creation – James G. Owen, Author

Understanding the Sin Nature of Man

By James G. Owen

Why do I stumble? Fail? Why do I keep falling into sin after living by faith for a season? These are the questions I have asked myself these questions many times after receiving salvation. Before getting saved, being forgive by Jesus, I did not have these experiences nor thoughts of failure because I was in sin and did not know the wonderful blessing of being in a relationship with God Jehovah and his son Jesus.

What was the problem? I did not have the knowledge and understanding of scripture at the level where I am now. Growing up I needed the maturity that scripture and prayer to give me the strength I needed. I also cared what people thought about me when I should have been strong and let myself be myself. The other problems are that I let the sin capture me and keep me in bondage. I knew sin had pleasure attached to it and I kept looking over the fence. So, realizing all this what have I been doing to understand? I sat down and wrote a definition of the sin nature from my experience and studies.

What is the Sin Nature of Man?

Before defining we need to know the origin of the sin nature. In Genesis we find Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden. Both God had instructed Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of good and evil. The serpent we call Satan began to tell Eve that if she ate of the tree of good and evil, she would know the difference between good and evil and will become like a god. Adam, I believe was sitting there with her and heard the exchange of the conversation. Like any human, curiosity fed the imagination of how it would taste. The longer she thought about how the fruit tasted the greater was the temptation. Eve made the decision to eat of the tree. She enacted the free will that God gave all of us to whom we will serve. Either we search God Jehovah or Satan. That was the choice. As soon as Eve ate of the fruit her eyes was opened. The veil of innocence fell from her eyes. Her innocence was stolen by Satan who lied to her. Adam soon partook of the fruit as well. Scripture does not record why he did not object or direct Eve not to partake of the fruit, but scripture records the fall from perfection into sin.

The Sin Nature of Man Defined

The sin nature is a fallen position. A position that man fell from God’s safety, goodness, love, and a perfect world. The fallen position is the separation of man from God. The purpose of humanity was to worship God and be totally in his image. God created man to multiply and to oversee all of creation on earth. This was man’s habitation. From the soil of earth to the boundary of the first heaven—the sky. When man fell, he was no longer the subject of God, but in bondage to a new master, the slave of Satan. Man had dominion over the earth until his sin, but now Satan has dominion over the world. The Earth was a state of perfection before sin entered, and man went from a perfect creation, a glorified state, to a fallen state into darkness. With God man was always in his light and had direct access to all God possessed. Now Satan wants to illuminate humankind with his gloomy light. Now that sin entered the world and universe, the future generations of man defiled by the sin become part of every human being because the situation did not have a remedy. Sin is generational and has become innate. It is not genetic but is a spiritual transformation. The remedy is an atonement, a blood covenant, and a perfect sacrifice to die for man. No animal or sinful human is perfect. Only God’s son Jesus is the perfect sacrifice. He is pure. There is no spot or blemish, no defilement because he has never sinned. Yet, he took sin upon his shoulders for you and me to deliver us from sin and bring those who accept him back into perfection by believing in him and accepting him. Justification is now in place for those who accept him.

“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.”

Genesis 2:17

“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

Genesis 3:24

The tenets of sin are pride, selfishness, the rebellion against God, his word, and the image of God. Sin is about the destruction of innocence and causes man to be guilty before God and accountable to his rebellion. The nature of sin is humanistic using pleasure to enslave humanity and keep him in depravity. The type of pleasure is varied and affects the psyche of man causing a perversion in his thinking process, imagination, and spirit. Hate, rebellion, disobedience, selfishness, and pride enters the spirit. Now, man has a desire for power to control mostly because of pride. The prideful man is about controlling other men, and nations. Their desire is to be a dictator, a god, that other men look up to as a savior and worship. This is an antichrist type and destruction of God’s creation is the goal. We have seen in world history men who came to power considered themselves as god as evident in the Roman Caesars, and other prominent dictators as recent as the 20^th century. The sin nature is enmity against God. It is against God’s image to usurp his position while working to destroy man who was created by God in his image. Man was originally created above the angels, yet when he sinned his position was lowered below the angels.

Going further into the realm of sin, its claws grab ahold of mankind’s heart and brings upon humanity spiritual bondage. Humankind imprisoned by Satan’s control and now man is a prisoner, a peon, slave to sin and control. Man’s heart now deceives him since the seed of sin has been planted. Man’s master now is Satan because of sin imprisons.

”His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.”

Proverbs 5:22

The spirit of man is now at war within himself. He may want out, but his flesh and mind war against each other. This is the prison. Within this prison we have become defective, ineffective, and impaired, not being able to function as created.

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

Romans 6:16

” But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Romans 7:23

The sin nature, a prison, a prison within ourselves that we cannot shake. We cannot provide the answer, the remedy, because of defilement and not in the perfect state. All of creation is wailing and groaning because what man has done. The remedy came in the form of a man and God. He has given his life as a reconciliation and broke the chains of death by giving his life on the cross. He further brought sin to its knees by his resurrection and procured eternal life for all who believe in him. Those of us who want out of the spiritual prison we have found ourselves can now choose the remedy and be set free from sin’s dominion. When we are set free our master becomes Jesus and the reward is eternal life. The sin nature of man will bring him to eternal death. Death being the penalty, the eternal death of separation eternally from God. The first step to a decision to eternal life is realizing and understanding the sin nature of man. Now, we know what holds us. Liberty is at hand.

