THE PATHFINDER

PUBLICATION #33

(August/September 1988)

RETURNING OF THE WORD

(Part II)

THE IMMUTABLE WORD

GOD IN THE IMAGE OF MAN

THE SIN OF GOD???

STOP HAVING BABIES

ALL DIE -- ALL MADE ALIVE

THE IMMUTABLE WORD

"In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God." "The word that goeth forth out of my mouth shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing where to I sent it." For "God worketh all things after the counsel of His own will." and "God will have all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth," which will "be testified in due time." "And God said, let there be light, and there was light." and Jesus was that "...true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." "And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us," and He came "...that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." [Jn 1:1; Is 55:11; Eph 1:11; I Tim 2:4, 6; Gen 1:3, Jn 1:9; Jn 10:10].

     What a mighty awakening and shaking as the heavens quake when men read and truly hear what the Spirit is saying here. On one hand God's Kingdom will be strengthened and more firmly established, while on the other hand men's personal kingdoms will crumble and fall, for what majestic declarations these few scriptures are. To the noble of Spirit they speak life, but to others they are the mighty weapons that pull down their fortified strong holds to be no more [II Cor 10:3-5].

     THE WORD OF GOD, THE LOGOS in John 1:1, came in the form of JESUS. This Word is the most authoritative, powerful, debilitating, yet constructive, and determined force in the entire universe. There is absolutely nothing that can stand in the light of such majestic glory and power and be a threat. The reason? Because He was, is, and will always be the very THOUGHT, INTENT, DESIRE, ESSENCE AND SUBSTANCE OF GOD. This is what the L-O-G-O-S means. It also carries with it THE EXPRESSION OF HIS PERSON [Heb 1:3]. Simply speaking, brethren, the Logos of God is THE GOD HEAD IN PHYSICAL FORM. Hence, there is nothing in creation, anywhere or at any time, that can transcend this Word, for HE IS UTTERLY IMMUTABLE, and it is in reference to Him that the voice of a great multitude is heard saying, "...ALLELUIA: for the Lord God OMNIPOTENT reigneth." [Rev 19:6].

     Men of Adam might think for a little while that God is lacking in power and the old devil is thwarting His purpose; and from the looks of the world and the visible church and outward circumstances, it may appear that God is losing ground. However, contrary to common beliefs, everything is moving very confidently and smoothly in the predestined direction that the God whose word always stands has ordered it. [Ref. Is 46:10, Dan 4:35, Prov 16:9, 33, Ps 33:15, Ps 90:3]. What an awesome God He is, and it is Jesus who is the product, His very fiber that has gone out of His mouth with a commission that will ultimately fill the universe [Col 1:19]. This Word that He came forth as is utterly irreversible, lest He returns unto His Father void and lacking in what He was sent to do. Although God is indeed omnipotent [Rev 19:6] and always does what pleases Himself [Eph 1:11], from the spectrum of the world, and even from the eyes of our present day church, there seems to be somewhat of a variance.

GOD IN THE IMAGE OF MAN

     One of the primary reasons for God's seemingly less than glorious triumph today has been man's blindness and degenerated concept of Him. They fail to recognizing who He actually is, what His purpose is, and that He can and will fulfill that purpose. Paul made note of their demise when he wrote, "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God unto an image made like to CORRUPTIBLE MAN...."

     Men have built strong holds that II Corinthians 10:4-5 calls IMAGINATIONS. Among other things, they have imagined in their carnal minds what God and Jesus are, and because these inventions come from their own exalted thinking, they believe them to be realities. They conceive God to be someone like themselves -- warlike, base, and not able to completely overcome the enemy or save to the uttermost; someone who is easily provoked and constantly frustrated, forgiving up to a point and then eternally unforgiving; just waiting to get even, intensely vindictive and enjoying the suffering of all those who had opposed them in any way. These are the imaginations of their own making which form God in their minds into the image of corruptible man; and it doesn't stop there, for then they bow down and worship these gross fabrications. They have actually become idol worshipers of the worst kind. Regardless of how unreal their "brain-child" is, they have become "God makers," and rather than worshiping Him in Spirit and in Truth, they are worshiping the creation of their own imaginations.

