Return, Revive, Repair, Restore

Grafted In or Chosen?

Posted on March 23, 2026 by Michael J Erdel

It’s no secret that the current war between Israel and the United States and Iran, has taken on religious overtones. These overtones have only increased confusion concerning the state of Israel and its people.

Are we supposed to bless Israel with unconditional support for all their government does.

The answer is no, Christians are not supposed to unconditionally support the nation of Israel or any nation concerning the wars they fight. There are just wars and unjust wars, for sure, but these are the wars of man, and Christians must remain neutral, for our mission is the Great commission of all people.

For the follower of Christ there is one war we are to fight and give our focus too; that of the war against principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places, where we as soldiers fight in the unseen realm (Ephesians 6:10-18).

We are to be concerned with executing the will and plan of God’s kingdom, as His ambassadors (II Corinthians 5:17-21), not resisting the evil man with weapons of this world, turning the other cheek, loving our enemies, blessing those who curse us, doing good to those who hate us and praying for those who spitefully use and persecute us (Matthew 5:37-44).

Is Israel still God’s chosen people?

No, not as described in scope in the Old Testament, but yes, concerning the individual Jew’s relationship to Jesus Christ.

Before your head explodes at this statement, read on and see if you do not agree.

Why was Israel the chosen people of God?

Simply put, yes, for the bringing forth of the Messiah, who is the Lord Jesus Christ. In this choosing, God gave the law and its practice, as a means of revealing the sin of all men, through revealing the sinful nature of the Jews.

God also revealed how they were to deal with their sin separation from God, through the vicarious animal blood atonement, where their sin was covered. This atonement was to foreshadow God’s ultimate eternal plan, which is Christ, the Lamb slain, before the foundation of the world; where His blood takes away our sin forever. (Revelation 13:8).

For the Jew, who has received Christ through repentance and faith (the first saved were Jews), they are living stones in the chosen people, the elect, who make up the Church. Yet this is the same for the individual Gentile, who received Christ through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

From Christ’s birth, God had been declaring this truth.

Luke 2:25-32 ²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:²⁹“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; ³⁰For my eyes have seen Your salvation ³¹ Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, ³²A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

And…

Ephesians 2:14-18 ¹⁴ For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, ¹⁵ having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. ¹⁷ And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. ¹⁸ For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.

The truth is clear, the church of Jesus Christ does not replace Israel as the chosen people, but with Jews and Gentiles together in Christ, the church is the fulfillment of God’s prophecy of the chosen people. This cannot be understated, but is so often misunderstood.

Many a Roman Catholic commentator declared that the Roman Catholic church replaced Israel as the chosen people. This is an error and an impetus for Roman Catholic anti-Jewish hatred over the centuries.

Some false teachers, like John Hagee, senator Ted Cruz and ambassador Mike Huckabee, purport a dual covenant theology. This lie from Satan, purports that Israel is still justified under the old covenant. The New Testament repeatedly conveys that Christ’s death and resurrection has made the old covenant obsolete (especially the Book of Hebrews).

Cruz has gone as far as to declare that speaking against the Israeli government is to violate the supposed call of Christians to “Bless Israel” or be “cursed”. This thinking is a mischaracterization of God’s promise to Abraham, where in error Israel is defined to mean modern Israel.

Cruz, a professing Christian, has declared that or Christians to declare “Christ is King” is antisemitic. It is truly remarkable how deceived many Christians are.

Giving unnecessary credence to the duel covenant heresy, is the truth that Israel’s return to the land of their nativity is a fulfillment of prophesy, albeit not one which places a stamp of approval on a government that rejects Christ and is not following YHWH.

Consider some other passage which place Israel in proper place.

Luke 2:25-32 ²⁵ And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶ And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. ²⁷ So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸ he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ²⁹“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; ³⁰For my eyes have seen Your salvation ³¹Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, ³²A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.”

Note how Simeon makes our Lord Jesus Christ the foundation for both Jewish and Gentile salvation. This lines up with many other statements if truth in the New Testament.

Romans 1:16-17 ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 ¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”²⁰ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For Jews request a sign, and Greeks (Gentiles) seek after wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks (Gentiles) foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

It is very clear that Christ is humanity’s only Way, Truth and Life, both Jew and Gentile. Despite this clear New Testament evidence, “Christians” with an agenda, politically and sometimes religiously, still cite Old Testament passages, concerning blessing Israel or else, such as…

Genesis 12:1-3 ¹ Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. ²I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. ³I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Notice this is the first place we hear “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you” (also Numbers 24:9). In context, this is referring to Abraham himself, and subsequently the nation that would come from his loins, from which the Messiah would come.

This is a very important distinction, because Israel was chosen, for God’s purpose to end Satan’s dominion over the world, after the fall. Therefore, whenever dealing with any Old Testament prophecy or promise it must be viewed in light of the coming of Messiah.

Genesis 3:14-15 ¹⁴ So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. ¹⁵ And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

The promise to Abraham, from Genesis 12 and from the other Old Testament passages must be considered in light of Israel being the means by which the Messiah would come forth. Meaning, when the Seed of the Woman had come their purpose of being chosen to bring Him forth, was fulfilled.

This is the reason they were exclusively called the chosen people. Once Messiah came forth, the status of Israel being chosen, changed, to their being the first who received Messiah, as Lord and Savior, but from that time until Christ comes, the church, with both Jew and Gentile are the chosen, the elect of God. Again, Israel is not replaced as the chosen people, but are the first in the Church of Jesus, who are chosen and elect of God.

Consider, more biblical perspective.

Zechariah 2:8-9 ⁸ For thus says the LORD of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. ⁹ For surely, I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me.

The last line of Zechariah 2:8-9, reveals it as a Messianic prophecy. It is true that initially Israel is spoken of as the “apple of His eye”, as those who would bring forth Messiah, but this was prior to the coming of Christ. He is ultimately the “Apple of His…” the Father’s eye.

For those who would persist in crying foul, consider that the Lord used many relational terms that painted Israel in a non “apple of His eye” light.

Isaiah 64:6 But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

In this passage Israel’s religious good works were like a used menstrual rag to the LORD. That is still true to this day, for they have not followed Christ. Why do we not settle on that truth? Or…

Isaiah 63:9-10 ⁹In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them and He bore them and carried them All the days of old ¹⁰But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit;
So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, and He fought against them.

Although chosen to bring forth Messiah (Revelation 12:1-4), they treated YHWH as an enemy, even furthering this status by rejecting the Messiah in the majority as a nation.

Isaiah 60:12 ¹² For the nation and kingdom which will not serve You shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined.

The “You” in this passage is not in reference to the nation of Israel, but to the King of the Kingdom of God, Jesus Messiah.

Let me ask what became of Israel after its rejection of Messiah? The Nation’s people were dispersed, and the Temple destroyed in 70 ad, as prophesied by Christ Himself. To this day, the enmity between the YHWH and Israel still exists, and Paul declares this.

Romans 11:28 ²⁸ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.

Still, some may persist, that the nation came back together by prophetic fulfillment in 1948. No argument from me (Ezekiel 36-39). I will even grant that the LORD is calling the Jew back to Himself in doing so, but that is not the current secular, even atheistic Israeli government. It is the prophesied remnant.

Yes, He will deal with this remnant not as Israel the chosen nation, but those who are grafted in to His church, having come to faith in Christ. This is backed up by a truth we often miss.

Romans 9:6-8 ⁶ But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, ⁷ nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed shall be called.” ⁸ That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.

Consider the book of Romans, written to a church of Jewish and Gentile Christians, who were fighting for power.

Romans 11:13-15 ¹³ For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, ¹⁴ if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them. ¹⁵ For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?

There will come a time, when a remnant of ethnically Jewish people, will come to faith in Christ, being jealous that Gentile Christians know their God, through Jesus Christ the Lord.

In speaking of them, Paul says the chosen Jewish people were cast away, by why?

Romans 11:16-18 ¹⁶ For if the first fruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. ¹⁷ And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, ¹⁸ do not boast against the branches

Paul is saying to the Gentile contingent, that God still considers, eternally, the Jewish person holy (if they believe on Messiah), even though some of those branches were broken off.

Why were they broken off?

Romans 11:19-23 ¹⁹ You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” ²⁰ Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. ²² Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. ²³ And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

It is clear that the nation of Israel, except for those who have received Christ as Lord, through repentance and faith, are not chosen. This is reflected in Psalm 73:1-3 and Romans 2:29.

Psalms 73:1-2 ¹Truly God is good to Israel, too such as are pure in heart. ²But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped.

True Israelite are those with pure hearts, which of course is impossible without God’s grace received and active in the heart. It is those Jews who come to Christ, in repentance and faith, that receive a pure hear.

