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Approaching God One Thought At A Time

We must remember that Satan has his miracles, too.
- John Calvin

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Eternity…The Wager
Summary


Only a fraction of a percent of modern Christianity has even a well informed layman's grasp of the content, much less context, of Scripture. Yet from cover to cover the Bible weaves an unimaginable tale of Lucifer's Rebellion and it's overflow shaping the affairs, and very history, of mankind.

At the heart of conflict is litigation being heard in the
Eternity's Supreme Court. The trial of all trials, not only deciding the eternal fate of myriads of angels, but of all humanity as well. Far from a sham, this greatest of proceedings necessitates an Agreement, or rules. It must also encompass a Wager, with highest possible stakes indeed Surely, this has all the earmarks of The Greatest Story never Told!

For the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven onto earth—he accused them day and night before our God. They defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony; for they did not love their lives but laid them down for him.


- Revelation 12:10-11 TLB


H
umanity is inexhaustibly inquisitive. Think of all we've discovered even prior to the scientific age, not to mention the explosive insights of such giants as Copernicus and Galileo, Newton and Einstein, Hubble and Hawking.


While its true scientist have the physical world or
general revelation to research and experiment with, their work is often with the unseen. In the spiritual sense, our eyes may have less to go on, but we have something even better. The Bible, as the Word of God, provides special revelation. It reveals the Creator and opens the record of creation in underappreciated ways.

Then why do so few take the
whole Bible seriously? Many are too busy to care. Others feel guilty. Many verses are too violent. Others can be offensive. Some passages seem mythological. Others beyond the realm of sci-fi. All such objections deserve answers. Many have been thoughtfully exposed and Scripturally explained by Quantum Christianity.

As with the study of
general revelation, some elucidation of special revelation requires focusing into an issue, while others require zooming out. Quantumly, the lens of Scripture serves wonderfully as both a spiritual microscope and telescope.

The Bible does so by providing relevant content
and context. In many cases, without the latter, the former makes little or no sense. For example, for a “love letter from God” Scripture can be surprisingly abrasive, if not downright harsh. A fact not lost on Søren Kierkegaard, who among his many distinctions is credited as the first existentialist philosopher, Christian or otherwise. Regarding Scripture’s sometimes draconian measures he noted:

  • “It is the deepest wound that can be dealt to a person designed to collide with everything on the most appalling scale.”

Over the top? It depends. If Christianity’s a cruise ship sailing merrily from here to Heaven, then Søren’s sentiment is way out of line. If, from an eternal perspective, Heaven and Earth are at war with fallen angels and devils, and Christianity is a battleship, then Søren’s spot on. What recruit facing the rigors of boot camp, much less the horrors of war, would possibly take offense?

Just picture it. Teen girls texting while sunning on deck. Gushing brides shopping for jewelry. New mothers parading their babies around the promenade. Proud grandma’s rocking toddlers to sleep. Wouldn’t all of these slam the book closed on Søren’s nonsense, complain to the porter, stomp off to their staterooms and order room service? On the other hand, a harried sailor discharging his 20 mm anti-aircraft gun might respond, “Yeah, so… where the hell’s your flack jacket and helmet? Fire your weapon soldier!”

Truth be told, even if Christianity could be likened to a pleasure cruise, given Churchianity’s collision course with so many modern
temptations and deceptions, up to an including the blood red mountainous iceberg of abortion, even well intended ministries may in certain respects be reduced to simply arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. So is Christianity a cruise or gunship? You must decide. But consider and choose carefully. Military directives and drills, cramped quarters and sea rations, would be absurd on a pleasure cruise. So too civilian itineraries and activities, opulent suites and sumptuous banquets, would be anathema during a time of war.

It can’t be overstated that according to the context of Scripture, spiritual conflict is not a mythical analogy, but rather eternity’s reality. In fact, in a variety of ways, a myriad of Biblical passages attest to the unpleasant fact that all creation is at war with (alongside or against) God.

