INTRODUCTION
About this Website
The Bible reveals how God created the heavens and the earth for a purpose. This website is about that purpose and how we can fulfil it. It is about the Good News that Jesus announced – the Good News that was taught by the early Christian church as recorded in the New Testament gospels and letters.
This website is not affiliated with any existing church or organisation.
How this Website is Organised
What follows is divided into two main sections – the first is an overview of what the Bible reveals about God’s Plan for us, while the study guide that follows is a detailed reference, showing the Scriptures that support each statement.
I wrote most of the first section very quickly after reading the Bible from beginning to end – much like assembling the pieces of a jigsaw when there is a clear pattern to follow. I have revised it many times, only to make minor grammatical changes, or to express a concept in more detail. I still read it and stand in awe of the wonderful simplicity and great majesty of the purpose that God is working out.
The study guide that follows validates the scriptural basis for what is said. This is important because anybody can claim that anything is true. The only sound basis for proving what really is true is to carefully measure what is claimed against what the Scriptures say. The study guide groups the relevant Scriptures together so that they are easy to find and refer to. However, this is no substitute for reading the whole Bible from cover to cover. Both are important.
Understanding Scripture
Put aside everything that you think you already know and ask God to help you to understand. If you read something that challenges what you believe, check the references. Check different translations. Make sure for yourself that you understand what the author really intended to say. The Bible Gateway at www.biblegateway.com is an excellent tool for this purpose.
Some of the content in here may cause offence because it is so different from what you may have been taught, or prefer to believe. That isn’t my intention to criticise or to cause offience. In the end, it is not my opinion, or understanding of Scripture, that matters. The Scriptures say what they say. Each person must decide for themselves whether or not they will accept what they read, including whether or not they will change their lives based on what they learn.
The Bible was written to provide everything that we need to know so that we can achieve God’s purpose for us. It was not written to be a definitive statement of everything we might like to know about God and human history.
Many prophecies were sealed up until the end time and most could not be fully understood until after they had been fulfilled. John 12:14-16 CEVJesus found a donkey and rode on it, just as the Scriptures say, "People of Jerusalem, dont be afraid! Your King is now coming, and he is riding on a donkey."
At first, Jesus disciples did not understand. But after he had been given his glory, they remembered all this. Everything had happened exactly as the Scriptures said it would.. Some passages in the Bible describe things that may have been common knowledge at the time they were written, but that knowledge is now lost. We are also limited by what our human minds can understand about the full glory of God and the spirit world.
Paul described it best when he wrote to the church members in Corinth: “Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 NLTNow we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.
All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.
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We also need to be very careful about using our own reasoning to interpret what is written in Scripture. The prophet Isaiah wrote under inspiration: “My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 NLTMy thoughts are nothing like your thoughts, says the Lord. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.. Also read Romans 11:33-36 CEVWho can measure the wealth and wisdom and knowledge of God? Who can understand his decisions or explain what he does? "Has anyone known the thoughts of the Lord or given him advice? Has anyone loaned something to the Lord that must be repaid?" Everything comes from the Lord. All things were made because of him and will return to him. Praise the Lord forever! Amen.. We need to accept that we can only know about God what he has revealed to us.
The following section that describes Lucifer’s possible role in creation is interpretation on my part. I have included it because it appears to be in harmony with what Scripture has revealed as well as with the scientific knowledge that is available today. It may help those who would stumble on the Genesis account of creation given what we now know about the age of the earth and the development of life on it.
However, there may be another explanation and the Scriptures are not precise on this. God has not chosen to reveal everything to us in full detail. Read all of 1 Corinthians 13 to see what the apostle Paul says is far more important.
What follows about God’s plan and purpose for us is not some new interpretation. What is recorded in the Bible is clear and easily understood if only we are willing to read and accept what it says. I have only tried to explain as clearly as I can what you can read for yourself in your own Bible.
Academic knowledge is not necessary. You don’t need a degree in theology or any other academic qualification. Understanding comes from accepting what is proven and changing your life to live by it. You must willingly set aside your natural human desire to decide for yourself what is right and wrong and allow God to reveal that to you through what you read in his Word.
What you read will not convince you unless God is helping you by removing the barrier to understanding Scripture that he placed in our minds. He also needs to help you to make the changes that you need to in your life. Luke 24:44-45 NIVHe said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.. The barrier is there for your protection – so you won’t be judged guilty of having understood the truth only to have rejected it. 2 Peter 2:20-21 NLTAnd when people escape from the wicked ways of the world by learning about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up with sin and become its slave again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the right way to live than to know it and then reject the holy commandments that were given to them..
Paul wrote to the members of the church at Corinth that “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 NIVThe person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit..
You need to ask God to remove that barrier and then to help you to understand. You must be willing to act on the understanding that you receive.