In the big, eternal view of life, the universe and everything, the most important thing about you is whether your soul is saved or lost (unsaved). I remained lost for decades, though I was well-acquainted with the words of the earthly Jesus found in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. I was seeking the power and presence of God in my life and reasoned that the best place to find directions was in the red letter sayings of God manifest in the flesh as Jesus Christ.

Because of my avoidance of the epistles of the apostle Paul, I was totally missing out on God’s power and presence in the Church of what’s happening now. During an argument with a mid-Acts preacher on February 5^th, 2006 - praise the Lord! I saw the light! The obstacles to my belief were removed and my soul was saved. I was 58 years old and had been seeking God for 35 years.

Prior to my magnification of Paul’s office, I had been belief-challenged by the current absence of miraculous signs and wonders, ignorant of their close association with God’s intended holy nation of priests, Israel.

“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;” (1Cor 1:22-23 AV)

I had been belief-challenged by seeing Calvary as a victory for evil, not realising that it had always been God’s hidden or mystery plan (kept secret by not being prophesied) to establish a simple soul-salvation program based upon faith in Christ’s finished work at Calvary.

“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:” (Col 1:26 AV)

John the Baptist had preached, solely to the Jews, “repent and be baptised for the kingdom of God is at hand”. Peter and the other apostles of the circumcision had later preached to the Jews, “repent and be baptised and you shall receive the Holy Ghost”. The spiritual fellowship of the Holy Ghost was the ‘kingdom of God’ that was preached by John as being ‘at hand’. Although the circumcision apostles hoped that the physical and political kingdom would also be restored to Israel at that time, it was not to be. God had foreseen Israel’s unworthiness and their rejection of his Holy Ghost and so set his planned (but unprophesied) dispensation of grace loose among the Gentiles.

The risen and glorified Christ saved Paul (then Saul) in Acts chapter nine and during that and subsequent visitations gave him a distinctive gospel to be preached among the Gentiles (non-Jews like me). To Paul it was revealed that “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe”

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (1 Corinthians 1:21 AV)

Paul’s gospel is not a rehash of John’s, the Lord’s and the twelve’s gospel of the circumcision to the Jews. It is totally centred on salvation by grace through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. The “power of God unto salvation” - a free gift to all that believe Paul’s gospel of Christ.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16 AV)

“But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Gal 1:11-12 AV)

2. How do you know if you are saved?

Belief that is not superficial

“And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:26-31 AV)

The Phillipian jailor had been awoken by a God-sent earthquake that had loosed the stocks on the prisoner’s feet and opened the prison doors with supernatural precision. On the verge of taking his own life rather than face the consequences of losing his prisoners when, wonder of wonders! The prisoners are all still there and imploring him not to take his own life! If you take into account that most Gentiles of the time were deeply superstitious, the Phillipian jailor would have been in an extremely receptive state of mind to whatever these extraordinary strangers had to say.

My first serious attempt to ‘believe on the Lord Jesus Christ’ was about 15 years before I got saved. I read an Open Air Campaigners booklet (I found it in the strings compartment of a second-hand guitar case that I bought) called “The Answer in 20 Minutes” and followed the directions it gave. Among other things I thanked the Lord Jesus for suffering the death I deserved and invited him to become my personal saviour. But I felt that it was all somehow superficial and that nothing had changed. I tried again with different words in different Churches but came away with the same sense of the superficiality of my efforts and the results.

Like the Phillipian jailor it took a major crisis, a personal earthquake that brought me to the brink of suicide, before my stale, unbelieving mind could be shaken loose from the concrete it was set in. It was by the grace of God that I was confronted by a staunch, saved, Pauline, mid-Acts, KJV Bible believing preacher while I was in a fairly desperate state of mind. I initially argued with him from my accumulated knowledge about the Bible and spiritual matters. I was well-acquainted with the teachings of the Lord during his earthly ministry but exposed the great yawning gap in my knowledge by minimising Paul’s importance – after all, he hadn’t even met the Lord, said I. The preacher then pointed out that Paul had indeed met the Lord, the risen and glorified Lord, and that his words are of even greater importance than those of the Lord during his earthly ministry - because they are his most recent and because they are directly addressed to us Gentiles.

I thank God that occasionally when arguing with someone I have developed the habit of ‘trying on’ his or her opposing point of view by saying to myself “Maybe he’s right”. So I ‘tried on’ the grace preacher’s Pauline point of view. God immediately made it abundantly clear that he was indeed right. The earnest of our inheritance, the Holy Spirit, is unmistakeable when he comes to dwell within you. A massive reorganisation of my brain’s Bible database was set in motion and went on for weeks. Something within me was doing it. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were relegated to the background information section and Romans to Philemon gradually started filling up the foreground. There was an indescribable, dimensional ‘depth’ difference in my everyday, mundane consciousness and a gentle, spiritual light seemed to emanate from my old King James Bible during our studies in those early weeks.

Hopefully a great personal crisis is not always necessary. But simple, unfeigned belief in Paul’s gospel of Christ most certainly is.

Illumination, reproaches and afflictions

The truly saved know they are saved. Our illumination is within - an illumination of belief and understanding – spiritual light but not a spiritual fireworks display. They will most likely have endured a fiery trial of reproaches and afflictions AFTER they were illuminated. This has been my experience and it seems to be par for the course.