     It doesn't seem to matter what the scriptures have to say about God and His sovereign purpose, men and their darkened, religious minds will always have Him to be something He is not. There are those who teach error because of a genuine spiritual blindness and lack of knowledge, but many others are out-right deceiving power mongers. The latter are quick to quote the verses about the good Shepherd going to the extremities to find the one lost sheep and not giving up until it is found; yet they will still stand and pipe their theological poppycock, saying, that if the lost sheep of the world don't find their way home of their own accord, God will torment them in hell forever. These are the same ones who are generally not willing to lose one insignificant sheep; that is, if they have paid in full for the entire flock.

     However, they will go to the limit to make people believe that Jesus, the One who has purchased/bought/redeemed ALL of humanity, is less than what they are and will allow the majority of His HIGHLY VALUED, PURCHASED POSSESSION to burn in fire throughout eternity, if they so choose. Consider this -- here He is, the Word who emphatically will not return void and always does those things that please His Father, but for some reason men in their egotistical, finite, imaginative thinking make Him sometimes even lower than themselves. Definitely a product of their own thoughts to say the least [Rom 1:21-23]. The Pharisees of this age have Him willfully losing ninety-nine percent to an endless torment. Well, think about it! If He is losing them, then He must be losing them willfully, because God is He "Who worketh all things after_the_counsel_of_His_own_will." [Eph 1:11].

     In man's lethargic state, whatever his drowsy mind can conjure up he usually believes as being real. Because of the dense fog he walks in, many see God as being much less reasonable, longsuffering, or compassionate than themselves. For example, regardless of what their children have done, most parents would never kill them, much less send them to hell forever; however, God, in whose likeness that man was created, is supposed to do just that. To top it off, they also deem Him as being less calculating and weaker than the devil that He had created.

     The popular consensus has been, that Satan was able to foil God's two master plans of all ages. The first time was in Eden with Adam, and now it is with Jesus. His first victory, as it has been said, was a fierce blow to God that put Him staggering, but the second one has been a major disaster. Therefore, the only recourse will be, is for God to hand over His prized creation to His arch enemy to torment them in hell forever. A grossly dark cloud over God's head to say the least. It has Satan killing His great standard, Adam, the one who was to be the shining model for the rest of humanity. This awful tragedy in turn forces God to kill His own firstborn as a quick solution to the grave problem, but that seems to be failing too, for Satan appears to be winning that battle as well. Our Lord finally throws up His hands in frustration and just gives Satan the desire of his heart. In man's eyes God and Jesus either can't or won't do anything about it, and one way or the other they aren't coming out looking very successful.

     This viewpoint, in all honesty, makes Satan out to be much more calculating, much wiser, and a great deal more powerful than God who created him. It doesn't appear that man has much of a chance, for if the devil slipped up on such an unobserving, passive God once before, and then foiled His Son's plan also, What would stop him from doing it again? Therefore, the only thing the few faithful ones could then do is to hope God really does finally win the war, at least for their sake if not for everyone else's. Even if He does come out the "winner," the most they can expect is just to hang in there until the "rapture" comes or they go to the grave with the "sinners prayer" to their credit. They would then, as it is usually taught, get to be resurrected and inherit a mansion in the sky somewhere. What a distorted notion of things. Truthfully speaking, would you create something that you knew in advance would eventually defeat you and ruin the dream of your life? Not in a million years and neither has the God of all creation done such a careless or irresponsible thing!

     Some also see the devil as a big, generous giver -- one whose primary concern is to see to it that we as mortal beings get anything and everything our carnal hearts desire. If we desire to be rich, he is the one who will make it possible, even if we have to steal and cheat for it. If it is power we crave, then he is there again to give us positions of authority that we can be lords over people. And if our neighbors wife catches our eye and lust stirs within, then again, he is quick to bring her all perfumed, powdered, and gift wrapped to us.

