the unjust

Neighbor, The Way and Hope Toward God

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“Debate thy cause with thy neighbour; and discover not a secret to another: lest he that heareth it put thee to shame, and thine infamy turn not away.”  Proverbs 25:9-10

“But this I confess unto thee, that after the Way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: and have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”  Acts 24:14-15

As Christians let us pray for our neighbor rather than accuse them to another. Let us treat them the way we desire to be treated. Let us pray, also, that they might find the Way to God through His Son Jesus Christ, because there is no other way.

Remember Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no one comes to the Father, but by Me”  (John 14:6).  Let us pray for the lost, the dying and the perishing to be born again through the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Judgment of The LORD

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“The just LORD is in the midst thereof; He will not do iniquity: every morning doth He bring His judgment to light, He faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.” Zephaniah 3:5 (KJB)

The LORD is always good. There is never a time when He is not.  If He were not also Holy, Just, Righteous, and Jealous He would not be good.

The people in the day of Zephaniah’s prophecy were feeling quite positive of God’s presence with them. Judah, Jerusalem was counting on the fact that God would not leave them, neither forsake them; and the prophet assures them that He is indeed in the midst of them.

The LORD in their midst did not excuse their iniquity, their sin, their rebellion against the LORD. It would rather magnify their grievous sin – at least it should have. It magnified iniquity for the prophet of God; and God used him to warn His people.

For the people of God in 2019, those who call themselves “Christian” this word is for you today.  God truly is in our midst; He will not do iniquity, and He does not rejoice in it.  While the judgment of sin has been paid for by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, He was buried, and He rose again; does not give you a license to sin; neither is it an excuse for sin.

It is a license to freely live for God, confessing our sin when we commit the grievous act of sin and iniquity against God (1 John 1:9).

God will judge those who refuse to accept the gift of grace through the cross of Jesus Christ.  We must never forget as a Christian, that judgment must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17).

O that the Christian today; from the pulpit to the pew, the preacher to the man or woman who professes Jesus Christ as Savior of their lives to fall on their faces before God confessing, and repenting of their sins. Also crying out to see their sin as God does.  That would be the beginning of a great awakening in the Body of Christ.

The Unjust, the Filthy, the Righteous and the Holy

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And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to shew unto His servants the things which must shortly be done.
Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.
And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the First and the Last.  Revelation 22:6-13 (KJV)

John receives assurance of the authenticity of the vision.

The angel says these are “faithful and true” sayings (19:9, 11; 21:5);

1) “No curse – Perfect restoration; 2) The throne – Perfect Administration; 3) His servants – Perfect Subordination; 4) They see His face – Perfect Transformation; 5) His name in their foreheads – Perfect Identification; 6) No created light – Perfect Illumination; 7) They reign forever – Perfect exultation.” A. T. Pierson as cited in THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST by John F. Walvoord.

To doubt John’s vision as true is equal to doubting the apostle and prophets. God speaks to His servants, before He acts, to warn of judgment and to invite peace (Amos 3:7).

God’s angel was sent to show what “…Must shortly be done”. When these things begin to happen they will happen very quickly. These things, possibly, began to happen when Israel became a nation. When the rapture of the Church takes place the speed of the events which follow will be astonishing.

Verse 7 is the sixth Beatitude in the Revelation. This is a promise of blessing [Happiness] to the faithful. The risen Lord speaks of His imminent return. He is coming for a second time, and it is quickly. Quickly does not mean time wise, but rather a certainty without any doubt. If Jesus said He would come again He will come again.

Those who hold these prophecies dear are the “Blessed” and “Happy”. The “Crown of Righteousness” awaits those who love His appearing (2 Timothy 4:8).

What an awesome time it will be gathered around the throne of God. We will be AWED into the place of worship. In surprise of the angel’s presence John falls to worship, but is quickly rebuked by the angel. The angel instructs John that he is only a fellow servant of God, and the prophets, and all who keep the sayings of the Book. John is corrected.

The angel’s correction for John is to “Worship God”. God is the only one who is worthy of worship. May we never forget that; for now and for all eternity.

In the book of Daniel, Daniel is commanded to seal the book until the time of the end –

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Daniel 12:4 (KJV).

God tells John not to seal the book. The message is open for hearing and understanding. It seems to me that the message is, that God wants His people to know and undestand His work among people throughout all of time; maybe even more so in the latter days. There are many who claim that the teaching of the rapture of the Church is relatively new. Praise God if it is. That means, only, that God is revealing His Word in the latter days.

Because of the availability or despite it the just will remain just and the unjust will remain unjust. The just are those who will hear the Word of God and do it – they are righteous and holy by God’s decree and His grace. The unjust are those who because of unbelief refuse to hear and/or do it.

In the very end everyone will be rewarded according to their works. The righteous at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). The unrighteous at the “Great white throne” judgment (Rev. 20:11). Keep in mind whose words these are (vv. 12-13).

Jesus, “The First and the Last” “Alpha and Omega”. He began the work of redemption. He fulfilled the work of redemption (Matthew 3:15). He completes the work of redemption in the Revelation of Himself.