Romans 2:28-29 ²⁸ For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; ²⁹ but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Romans 11:28 ²⁸ Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.

Israel, as a nation are still enemies of the Gospel, they are waiting for a messiah, but not Christ. The remnant is waiting for Messiah, but they will find He has already come, at a monumental point of history (Revelation 11).

There are many in the U.S. government aiding in rise of Antichrist (a false Messiah), believing the current war with Iran, will bring the building of the third temple.

It very well may, but our Lord Jesus will never sit in that abomination. Even though Israel, concerning the gospel are enemies of God, they are still beloved by God because of God’s promise to the patriarchs. Those beloved are the remnant.

Romans 11:1-5 ¹ I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. ² God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, ³ “LORD, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life”? ⁴ But what does the divine response say to him? “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” ⁵ Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

This remnant is a small portion of the Jewish population worldwide, who will at a moment in time, recognize the world is following antichrist, and understand their forefathers crucified their Messiah. Then a wonderful prophesied thing occurs.

Zechariah 12:10-11 ¹⁰ “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. ¹¹ In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

This is the time of revival, the revival of the chosen people of the Old Testament, in the remnant. This is not to be a separate unit, but a Jewish contingent, grafted in to His Church, because of their faith, like that of Abraham, the father of the faithful.

Grafted into the tree that is the kingdom of God, Jew and Gentile, one in Christ. He did it and one day soon, we will all worship before the Throne of God and of the Lamb.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Genesis 12:1-3, Genesis 3:14-15, God's elect, Romans 11:13-23, Romans 11:28, Romans 9:6-8, the chosen people, the church | Leave a comment

Our Hope is Built on Nothing Less then JESUS Glorious Appearing II

Posted on March 11, 2026 by Michael J Erdel

Titus 2:11-14 ¹¹ For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, ¹² teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, ¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.

In my last post we looked at what Christ’s first appearing teaches us as Christians. Today we look at what we learn from His second glorious appearing, or what we refer to as the blessed hope.

GRACE TEACHES US TO HOPE FOR HIS APPEARING

“Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing”. The rapture of the church, our being gathered to Him is real.

1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. ¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Although the rapture is real, it is not the blessed hope, it is what follows the blessed hope. The blessed hope, is Christ’s glorious appearing, as described by Matthew 24:30-31, Mark 13, Luke 21:25-28, and Revelation 1:7.

Read Matthew 24:30-31.

Matthew 24:29-31 ²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Mark concurs and Revelation 1:7 declares the same “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him”. Note that Matthew 24:30 declares that every eye will see the glorious appearing of Christ, then the rapture takes place in verse 31.

Luke’s Gospel. In dealing with blessed hope, sticks to the circumstances surrounding it, and the timing of this blessed event. In Luke 21 Jesus declares when we see Him coming in the clouds, His great and glorious appearing, “Look up for your redemption (your rescue) draws near.

What is the timing of the beginning of His second appearance? Matthew, Mark, Luke and Revelation appear to suggest “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” (Matthew 24:29). This is important, because scripture relays His appearing arrives, in chapter 14 of Revelation.

Revelation 14:14-16 ¹⁴ Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. ¹⁵ And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Prior to Revelation 14 we find a circumstance which catalyzes our desire for Christ’s glorious appearing. Let us look at Revelation 13:7.

Revelation 13:5-10 ⁵ And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. ⁶ Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. ⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰ He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

It is important to remember, our hope in Christ’s appearing before the rapture, is that which fuels and strengthens our faith in the midst of persecution, trials and tribulation. These things, are Satan’s plan of attack designed to make us run from faithfulness and practice for Christ. Our Hope in His glorious appearing, is what enables us to stand when everything appears against our faith and beat the Devil by standing in faith.

Remember when Paul wrote our featured text, the tribulation had not begun, but the blessed hope was to be their encouragement as well as ours, because what is stated in II Timothy 3:12.

2 Timothy 3:12-14 ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them

If we walk in what grace teaches us from our passage, we will face specific trouble against our faith, because we belong to Him. This is the reality of Christ’s words to us, throughout the gospels.

John 15:18-25 ¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

John 16:1-2 ¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. ² They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Pain hurts, but let us not shrink in fear, in the midst of difficulties. Be thankful and hold to our unshakable HOPE.

His glorious appearing teaches us we win with Christ and in the end we will live with our LORD and God forever, where there is a new heaven and earth, wherein dwells righteousness (II Peter 3:13).

We also learn we can suffer through anything, so long as we hold to the Blessed Hope.

Meditate on, Dream upon what it will be like to see His glorious appearing.

Let us prayerfully realign our sight with a continual looking, in anticipation, for His Appearing; which is our BLESSED HOPE. This Hope is to bring Peace of Anxiety, Joy over despair, Faith over.

Posted in the Blesed Hope, The blessed hope, the persecuted church, the rapture of the church, theology of suffering, Titus 2:11-14, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Our Hope is Built on Nothing Less then JESUS Glorious Appearing

Posted on March 5, 2026 by Michael J Erdel

I HOPE for… fill in the blank or blanks. When I was a child, I hoped every spring to summer time baseball game, that what Stan Boney declared the weather would be, is what it would be. At least 60% of the time, I was disappointed in my hope, when the weather man got it wrong. My experience is not one of Biblical hope, but that of the world.

The world has taken biblical hope and made it into either wishful thinking or a quasi-religious devotion, with zero guarantee. How much money is lost, by parents allowing their children to cast coins into a pool of water, making a wish, in false hope. This was one of my earliest memories of the Southern Park Mall, where colorful fountains decorated the walkways.

Little do most know the practice of a wishing well, has a biblical reference and it is not a good one. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus declared one cannot serve God and Mammon. Mammon does not mean money, as some bible teachers proclaim, but the god fortune.

The Jews picked up this false deity, through King Solomon’s foray into pagan worship. The practice of devotion to Mammon, where an idol is placed in a pool, where people cast in money and say hopeful prayers for success; is no harmless child’s fun time

How many “wishes” made in hope, are as empty as those wishing wells, after their owners clean up the money lying at the bottom?

Hopelessness and despair are high on the list of reasons for a suicide rate that is higher than at any time in human history.

Scripture is clear, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes it is a tree of life” (Proverbs 13:12).

Even though this is true, scripture affirms that “HOPE” in God’s word can carry us through the most difficult times… “I would have fainted, lest I believed to see the glory of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). This passage suggests, in line with the definition of faith in Hebrews 11, that if our hope is in God’s word and His faithfulness to perform it, we have an anchor to hold us.

Romans declares that hope in God alone, will never disappoint.

Romans 5:3-5 ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us

Our hope, built on nothing less, than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, is a solid rock, yet one aspect of Christ’s four-fold ministry, as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and soon returning King, is our never disappointing HOPE.

There is one hope which will never disappoint. This hope is the foundation for every Christians’ ability to thrive, when times of tribulation come. (Titus 2:11-14).

HOPE FROM GRACE

Verse 11 declares “For the grace of God that brings salvation, has appeared to all men”. Paul is calling to mind the foundation for our current and future hope, which is the grace delivered at Christ’s appearing’s; His first appearing and in His second appearing.

In Christ’s first appearing, He arrived as the fully human/fully Divine Messiah; the Christ. He fulfilled all Messianic prophecy, which includes the manner in which He was conceived (Isaiah 7:14, 9:1-6)—where He was born (Micah 5:2)—where He was taken in Egypt as an infant (Hosea 10:2)—where He would reside and grow as a boy into manhood (Isaiah 9:2)—How He would arrive on the scene at the Jordon River Baptism (Isaiah 11:1-2)—and in the miracles He performed (Isaiah 53:4; Malachi 4:2).

This is only a summary of prophecy our Lord Jesus fulfilled in His first appearing. Christ fulfilling only 8 of 326 Old Testament Messianic prophesies, is a probability of 1 in 10¹⁵⁷that means 1 in 10 with 157 zeros behind it. The probability of Christ fulfilling all 326 is an incalculable number. Now our Lord does fulfill them all, with the incalculable number.

Further prophecies fulfilled in His first appearing concern the Atonement, through His shed blood (Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrew 9:14; Isaiah 53:5)—how He would be our legal document of freedom, redemption, and forgiveness (Colossians 2:13-14)—how His resurrection guarantees a new life for us now (II Corinthians 5:17).

In this cross and His resurrection, God’s solution to sin and its result, which is separation from God and His presence forever, to our forgiveness and reconciliation in relationship, and our transformation is guaranteed.

In the cross we see God’s justice, judgment, and wrath against our sin, paid for in Christ’s blood. We also see God’s justice, mercy, and love poured out in the forgiveness of sin and in the giving of the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, life transformed now, for eternal life.

