Mental Belief Vs Spiritual Salvation

Those Who Have A Mental Belief In God But Not Following Him, Are They Saved?

Question : I would like to know your opinion on this matter, and perhaps you might write something about this.

I was listening to a Christian on YouTube "the Saviour servant", who claims that most people who go to church think that "faith" is believing what the Bible says, and nothing more.

As you well know we are to have faith in "Jesus" himself, by being led by the Spirit and obeying, and dying to self and leaving the things of the world behind. Do you think that some people are making a very big mistake, in just having a mental belief in God but not following him. Are they saved?

Answer : Greetings! First of all we are not saved by any works of any kind, we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Our faith itself is a gift from God that we cannot boast about (Eph 2:8-9). A person needs to realize that he is a sinner in need of the Savior and then go on to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior through believing in his heart and confessing Him in his mouth to be saved (Matt 9:12-13; John 3:16; Rom 10:9-10). After this God acknowledges and gives assurance of salvation by sealing that believer with the Holy Spirit until the day of rapture (Eph 1:13-14), then speaking to the believer's heart that He abides in him through the Holy Spirit (1 John 3:24). From that moment of salvation God makes the believer to become the righteousness of God which is to make Him as though he never sinned at all in His sight (2 Cor 5:21).

Bible is the just a means through which we reach the end of salvation which is to know God personally through the Lord Jesus Christ. The same way as you have discussed some people think that going to Church regularly and mentally knowing the Bible and keeping the rules will save them, it happened the same way in the days of Jesus when they revered the Bible and rejected and tried to kill the God of the Bible who stood before them in the flesh as Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God (John 12:48; 1:14; 3:16; 10:36-39). Jesus so clearly said to these people, "39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life." (John 5:39-40). This shows that knowing the Bible and having a thorough knowledge of the Bible without believing in Jesus who is clearly described in the Scriptures will not save any person. No matter how big a theologian or a traditional christian a person may be, without a personal relationship with God through Christ Jesus, a person is not saved at all. The written word of God is just a means through which we reach the end which is finding God through Jesus Christ. The written Scriptures are a means to an end and with out reaching the purpose for which it is given by God it has no value in itself. Mentally a person can know the Bible inside out and can get a PhD in it just as a scholar gets a PhD in any other subjects of soulish knowledge, that doesn't guarantee salvation or can give it to them.

James the apostle said, "19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" (James 2:19-20). This shows that having just a mental belief that there is a one God and confessing a statement of faith without humbling ourselves as sinners in need of salvation before God will do no good than a demon believing this truth and trembling before God. All true faith will get us in to relationship with God which will transform the way we live, believe and act in our day to day lives. Any faith that does not start a relationship with God in our spirit-man is just a dead faith. The spirit which had been dead from the day we were born in sin (Psa 51:5), should receive God's life and start to empower our life in to deeper relationship with God which is actually seeing the kingdom power of God in our lives (1 John 5:13; John 3:3).

Things like being led by the Spirit and obeying, and dying to self and leaving the things of the world behind are the fruit of salvation and are not a precondition to salvation. Salvation never demands any work, but it empowers us to work the works which God has prepared for us to do beforehand (Eph 2:10; Php 2:12-13). In other words, a choice to obey God and work for Him comes to a believer after they are saved, the more they co-operate with God and obey His voice, the more they will experience the spiritual blessings of it now in their lives and the reward of it in their afterlife (Rev 22:12). Either a person is saved by grace or not saved at all. There is no middle ground of working to get saved after receiving salvation through grace.

We cannot judge a believer based on their behavior as we all know that all do not take the good choice of walking in God's blessing all the time, for many God has to teach lessons through chastisement for their own spiritual eternal benefit which is a prime priority to God than the physical blessing they enjoy temporarily (Heb 12:9-11). If a believer self-corrects his wrong attitude, God will not bring chastisement, but if not God will intervene to chastise that believer so that he may not be condemned with the world (1 Cor 11:31-32).

I think that people are in two category who make a big mistake, people who depend on their Christian heritage and credentials and as a result they do not receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior by humbling themselves as sinners in need of Him is one category that is not saved at all by grace (Luke 18:9-14). The other people who make a big mistake are those who saved by grace and yet do not willingly submit themselves to the way of the Cross but are satisfied with their doings for God rather than their beings [i.e. coexistence] which God really expects (Luke 9:23-26). These people may gain physical and financial blessings on earth which God gives freely to all (Matt 5:45), but will lose the abundant life of heaven and the succeeding reward in eternity that has been prepared for them (Luke 14:25-33; John 10:10; Rev 3:11).

