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Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF CHRIST, IS NOT THE BRIDE

« Last post by doug on October 09, 2025, 11:29:04 am »

[2Corinthians 11:2 KJV] 2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.

Paul is not saying that the church, the body of Christ, is the bride of Christ.

Paul is presenting an illustration of his desire that the church be not removed from Christ...............[2Corinthians 11:3-4 KJV] 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].

Here is another verse where Paul is similarly using childbirth as an illustration.............[Galatians 4:19 KJV] 19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you,

[Revelation 21:9-10 KJV] 9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,.................The bride is the holy city of God, new Jerusalem..............[Revelation 21:2 KJV] 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / WAS JESUS WRONG?

« Last post by doug on October 08, 2025, 10:02:19 am »

[Mark 9:1 KJV] 1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

There are some who use this verse to say Jesus was mistaken. He said there would be some standing there with him who would not die till they saw the kingdom on earth. Jesus was wrong, the Bible has errors, since those standing there with Jesus have died and the kingdom is yet to come.

Reading scripture superficially, and not realizing that our obvious understanding in reading may be wrong can lead to rashly accusing scripture of error.

Jesus was not mistaken, Jesus was speaking to the people, and the disciples, and said there be some of them that stand here, not at that time, but in a future time. In the future there would be people standing in that exact spot who would be alive to see the coming of the kingdom. Jesus was not saying this about those standing with him.

[Mark 9:2 KJV] 2 And after six days Jesus taketh [with him] Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them..............This passage is called "the transfiguration", and is used to explain Mark 9:1. They say that when the disciples saw Jesus transfigured it fulfilled Jesus saying they would see him in the power of his coming.
First of all, seeing the glory, and the majesty of Jesus, is not seeing the kingdom on earth. This passage is used to explain Mark 9:1 because of it's proximity to verse 1 as the next event.
Secondly, Peter says they were eyewitnesses of his majesty as well, not of his kingdom...............[2Peter 1:16-18 KJV] 16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.............In verse 16 Peter does say he made known the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, but did not say it was by his transfiguration.

[Mark 9:9-10 KJV] 9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. 10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean..................what struck me was, in verse 10, they didn't know what the resurrection of Christ meant. How could, as some say, there is only one gospel found in the Bible, and Peter and the eleven preached it. How could they preach the resurrection for our salvation if they didn't know what it meant?

Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / WHO ARE THE 144,000?

« Last post by doug on October 01, 2025, 11:38:25 am »

[Revelation 14:1 KJV] 1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty [and] four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

There are different views as to who the 144,000 are.

I think we have a clue as to who they might be..............[Revelation 14:3-4 KJV] 3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, [being] the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb...............They are redeemed from the earth..............[Deuteronomy 21:8 KJV] 8 Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
[Deuteronomy 21:8 KJV] 8 Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them..........Believing Israel has been redeemed...........[James 1:18 KJV] 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures...............believing Israel is called firstfruits....................This verse identifies, beyond a doubt, the 144,000 as being Israelites............[Rev 7:4 KJV] 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: [and there were] sealed an hundred [and] forty [and] four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

It is possible that the 144,000 are resurrected believing remnant of Israel saints.

Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / ARE THOSE IN HELL SEPARATED FROM THE LORD?

« Last post by doug on October 01, 2025, 09:54:31 am »

[2Thessalonians 1:9 KJV] 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

I have heard people say this verse teaches that the ungodly will be punished in hell, and will be separated from the Lord Jesus Christ.

This passage doesn't uphold this contention.................[Revelation 14:9-10 KJV] 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:..............they will be tormented with fire in hell "IN THE PRESENCE of the lamb", the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ will not be removed from those in hell, on the contrary, they will be tormented in his presence.

Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / WHY JESUS AND THE TWELVE APOSTLES DID NOT PREACH THE CROSS

« Last post by doug on September 30, 2025, 10:37:25 am »

[1Corinthians 2:7-8 KJV] 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

There are those who say that Peter and the disciples all preached the same gospel. They say they preached the cross for eternal salvation for all who believe.

This verse has implications to those who hold this view.

If Peter and the disciples did preach the cross, then all that the cross accomplished would have been made known, and they would not have crucified Christ.