This is the first appearance of Christ, establishing grace, and whether the world wants to admit it or not, it has been seen and all are without excuse who reject this grace (Romans 1:16-23)

GRACE TEACHES WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO/ WHAT WE ARE TO CHRIST

The grace of God which has appeared… “teaching us”. not only is the foundation for hope, but God’s grace received, when we all deserve the second death (eternal punishment, teaches us the enormous cost to Christ, in being God’s act of Grace. It also teaches us the personal cost to us, in receiving grace through repentance and faith.

What did it cost Christ (Psalm 22)? The exquisite pain, rejection, and sorrow of becoming our sin, but most importantly, of our Father turning His face from our sin written into His body on the tree… “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Oh, what a cost “And can it be that I should gain?”.

What does it cost us? Let’s look at I Corinthians 6:19-20 and Acts 20:28.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ⁹ Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? ²⁰ For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Acts 20:28 ²⁸ Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

We belong to God as His possession, yes children as well, but as His chosen possessed vessels. Grace teaches us this, and we like the teaching. Grace chastens, trains, and prepares us to rejoice in God’s ownership over us, because of the hope we have in Him. Listen to the language used to describe what we are taught.

To live as God’s purchased possession, we must deny ourselves the idea that we are free to live as we desire, apart from God’s direction. Yes, He set us free, but freedom received from God, is not freedom to do as we choose, but freedom to say “NO” to the world, our flesh, and the Devil.”

DENY OURSELVES

The grace which appeared in Jesus’ first appearance, teaches us to “deny ungodliness and worldly lusts”. The foundation of our expression of faith in Christ is to walk in denial, and I don’t mean that river in Africa. What are we to deny? We deny ourselves, in the way of ungodliness, which are attitudes, thinking, or actions contrary to Christ’s behavior, attitude, and thoughts.

Luke 9:23-25 ²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. ²⁵ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

This most often is experienced in denying worldly lusts, or the natural desires of life which overblown pull us away from self-denial. The positive side of this is to live soberly (on guard to what we face from the world, flesh, and devil), righteously seeking to live as Jesus did—to live godly in this present crooked age. This will lead to the need for more self-denial

(II Timothy 3:12) Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

HE OWNS AS SPECIAL VESSELS

Verse 14 declares “that He might redeem (purchase us or buy us back) from every lawless deed, and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. The first line reminds us of the purpose of His first appearance. Then we read “to purify for Himself”. This means the Lord Jesus Christ chose us, as a particular vessel. The language is similar to that used to describe the role of husband to wife and Christ to His Church.

Ephesians 5:25-27 ²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, ²⁶ that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, ²⁷ that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

God’s grace, in Jesus’ first appearing, points to His future appearing. He, the Bridegroom, is for His specially chosen bride; His bride He is purifying for Himself.

His grace teaches us that we are special to Him as a bride is specially chosen by her husband. Wow, chosen and special brides. I realize I am probably not permitted to say this in our culture, but we have lost the blessing, wonder, and grace of a man choosing his bride and that being a good thing.

Ephesians 5 is a model in marriage for how Christ relates to His church. If you are a gal or a guy, you are the bride of Christ, feel honored and seek to clothe yourself with zeal to do good works revealing our husband, the Christ.

This is what the grace of God teaches in Christ’s first appearing, but that grace also calls us to be looking for something specific… our Bridegroom’s return, our marriage to the Lamb, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ; the only hope which will never disappoint.

Next time we will look into this HOPE.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Christ's glorious appearing, hope does not disappoint, Romans 5:3-5, the blessed hope, Titus 2:11-14 | Leave a comment

Beyond Measure, but Not Beyond Belief (TRUST)

Posted on February 23, 2026 by Michael J Erdel

2 Corinthians 1:8-10 ⁸ For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. ⁹ Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰ who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us

The passage of scripture above is one which illustrates the biblical phrase very well “we walk by faith and not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7).

Many Christians would say “Amen” to walking by faith and not by sight, without considering the implications or counting the cost. The passage we are considering today, is a small window in walking by faith, when what is experienced presents itself as contrary to God’s will and is difficult to endure.

Remember that which appears contradictory to our faith, is not always contradictory, but can be complimentary, and even catalyzing to our faith and practice.

“For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia”

Paul wanted them to understand the “what” and “why” behind the difficulty faced, how GOD was sovereign in and over it, and that there is a purpose in the pain they suffered for Christ.

Let me say from the beginning, there is nothing we experience, as followers of Christ, that is random.

God, our Father, either ordains or allows the circumstances of our lives. Nothing takes Him by surprise, when it comes to His children, as He is there before we arrive and present with us when walk through the pain or the peace. It is most often the painful and uncertain times, which reveal His nearness most, as illustrated by our passage.

How About Some Context?

Paul wanted the Corinthians to understand GOD’s activity, before during and after, the apostle’s time in Asia. The Greek meaning of “Asia” is actually referring to “Asia Minor” or the western shore of Turkey. “Asia” would have been east of that portion of Turkey’s geography. This is important when understanding chronological context of Paul’s “trouble”.

Acts 16:6-10 ⁶ Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. ⁷ After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. ⁸ So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. ⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” ¹⁰ Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The region named “Mysia” refers to Asia minor, the region on the west coast of turkey. While passing through this region, Paul desires to go and share the gospel in parts east of Mysia, in Asia.

He was “forbidden” and then not permitted by the Holy Spirit to go to Bithynia. This had to be frustrating to the apostle. The Lord then gave him a vision to go to Macedonia.

Someone declaring they have had a vison could cause any red blooded charismatic to sweat with gleeful anticipation. In America, in our time, having a personal vison is seen as in line with a scriptural perspective, although that may not be the case most often. In fact, in many circles, it is taken for granted, that visions are a sign of God’s favor on a person; again not necessarily the case.

It seems many are looking for confirmation, excitement and a justification for doing what we believe God’s called us to do. We often do this, rather than learning to be led by His Spirit practically, as intended (Romans 8:14).

Although a person having a vison from God, may relay God’s favor or calling, biblically speaking, those visions are almost never about personal blessing. In fact, the person having the vision or dream, usually suffers when walking through the vison (Remember Joseph or Isaiah who was sawn in half for His visions and godly character).

Let us consider how joyfully awesome Paul’s life was after he was given the vison of the Macedonian man. Of course I am being sarcastic a bit.

2 Corinthians 7:5-7 ⁵ For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. ⁶ Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, ⁷ and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more.

Remember that Paul had a vision from God leading him and his companions to the cities of Macedonia. We might think, that since God called him, there ought to be little resistance. That, of course, was not Paul’s experience… “when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears”.

When we began, we started with II Corinthians 1:8-10, which sounds strikingly similar to II Corinthians 7:5-7. Most interestingly is that II Corinthians 1:8-10 and II Corinthians 7:5-7 are book ends to Paul’s travels Acts 16 to Acts 17. What were the difficulties which cause Paul’s consternation in Macedonia.

The first place Paul visited in Macedonia was Philippi.

Acts 16:11-15 ¹¹ Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, ¹² and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days. ¹³ And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there. ¹⁴ Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. ¹⁵ And when she and her household were baptized

Acts 16:16-19 ¹⁶ Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour. ¹⁹ But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.

Paul begins his foray into Macedonia by bringing Lydia to Christ, then casting out a demon, which was oppressing a young lady. Hallelujah! The vision brought awesomeness, but also fearful and painful circumstances for Paul and Silas, as state in verse 19.

We understand that the two Christian companions were delivered from jail in the Macedonian city of Philippi, but they still had to face the difficulty of being shackled and confined. After that, the trouble continued and continued.

Acts 17:1-4 ¹ Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, ³ explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” ⁴ And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

Acts 17:5-6 ⁵ But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. ⁶ But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.

After these fearful circumstances Paul and Silas went to Berea, where the trouble makers followed them. Now that we understand the historical context, let’s look at the struggle throughout and why the LORD our GOD led them through such a time.

^“5For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side”

While walking through the circumstance of this period, Paul and his companions were beyond physical exhaustion. Facing literal physical beat downs, as well as mental assaults from threats and the potential “what if’s”, left them numb and without strength. This was the case for there was trouble or “tribulation” like threats surrounding them.

“Outside were conflicts, inside were fears”

Paul distills down the trouble on every side, by declaring them conflicts, or continued attacks. In addition, he reveals inward fears, which challenged him concerning what he believed about GOD, His goodness, His nearness and His plan.

This left them feeling a very particular way, which is described in I Corinthians 1:8-10

2 Corinthians 1:8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.

“of our trouble”

The word “trouble” is the same word used for “tribulation” and means and effort to stop one from practicing their faith, through death or causes them to flee. This understanding helps us understand what Paul reveals next.

“that we were burdened beyond measure”

The phrase above means to be knocked flat on your face, like a fighter knocked down, but cannot get up, and keeps stumbling to falling flat on one’s face; while attempting to get up. We can call this spiritual CTE or Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or concussion syndrome. In this state, we cannot think clearly, having wrong obsessive thoughts. This often leads to confusion and despair.

