An Evil Heart Of Unbelief

[Mr. M]

In a study today, I was looking closely at the Greek word poneros, translated evil.
I was surprised to find that while it is used consistently throughout the NT,
It is found in the Gospel of Matthew 25X!

G4190 - ponēros - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv)

G4190 - πονηρός ponērós, pon-ay-ros'; from a derivative of ; hurtful, i.e. evil (properly, in effect or influence, and thus differing from , which refers rather to essential character, as well as from , which indicates degeneracy from original virtue); figuratively, calamitous; also...

www.blueletterbible.org

I thought a good way to reveal the extra use would be to first compare
the common or synoptic use of the word in parallel passages in the first three Gospels
and then find other applications in Matthew. But first, here is poneros in the Gospel of John:
3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. G4190
7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth,
because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. G4190
17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world,
but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. G4190

While I work through the Synoptic, if anyone would like to post passages from
other New Testament texts, they are easily accessible with the link provided.
This is one that always serves as a stern warning:
Hebrews 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an
evil G4190 heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

 

[Mr. M]

Poneros in the Gospel of Mark
7:20-23 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

Also found in Matthew 15:18-20 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

 

[Mr. M]

Acts 19:
13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves
to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying,
We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.
14 Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so.

15 And the evil spirit answered and said,
Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?
16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them,
and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus;
and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

 

[Grip Docility]

@Mr. M Hoooo Boy... I will go ahead and continue what you have started. I will begin with Jude. Sorry about my late arrival to your excellent thread.

Before I begin... Do I have your permission to scripturally "Flesh" this out? I humbly ask for your go ahead.

 

[Mr. M]

@Mr. M Hoooo Boy... I will go ahead and continue what you have started. I will begin with Jude. Sorry about my late arrival to your excellent thread.

Before I begin... Do I have your permission to scripturally "Flesh" this out? I humbly ask for your go ahead.

GFI

 

[Grip Docility]

GFI

Most people think that Scripture that is kind of icky is for those that are ignorant to Jesus and out sowing their sinful oats. This isn't true. It all starts with a very startling verse.

2 Peter 2:21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Here's where the Jesus Junkie stuff begins... Jesus is either about the Hot or the Cold. Hot is to be on FIRE for Him as a person taken by Love in such a powerful manner that they kind of make people throw up, when they talk about it. Cold is to have NEVER known Him. Both examples are Good to Go and have scriptural hope!

Jesus is OUR LITERAL IDOL! He wasn't Graven by Man's Hands! He was fashioned of the very Son Who had always been with God, the very Son who always has been God, the very Son Whom Never has Not been and Forever will be, by the very Holy Spirit of God, within the womb of Blessed Mary.

Jesus ALWAYS exemplified TRUTH, as in HE IS the Truth. Jesus BROKE bread with Sinners. He Drank with Beggers, Thieves, Adulterers, Harlots, Tax Collectors, Folks that "Had Been" Posessed....

There is only 1 group of people that Jesus flat out CONDEMNED. I.E. What did our MASTER, our very FATHER, who exemplified HIS FATHER to us, identify as EVIL?

Let's get the ugliest passage out of the way...

Jude

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James,

To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:

2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Exegesis: Before I do this, I want to insert this disclaimer: I am a mere man, I am a Saved Sinner! Commentary and exegesis of Canon is ONLY OPINION. YES, even and especially MINE. This is my opinion of this complicated matter.​

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Paul had to say this: But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!​

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Why did Paul say this odd thing? Because the same ILK that Jesus called Son's of the Devil were creeping into the fold of Christianity and sewing Doctrines of Demons. Paul wrote Galatians to counter ANY man that belittled the ultimate act of God towards mankind. He Humbled Himself and GAVE His only Begotten Son to us. He knew what wicked us would do to HIS Precious, Beloved Son! The Father, Son and Holy Spirit Humbled Themselves to Break the Chains of Evil and Demonstrate God's very Character of SELF SACCRIFICE and Love towards us!​

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Paul actually had to say... Jesus didn't die SO THAT WE COULD SIN, nor did HE DIE that we can now ENJOY SIN, but because WE DO SIN!​

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Now, look at the verse in Jude: "They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord."​

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Christ wore our filthy SINS, ALL of Them... as if HE were the nasty goat that we genuinely are. Look in the Law and see all of the stuff that He Bore upon His Being! Paul said; I would be cursed and cut off from Christ that my brethren of unbelieving Israel could be saved. Moses said; If you don't save these people Israel, blot my name out of your BOOK. Jesus said; Matthew 27:46 "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" in the form of the phrase "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" Jesus WAS CUT OFF, for ALL of HUMANITIES SAKE! He, Alone, had the TRUE HEART for this!​