Notes: All scripture has been taken from the King James Version. Public Domain. BibleGateway.

Life and Culture in America—The Changing of Mindset

by James G. Owen

Life and culture were vastly different before the computer age came to America. As a boy I remember going to the variety store, the 5 & 10 stores where one can buy a different item needed for the home, and toys for the kids. I would buy the wind-up trucks and cars that were less than a dollar and play in the sand with them. Also, plastic soldiers were part of my younger days. The source of communication was by telephone, CB radio, HAM radio, church socials, or hanging out on the drag, meaning sitting and talking with your friends at a hamburger joint while other teenagers’ road the same streets that made a circle. Life then was listening to soft rock, the songs of Jim Croce, and my country music favorites.

As I got older, I began to see the first microwaves, calculators, and by the time I graduated college computers were coming into the colleges and universities to learn the Basic Code and programming. Typewriter’s were the keyboards of that day, and we had a lever to make the carriage return to the left of the page, now it is the enter key. Life was slower, and people knew one another better. That is the just a small peek into yesterday. There was more going on, but at a much slower pace.

The changing of America took place during the 1980s forward. Technology increased at a greater pace. This period in our history we saw the Radio Shack computers, Apple computers, cell phones, and later the internet. Information at your fingertips began to come, and the minds of Americans began to change, to be mesmerized by the screens of technology, and now we are consumed with everything digital. In the past we had our imaginations, told stories to one another, and dreamed. Today our minds are captured by the screens of computers, TV’s, cell phones, tablets, and pods. We are doing less critical thinking in our current times and believing what we are being told in the news, and all forms of media. Our imaginations have turned from cranial to virtual, and we are becoming less social and isolated with gadgets. Our minds have been captured. Our minds being filled with interests of the world with all forms of subjects, immorality, and games. Technology can change us without us realizing, and it shows up at the dinner table, restaurants, and in church gatherings where people are more interested in their phone screens than interfacing with real humans. Games that are violent are creating violent people who take what they encountered and reenact it. The articles, literature, books, magazines we read online influences us, and changes our moral and value system. These changes affect our spiritual lives, that is the area that should be the most surprising and we should come to realization. These worldly changes keep us from the word of God, our prayer life, and in the ministry of others. The change affects our righteous living because we are bombarded with immoral images, desensitizes us from life because of the influence and advocation of abortion. We should be concerned about moral values, and the sanctity of life, but we are more interested in pleasure and convenience. We tell ourselves we do not have the time for God, but the technology has become our god, an idol. We make time for the technology and what pleases us there on the screen. Do not get me wrong, technology is a great tool for us if we use them correctly and in balance, but what I see as well as others is an imbalance in life.

The enemy, Satan, wants our minds in carnality to keep our minds off God. Anything he can use to corrupt our minds he will use. Many of us do not realize we are in a battle of our minds. There is a tug of war between Satan and God, but I will tell you Satan will lose. He already has lost but he is working before his demise to take everybody he can with him to eternal separation. Paul in his New Testament letters tell us,

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Romans 8: 5-6

To return us to balance would be to get our minds upon God through the reading of his scriptures and doing the good works of our faith. To work continually for the salvation of man by presenting the gospel to all. We are to get our minds off the world, off the pleasures of the flesh. It is the world that brings trouble, suffering, depression, stress, and anxiety, but it is being in the presence of God that brings peace to our spirits.

We are in a war, and that war is for our souls. The mind currently is being controlled through indoctrination of philosophies and ideologies, speech has been suppressed, and truth repressed. The war is to keep us separated from God, knowing his truth, and teaching his truth. Also, in the speaking of truth in history and current affairs. Since we are in a war, what does each side provide us? Satan’s side presents us with death, corruption, and the promise of mankind being his own god. That lie has been unabated since the garden of Eden. The promise of being our own god brings a person desiring power, and influence, and causes the mind and soul to be prideful. This characterization in man is against God the Father. All sin is against God. The war rages against our mind. Again, Paul reminds us of the war.

“But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Romans 7:23

If Satan can keep our minds from serving and pleasing God through the pleasures of sin, then he has complete control of us. We do need God to help us out of this trap and ask him to help us overcome. The war of the mind would be from the partaking of addictive substances, images, pagan religions, Gnosticism, false doctrines, and fables. Satan wants to keep you blinded of things eternal, to prevent you from realizing your purpose in life and from attaining your destiny. Satan works to destroy all of God’s creation.

“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.”