This state, arising from constant tribulation, is used by Satan, through fear and anxiety to stop the reformation of the mind, we are called to (Romans 12:1-3). In that mental anguish the burden increases to burden down our spirit, soul and body (I Thessalonians 5:23).

“that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength”

We must be careful not to associate every struggle and trial we face with passages like II Corinthians 1:8-10, because we often make our own difficulty and at times assign normal trouble as a satanic attack. But, if one is seeking to be fully surrendered to the Lord Jesus and His will, they will face times like Paul.

2 Timothy 3:12 ¹²Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Why would God, who loves us, whom we love in return, place us in these times of tribulation?

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, ¹⁰ who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us

There are more than a few reasons for our persecution, which deal with God’s glory, His power being demonstrated over the power of the enemy and many more, but in this instance, Paul declares it is a matter of relational trust.

YHWH wanted Paul and his companions to have no other option, avenue of escape or thought to look for an earth-bound solution. He did not want the mountain of pride or arrogance produced by our figuring a way out for ourselves. He wanted them to TRUST that God, our present Father would win the day, and continue to do so.

Every sincere follower of Christ in every generation unit He comes, must learn this lesson as well.

Do you and I truly trust in Him who raises the dead? Is He our chosen option, whatever the circumstance we are in?

Is He truly enough for us, so that we are content whether being abased or when abounding? Can I declare with Paul in the most difficult times, where human wisdom, strength and ability are nowhere near sufficient, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:10-13)?

May we all determine in heart to say yes, and seek Him, that Christ is fully formed in us, for His glory, as we persevere trusting Him alone.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged burdened beyond measure, God's sovereignty, hindered by satan, II Corinthians 1:8-10, Paul's vision | Leave a comment

What We Behold, We Become! PART II (II Corinthians 3:18)

Posted on February 8, 2026 by Michael J Erdel

2 Corinthians 3:18 ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

After my last article we understand we become what we behold. For the Christian, we are to behold the glory of the Lord, as in a mirror, which is the impetus of our being transformed into that which behold.

The “glory of the Lord” is our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and we behold Him in the written and spoken word of God, as the Holy Spirit illuminates, instructs, leads and empowers to become God powered representations of Christ.

How do we “behold”?

I believe beholding is simple, practical and attainable, if we lay hold of the truth, that from the moment of our salvation, the Holy Spirit is with the follower of Christ personally.

John 14:17 ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

We can trust the Holy Spirit will enable us to behold Christ (in the word of God), and make sure we are transfomred, from glory to glory.

Our part is to behold, that the word of God would dwell in us richly (Colossian 3:16),that the precepts, commands, and character of Christ dwelling in us, would be seen by a world looking for the Light

The truth of the word of God dwelling in us richly, calls us to understand the necessity of the process of how beholding works. This reveals a truth that is often forgotten, when temptation presses.

Psalms 119:9-13 ⁹ How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. ¹⁰With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! ¹¹Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
¹²Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes. ¹³With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth.

In reference to the word of God hidden in the heart, we understand the “heart” is referring to the human soul, linked with the mind. Biblically this is considered the seat of our individual personality and emotions.

We are comprisied of spirit, soul and body (I Thessalonians 5:23); therefore, we do the work of hiding the word of God in our heart, with God’s help. It is at this point of intersection, that the Holy Spirit, joined with our spirit, induces the work of “beholding”, which leads to the transformation.

The problem is that many are committed to treating the process like a time of cross training, weight lifting or working out, which is a portion of time during our day. For the Christian, beholding is an all day every day, 24 hour a day pursuit.

Psalms 1:1-4 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ² But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. ⁴The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

This passage lays out how the word of God is hidden in the heart, so it can dwell in us with all wisdom.

In eastern meditation, a person strives to empty their mind and self of everything, which will lead to potential wisdom, or so they say. That form of meditation is not biblical but worldly and satanic. Biblical meditation means to fixate and be filled with God’s Word, whereby the old man and his patterns are driven out, as Christ’s character grows in us.

This is an endeavor of longsuffering and consistent delight.

The word “meditates” means to “chew the cud”. The phrase “chew the cud” refers to how a cow eats and assimilates that food, which is better than most animals.

For your information, a cow has four compartments to their stomachs, and they basically eat all day, even until sleep, so “day and night”.

A cow, eating grass will pluck the grass up, chew it, then swallow. The grass goes into compartment number one and digests it to a degree. Following this, the cow then regurgitates the grass, which is digested a little and picks some fresh grass with the regurgitated grass. This is what it means to chew the cud.

The “cud” is then swallowed again, digested and the previously digested enters stomach compartment two, the freshly chewed in compartment one. This process repeated, all the way to stomach compartment four, at which juncture, the digested cud is almost entirely assimilated into the body. This is why we love steak!

Remember this process occurs day and night for a cow, and the reason they are so muscled up and happy.

Firstly, how awesome the LORD gave such a present illustration for the Jews and for us to chew on (pun intended). to mediate means we, like the cows chew on (mumble) the word of God day and night, till its assimilated.

Many Christians, believe they are doing well to read the word of God daily, but reading is not what we are called to, but to behold.

We are called to take what we interact with in the Bible and chew on it, by mumbling questions, listening to how the Holy Spirit illuminates the word of GOD with answers, and empowers us to live out those answers. This is not to be a one time of the day endeavor, but a disciplined, ongoing intimate conversation with God.

Romans 8:14 reveals that as many as a led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. What does that mean to be led by the Spirit of God? It means we walk with God from the here and now until eternity with Him, like our children walk with us when we are out and about.

In this illustration, a loving father maintains observational control of their child’s, by holding their hand when little, until the child is able to be led and directed by voice command. This takes time to build up, but as the child learns the intimate and close care of the father, they resist his hand leading and embraces submission to their Daddy’s direction. It is very similar, with “beholding” and how we are transformed, by our Father’s leading.

Proverbs 3:5-8 ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own uderstanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil. ⁸ It will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.

Some would say this is impossible or not what God meant, but it is what God our Father intended in Jesus Christ our Lord; it is the outcome of our salvation in the life we live until we are with the LORD forever.

Hebrews 8:10-12 ¹⁰ For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. ¹¹ None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. ¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

So, we understand it is Christ we behold in hiding the word in our heart—it is into the character of Christ we are transformed as empowered by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, what we behold, moment by moment and day by day, should it be the Christ and His character, is what we will be transformed into.

Ah, but remember this ministry we all receive, we are not to lose heart with. We are not to lack sobriety in its necessity or justify being lazy to practice it day and night. (II Corinthians 3:18-4:2).

Be encouraged read the word of God, but listen for what the Lord desires you to chew on day and night.

Write it down, look at it and ask him questions throughout your day—at lunch take a walk speak the Word to yourself and pray for God’s direction—let Him fill your soul with connections to other places in His word—share with your family what you are learning about God from the word at dinner—thank Him before bed for speaking to you and revealing Jesus the Christ in the word throughout the day—repeat the process the next day and so on.

Why?

Galatians 2:20 ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Because, if we are not beholding the glory of God, in the mirror of God’s word, and inwardly as Christ lives in us, we will behold other things.

The Problem

Since it is true with Christians, that what we behold we become, then it is also true that if are not beholding Christ consistently, then what we are beholding we can become, apart from Him. Scripture is clear.

Galatians 6:7-9 ⁷ Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. ⁸ For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. ⁹ And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Although using an agricultural metaphor, the meaning is the same as “beholding”. What we lay hold of and handle consistently, we become. In the context of western Christianity (America, parts of Europe, Australia, Canada), the idea of sowing or beholding, moment by moment is considered outdated or archaic, at best.

From the earliest age we are taught to compartmentalize our lives. We have our faith/religion compartment, which is mainly a short time in the morning or night and Sunday morning—we have our work or school compartment—our time with friends’ compartment—our family compartment—we have our political department—and our entertainment compartment.

In these basic categories, faith in Christ is important, we may say the most important, but it often is not.

First thing is first. Christ is THE focus, not a compartment. He is the One who leads us in all the varied aspects of our life. This leading is not to come from a revelation from a morning devotion or message alone.

His leadership is to become, at times, moment by moment, often, where we are aware of His presence in all aspects of our lives, and we at least acknowledge He is with us.

Romans 8:14-15 ¹⁴ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

The call to be true to the reality of beholding, cuts across the grain of our American lives, but is absolutely essential for our lives with Christ, if we are to be transformed into His image, as by the Spirit of the Lord, from glory to glory.

Yes, we must be sober about the temptation of beholding carnality from the world, the flesh and the Devil, but much more the stuff we would not consider carnal, like politics, fringe theological arguments or distinctives and entertainment we may see as allowable.