“But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.” (Heb 10:32-35 AV)

“ Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” (1 Peter 4:12-14 AV)

My early years of walking in the Spirit were characterized by my personal life being thrown into chaos and conflict with those around me. My world was turned upside down. I formed new alliances and broke away from old ones. I then came into intense conflict with most of the new alliances and returned to some of the old ones – albeit with a much improved insight into those around me.

I ended up pretty much back where I started before I got saved, but with a great new detachment, insight and objectivity. As the Chinese Chán (Zen) masters said: “Before enlightenment – chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment – chop wood, carry water”. This is similar to some of Paul’s sayings.

“ Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” (1 Corinthians 7:20-24 AV)

I am all too aware that quoting Chán masters could be seen as approving Buddhism as being from God. I unsuccessfully sought enlightenment through studying the sayings of the early Chán masters for decades. I also attended a Taiwanese Taoist/Buddhist fellowship for many years. Finding the enlightenment I was seeking in a Christian context came to me as a “thief in the night”. I cannot explain how the early Chán masters found enlightenment without Christian doctrine. Perhaps they were good men and God “winked at their ignorance” (Christ was unheard of in China until the 7^th century) and they “felt after him and found him”.

“ And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” (Acts 17:26-30 AV)

Revelation of the mystery – Grace is not a consolation prize

The saved have had a personal revelation of the mystery. We have seen “what is the fellowship of the mystery”. My revelation of the mystery came when I was shown from scripture that salvation by grace to those who believe the ‘foolishness’ of the preaching of the cross, had always been God’s hidden plan for redeeming us. He had kept it a secret (a mystery, not prophesied, unsearchable) since the world began.

“Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” (Eph 3:8-9 AV)

Prior to this I had seen events after Calvary (the preaching of redemption through faith in the crucified Jewish Messiah) as a consolation prize from God because of unforeseen evildoing by his people Israel – his primary purpose being that his Son would be accepted by his people as their Messiah and the world would be blessed through Israel’s restored physical/political kingdom. In other words, because of my ignorance of God’s foreknowledge, I had seen Calvary as a victory for evil, not as a victory for God. In fact, I don’t think I really believed that the ‘preaching of the cross’ was from God, but that Christians had dreamed it up to account for God’s seeming defeat and his subsequent silence (i.e. no signs and wonders, angels etc. for nearly two thousand years).

When I was shown how the pre-Calvary and post-Calvary dots are connected I came to see that God’s offering of salvation by grace was in fact his PRIMARY purpose, and that the restoration of the physical/political kingdom to Israel, though contingent upon the perfect sacrifice of Israel’s Messiah, was never on God’s agenda for A.D. 33 or thereabouts.

“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” (Acts 1:6-7 AV)

God had ‘slipped one by’ the devil’s princes of this world.

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

The Lord’s closest disciples were just as much in the dark regarding God’s real purpose as Satan was, in spite of the Lord’s suffering and death for the sins of many, his burial and his resurrection on the third day, having been prophesied – his spiteful entreatment and death for the iniquities of many by Isaiah (Isaiah 53) and his burial and resurrection on the third day by the pre-type of the prophet Jonah (Jonah 1:17; 2:10 - 3:2).

“But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Mat 12:39-40 AV)

“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.” (Luke 18:31-34 AV)

The resurrected, ascended and glorified Lord Jesus Christ made the mystery known to his and our apostle Paul – God’s hitherto unrevealed plan to set Israel aside as the vehicle for his purpose (for a time) and to establish a new creature called the Church, the body of Christ, in which all the people of earth (Jew or Gentile) were equally eligible for membership based solely upon their faith or belief in the gospel of the finished work of redemption performed by the Lord at Calvary. (Although the Jerusalem believers since the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost were called the church of God, and become Christ’s body by the indwelling Spirit, the NEW CREATURE was not revealed until the unprophesied MYSTERIES had been revealed – particularly the fall of Israel, the equal inclusion of Gentiles and the salvation power of the preaching of the cross.)

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” (Galatians 6:15 AV)

“Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the Church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” (Col 1:24-27 AV)

To receive the Spirit of Christ, the mind of Christ, and to be sealed into an eternal inheritance in heaven, with a glorified, celestial body, is no consolation prize.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:12-16 AV)

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:11-14 AV)

“But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.” (1 Corinthians 15:35-40 AV)

3. Why is it important to be saved?

Getting out of the first Adam and into the last Adam

A sin-cursed planet and a fear-ridden, suffering-plagued human life of three score and ten years (if you’re lucky) are the inevitable consequences of our rebellion against our holy and loving God. Though it may seem strange to a Bible non-believer, the ancestors of all of humanity, Adam and Eve, were initially without suffering, sin and death. No suffering. No sin. No death. No sin-cursed planet. God had set in motion a great program that might be called “Righteousness and Eternal Life on the Beautiful, Peaceful, Planet of the Humans”.

He warned Adam and Eve that disobedience to his solitary requirement of them would bring death into the picture.

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen 2:17 AV)

Eve’s disobedience brought greater sorrow upon all women and subservience to their husbands.

“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.” (Gen 3:16 AV)

Adam’s disobedience brought sin, suffering and mortality upon us all, and a sin-curse upon the planet.

