In His Own Words - What Jesus Taught

Jesus said we are to repent because kingdom of God has come.
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17 ESV)
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news!" (Mark 1:15 HCSB)

Jesus said if we set the correct goal, everything will be provided for.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33 ESV)

Jesus said we are to follow Him and He will offer us a job.
And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19 ESV)

Jesus said we have to love Him more than anything else.
Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37 ESV)
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26 ESV)

Jesus said if anyone loves Him, he will keep His commandments.
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. (John 14:15 ESV)
Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23 ESV)

Jesus commanded us to love one another.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. (John 13:34 ESV)
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (John 15:12 ESV)

Jesus said we should love our enemies just as God loves us.
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:44-45 ESV)

Jesus asked us to take up our cross.
And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:38 ESV)
Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:27 ESV)
Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24 ESV)
And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34 ESV)
And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23 ESV)

Jesus said we should not judge.
Judge not, that you be not judged. (Matthew 7:1 ESV)

Jesus said we have to judge.
Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you. (Matthew 7:6 KJV)
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17 ESV)

Jesus said do what the hypocrites say but do not do what they do.
"The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. (Matthew 23:2-3 ESV)

Jesus said He told His disciples things before it took place so that they will believe.
I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. (John 13:19 ESV)
And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. (John 14:29 ESV)

Jesus said we must eat His flesh and drink His blood.
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28 ESV)
And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. (Mark 14:22-24 ESV)
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:19-20 ESV)
So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever." (John 6:53-58 ESV)

Jesus said His Words are very important.
"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:24-27 ESV)

Jesus taught with authority.
And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. (Matthew 7:28-29 ESV)

Before resurrection, Jesus told his disciples to go to the lost sheep of Israel.
These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' (Matthew 10:5-7 ESV)

After resurrection, Jesus told his disciples to go to all nations.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

In His Own Words - Why Jesus Came

Jesus said He came to do His Father's will.
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. (John 6:38-39 ESV)

Jesus said He came to bear witness to the truth.
Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world - to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." (John 18:37 ESV)

Jesus said He came to be the light of the world.
I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. (John 12:46 ESV)

Jesus said He came to fulfil the Law.
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17 ESV)

Jesus said He came to proclaim the good news about the Kingdom of God.
And He said to them, "Let's go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach there too. This is why I have come." (Mark 1:38 HCSB)
But He said to them, "I must proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because I was sent for this purpose." (Luke 4:43 HCSB)
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19 ESV)

Jesus Christ said He came to call sinners to repentance.
And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." (Mark 2:17 ESV)

Jesus said He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel.
He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24 ESV)

Jesus said He came to seek those who are lost.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. (Luke 19:10 ESV)

Jesus said He came to save the world.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:17 ESV)

Jesus said He came to serve.
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. (John 13:14 ESV)
But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28 ESV)

Jesus said He came to suffer, die for the forgiveness of sins and resurrect on the third day.

He also said to them, "This is what is written: The Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead the third day, and repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46-47 HCSB)

Jesus said He came to give His life as a ransom for many.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45 ESV)
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:26-29 ESV)

Jesus said He came to die on the cross.
Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. (John 12:27 ESV)

Jesus said He came to die for all His sheep.
I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. (John 10:14-18 ESV)

Jesus said He came so that we can have life, and have it more abundantly.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 ESV)

Jesus said He came to give rest to the weary.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28 ESV)

Jesus said He came to give us peace.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27 ESV)

Jesus said He came to cause division.
Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. (Matthew 10:34 ESV)
Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. (Luke 12:51 ESV)

Jesus came for the judgement of the world.
Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." (John 9:39 ESV)

Jesus said He did not come to judge.
Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?" (Luke 12:13-14 ESV)

In His Own Words - Who Jesus Is

Jesus said He came from above.
He said to them, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. (John 8:23 ESV)
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. (John 3:13 ESV)

Jesus said He existed before Abraham.
Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." (John 8:58 ESV)

Jesus said that He is the Messiah.
The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he." (John 4:25-26 ESV)

Jesus said that He is the King of Israel.
Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so." (Matthew 27:11 ESV)
And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." (Mark 15:2 ESV)
And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." (Luke 23:3 ESV)