Our faith in Christ is so important and under assault from the world the flesh and the Devil, that we must check in with and check out the Lord’s directions, often. We can slip into something that seems good, but is detrimental to our faith, and that of others, very easily.

Consider, that over the last 25 years, the church has become an arm of the Republican party, where it is believed the will of the party to be God’s will. This is an unbiblical, damaging and foolish perspective.

Our kingdom is not of this earth and tied to no political structure. As Christians we can appreciate some aspects of conservative political policy, but our Christianity is not a national political movement.

Our faith in Christ transcends the limitations of human government. Therefore, our ambassadorship is to the kingdom of God and its King, Jesus Christ. His will is what we live for, and His will is often at odds with both the republican and democrat parties.

Yet the more we behold YouTube, Facebook and other social media monoliths, the more we are twisted to fear the other side and ally ourselves with a Christian nationalism, which treats politicians as potential saviors, to defeat our enemies.

Over the last ten years, I have seen beholding of this kind split Christian families and churches, because beholding these fears and potential salvations from suffering, turn us into people anxious and cynical, rather that people of bold faith and powerful Christian love for each other, the lost and ultimately our God.

Let us return to beholding Jesus the Messiah, our God and King, who is the glory of God.

Because, at the end of the day, we become what we BEHOLD!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged beholding, Christian nationalism, Galatians 6:7-8, II Corinthians 3:18, Proverbs 3:5-7, Romans 8:14 | Leave a comment

What We Behold, We Become! (II Corinthians 3:18)

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Michael J Erdel

Just a cursory reading of II Corinthians 3:18, reveals a main point which seems straight forward enough… “What we Behold, We Become”.

This statement for Christians, ought to seem right, assuming we understand what we are beholding and what we are becoming.

When digging deeper into the entirety of the context of II Corinthians 3-4, we can see what we become and how essential what we become is to the lost world we live in.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 ¹ Therefore, since we have this ministry (the ministry of beholding parenthesis is my addition), as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. ² But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. ⁵ For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The ministry we have received to be the light of the world, becoming as Christ is; who is the Light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). We are to shine forth and inject Christ’s character and teaching, into every man’s conscience, for the removal of the satanic blindness which keeps the lost in the dark.

This is to occur as we have the Treasure of Heaven, the Holy Spirit, fulling dwelling in us, Christ’s vessels (II Corinthians 4:7-11).

We are new creations, those who look more and more like Christ, every day. In this new creation life, we live and proclaim the will of God, as we live it out, as Ambassadors for Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21 ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

These are the characteristics of Christ, which we are transformed into, That transformation takes place, only as we behold a very real and powerful something, or better stated a SOMEONE.

THE MINISTRY OF BEHOLDING

“But we all, with unveiled face…”

The phrase “But we all”, implies that all followers of Christ are invited into the ministry of beholding. Far too often Christians default to a lazy position fuel that powers transformation and ministry are considered, for a select few of super saints. This is a carnal lie ginned up by the Devil himself.

Every member of the body of Christ is to be a new creation, an ambassador for Christ, and light in the darkness; by the power of God’s indwelling Spirit.

How do we lay hold of this truth practically? We begin with the truth that we are to behold the Lord Jesus Christ without a veil. This is important to understand, rejoice in and apply to our lives daily.

The word “unveil” refers to the drawing back of a curtain. You’ll remember with me, that in the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple, there was a Holiest Place of all, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept and where the glory of GOD would descend. Prior to His descending to the Mercy Seat atop the Ark of the covenant, the High Priest would spread the blood of the sacrificial animal, on the Mercy Seat.

When YHWH came fully in His presence, He would see the blood covering the sins of Israel, for another year.

The point is that only Moses or the High Priests, were to go behind the veil, into the presence of YHWH. The veil was a curtain, woven from top to bottom and almost 4 and ½ inches think.

When Jesus died, that curtain (veil) was torn in two by God, which was literal and symbolic. This meant that the veil that existed between God and humanity, a veil of sin, was removed, for any who come to Christ Jesus by repentance and through faith in Jesus Christ.

II Corinthians 3:15-16 illuminates this truth.

2 Corinthians 3:15-16 ¹⁵ But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. ¹⁶ Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Verse 15 reveals that to the Jew, who rejects the Lord Jesus Christ, there is still a veil between them and GOD, which makes beholding” impossible. That veil is one of sin, same as the one over the lost person’s heart that has not come to Christ, by faith and repentance.

2 Corinthians 4:3 ³ But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ

I Corinthians 2:14 reveals this to be the reason for the rejecting Jew and Gentile, in not being able to see Christ, as Savior.

I Corinthians 2:14 ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Yet, II Corinthians 3:16 reveals what removes the veil or more specifically WHO makes possible the removal of the veil… ^“Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.”

For anyone turning to Christ Jesus, the veil is removed, as we are forgiven and by faith become positionally Holy before God (Romans 5:9), therefore we have access 24 hours a day, to behold in the presence of God, because the veil has been removed for us.

Therefore…

Hebrews 4:16 ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

This is important because II Corinthians 3:18, especially with beholding and the result, of transformation, calls to mind Moses in the Holiest Place communing with God and the result of those interactions with YHWH.

2 Corinthians 3:12-13 ¹² Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— ¹³ unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away.

Exodus 34:33-35 reveals that after Moses spoke with God, face to face, his face having absorbed God’s glory would radiate light so powerful, he had to cover his face. The glory would eventually diminish until the next time. After spending 40 years pursuing God’s with and His Presence, the glory was magnified in Moses physical form, even until his death.

Deuteronomy 34:7 ⁷ Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished

Moses was as strong at 120, as he was at 40. This was a result of the glory of God, from Moses interactions with YHWH in the Holiest Place. How much more our interaction with our God in our spirit, soul and body (I Thessalonians 5:23), ought to produce a monumental change in us. It is possible, consider Stephen.

Acts 6:8-10 ⁸ And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. ¹⁰ And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

Acts 6:15 ¹⁵ And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

Moses experienced the glory of the LORD from the outside of his person, we in a very different and potentially more consistent place of beholding. More on that later.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord”

The word “beholding” means to gaze upon something to the degree that the image becomes fixed in your gaze

Children are often told not to stare into the sun, because its image will be burned into their retina and may cause partial blindness. We see a similar effect with flash photography, where even a momentary flash of bright light, can cause a temporary disruption of vison.

We are told to behold that which is brighter than the sun, the glory of the Lord. Yet remember, it is not as it was for Moses, for the glory of the Lord resides in the heart of the humanity of the redeemed, by the Spirit of Christ. Our transformation is inward to outward (II Corinthians 4:16). Yet, our beholding is realized through a “mirror”.

The mirror is God’s word, both written and spoken and hidden in the heart. His word is the mirror, which cast the image of the glory of God, who is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:1-3 ¹ God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; ³ who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person

Christ is the brightness of the glory of God, which is a very descriptive identity. The word “brightness” in the Greek language is the word “apaugasma”. It means “effulgence” or “off flash”. We can understand this from how we experience the sun which lights and gives warmth to the earth.

The sun is a very large sphere primarily made of 75% hydrogen, 14% helium and 1% heavy metals. It is constantly in nuclear fusion, which produces its brightness and heat. The light produced takes 8 minutes to travel the 93 million miles scientists tells us is the distance of the sun to the earth.

When that sun light hits your skin, the UVB radiation is absorbed into our cells and converted to life sustaining vitamin D₃. Let me ask the question, is the sun light that hits us after it leaves the sun, traveling for 8 minutes, less the sun than the sunlight being produced right now, in nuclear fusion at the sun’s core.

The answer is no, it is not less, but it is what we humans can handle, take in and be benefitted by. What we receive is full sun light, yet in an amount we can benefit from and assimilate.

Christ, being called the brightness of His glory, is no less God than the Father or the Holy Spirit, yet He is what we can experience of God, understand of God and be transformed by, of God, this side of heaven. Remember that Jesus Christ is the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form (Colossians 2:9).

When we behold the glory of the Lord, as in a mirror, we are stepping through the pages to fellowship with the Brightness of the glory of God, Jesus the Christ. This is not just through the written word, but as by the glory of the Lord, by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and fullness, illuminates, as we are Transformed by Truth, into living expressions of the Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory

This means we are transformed by what we experience of the glory of Christ, as often as we acknowledge Him and fix our gaze on what we see of Him in the word read, heard and hidden in the heart.