“And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Gen 3:17-19 AV)

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Rom 5:12 AV)

At his appointed time, God sent his Son into the world to provide fallen humanity with a way back to righteousness and eternal life – a way of redemption or salvation for fallen humankind.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17 AV)

“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” (Rom 5:17-19 AV)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:23 AV)

From a heavenly perspective, each soul is either in Adam or Christ (the last Adam).

“For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” (1Cor 15:21-23 AV)

“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (1Cor 15:45 AV)

Condemned no more. Justified and righteous.

We are no longer under sin’s death sentence. Saved souls are justified by faith, are at peace with God and made the righteousness of God in Christ.

“And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Rom 4:22-25 AV)

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” (Rom 5:1 AV)

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8:1-2 AV)

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Cor 5:21 AV)

Spiritual power

We are no longer powerless with regard to behaviour which formerly controlled us, such as alcohol, food, drug and sex addiction. I have lumped cigarettes in with drug addiction. I must confess that I have been addicted to cigarettes for 49 years. But I used to also be addicted to alcohol, marijuana and sex - so I have made progress. My current struggle is with smokes and food. (Travelling well in my latest attempt to quit smoking on September 2^nd, 2011.) Though I’m far from NOT being under the power of anything but the Lord, the struggle toward the goal of being free to do things that I don’t WANT to do continues - i.e. to be in total control of what my body says and does.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” (Rom 6:14-15 AV)

“ For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Romans 8:13 AV)

“ All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” (1 Corinthians 6:12 AV)

It is the power that comes with RIGHTEOUSNESS;

“ The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.” (Proverbs 28:1 AV)

the righteousness that comes from God in response to our BELIEF or FAITH.

“ For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:3 AV)

“ But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:8-9 AV)

This righteousness power comes with the Spirit of Christ.

“ For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.” (1 Thessalonians 1:5 AV)

My spirit is joined to the Lord’s Spirit.

“ But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” (1 Corinthians 6:17 AV)

We are like a married couple or an uneven team of two horses. When my spirit is weak the Lord’s is strong.

“ And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9 AV)

Pure conscience

Our conscience is purified.

“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” (Tit 1:15 AV)

Delivered from fear

We are released from bondage to the spirit of fear. (I am a work in progress in this department too. I still get dominated by anxiety at times.)

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2Tim 1:7 AV)

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Heb 2:14-15 AV)

Adopted children and joint-heirs with Christ of God

We are God’s adopted children.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Rom 8:14-17 AV)

Spiritual light – illumination, enlightenment

We are translated into the spiritual kingdom of God’s dear Son.

“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” (Col 1:12-13 AV)

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,” (Eph 1:18 AV)

“But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;” (Heb 10:32 AV)

Members of Christ’s body

We are members, not of Israel, but of God’s new creature, the body of Christ.

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1Cor 12:27 AV)

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Cor 5:17 AV)

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.” (Gal 6:15 AV)

Patience and endurance through tribulation

We are able to cheerfully endure all manner of tribulation that is to be expected on this sin-cursed planet ruled by Satan.

“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Rom 5:3-5 AV)

“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” (2Cor 4:8-9 AV)

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;” (2Cor 4:17 AV)

“Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.” (2Cor 7:4 AV)

Resurrection and eternal life

Though our earthly bodies will die we can look forward to eternity in heaven with a new, incorruptible, glorified body.

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1Cor 15:51-55 AV)

4. Why is being lost not a good thing?

Blinded to the truth by the god of this world

Only the truth can make you free. The truth about our relationship with our creator and our situation here on this planet, is only presented by the God-inspired writers of the Bible.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 AV)

Science is a wonderful thing and much is learned by scientific techniques. But scientists (and just about everybody else) work on the assumption that some mad, blind force of nature has managed to create this extraordinary universe with intelligent (and at times sensitive and loving) beings such as ourselves and an earthly habitat tailored to our needs.

Intellectual pride keeps us from seeing that our creator is necessarily far more intelligent than us and has chosen to communicate with certain individuals and instructed them to write what he said in a book. God has signified his approval of most of these individuals with wondrous prophetic power and miracles.

If much of the Bible seems like a far-fetched fantasy, only fit for eccentrics or gullible fools, then the ‘god of this world’ (Satan, the devil) has succeeded in blinding your mind and keeping you lost.

“Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44 AV)

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2Cor 4:3-4 AV)

Spiritual darkness

The lost are living in spiritual darkness.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” (John 3:19-21 AV)

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8 AV)

“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1Cor 2:14 AV)

Futile reliance on good works

Salvation is a gift of God – it cannot be earned or achieved. Many lost souls are religious people who believe that good works will put them in good standing with God and get them into heaven when they die. Regular Church attendance, tithing, unselfish social work, being good and kind etc., are good things in themselves, but only faith in God’s provision for salvation - the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary, is acceptable to God. That is all he asks of us and all he will accept.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph 2:8-9 AV)

Candidates for first and second death

Lost souls remain in Adam and therefore in sin and subject to the sin-penalty, death. Though it seems harsh, simple oblivion after death is not an option. Their souls will be resurrected and subjected to the second death - eternal damnation in hell. (I didn’t make the rules!) And if hell isn’t bad enough just wait until it is cast into the lake of fire.

