NOTES ON THE HEAVENLY VISION: REFLECTIONS ON THE LAST BOOK OF REVELATION – PART IV: THE TIME IS NEAR

SCRIPTURE. “ Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. ‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book’ … And he said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.’” – REVELATION 22:6-7, 10, NKJV

QUOTATIONS

ANDRESS. “If people feel lost and alone and helpless and broken and hopeless today, what will it be like if the world really begins to come apart at the hinges? … If we aren’t living like Christ presently, when times are relatively good, then we will never live like Christ if times get really difficult in the future.” ― Brandon Andress, ‘And Then the End Will Come!: But Five Things You Need to Know in the Meantime,’ 2013; edited

WILKERSON. “We are told that ‘the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings’ (Malachi 4:2). In the Darkest Hour, when things look hopeless, Jesus is going to rise in greater revelation than at any time in history. And the world is going to witness His saving and keeping power in all its glory. Jesus Christ will rise up and He will shine as a ‘Healing Sun,’ brighter than in all past generations, and God’s people will experience a fresh baptism of the Holy Spirit — with signs, wonders, and miracles (see Acts 4:29-30).Encourage yourself in the Lord today and thank Him for His anointing in your life.” – David Wilkerson, “In This Last Hour,” ‘World Challenge,’ posted April 24, 2019; edited

1. FIRST THOUGHTS

Given the nature and substance of this topic, I would be remiss if I didn’t start with the one Scripture that captures where I believe God’s Heart is today, at this very Moment.

“Children, ‘it is the last hour’ [the end of this age]; and just as you heard that the Antichrist is coming [the one who will oppose Christ and attempt to replace Him], even now many antichrists (false teachers) have appeared, which confirms our belief that it is the last hour.” – 1 JOHN 2:18, AMP

While attending church in Lynchburg, Virginia at Calvary Chapel in 2010 pastored by TROY WARNER, I heard him teach on this. And of all the sermons that he brought forth, that was the one that stuck with me ever since. He was clearly, as the old guard Pentecostals would say it, “under the anointing.”

HARBINGER. My reason for bringing that up is we all recall that 2010 was a walk in the park, compared to 2020. On reflection, I believe that God was driving His select arrow down into us, foretelling that ‘Something is coming’ a bit down the road. As we all now know, it surely was.

Taken from recent headlines on Friday, March 11, 2022 (‘Drudge Report’):

• Putin bombs disabled care home.
• Biden revokes Russia trade status.
• Russia threatens to abandon American astronaut in space.
• Covid death toll may be three times higher than 6 million.
• N. Korea plans ‘monster missile’ launch by April.
• Iran nuclear talks halt in Vienna, closing window on deal.
• Feds collect record US taxes.
• Two grueling years later, world takes cautious steps forward.

This is just a sample of what I have come to call. ‘The Great Acceleration’ – of deeply troubling, unprecedented events that I increasingly believe herald, again, the very beginning of ‘The End of History As We Know It’ (Kelly, 2017, Subtitle).

I could of course be wrong, but I don’t believe that I am. Too many Divine Signatures, beloved. Far too many.

WILLIAM MACDONALD. “Another test [in this hour] of those who are in the Christian Fellowship is the ‘Test of Doctrine.’ The subject is introduced by a Warning addressed to those who are babes in Christ against false teachers. Those who are young in the Faith are especially susceptible to the lies of the Antichrist. John’s readers had been taught that an Antichrist would arise prior to the Coming of Christ and pretend to be Christ. Just as coming events cast their shadow before them, so prior to the rise of the Antichrist, many antichrists appear. These are false teachers who offer a false christ and a false gospel. It is remarkable that the day in which we live [1995] is characterized by the existence of many ‘Christ-denying cults,’ and all bear testimony to the fact that the Coming of the Savior is near.” – ‘Believer’s Bible Commentary,’ 1995, p. 2314; edited

DK’S TAKE. I argue here rather intensely that the Seeker Friendly (False) Gospel that we have been fed for at least 30 or more years, has left the vast majority of the American Church being filled with ‘mere children!’ Fed so long on milk that they never graduated to HARRY BLAMIRES’ robust spiritual diet of “rich, red meat,” to find out who He more fully Is.”

