The Human Condition--Born/Live/Die

                                                             

 

Human beings are tainted through and through with the propensity to that which is evil. A radical statement you may say? We can find that truth in both the Old and New covenants of Scripture. Jeremiah the prophet warns us "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it." The heart isn't referring to the physical heart that beats within each ones chest. The bibical view of the heart refers to the center of one's being. The control center of each of us, the source of every thought and passion. It represents the totality of a person's inner self, including thoughts, desires and decisions.

It doesn't take long to recognize that in each adorable little baby that screams out over something it is displeased with. We have all inherited what is referred to as our sinful nature. We are all born that way. As David, prophet, priest and king proclaimed in Psalm 51:5 "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me." In other words we are not sinners because we sin . We sin because we are sinners. We are born that way. Paul in Romans chapter 5 declares, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned...."

Scripture gives us a guide toward what is good, right and proper. Yet the world system offers the titillation that inflames the prurient interests of the human species. Our flesh is prone to such proclivities. We desire that which makes us feel contended, satisfied and above all happy. And to make matters worse our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Three strikes and your out! And surrounded by this cesspool of salacious, depraved, voyeuristic proclivities that lure the unsuspecting victim into its cunning, deceptive, stunningly attractive web of deceit.

The prophets and the Apostles understood this and knew the only answer to the human condition was/is the God of the Scriptures. That is why in the Old Testament Moses stressed: "These words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deut. 6:6-9)

King David understood that God's Word is a mighty weapon given by God that we not be surprised by sin when he wrote, "Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee." (Ps, 119:11) And in the New Testament the Apostles of Jesus Christ, The Word who was in the beginning with God and was God, echoed the same wisdom, James saying, "Do not merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." (James 1:22)

Peter reminded believers "you have been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever..." (1 Peter 1:23)

The Apostle Paul proclaimed "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16)

The author of Hebrews 4:12 tells us, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

And Jesus the Christ Himself said, "“Those who hear My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.(John 5:24) And again in Matthew 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."

God the Father so loved the world He gave His One and Only Son, the Word, as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Why? All the Old Testament sacrifices and especially the passover, where a lamb without blemish, a male of the first year, was sacrificed and it's blood put on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the Israelites homes so that the death angel would passover their locations. It was a type of what was coming. Jesus the Christ who would save us from our sins and from death and give His chosen people Everlasting Life. "Behold," said John the Baptist, when he saw Jesus walking toward him, "the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world."(John 1:29)

God has given us a way out of our sinful perdicament. A way to deliver us from the grip of sinful desires, from eternal hopelessness, absent from the presence of God and the glory of His power, to everlasting life through "The Way, The Truth and the Life," the One in whom God the Father said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. LISTEN to Him!

What does the righteousness of faith speak? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

For there is no other name under heaven by which anyone is brought from the darkness of this present evil age, to the light of the Gospel. It is God's Word. Right there in the Bible. God's baby talk (so said reformer John Calvin) to a lost and dying world. Read it. Feed on it. Hide it in your heart. And be not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. (***The "weapons" with which this warfare is managed are the Scriptures of truth, the sword of the Spirit, the word of God; and which indeed are an armoury, out of which may be taken weapons of all sorts, both offensive and defensive;) On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

(2 Cor. 10:3-5){***JohnGill)

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.  For He says:

“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor 6:1-2)

The New Conservative. Is It Christian?

How Hot Girls Became the Right's New Obsession

Republican National Committee national spokeswoman Elizabeth Pipkov, who the New York Post described as the "MAGA-loving bikini model who's the GOP's sexiest new spokeswoman," said her goal is  "to inspire other young people around the country to do the same, politics aside."

(More in the article )   https://www.newsweek.com/conservative-hot-girls-republicans-election-haliey-welch-sydney-sweeney-snl-1958629

Whatever a person sows they will reap. (Gal. 6:2)                                                 

The conservative decline in morals abounds.....and there are/will be consequences for it. Just because someone claims they are conservative and/or republican  DOES NOT MEAN they are  Christian!.

