know from their words, "you being a man make yourself out to be God." (John 5:18)
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. (John 3:18-19)
If you have confessed with your month Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Saying a prayer then to continue living the same life you always lived...a life of sin and debauchary should make you examine yourself to see if you are in the faith. (2 Cor. 13:5)
Baptism doesn't guarantee salvation for God's people were baptised into Moses under the cloud and through the sea, all ate the same spiritual food and all drank from the same spiritual rock. And that Rock was Christ. YET with most of them God was not pleased and their bodies fell in the wilderness. (1 Cor 10)
For the miracles, the signs, the wonders passed and were forgotten by Gods chosen people, and the word preached (by Moses) did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For it is by grace through faith and not of yourselves it is a gift of God.....not of works.....(Eph. 2:8-9)
A simple "have mercy on me a sinner," save me Lord Jesus, for I have sinned against a holy and righteous God. If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead.... God reaches down from heaven and plucks one from the darkness of this present evil age and into the kingdom of God. A life, ready, willing able to Trust and Obey.
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5)
Grace is receiving what we don't deserve. (A place in the Kingdom of God...The New Heavens and New Earth where righteousness dwells.)
Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve. (He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; Outside are the dogs,(in the OT male prostitutes in the temple were called dogs) those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. Rev 22:11;15)
Yes God is love in that He sent His only Son to save us, who deserve no more than the judgement of a Holy and righteous God, that we might be saved from the wrath of God to come. It will happen. As Peter the apostle of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ said, "
"scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:3-7)
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matt 7:13-14)
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matt 120:28)
When the the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.(2 Thess 1:7-10)
Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. (Rev. 1:7)