“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.” (Mat 10:28 AV)

“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.” (Mat 25:46 AV)

“And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And 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. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.” (Luke 16:23-25 AV)

“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev 20:13-15 AV)

5. How does a lost soul become a saved soul?

A lost soul becomes a saved soul by hearing the gospel of Christ and believing it.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Rom 1:16 AV)

The whole salvation formula is contained in Romans 1:16 above.

Question: What is the power of God unto salvation?

Answer: The gospel of Christ to every one that believeth.

And what is the gospel of Christ?

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” (1Cor 15:1-4 AV)

Unfeigned Bible belief

Because the gospel of Christ is totally related to and inseparable from the rest of God’s word, it would seem to be impossible to truly believe the gospel unless you become a Bible believer. Becoming an unfeigned Bible believer is incredibly difficult in the 21^st century.

We don’t find it too difficult to believe that Jesus Christ was a great prophet or even the greatest spiritually enlightened teacher that ever lived. But can we believe that he was ‘God manifest in the flesh’ – fully God and fully man, in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily?

“ For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” (Colossians 2:9 AV)

“ And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1 Timothy 3:16 AV)

We can study the sayings of Jesus as a part of our pursuit of spiritual wisdom, but to simply believe that the Lord has already accomplished everything necessary for our salvation doesn’t leave any room for us to boast of our spiritual attainment.

“ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 AV)

We can patronise the Bible’s version of creation by making it allegorical or by twisting it into alignment with the latest scientific discoveries, but can we abandon our Darwinian and ‘13 billion year-old universe’ ideas and accept that God’s ways are as far beyond our understanding as our ways are beyond the understanding of a goldfish?

“ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8 AV)

In the next few chapters I will do the best I can to help you overcome some, hopefully all, of your Bible scepticism.

6. Obstacles to Bible belief

Nature, Love – the new names for God

I watched a TV documentary in which scientists described how their development of a mechanical human hand, at a cost of millions of dollars, was only about half as effective as the one that nature made. Do they realise the extraordinary intelligence that they are crediting nature with? They are willing to humble themselves before nature but they studiously avoid the word God. Christianity is a foolish sideshow to most scientists – a crutch for lesser minds than theirs. Yet it was the Word of God that made the human hand.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3 AV)

One of the thought pioneers of my baby boomer generation was John Lennon. He believed in love but did not believe in Christ. Yet the apostle John declared that God is love and the apostle Paul said that love is the fulfilling of the law.

“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” (1John 4:8-9 AV)

“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom 13:10 AV)

Alcoholics Anonymous has been very successful at getting drunks off the booze with a spiritual program of action. Members are encouraged to establish a relationship with God ‘as they understand him’. We would be seriously underestimating the compassion and longsuffering of our living God if we thought him too rigid to respond to the prayers of someone who is sincerely seeking him among the bewildering array of gods that are on offer today. Though many members come to trust in the God of the Bible, almost all are very bristly about a God of any kind at first.

Most scientists, artists and recovering drunks have gone to great lengths to avoid association with the God of Christianity. Something has blinded them to the love of God and the glorious gospel of Christ.

“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2Cor 4:4 AV)

How does Satan blind minds?

The god of this world blinds the minds of them that are lost. Just how does he do this? Most people think the devil is to be found in bars and at AC/DC rock concerts. But that is not where he focuses his efforts. In order to be the god of this world, Satan (the father of all lies) has to infiltrate and corrupt the truth wherever it manifests.

Satan had successfully occupied Moses’ seat in the Jewish religion by the time their Messiah arrived. Establishment Israel’s lawyers, scribes and Pharisees were nearly all in the devil’s employ. They were the target of the Lord’s most bitter attacks during his earthly ministry.

“Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” (Mat 23:1-3 AV)

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Mat 23:29-33 AV)

This was no accident. This is a demonstration of how Satan works. The seat of religious truth, the religious establishment, is most sought after by the liars, the money worshippers, the mean-spirited, proud and overtly pious lovers of prestige – those who serve Satan.

Satan switches from Judaism to Christianity

Satan was quick to see when God set aside Israel and went to the Gentiles with the gospel of Christ. His first tactic was to try and stop the apostle of the Gentiles by killing him. And who did he use to accomplish this? A quick browse through the book of Acts from chapter 13 onwards will inform you that the same people that killed the Lord and Stephen, establishment Israel, were Paul’s main attackers. But Paul had a commission from God and even Satan was unable to stop it.

Satan could not stop the spread of the truth of the gospel so his next tactic was to infiltrate and corrupt the Christian establishment. He has done a very thorough job. Millions of non-establishment Christians were martyred by the establishment Roman Catholic Christian Church up until around the 17^th century. The truth came to light again for a while with Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation and the printing and distribution of Bibles so that ordinary folk could read them. Our authorized King James Bible spread throughout the world. It was such a successful agent for truth that Satan has been discrediting it and replacing it with supposedly superior translations since the late 19^th century.

Satan moved on Protestantism and has done a great job of disintegrating it into thousands of denominations which agree on very little and spend most of their energies in claiming they are the only true Christianity and attacking the other ‘false’ denominations. He has turned focus away from the Bible in the big protestant denominations and led them into a worldly liberalism that totally discredits them as representatives of God.

