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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”
Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively. Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior. Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
This webpage could be periodically updated. If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated. Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.
Below are links related to archived copies of this webpage.
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Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.
When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:
“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Note: The heart refers to the mind.
It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:
“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”
It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”
A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned. In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher. Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:
If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship: whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.
Note: Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites. Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM]. The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges. The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity. The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness. In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human. When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god. Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.
The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind. In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests. The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:
Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession. Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram. Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:
Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.
The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:
Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. Also, it is still much more evident: that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life. Indeed, it is attested: “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”
Note: The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah. Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body. The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.
Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest. In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family. Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:
However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE. You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
Note: Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people. In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people. The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23. In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.
Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Put succinctly: itʼs the message rather than the messenger. In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.
Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated. That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:
The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.
Note: The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”
Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. It is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur. The Feast of Trumpets was one of the seven feasts that the Israelites were supposed to celebrate each year under the regulations of the Mosaic Law. The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites. Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law. The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law by being judged on the cross for the sins of humanity. Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Mosaic Law, no believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are under the regulations of the Mosaic Law.
While it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during the time period of October 10th, 2026, at 11:13 A.M. – October 14th, 2026, at 12:29 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur during a time other than the time of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur during the time of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah, one can be prepared for that time because of already being in the habit of being prepared. Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.
Whether the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah in 2026 would occur during October depends on whether barley crop in Israel in 2026 was first in a status known as abib [ah-BEEB] (also known as aviv [ah-VEEV]) in April. Also, if barley crop in Israel in 2026 was first in a status known as abib/aviv in February, then the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would have occurred during the time period of August 12th, 2026, at 12:25 P.M. – August 16th, 2026, at 1:49 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone, and if barley crop in Israel in 2026 was first in a status known as abib/aviv in March, then the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would have occurred during the time period of September 10th, 2026, at 11:51 A.M. – September 14th, 2026, at 1:08 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone. On which day and at what time in August, September, or October the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would start depends on the time of the last sunset over Jerusalem before the first sliver of a crescent new moon after that sunset. The crescent new moon is the illumination of a sliver of the waxing moon. The moon is waxing when it is becoming more and more illuminated after what some people refer to as the astronomical new moon, the time when there is an absence of illumination of the moon—in other words, when there is an absence of reflection of light from the moon. On which day and at what time in August, September, or October the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah would end depends on whether the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah lasts one day or two days and whether the time of day of the end of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah / Rosh Hashanah is at sunset, at the end of civil twilight, at the end of nautical twilight, or at the end of astronomical twilight.
Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation. The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic. In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober. Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Note: In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent. In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context. Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!” In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness. The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture. In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation. Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.
The verse of the day for September 27th is Matthew 6:33. The title of the book Matthew is also known as “The Gospel According to Matthew.” The book Matthew was written by the apostle Matthew. Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to Matthew 6:24–34. The words of the Lord Jesus Christ are in red.
Note: The content of Matthew 6:24–34 is part of the Sermon on the Mount. The content of the Sermon on the Mount begins in Matthew 5:1. The content of Matthew 5:1–2 indicates that the Lord was speaking to His disciples. Because He was speaking to His disciples, He spoke in terms of speaking to an audience of believers.