5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

Exegesis: Sodom did something far worse than their sexual compulsions. They neglected those among them that were in need! They HAD MUCH and Gave NOTHING. Ezekiel 16:49-50 Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.​

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NOT ONCE did Jesus promote SIN! NEVER! He died to cancel the DEBT of LAW that was charged against us, by the EVIL ONE! Just as we are declared Justified by HIS PERFECTION, on the Cross, Jesus wore every SIN of the LAW and implication of that Sin upon Himself, on the Cross, before His Abba! He who HAD NO sin, bore our SHAME!​

8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Exegesis: We have a verse that is written to be undiscernible to the BLIND guides. The Highest Angel, not "messenger", but most POWERFUL ANGELIC BEING in heaven, is fighting with Satan... and Michael, himself, did not dare condemn Satan in words. He simply said that rebuke of Satan was for the LORD alone.​

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Paul does something very similar! He brings up these same exact people that EXCHANGE THE CREATOR FOR THE CREATED... and goes on to call them "False Coinage". They are associated with points of the Law that are bound to Apostasy by exact Levitical exposition, within the Law. Paul gets downright nasty, just like Jude has gotten. Following this stout warning against these people... he closes the thought with these exact words:​

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Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?​

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Not certain yet? A bit shocked?​

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James is NO EPISTLE OF STRAW!​

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James 2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. 9 But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.​

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Now, with that said... we will let Jude finish discussing this very imperative matter.​

10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.

11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.

12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

@Mr. M .. I will continue to contribute, only with your blessing. I rarely discuss this, but it is profitable. I will only continue to contribute, with your blessing.

 

[Grip Docility]

If you are okay with the direction I'm going, I will exegete Matthew 23 and explain how it makes the reading of Jude that I provided unmistakable. It's pretty intense.

 

[Grip Docility]

Matthew 23 is one of the most important foundations of the NEW COVENANT. It is what we can consider, God in Flesh telling us "What not to do". Paul uses the parabolic poetic pentameter of Matthew 23 every time he slips warnings in about tampering with the Revealed Gospel of Jesus Christ from Heaven, to Him.

Matthew 23 is spoken in a direct way that places the Pharisees in league with The Evil one by very chain of command. By calling them "Sons of the Devil"... Jesus inferred a literal reverse kingdom of Satan, that would be in direct contention with the KINGDOM of GOD.

Genesis 3:15 And I (GOD) will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman (My Bone of My Bone and Flesh of My Flesh, THE BODY OF CHRIST) , and between your offspring (sons of the devil John 8:44) and hers (Children of God);

The Kingdom of God is From the Father, to the Son... The Son is The Body's KING (Head) and through His indwelling Holy Spirit, we are VERY SPIRITUALLY bound to HIM. (Ephesians 5:28, 29, 30)

The kingdom of darkness is from Satan, to his angels... they are the head of that body and through the lies of darkness that men embrace, they are spiritually bound to darkness. (John 8:44)

Matthew 13:24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest​

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Matthew 23

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses.

These individuals claimed to have "PERFECT DOCTRINE" and "Perfect Judgment of Humanity".

3 Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.

They Followed the LAW "PERFECTLY in the FLESH", while their Hearts were full of Hatred and Disgust with all of Creation that didn't meet their perceived standards. They saw anyone that didn't agree with their doctrinal standards as garbage to be thrown out and used accordingly for purposes of wealth or demonstration of their "god imbued" power.

4 They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them.

Their doctrines left people feeling hopeless and their actions towards their fellow man were perpetually fault finding in nature, accusative and to make matters worse, they made the system of salvation "complicated" and "expensive" to all that weren't them. They boasted in their place of authority as those specifically chosen by God to dispense God's Laws and their view of God to humanity.

5 They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.

Phylacte.... What?!? They wore portions of scripture on their head that demonstrated matters of Torah that they had mastered in the flesh, memorized and perceived that they could teach others flawlessly, about.

6 They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.

They loved to be seen as authorities on Torah, typically held high positions of power and were always greeted as important, righteous people, wherever they went. They were Bible superstars, perceived as religious idols to mankind.

8 “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.

This is Jesus asserting that God alone is our Teacher, asserting the future supremacy of the personal teaching of the Holy Spirit within us. Jesus also emphasizes equality amongst the brethren, as we were soon to be declared adopted Sons and Daughters in Jesus Christ.

9 Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.

Let's just get it out on this matter... Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 4:14 For even if you were to have ten thousand teachers [to guide you] in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers [who led you to Christ and assumed responsibility for you], for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the good news [of salvation].