Jesus said that He is the Son of God.
And they all said, "Are You the Son of God, then?" And He said to them, "Yes, I am." (Luke 22:70 NASB)

Jesus said that He is the Son of Man.
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:27 ESV)
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. (Matthew 25:31 ESV)

Jesus said that He is the Messiah, the Son of God and Son of Man.
But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Matthew 26:63-64 ESV)
But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." (Mark 14:61-62 ESV)

Paul Preached Boring Sermons

Paul preached boring sermons. He was about the only preacher recorded in the Bible that actually bored someone to death.
And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. (Acts 20:9 ESV)

But the power of Paul's letters can still be felt among us today.
For they say, "His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account." (2 Corinthians 10:10 ESV)

This is the secret. You will never find any quotable quotes from Paul, but the power of the Holy Spirit is in his words.
And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5 NASB)

So if we listen to inspiring preachers, we must examine ourselves to see if we are moved by the preacher or by the Holy Spirit.

Qualifications Of Overseers/Elders and Deacons Compared

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:1-7 ESV)

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you - if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (Titus 1:5-9 ESV)

Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And they must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons. Wives, too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything. Deacons must be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently. For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves, and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:8-13 HCSB)

Characteristic	Overseer ἐπίσκοπον	Deacon Διακόνους
Have the desire	1 Timothy 3:1
Above reproach, ἀνεπίλημπτον	1 Timothy 3:2
Blameless, ἀνέγκλητος	Titus 1:6
Blameless, ἀνέγκλητον	Titus 1:7	1 Timothy 3:10
Husband of one wife	1 Timothy 3:2,Titus 1:6	1 Timothy 3:12
Children are believers	Titus 1:6
Household well managed	1 Timothy 3:4-5	1 Timothy 3:12
Dignified, σεμνότητος	1 Timothy 3:4
Dignified, σεμνούς		1 Timothy 3:8
Sober, νηφάλιον	1 Timothy 3:2
Self-controlled, σώφρονα	1 Timothy 3:2,Titus 1:8
Respectable, κόσμιον	1 Timothy 3:2
Hospitable, φιλόξενον	1 Timothy 3:2,Titus 1:8
Able to teach, διδακτικόν	1 Timothy 3:2
A lover of good, φιλάγαθον	Titus 1:8
Upright, δίκαιον	Titus 1:8
Holy, ὅσιον	Titus 1:8
Disciplined, ἐγκρατῆ	Titus 1:8
Gentle, ἐπιεικῆ	1 Timothy 3:3
Peaceable, ἄμαχον	1 Timothy 3:3
Not self-willed, μὴ αὐθάδη	Titus 1:7
Not quick tempered, μὴ ὀργίλον	Titus 1:7
Not given to (much) wine	1 Timothy 3:3,Titus 1:7	1 Timothy 3:8
Not lover of money or greedy of dishonest gain	1 Timothy 3:3,Titus 1:7	1 Timothy 3:8
Not a striker	1 Timothy 3:3,Titus 1:7
Not double-tongued, μὴ διλόγους		1 Timothy 3:8
Not a recent convert	1 Timothy 3:6
Good reputation with outsiders	1 Timothy 3:7
Teach sound doctrine, refute false teaching	Titus 1:9
Hold on to the faith		1 Timothy 3:9
Tested		1 Timothy 3:10
Women or Deacon's Wife, γυναῖκας		1 Timothy 3:11
Dignified, σεμνάς		1 Timothy 3:11
Not slanderers, μὴ διαβόλους		1 Timothy 3:11
Clear-minded, νηφαλίους		1 Timothy 3:11
Faithful in all things, πιστὰς ἐν πᾶσιν		1 Timothy 3:11

The Day of the LORD

The Day of the LORD is a day of wrath and a time for repentance. But there will be warnings and the Lord shall come as a thief in the night.