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,  rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (col. 2:6-7)

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (boasting of what we have and do) —is not of the Father but is of the world. (1 John 2:15-16)

                                                          

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.  In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.  They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:1-5)

                                                      

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites,  nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor 6:9-10)

What is God's will for a believers life??? The apostle Peter says, "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, be self-controlled, set your hope fully on the grace  to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.  But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do;  for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16) (Holy:Called out. Set Apart-in the world but not of the world)

                                                          

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, (as is fitting for saints)  because these are improper for God’s holy people.  Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Eph 5:3-5)

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;  but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)

                                                     

We are not perfect in this Life, I know, BUT our focus should be on God and His kingdom. And proclaiming God's truth. That is true agape love.  Jesus the Christ did not mince words. He made it very plain.  “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 in the Gospel of Mark described the condition of all of mankind. “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.  For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” (Mark 7:20-23)                                                

Every single person ever born has inherited a fallen sinful  nature. Tainted and destined to sin and disobey their creator. As Paul explains in Gal. 5:19-21, "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:19-21)  

And finally James exclaims:  Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1:22)

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Heb.4:12;)

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Ps. 119:11 KJV)                                                

 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. (Jesus The Christ John 5:24)

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7)

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

But the wrath of God abides on them. (1 John 5:12;John 3:36)                                         

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)

We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:

“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Cor. 6:1-2)

                                

                                  

Eternity for the Righteous/Eternity for the Wicked

 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

                                          

Jesus Came to earth 2000 years ago not to set up His Kingdom but that the world through Him might be saved. Saved from the wrath of God. For God is angry with the wicked everyday. God displays his wrath against the wicked in many ways in scripture.  As the letter of Jude explains " As Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire"...2 Peter chapter 3 the apostle writes.

In Jude  "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;"  Sodom and Gomorrah a type on earth of what eternity will consist of for the unrepentant  without the regeneration of the Holy Spirit;  that inward circumsion of the heart in the spirit.

As Jesus  proclaimed to a ruler of the jews, a pharisee named Nicodemus...."“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  (Rom. 2:28-29; John 3:5-8) 

                                                         

                                                                                                            

 The  Apostle Paul in writing to the Corinthian church told them,"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators,(the sexually immoral--any sexual contact outside the marriage bond of a male and female) ) nor idolaters,(image worship or devine honor paid to any created object) nor adulterers, nor homosexuals {catamites, those submitting to homosexuals; effeminate persons-self-polluters, who submit to unnatural lusts.} , nor sodomites {abusers of themselves with mankind},  nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.  Then Paul adds "And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (Jude 1:7; 2Peter2:6; 1 Cor. 6:9-11)                                                  

To other churches Paul said, You have been bought at a price. Honor God with your body and your spirit which are God's....For if anyone is in Christ they are a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, All things have become new....James told the church "do not merely listen to the word and so decieve yourselfess. Do what it says...." Paul again stressed, " Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (1 Cor. 6:20; 2 Cor. 5:17;James 1:22; Col. 2:6-8)                                                                       

For the word of God is living and active....the word enlightens a follower of Christ....the word shows us the way...the word guides and teaches us in all things related to God and the walk and life of His chosen people. The word of God  contains our game plan for living on the earth and among its fallen inhabitants, who are influenced by the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that works in the sons of disobedience  and are by nature children of God's wrath. As also all God's people were at one time, fulfilling the lust of the flesh and of the mind. But now you have been born again not of perishable seed but imperishable seed through the living and enduring word of God.  Jesus Christ came that we may have life, abundant life now and everlasting life, a citizenship in heaven and a place in the new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells.                                                                                

God has been pleased to open your heart to the truth by grace through faith and not of yourselves. For no one can come to Christ unless the Father who sent Him draws therm. Salvation is a gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast. (Gal. 2:8-10) For God has called you from spiritual darkness into His marvelous light, you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,  God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (2 Peter 2:9)  For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  in whom we have redemption, through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. (Col. 1:12-13)            

That dominion of darkness was/is that broad road traveled on by the majority of those in this fallen world. Those born again, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,  are those who travel on the narrow road that leads to everlasting life. Where they will  glorify God and enjoy Him forever.    But those who are on  the  broad road travel down a path where all hope is extinquished forever. A place where we're told a rich man begged for relief from the agony of the flames.  And asked  that his five brothers might be warned not to come to the place of torment. What is this place so called.                                                                                                                                                                          It is the dreaded doctrine of Hell. Not a subject that many want to discuss. It is a topic shunned by many as a  doctrine created that many refuse to believe.  God in fact would never have such a place where He sends the wicked.  Yet the very Son of God. Jesus the Christ spoke more above Hell than any other prophet or apostle in the scriptures.                              