2 Corinthians 4:4

What does God want for us? He wants us to obey him. The Father wants us to have life, joy, freedom in life and spiritual worship. He works as a parent for us so that we can see the purpose God created us to achieve so that we can be happy in our purpose while he gets glory out of us living a holy and balanced life. He wants us to see, to hear, and be beware of things that can defeat us. Most of all, God wants us to conform to his image and remain in him because he has so much to give us in return for obedience. To conform to his image, we can have a relationship with God, and will not be separated by the veil of sin. We must be the guardian of our minds, and our souls.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Romans 12:2

How do we renew our minds? Our minds are renewed by continual and daily prayer asking God to purge the sin out of spirits every day, and every hour if needed. We must strive to please the Lord in our living, and in serving each other in meeting needs through good deeds. This is a testament of our faith and showing love to one another as he intended.

How do we prove ourselves? By sanctification, and by the trials and troubles that challenge our faith that refines us. Sometimes the troubles and the sadness that life brings seem to be like we are in a fire, that life is overwhelming at times, but we are to welcome these times knowing it is improving us spiritually and helping us grow in maturity of our spirit so that we can help others who are in trouble and in spiritual need. It is the overcoming of these troubles and trials that brings us to perfection to righteousness.

Be on guard, for Satan comes as a wolf. He is a deceiver, and we must use discernment to be able to discern truth from a lie. We must be watchful, for evil is everywhere and tries to trap us in situations. We are to remain blameless, and to make sure that anything that causes us to spend time away from God could become an idol to us. The changing of life and culture creates a challenge to our minds and does affect our spiritual life. In the year of 2020, the world changed dramatically, and America changed. Change is still going on in America and seems to be changing at an exponential rate, not just in changes in technology, but in all areas of culture. Look for the positive things that will edify God and refuse the negative. Spend more life away from the screens and notice the difference in your thinking and decisions. America, look for a wave of the Holy Spirit in revival and respond to the Lord while we have time. The change spiritually will change the culture and the nation.

Notes:

All scripture is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

God Exists—We See the Evidence of His Existence

by James G. Owen

God exists. The debate still rages on, and even in my younger days the debate was present. People presenting the same questions and answers, saying the evidence they resented were facts. Some even leaned to science to answer their questions, but science only disproved their theory of God’s nonexistence.

One of the questions is, does God really exist? The evidence that God exists is all around us. Look up into the skies and see the clouds, the sun, and in the night, the stars, and with the help of a telescope we can see planets from a far, galaxies, and stars being formed and more. In space, we see that creation is continual because we can see millions of miles into space and watch the creation of a star, planet, and monitor black holes. With a microscope we can see things we cannot see with our naked eye, but we can see into the smallest with an electron microscope, and with phase microscopes we can see life from bacteria, protozoans, shelled amoebas, diatoms, blue-green algae, the snail, and the Nautilus shell and so much more. We know God exists in the photosynthetic process of the exchange of light to create food for the plants, and the exchange of the cycle of oxygen to carbon dioxide, and the burning of carbon dioxide to oxygen. All life needs light! All life needs water! Life and water are symbolic of God’s Spirit! In Romans, Paul tells us we can see the largest of the creation, yet the smallest. It takes an intelligence to place creation into being and making of man because we are intricate and complicated, while harmony and order is set into creation. We see mathematical constants in creation, frequencies of different kinds, and the mathematical equation is used in different parts of creation we can see. The mathematical constant is the Fibonacci constant. We see it formed when a carpenter uses a plane to shave a wooden piece down to size. It comes from the plane as a spiral of thin wood. We see the spiral in hurricanes, dust devils, and even in the composition of art. We see it plainly in all types of creation. God shows his power and glory of order in his creation. The order within creation makes things cohesive and one.

“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:”

Romans 1:20

Even after explaining God exists by seeing him in creation there are people who still will not believe. People who do not believe in God’s existence is not only denying his existence, but his power, and resist the existence of the supernatural, yet they will believe in angels and other supernatural beings. He clearly shows us his glory and power through his creation, and in his word. All we need to do is read the story of the exodus, and the ministry of Jesus and of Paul. Others deny the existence of God by claiming his word, the bible, is not inspired but written by man. Yes, he used men to write the bible, but his word is inspired because the men who inscribed the books, some of them were hundreds, if not thousands of years apart, yet all of God’s word meshes with other works. His word is historical, scientific, and is of wisdom and an excellent counsel to give strength and peace to man’s heart.

Another reason why some people do not believe in God is because of the behavior and actions of Christian people. Whether one realizes it or not, all of us are being watched by others. They watch our behavior to see if we are different than them. They compare us with others while looking at their lives. There are many reasons I suppose that people watch others. Some watch to confront us about our morality and values, while some are looking for a better life. So, people if you claim to be a Christian, then you should walk the walk, and talk the talk because you will be influencing others to eventually come to Jesus, or not. If you live for Jesus as his disciple, then let your light shine to them, and live righteously and holy. In this manner the unbeliever will see God in you, and know there is hope, and there is something better than what they are experiencing. Our lives in holiness are a witness unto those and the witness proves to them that God exists. God exists in your testimony of how he brought you out of sin, and delivered you from things like addiction, alcohol, and drugs.

