Strong Stable Standing
January 31, 2022 at 3:58 pm | Posted in Biblical standing, I Thessalonians | 5 CommentsTags: 1 Thessalonians 3, commentary on 1 Thessalonians, established, stability, stand fast, standing fast, strength in Christ, strong in the Lord, Sunday School lessons on 1 Thessalonians
And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
I Thessalonians 3:2-3 (emphasis added)
Paul left the church at Thessalonica, which created a new situation for the believers in Thessalonica – a troubling situation – but he wanted them to have peace, so he sent Timothy to “establish” them: to strengthen, comfort, and stabilize them. He didn’t want them to be “moved” – to be knocked down, spiritually speaking. Three things will help to “establish” or “stabilize” us in our walk with Christ, and will keep the circumstances that God may be allowing the devil to use against us from knocking us over. If we are truly established, obstacles can be experienced as slight bumps, rather than as major obstructions that completely topple us.
First, God has given us His Spirit (I Thessalonians 1:6). Second, He has given us His Word (I Thessalonians 2:13). Third, as we see in Chapter 3 , He has given us His Church: other believers who worship and serve and physically meet together.
For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.
I Thessalonians 3:8 (emphasis added)
He encouraged them to be stable, strong, resistant to being knocked down (using an architectural term), and that would encourage Paul and Timothy and Silas and the other churches. Believers encourage other believers by continuing to be faithful.
Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?
I Thessalonians 3:10 (emphasis added)
A table with three strong legs (the Spirit, the Bible, and the Body) will stand and be stable, but prayer is necessary as well.
Showing people that you are living for the Lord is a way of loving other people because it encourages them to see your example, but it is also encouraging to TELL other people that you see Christ in THEM. We do not glory in ourselves, but we see glory in our “knowledge” of Him (Jeremiah 9:23-24) – not our intellectual knowledge, but our personal relationship knowledge.
Paul was concerned about the FACT of the Thessalonian believers’ stability, and he was concerned about the QUALITY of this stability.
To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.
I Thessalonians 3:13 (emphasis added)
God wants blamelessness and holiness in His people, and the emphasis in this verse is on the coming of Jesus Christ with His saints, so we see that what’s pleasing to God is conformity to Christ. When you see the world going downhill fast is your “even so, come, Lord Jesus” an expression of your desire to get out of trouble, or an expression of your longing to be more like Jesus?
Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
I Thessalonians 3:1
Paul felt like he couldn’t stand it any longer. He needed to find out how His fellow believers were doing. He wanted to strengthen them, but he also wanted to see them strengthening themselves in the Lord. It wouldn’t be much fun planting a crop and working a field, thinking that you were NEVER going to see the harvest or taste the fruit of your labor. It wouldn’t be much fun taking care of sheep and seeing individual sheep prosper and grow, but never getting to see the whole flock together. It wouldn’t be much fun to tend a vineyard, pruning, keeping the vines off the ground, chasing away all those little foxes, gathering together the grapes, trampling them out, pouring the juice into new skins, and then never getting invited to the wedding reception where the product is consumed and where there is celebration, love, and joy.
That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.
I Thessalonians 3:3
We should not be moved by afflictions, because we are appointed unto them. There is no guarantee under the New Testament that faithful, godly believers will have health, wealth, worldly prosperity, recognition, or even good relationships IN THIS LIFE. However, there are quite a few verses that promise trials, trouble, persecutions, affliction.
Innocent Bystanders
August 20, 2012 at 11:48 am | Posted in Biblical standing, Common Expressions, II Timothy | 6 CommentsTags: 2 Timothy 1, Acts 22, Apostle Paul, common expressions from the Bible, divine calling, encouragement for Christians, forgiveness, matyrdom of Stepehen, standing by
And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Acts 22:17-21
The Apostle Paul was almost killed in a riot, but he was rescued by Roman centurions and allowed to address the crowd. Not only did Paul see Jesus alive, but Jesus spoke to him and told him what to do. Paul wanted to go back there very badly, and he even tried to talk Jesus out of sending him somewhere else, stating that when Stephen, the martyr, was killed, Paul had been a bystander. Paul called himself a bystander, but he did not consider himself to be an innocent bystander.