Let the nations be roused and come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down to judge all the surrounding nations. Swing the sickle because the harvest is ripe. Come and trample the grapes because the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because the wickedness of the nations is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the Day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. (Joel 3:12-14 HCSB)

This is part of Zephaniah 1:7-18, a long passage on the day of the Lord.
The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there. A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. I will bring distress on mankind, so that they shall walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD; their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them on the day of the wrath of the LORD. In the fire of his jealousy, all the earth shall be consumed; for a full and sudden end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. (Zephaniah 1:14-18 ESV)

Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes. (Joel 1:15 ESV)

Blow a trumpet in Zion; sound an alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains a great and powerful people; their like has never been before, nor will be again after them through the years of all generations. (Joel 2:1-2 ESV)

On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. (Isaiah 24:21 ESV)

Full context in Obadiah 1:15-21.
For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. (Obadiah 1:15 ESV)

For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. (Malachi 4:1 ESV)

This is part of Isaiah 2:6-4:6, a long passage on the day of the Lord.

For the LORD of hosts has a day against all that is proud and lofty, against all that is lifted up - and it shall be brought low; (Isaiah 2:12 ESV)

You did not go up to the gaps or restore the wall around the house of Israel so that it might stand in battle on the day of the LORD. (Ezekiel 13:5 HCSB)

For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2 ESV)

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. (2 Peter 3:10 ESV)

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 ESV)

Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. (Malachi 4:5 NASB)

Behold, a day is coming for the LORD, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst.  For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. (Zechariah 14:1-5 ESV)

I will produce portents both in the sky and on the earth - blood, fire, and columns of smoke. The sunlight will be turned to darkness and the moon to the color of blood, before the day of the LORD comes - that great and terrible day! It will so happen that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who survive, just as the LORD has promised; the remnant will be those whom the LORD will call. (Joel 2:30-32 NET)

And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Acts 2:19-21 ESV)

The day of the Lord is also mentioned in the judgement of the northern kingdom of Israel:
Woe to those who wish for the day of the LORD! Why do you want the LORD's day of judgment to come? It will bring darkness, not light. Disaster will be inescapable, as if a man ran from a lion only to meet a bear, then escaped into a house, leaned his hand against the wall, and was bitten by a poisonous snake. Don't you realize the LORD's day of judgment will bring darkness, not light - gloomy blackness, not bright light? (Amos 5:18-20 NET)

The day of the Lord is also mentioned in the judgement of Babylon:
The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The LORD of hosts is mustering a host for battle. They come from a distant land, from the end of the heavens, the LORD and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land. Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come! (Isaiah 13:4-6 ESV)

Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless. (Isaiah 13:9-11 ESV)

The day of the Lord is also mentioned in the judgement of Egypt:
That day is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on his foes. The sword shall devour and be sated and drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord GOD of hosts holds a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates. (Jeremiah 46:10 ESV)

For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. A sword shall come upon Egypt, and anguish shall be in Cush, when the slain fall in Egypt, and her wealth is carried away, and her foundations are torn down. (Ezekiel 30:3-4 ESV)

Church Leadership

Church leaders are

1. Appointed by the Holy Spirit
2. Gifted by Jesus Christ
3. To overseer and to shepherd
4. To teach and to defend the doctrines
5. Held accountable for the flock
6. Not to lord over the flock
7. Not to serve for gain

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood. (Acts 20:28 HCSB)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:11-14 ESV)

The overseer / elder
Qualification
Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:2-7 ESV)
This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you - if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. (Titus 1:5-9 ESV)

Appointed, with prayer and fasting
Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. (Acts 14:23 NLT)

Deacon
Qualification
Deacons, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not hypocritical, not drinking a lot of wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And they must also be tested first; if they prove blameless, then they can serve as deacons. Wives, too, must be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything. Deacons must be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households competently. For those who have served well as deacons acquire a good standing for themselves, and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:8-13 HCSB)

Elected
And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:2-4 ESV)

Exercise of authority
Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly - not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. (1 Peter 5:2-3 NLT)
But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28 ESV)
But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. (Luke 22:26 ESV)

The flock should

1. respect / obey the leaders
2. pray for them
3. imitate their faith
4. pay them well
5. not to entertain false accusation

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 ESV)
Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7 ESV)
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17 HCSB)
Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. (1 Timothy 5:17 ESV)
Don't accept an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. (1 Timothy 5:19 HCSB)

Aristotle, First Principles Thinking, Limitations and Presuppositions

"The things best to know are first principles and causes, but these things are perhaps the most difficult for men to grasp, for they are farthest removed from the senses ..." - Aristotle

I am not sure did Aristotle said this or someone put words into his dead mouth. Anyway, we are told that Aristotle always look for "the first basis from which a thing is known" or first principles for every new thought he started. But it is the same Aristotle that said that a heavier object will fall at a faster speed. Why did he not apply his first principles thinking and do some experiment to prove it?