Notes for Matthew 6:24–34 reference the Millennium, the 1,000-year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth. With regard to the Millennium, below is a synopsis of human history as categorized into time periods known as dispensations. In the below synopsis, there is the term hypostatic union [high-PUH-stat-ick YOON-yuhn]. This refers to the Lord Jesus Christ being 100% Deity and 100% humanity. The English word hypostatic is derived from the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek word ὑπόστασις [pronounced hoo-PAH-stah-sees and transliterated as hypostasis]. After the Lord Jesus Christ was judged for the sins of humanity, His body was in the grave for three days and three nights. He was then resurrected, and He was on the earth for forty days after He was resurrected. He then ascended to Heaven, and ten days after that, the Day of Pentecost [PEN-tih-kahst] occurred. The Day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Church Age. The word Pentecost is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντηκοστή [pronounced pen-tay-kah-STAY and transliterated as pentēkostē]. That word is derived from the Koine Greek word πεντήκοντα [pronounced pen-TAY-kahn-tah and transliterated as pentēkonta], which means “fifty.” Therefore, the word Pentecost is derived from the fact that that day occurred fifty days after the Lord was resurrected. In that regard, the Church Age began fifty days after the Lord was resurrected. The Church Age will end with the Rapture. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. Absent from the Bible is anything specifically indicating the precise date and time when the Rapture will occur, although it is possible that the Rapture will occur during the time when the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh] would occur—which is referenced as a single day in Leviticus 23:24–25 and Numbers 29:1–6 and which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during the time period of October 10th, 2026, at 11:13 A.M. – October 14th, 2026, at 12:29 P.M. in the Eastern Daylight Time zone.
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Dispensation |
Start |
Ending or Interruption |
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Age of the Gentiles |
Adam |
The Age of the Gentiles ended with the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. |
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Age of Israel |
Exodus |
The Age of Israel was interrupted on the Day of Pentecost. |
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Age of the Hypostatic Union (part of the Age of Israel) |
First Advent of Christ |
The Age of the Hypostatic Union ended with the Ascension of Christ. |
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Church Age |
Day of Pentecost |
The Church Age will end with the Rapture of the Church. |
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Tribulation (Age of Israel resumed) |
Rapture |
The Tribulation will end with the Second Advent of Christ. |
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Millennium |
Second Advent |
The 1,000-year Millennium will end with the Great White Throne Judgment of unbelievers. |
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Eternal State |
Great White Throne Judgment |
The Eternal State will be never-ending. |
Regarding the word judgment, the proper way to spell that word is without an e between the dg and the m. In that regard, the e of the root word judge is dropped when the suffix ment is added to that root word. The formation of the word judgment is shown below.
judge −e +ment
= judg +ment
= judgment
Another way to categorize human history is by means of civilizations. Civilizations begin only with believers. Regarding the timing of civilizations and dispensations, the first civilization began with Adam and ended on the occasion of the Great Flood (also known as the Flood). That civilization is known as the antediluvian civilization and the predulivian civilization. In that regard, the prefixes ante and pre mean “before.” Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time before the Flood. Those spellings include antediluvian, ante-diluvian, prediluvian, and pre-diluvian.
After the Flood, there were only eight believers on the earth: Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their sonsʼ wives. With the removal of the unbelievers from the earth on the occasion of the Flood, a new civilization was started. That civilization is known as the postdiluvian civilization (also known as the postdiluvial civilization). Regarding the terminology, the prefix post means “after,” and the adjectives diluvian and diluvial mean “having to do with a flood.” Also, there are various spellings of the adjectives that refer to the time after the Flood. Those spellings include postdiluvian, post-diluvian, postdiluvial, and post-diluvial. The postdiluvian civilization will end on the occasion of the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ. On the occasion of the Second Advent, the Lord will remove all unbelievers from the earth. Their removal will be by means of physical death just as the removal of all unbelievers was by means of physical death on the occasion of the Flood. This is called the Baptism of Fire, which is either a metaphorical description because fire can be used to represent judgment or a literal reference to the use of fire in the judgment of unbelievers on the occasion of the Second Advent. The Baptism of Fire is referenced in Matthew 3:11–12; Luke 3:15–17; and 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9.
Just as a new civilization started after the Flood, so also a new civilization will start after the Baptism of Fire. That civilization is called the Millennium. The Millennium is both a civilization and a dispensation. The Eternal State is also both a civilization and a dispensation.
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters because either he will hate the one and love / be fond of the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth/mammon.
Note: If a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is fond of wealth, that believer is serving wealth instead of serving God the Father. Absent from this verse is anything indicating how much wealth the believer has. In that regard, it is possible for a believer with much wealth to be fond of wealth, and it is possible for a believer without much wealth to be fond of wealth. Regarding being fond of wealth, if a person seeks happiness by means of wealth, that person will be enslaved to wealth. In that regard, wealth is the master of such a person. A believerʼs Master should be God the Father.