By doing nothing – just safeguarding the coats of those who stoned Stephen – Paul had consented to his death. The Apostle Paul knew that he was guilty, and he did not pretend that just standing by and watching absolves one from sin or guilt. Now that he had been born again, and had been appointed as God’s missionary to the gentiles, he was saying, in effect, “I can’t go where You want me to go, Lord, and I can’t do the things You want me to do, because I have to go back and make amends for my sins. I have to make up for what I did in the past.” Paul never wanted to go back to the role of a “bystander.”
Are you a bystanding Christian? Do you believe you can’t do anything for the Lord because of what you’ve done in the past? Jesus told Paul to “depart,” to stop being on “stand-by.” Jesus reminded Paul of exactly Who it was Who was sending him. Do you think God doesn’t know about your past? Your sins? Your failures? Do you think He’s making a mistake by calling you to get involved in ministry? To do His work?
Among Christians, there are no “innocent” bystanders. We’re all guilty before the sinless Savior, but our sins are forgiven. Our past is (not “will be“) forgiven. It’s time to stop being a “bystander” and to start departing.
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
II Timothy 1:9
We weren’t called because of what we did or didn’t do before we were saved – or because of any works God thought we might be able to impress Him with afterward. We were called according to His purpose and grace – before the world began.
Standing before the Throne: Man’s Responsibility
August 6, 2012 at 11:23 am | Posted in Biblical standing, The Great White Throne | 8 CommentsTags: Book of Life, God's judgment, Great White Throne, Great White Throne judgment, Jesus Christ, Revelation 20, sin
The Great White Throne shows:
I. God’s righteousness. All those who appear before God for judgment will be judged fairly.
II. Sin’s repulsiveness. God hates sin, and its consequences are severe.
III. Man’s responsibility.
At the Great White Throne where God will judge those who have rejected Jesus Christ, there will be certain books. One of the books will contain the record of the sins of the unredeemed. I believe the Bible will also be one of those books. But there is a third book mentioned.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 20:12 (emphasis added)
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:15 (emphasis added)
If you find yourself before this Great White Throne, you will be judged – but you will not be tried. The outcome of your trial would be a foregone conclusion. If you have not trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior, your name is not in that Book of Life. If you go to the lake of fire you will have no one to blame but yourself. There was a day when the King of the Great White Throne – when the Judge – hung on a Cross before all men. You weren’t there in person, but you know – deep down – in your heart of hearts – that it’s true. He hung before all men, and one day all men will stand before Him.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Revelation 20:11 (emphasis added)
Do you see that if you stand before God without Jesus Christ, you will stand before God completely alone? I’m not talking about the “God” you’ve seen in popular Christian art. I’m not talking about an effeminate male model with a trickle of blood running from his temple, pouting seductively at the artist. I’m not talking about a bumbling old grandfather who stumbles around to a laugh track while younger, cooler people get away with things that he’s too old to understand. I am talking about the God from Whose countenance heaven and earth will flee. You will be alone with HIM!
And I saw the dead, small and great…
Revelation 20:12 (emphasis added)
There are men in this world who are thought to be great “movers and shakers.” They have influence and power and authority in this world, over nations, over small groups of people and over vast numbers of people. But they will not be “great” before this Throne and they will not be excused. Nor will those who thought their sins would be overlooked because of their smallness. You may not be a big sinner in a small pond. In fact, you may be a very small sinner in a very large ocean – but, apart from Christ Jesus, you are an enemy of God and your sin makes you abominable to Him.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God…
Revelation 20:12 (emphasis added)
If you appear before the Great White Throne you will stand. There will be no excuses. We live in a day and age of excuses and rationalizations and shifting the blame. Someone commits a horrible atrocity which is unquestionably evil and one of the first things the media wants to do is start looking for someone else to blame: Was it something in his childhood? Was it a chemical imbalance? Was it society’s fault? None of that will wash before the Great White Throne. There, every man will be judged according to his works.
You do not have to stand in the place of the condemned and be judged before the King of the Great White Throne. Believe the Gospel, trust Christ the Lord, and be saved right now.