Next time we will discover how we behold and what occurs when we are beholding the things of the world, the flesh and the Devil.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged beholding as in a mirror, II Corinthians 3:18, the glory of the Lord, What we behold we become | Leave a comment

Kirk Cameron’s Growing Pains, Are Giving the Body of Christ Angina Part II (Debating the nature of eternal punishment)

Posted on December 23, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

In my last article, we discussed ways Kirk Cameron twisted O.T. passages and the writings of “church fathers” to bolster his growing belief in conditional immortality, or annihilationism, concerning the state of those who reject Christ.

It is apparent Cameron has had growing pains, concerning his move away from what the Bible declares concerning the conscious eternal torment of the lost, which is the most widely accepted and biblically tenable position on this topic.

Kirk Cameron believes he is correct concerning hell. He is, of course, dead wrong, which makes him dangerous. In his blog he spent a lot of time, twisting N.T. passages to make his argument. His wrong dividing of the New Testament scripture began in Matthew 10:28.

Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Cameron contends that the word “destroy” hints at annihilation. That interpretation is a stretch as far across as the gap of the Grand Canyon. The Greek word by which we get “destroy” is apollymi, which can mean to destroy fully (reflexively, to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: — destroy, die, lose, mar, perish. It certainly does not hint at annihilation, for the very nature of the word is of progression, immediate cessation.

This is why it is unwise to make a doctrine, such as concerning the fate of the wicked, from one passage. We must remember that scripture interprets scripture. Additionally, we must remember that the second death, is about being separated from God and His glory and His grace. When Adam and Eve were separated from God’s presence after being kicked out of the garden, they surely died, but that death was over a 900-year period.

When did they start to die? At the moment of their choice to disobey God. This is why it is important to remember that death, perishing and destruction, in an eternal sense are progressive events, which continue forever. The New Testament certainly backs this truth up.

Luke 12:4-5And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell (ghenna the lake of fire; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

Mark 9:42-48 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where ‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched— where “Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire— where ‘Their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’

Matthew 25:41-46 “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.”

John 5:28-29 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

2 Thessalonians 1:5-10 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

Revelation 14:9-11 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Revelation 20:11-15 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

It is plain, eternal punishment is Conscious Eternal Torment, not God annihilating the lost out of existence.

Let us examine some of Kirk Cameron and his son’s critiques of the Biblical doctrine of conscious eternal torment. The first of which is that conditional immortality is more inline with God’s mercy.

It is my opinion that this false precept is most egregious, as it forgets God’s greatest expression of mercy, which is the cross.

Let me be clear, in the cross we can see the love of God, the mercy of God, the justice of God and the wrath of God, greater than any other action of God in history.

God’s mercy is allowing humanity, all humanity, which is guilty before God, to consider His mercy in the cross. This mercy comes through repentance and faith in Christ shed blood, His death and resurrection. God chose to give all men mercy, in their lives, to reconcile themselves unto Him, through the death and resurrection of Christ. (II Corinthians 5:17-21).

God’s mercy is extended to those who choose it in this life. Those who do not, desire to live their lives for themselves, without God’s presence to lead guide and transform. Remember, it is appointed to man to die once and then comes the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). God’s mercy extends to all who are in Christ, throughout eternity, but His mercy ends when the lost die. No, annihilationism is not in line with God’s mercy, but perverts His justice.

Additionally, Cameron’s son brought up an illustration concerning how unfair eternal punishment seems to be considering a little old Granny, who didn’t follow Jesus, but has to burn forever in an eternal BBQ.

As stated by his son, her only crime would be not following Christ, although she did right by her neighbors and never did anything that bad. Is it not bad enough to reject the Christ, who literally had her sin and that of the world, written by torture into His body on the tree, as he is our indictment (Colossians 2:13-15)

This kind of thinking is not unbiblical and foolish it is also mocking God’s justice. It is as if Kirk and his son have never read the word of God. In referencing a little only lady, who wasn’t that bad, we must consider if God judges by that which wasn’t that bad, or in a much more just way.

James 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.

There is only one Person who kept the law perfectly… Jesus. He is the standard of judgment. This is why Romans declares…

Romans 3:19-20 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

The problem with Cameron’s musing is that the measure of what is good, righteous or worthy of heaven is the life of Christ, not the wisdom of man. Little old Granny will never meet the measure of Christ, therefore she needs to believe in Christ for mercy, and receive it through repentance and faith, where she takes Him as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9-10).

The Cameron’s are playing a dangerous game of who deserves God’s wrath, based on an amount of good or bad. This is a human way of thinking where we judge a person’s life as relatively good or bad, in comparison to Hitler or Stalin.

This leads to us musing on a degree of punishment, foolishly, based on whether one is Hitler or a little old Granny. All of that is hogwash as the cross equalizes the measure for all. That measure is Christ, which none can measure. Hence the mercy of god in the cross of Jesus Christ.

If people reject God’s mercy in this life, they will by their own choice suffer eternal punishment, which is to be separated from God’s Presence and glory forever, whether the bible deems it outer darkness, hell fire, the lake of fire, the second death, or conscious eternal torment.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we must all hold that all men are without excuse, and deserving of God’s eternal wrath and punishment (Romans 1:18-31). To characterize that as God’s eternal BBQ”, is to slander God’s character and means of justly dealing with lost humanity.

My prayer is that Kirk Cameron, stops having growing pains concerning the biblical understanding of conscious eternal torment.

My prayer is that you will consider with me today, how merciful God is to rescue us from that which all humanity deserves, apart from Christ, which is to die eternally separated from God. That horrific reality, should be the basis of overflowing love and joy toward our Father, and fuel to call others to repent to avoid God’s righteous and eternal judgment.

And can it be that I should gain

An interest in my Savior’s blood

DIed He for me, and I caused His pain

It was for me He went to death to pursue

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged annihilationism, Conditional immortailty, conscious eternal torment, hell, Hell. the second death, judgment, Kirk Cameron, the lake of fire | Leave a comment

Kirk Cameron’s Growing Pains, Are Giving the Body of Christ Angina (Debating the nature of eternal punishment)

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

Recently, on Kirk Cameron’s Pod cast “The Kirk Cameron Show”, he had a discussion with his son, concerning the nature of eternal punishment. In this discussion both he his son, took issue with the biblical and traditional view point that the lost with suffer conscious eternal torment (theologically known as C.E.T.), after the resurrection of all th dead (Revelation 20:11-15).

It seems Kirk Cameron is experiencing growing pains in his theological understanding (pun intended). The problem is that his growing pains, given his age as a believer and time as an influencer, may cause the body of Christ spiritual angina.

The reason is simple. Cameron and his son have exchanged the biblical view point of eternal punishment, which is a revelation of the character of God, for Conditionalism.

Conditionalism or conditional immortality, is a belief that immortality is not inherent but is a gift from God, granted only to those who have saving faith in Jesus Christ; the unsaved, conversely, will face final destruction (annihilation) and cease to exist, rather than suffer eternal conscious torment in hell.

From Cameron’s conversation with his son, one could believe that conditional immortality is most in line with the mercy of God, because the person is resurrected to face judgment for their sin, and being guilty, God zaps them out of existence (annihilates them), rather than cook them in an eternal BBQ.

Cameron’s“eternal BBQ” is how he dfines what the Bible calls the “second death” and “the lake of fire”, is nothing to mock or joke about. To declare that annihilation reveals God’s merciful nature is to diminish the ultimate and forever manifestation of God’s justice, wrath and mercy, in the cross of Jesus Christ.

Furthermore, Cameron’s new pet doctrine is regurgitated Arianism, where Christ is seen as a creature, the arch angel Michael, rather than the creator of the angels, and conditional immortality is the fate of the lost; to be annihilated.

So far as we know, Kirk has not accepted the first tenant of Arianism, or what we know today as Jehovah’s Witness. Sadly, it seems he has fully embraced the heresy of conditional immortality, or the annihilation of the soul.

DEBUNKING THIS HORRIFIC DOTRINE

Let us first understand that all men and woman have been made with an eternal soul. The Bible speaks of this plainly.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Genesis reveals when His Spirit, created in us the living soul, which is eternal.

Genesis 2:7 ⁷ And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

The phrase “living being” is better translated “living soul”. This is important because it is our God breathed rational soul, which makes us unique as individuals before God. It is also that which is touched by Christ Himself, when we are conceived for “He is the light that lights ever man who comes into the world” (John 1:9; Hebrews 1:1-3).

Our God is so intimately involved in every human life, why would He eradicate it out of existence? He would not. and science and the Bible corroborates this truth. The first law of thermodynamics states that matter is eternal, it can not be destroyed, but changes form over time.

God, by His very nature cannot annihilate a human soul, as He created it. The soul, spirit and body, as matter, cannot be destroyed or annihilated (I Thessalonians 5:23).

Conditional immorality does not believe in the immortality of the soul, but what they believe concerning the process of annihilation is simply sad and lacking wisdom of God.