In order to refrain from being fond of wealth and to instead serve God the Father, a believer needs to learn the Word of God while in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and then apply the Word of God while in fellowship with the Trinity and thereby filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit. In that regard, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again, in fellowship with the Trinity again, and ready to learn and obey the Word of God again.
The content of 1 Timothy 6:9–10 is related to the content of Matthew 6:24. In that regard, below is content related to 1 Timothy 6:8–11. The apostle Paul wrote 1 Timothy. The title of the book 1 Timothy is also known as “The First Epistle of Paul to Timothy” and “The First Letter of Paul to Timothy.” In addition, for the names of the books of the Bible, instead of using the Arabic numeral 1, one can use the Roman numeral for 1; that Roman numeral is I. With the Roman numeral, the book and chapter would be written as I Timothy 6.
1 Timothy 6:8
Now having food and covering—with these we shall be content.
1 Timothy 6:9
However, those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:10
Indeed, the love of money is a root of all sorts of the evils, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Timothy 6:11
However, flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, doctrine/faith, benevolence/goodwill, perseverance/steadfastness, gentleness.
Note: The noun godliness refers to respect and dutifulness owed to God the Father.
The content of Hebrews 13:5 is also related to the content of Matthew 6:24. In that regard, below is content related to Hebrews 13:5–6. The title of the book Hebrews is also known as “The Epistle to the Hebrews” and “The Letter to the Hebrews.” The author of the book Hebrews is unspecified in the Bible.
Hebrews 13:5
Let your your lifestyle be free from the love of money, being content with what you have, for He Himself has said, “I will never leave you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
Hebrews 13:6
so that we confidently say, “THE LORD IS MY HELPER; I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?”
Note: This verse indicates that a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from being afraid of what a person could do to that believer. Also, the content in all capital letters in this verse is related to the content of Psalm 118:6.
The content of James 4:13–17 is also related to the content of Matthew 6:24. In that regard, below is content related to James 4:13–17. The book James is also known as “The Epistle of James” and “The Letter of James.” James is a half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ and a brother of Jude, who is another half-brother of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Epistle of James was addressed to Israelites who were believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior. Those Israelite believers were dispersed abroad. In the notes for James 4:15, the term divine viewpoint refers to the viewpoint of the Trinity. All three Members of the Trinity have the same viewpoint. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can learn divine viewpoint by learning the Word of God. In contrast to divine viewpoint, the term human viewpoint refers to any viewpoint that deviates from the Word of God. With human-viewpoint thinking, a person has unrealistic expectations regarding life. Such a person is divorced from reality.
James 4:13
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit,”
James 4:14
who do not know what your life will be like tomorrow—you are a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away—
James 4:15
instead of your saying, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”
Note: Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ need to keep in mind that God the Fatherʼs plans for believers are different than the plans that the believers have. In that regard, it is worthwhile for a believer to pray to God the Father that God the Father have God the Holy Spirit provide that believer with guidance so that that believer can do what God the Father plans for that believer. Of course, that guidance can be in ways other than what believers expect. In addition, now that the Bible has been written, the guidance will come from utilizing understanding of the Word of God in order to analyze everything about which that believer becomes aware. In that regard, God the Holy Spirit can cause a believer to become aware of things that that believer can then analyze with divine viewpoint—in other words, with the viewpoint that involves proper understanding of the Word of God.
James 4:16
However, as it is, you boast in your arrogance / braggadocio / self-confidence; all such boasting is evil.
James 4:17
Therefore, to one who knows the right / honorable / good / virtuous / honest thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
Note: The content of James 4:17 refers to a believer who has the ability to do what is right but chooses to refrain from doing what is right. In that regard, a right thing must be done in a right way. Below is a list of right and wrong things.