Like all human, Aristotle suffered from this - limitation.

First principle thinking is wonderful, except that it has to cope with two limitations:

1. Limited time and resources
   It is not possible do everything from first principles. There is not enough time, skills, knowledge, resources and power to do that. You have to choose. How are you going to make your choice? That brings us to the second limitation.
2. Presuppositions
   Everybody has presuppositions. There is not enough time, skills, knowledge, resources and power to remove all presuppositions.

Ultimately you need faith. For those things that you do not have time to apply first principles thinking, you have to accept by faith what your senses, gut feeling, friends, authorities or even Google tell you.

Without faith, you cannot even take one step forward. How do you know that the ground in front of you can take your weight when you did not conduct any experiment to prove that it can?

Sola Scriptura vs Sola Ecclesia

Who has authority to interpret the Bible? Who has the final say - the Bible or the Church?

The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don't need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie; just as He has taught you, remain in Him. (1 John 2:27 HCSB)

Catechism of the Catholic Church - The Transmission of Divine Revelation Part 1 Section 1 Chapter 2 Article 2, 100
The task of interpreting the Word of God authentically has been entrusted solely to the Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to the bishops in communion with him.

Who should you believe, the Bible or the Roman Catholic Church? Let us examine some of the other verses in the Bible.

Jesus had given the authority to all disciples.
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)

He had promised that the Holy Spirit as the Counselor/Helper/Comforter/Advocate will guide.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive Him because it doesn’t see Him or know Him. But you do know Him, because He remains with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. (John 14:16-18 HCSB)
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit - the Father will send Him in My name - will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you. (John 14:26 HCSB)
When the Counselor comes, the One I will send to you from the Father - the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father - He will testify about Me. (John 15:26 HCSB)
When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come. (John 16:13 HCSB)

The apostles confirmed this.
Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (1 Corinthians 2:12-13 ESV)
But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. (1 John 2:20 ESV)
But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie - just as it has taught you, abide in him. (1 John 2:27 ESV)

Those who examine the Scriptures were considered more noble.
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17:11 ESV)

Just as we eat our food daily for nourish, we read the Bible daily for spiritual nourishment.
But He answered, "It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4 HCSB)

The Bible is the living word of God and has the power to convict.
For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 HCSB)

But the natural man cannot accept it.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV)

Checkpoints in New Testament Canonization

Here is a short, simple summary of checkpoints in the canonization process of the New Testament.

AD 50 - AD 95 The authors themselves
New Testament authors knew they were writing authoritative Scripture and also quoted other parts of the New Testament as authoritative Scripture. Churches were circulating these books although no one seemed to have thought of making an authorized list of books.

AD 110 Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna
These immediate disciples of the apostles wrote letters (Ignatius 7, Polycarp 1) with quotations from the New Testament.

AD 140  Marcion's truncated New Testament canon
Marcion of Sinope, founded a heretical sect and produced a list of accepted (which he used to support his doctrine) and rejected  New Testament books. In doing so, he kind of listed the New Testament books in circulation during his time.
Accepted - Luke Galatians 1Corinthians 2Corinthians Romans 1Thessalonians 2Thessalonians Ephesians (which Marcion called Laodiceans) Colossians Philemon Philippians
Rejected - Matthew John

AD 180 Muratorian fragment
The Muratorian Canon (also called the Muratorian Fragment) is an ancient list of New Testament books - the oldest such list found. The original document, which was probably written in Greek, is dated to about AD 180 and lists 22 of the 27 books of the New Testament.
Includes - Four gospels, Acts, 13 Pauline Epistles (exclude Hebrews), 1John and one more (not sure 2John or 3John) Jude, Revelation, Wisdom of Solomon
Omits - Hebrews, James, 1Peter, 2Peter, 2John or 3John

AD 322 Eusebius of Cæsaria
Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History 3.25.1-7 has 4 lists:
1. accepted works - 4 gospels, Acts, 14 Pauline letters, 1Peter, 1John, Revelation, total 22 books
2. disputed works - James, Jude, 2Peter, 2John, 3John
3. rejected works - Revelation (but it was on the accepted list)
4. heretical works - did not contain any works now regarded as part of the New Testament

AD 367 Athanasius of Alexandria
Athanasius's 39th Festal Letter listed the complete New Testament canon (27 books) for the first time.

