Below is a fictitious spiritual counseling session.
INQUIRER: Is there any way I can know for sure whether I have been given the
earnest of the Spirit in accord with Eph 1:13-14?
COUSELOR: Would you like a short answer, a medium length answer, or a long version?
INQUIRER: Short.
COUSELOR: Okay. Ephesians 1:13 says that it's only necessary to trust in Christ
via believing in the gospel of your salvation in order to be be given the earnest of
the Spirit. So; are you trusting in Christ is accord with belief in the gospel?
INQUIRER: Which part of the gospel?
COUSELOR: Would you like a short answer, a medium length answer, or a long version?
INQUIRER: The medium length.
A: ”Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be
lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so
loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him
might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the
world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."
Long story short: Moses' people became sick and tired of living in the desert and
eating manna all the time at every meal. But instead of courteously, and
diplomatically, petitioning their divine benefactor for tastier food and better
accommodations, they became hostile and confrontational.
In response to their insolence; God sent a swarm of deadly poisonous snakes
among them; which began striking people; and every strike was 100% fatal, no
exceptions. In no time at all, much people of Israel died. Then those not yet dead
got nervous and appealed to Moses for help. In reply; The Lord instructed Moses to
construct a replica of the beasts and hoist it up on a pole in plain view so that
everyone dying from venom could look to it for immunity.
Now the key issue here is that the replica, lifted up, was the only God-given
remedy for the people's terminal condition-- not purity, not sacrifices and offerings,
not tithing, not church attendance, not missionary work, not confession, not holy
days of obligation, not the Sabbath, not charity, not good deeds, not good
behavior, not piety, not Bible study and Sunday school, not catechism or yeshiva,
not one's religion of choice, not self denial and/or self control, not the so-called
golden rule, not vows of poverty and/or chastity, not the Ten Commandments, not
the Eucharist; no, none of that: not even prayers. That replica, lifted up, was it;
viz: it was all or nothing at all-- there was no other option. Whoever failed to look
to that replica, lifted up, for immunity died: no exceptions.
In other words then: Christ, lifted up on the cross to satisfy justice for the sins of
the world, is the only God-given option for protection from the second death
depicted at Rev 20:11-15. The default is terminal; no exceptions. People relying
upon religion and piety, instead of putting all their trust in Christ's crucifixion, are
dead men walking, no exceptions.
• John 3:18 . .Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever disbelieves
stands condemned already
INQUIRER: I don't agree with your interpretation of John 3:14-17. It smacks of
something I've heard called OSAS, which I know for sure is absolutely wrong.
COUSELOR: Well then; I guess we're done here.
_