May God help us all to have an intimate relationship with our God here on earth and enjoy the abundant life of heaven on earth.

Much Blessings....

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Do We Need To Answer The Challenges Of Our Time?

Oh Man, For How Long!!!

By Abraham Israel

I was surprised to hear a news headline today which said, "Five-star survival: The floating Ark hotel that will protect you against a Noah-style flood" with two bullet points which said, "Shell-shaped hotel would withstand tidal waves and other natural disasters, Daylight filtered through internal rooms to reduce need for lighting." My first question to myself was, 'Why should man try to protect Himself from natural disaster of the proportions of Noah's time when the maximum time we can live on earth if God mercifully permits is seventy years and by reason of strength can be extended up to eighty years (Psa 90:10).' No matter how much a human tries to protect himself, he is very soon going to die and stand before God one of these days to give an account of his own life for sin (Rom 14:12; Matt 12:36), if some has believed Jesus he will be privileged to give an account for heavenly reward for works done after salvation (2 Cor 5:10). Death is an appointment for every man, and no one has ever escaped that from the day of creation to this day and the same death that happens only once for all men is a sign that all those who die as humans will await for the judgment of God after their death (Heb 9:27).

This floating Ark hotel is described as such,

"It boasts light, airy rooms, plenty of greenery and no doubt the service would be five-star. But the main reason guests would flock to the Ark Hotel would be its ability to save them from a natural disaster of Noah proportions. That's because the futuristic building has been designed to withstand floods caused by rising sea levels.
The floating behemoth is a 'biosphere' conceived as a safe, self-contained haven. Branded as a green, self-sustaining environment for guests, the shell-shaped hotel would withstand tidal waves and other natural disasters.

Architects say the Ark's shell-like construction of arches and cables evenly distribute weight so it is also invulnerable to earthquakes. The design uses solar panels and a rainwater collection system to provide inhabitants with power and water.
...
'The Ark is an attempt to answer the challenges of our time. Provision is made for an independent life support system. 'All the plants are chosen according to compatibility, illumination and efficiency of oxygen producing, and with the aim of creating an attractive and comfort space. 'Through the transparent roof there is enough light for plants and for illuminating the inner rooms.'"

(Reference : http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2208723/Ark-Hotel-Remistudio-biosphere-self-contained-haven-event-flood-disaster.html)

We can see from the above description of the floating Ark hotel that it is a man's fultile attempt to thwart the judgment of God for sin that is beginning to increase upon this world of our times. Seeing the natural disasters that are happening around the world that keeps on increasing, they want to call it as the "challenges of our time". There is nothing to challenge except God who is in control of the whole universe. God has said that even if man would try to create a nest for himself in the stars to protect himself from God's righteous judgment through the technology available, He has promised to bring him down to face death and judgment at His appointed time (Obadiah 1:4).

Instead of challenging the time we are living, God has told all humans to look towards Him with repentance for salvation from sin and death (Isa 45:22). These learned men who try to build a Ark in an attempt to answer the challenges of our time, should at least once open the Bible to see how the world will end not with flood but with fire after the Millennial rule of Jesus on earth (2 Peter 3:6-7, 10-12). But for now, each judgment that comes on earth is a clarion call for repentance for the humankind and it is not a call to protect themselves from it (Rev 16:8-9).

There is no other Ark that can save the end time people on earth except entering the ARK OF GOD through faith in Jesus. The Baptism of Jesus is the anti-type of the Noah's ark which saves us now. When we believe that Jesus took all our sins when He received Baptism from John the Baptist and then carried it all to the Cross where He paid for it all through His suffering of being separated from the Father for our sins for three hours (Matt 3:15; Luke 23:44-46; John 19:30), then something happens for us, along with Jesus we die and then rise up again spiritually in the newness of mind to live for God through faith in Christ Jesus from that point onward (Rom 6:4-5). This doesn't mean our sin nature is gone out of us forever which will only happen when we are resurrected on the day of rapture, in which we will receive a sin free glorious body (Eph 1:13-14; 1 John 3:2; 1 Cor 15;51-52, 54, 56-57).

