WHO IS GOD….. PART II

Did you read last week’s message entitled, Who is God?  Church, we are laying out some very basic foundational truths for you.  We have been impressed that many of you need to be introduced to the God above all gods and his son, Jesus Christ.  It is also true that some of you believers out there need to be reintroduced to your heavenly Father and to your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Our mission is not to bring you to a point where you know about God, but rather that you know God.  Believe me folks, that is a very big difference.  Welcome everyone to your 24/7, week long, online church service.  Everyone is very welcome in this place.

I am encouraging you to read or listen to last week’s message again.  This week we will add to and build upon our teaching and preaching on the subject, Who is God?  You stay with me church, and together we will be blessed as we ask and expect to see a God given revelation of who he is. 

One of the best ways to find out about anyone is to check out their testimony and what their past record shows us.  So let’s start there.  We will use the Word of God, which is the Bible, as our benchmark for truth.  Is that okay with you?    Please, turn with me to the Book of I John and let’s continue our journey toward a full knowledge of God.  I John 5:11-12 states:

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his son.  He that hath the son hath life; and he that hath not the son of God hath not life.”

That, my good friends, is the record.  Let’s look a little closer here.  John was talking to believers, but what he says here would also apply to nonbelievers.  The truth is God’s son Jesus, paid the full price to set us free from the bondages of sin even before we were believers.  This was God’s gift to all of humanity.  You see, Jesus didn’t come to this earth to save a select set of people to form a big, private club.  No my friends, the gift of salvation is for whosoever would believe in Jesus and receive him into their hearts. 

In other words, they would accept the sacrifice Jesus did for them and would repent from their sinful ways and begin to learn and live for him.  This scripture does not end there, however.  It goes on to spell out the consequences of our decision to receive or reject the only begotten son of God.  Let’s be blunt here.  Accept equals eternal life with God and his son Jesus, reject equals  eternal death and separation from God forever – all this after our physical death.  Are you still with me?

Now, I’m sure some of you may disagree with me on this point, but if you do, you also disagree with the very literal interpretation of this scripture.  That having been said, I would love to hear your viewpoint on this subject.  My email address is at the right side of this message, just above the featured music video.  I John 5:13 goes on to say:

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the son of God.”

John clearly states that he is talking to believers by letter.  But, I surely believe if you nonbelievers out there make a decision to believe on the name of Jesus, this scripture can also be applied to you.  Let’s back up this point with another scripture.  Remember, we are talking about the attributes of God.  Number one being he is love and he shows his love to us.  You know, sometimes when we are reading a good book we can’t help ourselves.  We look at the back of the book because we desire to know what happens.  Well, tell you what.  Let’s go to the last book of the Bible right now.  Let’s check out Revelations 7:13-14.  Judge for yourselves if this scripture doesn’t line up what we have already given to you in this two part message.  Revelations 7:13-14 states:

“And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, which are these which are arrayed in white robes?  And whence came they?  And I said unto him sir, thou knowest.  And he said to me,  these are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (The Lamb being Jesus).”

This elder was talking to John.  The elder basically explained to John this was a very specific people that came out of tribulation.  Anyone out there in tribulation at this time?  In fact, the elder was talking about those who were saved by trusting in Jesus and what he did at the cross.  As believers, that would be you and me.  God is a rewarder to those that believe in him.   Revelations 7:15-17 goes on to say:

“Therefore are they before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple:  And he that sitteth at the throne shall dwell among them.  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.  For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living  fountains of waters:  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”

Oh my, church, the true picture of our God is becoming more clear, isn’t it?  You have just had a glimpse of eternal life with our heavenly father; God dwelling right in the midst of us, not only spiritually but physically as well.  God will see to it personally that no longer will we struggle with things like poverty or thirst that cannot be quenched.  Jesus will feed us.  All of our needs will be met in person by the Lamb of God.

I want you to get this, my friends.  The last sentence in Chapter 7 of Revelations says “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”  In other words, all things that have ever caused us sorrow will be forever gone and forgotten.  All because of God’s love for us and by our returning his love by receiving his son, Jesus, into our hearts and confessing him as Lord of all.  So the question is, do you know God a little better now?  If you do, we have done our job.

God Bless You,
Bro. Bob