That is the most obvious way that Satan blinds the minds of the lost today. He has discredited Christianity and given those on the outside plenty of reasons to stay away. A similar situation to that of the Jewish religion of the first century now exists in much of the Christian religious establishment.

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 AV)

But its not all bad news. God is not an automaton. He knows what’s going on. He knows that Christendom is largely in Satan’s clutches and I believe he takes this into account when dealing with those who have become violently opposed to ‘religion’. He hears all sincere prayer and can lead even the most anti-religious of us into knowing him and acknowledging his Son’s work on our behalf.

There are still many fellowships of genuine believers and the authorized King James Bible has not been entirely phased out. You can still get a copy. If you are serious about knowing God then get an established Christian to pray to him on your behalf. He will pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. You may well be astonished at God’s response. You don’t even need to find a Christian that you know or like. God will respond to the prayer of a Christian stranger that you don’t like personally. Doesn’t matter.

Young Earth, Angels, Adam & Eve etc.

These days anyone who believes that we humans have ‘devolved from the Garden of Eden’ over 6000 years rather than ‘evolved from primordial ooze’ over millions of years, is labeled as having gone too far with Bible belief, or less kindly, as a religious fanatic or nutter. Schools won’t allow such ridiculous teachings.

The Biblical version of creation requires us to think outside the square of what is possible according to current scientific understanding. God’s ways are beyond our understanding and that is to be expected of us creatures when considering our Creator.

“Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?” (Isa 29:16 AV)

Can you believe this?

· The word of God created heaven and earth and all things therein in six days. He created a fully-matured, intelligent, speaking, human couple in the Garden of Eden here on earth only 6000 years ago.

· His heavenly creation included a great host of immortal beings called angels. They do not breed, though fallen angels somehow managed to mate with human females producing offspring that were a corruption of God’s creation and necessitated his destroying most life on earth by a great flood.

· Angels have spiritual bodies (not wispy ghosts – they can be as ‘solid’ as flesh), are rarely visible to us and normally stay in heaven, though when they visit earth they usually appear to humans as men dressed in bright, white clothing. Unfallen angels praise and serve God voluntarily as messengers, guardians, soldiers and dealers of death and destruction on a grand scale.

· Seraphim and cherubim are the highest in the hierarchy of angels. Seraphim have hands, feet and six wings but only use two to fly. Cherubim have two wings, hands, feet and two or four faces. Though these are Biblical descriptions, angels can most likely transform their appearance at will.

· The current sin-cursed earth is nowhere near as peaceful and beautiful as it once was and has fallen as a result of the first human couple being beguiled by Satan and letting God down. Satan was once Lucifer - a very powerful cherub who pridefully rebelled against his Creator with the aim of becoming as God. He is currently transformed into an angel of light and is the usurper god of this world.

Would you sit around watching paint dry for 13 billion years?

God’s creation of heaven, earth and everything therein was quick and quite recent. Even if science has the thirteen billion years since the big bang fairly right by our current way of measuring time and the speed of light etc., why would an all-powerful God bother sitting around ‘watching paint dry’ for thirteen billion (-6000) years? He may well have ‘booted’ the universe 13 billion (-6000) years ago and fast-forwarded events (x 13 billion) to the really interesting part where he created a creature that could think for itself, talk, relate to him, have dominion and multiply.

God was there and scientists, archaeologists, anthropologists, biologists, cosmologists, physicists etc. were not.

“Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.” (Job 38:4 AV)

Science ignores our Creator

Though the Bible version of events may seem naïve and strange when compared with science’s latest version, this is because scientists must adhere to strict disciplines of proof that necessarily exclude an unseen but sovereign and all-powerful God from their ongoing, changing explanations. If and when scientists stumble onto an infinitely intelligent, all-powerful, all-seeing Super Being, to whom this universe is as a fishbowl is to us – then they will have to do some really serious upgrading of their theories.

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.” (Acts 17:24-28 AV)

God the Programmer

Our own technology is showing us new possibilities that make God’s six-day creation, by commands alone, more plausible. The virtual universes and avatars of computer games are created by programmers using words - not ordinary words but words of power or commands. In skilful hands the commands of a programming language can make a populated, colourful and exciting virtual universe out of unseen binary code.

The binary code of the universe

The word of God made this universe and all things therein out of things that are not seen – the binary code of the universe.

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” (Rom 1:20 AV)

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Heb 11:3 AV)

What is the binary code of the universe? From my layman’s understanding (not) of sub-atomic physics I have gathered that the smallest, unseen building blocks of creation are waves and particles. Observational science (the genuine science that observes God’s creation rather than speculative science which tends to exclude God) has shown that a particle can be a wave and that a wave can be a particle. So they coined the term wavicles. The universe at the sub-atomic, unseen level is binary and therefore programmable. Each of our senses (sight, hearing etc.) has been designed to experience creation within a particular range of binary wavicle vibration. Light is a faster wavicle vibration than sound so our eyes see and our ears hear. The universe is programmable and it has a programmer who is also a programming language.

His Word is like a programming command language

God the programming language is his WORD, Jesus Christ.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” (John 1:1-3 AV)

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” (Ephesians 3:9 AV)

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” (Heb 1:1-2 AV)

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Heb 11:3 AV)

The Son of God is the Word of God “by whom also he made the worlds”. God did not utilise a programming language as such – his Son (his Word) IS a living and all-powerful programming language. He commands and it is so.