Consider Christ's quantum parable of the Sheep and Goats. It is an event that will take place at a designated future place and time. It is true that all of mankind will be separated into those entering everlasting punishment” and “the righteous into eternal life.” It is not true that people are sheep and goats. Although “sheeple” often seems an apt metaphor. It is true that Jesus is the savior of all men.” Here and elsewhere, Scripture reveals that all humanity is loosed from the power of the first death through universal resurrection. A shared benefit of Christ’s costly atonement. It is not true that this translates to universal salvation. Just ask the goats. As well as the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Here, according to Jesus, not only sins of commission, but omission, carry an eternal penalty:

  • “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:41-46 NKJV

Notice the wording of Christ's warning. "Everlasting fire" was prepared for "the devil and his angles." And by extension, members of humanity failing to rightly recognize and appropriately resist Satan's rebellion and tyranny.


Such
conflict theology partially explains the Bible’s harsh or even horrible accounts of earthly conquest. For example, consider one of Scripture’s most gruesome passages of Divinely sanctioned genocide:

  • “Moses said to the people, “Some of you must take arms to wage Jehovah’s war against Midian…  And every man of Midian was killed. Among those killed were all five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba. Balaam, the son of Beor, was also killed. Then the Israeli army took as captives all the women and children, and seized the cattle and flocks and a lot of miscellaneous booty. All of the cities, towns, and villages of Midian were then burned… but Moses was very angry with the army officers and battalion leaders. “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded. “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to worship idols on Mount Peor, and they are the cause of the plague that destroyed us. Now kill all the boys and all the women who have had sexual intercourse. Only the little girls may live; you may keep them for yourselves.” Numbers 31:2-18 TLB

Today such atrocities are rightly deemed inexcusable. Though genocide continues to devastate millions. In its day such slaughters were all too common. How dreadful the massacre of Midian. Commanded to obliterate five kingdoms in revenge for having seduced Israel to sin, the soldiers killed every man, including the rogue prophetBalaam son of Beor.” Plundering the dead and looting the cities, they captured livestock and took women and children as slaves. One of many incidents closely examined in Paul Copan’s insightful book, “Is God A Moral Monster?”

Upon returning, the army’s leaders were
rebuked by Moses on God’s behalf. At his command, already covered in the blood and gore of every man of Midian. They were forced to execute all the women, non virgin girls and every boy. How can a good and loving Creator so treat His creation? Fallen or otherwise?

Some justify God by suggesting the
evil Midianites had it coming. No doubt they were far from perfect. It’s likely the Midianites had, and/or would have, done as much to others. It’s also true mankind has an inherent inward witness of right and wrong. The passage itself explains they had already led God’s fledgling people into judgment for immorality and idolatry. Furthermore, God’s warning that cohabiting with wicked Canaanites would lead to more of the same, proved true on numerous occasions. Nevertheless, it takes little effort to imagine ourselves, and those we love, as Midianites under God’s blade. And this while never having benefited from the training in godliness Abraham’s descendants were given generations to absorb.

By definition Omnity is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent. By implication
God is also good. At least as eternity defines it. Moreover, as previously discussed, the incarnation and inconceivably costly atonement of Christ give credence to the same. Additionally Scripture explains:

  • “This plan of mine is not what you would work out, neither are my thoughts the same as yours! For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than yours.” Isaiah 55:8-9 TLB

Differences between humanity and Omnity are glaringly evident. Often producing unfortunate silence and distance on both parts. Nevertheless, we owe it to ourselves, and others, to take God up on His gracious and hopeful offer to come now, and let and reason together.” Along with explanations already given for the destruction of Midian, consider another somewhat less obvious rationale from an eternal perspective. Like it or not, the multiverse; i.e. First, Second and Third Heaven, and all its considerable fullness, belong to their Creator. This includes all the space-time, matter and energy comprising our universe and galaxy, solar system and planet. For the sake of argument, let’s say God’s plan of putting down the Luciferian rebellion, while simultaneously offering indescribable and glorious redemption to mankind, required a little geography. Throughout our entire universe Omnity chooses to annex, and that for only a few thousands years out of billions, a comparatively tiny territory about the size of New Jersey.