Because of His death on behalf of our sins, all our past, present and future sins are all forgiven (Eph 4:32), but not only that, the resurrection of Jesus has positioned us in the present time with a ability to have a continual and a perpetual good conscience towards the Lord through the confession of our sins (1 Peter 3:20-21; 1 John 1:7, 9). God is faithful to restore a clean conscience to us if we come to Him with a true heart of faith that believes that He is faithful to restore a clear conscience through the confession of our sins to Him, no matter how many times we have fallen or have failed Him (Heb 10:22-23). The Ark of God which is the Church of the living God and the Body of Christ, which has registered its citizen in heaven is the only thing that can guarantee a abundant life now and eternal life then (Heb 12:22-24; John 10:10; 10:28).

Jesus told that in the end times the spiritual environment will become just like in the days of Noah and Lot, where people were more concerned about drinking and partying, having multiple wives through divorce and remarrying, Father's and Mother's busy giving in marriage and celebrating it with fanfare, eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting and building which are all earthly things, and as a result of it they will totally forget about the eternal God who has given this present life to them so that they should seek Him in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him (Luke 17:25-29; Acts 17:27). The destruction of the end time has been prophesied by Jesus to come suddenly in the midst of all earthly activities in which the mind of all the end time people living on earth will be glued to, but the good thing that the Lord promised is that He will not bring the sudden and catastrophic destruction of the earth until all the righteous people of faith are removed from earth (Luke 17:29-37; Rev 3:10). All the believer's bodies that have died and the living bodies of all believers will be given a glorious celestial sin-free bodies on that day just like the meta-physical body of Jesus (1 Cor 15:40, 47-49; Luke 24:39-43). GLORY TO GOD! And you and I who have believed Jesus as our Lord and Saviour will all be rejoicing to see the judgment of God that will happen against ungodliness and sin on earth (Rev 11:15-18). So what are you today waiting for? If you look around you can know the spiritual temperature of today's world. So let us all watch and pray and train ourselves to be heavenly minded to leave the earth joyfully in rapture before the tribulation begins (2 Thess 1:7-8).

I am reminded of the great song "This world is not my home" by "Jim Reeves" to stir you up today to look up and be reminded that the redemption of our body is nearer than ever before.

This world is not my home
I'm just a-passing through
My treasures are laid up
Somewhere beyond the blue.

The angels beckon me
From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore.

Oh Lord, you know
I have no friend like you
If heaven's not my home
Then Lord what will I do.

The angels beckon me
From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore.

I have a loving mother
Just up in Glory land
And I don't expect to stop
Until I shake her hand.

She's waiting now for me
In heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore.

Oh Lord, you know
I have no friend like you
If heaven's not my home
Then Lord what will I do.

The angels beckon me
From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore.

--- Instrumental ---

Just over in Glory land
We'll live eternally
The saints on every hand
Are shouting victory.

Their songs of sweetest praise
Drift back from heaven's shore
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore.

Oh Lord, you know
I have no friend like you
If heaven's not my home
Then Lord what will I do.

The angels beckon me
From heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home
In this world anymore...

[By the way if you want to hear this song, here is the link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4rKhOb-J0A]

Much Blessings... :)

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Is There Any Gain In Dying?

To Die Is Gain?

By Abraham Israel

"21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. 25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again." (Php 1:21-26).

When we are living our life all out for our Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him as His bond-servant, dying is never a loss but a gain to reach the reward which has been prepared for us in heaven. No human would love to die except the ones who know that dying is not the end of the road but a beginning to living life in another realm of supernatural existence.

Our ultimate aim in our lives should be to glorify God, whether in life or in death. No enemy of a Christian can really kill him because Jesus guranteed to his followers, "25 ..., “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." (John 11:25-26). Even though a Christian may die through someone killing his body for Jesus' sake, but only that can change his address and cannot really kill the heavenly God's life within him.