Some of His descriptions of Hell are downright scary and loathsome to  many a disbelieving conscience. It just doesn't seem fair to many. So discussion of it is to be avoided. Yet God's One and Only Son Jesus,  referred to Hell more than anyone else in scripture. He defined it in a number of ways. It is a place of  weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Some call this a symbolic expression  and anguish and regret of those who reject Him and are separted from God forever. It is a warning about the consequences of rejecting Christ and not having faith in Him.                                                                                                                               

Other times Jesus calls Hell  A flaming furnace....an eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.... (NOTE: the fallen angels who follow satan in his disobedience and rebellion  toward God.  His messengers are  those who love and practice a lie)    Hell is the place where the body and soul are punished after death and are absent from the presence of God and  glory of God's power....(2 Thess. 1:7-10) It is the hell of fire.....the lake of fire in which a human being is thrown if their name is not written in the book of life....and where the torment of those with the mark of the beast goes on forever and ever. (Rev. 14:11;20:15)  It is Sodom and Gomorrah, indulging in perverted carnality, all those who practice  sexually immoral practices, pursing unnatural desires and serve us as an example, a type of what happens to those who are defiant to God's command by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 1:7)                                                                                                               

It is an outer darkness, shame and everlasting contempt, the second death for the unredeemed...for the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). But for those who have done good, to believe, trust and obey  to the resurrection of life everlasting. But for those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:29) For there is no one righteous....No not One but Jesus Christ. Who came to rescue His people from the dominion of spiritual blindness that plagues the entire human race. For there is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12)                                                                        

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.(Gal 5:19-21) Sin enslaves us to the lust of the flesh. To drop our guard and indulge in lowly carnal pleasures that corrupt and destroy the soul. Where a heart is finally hardened and insensative to the ways of a Holy, Righeous and Perfect God.             

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom. 10:9)

Saved from the Hell of wrath....from the fire that is not quenched which scripture says is eternal conscious punishment. Jesus said if anyone does not abide in me  he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. (John 15:6) To confess Christ Jesus as your savior and Lord and be born from above is to throw off the shackles of slavery to sin to a new life where  you are washed, sanctified, and  justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.( 1 Cor 6:9-10)                Jesus answered the people, "My kingdom is not of this world."—The answer of Jesus is two-fold, declaring (1) in this verse, that He is not a King in the political sense; and (2) in John 18:37, that He is a King in the moral sense. (ellicotts) His kingdom is not of a worldly nature, nor is it established by worldly means. Had it been so, Jesus said my servants would have striven to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews.(espositors)                                      

The word for ‘servants’ here is the same as is rendered ‘officers’ in John 18:3; John 18:12; John 18:18; John 18:33, John 7:32; John 7:45-46 which contains an allusion to the officials of the Jewish hierarchy. In Luke 1:2, the only other place in the Gospels where the word is used of Christians, it is rendered ‘ministers,’ as also in 1 Corinthians 4:1, the only place where the word occurs in the Epistles. (Cambridge Bible)                                                        

They charged him with attempting to set up an earthly kingdom, and of exciting sedition against Caesar. Jesus did claim to be a king, but not in the sense in which the Jews understood it.The kingdoms of the world are defended by arms; they maintain armies and engage in wars.                                                                                                                        

If the kingdom of Jesus had been of this kind, he would have excited the multitudes that followed him to prepare for battle.  He would not have been alone and unarmed in the garden of Gethsemane.  His dominion was over the heart, subduing evil passions and corrupt desires, and bringing the soul to the love of peace and unity.(Barnes)                          So far as Christ is King, his royal power and state are not furnished by earthly force, or fleshly ordinances, or physical energies, or material wealth, or imperial armies.The dominion that he will wield will be one over hearts and lives. He must reign, and he alone. This kingdom is not  "from," "out of," this world's methods or resources; (Pulpit commentary)                                                                                                                            

