Truth Be Told: A Blog by Pastor Bill Alderson

  For I do not want you, brethren , to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening [ porosis – blindness or insensitivity] has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in [most likely, the establishment of the Kingdom Age at the conclusion of the Tribulation] ; and so, all Israel will be saved [delivered] ; just as it is written, "THE DELIVERER [REDEEMER] WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB." "THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS." From the standpoint of the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God's choice, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers, for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable [without regret] . For just as you once were disobedient [ apeithio – unbelief] to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, that becau...

For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons [ huios - a child mature enough to take on adult family privileges and responsibilities] of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children [ tekna – referring to all believers] of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him .   Romans 8:14-17 One important truth from the above passage is the distinction between a child of God and a son, a mature one. Distinguishing verses between the position in Christ that all believers realize at salvation as opposed to the process of sanctification and the believer’s experience in that relationship is a vital consideration. An incorrect interpretation of New Testament verses can cause believers ...

  Now, it came about in the days when the judges governed that there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem [House of Bread] in Judah went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons [about 50 miles west, to the east of the Dead Sea]. The name of the man was Elimelech [My God is king], and the name of his wife, Naomi [pleasantness, delight]; and the names of his two sons were Mahlon [man of sickness] and Chilion [coming to an end], Ephrathites of Bethlehem in Judah. Now, they entered the land of Moab and remained there. Then Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons. They took for themselves Moabite women as wives; the name of the one was Orpah [drip, cloud, hind, fawn], and the name of the other Ruth [a friend]. And they lived there about ten years [natural order]. Then, both Mahlon and Chilion also died, and the woman was bereft of her two children and her husband .       ...

  All the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, “Speak to us yourself, and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come in order to test you, and in order that the fear of Him may remain with you, so that you may not sin.” So, the people stood at a distance while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was .     Exodus 20:18-21   These words speak of the deep concern that the Hebrew people were experiencing at Mount Sinai. They looked up and perceived thunder, lightning, mountain smoking, and the trumpet sound as they trembled from a distance. They were afraid to hear from God directly. They would prefer that Moses find out what God wants and then tell the people. This speaks of a fundamental condition of humanity throughou...