According to scripture Peter and the disciples could not have preached the cross because they didn't understand anything about his death and resurrection...............[Mark 9:31-32 KJV] 31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. 32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Jesus did not preach the cross for salvation. Jesus privately told the disciples that he would be put to death and rise again to fulfill all that was written in the prophets.................[Luke 24:44 KJV] 44 And he said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.

Jesus did not preach the cross. Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom..........[Matthew 4:23 KJV] 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / THE BETTER TESTAMENT FOR ISRAEL

« Last post by doug on September 29, 2025, 12:42:35 pm »

[Hebrews 10:4, 8-10 KJV] 4 For [it is] not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. ... 8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and [offering] for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure [therein]; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all].

The law provided the first testament, in which, the offering of the blood of animals was accepted as atonement for sins. These offerings could never take away sins.

Jesus came to do the will of the Father, by which his will would establish a better testament (Hebrews 7:22).

The better testament provides eternal redemption, and sanctification for those who believe.

[John 1:29 KJV] 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

The world in this sense may not refer to all people, but may refer to his existing creation in general. Jesus came to take away sin in his creation. Jesus came into the world to come unto his own........... [John 1:10-11 KJV] 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

The first testament sacrificial lamb pictured the Lord Jesus Christ, whose shed blood provides forgiveness of sins. Jesus is the sacrificial lamb of God............[Hebrews 10:12 KJV] 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

[1John 3:5 KJV] 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.............Jesus was manifested to take away "our sins". "Our sins" pertains only to the sins of Israel. Jesus would take away the sins of those to whom he was manifested, which was Israel.............[John 1:31 KJV] 31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

Mary would bring forth the Saviour who would save his people Israel from their sins..............[Matthew 1:21 KJV] 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Jesus would only take away the sins committed by Israel when they were under the first testament...........[Hebrews 9:15 KJV] 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Jesus revealed to Paul that his sacrificial death would be for all.................[1Timothy 2:5-6 KJV] 5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time...............When John said Jesus would "taketh away the sin of the world" he could not have been referring to the forgiveness of the sins of all people because that was not yet the "due time" to be testified.

Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / WHAT DID JOHN MEAN THAT JESUS WAS THE PROPITIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD?

« Last post by doug on September 28, 2025, 04:39:42 pm »

[1John 2:2 KJV] 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world.

It would seem to be apparent that this is a straightforward verse saying that Jesus's blood sacrifice reconciled the whole world to God, appeased his wrath, and could possibly not mean anything else. I am inclined to think this verse needs more examination to determine it's meaning.

It is beyond dispute that Christ put away sin by his sacrifice...........[Hebrews 9:26 KJV] 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself........The question remains as to whose sins were in view.

[Hebrews 9:15 KJV] 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance................According to this verse, Christ redeemed the sins of Israel committed under the old testament, NOT the sins of the whole world.

Hebrews 9:15 limits his sacrifice to redeem Israel while 1 John 2:2 says he is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. How can this be understood? We need to examine what is meant to be "the world".

Is there in scripture reference to only one use of the "world"? We can see from these passages that when scripture speaks of the world, it isn't limited to this present world............[2Peter 2:5 KJV] 5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth [person], a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;........Peter says there was an "old world" distinguished from this present world. The same can be said of this verse............[2Peter 3:6 KJV] 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:........it is said there was a world spoken of that "was", which is not speaking of this present world.

This present world will pass away...........[1John 2:16-17 KJV] 16 For 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. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

[Psalms 22:27-28 KJV] 27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. 28 For the kingdom [is] the LORD'S: and he [is] the governor among the nations...........There is a coming kingdom, in which, the Lord Jesus will reign over the nations. There is the present world, and a world to come............[Matthew 12:32 KJV] 32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the [world] to come.
[Mark 10:30 KJV] 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
[Luke 18:30 KJV] 30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.
[Luke 20:34-35 KJV] 34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:...............The world to come is when Jesus comes again to reign on the earth in his kingdom as the "governor among the nations".

It is incumbent for us to think about what world was John speaking of when he said Jesus was "the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for [the sins of] the whole world". The coming world could possibly be the world John spoke of.

It should be noted that in other verses in 1 John he does not speak of Jesus being the propitiation for the sins of the world. He speaks only of "our sins". ...............[1John 3:5 KJV] 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.
[1John 4:10 KJV] 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son [to be] the propitiation for our sins.
[Revelation 1:5 KJV] 5 And from Jesus Christ, [who is] the faithful witness, [and] the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / ARE WE ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD?