He is a king anointed by his Father from everlasting;  prophesied of in the Old Testament; declared by the angel, both when he brought the news of his conception, and of his birth; His Kingdom is more spiritual, not of this world; the subjects of Christ's kingdom are not of the world, they are chosen and called out of it;  it will not fail, when this world does, and the kingdoms thereof. Every thing that is carnal, sensual, and worldly, must be removed from our conceptions of Christ's kingdom, it  does not rise out of, nor proceed upon, nor is it supported by worldly principles,                                                                                                

Christ affirms his spiritual kingdom, but rejects a worldly one. It's as John the Apostle said, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh (craving of sinful man), the lust of the eyes, (as with Eve who saw the fruit ws pleasing to the eye, though God warned her not to eat of it or she would surely die)  and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.(1 John 2:15-17)                                                                             

It seems that some in the church believe their church will remain (it's building that is)  at the second coming of Christ. I even knew a Christian who believed things wouldn't change too much  in the new heavens and earth. Scripture debunks that premise with the apostles telling us that this whole world be be laid bare...burned up....that even the heavens will pass away with a great noise and the elements will melt with fervent heat.  That all will be disolved. That Jesus will return in flamming fire taking vengence on those who do not know God or obey Him....Rev 21 explains that the first heaven and earth will pass away and there will be a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells.  The old order of things will pass away. And he who is seated on the throne proclaims, "I am making everything new."   For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.  We will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (1 Cor 15:50-58)                                                                                                  

What there is now in this world will will day be wiped from existence. God will establish a New Heaven and New Earth where righteousness dwells. All God's chosen people will rise up in new glorified bodies at the resurrection of the dead at Jesus second coming. For the eternal life we will spend in the presence of God and the glory of His power. The only way to secure that eternity is in the One who came down from heaven, The Son of God/the Son of man--For Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, He died, was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord  and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.          For the believer in God's One and Only Son will then in eternity  glorify God and enjoy Him forever.                                                                                                                                   

But for those who reject the Way, the Truth and the Life, the only name under heaven by which anyone is saved...."Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices a lie." What awaits the wicked unbelieving, in the only name by which one is saved,  is only a certain fearful expection of judgement and the perdition of the ungodly.  For it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, who is a consuming fire.                                                  

But for those born again, born from above  by grace through faith a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells, they are invited into the holy city, New Jerusalem. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

God Doesn't Owe Us Anything Yet .....

 God doesn't owe us anything. WHAT YOU SAY!!??? Yep, God doesn't owe anyone on this planet; black, white, brown, red, whomever. God doesn't owe us anything. BUT He gives us everything. Life, Breath, Heartbeat, our skills, talents and abilities. And He allows the world to continue another day. Even though the majority of the world doesn't acknowledge Him. No the majority of the world worships idols and bow before them. Idol's 2000 years ago consisted of idols of stone, brick, mortar, metal, and wood. Today our idols can be a variety of things including movies or music idols, various sports-football, baseball. hockey, soccer-can become an idol. What a person does, their job, their profession, political party, money, our digital age of computers, smart phones, video games-the technology that makes it a convenient world in which to live.Your every whim at the click of a mouse or  tap on a keyboard. Even one's family can become an idol.  Whatever our depraved fallen hearts can fathom. Anything that takes precedence over the One True God,  can then become an idol.    

