Continuing with “Repentance”… the question ‘bids’ for an answer, “Who then, needs to Repent?” Absolutely ‘Everyone’… “No Exceptions!” Right away someone will ask… ‘What about the heathen in foreign lands who never heard the Gospel?’ Had God, the God of the Bible given them a witness about Himself? “Absolutely Yes!” IF He provides salvation for ‘All’, through the Finished Work of “Christ Jesus”… then “ALL”… need this “Savior”, for there is “None Other!”
*** (Acts 4:10-11-12) be it known to you ‘all’, and to ‘all’ the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in this name does this man stand before you whole.
(Acts 4:11) This is the Stone which you builders have counted worthless, and He has become the Head of the Corner.
(Acts 4:12) And there is salvation in no other One; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
*** (Psalms 98:2-3) Jehovah has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has unveiled to the eyes of the nations [Gentiles].
(Psalms 98:3) He has remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel; ‘all’ the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of Jehovah.
*** (Psalms 19:1-2-2) To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the expanse proclaims His handiwork.
(Psalms 19:2) Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
(Psalms 19:3) There is no speech nor are there words; their voice is not heard.
Everyone is “Without Excuse!” Inherently, all know “Good from Evil!” A child does ‘not’ have to be taught to lie, to steal or to cheat. It is part of our sin nature. But each one does ‘know’, right from wrong. The human laws of a nation are only a ‘mere reflection’ of the ‘Righteousness of God’. Once again, ‘IF’ someone steals from you, ‘Then’ why else would you get indignant? ‘Right and Wrong’… are universal “Truths”.
*** (Romans 2:14-15) For when the nations [Gentiles], who do not have the Law, do by nature the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law unto themselves;
(Rom 2:15) who show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and the thoughts between one another accusing or even excusing one another,
*** (Romans 1:18-19-20) For God's wrath is being revealed from heaven against all the ungodliness and wickedness of those who in their wickedness suppress the truth.
(Rom 1:19) =For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God Himself has made it plain to them.
(Rom 1:20) =For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes-his eternal power and divine nature-have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse.
*** (2Chronicles 6:32-33) And also to the ‘stranger’ who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your great name's sake, and Your mighty hand, and Your stretched out arm, if they come and pray in this house;
(2Chron 6:33) then hear from Heaven, from Your dwelling-place, and do according to all that the stranger calls to You for, so that all people of the earth may know Your name, and fear You, as Your people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name.
“Each” one of us… and “Everyone” of us, have sinned against God! But is His ‘Grace & Mercy’ He has provided salvation. Yes even the OT ‘Jew’ and the ‘Stranger’… knew that God, the Only God, Who created all mankind, would require an accounting. The Mercy of God was even known among those Gentile nations of the past. So much more today, as modern mankind has feebly attempted to dismiss God. Each one will give an account of… ‘himself or herself’… to God!
*** (2Peter 3:9) The Lord is not slow concerning His promise, as some count slowness, but is long-suffering toward us, not purposing that ‘any’ should perish, but that ‘all’ should come to “Repentance”.
*** (Acts 17:30) Truly, then, God overlooking the times of ignorance, now He strictly commands ‘all’ men everywhere ‘to Repent’,
*** (2Timothy 2:25-26) in meekness instructing those who oppose, if perhaps God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth,
(2Tim 2:26) and that they awake out of the snare of the Devil, having been taken captive by him, so as to do the will of that one.
*** (1Kings 18:37) Hear me, O Jehovah, hear me, that this people may know that You are Jehovah God, and that You have turned their heart back again.
*** (Proverbs 21:1) The king's heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He will.
“One Thing” that God ‘cannot’ do… is to ‘violate’ the “Free Will of Mankind!” To Love God is a choice, not something that is forced. God simply presents His… “Love, Mercy & Grace”… to mankind and allows ‘them alone’ to make the choice. God never forces Himself or His Word upon everyone. But He does require responsibility for ‘those’ decisions. If He did not require such responsibility, He then could not be a just God. One Way… Christ Jesus… is the only way for all! He simply offers… Everyone Repentance… but Most, simply Refuse!
*** (Exodus 8:32) And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
*** (Exodus 9:34-35) And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders had ceased, he sinned still more and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
(Exodus 9:35) And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the sons of Israel go, even as Jehovah had spoken by Moses.
*** (2Chronicles 36:11-12-13) Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.
(2Chron 36:12) And he did the evil in the sight of Jehovah his God. He was not humbled before Jeremiah the prophet, from the mouth of Jehovah.
(2Chron 36:13) And he also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart from turning to Jehovah, the God of Israel.
*** (Deuteronomy 2:30) But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him. For Jehovah your God hardened his spirit and made his heart stubborn so that He might deliver him into your hand, as it is this day.
*** (1Samuel 15:23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idol-worship. Because you have rejected the Word of Jehovah, He has also rejected you from being king!
In each of these ‘Circumstances’… God ‘First’; offered His, Mercy, Grace & Love! As it is rejected, ‘hardness of heart’ takes over and more refusal. So it is today as it was then. God has give mankind… throughout all the ages, “Free Will”. Mankind has simply chosen to go his own way. In order to be just… God has offered… “Salvation to ‘all’ mankind”. They have simply “Refused God” In tern that rebellion against God, has left them to that “Satanic Rebellion” common to all mankind. IF you choose “Not to Obey”… those in ‘authority’ over you… “How then can you obey God?” Someone always has to be “Boss!”
*** (1Kings 22:20-to-23) And Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth in Gilead? And one said this way, and another said that way.
(1Ki 22:21) And there came forth a spirit and stood before Jehovah and said, I will entice him.
(1Ki 22:22) And Jehovah said to him, With what? And he said, I will go forth and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And He said, You shall entice him and succeed also. Go forth and do so.
(1Ki 22:23) And now, behold, Jehovah has permitted a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and Jehovah has spoken evil concerning you.
*** (Luke 4:6-7-8) And the Devil said to Him [Jesus], All this power I will give you, and the glory of them; for it has been delivered to me. And I give it to whomever I will.
(Luke 4:7) Therefore if you will worship me, all shall be yours.
(Luke 4:8) And Jesus answered and said to him, Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve."
*** (1John 2:15-16-17) Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him,
(1Jn 2:16) because all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
(1Jn 2:17) And the world passes away, and the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever.
*** (Luke 16:13) "No servant can serve two masters. For either he will hate one and love the other, or be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and riches!"
Simply Put… You either serve “Yourself”… or you serve “God and His Word!” You have been offered both… “Salvation and Repentance!” You make that choice, and your choice determines your heart either… Towards God or Against God… and His Word, the Bible. There is no middle ground. Each time you reject “God’s Truth”… your heart gets “Hardened!” Soon you will get to the point, that you will no longer be free to make that ‘choice’…!
*** (Hebrews 3:12-to-19) See to it, my brothers, that no evil, unbelieving heart is found in any of you, as shown by your turning away from the living God.
(Heb 3:13) Instead, continue to encourage one another every day, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
(Heb 3:14) For we are Christ's partners only if we hold on to our original confidence to the end.
(Heb 3:15) As it is said, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as they did when they provoked me."
(Heb 3:16) Now who heard him and provoked him? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?
(Heb 3:17) And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned and whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
(Heb 3:18) And to whom did he swear that they would never enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed him?
(Heb 3:19) So we see that they were unable to enter because of their unbelief.
Is your hear… ‘Tender’… towards God and His Word… or… “Hardened”…?
Continued next blog.
Thanks, In Christ, Roger
Ende…!