« Last post by doug on September 26, 2025, 11:30:56 am »

[Ephesians 2:3 KJV] 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

I have heard countless people saying that we are the "children of God". We are not, by nature, the children of God.

This verse says that we are the "children of wrath".

The only way to become "children of God" is to place faith in Christ...........[Galatians 3:26 KJV] 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / HOW DOES JESUS TAKE AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD?

« Last post by doug on September 25, 2025, 12:12:43 pm »

[John 1:29 KJV] 29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

There are those who say this verse proves that there is only one gospel. They say that here we can find John giving the gospel that Jesus died for our sins for the salvation of the whole world. I offer another view.

The lamb was sacrificed to make atonement for the sins of Israel in the old testament........[Numbers 6:14 KJV] 14 And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,...............Jesus is indeed the lamb of God that was foreshadowed by the sacrificial offering of the old testament lamb (Genesis 22:8 Revelation 5:6).

Jesus died to redeem the iniquities committed by Israel in the old testament...............[Hebrews 9:15 KJV] 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

John was not revealing that Jesus would die for our sins and rise for our justification. This was a mystery/a secret hid in God. If John was revealing this they would not have crucified Jesus......... [1Corinthians 2:7-8 KJV] 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

What was being conveyed by John saying "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world"
was that Jesus would come again to establish his kingdom on earth (Luke 1:32-33). Jesus will reign with righteousness and destroy the wicked sinners.................[Isaiah 11:4 KJV] 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
[Isiah 13:9 KJV] 9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
[Jeremiah 3:17 KJV] 17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
[Isiah 9:6-7 KJV] 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
[Daniel 9:24 KJV] 24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy..............all of the verses above is how Jesus will take away sin from the world.

The last point to consider is to look closely at John 1:29. The verse says "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world". The verse says SIN, NOT SINS. This is a subtle difference. The verse does not say the sins of the world is taken away, but rather sin is.

Jesus will also take away the sins of the believing nation of Israel in the new covenant which will be established in the kingdom..............[Jeremiah 31:27, 34 KJV] 27 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. ... 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

What was not known until the Lord Jesus revealed it to Paul was that he would reconcile the world to himself............[2Corinthians 5:19 KJV] 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Study to Shew Thyself Approved Unto God. . . / WHO ARE THE MANY THAT ARE FORGIVEN?

« Last post by doug on September 24, 2025, 01:32:31 pm »

[Matthew 26:28 KJV] 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Jesus said his shed blood provided the forgiveness of sins. I would say, most believe this verse is saying that this forgiveness can be applied to all believers. This will be examined.

Why is it that, even after Jesus rose from the dead, his shed blood was not being preached for the forgiveness of sins?.............[Luke 24:47 KJV] 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
[Acts 2:38 KJV] 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
[Acts 10:43 KJV] 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins..............What was still being preached was forgiveness through his name. Believing in Christ was to be believe in his name, to believe that he was their Messiah, the Son of God.

By looking at the context of Matthew 26:28, we can understand what Jesus meant in saying his shed blood would be for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus is speaking about the promised kingdom on earth. The context is the kingdom..............[Matthew 26:29 KJV] 29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom................ In the prophetic kingdom on earth, the believing remnant of Israel will reign with Christ for a thousand years (Luke 1:32-33 Revelation 20:6).

I think that the context of the verses in Matthew 26 lend to concluding that the remission of sins by his shed blood pertains to the coming of Christ when he establishes the kingdom on earth. Jesus said his blood was for the remission of sins, which I see as being when the sins of the nation of Israel are blotted out at his presence. The times of refreshing occurs when he returns, and the kingdom is established.............. [Acts 3:19-21 KJV] 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

God will make a new covenant with Israel, in which, he will "forgive their iniquity"..............[Jeremiah 31:31, 34 KJV] 31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: ... 34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.................Jesus had to shed his blood for God to be just to forgive Israel's iniquity.

Jesus declared his last will in his new testament. He declared his shed blood was for the remission of sins for the many. The believing remnant of Israel are the "many" whose sins will be forgiven by his shed blood. The believing remnant of Israel will receive the remission of their sins in the kingdom and by the new covenant.

It is only by Christ, revealing to Paul, that we find that all are saved by his blood..............[1Timothy 2:6 KJV] 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.