My Weblog: The Gospel Preacher.

In Joel 3:12, it is written, " 12 Let the ¹heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Je-hosh´-a-phat: for there will I sit to ^ajudge all the ¹heathen round about. "  Judgment day is coming.  In Hebrews 9:27, it is written, " 27 ^aAnd as it is appointed unto men once to die, ^bbut after this the judgment. "  The phrase " ^ajudge all the ¹heathen round about, " in Joel 3:12, has a cross-reference to Isaiah 2:4, which reads as follows, namely: ( please read all of this chapter to get the immediate context ), " 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into ¹pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. "  In Luke 16:14-17, it is written, " 14 And the Pharisees also, ^awho were ¹covetous, heard all these things: and they ²derided him.  15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which ^ajusitify yourselves ^bbefore men; but ^cGod knoweth your hearts: for ^dthat which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.  16 ^aThe law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man ¹presseth into it.  17 ^aAnd it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one ¹tittle of the law to fail. "  Jesus ( see Luke 14:3 ) clearly stated that the law and the prophets were until John the Baptist.  In Malachi 4:4-6, it is written, " 4 Remember ye the ^alaw of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Ho´-reb for all Israel, with ^bthe statutes and judgments.  5 Behold, I will send you ^aE-li´jah the prophet ^bbefore the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 6 and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and ^asmite¹ the earth with ^ba curse. "  Moreover, in Matthew 11:11-14, it is written, " 11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.  12 ^aAnd from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.  13 ^aFor all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.  14 And if ye will receive it, this is ^aE-li´-as, which was for to come. "  The church of Christ is the earthly realm of the kingdom of heaven ( see Daniel, chapter 2 ( especially verse 44, for example ); Joel, chapter 2 ( especially verses 28-32, for example ); Luke, chapter 1 ( especially verses 31-33, for example ); and Acts, chapter 2 ( especially verses 17-21, for example ), for example ).  God says ( see Psalm 119:65-73, 142, and 151; John 17:1, 3, and 17; Romans 15:1-4 ( especially verse 4, for example ); and 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ) that everyone in this world who obeys Christ ( see John 3:16, 17, and 36; Mark 16:15, 16; Acts 2:38, 41, and 47; Romans, chapter 6 ( especially verses 3, 4, 10, and 22, for example ); 2 Corinthians 13:3; 2 Peter 3:2; 1 John 4:14; and Jude, verse 17, for example ), is pressing into the kingdom of God, the church of Christ.  The minor prophet Malachi prophesied concerning the coming of John the Baptist.  John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus ( see Matthew, chapter 3, for example ).  John's baptism was not for the remission of sins ( see John 1:31, for example ).  The baptism he performed was not the same as the baptism that he preached ( see Mark 1:4, for example ).  The latter baptism was the one baptism ( see Ephesians 4:5, for example ) for remission of sins, which is into Christ ( see Galatians 3:27, 28, for example ) — not John the Baptist.  The members of the church, from any nation in this world, shall not lift up sword against each other, neither shall we learn war anymore.  God says that there is peace on this earth only among Christians, members of the church, those whith whom He is pleased ( see Luke 2:14, for example ).  For a consideration of the church, please see the SmartArt graphic below:

The church of Christ is the bride of Christ.  In Ephesians 5:26, 27, it is written, " 26 That he might ¹sanctify and cleanse it ^awith the washing of water ^bby the word, 27 ^athat he might present it to himself a glorious church, ^bnot having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. "  Additionally, in Revelation 21:1, 2, it is written, " 21 And ^aI saw a new heaven and a new earth: ^bfor the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  2 And I John saw ^athe holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared ^bas a bride adorned for her husband. "  Jesus has only one bride, and it is not a religious denomination, party, or sect.

The wrath of God abides on all those who do not believe the Son.  Religion is a manner of life or way of living ( see Acts 26:5, for example ).  Those who do not believe the Son have chosen to live contrary God's will ( see Matthew 7:21-27; John 1:1, 14; and James 1:22, for example ).  Sinners ( see Matthew 26:36-46 ( especially verse 45, for example ), for example ) have chosen to follow Satan, rather than the Son of God ( see Matthew 12:30, for example ).  In Joshua 24:15, it is written, " 15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, ^achoose you this day whom ye will serve; whether ^bthe gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the ¹flood, or ^cthe gods of the Am´-or-ites, in whose land ye dwell: ^dbut as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. "  May we choose wisely, since there will be a judgment day.  Please seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read ( see Isaiah 34:16, for example ). 🕮