Chrisstian

The prodigal child, a deep dive into some parables from Jesus Christ (part three)

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We left the previous part of the series with the youngest son’s demand for his reward. Now we will look to the reward itself.
So, the child is given their inheritance. Again we need to understand something. What he asks for is what is promised in the future, once his father passes from the world. So the prodigal child is asking for in essence their rewards promised them in the eternal life that is yet to be, if we look at the father as God. This is what he asks for and this is what he is given. The same can be said of all that ask God of something. This something, be it wealth, a fancy home, a fancy car. All this is something that was meant for a life they have yet to see. The eternal life. These things you seek after here are not for eternity, but for here, for now, in the contemporary. Yet this is what most demand. This is what the son was asking for.
So the youngest son packs up everything he owns and moves to a distant land. The intent is made clear he turns his back upon his father. Never to see him ever again. Most that deny God live this very way. Many that say they accept Christ as their Savior live this was as well. It is something to be expected as is made clear in 2 Peter chapter 2:
20 – And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”
Most do not wish to live a Christian live-style. They find it confining, restricted. They see the Bible as simply a reference tool. A book of suggestions, instead of what it truly is. It is a book of laws that we are required to follow.
John 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments….”
This is why most run away from God. This is why they pack all their belongings so they can do as the youngest son did. To live a “riotous living,” away from the site of God their Father and Creator.
Riotous – asotos – extravagantly wasteful because of “loose living,” i.e. a debauched, profligate lifestyle
Profligate – utterly and shamelessly immoral or dissipated; thoroughly dissolute.
As he lived this live-style he wasted all he owned. Then when a famine hit the land he found himself without the ability to even feed himself. So he bonded himself to someone in the land he now lived.
What he made of himself voluntarily was a bondservant. A bondservant is something that was established within the Israelite tribes as a way to settle debts. Simply the person become the property of someone else for a period of time. A slave. In most cases for six years. So being a slave, his master did not even feed him, and he hungered even after the scraps that he was feeding unto the pigs he was ordered to feed.
Here is something else that needs to be understood. The pig is seen as an animal that is detestable, filthy and unclean to the Israelites. To be forced to feed one let alone desire to eat what a pig eats means that the youngest hit rock-bottom.
We will continue this in the next part of the series.

Salvation is not guaranteed, no matter what you may have been told

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re-post
Now once you get done laughing and are still here reading. Allow me to explain the title of this article, and since the best place to start this is with the words of Jesus Christ Himself:
Revelation 3:5 – All who are victorious will be clothed in white. I will never erase their names from the Book of Life, but I will announce before my Father and his angels that they are mine.
Now some of you will be saying. What does this have to do with not being assured of one’s salvation? EVERYTHING! Let’s look at the King James:
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”
“and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life,”
First off note the phrasing of the sentence. It implies that Jesus has the power to add and remove the names that are listed within the Book of Life. “I will not blot out.”
Now let’s break this down further.
Blot out – exaleipho – to rub (smear) out, i.e. completely remove (wipe away); obliterate; remove totally from a previous state with the outcome of being blotted out (erased).
To be erased they must have their name placed within it to begin with. Now let’s again turn to the words of Jesus.
John 15:1 – “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father.”
“Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.”
“Anyone who does not remain in me.” This identifies one of the focal points of God’s gift given to all of humanities. That being free-will. It states that we have a choice in our relationship with Christ and through Him, God. It is a true inter-relationship in which each person has a say. However, Jesus will remain loyal, on His part, yet humans do show what is most important to themselves. This goes to teachings within the Bible that states is it not all works, as well as not all faith, but an equal measure of both. This is what allows us to bear fruit upon our branch. However if we go outside of this balance then we no longer bear fruit. Also if we turn away from what the Bible teaches, especially those given by Jesus Christ Himself, then we no longer bear fruit.
This guidance made by Jesus Christ Himself in one of His private teachings to the apostles makes it clear. If you no longer have an interactive relationship with Him, then you wither and die. At this point God Himself removes you from His Son, and you are cast into the fire. The implication of the word “fire” is as one would expect, the fires of hades.
So if you are of the vine of Christ, you are saved. Your name is written in the Book of Life. Then your branch is broken off from the vine, from Christ. You are no longer a part of the body. Your name is removed from the Book of Life. So as you can see, Salvation is not guaranteed.
What is needed by all that wish to be within the vine or to remain within the vine is to learn the Bible and to not just say “I am Christian,” but to live a Christian life and lifestyle. Not just through their words, but their actions. From obeying the speed limit to living not within wealth and luxury, but in moderation. Saving the majority of your wealth and then to give to those in need before yourself. This world, this temporal plain of existence we now live within is not where our minds should be focused, but on God and the eternal life that is to come.

Understanding the duality of God’s work

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One thing that many have problems understanding is God’s use of duality. Throughout all levels of the Bible and its teaching down to words themselves. A duality can be found that expands upon just how great God is. God knows who will follow Him. Yet we ourselves do not and through the use of free-will, we, ourselves must make the choice to follow Him.
God knows from the outset that Eve would eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In turn He knew that Adam would eat it as well. Yet allowing their free-will to dictate their live as well as all that have followed since that fateful day.
God is both physical and spiritual, and as Christ manifested after His resurrection. He used both attributes to enter into a locked room. Becoming physical enough to eat and drink as he talked with the apostles present at that time.
Any attempt to take away from this duality means to diminish not only our Creator, but His will as well. Any that say the Word of God is not what it says, takes away from God. We are told not to add or take away from the Bible.
The ultimate example of the duality comes in the form of faith and works. We are told clearly that faith alone is dead. We are also told that doing works alone has no meaning to God, and many times is used to glorify the person not God, and so is an example of death as well. It is made very clear that the duality is we must have faith and live the teachings of the bible, which is works (James 2:14-26).
When you horde your wealth, speed, gossip, think yourself special, but at the same time say you belief in Christ. You have failed the duality and are not one with Christ, which is the duality of hypocrisy.
The teaching within the Bible make it perfectly clear. We are to live modestly and share our extra wealth with our fellow Christians in need. We are to obey the laws of the land, no matter how inconvenient, that do not go against the Word of God. We are not to gossip or place anything above God. We are also to humble ourselves and to treat all others as better than us. We do this for God is the first thing we consider above all else.
For one day Christ will return to earth and split the Mount of Olives. For He is the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Messiah.