The Christian behavior is a counter to the Devi’s behavior. The behavior, morals and value system are based on scripture in the Mosaic law, and in the behavior of Jesus. God’s morals and values give life to the soul and freedom, while the Devil’s behavioral system is of sin and death. His system is three-fold, that is to steal, kill, and destroy. Why would anyone want to live in that behavioral system since it brings physical and spiritual death? Yes, God exists and even the demon’s tremble.

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

James 2: 19

People say they do not believe in God because they do not believe in religion. They believe in man, his intelligence, and abilities. Their belief system includes philosophy, the sciences, and even fables. Some are connected to Christian churches, and I am glad they are, yet they deny the existence of God. Speaking about science, it does reveal good and usual things which turn into technology, medicine, and forms of travel, but science also denies God’s existence. All are the workings of man, so the unbeliever in God does participate in a religion, and that religion is humanism.

Creation is real, the earth is hung on nothing, nothing but gases, and the planets and moons are in perfect orbit. Even the atoms of life are mini universes. You see, there is a God who creates order by repetition, and within creation are laws and science have proven these laws through mathematics, physics, thermodynamics, logic, biogenesis, and chemistry. Creation is about uniformity, and balance. Creation is governed by the law of God. For creation to be within its uniformity and harmony, then man should believe in God’s son Jesus to restore the harmony within their life. Sin has caused an imbalance of nature, and sin entered creation by the disobedience of man. So, for creation to return to its original state then God had to send his son Jesus to be the sacrifice for man to have a new inheritance (Ephesians 1), a harmonious creation in which to live and continue the relationship between God and man as intended.

For our existence, we must acknowledge there is a God because of the evidence around us, and the evidence we find deep in biology, space, and other sciences. Our proof of the existence of God is also our spiritual relationship with him because he speaks to his creation and placed within our hearts an innate sense there is a power greater than anything we experience, and he has written his laws upon our hearts, our mind that holds our conscience. God exists.

“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

Notes:

All scripture used is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

Website: answersingenesis.org, “God and Natural Law”.

Website: pewresearch.org, Facttank, 10 Facts about Atheists.

Website: thoughtcatalog, 12 Atheists Explain Why They Don’t Believe in God. Lorenzo Jensen III.

God’s Gift—Grace, Our Inheritance, and Redemption in Ephesians

By James G. Owen

Grace, a subject St. Paul talked about a great deal. Grace defined is unmerited favor, but could be love expressed by our Creator, and loved us so much that he created a plan of salvation before everything in creation was created—before the world began. God being the Father called us to be his children, and because of sin we were separated and that kept us from knowing him spiritually, a breach in our relationship between God and us. So, God in his wisdom extended grace to mankind before the world existed. Grace was part of his plan.

His plan of salvation expanded into atonement, a sacrifice, and redemption. The atonement was that a price had to be made, and a perfect man who was fathered by God to be the sacrifice, and to make sure the price was paid in full then the son of God would give his life on the Cross. This caused sin to be defeated, and death would be defeated by his resurrection. His plan of salvation also ushered in the last covenant, the new covenant of Jeremiah 33, called the better covenant. This covenant annulled the old covenant, and it was to give all of us life, both Jew and Gentile. The old covenant could not save people from sin because the blood spilt was from the blood of bulls and other animals, but the blood of Jesus the perfect man who lived a blameless life, his blood could save all of mankind. His plan God created wanted us to be blameless, to be free from sin.

In Ephesians 1, God predestined us to adoption, to make all of mankind his children. Predestination means he predetermined his plan, and what he wanted his creation to be and how to interact in creation and in man’s relationship to God. He wanted to invest himself into his creation, to be available should his creation need him, and it proves man would need him forever. He adopted us, he chose us to be in a relationship to him, just like an earthly father and mother would adopt an orphaned child so that the child would have a life, freedom, and to take care of the orphan’s needs. The orphan would grow in maturity and fulfill the purpose and destiny injected to him at conception.

What did God predetermine his creation, man, to be like? He wanted us to be like him, to conform to the image of Jesus, and we see what Jesus was like by reading the gospels about his character and spirituality. God wanted man to act with righteous morals, to be obedient, pure, having wisdom, and come to the knowledge of him, Jesus, and of course his Holy Spirit.

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

Romans 8: 29-30

How would I explain predestination further to make sure it is understood? Well, consider God the Father as an artist. The artist will have a format in which the person will follow. Not every artist will create the same, but I see God creating much the same as I would create. My process would be to conceive of an idea, plan his creation by sketching, taking note of the color palette, and whatever means he needs to execute his creation. God, as an artist I see would have much the same process but would decide what his creation will be and the extent of his creation, and foreordain the creation to possess order, beauty, and in his plan, he conceives of a rescue. That rescue was salvation. His creation would be perfect. Man’s creation would be imperfect. God’s creation would make a choice and fall into sin and would only have one way to salvation. Man’s creation may take several attempts, but is not guaranteed success, but the Father’s creation will have success as man stays within the boundaries of his grace, that he purges himself daily. God knew his creation would fail and that is the reason for salvation.