When a Christian is hard-pressed between the choice whether to live life or face death, at that time if he has this desire to depart and be with Christ, that will reveal whether this person is really blessed spiritually in his life or not. A blessed person will at anytime will be ready to leave the earth because his treasure will be in heaven. Otherwise for any soulish humans, to entertain the thought of leaving the earth will bring great dread and fear because all their treasures that has been collected in their lifetime will be for here on earth (Matt 6:19-21). We must think about our own life in this regard and see where we have collected our treasure? It is on earth or in heaven where God lives and sovereignly reigns over the universe. What a pity if all we have collected are some earthly treasures. It is not too late, today we can make a choice to live, love and serve the people of God and make them grow spiritually and thus increase the joy of faith in their life and redeposit our treasure in heaven.

To live to serve the Lord in this earthly life itself is a priviledge and a joy which is always better than any other thing to do on earth, but to depart and be with Christ to rule the nations with His authority in the coming days is still far better because that coming life will be a supernatural one with no death, sorrow, crying or pain, for all those things would have passed away in our earthly life itself and a new metaphysical heavenly life will be lived out for HIS GLORY on the new earth forever and ever (Rev 2:26; 3:21; 21:1,3-4, 26). When we collect our treasures in heaven by helping God's people, you will be in demand as people will need you. They will begin to rejoice in Christ Jesus spiritually everytime they see you come to bless them spiritually.

I believe that the best life to live now is the one where we continue to serve the Lord Jesus and collect our treasures in heaven and not set our heart on earthly things.

Much Blessings....

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Does The Anointing Differ From God's Presence In Anyway?

What Is The Difference Between The Anointing And The Presence Of God?

Question : What is the difference between the Anointing and the Presence of God which consecrates and sanctifies? Thanks in advance for replying.

Answer : The word 'anointing' literally means 'mishchah' in Hebrew which means 'anointing, anointed, ointment.' Also the word 'chrisma' in Greek means 'anointing, unction.' These days the word 'anointing' is used loosely to define almost everthing that is supernatural. It orginally means to 'to pour oil, rub it on someone, or to smear the oil on someone' as a act of consecrating and sanctifying them to God use and service. No one can serve God without being called and anointed to do a particular job (Heb 5:1, 4).

The anointing is something personally given to a particular person which empowers him to do what he could not naturally do with His own strength. God told to Moses to use the contents of the combination of fragrant quality spices and olive oil which He described in exact quantity (Exo 30:22-24), to make an ointment compounded according to art of the perfumer to be used as an holy anointing oil (Exo 30:25). Then He instructed Moses not to pour any of this holy anointing oil to be poured on man's flesh or make any other like it according to its composition because it is holy to the one who uses it (Exo 30:32). God warned His people that anyone who tries to make the holy anointing oil or pour it on outsider who is a heathen will be cut off from his people (Exo 30:33).

The oil that is poured on someone is symbolic of God's approval of him being set in His service from that time onwards through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit coming upon them to do God's work in God's way in God's strength and in God's time. So the spiritual equivalent of the physical oil is the Holy Spirit who invisibly touches peoples lives when He comes upon people (1 Sam 10:6).

During the Old Testament times, the priests were anointed (Exo 29:6-7, 9), the kings were anointed (1 Sam 10:1; 16:14;2 Sam 2:4) and the prophets were anointed (1 Kings 19:16; 1 Chron 16:22) for serving the Lord. The office of the priest, king and prophet were all unique and were not interchangeable.

In the New Testament, every believer is anointed within when they are born again (John 14:17). This anointing will teach them to hear the voice of God and walk exactly in His will for their lives (1 John 2:20, 27). After this experience Jesus has then promised every believer that He will give the anointing of the Holy Spirit to come upon them if they will only seek and thirst for it (John 7:37-39), so that they might become a mighty witness and a blessing to many many people around them who come in to contact with them through Divine appointment (Acts 1:4-5, 8).

The Hebrew word for “anoint” is mashah (maw SHAKH). From this word came the name “Messiah,” the one anointed by God to deliver His people. In the New Testament the Greek word for “anoint” is chrio (CHREE oh) and the word for “Messiah” is christos (chris TOSS). Thus, the Christ of the N.T. is the Anointed One, the Messiah sent from God. He will reign forever over God's people as Prophet (Luke 4:18), Priest (Hebrews 5:5-6), and King (Luke 19:38). Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Himself confessed, " 18 “ The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”" (Luke 4:18-19). This shows that Jesus who received the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit without measure because of His perfect obedience towards God (Heb 1:9), has now chosen to give all the believers the same anointing according to their obedience (John 3:34; Acts 5:32).