                                                          

                                                                                            

And we convince ourselves that's okay there's nothing wrong with that.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE . YES life is a Beatles song. All you need is love....Not the love of God but the love of other things we hold dearest to our hearts. A physical, sexual love, adultery, gay, straight an anything goes kind of love. No need for the marriage bond. Live together that's OK in the eyes of the world.  But the Love of the Bible first is agape love. Which is a sacrifical unconditional selfless love. The love that God expressed in sending His Son to redeem His chosen people. Or even a philia love that denotes brotherly love or friendship. Storge is used once in the Bible and denotes family love or the bond among relatives. Finally the other greek word for love is Eros. A romantic or passionate love. That is never spoken about in the Bible.  Scripture calls this a lust of the flesh and mind.                                                                                                                                                      T

This is the kind of love you can find  referred to in most of the music I grew up with. Like 1975's Roxy music who sang, "Lumber up, limbo down, the locked embrace, stumble around. I say go, she say yes. Dim the lights, you can guess the rest.  Stitched up tight, can't shake free. Love is the drug, got a hook on me.                                                                                                                            

Scripture warns us,  As a man (or woman) thinks, so they are and do. During this time of free   love, which is perfectly accepted and flaunted today,  another popular catchphase "Make love not war" came  to be recited profusely by that  younger generation.  For the youth of that time feared they may not have another day.  Many of them opposed the Vietnam war and feared that they would be drafted to go and fight and possibly die.                                                                          

                                                    

The rest thought it possible that they might perish in a nuclear conflagration that would annihilate the human race and destroy the world as we know it. Which is actually a danger we still live with today. Though it's not talked about. With approximately  13,400 nuclear warheads at the ready among the ntions.  Just waiting to be released at the hands of corrupt, fallen, depraved, reprobates manning the controls. Fingers poised and ready to push a button. PEACE? No....peace. It's the aliens reply in the sci-fi film "Independence Day, when the president asked it, "what do you want us to do." the Aliens reply....."DIE." You're enemy the devil, satan wishes the same of you. Perish with Him and the demons in the lake of fire.                                                                        

But Scripture reveals to us  the only real Peace is attainable through the Prince of Peace. Who promised  "peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." This is that peace beyond all understanding that the Son of God, Jesus Christ offers to the world. For there will never be a lasting peace in this fallen world. Our corrupt natures won't allow it.  For life on this Earth thrives in tragic disruption  and corruption.   

                                                             

                                                                                 

The first human beings wandered from God's truth and chose rather to believe the lie of the evil one. Has God said? The serpent uttered,  You shall not die.....but you'll ne like God knowing good and evil.  And discovered in their disobedience of God's command that the evil they discovered was within.  Sorry to say that a large part of the human race still pursues that selfish Godless goal for they do want to be god. .  Mankind launches rockets into the vaccuum of the darkness of space and do everything they can in their own sinful egotisical overinflated and arrogant  hubris  to try and prove that life can just happen. That something can actuslly come from nothing. It doesn't need an Almighty, Sovereign, Holy, Righteous All Powerful God to create and sustain life. The right amount of this. The right amount of that. Chemicals fuse, cells appear, life blossoms all by its isty bitsy self. How delightful. Life finds a way. And it's there somewhere. We just need to find it. But as Billy Preston sang now so many years ago, "Nothing from nothing leaves nothing!"  

For thus says the Lord,
Who created the heavens,
Who is God,
Who formed the earth and made it,
Who has established it,
Who did not create it [a]in vain,
Who formed it to be inhabited:“I am the Lord, and there is no other.                                        

God chose this planet to put those He made in His own imagine. But mankind doubted God's command, His truth doubted... Adam and Eve  disobeyed and believed a lie, and thus sin came into the world. Thus God subjected all creation to vanity and thus death was insitituted as punishment by the One True God.

Therefore, as through ]one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one[i] Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.  For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.   (Rom. 5:18-19)

 

People have a Natural Curiosity, it's part of our make up. And being at enmity with God we want to know everything about anything. And prove that an all knowing, Holy, Righteous, Eternal, all powerful, universe creating, life sustaining  God need not be necessary for this world to exist. All that's needed is just getting the right brew in the kettle, not much toil or trouble, and you'll have life.                                                                                                                                                        

Scripture though  tells us it is in  God,  that we live and move and have our being. And Jesus, The Christ, the Word who was in the beginning with God and was God, through whom all things were created in heaven and earth, holds everything together. Every atom, every protron , every neutron,  every nuclecus, every quark.   Every heartbeat, every breath, every simple movement isn't so simple but is a  gift from a God who so loved the world  that he gave His Only Son to rescue us from our hopeless sinful plight.                                                                                                                                                       