Why? To provide an unprecedented offer of eternal glory to His people the Jews and through them, in the fullness of time,
all of mankind. Still seem too much to ask? Maybe. But remember, ours and countless generations before and after are beneficiaries of Omnity’s plan and Christ's costly atonement. Should we choose to fully participate.

Down through millennia Scripture continues to whisper and shout there is far more going on than is immediately apparent. This is why the Bible warns that God’s promise of reward is reserved for those
diligently, rather than casually, seeking Him. With Hell to loose and Heaven to gain, could even Omnity provide greater motivation? Primary reasons for both Old Testament narratives and the New Testament's call to arms.


Yet, for a
variety of reasons, the overwhelming vast majority of modern Christians refuse to accept such revelations. Nevertheless, comprehension of the context of Scripture is vital to understanding its content. While no longer in vogue, Scripture's context is most certainly one of warfare theology. Like the whodunnit story of Job, considered by many to be the oldest Book of the Bible and perhaps its key codex, conflict between God the "Lord of Hosts" (angel armies) and Satan the "prince of the power of the air" (god of this world), provides the backdrop to Job's story. And much, if not all, the entire Old and New Testaments. As exemplified in a couple of familiar passages referencing conflict with the fallen angelic:

  • "When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross." Colossians 2:15 AMP

  • " Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil." 1 John 3:7-8 NKJV 
As shown, the content of Scripture can only be fully understood by embracing the Bible's overarching context. Again, a task for which modern Christianity, not to mention the developed world, are ill equipped. Not surprising when the the vast majority of Christians are not only prayerless (stopping to pray less than 5-10 minutes a day) but Biblically illiterate (unable to quote, much less rightly understand and radically apply even 5-10 verses in a row). 

While the creature comforts of modern life may seen to suggest otherwise, it’s undeniable that from birth to death we are surrounded by the glories and terrors of creation. Even so, it remains socially fashionable to ignore the fact each of us is on a collision course with eternity. With literally forever at stake, is the ostrich defense of hiding our heads in the sand, or even shaking our metaphorical fist at God, really our best options?

Discovering all we can about eternity, while there may be time to influence our place in it, is the wisest investment mortals can make. Some claim such efforts are less than useless. Nobody knows, so why sweat it? Yet, if the Bible's accurate, including its descriptions of Heaven and Hell, countless billions, including ourselves and those we know and love, may be sweating it forever.

Wisdom dictates we face the realities of time and eternity and get to work. The first task is to honestly evaluate the Bible's reliability. That having been established to a probable scientific certainty, the next step is to find and assemble the clues scattered throughout Scripture. Doing so, a picture begins to develop that far exceeds human imagination. The greatest drama and glorious love story, the most horrifying thriller and fantastic adventure that has or ever could be, is playing out around us. With few any the wiser!

Eternity...The Wager uses Biblical faction to synchronize what we know, general revelation, with Scripture, special revelation. Thus enabling reasonable and important assumptions. Close examination of society, through the lease of Scripture, reveals historically dark spiritual foes at work on and through mankind. From immorality and social injustice, to poverty and war, the gravitational yield of evil seems far greater than might otherwise be attributed to humanity alone. Just as visible matter is acted on by dark matter and dark energy, so mankind would appear to be influenced by invisible forces.

Eternity...The Wager offers a dramatic Biblically based explanation for much happening around, to and through us. From the role of social trends and political policies, to economic upheaval and genocide, mankind's pursuits are revealed to be manipulated by ancient and malevolent spiritual enemies. Enemies the Bible assures are both real and unimaginably powerful. As a precursor to Omnity’s final judgment against Lucifer’s angelic rebellion, Scripture gives an account of a Heavenly Supreme Court case with humanity standing trial. God the Father appears as Heaven's One and Only Chief Justice, God the Son as Defense Attorney and Satan as Prosecutor.

Eternity...The Wager and Series is the backstory of the fantastic intersection where humanity meets eternity. As such it may well be worthy of the title,
“The Greatest Story Never Told.”



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For a hyperlink footnoted version of this article see eBook Quantum Christianity Introduction Volume 2



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