Programmer as game creator and tester

If a computer games programmer is to create a game that is an exciting and engrossing experience for the player, he must PUT HIMSELF INTO THE POINT OF VIEW OF A PLAYER as he creates the environment, possibilities and characters of the game with his programming language, or command language.

I believe that scripture strongly points to God doing just this when he created the heaven and the earth and all things therein. God first became like a ‘player of the game’ and created the heaven and the earth and all things therein by his WORD from the point of view of an EXPERIENCER of them. God became “the angel of the Lord”, Jesus Christ, and created all things BY HIM and FOR HIM. Jesus Christ had glory with the Father BEFORE THE WORLD WAS.

“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (John 17:5 AV)

To do this effectively, before the world was, the angel of the Lord must have similar senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste to his intended experiencers or ‘game players’ – humans. Would this not make him the FIRSTBORN OF EVERY CREATURE?

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.” (1 Corinthians 8:6 AV)

“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” (Colossians 1:15-16 AV)

The angel of the Lord, Jesus Christ, was with the Father from the beginning but was not flesh and blood at this time. He had a glorious, celestial body and was only clothed with flesh and blood for 33 years after being born of the Virgin Mary. During this time his glory was somehow cloaked except for the brief time he allowed Peter, James and John to see it.

“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58 AV)

“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” (John 17:5 AV)

“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” (Matthew 17:1-2 AV)

God created the heaven and the earth for the enjoyment of his created ‘players’ – men and women, initially created in HIS OWN IMAGE – the form of the angel of the Lord that he took to create the heaven and the earth.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Genesis 1:27 AV)

He then gave them the “breath of life” and quickened them. He brought them to life.

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7 AV)

The angel of the Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom he created all things, walked in the garden he had created with the first human couple he had created - Adam and Eve.

“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:8 AV)

God’s program is his predestinated purpose.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 AV)

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:” (Ephesians 1:11 AV)

“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:” (Ephesians 3:11 AV)

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (2 Timothy 1:9 AV)

The Spirit – the third person of God

Where does the third person of God, the Holy Spirit, fit into this concept? When we are controlling an avatar in a computer game, what is it that IDENTIFIES us with our avatar and experience emotions vicariously through him or her? It can only be our SPIRIT which is able to identify with a distant form beyond the reach of our bodies. We also identify with our heroes of movies, music and sport in much the same way, although we have no controller to manipulate them with.

My experience is that the Holy Spirit overshadows and quickens my spirit. If I see myself as an avatar in a programmed universe then I must see the Spirit of God as being the programmer himself identifying with me and becoming present in my consciousness from his ‘workstation’ (throne) in heaven. Believing on his Son (his Word, his programming language) and having his Word residing and activated in my heart, puts me into his purpose (his program) and puts his purpose into me.

Perhaps my mother was onto the virtual nature of life, the universe and everything when she sang to me as a child –

“Row, row, row your boat,

gently down the stream,

merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

life is but a dream.”

No disrespect intended

I mean no disrespect to God by using these crude devices from our technology to help myself and others understand just what is going on. It goes without saying that the best efforts of our technology are billions of light years short of God’s ways. I hope you agree though, that spiritual matters are more easily grasped with a familiar illustration. I am aware that the word ‘avatar’, widely used in computer gaming, has its source in the Hindu religion. I am only using it in its popular, computer gaming sense and don’t believe it is profitable to mix Christianity with Hinduism.

God spoke to Moses

Ancient cultures all had their creation stories and some are similar to the Bible version of events as recorded by Moses. Perhaps Moses just borrowed creation stories from other cultures and elaborated on the myths around at the time. We know he spent his early life in the midst of Egyptian culture after being rescued as a baby by Pharaoh’s daughter.

But the Bible tells us that at times God audibly speaks to his people – with such clarity that young Samuel thought Eli was calling him.

“That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.” (1Sam 3:4-11 AV)

We know that God spoke to Moses on many occasions.

“And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.” (Ex 3:4-6 AV)

“With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” (Numbers 12:8 AV)

Moses got the history of creation directly from the Creator himself.

First and last Adam

The most compelling reason I have to believe that Adam and Eve are my distant ancestors, is the evidence of my own salvation experience which came about because of my faith in the death, burial and resurrection of the last Adam – the Lord Jesus Christ.

“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (1Cor 15:45 AV)

I know that the fall of the first Adam (and my sharing in that fall) must be true because I was ‘made alive’ in Christ, the last Adam.

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1Cor 15:22 AV)

The Incarnation

People find it difficult to believe that God entered into his creation via a virgin birth, interacted with us for a while, was killed and buried and then arose from death and returned to heaven, after spending some more time with those who had believed he was who he said he was.

Many think that the earthly Jesus Christ was just a really good bloke who got killed for his trouble or maybe, more generously, they will grant him the status of a great prophet or a spiritually-enlightened one. None of these ideas are good enough. For the kind of faith required to save a soul it is necessary to be totally comfortable with his being God manifest in the flesh.

