Jesus is the reason for the season. Who would have even thought of such a concept where the Creator of everything would enter His creation in order to save the human race from its bondage to sin, death and the Devil?
The prophet Isaiah said this would happen.
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
The name Immanuel means “God with us”. The name Jesus means “Jehovah is salvation” and Christ means “anointed one”. So, Jesus Christ means the anointed one who is the salvation of Jehovah.
Mass means “celebration” so Christ “mass” means the celebration of the anointed one. Christians celebrate the Son of God being born into the world on December 25th.
Jesus probably was actually born in the fall but tradition says December 25th. That may not be all wrong if we consider that Jesus may have been conceived in Mary around that date.
Christmas is a good time to ponder about why Jesus was given by God to deliver us. Ever since the fall of Adam, mankind was subject to sin and death. Nobody escaped. We were all born into the sinful flesh nature that Adam fell into.
Mankind was created in the image of God. We were to become imagers of God. We would reflect God on earth as Jesus/Jehovah our Creator reflects the Father to all of creation.
God told Adam that he must not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or he would surely die. Eve was deceived and ate of that tree. Adam was not deceived and most likely ate of the tree to save Eve. Adam could have been the first savior type in the Bible. He trusted that God would provide a redeemer for himself and Eve.
From the time that Adam disobeyed until Jesus rose from the dead, all the predestined sons of God were mortal beings living in the hope that they would receive salvation from a righteous God, but would be living and dying under the condemnation of the Devil. The kinsman redeemer that the predestined hoped for was Jesus.
Jesus was born into the nature of Adam’s sinful flesh, but His father was God. He had no sin. Jesus was the second and last Adam. This Adam could not be corrupted because He was God. When the Devil killed this sinless God/man, he defeated himself. This second Adam rose from the dead and gives spiritual life (1Co 15:45) to all the predestined drawn to Him by the Father.
By one man’s disobedience sin and death came into the world, and by one man’s obedience to be a sinless sacrifice, the predestined sons of God are made righteous.
Rom 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
God is giving the sons and daughters of Adam a free gift of salvation and all we have to do is receive it. This Christmas gift is not something that we can earn. God did it all.
It just makes sense to me that a righteous God would provide a way for our salvation. After all, we are not responsible for our fallen sinful human nature. We really had no say in the matter.
To escape sin and death we have to be born from above into the spiritual body of Christ. We must receive God’s gift (Jesus) so His Holy Spirit can makes us into His eternal nature.
Until we receive Christ, all who are living according to their flesh nature are under condemnation. The Ten Commandments were given to help show us our sin nature. The commandments were given to teach us that we need God’s savior. Those predestined to become sons of God will take the free gift of God (Jesus) and be saved from their fallen flesh nature. The tares that the Devil sowed in the world will not.
The tares in some sense are Adamic race lookalike’s with limited freewill. The software (mind/soul) these humanoids run on did not come from God. It came from their father the Devil. That is why tares that even claim to believe the gospel will depart from it. Their programming does not allow for belief in salvation by a righteous God. Like their father the Devil, they think they become like God through their own effort and self will. They cannot trust in God for salvation because they are not of God. Tares are not in the book of life. Their destination is the same as the Devil. They will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
As we approach the end days the tares have matured, become global and have organized. They are the people that want to remove the knowledge of God from the planet. They are the people that want to enslave everyone under religion or the collective state. They do not believe in inalienable rights given by the Creator. They will not tolerate free will. These lost souls believe the humanistic decrees of the perverted collective must be forced on everyone.
The tares will prevail on earth until the angels gather them to be burned at the end of the age. Apparently angels are aware of the difference. As we near the end of the age, these counterfeits should also become increasingly evident to Christians.
God knew that Adam would do what he did, but He created mankind anyway. That really means the buck stops with God. It was all factored in as part of the plan to defeat Satan. God knew how He would redeem mankind before He created Adam as a freewill creature. All things work together for good for those called according to His purpose.
The Devil thought he defeated God’s plan for mankind by deceiving Eve and later by killing the Kinsman Redeemer, but by killing an innocent man, he defeated himself. Those predestined to become sons and daughter of God did believe and they received Jesus the Christ.
I hope all the sons and daughters of God have a Merry Christmas! I know those who are programmed by Satan will just find the usual reasons to say bah humbug!