Because all the believers are in Christ Jesus (Col 1:27; 3:3; 1 Cor 1:30; Eph 2:13), we are uniquely called to receive more and more anointing to serve God as His priest, king and prophetic mouth piece in the New Testament. All the office of priest, king and prophet were merged in one Melchizedek's supernatural calling which is a priviledge given to us all uniquely as we are the Church which Jesus is building for His Glory (1 Peter 2:4-5, 9-10; Rev 1:6; 5:10; Acts 2:17-18; 1 Cor 15:26-32; Matt 16:18; Heb 7:21-22). So praise God for the anointing Jesus has given to us which is His fullness received within and upon us (John 1:16).

The Presence of God represents the Sovereign control of God many times in the Bible from which God executes His plans and purpose for nations, families and individuals, then fulfills it through setting them apart, consecrating and sanctifying them all through His Presence for His holy use corporately and not individually. For example when Moses asked God to consider the nation of Israel as His people, God promised him saying, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exo 33:14) which in fact made the Israelites as unique people of God and set them apart from all the people of the world. The Presence of God which was promised to never leave us nor forsake us is what makes the Church saints to be the people of God now (Heb 13:5).

Gabriel spoke to Zacharias the father of John the Baptist [i.e. rebuking his unbelief when he did not believe the word of the Lord] saying, "19...I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. 20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” (Luke 1:19-20). This shows that the authority of God was present with Gabriel the angel from heaven because He was standing in the presence of God in the centre of God's will to deliver His prophetic message. The same presence of God from which refreshment of joy comes to the soul of all human beings was promised by the apostles under the authority of God to all who will repent and turn towards Jesus Christ to accept Him as their Lord and Savior (Acts 3:19; Psa 16:11).

When Paul the apostle was writing to Timothy his apostolic son and was encouraging to continue preaching the word of God, he spoke under God's soveriegn authority saying, " 1 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction." (2 Tim 4:1-2, NIV).

All humans live because the breath of life which is actually the presence of God through His Spirit makes them exist (Psa 104:29-30; Job 34:14-15). In one way, even those who are not saved live under the sovereign care and the presence of God as long as they are in the earth (Matt 5:45), but once they die unsaved they will all be punished with the everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord (2 Thess 1:9).

In general, the presence of God can be categorized as Omni-present presence of God (Psa 139:7-8), indwelling Presence of God (Psa 139:18; John 14:23; 15:5) and His manifest presence of God (2 Chron 5:14; 1 Kings 8:11; Exod 40:35; 19:18-20; Psa 68:8; 114:7; Nah 1:5). The glory of the Lord is His manifest Presence.

When the great Elijah the prophet tried to flee away from the Lord, God met him in a isolated wilderness cave and told him to stand before the Presence of the Lord (1 Kings 19:11). What does this mean? It means God was telling Elijah the prophet to come and stand in His sovereign authority in which he was standing before he got afraid of Jezebel the king's wife who challenged to kill him for having killed the false prophets whom she supported.

In the last days when God will judge the earth for its sins (Isa 24:5; 26:21; 13:9), the Lord will rise up to judge the earth and shake it for its sinfulness and rebellion, many will flee in to holes of the rock and in to caves sensing God's Presence (Isa 2:19).

Therefore from the above exposition, we can easily understand that the anointing is ability of God given for a individal personally to fulfill God's purpose, whereas the presence of God is a tangible sovreign manifestation of God's authority which manifests through his appointed agency for the purpose of His will to be fulfilled in His time and in His way corporately.

Much Blessings....

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What was Jesus speaking of in Matthew 8:11-12?

Will Our Children Be Thrown In To Hell?

Question : What was Jesus speaking of in Matthew 8:11-12? It reads there will be many coming from the east and the west to sit with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven; But there will be many CHILDREN cast into darkness where there will be weeping,and gnashing of teeth.

Is he saying our children will be thrown into Hell, while many come from east to west to sit with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob? I am confused. Please answer. Thank You.

Answer : Here is the Scripture in its original context, "5 Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” 7 And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour." (Matt 8:5-13).