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (1Tim 3:16 AV)

Programmer as avatar

Returning to the crude analogy of a computer game’s virtual universe - why should it be more difficult for God to manifest as a person in his universe than it is for a player to manifest as an avatar in a computer game’s programmed world? If the guy who actually designed and programmed the computer game (and the computer) appeared incognito as an avatar in his own game, you can bet he could do some stuff that no ordinary avatar could do. The miracles of the earthly Lord were not difficult for him. Nor are they difficult to explain when you grasp who he was.

God’s word is the Word who created heaven and earth and manifested among us as Jesus Christ - the second person of our triune God.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 AV)

“He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” (John 1:10 AV)

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 AV)

“And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” (Eph 3:9 AV)

“Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” (Hebrews 1:2 AV)

Christian faith is foolishness

God’s saving gospel may seem like foolishness to you.

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1Cor 1:18 AV)

It is likely that God in his wisdom placed his saving gospel in what seems like foolishness so that the proud, wise and mighty would be excluded from salvation.

“For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.” (Isa 47:10 AV)

“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” (Mat 11:25 AV)

“Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” (1Cor 1:20-21 AV)

“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.” (1Cor 1:25-29 AV)

Being willing to trust in what seems like foolishness requires faith. Faith is required to please God. He rewards those who believe he exists and diligently seek him.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb 11:6 AV)

If you find the preaching of the cross foolishness then you may be placing yourself beyond salvation. Good luck. Don’t complain later, when you’re in eternal torment, that nobody warned you.

If Bible belief makes me a fool in the eyes of the world, so be it. It is a small price to pay for eternal life. God’s ways are beyond my understanding - or Einstein’s for that matter.

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” (1Cor 3:18 AV)

"I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details." (Albert Einstein)

The door to heaven

Returning once again to the crude analogy of avatars and programmed computer game universes. (I am not trying to suck up to the current generation by harping on about this particular analogy. There is simply no other analogy which fits so well.) The avatars can often receive greater powers, or advance to a new and better universe, by finding the right door or picking up a particular, often inconspicuous item lying about the place. The programmers of the game have set in place objects which trigger great power and transform the avatar and the universe he occupies.

God has placed the ‘door to heaven’ in plain view. Those who enter will be saved – with all the aforementioned gifts that salvation brings.

“I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9 AV)

The door has been preached to the whole world but very few have entered. Why isn’t the whole world crowding through it? The main reasons are those that have kept people away from the beginning. God in his wisdom required the Gentiles to believe something that seemed like foolishness to them (the resurrection from the dead among other things), and the Jews to believe the blasphemous idea that their Messiah manifested in the flesh as a humble Nazarene who would not even produce a sign for them on demand.

“The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.” (Mat 16:1-4 AV)

“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;” (1Cor 1:22-23 AV)

There are many other reasons why people do not believe the gospel of Christ today. I think it is safe to assume that the ‘god of this world’ is behind them all. Many of the largest Christian denominations have agendas which would be adversely affected should people find out just how simple salvation really is. Other spiritual teachings offer greater mysticism, or militancy or austerity or emphasis on financial gain than the plain old Christianity of our childhoods.

I spent decades going down what seemed like more attractive spiritual paths. The door to heaven had been in plain view since my childhood yet I became ashamed of it and thought it foolishness for most of my life.

The Bible is confusing and contradictory and where have all the miracles gone?

If you want to be a Bible believer but find the Bible confusing and contradictory in places, and are maybe disappointed at the current absence of spectacular miracles like the dead being raised, the sick being healed and believers walking on water, then this is your lucky day. If you can grasp the fundamentals of progressive revelation, mid-Acts dispensationalism and right division, you can become a fully-fledged Bible believer and a saved soul.

Becoming a Bible believer

You can become a Bible believer by learning how to rightly divide God’s word of truth;

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2Tim 2:15 AV)

by becoming a dispensationalist;

“If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:” (Eph 3:2 AV)

“Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;” (Col 1:25 AV)

and by seeing that the Bible is a book describing progressive revelation by God.

These three clarifying conceptual tools, used in conjunction, will transform the Bible from a collection of confusing and contradictory fragments into a clear, orderly, interwoven and perfect whole.

First get a copy of the Holy Spirit-approved word of God

The Holy Spirit wrote the Bible and all saved believers are indwelt by that same Holy Spirit – the third person of our triune God.

“Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” (2Cor 3:3 AV)

The Holy Spirit has clearly and unmistakeably indicated to me which Bible to use - the authorised King James Bible. Since being saved I have been astonished at the simultaneity of my sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit with my study of the words on the pages of my authorised King James Bible. That is all the Bible approval I need. Although it is clearly a personal experience, I have talked to other saved KJV Bible-believers who concur.

I have understandably been greatly influenced by the views of more established believers who passed on their understanding of mid-Acts dispensationalism to me. It so happens that both of my teachers were in the staunch ‘King James Only’ camp and I attempted to get on board with their reasoning. But the scholarly reasons for and against the various source texts are way beyond my degree of scholarship (and outside my sphere of interest) so I have opted to trust the Holy Spirit instead. No doubt the scholars will mock me and say “does he think he has the Holy Spirit within him?”, and in so saying they convict themselves of not believing their own salvation.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom 8:14 AV)

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1Cor 2:9-10 AV)

“For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1Cor 2:11 AV)

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” (1Cor 12:7 AV)

This stance amends some of my earlier comments, which were a mere parroting of my teacher’s views, and keeps open the possibility that there are other Bibles out there that also have the Holy Spirit’s approval.