The Father calls man to salvation by the convicting of man’s heart by his Holy Spirit. Conviction by the Holy Spirit is the movement of the Spirit to cause the man to realize he had sinned through his conscience, and the thoughts of his sin will come to remembrance. The conviction will tell us we know we are not pure, and the Spirit is beckoning us to come to a decision for forgiveness. When a person decides to repent, to receive forgiveness justification will be enacted meaning he is pardoned of his sin, no longer held guilty.

Further into Ephesians 1 we see Paul writing about redemption. Redemption comes to us by his saving grace. We are saved by God’s grace, that he loved us so much he would provide a way out of sin so that we would not be condemned to eternal death by choosing his Son Jesus. Why did he give us grace? Because of our innocence and not having knowledge of what sin would cause, and never having the experience of evil. Redemption gave us access to God through faith. When he made man, he planted a grain of faith within his being, and we have been taught to enact that faith, meaning believing whatever we conceive will be done as long it is within, he will of God and his word.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

Ephesians 2:8

What else would redemption bring to man? The redemption of man would be his inheritance. The inheritance would be eternal life, and to live in the New Earth that God would create for his children. This inheritance is guaranteed if we live in obedience, growing in wisdom, knowledge, and trusting in God. As we spend time with God you learn more about him, his personality, and his ways. Spending time reading the bible, in prayer, and the interaction of the Holy Ghost within us is how we learn to know and learn of him. As we get to know God, we will see his glory more as time goes by, and we understand the inheritance he has chosen for us. Those who have accepted Jesus are his chosen ones. As we interact with God in prayer, and the reading of his word he constantly reveals himself and his works. He shows us his full power in his works of the Holy Spirit through us and from us ministering to others.

“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: 13-14

The inheritance is given to us as soon as we give our life to Jesus, and this inheritance was also assured by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and by the fulfilling of the new covenant. The cross gave us the victory over death, and through Jesus resurrection he ascended to heaven to sit on David’s throne and to administer the kingdom to bring things to an end. He is there sitting by the right hand of God reigning until his return to earth.

We see in Ephesians 1 that God has set Jesus above all creation giving him all authority as the head of the Church and the kingdom, and that God is Israel (God prevails). His Church is his body, his temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. In administering his covenants God has brought all the major covenants to fulfillment. His Church is prevailing in the last covenant sharing the gospel to the world so that all men will have the chance to salvation that was predestined before the beginning of creation. Grace, faith, salvation, and redemption were in place waiting for the time to come to being to bring men out of sin and to bring in the New Earth, which is Eden and the inheritance.

God deals with man through his covenants written in his word, and dispensation (administration) to cause man to stewardship (relationship) with him giving him deliverance and restoration. Can you see the love of God in all his actions? Why would God go to such lengths if he did not love us? The fact is his action is the ultimate love anyone would express. Wouldn’t a parent on earth not do the same? Your hope that Paul writes about in his letter is within God’s grace, and your hope is the resurrection that conquers death for eternity. Let me ask you this. Are you willing to change to live a righteous life to achieve eternal life? To assure your place in a beautiful, perfect place for eternity? To live and not die. Are you willing to place all things on the altar so you can break from the bondage of sin and your habits? Are you tired of sin? Tired of uncertainty? If so, make your decision so that you will assure your place in God’s record of life.

Notes:

From the website messie2vie.fr Strong’s Hebrew 3478, Yisrael.

All scripture given is taken from the King James Version, Pubic Domain, BibleGateway.

The Sons of God Explained

I have read and studied for a very long time now, off and on for the past eleven years about the identification of the sons of God—the bene Elohim. Following are the results of my examen from scripture and other readings.

In Genesis 6 we first read about the giants that came upon the earth, and that the sons of God came and took wives of the human daughters and had children with them. Who were these bene Elohim? In the Hebrew the bene Elohim refer to the angels of God. In one source it was stated that these angels came down to earth to teach men of the law of God which was not written in those days from Adam to Noah, and gave the law orally so that the people could believe in their creator and God. When these angels became enamored with the daughters of men then they left their estate—the habitation and became the fallen ones, the Nephillim. This is one probable statement of the sons of God.

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
Genesis 6:1-2 KJV

Another thought, which I have hold to currently is that the sons of God were angels that rebelled against God and was thrown out of heaven because of Lucifer’s pride and influence on the 1/3 of angels he took with him as an army to insurrect against God. The children of the union of these sons of God with the daughters of men created the giants, which is called the seed of Satan in Genesis 3:15. These giants, the seed of Satan is one form of the enmity expressed in this scripture.

How do we know that the sons of God were angels? When we go to the book of Job we find that the angels of God along with Satan came and presented themselves in the presence of God. This is the conference between Satan and God about the testings that Job were to go through. This discourse is presented twice in the book of Job, I believe to serve as a witness and state that the sons of God are angels. Another instance in Job is at Creation the morning stars, another type of angel, and the sons of God rejoiced at the beauty of God’s creation that he created complete in six days. For these angels shouted for joy. This is scriptural proof that the sons of God were angels. So why is this important for us to know now?