“Certainly, the Church has preserved the concept of a loving God, a merciful God, a compassionate God. But have Christians generally themselves any vivid sense of God’s Power and Dominion? Do we, when we worship God, or when we reflect on His nature, catch a clear echo of His resounding and indomitable Majesty?… It cannot be denied that this is the God we are supposed to worship- not just a companionable God who is to be sidled up to and nestled against, but an Awesome God before whom the worshipper prostrates himself, a Wrathful God whose raised right arm can shake the universe!” ― ‘The Christian Mind: How Should a Christian Think?, 1963; edited

THE PRINCIPLE: If Christians cannot fully grasp and thereby ‘fear’ God for who He fully is, then they cannot ‘act’ like Him, but too many times as silly little children playing what I derisively call, ‘Sandbox Christianity,’ fit more for a toddler than a warrior.

More to the Doctrinal Point: Unless we are first taught just how God ‘thinks,’ then neither can we ‘think His Thoughts and ‘act’ accordingly –  i.e., like a grown up!

For as the writer of Proverbs said it so succinctly: “As a man thinks, so he is” (23:7)

1. THE CRY FOR “SOUND DOCTRINE”

CAVEAT. Now none of what follows is to diminish the crucial role of the Holy Spirit in a Christian’s life. But it has been my observation and personal experience that pretty much the entire Pentecostal-Charismatic wing of the American Church has gone fully rogue by its overblown obsession with ‘Signs and Wonders,’ at the heretical neglect of Sound Doctrine.

The impact of this radical departure from the Canon has been nothing short of calamitous.

Biola University professor of Sociology BRIAN CHRISTERSON wrote an incisive piece to this point on the bloody, largely Christian-led Insurrection at the Nation’s Capitol on January 6, 2021. He pulls no punches, and I quote it at length for its powerful diagnosis of our current Doctrinal Crisis.

“Many White Evangelical leaders have provided religious justification and undying support for Trump’s presidency, including his most racially incendiary rhetoric and policies. But as a scholar of religion, I argue that a particular segment of White Evangelicalism that my colleague, RICHARD FLORY and I call ‘Independent Network Charismatic,’ or INC, has played a unique role in providing a spiritual justification for the movement to overturn the election which resulted in the storming of the Capitol … on Jan. 6. [In the days leading up to it] the group ‘Jericho March’ organized marches around the Capitol and Supreme Court building praying for God to defeat the ‘dark and corrupt’ forces that they claimed, without evidence, had stolen the election from God’s anointed president – Donald Trump …

A key part of the Jericho March events has been a group of INC Christians who claim to be modern-day ‘prophets,’ including LANCE WALLNAU, CINDY JACOBS AND JONATHAN CAHN. Charismatic Christianity, similar to Pentecostal Christianity, [over]emphasizes the ‘gifts of the Holy Spirit,’ which include healing, exorcism, speaking in spiritual languages, and prophecy – defined as hearing direct words from God that reveal his plans for the future and directions for his people to follow …

In our book [‘The Rise of Network Christianity,’ 2017], we showed that INC Christianity is significantly changing the religious landscape in America – and the nation’s politics – by providing an unorthodox theology to promote conservative Christians rising to power in all realms of society. It is the fastest-growing Christian group in America.: – “Self-Proclaimed Prophets,” ‘The Conversation,’ Jan. 12, 2021; edited

And we didn’t even mention the seditious QANON CULT, that was birthed by all this perverse, corrupted ‘doctrine of demons’ (cf. 1 Tim. 4:1). The terrible importance of Orthodoxy was passionately illustrated in PAUL’S LETTERS TO TIMOTHY, some of which is summarized below.

HISTORICAL NOTE. You will recall that Timothy was serving the Church at Ephesus – “The Loveless Church” by John’s account (Rev. 2:4-5) during the time of Paul’s two Letters to him, nicely summarized by the EDITORS at ‘Britannica,’ of all places (updated Aug. 18, 2020).

