The Good News of God’s Plan

The Bible tells us that God has four perfect attributes, namely, Wisdom, Justice, Love and Power and that each one harmonizes with the others. Our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth in harmony with God’s will and of His own accord without being pressed or forced to do so (John 10:15-17). God is Love (1 John 4:8), and Jesus is also filled with love for suffering humanity, which has been dragged into the abyss of sin and death by its archenemy, Satan. It was this enemy who, through falsehood, deceived our mother Eve. She then tempted Adam to disobey God. Thus, both Adam and Eve were cut off from the only Source of life. See Genesis 3:1-9; John 10:10.

Satan is called by our Lord Jesus “the father of lies” (John 8:44) because there is no truth in him. Today, he still deceives mankind in many ways by mentally blinding them to God’s truth (2 Cor. 4:4). But those who have been called and chosen by God and who continue faithful will not be deceived by this enemy because of the unction and abiding of the Holy Spirit of Truth in them. Fully tested, they will live and reign with Jesus to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead and the restoration of all things. See John 5:28, 29; Acts 3:19-23.

The term Gospel means good news, the good news being that Jesus Christ died “a ransom for all to be testified in due time” (1 Timothy 2:3-6), and not just for believers in this age alone. When men will be raised from the grave during the Millennial Kingdom, they will be instructed and guided into all truth as we read in Isaiah 26:9: “When your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness!” These, will then be given every opportunity to have life in all its fullness, leading them to make a final decision: obey and live forever on the earth, or disobey and return to death, (destruction); but this time it will be the “second death” from which there is no recovery. See Psalm 145:20; Proverbs 2:21, 22; Acts 3:23; Revelation 21:8.

We know there are many Christians who are led to believe that there is a literal place burning with fire and brimstone called Hell. Such a fearsome belief is not from our loving God, but from Satan who thus depicts Him as a cruel and merciless Creator who, though “knowing the end from the beginning,” would condemn many of His creation to unending torment.

But oh, the Love of God constrains us to rebel against such a blasphemy against God’s Holy character! There is no truth in such a pagan belief, for while the term “hell” is certainly found in the Bible, it is a translation of the Hebrew term “sheol” in the Old Testament, and the Greek term “hades” in the New and these two terms literally mean “the grave” nothing more.

Our God is a God of pure, selfless love for all His creatures. He hates sin in any form because of the destruction it brings. When our Lord Jesus was on earth, he obeyed God’s laws perfectly. While loving sinners, He never excused sin, but came to conquer and destroy it and its author, Satan.

Mankind continues to live under Satan’s tragic influence. He uses every ancient and modern device to keep people under his control, especially by trying to destroy the character of our Creator. Thus people, unless touched by God’s spirit, are in the dark concerning God’s true character and wonderful plan for the eventual blessing of all the families of the earth.

Present world governments, institutions and systems continue to be under Satan’s influence for we still live in “this present evil world” which will soon be completely destroyed (Dan. 2:34, 35) to be replaced by a new government (a “new heavens and new earth”) in which righteousness and peace shall rule supreme under Christ as King. See 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 19:9-11.

For His faithfulness to His Father’s will, even unto the death on the Cross, Jesus was highly rewarded. He is not only Lord, Savior, Redeemer and King over His church, but by His precious blood He has purchased back all mankind…who by right of purchase belong to Him. All the evil and sorrow that Satan has brought upon the world will be forgotten by mankind in the ages to come, only the lessons learned will remain. Lessons of what the sin of disobedience to God brings have been great and painful, but will be engraved on the minds and hearts of all people forever. They will come to understand and appreciate God’s wisdom in permitting evil for a limited time.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Beloved Son (John 3:16) was brought forth before the foundation of the earth and universe itself. See John 1:1-10 and Proverbs 8:22-36. He is called the wisdom and power of God in 1 Cor. 1:24. As the Logos (Word), He was with the Father at the creation of Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:26) who were made in God’s image and likeness, with reasoning powers and freedom to choose to either obey or disobey their Creator. They were placed in a perfect and beautiful Garden created just for them, filled with flowers and fruit trees to enjoy which would have sustained life eternally, provided they were obedient to God. See Genesis 2:15-17. Who can imagine or describe the physical beauty of our first parents or the beauty of their perfect surroundings? We are all disfigured by sin, suffering, sorrow and other evils, being far from the original beauty and perfection. Nevertheless, it is God’s Eternal Plan, through our Lord Jesus Christ, to restore mankind, during the coming Millennial Kingdom, back to that original beauty and perfection of body, mind and spirit along with a perfect environment and removal of all the evil conditions that have led man to the grave. Death itself shall be no more. See Acts 3:17-21; Isaiah 35; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Revelation 21:4.

Beautiful as all this is, God has provided a still greater and far more wonderful blessing for those who now, during this Gospel age repent of their sins, accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, Lord and King and who dedicate their entire lives to God in full obedience to His will as “a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1,2). They have now been translated out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of the Son He loves! (Colossians 1:12, 13).

If they prove faithful unto death, they are promised a Heavenly home (John 14:1-4), along with glory, honor, and immortality; the divine nature (Romans 2:7; 2 Peter 1:4) when the Lord returns (1 Thes. 4:13-18). They will live and reign with Christ a 1,000 years (Rev. 20:6). They will “see him as he is and be like him” (1 Jn. 3:1-3).

For Christians to die means to fall asleep in Jesus quietly, without fear, knowing their resurrection has been assured and guaranteed to them by Jesus’ own resurrection. The Bible called this the “first resurrection” because it takes place before the general resurrection of the world of mankind. See John 5:28, 29; Revelation 20:12.

In God’s Kingdom on earth, those resurrected will come to an accurate knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:3-6) concerning God, His glorious character and His purpose to restore all obedient mankind to full life, health, peace and joy. It will be then that the prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” will be fulfilled (Mt. 6:10). Praise His Name!

Does this all sound incredible? Remember that nothing is impossible to God. This plan, made before the foundation of the world, is a manifestation of God’s justice, wisdom, power and love for each of us and we have His Word that all will be fulfilled to the letter. See Jer. 31:34; Isa. 40:8; 45:23; 55:11; Matt. 24:35; Mk. 13:31; Lk. 21:33. Praise our God ~ for He is Good!

G. Boccaccio