But the world rather desires to worship itself and people or creeping things, animals or any other religion, or deny there is a god of any kind  rather than an all-powerful all-knowing Holy and Righteous God to which we owe everything.  We are fallen in every aspect of our human nature. Totally depraved with a penchant to do it our way. A way contrary to what the Almighty God desires of us. But what we desire in our fallen state to embrace. And the most horrific part about this sin problem is that there comes a time when God gives people over to their own evil lusts, perversion and wicked ways so says scripture:                                                                              

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate (worthless;deserving contempt; disgusting; depraved; perverted;) mind, to do those things which are not fitting;  being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality (any sexual activity outside the marriage bond of a man and women), wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness (intendng to harm); full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers (gossips),  backbiters (slanderers), haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things , disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful;  who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32)

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;  but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 12:13-15)           Your own evil desire entices you to disobey God. For the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it. (Jer. 17:9)  

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, (sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse). fornication (any sexual activity outside the marriage covenant) , uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, (from the greek word we get the english word pharmacy which equals: DRUGS) , selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, (a noisy lively drinking party) and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal. 5:19-21)

For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness (promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters), lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.(anything that replaces the one, true God).  In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, (a wasteful and luxurious lifestyle that leads believers astray from their spiritual calling)  speaking evil of you.  They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Peter 4:1-5)

By our very nature, which is fallin' we hate the God of the Bible. We are dead in our tresspasses and sins and following the course of this world, the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that works in the sons of disobedience..... And are by nature children of God's wrath. ut(Eph. 2:1-5) We are born into this world NOT children of God.  But children of God's wrath (His anger) subject to His judgement.                                          The Apostle John warns us to be very cautious : "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.  For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man,  the lust of the eyes, and the boasting of what we have and do—comes not from the Father but from the world.  The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." (1` John 2:15-17)                              

By our very nature we  want and pursue the comforts this life  can accommodate. And many want to be their own God doing whatever their flesh  hungers for. Others want worship and adoration from those around them. Some idolize politics. They believe that is the answer to certain idealogies they harbor. And claim they are the party of God to appeal to  those who also worship at the altar of bureaucratic partisanship.  Hence the Dilemma that the world is in today. Crude insulting jibes, foul offensive slander, disparaging name calling.   Some of those humans can be considered very dangerous since they may have the power and ability with the flick of a switch to totally annihilate our exisitence in but a matter of minutes.                                                                  

It's a scary thought and not discussed much today. But some religiously motivated idolaters, but mere reprobates, and under the influence of the prince of the power of the air, the evil one, are at  the ready. Easily affected by the hatred that consumes and decieves their souls. They'll scream they're doing it for their god. In fact one of these extremely unhinged nations are pursuing  a stake in the nuclear arsenal. If or when supplied with the proper materials,  they will soon have the capabilty that other nuclear nations now possess. A scary thought indeed but one to be considered.  It is a scary world indeed.                                                                                                                                                                                               

  For the Christian, born from above, by grace through faith, we know Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. We have a citizenship in heaven assured by God's promise. Never to leave us or forsake us.  We are assured of that because God is not a man that He should lie. It is the blessed Hope of every believer. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us in His kingdom and will return at the apointed time to receive us to Himself.                                                                                                

This present evil age will continue until Jesus returns with a shout, the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God. And every eye will see Him coming 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. For this world is marked for destruction. And the world and its desires will pass away.

                                            

                                                                                                                                                                      Christians though look forward to the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Who will transform our bodies to be like his glorious body. When He comes in that day when every eye will see him, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  For those who have not the Messiah Jesus as their Lord and Savior the wrath of God remains on them. As John the baptist proclaimed in  John 3:36  when he spoke the words  "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”  For those who don't believe and have refused God's gift of redemption, their eternity will be based on what they did and what kind of life they lived at the judgement seat of Christ. And since no one is righteous, no not one,  they will pay themselves for their own transgressions before God.  John talks about this moment in Rev. 20 of his apolcalyse:

                                                   