“The First Letter of Paul to Timothy insists on the need to shun unorthodox teachings and dangerous speculations and reiterates the qualities expected of bishops and deacons …The Second Letter of Paul to Timothy similarly urges Timothy to ‘guard the good treasure entrusted to you,’ with the help of the Holy Spirit’ (1:14) and to accept his share of suffering ‘like a good soldier of Christ Jesus’ (2:3). He is further admonished to ‘have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies’ (2:23) and to avoid people ‘of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith’ (3:8).”

Are you getting this, beloved: “Shun unorthodox teachings and dangerous speculations,” and “Guard the good treasure entrusted to you,” and “have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies,” and by all means to ‘AVOID: “Beg off, make excuse, deprecate, refuse, reject, decline, shun people of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith.” Selah.

CRISIS OF TRUTH. This is precisely our Current Crisis my friends: The wholesale corruption and perversion of Sound Doctrine, Truth by any other name!  It has all but killed the American Church and very nearly dealt a death blow to the Nation, since one cannot ever separate the beliefs of the Church with the conduct of the State.

1. THE TEACHING

SCRIPTURE. “ Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place. ‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book’ … And he said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.’” – REVELATION 22:6-7, 10, NKJV

So do we come to the very point of this Commentary: To ‘Repair to Sound Doctrine’ by all means possible and necessary, with haste, before the Lord’s Arrival, which is very near indeed.

KEY IDEAS. As always, we begin our study be a few deep dives into key terms used in this passage.

• SHOW. From the Greek word, ‘Deiknumi’ [δείκνυμι]: “To point out, exhibit; teach, demonstrate, make known; to expose to the eyes; to give evidence or proof of a thing; to cause or allow to be seen [and known]; to permit access to; to reveal, draw one’s attention to; make a public display of (something previously unknown or hidden).” – cf. Daniel 12:4

• QUICKLY. Derived from the term, ‘Tachu’ [ταχύ]: “Speedily, without delay, by surprise; promptly; moving or functioning rapidly; literally, ‘very soon;’ after a short time; early; lively, to make alive with haste; swiftly, hurriedly; like lightning or at the speed of light; momentarily, instantaneously; abruptly; like the wind.”

• AT HAND. The Greek for this phrase is, ‘Eggus’ [ἐγγύς], or: “Near as to time and space in an absolute [inexorable] sense; the very next thing to take place; to make nigh; at the ready; almost; fast approaching; within one’s reach; impending, imminent; very close or nearby; literally, ‘soon and very soon.’

COMMENTARY. “The Lord Jesus spake by the angel, solemnly confirming the contents of this Book, particularly of this Last Vision. He is the Lord God faithful and true. Also, by his messengers, the holy angels showed them ‘to holy men of God’ [only]. They are things that must shortly be done; Christ will come quickly, and put all things out of doubt. And by the integrity of that angel who had been the Apostle’s interpreter. He refused to accept religious worship from John, and reproved him for offering it. This presents another testimony against idolatrous worship of saints and angels. God calls everyone to witness to ‘the Declarations’ here made.

This Book, thus kept open, will have effect upon men; the filthy and unjust will be more so, but it will confirm, strengthen, and further sanctify those who are upright with God. Never let us think that a dead or disobedient faith will save us, for the First and the Last has declared that those alone are blessed ‘who do His Commandments.’ It is a Book that shuts out from Heaven all wicked and unrighteous persons, particularly those who love and make lies, therefore cannot itself be a lie. ‘There is no middle place or condition.’ Jesus, who is the Spirit of Prophecy, has given His churches this morning-light of Prophecy, to assure them of the light of the Perfect Day approaching. All is confirmed by an open and general invitation to Mankind, to come and partake freely of the promises and of the privileges of the Gospel.” – MATTHEW HENRY, ‘Exposition of the Old and New Testaments,’ 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

DK’S TAKE. Let me emphasize once again the unremitting, accurate interpretation of the Scriptures, and most especially, the very Words of Christ in this Commentary: “Never let us think that a dead or disobedient faith will save us, for the First and the Last has declared that those alone are blessed ‘who DO His Commandments.’”

