Commandments regarding our relationship to God
I. "You shall have no other gods before me.
II. "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand [generations] of those who love me and keep my commandments.
III. "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
IV. "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
| Commandments regarding our relationship to our fellow men
V. "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
VI. "You shall not murder.
VII. "You shall not commit adultery.
VIII. "You shall not steal.
IX. "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
X. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
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Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (Romans 13:8-11)As we compare ourselves to the golden standard, God's perfect law of love, we see our sins revealed. It's as if we have had a spotlight and a magnifying glass turned on our souls. We see where we have fallen short. Perhaps it was in adultery. Perhaps it was in covetousness. Perhaps it was in the worship or adoration of graven images in a church we were raised in. Perhaps it was the popular desecration of the seventh-day Sabbath (from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset). Perhaps it was placing wealth above the worship of God. Perhaps it was cursing or using God's name in vain. Perhaps it was adoring the sun, moon and stars or the teachings of the spirit realm (Astrology). Whatever it is, our deeds are opened up and revealed for what they are by God's perfect law of love.
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14)
Jesus took these Ten Commandments a step further by saying sin is not just the breaking of the law in deed (action), but by breaking them through our attitudes and thoughts as well (see Matthew 5:17-48). Hate, lust, covetousness may remain in the heart, but are just as true a breaking of the law of love, as the deed.
We can see where we have failed to love. We can see where we quibble and in our own stubborn way, refuse to love God as He commands. Yet if we repent and turn from our sins, God is willing in His generousity and mercy, to forgive us.
As humans, we are still prone to sin. We live in a sinful world. Satan, his angels and humans under their control, tempt us to do wrong, to rebel against God and His commands. We may find ourselves making mistakes and sinning as we are tempted by our own desires. But praise God, there is a way out! a way to become overcomers!
Jesus ascended to and entered the heavenly temple where He ministers as our high priest.
"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess." (Hebrews 3:1) "Therefore, since we have agreat high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess." (Hebrews 4:14)While there, Jesus pleads the merits of his blood for the people of the world.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)By beholding we become changed. By fixing our thoughts on Jesus, we become more like him. As we spend time in prayer and the study of the Bible, our minds become renewed, stronger, our thoughts become more like Jesus'. For most, transformation doesn't take place overnight. The process of sanctification takes a lifetime; a lifetime of getting to know Jesus better. For you see, Jesus won the battle. By His life, death, resurrection and heavenly ministry, He's freed us from the sins that have enslaved us, and from the path that bound us to destruction. Jesus has set us on the road to eternal life and is walking there beside us, helping us, guiding us, protecting us. Isn't that Good News???
Soon, and I believe very soon, Jesus will come back to take us home to heaven. He will take away our mortality and change us into immortality. (see the compilation on Resurrection and Transformation). He will reward with eternal life and happiness those who sided with Him and were saved according to God's plan. These will have passed the two-fold test of 1) love for Jesus and 2) obedience to God's commands (see Revelation 12:17; 14:12 as well as Revelation 6:9-11 and 20:4). They have proven themselves to be God's people.
Heaven! What a glorious hope. But what is it like? The apostle John recorded the glimpse he was given of the new heavens and earth, and the New Jerusalem, a phenomenal city whose builder and maker is God. Let's look at two of the most beautiful chapters in the Bible, Revelation chapters 21 and 22.
A new heaven and new earth for the righteous
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then He said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars --their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The Bride of the Lamb - The New Jerusalem
One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia in length [about 1,400 miles], and as wide and high as it is long. He measured its wall and it was 144 cubits thick [about 200 feet], by man's measurement, which the angel was using. The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.
I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
The river of life and the tree of life
Isn't that marvelous? Wouldn't you like to be there? Wouldn't you like to meet Jesus who gave His all for YOU? You can. It's your choice.Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place."
"Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book."
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!"
Then he told me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, because the time is near. Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy."
"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
"Blessed are those who wash their robes (keep his commandments-KJV), that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star."
The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.
If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, or if you would like to renew your commitment to Him, will you do so now? The Spirit and Bride say "Come!" Jesus says "Come!" If you will, then pray this prayer in your own words,
Dear Heavenly Father,
I am a sinner and in need of cleansing. I repent of my sins. Please forgive me and cleanse me.
I believe and trust in Jesus Christ as the Messiah and confess Him as my Lord and Savior.
Place in me your Holy Spirit and transform my heart and mind so that I won't sin against you.
Help me to live in obedience to your commands.
In faith, I thank-you for the salvation that you have given me.
In Jesus name and claiming the merits of His blood, Amen.
Praise the Lord! Let the angels in heaven rejoice, for God has another son or daughter! May you continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Good News! Great News! The Gospel of Jesus Christ!
You'll find lots of information on this website to learn more about our wonderful Savior, and the teachings of His word, the Bible. You'll find surprising discoveries reinforcing the truthfulness of the Bible, such as the rediscoveries of Noah's Ark, the Red Sea crossing, Mt. Sinai, Sodom and Gomorrah, the Ark of the Covenant. You'll find extensive collections of Bible texts on subjects like Repentance, Forgiveness and Salvation, and Heaven and the Kingdom of God. You learn about end time events in the Revelation section of this website. You'll also have a chance to sample the writings of a modern day prophet who's writings are consistent with the Bible, and who was shown in more detail end time events.
Our prayer is that you will learn to love our wonderful Creator God with a passion and will share the Good News of Salvation with others.
Thank- you in advance for telling others about this website.
Until we meet in His heavenly kingdom, may God's richest blessing be upon you and yours.
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