 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

I find it interesting that in today's version of Christianity Hell is virtually non-exsistant. It has become extinct, like the Dinosaurs. It is seen as buried bones that need not be dug up. People don't want to hear about Hell.  And a God that will judge them. It offends them. But the truth of Hell came from Jesus the Christ Himself. Yet people recoil at the thought of it. It is true that Apostle to the gentiles, Paul,  never mentioned Hell by name once in His letters. But Paul does  mention the fate of those who reject Jesus:

                                                        

Those who go to hell will endure the wrath of God, become useless, are separated from God, and will be distressed. (Romans 1:18; Heb. 10:31; 12:29)

Hell is a real place of destruction where non-believers experience divine wrath.(1 Thess 1:7-9;) 

Why make mention of the doctrine of Hell? Because the Son of God,  Jesus spoke about the doctrine of Hell more than anyone else in scripture. In Matt. 5:30 Jesus says " And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell." Which seems to indicate that the unbeliever has a conscious existence in Hell. As Jesus made plain in Matt. 25:46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Punishment denotes continuous conscious retribution; damnation: condemnation to eternal punishment.                                                                                  

In the Old Testament Daniel  writes of a resurrection saying " Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt." Shame of the lost creates humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior: Contempt upon them for their disobedience to God's rules, orders,  and law. The painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable or improper." It is a feeling that will last for all eternity. But the righteous receive everlasting life.                                    

                                                       

Jesus speaks about the resurrection Himself in John 5:28 and 29  " Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice  and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." That condemnation is the weeping and gnashing of teeth, and eternity absent from the presense of God and the glory of His power in the Hell of eternal fire. A place of eternal conscious punishment for the wicked.     

What exactly did Messiah Jesus teach on hell.   "And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell."  (Matt. 18:9)   Again in Matt. 10:28 "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."   Remember that destruction is an eternal conscious event.                                                                                                                               

Matt. 5:30 "And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell." Matt. 13: 50 And shall cast them (the wicked)  into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing, weeping and gnashing of teeth. (I believe weeping for they heard the gospel and rejected it. gnashing teeth in an eternal state of anger at God for their perdictament.)                                                                                              

Jesus on the eternal state of the wicked in Mark 9:43 "If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched—(never quenched signifies the eternality of Hell.) 

The doctrine of Hell is one that some deny. Others say the wicked are  annihilated.  That is they simple cease to have  any concept of existence. No thought, no feelings, no conscience of being for you are not spirit...not body....you simpy are not anything. You have been totally obliterated; wiped out...utterly destroyed. You are nothing  simply because nothing  is what you are. The Bible teaches otherwise. For those born from above  know this "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." (2 Cor. 5:8; see also Phil. 1:23)   

                                                               

                                                                                  

Jesus speaks of Hell more than anyone else in Scripture. He refers to Hell as the unquenchable fire."  "where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched."  The New Testrament word Gehenna is translated as Hell in our english bibles. Gehenna was a violent, disgusting place of filth--the dumping ground of the city. It is where some of the ancient Israelites “passed children through the fire” that is they sacrificed their children to the Canaanite god Molech.                          

                                                               

    In later years, Gehenna continued to be an unclean place used for burning trash from the city of Jerusalem. The Gehenna Valley was thus a place of burning sewage, burning flesh, and garbage. Maggots and worms crawled through the waste, and the smoke smelled strong and sickening. Thus Jesus said Hell was where the worm did not die and the fire never ceased. Whatever was meant Jesus conveyed Hell was an accursed abode of the wicked who denied God. They  did not obey his laws, did little good to help others and in fact made life difficult for them and were concerned just for themselves.  They were obsessed with a love for money which they vigorously pursued. In fact the Jewish people had the belief that the rich were looked on highly by God. And thus were blessed by God with the wealth they accrued.                                                       

So the Messiah Himself, Jesus believed Hell was a real place with real consequences. A place where the wicked, unjust reprobate would spend eternity. The story of the rich man and Lazarus speaks about Hell's horrible consciousness of punishment: "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ The rich man called  where he was located a place of torment. Thus Hell is the place of everlasting existence and eternal punishment. Hell is the place where its inhabitants will be tormented day and night forever and ever.                                                                                                                        

                                                                