Is everybody hearing this, and most especially our Pastors and Teachers? God did not design His Plan of Salvation to be blithely engaged as one would sign on to a social club of some kind. No! No! It is a ‘life to death to Life Covenant’ with the Living Lord to serve – both Him, and Humanity.

I love the way that Bible scholar FRITZ CHERY wrote of this: “If you’re not willing to deny yourself, you can’t be a Christian. You must love Christ more than your mom, dad, and you must love him more than your own life. You must be willing to die for Christ. It is either you are slaves to sin or you are a slave to Christ. Accepting Christ will cost you an easy life.” – ‘Bible Reasons,’ Feb. 12, 2022; edited

And there is a Reason we have arrived at such a place. Several, actually, but one that has pierced my soul to its quick recently.

1. THE LOST DOCTRINE.

As I pondered all these things the past few days, a Question that came before me was this: Just ‘what is missing’ from the American Church that has prevented her from becoming truly effective in this present crisis? And the answer came racing back to me:

THE FEAR OF THE LORD.We know the operant Scripture by heart, though I state it here in the Amplified Classic translation to make sure we grasp its powerful importance – and the catastrophic impact its absence has had upon the Church and the State.

“The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.” – PROVERBS 1:7, AMPC

WILLIAM MACDONALD COMMENTS. “Now we come to the key verse of the Book [of Proverbs; see also 9:10]. ‘The Fear of the Lord is the beginning or chief part of knowledge.’ If a man wants to be wise, the place to begin is in reverencing God and in trusting and obeying Him … ‘Fools despise wisdom and instruction.’ Just as a wise man in this Book is one who is willing and anxious to learn, a fool is one who cannot be told anything. He is intractable and conceited, and only learns lessons the hard way, if at all.” – ‘Believer’s Bible Commentary,’ 1995, p. 792; edited

We have all seen this firsthand during the last five years as never before in Church history, to be blunt. It is of course the severest evidence of the Lord’s Prophecy of a  ‘Great Falling Away’ (cf. Matt. 24:10; 1 Tim. 4:1). Triggered by the Church’s seditious collapse into ‘fearless’ Trump White Nationalism since his rise to power in 2016, we are mere shadow of our former Christian selves.

A compelling ‘Christian Post’ review of the eminent theologian, R. T. KENDALL’S view of the Fear of God, brings all this to a head. I quote from editor Michael Gryboski’s excellent interview of him in their recent publication on February 17, 2022 (edited).

“Distinguished theologian and Pastor R.T. Kendall has taken a look at fear in a newly released book, dividing the emotion into three distinctive categories as he urges churches to stress the importance of Fearing God. Titled ‘Fear: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ (2022), the book was released earlier this month and examines the fear of God (the good), fear of man (the bad) and Satanic or demonic fear (the ugly) …

‘I’ve had, in recent years especially, a feeling that there is no fear of God in the nation, and there is little fear of God in the Church,’ Kendall said. ‘And this needs to be dealt with. I wanted for a long time to write a book on the fear of God.’ He was also inspired by Proverbs 29:25, which reads, as rendered by the New International Version, ‘Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.’”

I could not agree more fervently. Dr. Kendall wisely pointed out toward the end of the piece that Americans seem to fear Covid a good deal, the current socio-political condition as well, and certainly the fear of being looked upon as outside the current acceptable milieu, but not God!

NO REPENTANCE. It inexorably follows that without the Fear of God close at hand, there is no recognition of one’s sinfulness, nor any responsibility to do the right thing or pay the penalty for not doing the right thing.

A classic illustration of this, and the strongest evidence of the Church’s epic fail on this matter, is when DONALD TRUMP infamously said this in an early interview with Anderson Cooper of CNN on July 18, 2015:

“I go to communion and that’s asking forgiveness, you know, it’s a form of asking forgiveness … I try not make mistakes where I have to ask forgiveness … I think repenting is terrific … [But] Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes? I work hard, I’m an honorable person.”

And here’s the galling thing, beloved: The Church bought it! Though they may have swallowed hard to do so, they remained church mouse ‘silent’ about it over the ensuing months and years, save for a few voices in the wilderness from folks like Russell Moore, Beth Moore, Ben Sasse, and a largely ignored minority of principled malcontents.