A right thing done in a wrong way is wrong.
A wrong thing done in a right way is wrong.
A wrong thing done in a wrong way is wrong.
A right thing done in a right way is right.
Regarding refraining from boasting regarding the future, the content of Proverbs 27:1 covers that topic, and the content of Proverbs 27:2 covers the topic of refraining from boasting about oneself. In that regard, below is content related to Proverbs 27:1–2.
Proverbs 27:1
Do not boast / Do not praise yourself about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day brings forth.
Proverbs 27:2
Let another praise you—not your own mouth—a stranger—not your own lips.
The content of Matthew 6:24 is repeated below for reference.
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters because either he will hate the one and love / be fond of the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth/mammon.
Matthew 6:25
“For this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life—what you will eat or what you will drink—nor for your body—what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
Note: In this verse, the first instance of the word life is a translation of the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek noun ψυχῇ [pronounced psoo-KHAY and transliterated as psychē]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word ψυχή [pronounced psoo-KHAY and transliterated as psychē]. The second instance of the word life in this verse is a translation of the Koine Greek noun ψυχὴ [pronounced psoo-KHAY and transliterated as psychē]. That noun is also an inflected form of the root word ψυχή [pronounced psoo-KHAY and transliterated as psychē]. The Koine Greek noun psychē can also be used to refer to the soul of a person. A soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general. In contrast with a soul is a human spirit. At the moment of salvation, each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receives a human spirit, which is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God. An unbeliever lacks a human spirit. Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs]. Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs]. The content of this verse is such that translating psychē as “life” in this verse fits the context of this verse.
Worrying is an expression of lack of faith in the Trinity. In that regard, worrying is a mental-attitude sin. Regarding mental-attitude sins, sins can be categorized in various ways. There are three broad categories of sins: mental-attitude sins, verbal sins, and overt sins. Verbal sins can also be referred to as sins of the tongue. They can also be referred to as communicative sins because that category also encompasses non-verbal communication that involves sinning. Communicative sins can also involve physical means of communication such as facial expressions, other forms of body language, tone of voice, and demeanor.
Once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of God the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.
Matthew 6:26
“Look at the birds of the air / the heaven, that they do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
Note: In this verse, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “air” or “heaven” is οὐρανοῦ [pronounced oo-rah-NOO and transliterated as ouranou]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word οὐρανός [pronounced oo-rah-NAHS and transliterated as ouranos]. In the context of this verse, the word heaven refers to the atmosphere of the earth. Below is a summary of the different usages for the word heaven.
• The first heaven (also known as [aka] first heavens): the atmosphere of earth
• The second heaven (aka second heavens): outer space
• The Third Heaven (aka Third Heavens or simply as Heaven): the location of the throne room of God the Father
Matthew 6:27
“Moreover, who of you by being worried can add one cubit to his age?
Note: A cubit is a unit of measure that is approximately 18 inches in length. In this verse, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “cubit” is πῆχυν [pronounced PAY-khoon and transliterated as pēchyn]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word πῆχυς [pronounced PAY-khoos and transliterated as pēchys].
The Koine Greek noun that is translated as “age” in this verse is ἡλικίαν [pronounced hay-lee-KEE-ahn and transliterated as hēlikian]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word ἡλικία [pronounced hay-lee-KEE-ah and transliterated as hēlikia]. The noun hēlikia can also be translated as “stature” in the sense of a personʼs height. Regarding the translation of hēlikian as “age” instead of as “stature” in this verse, the use of the word cubit involves a metaphor related to time. In that regard, the context of the passage that consists of verses 25–34 involves life rather than stature. Also, there is a similar usage of a measure of length in reference to time in the content of Psalm 39:5.
Matthew 6:28
“Also, why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil nor spin,
Matthew 6:29
yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.
Note: Solomon was the third king of Israel. King Solomon was very wealthy. Because he was very wealthy, Solomon could afford to wear fancy clothing. Even though Solomon wore fancy clothing, nothing that he wore could compare to the lilies of the field.