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.
Job 1:6 KJV

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.
Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?
Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
Job 38:1-7 KJV

Later, when Jesus was born and began his ministry he taught the law and salvation. That salvation was to come through him and his death, resurrection, and ascension to the Father. Here in lies where men, women, and children who believe upon Jesus as Messiah and that believing upon him brings us eternal life. When we believe upon Jesus who brought the world salvation, and ours, then we who believe in him by faith and follow him have become sons and daughters of God by adoption. With our confession of our sins we are adopted into the family of God as children because we have been separated from God by sin.

Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
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.
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.
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Romans 8:12-25 KJV

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:24-29 KJV

Will the sons of God that came to the earth and had children return? In scripture we have seen this twice in the form of Nephillim and Rephaim. The bible says as in the days of Noah so shall it be. By this statement we would have to see, but it is highly probable. Before we conclude, what happened to the angels who married the daughters of men? Peter explains that these angels who sinned, that left their habitation were chained in hell waiting for their day of judgement. In scripture we do read that four angels that are under the rivers will be loosed. Are these four part of the number of angles who married the sons of daughters? That is question that needs more exploration.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
2 Peter 2:4 KJV

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Jude 1:6 KJV

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Matthew 24:37 KJV

What has happened in the days of Noah will return to this earth as described in Matthew 24. I would invite you to read this whole chapter.

In a short discourse this is who the sons of God are as explained in scripture.

Notes: This Season of Angels, Perry Stone, ppgs 109-110, Faithwords First Edition, October 2018.

All scripture used is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain Biblegateway.

The Promise of a Messiah

Before Creation began God had a plan. That plan was for the salvation of his new creation upon earth that is formed in his image. This creation was formed by God’s hand like a potter using clay, and his thoughts were on his creation’s future. God knew one day that mankind would fail and fall into sin, so he had a plan to provide a messiah—a savior that would be a perfect sacrifice to provide the salvation for man. This messiah had to be a man, but not born of man’s seed, but of God’s Holy Spirit. This is the promise:

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 KJV

Within this one scripture we see an abundance of meaning. First, let’s take the word enmity. In the Hebrew enmity is ebah, which means hostility and hatred. In the context here, I believe that hostility is fitting because the serpent beguiled Eve and caused her to take of the fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil and then lead Adam into the act of sin. The future messiah will have hostility towards Satan and later his seed because of his deceitful and deadly spiritual action.

When I speak of Satan’s seed what could I possibly mean? From years of studying Genesis 6 about the Nephillim— the fallen angels, these are the angels that come to marry the human females and they have children with the daughters of men. The result of these unions are the giants of the earth. How did these fallen angels become the father of the giants? The answer is that they left their habitation (Jude 6).

In Noah’s day we refer to them as Nephillim as well, and after the flood they are referred to as the Rephaim, or Rephaites. These are the physical seed of Satan that were defeated first by the flood, and also later by Moses men and the David, the future king of Israel.

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
Genesis 6:1-4 KJV

Examples of the Rephaim in scripture is Og of Bashan, and Goliath. Og was killed by Joshua, and Goliath killed by David. There were many who lived in the land of Israel. These are just two of the hundreds that were warred against by the Israelite’s and overcome.

But what is meant by the enmity of the seed of Satan and the seed of Eve? A messiah was promised by God to come for the salvation of man. Through his ministry of being a shepherd first he will defeat Satan by dying on a cross by the spillage of his blood, thus becoming the sacrifice, the lamb provided by God that has the DNA of man, and also the DNA of God. God had to send his son to redeem man by his blood. For the blood of man cannot redeem itself because man’s blood is defiled by sin. This is the meaning of the bruising of the head and the bruising of the heel. Jesus was on that cross that eventful day during Passover in which he bruised the head of Satan, actually fractured the head of Satan, and in return Satan bruising Jesus’s heel. Jesus is the embodiment of God and is very powerful being his Son who has always been with God. Satan is God’s creation that sinned by the act of pride, and is not powerful as God, but weak. Satan’s actions of the sin of pride brought death to him and his armies, and also brought death to man when he deceived mankind. This is the enmity that is between God and Satan, and it will all be brought to an end , and soon.

Today, we see the actions of people who do not know God, and the actions of people who do know God. The interaction between these two groups causes enmity because the evil in men’s heart does not agree with the godliness of those who have the Spirit of God within. We have the messiah today to bring us out of sin (enmity) if we accept him, and confess that Jesus is Lord.

Notes

www,messie2.fr, enmity H0342

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/rephaite

biblehub.com/topical/r/rephaim.htm

All scripture used is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, Biblegateway.

Eternity: What is it?

Today, I am reflective. I have been wondering about eternity, what it is, and how it effects all of us. Man has pondered this question for centuries and the answers that man seeks is found in the Word of God—the Bible. As I read the scriptures today I wrote down my definitions for eternity. They are:

eternity is without time
time never ending
life as a continuance
eternity is continuance

Within scripture we find that the King James Version used the word “world” for eternity. Curious, I went to the Hebrew to find the word for world, and found the Hebrew word owlam. Here, this definition from the Strong’s Hebrew says eternity is time out of mind, or always. Eternity is perpetuation.