     You see, the large majority really do view the devil as being infinitely greater than God in most all aspects. They see him not only as more cunning, powerful but also more benevolent than God by giving us whatever we want, especially if He doesn't want us to have it. If we happen to miss thinking up all these good things, he is also ever present (not God) and will make sure the tempting thoughts are planted deep into our minds. After he has supplied our entire life with every fanciful thing that would make men wealthy and wise, his job is over. We are then, as the concept goes, turned over to this never forgiving, wrathful, angry, and vengeful God. This God who was once all powerful, loving, and longsuffering has now lost the war and in His fierce anger He is determined to torture His own battle casualties (most all of creation) throughout eternity. This is supposedly the same God who says that a false balance is abomination [Prov 11:1], but for some reason He will be sending people into an eternal damnation because of a short lifetime of rebellion, for not doing good works, or for not saying the proper prayer before dying. What a severe price to pay for a few years of vanity and hard toiling through life's wilderness of thorns and thistles -- and the clincher is, all of humanity came into and was subjected to a world and life they didn't even choose to come into in the first place [Rom 8:20]. It's as if mankind has been one big, uncontrolled experiment, and when the long shot fails, which God knew from the beginning that it would fail, He just kicks His failures off into a burning garbage pit to writhe in torment forever. What an uncaring, pathetic remedy! Personally, I could probably serve and obey such a tyrannical God out of a trembling fear for a season, but I could never love or honor Him. Could you?

     Let's be realistic and truthful with ourselves. Now doesn't it sound like men have made Satan out to be the good guy and God the bad one to watch out for? Yes in deed they have! Nonetheless, "...LET GOD BE TRUE, but every man a liar...." [Rom. 3:4].

      One point in fact -- men lie by saying Jesus would like to save the world but will not; while, it is written, "...For we have heard Him ourselves, and know that this is INDEED the Christ, THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD." [Jn. 4:42]. Not only is the declaration clear that Jesus will deliver mankind, but the word INDEED is very significant here. It is translated from the Greek word ALETHOS which means, AN UNVEILING, A TRUTH, A REALITY. Therefore, when it was said that Jesus was INDEED THE SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD, it was more than just a hypothetical statement -- it was saying Jesus would IN_FACT AND IN_REALITY EVENTUALLY BECOME THE_UNVEILED SAVIOR OF THE WORLD.

     The word INDEED in this verse also comes from the same word used for TRUTH (ALETHEIA) that Jesus used when He said, "I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life....and you shall know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you free." [Jn. 14:6 & Jn. 8:32]. You see, Jesus was, is, and will become that UNVEILED REALITY that literally SAVES (DELIVERS) people from sin and death (ALL DEATH) as He draws and makes Himself known to them. John 4:42 very strongly declares Him as being IN REALITY THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. It is not saying He could be the Saviour, but He IS the Savior, and He being the Savior will INDEED BE THE REALITY OF IT.

     In the book of Hebrews we have a verse that sheds some very significant light on these things. If we look on the surface alone, however, there doesn't seem to be anything that is worthy of special attention. From the King James version it reads, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and for ever." [Heb. 13:8]. We won't go into depth, but there is a lot more here than might meet the eye; primarily, the name and title of Jesus makes quite a statement. There is also a time element involved that is worthy to note which He fits into. His name, JESUS, is the Greek form of JOSHUA which means JEHOVAH THE SAVIOR. His title, CHRIST, comes from the Greek word CHRISTOS and means ANOINTED, and FOR EVER in the Greek is "EIS TOUS AIONAS" and should be rendered INTO THE AGES.