Matthew 6:30
“Nevertheless, if God so clothes the grass of the field—and He does—which today is—and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, you of little faith?
Note: The content of verses 28–30 involves the Lord Jesus Christ calling attention to the fact that God the Father provides for the clothing needs of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, the Lordʼs use of the phrase you of little faith in this verse is a rebuke of the disciples. The use of that phrase also calls attention to the fact that God the Father provides for the clothing needs of believers who have little faith.
Matthew 6:31
“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’
Matthew 6:32
“Indeed, the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things. Indeed, your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
Note: The phrase your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things calls attention to the omniscience [ahm-NISH-uhns] [all-knowingness] of God the Father. In this verse, the word Gentiles metaphorically refers to unbelievers. In that regard, the Koine Greek noun that is translated as “Gentiles” in this verse is ἔθνη [pronounced EH-thnay and transliterated as ethnē]. That noun is an inflected form of the root word ἔθνος [pronounced EH-thnahs and transliterated as ethnos]. The word ethnos can also be translated as “tribe,” “nation,” or “people.”
Regarding the providing for the needs of believers, God the Father is omniscient [ahm-NISH-uhnt] [all-knowing]; therefore, He knows how much a believer needs and the best ways for those needs to be met. The providing for the needs of a believer can be referred to as logistical grace. The adjective logistical means “of or relating to logistics.” The noun logistics is a military-derived term referring to operations that involve supplies.
Also, the content of verse 32 indicates what occurs in general. In that regard, believers sometimes experience testing for the angels to see and for members of mankind to see. For example, The Book of Job covers the topic of Job experiencing suffering even though he was consistently obeying the Word of God.
Matthew 6:33
“Nevertheless, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Note: In this verse, both instances of the pronoun His refer to God the Father. The phrase His kingdom in this verse refers to God the Fatherʼs rulership. God the Fatherʼs rulership includes authority over believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. In that regard, for a person to be part of God the Fatherʼs kingdom, that person must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior. Once a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, that person becomes a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore becomes part of God the Fatherʼs kingdom.
The use of the word seek in this verse refers to focusing oneʼs attention. In that regard, absent from this verse is anything referring to causing God the Fatherʼs kingdom to occur or causing God the Fatherʼs righteousness to occur. Focusing on God the Fatherʼs kingdom involves focusing on spreading the good news about how people can become part of God the Fatherʼs kingdom—in other words, spreading the good news that the means of obtaining eternal life is by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior. Focusing on God the Fatherʼs righteousness involves learning and obeying the Word of God.
The phrase seek first refers to priorities rather than to seeking only God the Fatherʼs kingdom and God the Fatherʼs righteousness. In that regard, rather than the Lord Jesus Christ encouraging asceticism, He was encouraging focusing on prioritizing. Regarding prioritization, the Lord Jesus Christ indicated that believers should refrain from being focused on the details of life and should instead be focused on spreading the good news about how people can become part of God the Fatherʼs kingdom and be focused on learning and obeying the Word of God.
The phrase all these things refers to what is referenced in verses 31 and 32. In that regard, if a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has the correct priorities that are referenced in this verse, then the logistical-grace needs of that believer will be provided to that believer. As mentioned in the notes for verse 32, the providing of such needs is what occurs in general, and believers sometimes experience testing for the angels to see and for members of mankind to see.
Matthew 6:34
“Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Sufficient for the day is its trouble.”
Note: In this verse, tomorrow is personified. In that regard, the Lord described tomorrow as a person worrying. Just as a believer should refrain from worrying about another personʼs problems, so also should a believer refrain from worrying about the problems of the future.
In the context of this verse, the phrase the day refers to the current day. That reference to the current day contrasts with the future. Regarding that reference to the current day, absent from the sentence in which the phrase the day is located is any reference to worrying. In that regard, when dealing with the trouble of each day, a believer should trust in God the Fatherʼs plan for that believerʼs life, as per the content of verses 25–32.
Sincerely,
John