Is eternity used by God for us to hope for in terms of our obedience to gain from this sinful world? The answer is yes, but there is more to how God used the word eternity. In his word spoken by Solomon, the wisest man in the world, he spoke of eternity as a veil, that God used eternity to be set in the hearts of man to conceal the works of God so that man would not discover his works from the beginning to the end. Why would God, the God I call Jehovah and Jesus, conceal these works from man? Here are my thoughts:

If we were to know the works of God, or created to know the works of God we would work to make ourselves like him in spirit, and continue the pride set in us by sin, and this pride would be for eternity and render us unredeemable; meaning without the means of salvation.
God wants a relationship with man. The knowledge we have he wants us to search for him. Eternity in our hearts gives us an innate knowledge that we are eternal beings, whether we are good or evil.
It is a communication by God to man that God is real and exists. We are to receive this communication of knowledge by faith as well.
His desire to protect his image. We are made in his image and he wanted us to have a means of salvation. We are innocent and have not seen God’s reality has the angels have seen and experienced. He wanted us to be with him for eternity. He does not wish for anyone to perish.

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV

What other way would God use the word eternity? God speaks to us in his word of eternity in our “time” so that we can understand eternity. Peter wrote that a day is like, or is as, a thousand years. Is this literal? I perceive Peter is trying to explain eternity to man in terms of time that we will understand. There are people who believe that 1000 years is a day, but I think it is a comparison. Does eternity have a past? I think that eternity only has a past when God mentions it in his word, or refers to history on Earth. We think of time as past, present, and future. In our thinking we see a past because we have known a past in our dimension of time. Thousands of years to us will seem like eternity. God looks forward I do believe, and we should as well. Looking backward we see our failures, and that may angst our hearts if looked at negatively, or with a heart of a desire for the old life.

How will we know God’s definition of eternity, or “time”? The only way to explain this is to tell everyone to be obedient to God’s word, and at the end of our time on earth we will come to know God’s eternity when we enter it. No matter, we will enter eternity whether we are obedient or not, but our destination will be different if we do not obey his commandments. I want to know God’s eternity by living by faith, in righteousness, and know I have eternal life being able to see light, and partake of life in God’s eternity in his heavens, new universes and earth, and other planetary creations he has prepared for us.

Eternity is God. For he has been and always will be.

Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?
Isaiah 43:13 KJV

Notes:

All scripture has been taken from the King James Version Public Domain Biblegateway.

messie3vie.fr website, Strongs H5769

No Other God

At the beginning of the universe and earth there was no other gods. Pagan worship had not began, nor had sin entered into the world at this juncture because man and woman had not been created. There was not a temptation by Satan yet, though he had already fallen. But at the point of man and woman in the Garden of Eden, Satan came and deceived the woman Eve. Here, Satan told Adam and Eve they could become like gods if they would partake of the Tree of Good and Evil, which they did, and sin came into the world immediately and all creation of the earth was defiled.

Even, at this time there was only One God, but as man lived and multiplied on the earth they began to listen to the lies of Satan and his fallen angels. It soon occurred that men would worship these fallen angels and give homage to them. Still there was only One God, and he was known to men like Enoch and Noah who preached to them of God the Almighty. At this time in history it is not written in scripture that God made himself known by name to man, but as we read scripture in Genesis 1:1 he makes himself known to those who read the Torah that he is Elohim—the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Elohim is plural, and that is the reason for me explaining him as the Trinity and that we are made in his image; body, soul, and spirit.

As time progressed the generations of Adam became iniquitous and soon it was found that Noah and his family of 7 were the only ones who had pure DNA. So, the world was destroyed by water because of man’s iniquities and failure to listen to Enoch and Noah of the goodness and the salvation of God.

Later, God presents himself to Abraham as the Almighty God, shadday, or as we have accustomed ourselves in later times as El Shaddai. Then to Moses, he presents himself as Yahweh, the I AM, that I AM. Yes, the God of Israel, the only true God is almighty. He is the creator and can do anything. He creates life, and that is something Satan and his fallen angels, the pagan gods, cannot do because they are created beings by the same God that created man. Even Solomon proclaimed God in this manner:

And he said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
1 Kings 8:23 KJV

He is mighty, loving, pure, and is all knowing, and the God that can be anywhere, anytime, and know every bit of our hearts and thoughts simultaneously. That’s power! How can I further describe the God I serve, whose son is Jesus, and has sent his Holy Ghost to earth after Jesus ascension so that we can have salvation, deliverance, and healing? I describe him with this verse:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
²Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 KJV

God is powerful and he is the only one that we should worship because he is the only God who can deliver and bring salvation and life. Any other god that is worshiped by man is God’s enemy. Man for centuries have followed pagan gods of many names, and some of those same gods are worshiped in what we know as the New Age movement. The pagan gods no matter what name they go by in any region of the world, their influence will only bring man to his eternal death and should not be followed.

There is only one way, and that is the road to God through Jesus the Messiah because there is no other God.

Notes: All scriptures used is taken from the King James Version Public Domain Biblegateway.

Who is God?

