'I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you’

[The Hare]

BTW, I am still on the lookout for any preaching, book or sermon that treats Gen 12:3 in the light of Christian treatment. I have heard, watched or read may expositions over that verse with regards to Israel or Jews. 

Once again, if you have come across any pastor, evangelist or Christian writer who had touched on this matter, please let furnish a link. 

[AdHoc]

12 hours ago, The Hare said:

Is there any mention of Jews here?

Thanks for your reply. The position you hold is popular. I would like to answer your objections.

1. In Romans 9:3-4 Paul states that Israelites are "his BRETHREN according to the flesh". In the case of Jesus it is the same. Romans 1:3 says that "according to the flesh He came from the seed of David". To be "brethren" one must have the same FATHER. If all Israel  came from Isaac and then Jacob, they are "brethren". In Revelation 7:1-8 we see a REMNANT of Israelites specially sealed so that the mechanisms of the Great Tribulation do not "hurt" them (Rev.9:4). But they are of the Tribes of Israel indicating that they are still in unbelief (If they were believers they would be members of the New Man where there is neither Jew nor Greek). So, during the Great Tribulation there are "brethren" who, being born to women, are less than the least of those born to the Holy Spirit (Matt.11.11, Lk.7:28). These Israelites would be rightly called "the least of Christ's brethren".

2. From the parables on the Kingdom of heaven we know that certain "servants" will not be allowed into the Kingdom. Let us take Matthew 7:21-23 as you proposed. These men and women who make claim to the Kingdom must be all Christians for Mark 16:17 says that casting out a demon is a SIGN of a Believer. The Lord also explained that Satan would never cast out one of his own as his kingdom would collapse (Matt.12:26). Added to this, these people claiming the kingdom are at a special judgment only for those eligible for the kingdom (1st Cor.15:23). Only those "who are His" are raised when "He comes". Added to this, those people knew the Lord in their lifetime (when the did the miracles in His Name). Added to this, to do miracles in His name, one must have POWER. The power is received at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Lk.24:49, Act.1:8). To receive the Holy Spirit for POWER one must be water Baptized (Act.2:38). That company making claim to the Kingdom in Matthew 7 can only be born again Christians, baptized and immersed i the Holy Spirit. They are refused not because of FAITH. They are refused for not DOING the will of the Father.

The will of the Father in heaven is lie that of a General in the military. He has the overview and the strategy. He not only distributes the Holy Spirit for POWER, but he decides when to implement it. WE are corporals. Today we do this and tomorrow we do that - BUT ALL ON ORDERS. The company who claimed the Kingdom did NOT do the will of the Father. They used their weapons, but had o immediate order to do it. Why? Because they wee not intimate with the Colonel. Our Lord Jesus, Head of the Church and King of the kingdom does not say that the works were iniquitous. He accuses the men of being "workers of iniquity". The men are iniquitous and may not enter the Kingdom. They knew the Lord. They were Baptized and had received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. They did do miracles and they knew they were works of God. But they acted alone without orders.

15 hours ago, The Hare said:

But I believe the sheep and goats parable refer to the ultimate fates of believing Christians  vs unbelievers of all hues. Nothing more.

This is the majority view held by the Church today. But consider this. Those judged are "ALL nations". This is a designation for the UNBELIEVER - the Gentiles. Paul, when rejected by the Jews turned fully to the Nations. I could bring dozens of examples. Here is one from Galatians 3:8;

 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed

The heathen justified by FAITH (the Church) will bring BLESSING to the HEATHEN who belong to ALL Nations. And to confirm this, the judgment is NOT concerning FAITH. ALL Nations are judged on WORKS - what they did to "the least of the Lord's BRETHREN. The Lord's Brethren are CONTRASTED with "ALL Nations". Finally, far from being "believers" those of ALL Nations did not know about Jesus. Even the most elementary Christian knows of Paul's conversion and that Jesus said "if you persecute my people you persecute me .. "! But those judged did not know this. One last point is that this judgment was before "The Throne of His glory". We Christians are NOT judged before this throne. We are judged before the BEMA (Rom.14:10, 2nd Cor.5:10) a traveling throne because we meet the Lord in the air at His COMING.

Weigh each statement I have made. Is each one true? If they are then the majority have missed the meaning and are making one of the biggest mistakes that a Christian can. Those of "ALL Nations" are judged by WORKS. FAITH is never mentioned. The "Sheep" are sheep by WORKS and so are the Goats goats by WORKS.

[RdJ]

On 4/8/2024 at 2:40 AM, The Hare said:

But more to the point, I am still wondering whether anyone has ever written or preached on the subject of blessings or curses which befall a nation based on its treatment of Christian believers. If anyone has any link or book to recommend, I'd be obliged. 

I know that this text is used for Israel and by money preachers so you won't dare say they're wrong, but about christians, no I have never heard that one. Interesting. God won't let the land be destroyed if there are christians. The blood of the martyrs is the seed for revival, but if they keep refusing and they shake the dust off their feet, that's bad. It's still grace time, but in the last 7 years there will be places that will accept Him, but those that don't and persecute christians will be pitch black and then you get judgement. They'll be anti God, anti Jesus, anti christians and anti Israel.

Judgement only comes if the measure of sins is full and judgement begins in the house of God. God who now curses nations? I doubt it. There was a city where they treated them very bad, so they prayed and the city got saved. A pastor got killed by his neighbour and the city got revival.

Edited April 9, 2024 by RdJ