Reform pastor and theologian GRANT CASTELBERRY writes passionately of this in his excellent commentary titled, “Repentance: The Lost Doctrine of the Twenty-First Century” in ‘Reformamda’ (May 14, 2019; edited).

“Clearly the Old Testament prophets, Christ, and His Apostles all proclaimed a message of Repentance. It is a startling message—a message that wakes us from our spiritual slumber. A message that calls us not just to bare belief but to ‘a new life.’ And that is the key point Christ was making throughout the Gospels. Christ’s call to Salvation was never just intellectual. Christ called His disciples to enter the Kingdom by force (Matt 11:12). He called them to take up their cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that we become ‘new creatures’ in Christ through the new birth. So logically we would not expect anything less than Repentance to begin this new life in Christ!

I am convinced that we will not experience an Awakening again in this country until we recover the Doctrine of Repentance. We must repent from the lack of repentance. And I say this as much for myself as anyone else. I sincerely do not believe the Holy Spirit will move again in power until we go back to Repentance.”  

AN IMPENITENT CHURCH. So here we are some 6 plus years out from that heinous, heretical statement by Trump, and the American Church remains, remains still, horrifically ‘passive’ concerning her breathtaking Drift from the Doctrines of Fear of God and Repentance.

It is as if the Church has lost her fire, beloved, if not her very soul. And I tell you the truth of it: I hate it with all that is within me. I do. And I wonder: Does God lament, or has He drawn the Lines of fiery Judgment all around His houses over this historic Betrayal.

I have some idea, and you already know that it is.

• LAST THOUGHTS

As we begin to close our discussion for today, I wonder right out loud: Is the American Church ready for the Lord’s Return? In His own words, here is why I ask.

“Then the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unjust judge says! And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf? I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, ‘will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?’” – LUKE 18:6-8, AMP

Will He indeed, beloved? Will He indeed. Here are a few last thoughts on this penetrating and painful Question of questions. I will use a single anecdote to drive home a point that I have been hammering for over three years, but which now has risen to the level of Critical Mass.

TRUMP, PUTIN & UKRAINE. I will borrow heavily from an excellent, just published opinion piece penned by an aspiring young writer and college student majoring in English and History named LUKE KRCHAK.

Though only a freshman, I view him as demonstrating more wisdom and moral acumen than a thousand “conservative Christian” gray hairs.

“President Donald Trump continues to praise Russian President Vladimir Putin. This raises the question: Is he is the best candidate for the GOP? Trump praised Putin during his presidency. He had plans for a Trump Tower in Moscow, back before he became president. He also said that Putin was a better president than former President Obama. His praise may be seen as the least of our concerns because of his past two impeachments. In both the 2016 and 2020 elections, Russia attempted to tip the scales in favor of Trump. Trump also denounced NATO and the EU Multiple times, while attempting to get Russia back into the G7.

While there is much more drama that Trump caused during his presidency, like the January 6 Attack on the Capitol, his recent praise towards Putin for his Invasion of Ukraine is some of the worst of it yet. Politicians of all parties have denounced Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, with Trump being one of the few to praise Putin, saying ‘taking over a country — really a vast, vast location, a great piece of land with a lot of people — and just walking right in.’ This is as Trump is the front runner for the 2024 GOP presidential candidate. These are some of the reasons he is at least not the best candidate for the GOP nomination, let alone the presidency, I suspect the future will provide us with even more proof …

There are Republicans who are yet to denounce Trump for his praise, and this is creating a rift between them and the Republicans who have condemned Trump as well as Putin. STEVE BANNON, the former advisor to Trump, not only did not condemn Trump, but also agreed with him, adding that Biden should be impeached for instigating the war.” – “Trump’s Praise of Putin,” ‘The Daily Iowan,’ Mar. 8, 2022; edited

THE CHURCH. So does the Question fairly scream at us to be addressed: What does the Church, most especially that adoring 80% of White Evangelicals, do with Trump and Putin in light of the current Genocide going on in Ukraine?