Standing before the Throne: Sin’s Repulsiveness
July 18, 2012 at 8:36 am | Posted in Biblical standing, The Great White Throne | 2 CommentsTags: breaking the rules, God's judgment, God's rules, Great White Throne, Great White Throne judgment, Jesus Christ, Revelation 20, sin, worldliness
The Great White Throne shows:
I. God’s righteousness. All those who appear before God for judgment will be judged fairly.
Furthermore, the Throne shows:
II. Sin’s repulsiveness
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Revelation 20:11-13
Has Satan or the world talked you into believing that as long as you are pretty much like everyone else, you are going to be okay? That it is okay to be just be one of the crowd? This thought is intended primarily for people who do not have a real and a personal and an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, but Christians – you listen to this too. This world does not need another pale imitation of itself. Do not “go with the flow.” Any old dead fish can float downstream. Don’t play around with sin. God made you and He made this world and He has the right to make the rules. The attitude of the world is “no rules, just rights,” but you will not be the exception to God’s rules. If you break them, they will break you. There is a wage for sin, and the wage for sin is death. You can choose your actions today, but when you stand before the Throne of God, you will not be able to choose the consequences of your actions.
Standing before the Throne: God’s Righteousness
July 2, 2012 at 12:26 pm | Posted in Biblical standing, The Great White Throne | 8 CommentsTags: books, books of judgment, Great White Throne, Great White Throne judgment, Jesus Christ, Lord God Almighty, Revelation 20, righteousness of God
The Possessor of the Great White Throne is the Lord God Almighty, who will judge His creatures. The Power of His Throne is great – no one will dare to challenge or even come close to having the strength to challenge His right to judge. His Throne is Pure. Judgment against sinners shall be passed before this completely white and holy throne.
The Great White Throne shows God’s righteousness. Those who stand before this Throne will get a fair hearing. The evidence will be incontrovertible.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Revelation 20:12 (emphasis added)
The evidence against the unconverted will be in these books. If you die having not been born again in Christ Jesus, then you will be there when these books are opened, and a record of everything you have ever done and everything you have ever said will be in one of those books. Another one of the books will be the Bible. Have you ever thought about the things you have done and said – the things you do and say – and then laid them alongside the commands and precepts of the Bible? The objection that you don’t understand everything in the Bible will not be an excuse. The fact is, if you have bothered to read it, then you understand some very important things already. Mark Twain once said that it was not the things he didn’t understand in the Bible that scared him. It was the things he did understand. The idea that your actions and your words have been – and are being – recorded in God’s book is bad enough. But it goes even further. Every thought – every secret thought of your heart – is recorded. They are all written down in the King’s book. You will not be able to argue that it is unfair for God to judge you by your actions, and to plead that He should be taking into account the attitude of your heart. For your heart will condemn you even more than your words and actions. Can you imagine every thought you’ve ever had being played out on a public viewing screen? You will want to do anything to keep this book from being opened! But it will be opened.
There is only one thing that can blot out the record of your sins from that book. It is the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Have you called upon Him to save you? If you are reading this, it is not yet too late.
Standing before the Throne: Purity
May 18, 2012 at 9:22 am | Posted in Biblical standing, The Great White Throne | 6 CommentsTags: absolute power, corruption, Genesis 18, God's judgment, Great White Throne, Great White Throne judgment, holiness of God, purity of God, Revelation 20
We have examined:
I. The Throne’s Possessor
II. The Throne’s Power
Now,
III. The Throne’s Purity
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Revelation 20:11 (emphasis added)
This is a Throne which is both great and white. It easy to imagine the potential problem for a king who sits on a throne this powerful. We know from recorded history and from our own experience that power tends to corrupt. The famous maxim is that, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” However, here we have a King who sits on a Throne yielding power that is magnified to an extent far beyond what our finite minds can even conceive of when we think “absolute.” Yet this Throne is completely white – completely pure. This King has never sinned. He has never done iniquity. He has never committed any type of wickedness.
… Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Genesis 18:25
Our hearts seize upon this idea that His Throne is pure and that He always does what is right! How horrible would it be to have an all-powerful judge – an all-powerful king – who is the least bit inclined toward wickedness? The thought of God’s pure goodness makes us glad… but it should also make us afraid. For the King who sits on a Throne that is both great and white can not have sinful creatures come before His Throne without judging them by a perfect standard.
Now you begin to see the problem. The Possessor of the Throne will be your judge and the power of the Throne is great. No one will dare to challenge – or even come close to having the strength to challenge – His right to judge. Not a single soul will be pure enough to pass judgment before this completely pure and white and holy throne.
Have you met the One Who is willing and able to take your place before that Throne and meet God’s perfect standard of righteousness on your behalf? Time is running out. He wants to save you from this terrible judgement. Will you trust Him?
Next time we will see how the Great White Throne exhibits God’s righteousness.