Don,
Wishing you are yours a very Merry Christmas! Thank you for this article and all the others throughout this past year. I always look forward to learning from you and all your followers on this site.
https://townhall.com/columnists/dennisprager/2004/12/21/in-defense-of-the-commercialism-of-christmas-n791651
x
The problem is not the gift giving. Those that want to celibate Christmas but do all they can to take Christ out of Christmas miss the reason for the celebration.
It is interesting that the tares have become more and more apparent, as never before. Excellent article and food for thought. May we all continue to watch, pray, and occupy until He comes again! Merry Christmas!
The Holy Roman Mass of Christ is a perversion, a mixture of The Holy and profane, a celebration for followers of pagan Jesus and not a celebration of bible Jesus. Right up there with Easter and Good Friday. May all true born again children of God recognise this fact and may all seekers of truth not be turned off by it and yet find The Lord Jesus as he is the way the truth and the life!
merry Christmas don, thnx for all the great articles
Daniel,
That can be true, but for believers celebrating Jesus, Christmas has nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Mass or paganism. If the Holy Spirit is drawing people to Jesus, they are going to come to know the truth no matter if we celebrate Christmas or not.
Merry Christmas Don and all,
I was pleased that our President Trump said Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. I don’t know what it means to him personally but I’m still pleased he made the proclamation publicly.
Hi Caitlin,
Merry Christmas! I am beginning to believe that President Trump has crossed over.
Thank you Don for the good article. We all need reminding of the great and wonderful salvation and hope provided by the arrival, death, and return of our savior. May you have a blessed Christmas and prosperous New Year.
Merry Christmas to all as well!
In regards to Adam eating of the tree to save Eve, what was God expecting Adam to do? Did God expect him to not eat and move on and leave Eve? I understand God would not want Adam to have disobeyed and sinned. Maybe God would have made another woman for Adam?
Hi Don,
Good article, as always. I have nothing much to add except to wish you and all here on your forum a very Merry Christmas and blessings for the new year.
Merry Christmas Jim,
Nah, God knew that Eve would be deceived before He made her. He also knew that Adam would join her. Where was Adam in Eve’s encounter with the shining serpent? Perhaps Adam was not performing the husband’s priestly duties and it led to her encounter with this supernatural being. So maybe Adam felt responsible and joined her in her fate.
Don,
“Where was Adam in Eve’s encounter with the shining serpent? Perhaps Adam was not performing the husband’s priestly duties and it led to her encounter with this supernatural being.”
Your statement just jumped out at me and I winced at how the evil one has corrupted so many in my sphere away from this godly, husbandly care. I know none of this is new in a fallen world, but it tears at me. I grew up in a broken home completely unprotected from Satan’s influence. When I was saved, the ones who should have protected me fought me every step of the way.
Poor me! Ha! No, I’m as rotten as they come without anyone’s help. But that idea of godly protection of a father! A lot of men have deep wounds from fathers caving to the insatiable demands of godless Woman. Would to God there were more strong Fathers, holding the feminine wiles in check!
The very idea sounds stupid to modern ears, we are so thoroughly corrupted.
Hi John,
In this fallen world we have all been by shaped to various degrees by things we had no control over. That is one reason why salvation has nothing to do with us.
Wishing you all Merry Christmas and a blessed New year. Praise and glory to God on High for this free gift of Salvation. Praise God for the hope he has given us in the name of Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you Don for all you do here on your blog. It is such a blessing to have a place to connect with others by discussing end times topics.
Hi Don & all,
Hope everyone had a nice Christmas.
And has a safe New Years.
Don wrote:
“the tares have matured, become global and organized.”
My thoughts about this, several years ago, was that the tares were being bundled together, in and outside the institutional churches. That we, the believing body of Christ were now on the outside looking in.