A more detailed reference can be found in The Development of the Canon of the New Testament - Cross Reference Table Writings and Authorities and The Development of the Canon of the New Testament.

New Testament Canonization

New Testament authors quoting other parts of the New Testament as authoritative Scripture
Paul recognized Luke's Gospel as scripture
For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer deserves his wages." (1 Timothy 5:18 ESV)
When Paul wrote to Timothy he quoted a passage from Luke 10:7 as Scripture. This also proved that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of Apostles were finished and in circulation before Paul wrote the first epistle to Timothy. This collaborate with Acts 28:30-31 which was written by Luke, and finished off with Paul's first imprisonment. It also established the date of the epistle's writing as between Paul's first and final Roman imprisonments.

Peter recognized the letters of Paul in circulation as scripture
And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. (2 Peter 3:15-16 ESV)
Peter recognized the scriptural authority of Paul's letters and warned against twisting the words of Paul to justify heresies.

New Testament authors knew they were writing authoritative Scripture
Paul knew that he is writing scripture
If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. (1 Corinthians 14:37-38 ESV)
Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith - to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. (Romans 16:25-27 ESV)
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV)
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. (2 Thessalonians 2:15 ESV)
He declared that a true prophet would recognize that his letters are the command of the Lord.

Peter knew that he was writing scripture
I want you to recall both the predictions foretold by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. (2 Peter 3:2 NET)
Peter put the writings of the apostles (including himself) on par with the prophecies of the Old Testament.

John knew that he was writing scripture
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (Revelation 1:1-3 ESV)
John explicitly stated that the book he was writing was a revelation from Jesus Christ Himself. With the completion of Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ in about AD 95-96, the New Testament is closed. All books written after Revelation and claimed to be revelations of the God of Abraham from angels or prophets or the apostles or successors of the apostles are all false.

The following quote from this article "Early Christians Believed that Canonical Books were Self-Authenticating" by Michael J Kruger summarized an important point on the canonization of the New Testament - it is canonized by God, not men.

QUOTE
In the end, the church fathers teach us a very important truth.  The NT canon we possess today is not due to the machinations of later church leaders, or to the political influence of Constantine, but due to the fact that these books imposed themselves on the church through their internal qualities.
UNQUOTE

Canonisation of the New Testament

Criteria

1. The message
Christ died for our sins and He was buried and raised the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)

2. The authors of the message
The apostles and their associates were eye witnesses of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (John 21:24-25, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 1 Peter 5:1, 2 Peter 1:16-17, 1 John 1:1-3).
While Luke is not an eyewitness of the acts and miracles of Jesus, he was a eyewitness to the acts and miracles of Paul the apostle. (Luke 1:1-4, Acts 2:32, Acts 3:15, Acts 4:20, Acts 4:33, Acts 10:39-42)
Criteria of an apostle - eyewitness and with us from the beginning (Acts 1:21-22)

Condition

1. Christians were persecuted
Being a Christian in those days meant persecution that may result in death.

Process

1. By consensus, not officially sanctioned in an official meeting
As in many things in Christianity, such as the spread of Christianity in the first 200 hundred years (done not with political blessing nor power of the military, but by unknown itinerary preachers).
the acceptance of the New Testament was by consensus, not dictated by an official authority.

2. Eyewitnesses
Eyewitness authority of Paul (2 Peter 3:15-16), the apostles and their associates were recognized from the beginning. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and the letters of Paul were accepted, but there were some uncertainties about the general epistles.
In AD 367 the first historical list of all 27 New Testament books were listed in 39th Festal Letter by Athanasius bishop of Alexandria. The quote below were taken from this article in Christianity Today:
QUOTE
Athanasius wrote the list to end disputes about such texts as "The Shepherd of Hermas" or "The Epistle of Barnabas" which long had been regarded as equal to the apostolic letters. He also silenced those who had questioned the apostolic authenticity of Peter’s letters or the Book of Revelation. Athanasius states that "in these [27 writings] alone the teaching of godliness is proclaimed. No one may add to them, and nothing may be taken away from them."
UNQUOTE