Here we see Jesus speaking with a centurion [i.e. the leader of 100 soldiers] and this man was pleading for the life of his servant who was paralyzed, dreadfully tormented and lying helpless. This man felt so unworthy about his own sinful state and very higly confident about the authority of Jesus over all diseases and tormentation that he told Jesus to just speak the word of authority and healing, so that his servant who is many miles away lying helpless could be healed. This is pure and a great faith. Many people asked Jesus to touch them and got healed (Matt 17:7; 20:34), others came and touched Jesus with faith and got healed (Matt 9:20; 14:36; Luke 6:19; Mark 6:56) and still others were healed through obedience to Jesus commands (John 9:7; Luke 17:14). But this heathen man who had no previous knowledge of Scripture believed Jesus wholeheartedly and was by faith expecting a miracle to happen just by Jesus speaking a word of authority over the mountain of problem he was experiencing. Jesus marveled seeing the faith of this heathen because he knew what a word out of the mouth of Jesus could do in the spiritual realm [which is beyond space and time limitation of man and his existence], what could not be done by any man (Luke 18:27; Matt 19:26). In other words, this Centurion through his simple child like faith already knew Jesus as the God of his life.

True to the words of Jesus, many in Israel had faith through hearing the word of God which was given to them (Eph 2:12; Rom 10:17), but this man's faith exceeded all their faith because he was trusting Jesus just like a little child trusts its father or mother. Just after this Jesus has revealed some great truths by saying, "11 And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”" Actually many from the east and west who will enter heaven will be those heathens who will have faith in Jesus like a little child and will get saved by realising their unworthiness and the Lord's worthiness to cure their sinfulness and tormentation that comes along with it (Matt 18:3). This has been happening all over the world for the past two thousand years in which God has made heathen people from east and west of the nation of Israel to become His people by calling them out of darkness in to His marvelous light through the gospel of Jesus Christ being preached to them (Rom 9:25; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Cor 4:6). But Israel as a nation of the natural fleshly descendant of Abraham, Issac and Jacob were not able to get saved for the past 2000 years as they have rejected Jesus who was sent to save them all from their sins as their Messiah (Matt 1:21; Luke 1:77). Because the Israelites were trying to save themselves by the law and not by faith in Jesus, they stumbled at the stumbling stone which is the incarnation of Jesus as a suffering Messiah and not as a conquering Messiah as they had expected (Rom 9:30-33; John 6:15; 18:33-37; Acts 1:6). The same people of Jerusalem who welcomed Him as a Prophet and their Messiah (Matt 21:4-11), with in a few days cried out saying, "Let Him be crucified!...Let Him be crucified!......His blood be on us and on our children." (Matt 27:22-26). But one of these days they will all look on the Lord whom they have all crucified and will receive Him as their Messiah and all Israel will be saved in a day just at the time of Armageddon (Zec 12:10; Rom 11:25-26; Rev 16:14, 16; 19:19-21).

So when Jesus said that "the sons [i.e. children] of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness", He was referring to the natural descendants of Abraham, Issac and Jacob whom we call as Israelites or Jews as those who will be eternally lost because of lack of faith in Jesus. God has no fleshly grandchildren but has only children irrespective of their age, because all those who have received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior are only given the rights to be His spiritual children (John 1:12-13). The Scripture clearly says that, " 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying,“In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham." (Gal 3:6-9). Only faith in God justifies and makes a person to become a child of God and no amount of tradition or blood lineage can make them one. We who believe in Jesus Christ have now become the sons of God purely by faith without even a little effort on our part (Gal 3:26). We cannot boast about this because we received it as a gift from God, but are allowed to boast in the Lord for His benevolence, mercies and grace (Eph 2:8-9; 2 Cor 10:17; 1 Cor 1:31; Jer 9:23-24; Psa 34:2). When we go on to be with the Lord in heaven soon (Php 1:23), then one of these coming days we will sit down with Abraham, Issac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God because of our faith and will enjoy the priviledge of being a son of God for the rest of the eternity ahead. Glory to God!

So the phrase "the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt 8:12, KJV) which Jesus said is in no way refers to physical children of ours or anybody being cast in to Hell or Hades, but has a spiritual meaning to it rather than the plain meaning. All the children up to the age of accountability will be saved by default by the mercies of God. Praise the Lord! [To know in detail about the 'age of accountability' refer to the following post : http://www.apostolicrevelation.info/2012/06/will-children-who-die-go-to-heaven.html]

Blessings...

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