     With the knowledge of these basic things, let us now translate the above verse accordingly: "Jesus Christ, JEHOVAH THE SAVIOR, THE ANOINTED ONE, He is THE SAME; He is THE ANOINTED SAVIOR YESTERDAY (to all those in ages past), TODAY (to all those in this age), and INTO THE AGES (to all those in the ages to come.)" Since He is the Saviour of those who fills up the ages with death (yesterday, today, and tomorrow), He will no doubt draw and lay hold of all the souls of all the ages and accomplish what our Father had spoken; namely, "...TO LOOSE THOSE THAT ARE APPOINTED TO DEATH. [Ps 102:18-19]. As easily as He is a Saviour to the ones in this present day, so is He the Saviour to those in all the ages past and future. It matters not that the masses have been laid into the darkened graves of earth and water, there will be a time when they will all hear the voice of the Son of God, and when they hear they will come forth, some to the resurrection of life and some to the resurrection of damnation (krisis, Grk; crisis, [breaking or turning point]). This CRISIS, the CRITICAL TURNING POINT, is brought on as a result of the judgment fires of God, and in turn it produces a godly sorrow that works repentance unto salvation.

     When Jesus becomes real to them, in the sense of a conscious awareness and they are actually delivered from corruption by His life, He then becomes their SAVIOUR IN EXPERIENTIAL REALITY. Although we do not yet see all things made subject unto Jesus, He is already their Saviour. As an example: To a drowning man, as it is with creation, the one who will ultimately be seizing and drawing him out of the swirling torrents of death can justifiably be called his saviour/rescuer/deliverer/liberator before the act is accomplished, for it is something that will emphatically be executed. (God calls those things that are not as though they were [Rom 4:17], because the word coming out of His mouth is as sure and concrete as the finished product. It's just in a different form, that's all). However, it is not until he actually pulls the drowning man from the watery grave does he experientially become his savior. Therefore, the bottom line in what we are saying, is this, for the scriptures to call Him the Saviour of the world, He must in fact become THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, else we have been lied to by God who inspired the writers to record it as a declaration for all time. And since God is True but every man is a liar, we can conclude who has been lying to us, can't we?

THE SIN OF GOD???

     In another place, Jesus told us, "...I came...TO SAVE THE WORLD." [Jn. 12:47]. Again, and still using Isaiah 55:11 as our point of reference, since He as the Word that will not return void and will accomplish and prosper in what He was sent to do, if He does not save the world, THE WHOLE WORLD, then HE AND GOD WILL HAVE UTTERLY SINNED.

     I can hear some saying, "Wait a minute, brother, that wouldn't be a sin for God or Jesus! But your statement does sound like one of the closest things to blasphemy a person could possibly say, for we know that neither of the two can ever sin! Don't even suggest it!" We can put our minds to rest, for I am not suggesting such a thing. However, when we understand what the word sin means (according to the Hebrew and Greek found in the manuscripts of the Bible), we will see that if Jesus does not become the Saviour of all, He in indeed will become a sinner as well as God who sent Him. To illustrate, we will note the definitions and a couple of scriptures in reference to this grossly misunderstood word "SIN":

Strong's Exh. Conc. #2398...CHATA [Hebrew];TO MISS. #264....HAMARTANO [Greek]; TO MISS THE MARK (and NOT SHARE in the prize), to ERR.

"Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not MISS [CHATA]." [Judges 20:16]

"...Whatsoever is not done in faith is SIN," [HAMARTANO] i.e. Whatsoever is not done in faith is TO MISS THE MARK. [Romans 14:23].

     You see, brethren, SIN simply means TO MISS THE MARK, TO MISS THE TARGET AIMED AT, TO ERR IN PURPOSE AND INTENTION. It matters not whether it is adultery, murder, rebellion, doing "good" works without the Spirit and God given faith to do it in, or even ATTEMPTING TO SAVE THE WORLD AND FAILING TO DO SO, it still spells the same -- SIN -- for they all constitute a missing of the mark of either the holiness of God or His ultimate intention and purpose. If God or Jesus fail in any way to accomplish what God's desire is and what He sent His Son to do, then they have also SINNED, for they both will have MISSED THE MARK of Their desired target. It is this that the Church as a whole has been saying, that Jesus will miss by not RECONCILING AND SAVING THE WHOLE WORLD, that God's purpose for sending Him will largely fail, and neither of them will SHARE in the greater portion of the PRIZE.