When a Christian dies, they immediately enter the presence of God, in a spiritual sense (II Corinthians 5:8). On the day of the ingathering (rapture), their natural body, which has been decaying, will be the beginning point of the new glorious body ready for eternity. For those alive at that time they will be changed in a moment, a twinkling of an eye, fitted with a new creation body (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:50-58).

Following along the lines of the first law of thermodynamic, our new resurrection bodies, arise from our natural form, and take on immortality; not eradicated but changed.

The lost, upon dying, go to Hades which is the temporary place of the dead, in the heart of the earth. Our Lord lays this out in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. In this parable, from Luke 16:19-31, we see two dead men, fully conscience in Hades.

One, Lazarus, was in Abrahams’s bosom, a paradise where they had cool water and what was need to comfort them. This place, adjacent to Hades in the heart of the earth, was for the faithful awaiting the resurrection of Messiah. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He emptied Abraham’s bosom, once and for all. In the New Testament period, all believers who die are immediately ushered into the presence of the Lord.

The other man we read of, the rich man, is in Hades, which is a place of torment and pain, where they await the final judgment. In this place, they are conscience and aware of their estate.

In Kirk Cameron’s view, which is conditional immortality, God takes those in Hades, who are conscious of where they are, He resurrects them only for the purpose of declaring “Your judged, now you don’t exist”.

This view point is silly, why not simply eradicate them at death? It also flies in the face of what the Lord Jesus declares in Matthew 25:41, concerning the final judgment.

Matthew 25:41 ⁴¹ “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:

Cameron’s Argument from the Old Testament

Without giving solid evidence from the Old Testament, Cameron declares that the Old Testament reveals the wicked perishing quickly in a move of annihilation from God. He then goes forward to cite Augustine, as one who believed in annihilation of the wicked dead, which is a tent pole of his argument, because Augustine was a church father.

Augustine was not a church father, as he was not alive until the late 4^th to early 5^th century. He is the father of the Roman Catholic apostacy, so what he wrote need be taken with a grain of salt, if not with great skepticism.

He cites various real church fathers of believing in conditional immortality. In reality, of those church fathers who were discipled by an original disciple of Jesus Christ or by a person discipled by a person who was discipled by an apostle, there is a consensus on preaching and belief in the conscious eternal punishment of the wicked (not conditional immortailty).

This includes church fathers such as Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Ignatius, and John Chrysostom. Despite their true ministry, and proclaimation of conscious eternal torment, let us remember that what they said was not divinely inspired; only the word of God is Divinly inspired.

In addition, let me say, it is poor theology and practice to build New Tesament doctrine and practice, from Old Testament passages. We must remember that the New Testament scripture reveal the intended fullness of Old Testament passages, which are germane to our practice and faith.

The book of Revelation is a wonderful example of this reality, for it is filed with passages that give greater clarity to Old Testament prophecies concerning the second coming of Messiah at the end of the world.

That said the Old Testament has several passages dealing with the eternal nature of the eternal conscious punishment of the wicked.

Psalms 1:4-6 ⁴ The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. ⁵Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. ⁶ For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

First let us acknowledge that conscious eternal punishment is to be separated from God, like the wicked blown away as the chaff, not standing in the congregation of the righteous (II Thessalonians 1:1-10).
“…but the way of the ungodly shall perish” to perish means to be in the process of dying forever, being undone”.

Isaiah 66:15-16 To render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. ¹⁶ For by fire and by His sword the LORD will judge all flesh; and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

Isaiah 66:24 forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

This very passage is quoted by the Lord Jesus Christ in Mark 9:44-48, more on that in a moment, but the idea is eternal punishment.

Daniel 12:1-2 ¹ “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, very one who is found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.

This passage is quoted by the Lord Jesus Christ in John 5:29. It must be noted that being resurrected to everlasting shame and contempt is a condition experienced by a real eternal soul.

The wicked, are not annihilated, but plucked up and taken away from God, His presence, love, provision and glory. In my next post we will dive into the deep end concerning what the New Testament teaches concerning the punishment of the lost in eternity. Until then ponder this question.

Is it possible that conversations which remove the teeth of God’s wrath on the sinner, make evangelsim even harder?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Conditional immortality, conscious eternal punishment, hell, Kirk Cameron, the second death | Leave a comment

Release the Flood! #2 (Zechariah 13:1-3)

Posted on December 15, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

Zechariah 13 :1-3 Fulfilled in the Church from Acts to the Ingathering

Zechariah 13:1-3 ¹ “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness.

Although the primary context is in reference to the remnant of the Jews (through out time and orior to His coming), it is important to note that the effects of this flood on the end times Jewish remnant, are first experienced in those who follow Jesus Christ, who are not Jewish.

This is a reality from the apostles and to every sincere follower of Christ, until He comes. This truth is reality because of what the Lord Jesus Christ declares in John 7:37-8.

John 7:37-39 ³⁷ On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ³⁹ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

This flood is not the measure of the Spirit we receive, when sealed by the Holy Spirit, at the moment of our salvation, but most often subsequent and to be continuous. Zechariah’s prophecy is referring to full infilling of the Holy Spirit received when baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). Ephesians describes this event as not only being plunged into “all the fullness of God”, but “being filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14-21).

When we are saved, the Holy Spirit is resident with us to teach and comfort, which is foundational to sanctification; but that is only the beginning. When baptized in the Spirit and subsequently filled with the Spirit, we enter a union with Christ, where our sanctification is amplified, as is our ability to witness, worship, love God and His people and understand and love His Word, in obedient actions.

The amplification is the River of Living water Jesus prophesied, which is a cleansing flood of the Holy Sprit, which desperately needed, from the practical aspect.

This is what is referred to as being filled with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18-21 ¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ submitting to one another in the fear of God.

We must remember that to be filled with the Holy Spirit is a past tense event, occurring in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but it is also a continuous and progressive event, until we are with Him.

Let us consider the phrase “but be filled with the Spirit”. The word “be” is better translated by the phrase “be being filled”. This indicates, we can contiue to be filled, cleansed and empowered by the Rover of Living Water, or we can cause the open fountain to be damned up, by a lack of faithfulness in our walk.

The fullness of the Holy Spirit is given to us, by Christ in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, to empower us in being holy and righteous witnesses, whose lives match the message we proclaim. This expectation is in Zechariah’s prophecy.

Zechariah 13:1¹ “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness

“In that day a fountain shall be opened… for sin and for uncleanness”.

The fountain of Living Water, is to wash away the patterns of sin, still existing in our lives. Note, that I said the pattern of sin. This is important for Christ has already taken care of the record of our sin, and its reigning power, as it was nailed to the cross with Him; hence sin shall have no dominion over you (Romans 6).

Amen and Hallelujah!

Sin’s rulership in our life has been destroyed, but its influence is still felt by the patterns of sin which are still present. This is where the fullness of the Holy Spirit aids us in cleansing those long-entrenched patterns or strongholds, which need broken. In the first place those areas of sin, deal with transgressing the law of God, which is attached to the old man’s now dethroned iniquity.

Secondly, the flood reveals and cleanses all areas of uncleanness.

To the Jewish person that would mean areas where the worship of YHWH was being mixed with pagan worship. This was common prior to Jewish exile in Babylon. One would think that after such chastisement, those returning to the land of Israel would have no temptation to mix the world with their worship of YHWH. Sadly, in less insidious ways, the retuning Jews, were compromising.

This is especially true with the universal lesser deity known as mammon. Remember that Jesus warned the disciples only 400 years later…

Matthew 6:24 ²⁴ “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

The little “g” god “mammon” goes by many names around the world, most notably “fortune”. In the false worship of this deity, one pitches money at his feet, where he is standing in a pond. Yes, this is where the wishing well comes from, but the principal is giving some to get a big return. Sound familiar.

One would think this would not tempt the church in our day, for we know that God supplies all our needs through the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Despite this fact and that God clearly tells us not to worry about what we will eat or drink or put on, for our Father knows what we need, Christianity in America is filled with attachment to mammon, which infect the mind with “I need more and desever more”.

Jesus commands us to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, knowing all other things needed will be added (Matthew 6:24-33). Despite this truth, it has little effect on the insidious way mammon has trained us to think worldly, while calling it godly prosperity.

Despite knowing these truths, you often hear the refrain of mammon in statements calling Christians to sow a little more and God will bring abundance—or a tithe only is a small portion for us when God will throw open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing which cannot be contained (Malachi 3:10).

Consider the tithe, as a requirement for Christians, who are not under the law. in the first place, I am not agaisnt a Christian who tithes regularlly, so long as it is given from a cheeerful heart. In that vien I beleive it may be a good place to begin for a person who is learning to follow Christ. That said there is no New Testament command for the individual to tithe.