Many people through the ages have asked this question. Many have found the answer by reading the bible given to them, heard many preachers, teachers, and disciples of the Lord Jesus tell of him. So, I asked myself the question and how I would explain the God of Israel, the God that Christians also call Jesus. Here are my thoughts.

God is Elohim. Elohim, a Hebrew word that is plural. Throughout scripture we see the definition of Elohim taught as the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. In the Old Testament we do see the trichotomy mostly in symbolism involving the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is direct in the Torah and the Tanach. The Son is spoken of, for instance, as the Captain of the Hosts and also as messiah types like Moses. The Holy Spirit is seen as water, wine, and oil in these scriptures. As we move along to the New Testament, which is a renewed covenant we see all three working through these writings being directly spoken of in context. God is made up of three persons, yet he is One. We are made in his image as body, soul, and spirit—three, yet one.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:1 KJV

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 14:26 KJV

God is Light. In the beginning of creation, God presents himself as light. He is the light of creation until he creates the sun to provide a light through the seasons. In the new earth to come God returns as the eternal light where his people dwell forever. We also see in his person that God is light, in which there is no darkness, meaning God is perfect, life is in himself, and in his being sin is not found. He is holy. With his light and knowledge he reveals the deep and hidden things, which he has written into his word, the bible for man to find. When we need strength, encouragement, wisdom and knowledge we can go to the scriptures and find light for the soul which quenches the thirst we have for our spiritual needs. Within him is light. He is made up of light, and light dwells within him. He is bright, and so bright that no man can physically look upon him and live. This he tells Elijah so that he can go into the creft of the rock and God can show his back to him because God’s glory—his light, the shekinah would strike him dead. Why? Because we do not live in glorified bodies. Our bodies are corrupted by sin that came through the sin of Adam and Eve.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5 KJV

He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
Daniel 2:22 KJV

God is Light and Salvation. When I need light I go to Jesus to ask for strength and his light to light my paths so that I may stay and live in righteousness, for God is my strength that I need daily to ward off evil. He is life, and life on earth depends upon light to continue, and we must need light to continue living within our spirit man, the spirit that God breathed into us. When we are living righteously, we have his light and his light is sensed by all in the world, both those who live for Jesus, and by those who don’t. When we read his word, listen for his voice to guide us, with these paths we see his light and his goodness and love.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lordis the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 27:1 KJV

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Psalm 36:9 KJV

This is how I would describe God to anyone in the world. There is only one path to eternal life, and that is through Jesus the Son of God, the logos—the Word.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:1 KJV

The Power of Light

God is light. He is powerful and mighty. He creates light, but he is the ultimate source for light and enlightenment. There is no other god before Him, for he is One, and the Master of all.

In creation, he created a light to be in the sky of earth and all the planets. This light was to mark the length of the day, seasons, and the year in order to keep time. God did not need the light to shine on the earth, but in his plan he wanted us to know the dimension of time and space of light versus darkness. The natural ability of the two gives us a 3D effect in our natural world, so this is the reason for the God of Israel to give the command, “Let there be light. We also know that the light he created gives photosynthetic food to the plants on earth, and for energy to be stored for mankind to use. This is one of the powers of light.

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Genesis 1:3 KJV

Since God is the light that illuminates everything, he is a light for protection. When the Israelites were making their trek out of Egypt he had a pillar by day and night around the Israelites. There was a light, an angel in the rear to keep God’s children from being attacked from the rear before crossing over the Red Sea, and there was a light at night so that the people would feel safe while in the wilderness. God walks before us, and also behind us to protect us from harm. All those who know him will be protected in this manner. He actually protects us 360 degrees. Scripture tells us he is one step ahead of us.

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
Exodus 13:21 KJV

We are to make sure that the light in the tabernacle does not go out, meaning in a spiritual sense that we should enact in prayer daily being prayerful in spirit all day, but stopping along the day to pray at least three times. We are to keep ourselves in his word which stirs the heart and helps build a fire within us, teaching us and blessing us with spiritual provision to keep the tabernacle, our souls from thirst. We are responsible for the tabernacle, our bodies both externally and internally, meaning we are not to do anything that will defile our physical bodies with sin. For example, the committing of a sin that will bring disease like sexually transmitted diseases. We are responsible for the upkeep of our tabernacle internally as well, meaning listening to the Holy Spirit for direction, for words of knowledge or prophesies. To listen for God’s counsel when we are to meet certain people in our time during the day. We are to be instant in season so that we are able to give light to others, who may not know where to find the light. We are to be the light to the world that is searching and needing light and truth.

Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.
Leviticus 24:2 KJV

And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.
Numbers 4:16 KJV

The truth is there is no light other than the God of Israel. He is a triune God. His embodiment is in the form of the Father, the Son Jesus, and the Holy Ghost. So, if you are needing light to feed your hungry soul look at the four powers of light I have given you. There is no other god that can give light and truth that will give you love, real love, and hope. There is no other god that will protect you, or give you provision. God and his son Jesus is about life, and there is light in life which empowers our lives to give light to others. This is the power of light.

Notes: All scripture given is taken from the King James Version Public Domain Biblegateway.