Standing before the Throne: Power
May 4, 2012 at 11:52 am | Posted in Biblical Power, Biblical standing, The Great White Throne | 5 CommentsTags: Great White Throne, Great White Throne judgment, Hebrews 4, King of Kings, mega, omnipresence of God, power of Christ, power of God, Revelation 20
Last time we looked at:
Now let’s look at:
II. The Throne’s Power
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Revelation 20:11 (emphasis added)
The Greek word for “great” in that verse is “mega.” A device which makes your voice sound loud and important is called a “megaphone.” A department store which is the biggest store we can imagine is called a “mega-store.” A big city is a called a metropolis, but a city which is almost too big to comprehend – a city made up of several big cities – is called a megalopolis. If an atomic warhead could explode with the power of one million pounds of dynamite, we would call it a “megaton” bomb. This throne – this GREAT White Throne – is the greatest, the most magnificent, the most powerful throne that you will ever see. It makes King Solomon’s throne look like a child’s plastic toy throne. If you could take the greatest thrones of all the greatest men in the history of the world – the thrones of Pharaoh, the kings of Babylon, Ghengis Kahn, Alexander the Great, Caesar, George III, all the Kings of England and Europe, the gold thrones of the Aztec empire – if you could combine them all together into one magnificent, giant throne – it would be nothing – it would be like a cardboard cut-out of a throne – compared to the Throne upon which this King sits: the Great White Throne of the King of Kings.
The kings of all the thrones and kingdoms of this world will tremble and fall before this Throne – before this King – with Whom we have to deal. This throne is so high, and the King who sits upon this Throne is so powerful, that…
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Hebrews 4:13
He is watching you now. He sees you, yet you do not see Him. Are you living in submission to His power? Or in defiance of it?
Next time: The Throne’s Purity
Standing before the Throne: Possession
April 18, 2012 at 1:59 pm | Posted in Biblical standing, The Great White Throne | 19 CommentsTags: Acts 17, Great White Throne, Great White Throne judgment, Jesus the King, John 5, judgment of God, King of Kings, Psalm 24, Revelation 20
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:11-15
The King of all kings is sitting on a Throne. Will you stand before Him one day? Are you prepared to stand before the King of all creation and be judged?
Lord, thank you for Your great plan of salvation. It is a grace-gift offered freely to us – even though it cost You so much. When we look in Your Word we see that we are so unclean – and we have no excuse. We are undone. All our reasoning, all our speculation, all our schemes and imaginings amount to nothing. Lord God, help us not to just put You “first.” Help us to recognize that You are now, have always been, and will always be so much more than just “number one” out of many others. Help us to see that You are worthy ALONE, and that You alone can save and sanctify. In the Name of Christ Jesus I pray. Amen.
Most of our lives are passed in a haze of distraction. We are caught up in entertainment, in amusements, in the day-to-day business of earning and spending money, and tending to our families and talking to our friends. It is as if all three of our enemies – the devil, the world, and our flesh – are conspiring to keep us preoccupied with the temporal and superficial. But there are times – maybe a five minute interlude of unexpected solitude – when we get what recovering alcoholics sometimes refer to as a “moment of clarity.” The cold water of reality hits us in the face and we suddenly see what life is really about. This can be terrifying – and terror is a rational response. Here’s why: Within a relatively few years everyone reading these words will see God. And the stark reality is that the most pressing issue in your life is: How will you be judged when you stand before His Throne?
If you are truly a Christian – if you have been truly born again – you will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Your works will be judged there, but you won’t be judged for your sins. The reason why you will not be judged for your sins if you have been truly born again is that Christ Jesus was already judged in your place.
For those who are not truly Christians there is another judgment. If you choose to reject God’s Son, you will stand before God and be judged by Him at His Great White Throne. There are three things I want us to see about this Throne.
I. The Throne’s Possessor
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Revelation 20:11 (emphasis added)
The Possessor of this Throne is the King. In fact, He is THE King of kings – the Lord of lords. He is the Possessor not only of this Throne, but of all of Heaven and of Earth – of all creation. This is a King who once appeared Himself before the judgment seat of men. Pontius Pilate sat on a judgment seat with Jesus Christ standing before him, and he bartered over him. He used Him like a pawn to bargain with King Herod. He trifled with this Man Who was a King, but the real King will one day judge Pilate.