You would think there would be a Collective Shriek so loud the very foundations of the planet would be shaken. You would think.

In an all-afternoon search scouring the Internet with a number of keywords, I could find not a single article from the Trump Base decrying Trump, or Putin! Sure, there were the same pitty-pat soundbites we heard after the January 6, 2021, ‘Coup’ attempt from some in the GOP who said all the right things (with a yawn), but no “Collective Shriek”

Not even a measly whimper, beloved. Just, *Crickets.*

CODA. Here’s the bottom line: The American Church, by every measurable standard, is in a spiritual and doctrinal ‘Freefall’, the likes of which this Nation has never seen before. And there is empirical proof of it in another astounding study that came out last year, by DR. GEORGE BARNA and his highly regarded research center.

I found this excellent review in ‘The Roys Report’ by writer JOSH SHEPHERD, a well-credentialed contributor to several conservative and Christian publications. His article on Barna’s findings concerning a Biblical Worldview was published on September 10, 2021.

Dr. Barna’s main finding is frankly breathtaking, and takes us a long way toward understanding America’s current Church Crisis.

“Today, 176 million Americans claim to be Christians—69% of the population. Yet, only 6% of U.S. adults—which is ‘9% of those identifying as Christians—possess a Biblical Worldview,’ believing the Bible to be accurate and reliable, among other convictions. That’s according to a new study by researcher George Barna and the Cultural Research Center (CRC) at Arizona Christian University in Glendale, Arizona …

The study asserts that every person has a ‘Worldview’—defined as an intellectual, emotional, and spiritual decision-making filter. And though many Americans believe they have a ‘biblical worldview,’ very few do …‘Two out of three Americans think of themselves as a Christian, and a majority still think that Christianity is kind of about the Bible,’ Barna said in an interview at the time. ‘But there’s a big gap between what (self-identified Christians) believe the Bible may teach, and what the Bible actually teaches.’”

DK’S FINAL TAKE. The American Church is essentially ‘moribund,’ beloved – literally “in the state of dying.”  Beyond lukewarm, hardly having a pulse. Indeed, ‘Apostate,’ formally defined below by Bible scholar and pastor DR. DENVER CHEDDIE, writing for ‘Bible Issues,’ retrieved on March 9, 2022.

“APOSTASY means an abandonment of one’s faith or religious convictions. It is a willful, deliberate departure from God, and is never accidental. Apostates are hardened to the point of not being able to repent (Hebrews 6:6; 10:26). If anyone repents God will forgive, but Apostates cannot repent because repentance is not given to them (Acts 11:18). Apostasy is deliberately siding with the enemies of Christ (Phil 3:18) despite the knowledge of the Gospel.”

Crucially, Full Apostasy is rooted in and exhibits itself in any number of ways as ‘Enmity with God.’ That translates as becoming an Enemy of Christ and Canon. Selah.

A FINAL QUESTION. So is the Church, outside of that roughly 9% of the Faithful, ready to meet Christ? Not even close, beloved! So yes, by all means, let some old-fashioned ‘fear and trembling’ re-enter our sanctuaries and our hearts, as we humbly ‘examine ourselves,’ to see if we are in the faith. –

Dr. Cheddie accurately resolves, for me at least, the entire Once-Saved-Always-Saved Debate in his brilliant Conclusion. I end with that as well.

“Make absolutely no mistake about it, there is Security for the believer in Christ IF he remains or continues in the Faith. That is if he does not ‘apostatize’ … Regular acts of sin (not unto death) are covered under God’s [Eternal] Security. The only thing not covered is if a believer of his own free will walks out on God and ‘renounces’ his faith, i.e., does not ‘continue’ in Grace/Faith.

Others may argue that this is too easy. A believer should be punished for his acts of sin. Well, Christ didn’t come to make it harder. All sins were paid for when He died. John 3:18 tells us that once we believe there is no condemnation.

Other Scriptures [however, clearly] tell us that we must ‘continue’ in that faith. End of story.”

And if that scares just a bit of Hell out of all of us, then I have accomplished much. ‘Sola Deo Gloria!’

Ever your servant, DK

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