Reference:
Do We Have the Right Books in the Bible? | Grace Communion International
367 Athanasius Defines the New Testament | Christian History
The Case for the Eyewitness Status of the Gospel Authors | Cold Case Christianity
The Apostles Wrote the Gospels as Eyewitness Accounts | Cold Case Christianity
How Can the Gospels Be Eyewitness Accounts If They Include Things the Writers Didn't See? | Cold Case Christianity

The Canonisation Process

The Bible is our final authority. But how can we be sure that all the books that are supposed to form the Bible is in the Bible? Who decides what goes into the Bible?

Divine perspective:
The short answer is God.
God, acting through human agencies, wrote the books that made up the Bible.
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)
First of all, you should know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from one's own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20-21 HCSB)

Human perspective:
The short answer is no one.
Canonization is a process. While the Bible is canonized, the history of the process of canonization is not canonized. There is no authorized record of how the books got into the Bible, just various historical records on how the Old and New Testaments were canonized.

The Word of God Sustains All Things

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. (Genesis 1:31-2:3 ESV)

But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working." (John 5:17 ESV)

And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17 ESV)

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. (Hebrews 1:3a HCSB)

But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. (2 Peter 3:7 ESV)

The whole creation seems to work like a clock. Everything works without the need of intervention. So wonderfully automated is this world the many ruled out the need for God. But the Bible tells us that all things are held together by the Word of God.

We can have a analogy (though I would consider it a poor analogy) of a computer system. Once the development of the computer system by the word of men is done and implemented, it still needs the IT Operations to run and maintain it and to hold it together.

We have no idea how the Word of God sustains all things. One day, it may be revealed to us. But until then, we just have to know that although no intervention seems to be needed in nature, God is actually sustaining the whole world by the power of His Word.

The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29 ESV)

The Winepress

The scariest event in the calendar of Jesus's second coming - the winepress of the wrath of God.

The place
I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it. (Joel 3:2-3 ESV)
Let the nations stir themselves up and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. (Joel 3:12 ESV)
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. (Matthew 25:31-33 ESV)
I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left." And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather." (Luke 17:34-37 ESV)

The harvest
Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the winepress is full. The vats overflow, for their evil is great. (Joel 3:13 ESV)
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe." So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe." So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. (Revelation 14:14-19 ESV)

The winepress
From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. (Revelation 19:15 ESV)
I trampled the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and ground them underfoot in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained. (Isaiah 63:3 HCSB)
And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia. (Revelation 14:20 ESV)

See Judgement.

The Coming Mass Extinction

Unbelievers maintained that the earth was always the same.
Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4 NASB)

Because of that, they failed to notice that the earth was once destroyed by water.
For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. (2 Peter 3:5-6 ESV)

The earth is now preserved for the coming destruction by fire.
But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. (2 Peter 3:7 ESV)

One fourth of the earth's population killed.
When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" And I looked, and there was a pale green horse. The horseman on it was named Death, and Hades was following after him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill by the sword, by famine, by plague, and by the wild animals of the earth. (Revelation 6:7-8 HCSB)

One third of the earth burnt.
The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire, mixed with blood, were hurled to the earth. So a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8:7 HCSB)

One third of the living creatures in the sea died.
The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain ablaze with fire was hurled into the sea. So a third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:8-9 HCSB)

One third of the fresh water became bitter.
The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from heaven. It fell on a third of the rivers and springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood, and a third of the waters became wormwood. So, many of the people died from the waters, because they had been made bitter. (Revelation 8:10-11 HCSB)

One third of the remaining population killed.
So the four angels who were prepared for the hour, day, month, and year were released to kill a third of the human race. (Revelation 9:14 HCSB)

All the sea creatures died.
The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died. (Revelation 16:3 NASB)

All the unbelievers died.
From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. (Revelation 19:15 ESV)
I trampled the winepress alone, and no one from the nations was with Me. I trampled them in My anger and ground them underfoot in My fury; their blood spattered My garments, and all My clothes were stained. (Isaiah 63:3 HCSB)
And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 1,600 stadia. (Revelation 14:20 ESV)

Once Saved Always Saved - 1

Once saved always saved is a very complex doctrine and tied up with other aspects of Christianity:

1. Grace vs Works.
2. Predestination vs Free Will

I shall go through it slowly and see if I can make myself clear. I shall start with two parables in the Gospel of Matthew.