John the revelator speaks about the great day of judgement. We may have so called judgement free zones at our fitness clubs and other places of this world. But a Holy, eternal, righteous, Perfect God has been desecrated  by the  disobedient, unthankful,  reprobate world where each person is/has/will do whatever is right in their own eyes. Mankind makes their own rules and thus practices and declares what God calls an abomination normal, acceptable and even an attribute of mankinds rise to prominence.                                                                                                                

                                                 

God's laws, God's protecting precepts replaced by human beings who hear the words pronounced in the garden by that serpent of old, the fallen angel, who desires to be God and be worshipped.  The devil, satan who uttered, "has God said. You will not surely die. But be like God, knowing good and evil."  And thus evil it was/is to this day that mankind covets and practices. For there is no one righteous no not one. No one who understand or seeks after God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless. No one does good. No not one.                                                    

Each and every human being needs that piercing gift of regeneration, that calling from God by grace through faith (itself being a gift from God) by which anyone is saved.  Not of yourself. Not by any good works, past, present or future. But simply by the mercy of God does He save His chosen people. God owes us nothing but has given us the greatest gift anyone could ever imagine. For God the Father sent His Son down from heaven  not to condemn the world. But that the world through Him might be saved. From everlasting  condemnation and torment. Through the washing of regeneration (born again, born from above)  and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. That having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7)                        

If you are a Christian. If you have received God's call then you have a citizenship in heaven. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for you...For His people. Chosen as was Jesus Christ,  before the foundation of the world.  And who promises:" if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." What a blessed Hope awaits the people of God. This puritan vision sums it up so succinctly " “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever."                                                                                                   

 But outside (God's Kingdom promise) are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.  But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (rev. 21:7-9) 

                                            

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev. 22:11-15) The fate of all those who have rejected the call of God to the only name under heaven by which anyone is saved. 

                                                           

                                                    

Jesus warns us all to “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: Jesus Words to His disciples ring true to us today. The question is. Are you one of the few?                                                                                 

Trusting and obeying in the only name under heaven by which anyone is saved, from the wrath of God that comes on the sons of disobedience, is absolutely essential for anyone keeping away  from the ravages of an eternal damnation that awaits the wicked in hell. Because of mankinds crushing defeat in believing the lie of the evil one rather than God, death and eternal separation from God has fallen upon us. God has provided, as John the Baptist said, "the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29.) Jesus the Christ is the Way, Truth and Life and no ones comes to the Father except through Him. (John 14:6) 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strenght. And love your neighbor as yourself.  Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Matt:22:37-40; Romans 13:10) prehaps if these words were posted at public school entrances kids wouldn't be thinking about killing their classmates and teachers.

 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (KJV Matt. 10:28)                                                 

Fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. But fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)

But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! (Luke 12:5)

When 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)

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)

                                                            

God does not owe us anything. But has given us everything including His own Son, the Word who was in the beginning with God and was God. He became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus Christ is the Good News-the Gospel. For this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent His Son to be an atoning sacrifice for sin. And so Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures: the perfect sacrifice because without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Therefore God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that in Him we  might become the righteousness of God. For without that perfection, which only God's Son in human flesh had, No One can see the Kingdom of God...He was buried, and He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Cor. 15:1-5) 

No other entrance into the Kingdom of heaven. God pronounced to the Holy prophets ....a child would  be born, in Bethlehem, to a virgin, His name wonderful, counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace. And of His kingdom there will be no end. 

 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (meaning God with us)

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,

Yet out of you shall come forth to Me

The One to be Ruler in Israel,

Whose goings forth are from of old,

From everlasting.”    (Micah 5:2)

Isaiah the prophet 750 years before the birth of Jesus the Christ through the power of God the Holy Spirit wrote this:

He is despised and rejected by men,

A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

                                               

 All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord [n]has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment,

And who will declare His generation?

For He was cut off from the land of the living;

For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

And they made His grave with the wicked—

But with the rich at His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;

He has put Him to grief.

When You make His soul an offering for sin,

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,

And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,

For He shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah chapter 53---750 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, to a virgin, in Bethlehem) 

                                                 

 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins.(1 John 4:10)

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)