It's A Beautiful Day: "White Bird"

This one-hit-wonder group out of San Francisco released this song in 1968. I assume the meaning of this song is that we must "fly," taking advantage of the freedom offered to us. Listen to this beautiful song here.

How sad it is that the gospel is freely available to many people but they ignore Christ's magnanimous offer. John 10:9 (Bible in Basic English) reads, "I am the door: if any man goes in through me he will have salvation, and will go in and go out, and will get food."

In the song, I assume the door of the golden cage is wide open. Otherwise how could the white bird fly?

But like that bird, we hesitate to proclaim the gospel. Paul's protege had his share of timidity. Even so, Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:6 and 7 (BBE), "For this reason I say to you, Let that grace of God which is in you, given to you by my hands, have living power. For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control."

Even so, there are times when we believers are afraid. Psalms 55:5 and 6 (BBE) reads, "Fear and shaking have come over me, with deep fear I am covered. And I said, 'If only I had wings like a dove! for then I would go in flight from here and be at rest."

We need only pray and trust in Christ, difficult though it might seem at the time. As we read in 1 Peter 5:6 and 7 (BBE), "For this cause make yourselves low under the strong hand of God, so that when the time comes you may be lifted up; Putting all your troubles on him, for he takes care of you."

And as our Master gave us an example, we read how to trust in the Father in 1 Peter 2:23 (BBE). "To sharp words he gave no sharp answer; when he was undergoing pain, no angry word came from his lips; but he put himself into the hands of the judge of righteousness:" So must we do.

If the one we trust in hasn't returned by Monday, I hope I can post about how wicked folks will be recompensed.

Why We Must Be Angry At Hell

As I wrote before, the saddest aspect of hell is that even nice people end up there. Continuing to refuse Christ's magnanimous offer of salvation un till death is an insult to the Holy Spirit who draws people to Christ. And since it's impossible to repent after death, it's the ONLY unforgivable sin.

This is why Jesus said to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:31 and 32 (BBE), "So I say to you, Every sin and every evil word against God will have forgiveness; but for evil words against the Spirit there will be no forgiveness. And whoever says a word against the Son of man, will have forgiveness; but whoever says a word against the Holy Spirit, will not have forgiveness in this life or in that which is to come.

Religious people never think they need saving.  The same applies to whomever trusts in their own goodness. As Christ said in Luke 12:23 and 24 (BBE), "And someone said to him, 'Lord, will only a small number have salvation?' And he said to them, 'Do your best to go in by the narrow door, for I say to you, A number will make the attempt to go in, but will not be able to do so.'"

The only way to salvation is through Christ. He's our password that gains us access to heaven. As he himself said in John 10:9 (BBE), "I am the door: if any man goes in through me he will have salvation, and will go in and go out, and will get food."

Belief in the Lord and obedience aren't a New Testament requirement. We read this in Hebrews 3:19 (BBE) where those Israelites who disobeyed God died in the desert instead of the promised land. "So we see that they were not able to go in because they had no belief."

We also read what grants us entrance into heaven in Revelation 22:14 (BBE). "A blessing on those whose robes are washed, so that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may go in by the doors into the town." That "washing" is Christ's forgiveness and gift of righteousness.

If Christ doesn't come by Thursday, I hope to post about how God provides salvation from eternal punishment.

Why Weren't Adam and Eve Killed Immediately?

We know that God specifically told the first two people that if they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they'd die that day. So why didn't they fall dead? If Eve had died instantly, Adam might not have eaten of the fruit as well.

This might come as a surprise to some folks but our Lord is ever merciful. Certain people have the errant view that God is harsh, killing people who offended him. After all, he vaporized whole cities and drowned almost all humanity.

As I pointed out before, God is merciful as well as just. We read in Genesis 3:21 (BBE) how an animal died in their place. "And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins for their clothing." This also covered their shame.

Better still, the Lord prevented the first couple from living eternally in their fallen sinful state. Genesis 3:22 BBE) explains why Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden. "And the Lord God said, 'Now the man has become like one of us, having knowledge of good and evil; and now if he puts out his hand and takes of the fruit of the tree of life, he will go on living for ever.'"

As I've also pointed out before, God prophesied to the first two people that the snake, emblematic of Satan, would be defeated. And so it happened when Christ went to the cross to pay for the sins of whosoever surrendered themselves to his rulership.

When the disciple, Thomas, said he didn't know where Jesus was going, he gave him this answer in John 14:6 (BBE). "Jesus said to him, 'I am the true and living way: no one comes to the Father but by me.'"

This is a most important statement as Christ was that perfect sacrifice, the only one God would accept. This is why we must tell people that the only way they can go to be with God is through Jesus. John 10:9 (BBE) states, "I am the door: if any man goes in through me he will have salvation, and will go in and go out, and will get food."

Likewise, Revelation 3:20 (BBE) quotes Christ, "See, I am waiting at the door and giving the sign; if my voice comes to any man's ears and he makes the door open, I will come in to him, and will take food with him and he with me."

On Thursday, God willing, I'll post details on God's grand plan to save his faithful saints.