     Therefore, in essence, they have been announcing to the world in vivid detail of how our great God and Father of ALL [Eph 4:6] and our Lord Jesus Christ the Saviour of ALL [I Tim 4:10] will be THE NUMBER ONE SINNER OF ALL TIME. They proudly trumpet this declaration by saying that they will both be missing the mark by loosing ninety-nine percent of the targeted prize. Without hesitation, they say that Satan will be the one who ends up with the biggest share of the prize. Well think of it, if all that Jesus was sent to save is not saved when it is all over and done with, they will have then MISSED THE MARK (SINNED) more than anyone it expanse of eternity. Satan will even have been on target much more than they, for his target has been to deceive the whole world and he has accomplished just that (Rev. 12:9).

     Modern, Christian doctrines have the devil getting the ninety-nine percent that the Father and Son loose; so with this thought, it would make our enemy a lot more on target than both of them put together. No wonder so many people today are going into the eastern religions, for they offer a much greater hope of salvation than what the Church in error is proposing. When it is again taught, as it was in the early Church, that JESUS WON'T SIN by MISSING THE MARK of NOT SAVING THE WORLD, we will see a deluge of innumerable people coming and inquiring of this truly great Saviour who INDEED IS GOING TO SAVE THEM from the weakness of their flesh that has caused them to continually miss the mark of true peace in Christ.

     Jesus said, "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." [Jn. 3:16]. He then spoke through Paul and gave to us in three words the great LAW OF LOVE..."CHARITY (LOVE) NEVER FAILETH...." [I Cor. 13:8]. In the same manner that God's Word (Jesus or any other of His words) will never fail, neither will His immutable love ever fail, for in essence, they are one and the same. Not only does He love His creation and forgives them seventy times seven in this age, while their hearts pump blood and their lungs breathe air, but He loves them into all the ages, and ultimately the reality of this love will save them when Godly sorrow and true repentance finally comes.

     The love of God, however, is not always pleasant, for to the rebellious His love very commonly comes in the form of harsh judgments that can be very painful. We are reminded in John 3:35-36 that although ALL have been given to Jesus, the UNBELIEVER WILL NEVER SEE LIFE (ZOE: The Life of God in ALL ASPECTS); but the WRATH of God abides on him. Fortunately, this WRATH (DESIRE, PASSION -- Grk.) is a heated form of His love that persists until they are brought to the place of believing. It is like a father chastising and disciplining his child in love unto correction. However, even though they finally come around, they miss out on the higher rewards of the father -- ZOE LIFE OF THE KINGDOM. Therefore, let us never get out of balance just because we know that His love will not fail, for if we do, we will surely find ourselves right in the midst of His chastening, cleansing, fiery hand of judgment, and though we are delivered from sin, we will suffer a great loss. After knowing God and tasting the powers of the age to come, if we sin willfully, there will be no more gentle renewing by repentance as it was at first with us, but His fiery indignation will be our portion that will devour the adversaries of rebellion. [Heb 6:4-6 & 10:26-27]. Nonetheless, when His chastening rod has worked its purpose, we shall all be saved, "yet so as by fire." [I Cor 3:15].

STOP HAVING BABIES

     If we cannot truthfully say amen to Jesus eventually becoming the Saviour to all mankind, to where everyone is ultimately in Him and saved from all sin and death, then let us ask this question. WHAT ARE WE DOING STILL HAVING BABIES? What in God's name are we still bringing children into such a world of chance? How can we begin to gamble with such high stakes as our own children? Even if they are raised in a good Christian atmosphere, at the most, the odds are 50/50 that they will ever be saved before going to the grave, and this is a very liberal figure. More realistically, the odds are much, much greater against them.

     How can one justify having babies when statistics show that the vast majority, even in Christian homes, never truly confess Jesus as Lord before dying? If we really believe in the age-old, traditional teachings of an eternal hell to all who don't quiet measure up and please a testy god, then the short time of personal pleasure of having them in our home doesn't hardly seem worth the risk.