Our Lord never suggests it’s pactice will continue since all beleivers are priest and the temple of God. Quite the contrary Jesus very cleary reveled “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly” (Matthew 6:3).

Truth is that “God loves a cheeful giver” (II Corinthians 9:7). The word “cheerful” in the Greek language is “hilaros“, which intimates a person who gives with such joy it causes others to laugh at the ridiculous nature of the offering. Meaning it is not measured, but given with no regard to percentage, because the gift exceeds a mere percentage. Consider the offering of the widow, who monitarilty put in the smallest amount, but put in more than the rich, because she gave all she had (Mark 12:4-44; Luke 21:1-4).

Consider that in the ealry church, most clearly seen in Acts 2:40-46 and Acts 4:32-37. In both of these passage we see people who were “cheerful” in their giving and their giving was well over 10 percent (Bible says “all”).

It is also important to consider that no where in Acts of the apostles is the tithe mentioned, nor through out the New Tesament, except in Hebrews 7:1-10. In that passage in Hebrews, the paying of tithes by Abraham was not to invoke a commnadment binding on Christians, but to reveal Melchizedek’s greatness as a type of Christ.

One can make an argument on tithing as a New Testament practice, as flimsy and in err as it will be (from Old Testament), but that does not change the truth that tithing is not a command on Christians. To use Malachi 3:10 to guilt Christians into tithing is in err. We must ask why this type of preaching takes place, given what our Lord reveals to us in John 4.

John 4:21-24 ²¹ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. ²² You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. ²³ But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The worship of Christ Jesus, has no material temple or vessels to keep up, because we are the material and the vessels (I Thessalonians 4:3; I Peter 2:8-10). Yet, in the west the idea of mixing mammon worship with that of Christ takes place with the full and undiscerning support of most of the leadership. Remember tithing is not a New Testament principal or requirement, for we are not under the law but grace. We are called to be cheerful givers.

So why is the tithe pushed in error? Firstly, because God wants all our heart, which means we possess nothing for our own purpose or self. This is very difficult for modern people who spend a lifetime trying to get a head. Secondly, because churches have infrastructure God never intended us to have. Because of this reality, we need steady income streams and tithing provides that.

Let face facts: to preach “cheerful giving” is to have to trust God for what is needed, rather than wanted. Because our wants have become needs, preachers misuse passages like Malachi 3:10, and reap a sow prosperity tropes, to make sure the bills are paid. Make no misake, this is to mix the holy with an obsolute Old Testment principal for our own finacial gain. This is to raise an idol of obsoletion before God’s people.

Once more, tithe if that is your cheerful gift, but if you do it beleiving your are meeting the requirment, your tithe has become an idol. If the church taught cheerful giving we would never lack for what the body of Christ trutly needs.

The fullness of the Holy Spirit is also supposed to cleanse us of all idols, yet in the Church in America there are several idols we are beholden to.

Mammon (with a false peace and prosperity not promised by God).
Worldliness in how we minister, fellowship and live
A culture of celebrity leaders with various titles, which are biblical, just not for them.
The worship, devotion and funding of our buildings and properties, which we rely upon to draw people, rather than the drawing of the Holy Spirit.

Where do the idols come from and why are they undiscerned by Christians?

It is because of false prophets and teachers, who promote doctrine and practices aligned with these idols. These false prophets and teachers are prevalent in the United States, in the church, and they all subscribe to the “sowing” and “tithing is required” false theology.

It is the Holy Spirit, in this flood that exposes the false prophet, and the unclean spirits behind them.

² “It shall be in that day,” says the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land.

When a fellowship of saints hits their stride, in flowing in the flood of the Holy Spirit, truth rains, discipleship is seen in powerful sanctification, the saints ARE salt and light and no Christian is in need.

Herein lies the solution and the problem.

1 Peter 4:17 ¹⁷ For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Times of persecution have served as and will serve as the judgment coming to the house of God. What is this house of God?

Ephesians 2:19-22 ¹⁹ Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, ²⁰ having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, ²¹ in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, ²² in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

1 Peter 2:9-10 ⁹ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; ¹⁰ who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

The time has come for the release of the flood of the Holy Spirit to reveal, sin and uncleanness, idols, prophets and the unclean spirits which desire to lead the church into apostacy.

Time is short, our Lord Jesus Christ is coming soon, Maranatha!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cheeful giving, the river of living water, throw down your idols, titing, Zehcariah 13:1-3 | Leave a comment

Release the FLOOD (Zechariah 13:1-3)

Posted on December 8, 2025 by Michael J Erdel

(Zechariah 13:1-3) ¹ “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. ² “It shall be in that day,” says the LORD of hosts, “that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land. ³ It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the LORD.’ And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies.

There are three layers to this prophecy from Zechariah. In order to understand the message for Christ’s church, we must unpack these three layers.

In the first place, this prophecy speaks to the Jewish remnant, which awakens to Christ in the very end of days. Secondly, what we read speaks specifically to the church in every age, until He comes; which we will examine in detail later in this article. Ultimately, this prophecy’s fulfillment is in the new heavens and the new earth, wherein dwells righteousness (Revelation 22).

FOR THE JEWISH REMNANT

The time is coming when “all Israel will be saved”. This must be understood to mean the remnant Paul speaks of in Romans 9-11, remembering that the true Jew is one with a circumcised heart. Lest we fall into the error of dual covenant theology, which suggest the Jews are saved by adhering to the Old Covenant, rather than through repentance and faith in Christ, we must hold that Jew and Gentile are saved through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore the audience is the Jewish remnant of which Paul speaks.

Romans 11:5 Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

This is important regarding when the fountain Zechariah describes will be poured out on the remnant, which sometime around the midpoint of the last seven years of earth, before Christ’s return. Revelation 11-13 reveals the approximate time. Specifically in Revelation 11’s.

Revelation 11:3 ³ And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

These two witnesses prophesy against antichrist for 3 ½ years, before being killed. Prior to their ministry a third temple will be rebuilt. These two witnesses are likely a civil governing leader and on of the Levite priestly class, as this follows the pattern set up in Zechariah’s 3 and 4. In these chapters two men are symbolized as two olive trees and two lamps stands, just as the two witnesses in Revelation 11:4.

In Zechariah the civil leader is one Zerubbabel, who oversaw the construction of the temple. The second is Joshua the high priest. As Antichrist seeks to build the third temple, it is likely the two witnesses are initially involved in its construction, but come to discover who the Antichrist is. At that time, which is at the beginning of the tribulation, they begin to prophecy and are untouchable, until their death.

Their ministry and death’s will awaken the Jewish people to the deception of Antichrist.

At that time, Satan, who is cast down from heaven as “the prince of the power of the air” (Revelation 12), will attempt to destroy the Jewish people, but be unsuccessful, after which He turns his hate on those who “keep the commands of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:17), who are Christians. He is then given authority to make war against the saints and overcome them (Revelation 13:7).

It is this collection Jewish believers we discover the “all” of Paul’s desire for “all Israel to be saved”. Once they see the suffering of the church and our testimony of Christ, revealing YHWH, they will “then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn”.

Wow! Hallelujah!!! What a great day. This is when the “fountain will be opened up” for the amplified purification of His remnant.

It is after this awakening, when our Jewish brethren, filled with the Holy Spirit, join us in our longsuffering, against Antichrist’s holocaust. We can surely know then, that our blessed Hope is near.

THE ULTIMATE FULFILLMENT IN THE NEW HEAVENS AN THE NEW EARTH

Before considering how Zechariah 13 1:1-3 concerns the Church of Jesus Christ, we will discuss the prophecy’s ultimate fulfillment, which comes about when Christ has made all things new and we dwell in a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwells righteousness.

In Jerusalem, after Christ has made all things new, where the throne of God and of the Lamb rests, we find this awesome fountain, which continuously restores and heals the nations.

(Revelation 22:1-5) ¹ And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. ² In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³ And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. ⁴ They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. ⁵ There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

(Ezekiel 47:1-2) ¹ Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. ²He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.

As this Fountain, this Flood, moves eastward gets deeper and wider and eventually ends spilling into the Dead Sea which is healed.

A necessary note is that this is an actually event in salvation history, as well as an indication of what the Lord Jesus Christ does to heal the nations now. In considering the imagery of Revelation 22:2 we see trees bearing 12 kinds of fruit for the healing of the nations. When considering Psalm 1 we can see that this reveals to the saints of God.

(Psalms 1:1-3) ¹ Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ²But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

In my next post we will discover the specific nature of this prophecy to the church and the remnant, and be challenged to let the fountain flow as intended, rather than damning it up. But until then, let me ask, are you a tree of Christ, where the lost can taste the fruit and see that God is good?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Antichrist, Christian persecution, John 7:37-38, the remnant, the two witnesses, Zechariah 13:1-3 | Leave a comment