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
John 5:22
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
You see, God never stopped being God, but in the Person of Jesus Christ He became what God had never been before: a Man. Men crucified Him and He laid down His life. They buried Him, but the grave couldn’t hold Him. He was resurrected and He ascended. He came – in the body of a Man – to the gates of Heaven. Imagine the scene with me… Can you hear the silence within? The gasping and the holding of breath within the courts of Heaven? Who is this One who dares to come to these gates? What manner of man – a MAN! – dares to approach where only angels have come before? And this Man says,
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psalm 24:7
Can you see the significance of this? A Man commanding the ancient gates to lift up! Perhaps a lone inhabitant of the Heavenly City dares to speak up:
Who is this King of glory..?
Psalm 24:8(a)
And the reply comes back:
…The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
Psalm 24:8(b)
Now – with great authority – not a request for admission, but a command:
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.
Psalm 24:9
The gates lift at His command, and this King of Glory enters… All bow before Him. All give Him praise and honor and glory. All worship and adore Him. He goes up to the Father – to the Father’s right hand – and He sits on a Throne that is both great and white – and He looks to the Father, and He says, “Father, it is finished.” Not a question. No hint of not belonging. Perfect Son and perfect Father and perfect Holy Spirit – all Three in One. The Father looks at the Son, and says, “Yes, Son – it is finished indeed.” Oh, can you see the Possessor of this Throne – the rightful Owner – the rightful King!
Maybe someone at some time has exhorted you to make Jesus “Lord of your life.” Maybe you have been told to “crown Him King.” Perhaps someone has pleaded with you to “put Him on the throne of your heart.” But according to the Bible, God has already made Him Lord over all!
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
Acts 2:36
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
Acts 10:36
He is Lord over His children and over His enemies. He reigns and rules in Heaven and on Earth and in hell. One day you will stand before Him in judgment. Are you ready for that day?
The Lord is the Possessor of the Throne. Next time we will look at the Power of the Throne.
Standing with Daniel
January 11, 2012 at 9:13 am | Posted in Biblical standing, Daniel | 4 CommentsTags: Bible lessons on Daniel, Book of Daniel, commentary on Daniel, Daniel, making a stand, stand-up guy, Sunday School lessons on Daniel, the Prophet Daniel
There is an expression you sometimes hear in old movies for a man who is loyal and trustworthy and can be counted on to do the courageous thing in difficult circumstances: “a stand-up guy.” The prophet Daniel was such a man. From his youth on through the later years of his life Daniel was a man of character and integrity who stood strong for the Lord in adverse situations. He is a great role model for Christians today.
Here is a review of the lessons on the Book of Daniel:
1. Stand Up for Jesus (1-2)
2. Character and Integrity Part 4 (1) (*)
3. After the Fire (2-3)
4. Beware the Five Fingers (5:5)
5. The Handwriting on the Wall (5:3-23)
6. Diverting the Flow of the Word (5:23-30)
7. The Lamb Cows the Lion (6)
8. Blesschatology (7)
9. The Ancient of Days (7:9)
10. Comparisons, Calculations, and Christophany (8-10)
11. Looking Forward to What Has Already Been Sealed (11-12)
(*) most-read post in series
The Deep End 
These Shoes Are Made for Standing
October 30, 2023 at 3:27 pm | Posted in Biblical standing, Ephesians | 1 CommentTags: armor of God, Biblical reconciliation, Biblical walking, commentary on Ephesians, Ephesians 6, Gospel of peace, Isaiah 52, spiritual warfare, Sunday School lessons on Ephesians
Ephesians 6:15
We normally think of shoes that are made for walking, but, when it comes to spiritual warfare, we need shoes that are made for standing. Many Romans soldiers had two pairs of sandals: one for marching/traveling (with straps lower down on the ankles) and one for fighting (with straps higher up on the calves). The idea of having our feet shod with the Gospel is not so much the idea of preaching the Gospel (although that is very important); the emphasis instead is on the preparation. Be prepared for Satanic attacks that can weaken your stand by maintaining a state of readiness.
In Ephesians the Gospel is associated with reconciliation: peace between Jews and gentiles, and peace between God and man. Satan doesn’t like reconciliation. He loves to divide and conquer. He causes division. We must be prepared by remembering and having our “feet” – our foundation for standing – grounded in unity. We need to be focused on seeing people reconciled to God, including people that the world says are not like us, and with whom therefore, again, according to the world, we should not get along. In Christ’s atonement He made us one with the Father, so we must not let the devil cause us to doubt our standing with Him or His familial love for us.
Isaiah 52:7