I’m referencing, Matthew 13:30
“Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”
This verse always struck me as having to do with the end times Harlot church, and the rapture. That the tares would be burned after gathering the wheat (believers) in the barn (heaven)(rapture). So picture if you will, a vast field, where the tares outnumbered the wheat overwhelmingly, and after they have been bundled, leaving small clusters of wheat spread far and wide all over the world, seems to be how the true body of Christ exist in these days. The Apostasy or falling away, has been fulfilled in these last days. Some interpret the parable as referring to the end of the age, and as
Matthew 30:39 does say so, I think it has a duel fulfillment, as there are many such instances in the Bible, and more specifically, prophecy. And Matthew 31-33 helps explain the condition of the church and world. Some think that Jesus is referencing only the Kingdom, and that the Leaven is the pervading influence of the Christianity, but I like many others, think that it has always had a negative connotation, like the law instructing the Jew’s to get ride of every speck during certain festival times. I think that the Leaven and the birds that nest in the mustard tree and overwhelm it, are another reference to tares. There will be tares before and after Jesus 1000 year reign on Earth. Believers have always been a remnant. Tares have been, always will be the majority. Until the end of the age, when they are cast into the lake of fire. Only then, will the the Kingdom be pure believers.
Hi David L,
That was Chuck Smith’s position. I do not know if it is correct.
I am doubtful that all present unbelievers should be identified as tares. Weeds cannot turn into wheat. The tares appear to be satanic plants they cannot ever come to the truth and be saved. Tares were most of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time. Many of the common people became believers. In the end times it is the tares that will take the Mark of the Beast and follow him.
Many if not most on earth will be converted to Christ in the great tribulation. That is how we get a number nobody can count around the throne. I also do not think that there will be tares on earth while Jesus reigns on earth. Satan is bound. Maybe shortly after the thousand years the satanic plants spring up again.
Hi,
If the timing is what we’re thinking (circa 20 years), that means the converts primarily consist of the “millennials” (depending on how you want to define them) — today, they are as nasty and evil and wicked as they can be, and so they enter the tribulation (if they don’t die first, like here in America).
Or something to that effect.
Interesting observation about the “tares.” I wasn’t thinking along those lines (although I was thinking more along the lines of conversion from tare to wheat, but your concept of “tares cannot become wheat” brings a different notion that I hadn’t contemplated).
I had a rough December (car accident, dealing with bone cancer in my dog), so I’ve sort of pulled out of “watching” and we didn’t bother with the usual Christmas activities – very few gifts, if any really, very quiet), and I’m not exactly looking forward to 2018.
Dr. Vernon McGee had a good Christmas message (i.e., “no room for Christ”).
Blessings… // Craig
Hi Craig,
Sorry to hear about your troubles. You remind us that we should all count the blessings that we do have because things can rapidly change. We all live in an age of many troubles. Even so, it is sure to come to an end relatively soon.
What a wonderful article. Thank you so much, Don, for all you do for the Kingdom of the Lord
Don,
When you say: “I am beginning to believe that President Trump has crossed over.”
Can you expand on that?
I have heard him called a “Baby Christian” by Dr. James Dobson. I hope it’s true, I have prayed for him.
Thanks and Merry Christmas to you and everyone!
Craig P,
I’m so sorry to hear about your travails. We lost our Staffordshire Terrier of 13yrs last yr. It’s hard, I know, and one regret was, I should have taken a few more pictures. The best advice I’ve ever received, is when things seem too large to handle, break it down into smaller things to accomplish. I’ll be praying for you and yours. May God comfort you in trying times, in the name of Jesus, amen.
Don,
I looked up Smith’s commentary on Matthew ch 13.and you are correct, we largely agree. I’ve never read, or listened to any of his resources. The whole of the parables are a rebuke of the Pharisees. Those on the other side of this for example,
John MacArthur, who I have read extensively, I just could not see it his way.
For those interested in Chuck Smith’s material, this site has both audio and written commentary.
This is for: Matthew ch.13
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_Mat/Mat_013.cfm
Hi Mark,
What he confesses and his pro Christian agenda suggests that he is a believer in Christ.
Hi David L,
Here is food for thought about the 7 kingdom parables that were included in my Revelation Commentary.
Chuck Missler gives us a small taste of this design and correlation in his teaching on Revelation:
As usual, a down to earth commentary by Don. Always a refreshing viewpoint to be found here. I have included it under January’s blog at rapturenotes dot com.
Keygar
Hi Don,
I came across your website several years ago and from then on I am an ardent follower of your blogs. I am a believer from Bangalore, India.
Can you elaborate on your comment:
“The tares in a sense are Adamic race lookalike’s with limited freewill. The software (mind/soul) these humanoids run on did not come from God. It came from their father the Devil.”
“As we approach the end days the tares have matured, become global and organized. They are the people that want to remove the knowledge of God from the planet.”
I thought these were killed / destroyed in Noah’s flood.
John.