     Also, if we really hold to the concept of an eternal, roaring pit of literal hell-fire to the greater part of God's creation, what are we doing resisting the pro-abortion movement? It would seem to be much more humane to never allow another child to ever be born throughout all eternity, than to gamble that it might not get "saved" before its feeble life ebbs from its mortal body and drifts into the long night of eternal gloom and grief. We might pride ourselves that we are "right-to-life" Christians, and want to insure that every fetal conception comes to a full birth. What for? So the little thing can grow up, fail to do what a frustrated god demands in his short span of life, and wind up in hell forever? Come on, people, either begin to loosen up to the truth and reality of God's purpose for His creation or STOP HAVING BABIES!!! If you continue to believe there is the hell that men have created, then shame on you if you birth any more children.

ALL DIE -- ALL MADE ALIVE

     Even though the doctrines of the towering religious machine of this age (modern Babylon) is contrary to the unchangeable purpose of God and have blinded and enslaved the masses by their lies, His plan that is recorded in Philippians 2:9-11 still stands. It says that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and EVERY TONGUE WILL CONFESS Him to be their Lord to THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER OF ALL. We also read, That if thou shalt CONFESS with thy mouth THE LORD JESUS...thou shalt BE SAVED." [Rom. 10:9]. And we might note, "...that NO MAN CAN CONFESS JESUS IS LORD, BUT BY THE HOLY GHOST." [I Cor. 12:3]. And let us also be reminded, that it is God "Who WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED...." which WILL "...BE TESTIFIED IN DUE TIME." [I Tim. 2:4,6]. It will be, however, every man in his own rank and order, as it is so apply written in the fifteenth chapter of first Corinthians. We also see in this letter that the balance scales of ALL humanity are equal, and that Jesus, the Word of God, totally accomplishes His mission:

     "For as in Adam ALL DIE, even so IN CHRIST shall ALL_BE_MADE ALIVE." (Notice the EQUAL BALANCE). "That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one ALL THINGS IN CHRIST, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him....Who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will." "But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits (the anointed firstfruits, the sons); afterward they that are Christ's (the Bride) at his coming. Then cometh the end (the end rank, or the rest of the world) when HE SHALL HAVE DELIVERED UP THE KINGDOM TO GOD, even the Father (He will then have finished His work); when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. THE LAST ENEMY THAT SHALL BE DESTROYED IS DEATH (no more sorrow, lifelessness, or separation from God anywhere in anyone). And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that GOD MAY BE ALL IN ALL (to EVERYONE God will be EVERY THING)." (Parentheses mine) [I Cor. 15:22, Eph. 1:10-11, I Cor. 15:22-28].

     In just a few verses of scripture we see such a complete consummation of what JESUS, THE WORD, was sent to do. We see all mankind being dead in Adam, but in Christ we see equally the ALL being made alive. However, when the whole world of lost sheep are bought, they are not all experientially delivered from the dangers of the wilderness at the same time. It is each one in his own order until the last one is brought in, which is eventually the end rank. The looking for and saving of the lost sheep is during His reigning over the earth of many rebellious subjects. Even though there is rebellion, He will continue His searching and reigning into the ages until all powers and enemies to life are destroyed -- the last one, of course, is death itself. When this has become a reality, Jesus will not be coming to the Father with a small handful, but He will present to Him the entirety of mankind as saved, transformed and glorified. HE WILL THEN HAVE TRULY RETURNED TO GOD, NOT VOID, BUT HAVING ACCOMPLISHED HIS ULTIMATE PLEASURE AND PURPOSE, AND HE WILL HAVE CERTAINLY PROSPERED IN THE THING HE WAS SENT TO DO!!! What a mighty commission He was sent on, but WHAT A MIGHTY WORD OF GOD HE IS. Indeed, JESUS WILL ACCOMPLISH WHAT PLEASES HIS FATHER. Therefore, rest assured, dear ones, IT IS NOT IN HIM TO SIN BY MISSING THE MARK OF HIS APPOINTED TARGET -- THE SALVATION OF THE WHOLE WORLD!!!

To Be Continued...

Elwin R. Roach

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