The Parable of the Sower
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:1-8 ESV)

The Parable of the Sower Explained
"Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." (Matthew 13:18-23 ESV)

The Parable of the Weeds
He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, "Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn."'" (Matthew 13:24-30 ESV)

The Parable of the Weeds Explained
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Matthew 13:36-43 ESV)

In the parable of the sower, the seeds fell on four types of ground: the road, rocky ground, thorny ground and good soil. Except for those seeds which fell on the road, the seeds that fell on the other three types of soil initially produced something. Only in the good soil that they persist till the end.

In the parable of the weeds, both wheat and weeds looked the same in the field. It is only at harvest time that the wheat can be distinguished from the weeds.

What has this got to do with "Once saved always saved"?

From the perspective of the world (and some Christians), true and false Christians look alike. Nobody can see their hearts and tell the difference. They grow and produce some fruits. But ultimately, only those who persist till the end are revealed to be true. For those who do not persist, they seem to be Christians who have "fallen away".

The clearest example is Judas Iscariot. Is he not among the twelve? Did he not perform all the miracles that the other apostles did? When Jesus told the twelve that one of them would betray Him, none of them suspected Judas Iscariot.

When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" (Matthew 26:20-22 ESV)

But the Bible tells us very clearly that Jesus had kept all that was given to Him by the Father.

While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12 ESV)

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (John 10:28-29 ESV)

There are many Christians who thought that they are Christians, but are never truly saved. Like Judas Iscariot, they have joined Jesus with other motives. When they fall away, the world thought that salvation can be lost. But the Bible tells us that they are not of us from the beginning.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19 ESV)

Again, Judas Iscariot was the best example. Long even before the birth of Jesus, it has been prophesied in the Psalms that one who ate bread together with Jesus would betray Him.

Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. (Psalm 41:9 ESV)

But no one would have known until it happened. So did Judas Iscariot "fall away" or he was never among the chosen? But Jesus chose the twelve apostles, right?

Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." (John 6:70 ESV)

But Jesus knew whom He had chosen and Judas Iscariot was not among them.

I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' (John 13:18 ESV)

Once you can understand how Judas Iscariot was chosen and also not chosen, you will know how to interpret the Bible correctly and you will understand why a true Christian is "once saved always saved".

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV)

How Religions Got Started

Many believed that religion is invented because men realize that limitation of their understanding and control of the world they lived in. They created gods to explain the things that they cannot control or understand so that they would not look stupid, but instead, appear to understand certain mysteries. Many of these secular people believed that religions evolved first as a polytheism and evolved into monotheism as the thoughts of the people progressed.

And people became even more progressive and came up science and the scientific method that taught the people to think, to experiment and to prove. As science progress, ignorance was stripped away and the control of the environment increase. One by one, the gods started to lose their jobs. They were no longer required as an explanation for many things.

Secular people treat religion as part of the progress of mankind, something that may still have some good, but not always relevant to the modern world. Secular governments treat all religions as equal, tolerating them as long as they respect state control.

While the petty gods slipped away, one God continues to hold out against science, the God that created the heavens and the earth. While science has progressed to explained most things, science is still unable to explain creation. The best science can come up with is the Big Bang theory, but what caused the Big Bang? Nobody knows. So the God that created the heavens and the earth is still needed to fill the gap. Will He lose His job like the rest of the petty gods?

"Well," He said, "No." For He has another explanation on how religions were started. Men were created to believe in God. Religions were started when men refused to believe in the one true God. But since men were created to believe, something had to replace the true creator. Thus all kinds of gods were invented as a substitute. So first there was monotheism. Then it degenerated into polytheism. Since these gods are false, they could not withstand the scrutiny of science and they started to look stupid, giving all religions a bad name (called superstitions).

For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse. For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, four-footed animals, and reptiles.

Therefore God delivered them over in the cravings of their hearts to sexual impurity, so that their bodies were degraded among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served something created instead of the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen. (Romans 1:18-25 HCSB)