Hi John,
The enemies of God were killed in the flood but obviously humans that survived had some offspring that reject God. The tares that grew up with the wheat have matured on earth and are now using modern mass media to become well organized and push the godless agenda (luciferian socialism). Their agenda is to defeat God’s people and establishing luciferian control on earth.
They are soulless people without any conscience. Whether they were born that way or lost their soul along the way is debatable.
I am not saying that all people that have not yet come to Jesus can be called Tares. I think Tares are those blinded by the Devil because their Father is the Devil. They will never comes to the truth to be saved.
Think of tares as psychopaths and sociopaths. They simply do not have a conscience. I am not saying that all labeled as psychopaths and sociopaths are tares either.
I think the mistake Christians make is thinking that tares can be saved. They will never accept the true gospel. Another mistake is thinking that those that are not Christians are all Tares. There is hope for all people but there is no hope for the demonic tares. Tares cannot be converted to wheat. They are only good to be gathered by the angels and burned at the day of the Lord. Prime examples of tares in the scripture is the high priests that Knew that Jesus was the Messiah but rejected Him anyway. Another is Judas. More modern examples would be Marx, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Alinsky,the Clintons and Obama.
Hi Don,
Thanks for the explanation.
John.
All believers have eternal life. All believers are predestined to be raised at the resurrection. We are not predestinated to be saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace ye are saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the GIFT of God, not of works. lest any man should boast. Faith is not a work or it could not be used in the same sentence that says it is faith without works. So John 6:40 is true. And this is the will of Him who sent me, that all that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have eternal life, and I will raise Him up on the last day.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also AFTER ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, 14 unto the praise of His glory. Not our glory. Notice we at regenerated by the Holy Spirit after we believed, not before.
Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Romans 11:6 it is all grace, not works, if it was by works it would not longer be grace, and if by grace it is no longer works. Jesus paid it all and we paid 0. We have nothing to boast in but the cross.
Second Timothy 2:13 What if we loose our faith? If we believe not, God is faithful, He can not deny Himself. Once we have believed we are sealed by the Holy Spirit forever and ever and ever.
Second Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, the foundation of God is sure, having this seal, (the Holy Spirit) the Lord noweth them that are His, and let every one that nameth the hame of Christ depart from iniquity.
First John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may KNOW YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. AMAZING GRACE, JESUS PAID IT ALL.
For God so loved the world, (everybody) that HE gave His only begotten Son,(Jesus) that WHOSOWEVER, (anybody) that believeth in Him, should not perish but HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. John 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me HATH ETERNAL LIFE.
Jesus said it, I believe it, and that settles it.
Merry Christmas Don and everyone. Don what are your thoughts on Jupiter and Saturn coming together for a bright star on December 21st? Do you think this is what happened in Matthew chapter 2? I do not think so, I think that was a supernatural event.
Hi Toby, and all,
This documentary on the “Star of Bethlehem”, I think you’ll find fascinating! Directly mentions the planets you are interested in. If this is the extended version, and I believe it is, the ending is quite awesome. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncoC9ZX2C6Y
Hi Toby,
The conjunction happens every so often, but I do not think that it was the star that the wise men followed. I think it was a comet. The star they saw in the east sky apparently was not visible after they got to Israel. Shortly after, it then appeared before them in the sky. That would happen when a comet goes around the sun.
Thank you for posting this. A good read in the midst of Today’s turmoil.
Merry Christmas to you Don and your readers.
I could agree with that Don, and thanks David yes I have watched that years ago very interesting.
The topic of predestination vs free will is perhaps the most complicated topic in all the scripture. How exactly they work in total synergy is possibly beyond human comprehension.
I have heard Dr. Andy woods describe it as both, as in we see it as being two exclusive points but that doesnt really have to be so.
Further, (my thoughts) we know there were corrupted humans before the flood and some of that genetic material survived. Based on a purely genetic argument you could arrive at a situation where the gentic markers are correct for a corrupted individual to be born. These people would not be eligible for salvation because while they would appear human they would not be fully human, thus “tares”. Since we are told in the end it will be as the days of Noah it is possible that this means the corrupted combination will become more prevelent. These individuals would not cause the dilema of predestination vs free will issue because the rule of salvation cant apply to them. Jesus was of pure descent on the womans side and divine on the fathers side, perhaps because Mary didnt have the corrupted genes. Thus, salvation is available only to people who arent of the corrupted race and who have free will. People of consience still choose sin ex David, Adam, Sampson, etc but repent where as others choose to not repent. So free choice of heaven or hell for those of free will and destruction for tares who arent human anyway.