7. Progressive Revelation and the Revelation of the Mystery

“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” (Hebrews 1:1-2 AV)

Progressive revelation

God has revealed new information over time which has augmented and sometimes superseded the information he gave out previously.

· Adam had no real idea of the extraordinary consequences of disobeying God and listening to his wife. God revealed them after the deed was done.

“Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” (Genesis 3:16-19 AV)

God revealed to Satan that the seed of Eve would bruise his head.

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 AV)

· The law was not revealed in Abraham’s time. It was revealed hundreds of years later through Moses. To Abraham it was revealed that through his seed God would bless all the families of the earth.

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” (Genesis 12:2-3 AV)

· Moses did not reveal the Messianic kingdom prophecies that God revealed through later prophets like Isaiah and Zechariah. The law and the coming of another great prophet were revealed through Moses.

“The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;” (Deuteronomy 18:15 AV)

· The sufferings of a coming Messiah were revealed mostly through the prophet Isaiah.

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:3-5 AV)

· The coming of Israel’s restored kingdom of God on the earth was revealed through several prophets, including Daniel.

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2:44 AV)

· The coming of the Holy Spirit was revealed through the prophets Joel and Jeremiah.

“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33 AV)

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29 AV)

· The prophesied great Prophet, the prophesied Messiah, the prophesied Redeemer, was manifest in due course. To Peter it was revealed that he is more than all these things and is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He is also the seed of the woman that bruises Satan’s head, the seed of Abraham which blesses all the families of the earth and the seed of David that will rule over Israel’s restored kingdom on earth. His great propitiatory sacrifice and ascension to heaven necessarily preceded the coming of the Holy Spirit.

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:” (Job 19:25 AV)

“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:15-17 AV)

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.” (John 16:7 AV)

“But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” (1Pet 1:19-21 AV)

· Paul was trying to stamp out Peter’s little flock of believers until the Lord revealed that he had other plans for him.

“Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:13-16 AV)

· Peter was not keen on visiting the house of an ‘unclean’ Gentile (Cornelius) as late as Acts chapter 10. He agreed to go after God revealed to him in a trance that the Gentiles had been cleansed.

“And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” (Acts 10:28 AV)

The revelation of the mystery

God had the mystery in mind before he created heaven and earth. It was a mystery in the sense that it was hidden. It was not, and could not, be revealed to any prophet prior to the crucifixion. If the devil’s earthly princes had known that God’s hidden (mystery) plan was to offer salvation to the whole world by grace through faith in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord, they would not have crucified him.

“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,” (Rom 16:25 AV)

During his first coming Jesus had declared that his mission was to minister and to give his life a ransom for many.

“For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45 AV)

But whenever he spoke of his forthcoming death and resurrection to his disciples they were bewildered and didn’t know what he was talking about. Though these things had been prophesied, they were hid from his disciples (and Satan).

My earlier understanding was that because Jesus was ‘God manifest in the flesh’ he therefore knew everything the Father knew. This was an incorrect understanding. The Son always does the will of the Father but told us that there are some things that only the Father knows. For example, Jesus declared that only the Father knows the day and hour of the great tribulation and the Son’s second coming to restore the kingdom to Israel.

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.” (Mark 13:32 AV)

The parable of the householder demanding fruit from his vineyard makes it pretty obvious that the Son knew that the Father would “let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen”. A small remnant of Peter’s little flock were all that remained of Israel in the predominantly Gentile household of God within a few years of the Lord’s crucifixion.

“But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.” (Matthew 21:37-41 AV)

After witnessing the extraordinary faith shown by a Gentile centurion the Lord had also declared that the children of the kingdom (Israel) shall be cast into outer darkness and that many from the east and west (Gentiles) shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

“The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:8-12 AV)

It is now history that these warnings went unheeded by the Jewish establishment. God’s Spirit-filled apostles persevered with trying to persuade Israel for decades after the arrival of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They would not be persuaded and so God finally gave up on them and went to the Gentiles.

“Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” (Acts 28:28 AV)

The introduction of the mystery

Although the revelation of the mystery came later, with the benefit of hindsight it is possible to backtrack and see when the Lord actually started introducing it.

Acts 2 – the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ

I have labelled the mystery of the Lord’s oneness with his church as the fourth component of the mystery revealed to Paul. Our Holy Scriptures declare that the Spirit of Christ first descended on the believers on the day of Pentecost and this is the point at which most Christians start the Church, the body of Christ. Most Pauline Mid-Acts dispensationalists try to start the Church with Paul’s salvation, thereby excluding Peter, Barnabas and many others from the Church of the mystery.

It is most difficult to know the mind of God in this so we must do our best with the scriptures. It is clear to me from the scriptures that Peter and his little flock of Spirit-filled believers were Christ’s body on earth – though they were not aware of the full implications of being indwelt by the Spirit until these mysteries were later revealed to Paul. So Mystery 4, Christ’s oneness with his Church, was first INTRODUCED on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 but was not REVEALED until much later.

There can be no argument against the words of the Lord himself. He considered persecution of Peter’s little flock as persecution of HIMSELF.

“ And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4 AV)