Gospel

We have seen that in religion there are two factors to consider: one is God, the other man.

Most agree that God should be the central focus: GOD over MAN
It is the purpose of the anti-Christ to reverse this: MAN over GOD
he Bible teaches that IN CHRIST we have redemption, righteousness, justification, and even life. (Romans 3:24, 25; 5:9; Colossians 3:1-4)
During the Dark Ages, the Medieval Church taught that these qualities were IN MAN.
The present preaching, teaching, Bible study, testimonials and other activities focus on God’s work of grace IN MAN, and are in harmony with the best Roman Catholic tradition. The work of the Protestant Reformers, who focused on God’s work of grace IN CHRIST, has been largely lost. In practice, the Christian Church of today is in darkness on the issue of justification by faith.

In Article #56 it was seen that the majority of scripture support the view of a minority of Christians (i.e., that man is mortal, sleeps in the grave at death until the resurrection, at which time he receives immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-54 and many others). The majority is in darkness on the nature of man. He does not have life within himself but the anti-Christ says so.
You have the cutest little daughter. She’s the apple of your eye (Deuteronomy 32:10). She reaches the age of accountability but somehow doesn’t accept Jesus as her Savior. One year later she is killed while riding her bicycle.

According to the teaching of the majority of evangelicals, for this one year of transgression this little creature is destined to suffer torment throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.
Is there justice in this? Is this the decree of a merciful God?
It is the work of the anti-Christ and the misinterpretation of scripture which has given us an unjust God.
1. Of those who reject Jesus it is said, “And these shall go away into EVERLASTING punishment: but the righteous into life eternal”. (Matthew 25:46)
2. The adjective “everlasting” (and forever and also eternal) is translated from the Greek word “aionios” which can mean “as long as the noun it is modifying can last”. Example: A slave’s life (Deuteronomy 15:17; Exodus 21:6), the Aaronic priesthood (Exodus 29:9; Hebrews 7:12).
3. Because the translators had on their Greek glasses, they believed man had an “immortal soul”. Therefore, if the soul would never end, neither would the punishment. See what “immortal soul” does to the mercy of God?
4. Reading the text without Greek glasses and believing man to be mortal, subject to death, we see, “And these shall go away into everlasting punish MENT (not punishING) …”.
5. The punishment for sin is death (Roman 6:23). How long will this punishment last? It will be everlasting.
6. “He that hath the Son hath life (our life is in Jesus); and he that hath not the Son of God HATH NOT LIFE”. (1 John 5:12)
7. How long will this punishment of “having not life” last? It is an everlasting punishment referred to as the second death. (Revelation 20:6, 14; 21:8)

Notice the following scriptures which declare that the lost will be ashes, burned up, consumed, devoured, and will be as though they had not been.

Jude says Sodom and Gomorrah suffered “the vengeance of eternal fire” (verse 7)while 2 Peter 2:6 says they were turned “into ashes”.
Malachi 4:1, burn up; 4:3 ashes
Psalm 37:20, 10, consume into smoke; shall not be
Obadiah 16, be as though they had not been
Matthew 3:12, burn up
Revelation 20:9, devoured by fire
2 Thessalonians 1:9, punished with everlasting destruction
Matthew 10:28, both soul and body destroyed
Luke 13:3; 2 Peter 2:12; John 3:16, PERISH
Proverbs 10:25, so is the wicked no more

What is to be the fate of Satan himself, the originator of sin?

Ezekiel 28:13-19 - “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God … thou art the anointed cherub that covereth … thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee … .I will destroy thee O covering cherub … I will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth … thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more”.
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25)

Note: As the light from Heaven shines upon the earth, God is calling His people out of Babylon (confusion). (Revelation 18:1-4)