Dawson,
Yike!
Human beings all have the same genetic material. We all descendants from Adam. Jesus the Kinsman Redeemer last Adam has the power to redeem all the descendants from the first Adam. There is not a satanic genetic line that cannot get saved. The Tares are from their father the Devil not genetically but spiritually. The only reason the Tares will not get saved is they are blinded by the Devil and will not believe the gospel. Jesus even said as much in the Luke 8:12 parable.
Sounds like the serpent seed doctrine, which is Cain is not the son of Adam, but Satan, as he is not listed in Adams geneology. Because Eve did more with Satan than what we read..so Cain is the first murderer. Satan began early trying to corrupt the human race seedline and we would not have Christs birth much later. John 8:44,45 stating that those of the seed of Satan are basically unsaveable. Many believe this
Hi Don.
I remember this article because I’m here to learn.
I know the Bible says death entered the world because of sin but I don’t have a concordance to look up the exact scriptures.
Does the Bible say that it was Adam’s sin? Satan was the first sinner and his sin predates Adam’s so could it be Satan’s sin that brought death to the world?
Hi Caitlin,
Satan’s sin did not bring death to the world before Adam because God created it all and said it was very good. Satan fell and then deceived Eve. Then Adam also ate of the forbidden tree. God told Adam he would die if he did that and he did die, and all his offspring also die. The Bible days that by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners (Ro 5:19). There was no sin on earth that results in death before the fall of man.
By the way, Toby and Dawson, the serpent seed doctrine is regarded as a heresy among those believing Christian orthodoxy.
Im sorry don. I was just thinking out loud, off the cuff if you will. I was misunderstanding the physical/spiritual seperation there. Hard to make since of free will and predestination but they are both spoken of and I dont think they have to be exclusive. Sorry for my off the cuff off topic conjecture.
Don
If this is off topic, just ignore. What do you think of the conjecture that the mark of the beast alters human DNA, and hence that is why people who take it are damned for ever?
Thanks
Dawson
They are not exlusive. Like i said they may not be able to be fully comprehended. You could write volumes on that topic alone.
We are all held accountable for rejecting Christ. However God predestined a certain number of people to be His children from the foundations of the world. We don’t know how they both are true. It’s clear it’s God that does the drawing of us to Him not the other way around. Sinful fallen man does not seek God.
Both predestination and free will have to be true. If you had one it would make us little more than robots. The other puts God out of ultimate control. Very complicated subject.
Hi Keygar,
It is off topic on this post but it is very possible that taking the Mark of the Beast alters human DNA.
Hi Don,
Ok with your answer but my follow up question would be why was there a Tree of Life in the garden if there wasn’t already death?
I’m trailing off topic so I’ll save it for another time.
Last night when I turned off the Christmas tree lights I said to my bird, “Look at our beautiful tree, Pineapple, this might be the last Christmas.”
Biden is on board for the Great Reset so alot of my focus is spent on wondering how long it will take to destroy what’s left of everything good.
Maybe cuz man was created with free will to choose what was good. If he had, he would have never known evil. Before his fall, He could have ate of the good fruit of the tree of life and never have died. In other words, when man was created, everlasting life for human’s was not predetermined by His Creator. Mankind can, and some still will, refuse to eat of the Tree of Life.
Merry Christmas Don and to everyone on your site. I feel like your site is a life line in an increasingly unmoored world. I look forward to your insight and commentary next year unless our Lord Jesus Christ takes us out of here. God bless all of you!
Don, Merry Christmas to you, yours, and all here. May 2021 be better than this year, but the most optimistic thing I can think of is we are that much closer to going home. Maranantha!
Same here, Merry Christmas everyone.
to quote a friend of mine, 2020 is about to turn 21 and start drinking… buckle up.
hey everyone,
yesterday for the first time in a long time i noticed that all the jesus movies on the history channels were cancelled for Christmas… they are truly trying to erase Christ in every way possible
Alex,
Seriously?
What was the reason they gave?
Derp,
i have no idea why but i just know that the movies were not there..i was getting ready to watch them like every year but this year they were gone