Paul is establishing that his words, as always are not his words. He is making it clear that Heavenly Jesus Christ speaks through him. To be direct, if the church ever had a true "Pope", it was Paul. His words of Christ's remain to this day, while Paul is now in Heaven. The "Hat" that Paul wore was a very heavy hat, and that "Hat" is now gone. As Jesus intended, Christ's words are before us in Scripture, which the Holy Spirit within each member of The Body will be taught accordingly by. 1 John 2:27

10 You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Any person that does not speak on behalf of the Holy Spirit, with humility and admission of fallibility of themselves, established only within Canonical scripture... is not to be trusted. Jesus goes on to contrast His future Humbling unto Death out of Love for all Creation, with the sheer Pride in themselves and their self serving doctrines that the deceived perpetually exalt.

13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.

This is a HARD, HARD passage. Jesus is saying that the lies of the deceived not only shut the door of Heaven to themselves, but then go on to shut the door of Heaven to anyone that they deceive. It also echo's that the actual Pharisee's that Jesus is describing, truly believed that only the chosen of Israel could be saved. They believed in their hearts that God didn't Love others, as much as He Loved them.

15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as you are!

These deceived people didn't care about bringing people to the Relational Love of God, but instead to their massive volumes of Doctrines that they had built upon man after man, venerating themselves, in place of God.

16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the temple, it means nothing. But whoever takes an oath by the gold of the temple is bound by his oath.’ 17 Blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?

I won't apologize for this... because my IDOL said it and I Love Him with all of my being.

Gold to God is the very Eternal Ghost/Spirit/Soul within all Living Beings that only HE has the power to destroy..

Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear HIM who can destroy both soul and body in hell. [29] Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's will. [30] But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.​

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Psalms 84:1 Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.​

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It is blasphemy to devalue one single life. Even the very Sparrows, who were valued by the Religious elite as cheap and near worthless, are of INFINITE value to God. If a single Sparrow, who's lifespan is only 3 years, matters to our Infinite Creator, how much more, do you think that God values and Loves... EVEN the Wicked Angels and Human Kind? Don't get me wrong, I thank God for every delicious Steak and Brisket... but God genuinely Loves and Cares beyond our comprehension!

Jesus is the TRUE TEMPLE of God. The Money of His Temple is Human, Eternal Souls.

The deceived didn't understand that Jesus was saying that the deceived valued financial Gain (Worldly Success in the Eyes of fellow Mankind) above God's desire that NONE should be LOST, but that the incontrovertible number of ALL come to repentance. Even more powerful than that, as always, Jesus is Simultaneously Parabolically defining that HE is The Temple that Justifies Humanity. His BLOOD poured out to Reconcile ALL of Creation unto Himself. HE desires that ALL would respond, yet though He is the very DEFINITION of INFINITE POWER (Power is the ability to make people do one's own Will, despite it being against their own Will.... by definition), He has accepted the part of an Unrequited Lover, in many instances. He is truly, the patient Man of Sorrows! He is genuinely incomprehensibly GOOD, full of FAITH, HOPE and LOVE towards ALL!

18 Also, ‘Whoever takes an oath by the altar, it means nothing; but whoever takes an oath by the gift that is on it is bound by his oath.’ 19 Blind people! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

He is THE ALTER THAT SANCTIFIES us through the Fires of genuine Chaos that has sprouted from the blessed gift of Individual Libertarian Sovereign Agency given to all Creation. What God gives in earnest and Love, is not to be blamed for what Creation has done with this gift.

Jesus is outright saying that the Shadows of Him, that have been under the eyes of the deceived are mere matters of teaching. He is revealing that He is the Creator of the Alter (Earth) and the Sacrifice upon it (The Spotless Lamb) that will heal ALL of Creation, in His time, not ours, as All of Creation individually CHOOSES WHO it serves.

20 Therefore, the one who takes an oath by the altar takes an oath by it and by everything on it. 21 The one who takes an oath by the temple takes an oath by it and by him who dwells in it. 22 And the one who takes an oath by heaven takes an oath by God’s throne and by him who sits on it.

This is God revealing that He is the One that created EVERYTHING and no matter what is sworn upon, will always lead back to Him, alone.

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You pay a tenth of mint, dill, and cumin, and yet you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. These things should have been done without neglecting the others.

Every action of the deceived is a self serving side step of God's highest precepts which are His desire to become our own pursuits.

I think of people like "Oskar Schindler", who were a mess, as far as "Christian Evaluation" is concerned, but managed to liquidate his entire wealthy empire for the sake of saving 1200 innocent lives. He failed at many points of the Law, yet exemplified God's highest standards. Men like him, are the opposite of the deceived.

24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel!

This is a direct reference to building doctrines that are so intricate that they appear to be poured through a gnat strainer, to ensure a perfect cup of tea. Yet, imagine them lifting this "gnat free" cup of tea and somehow managing to swallow an entire camel! Jesus is putting the deceived on full blast, being humorous and wielding the sword of HIS very voice in a razor sharp manner that indeed confirms that: "the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean.

He said this one in such a way that even the deaf guides could hear and understand it! He wasn't holding back at this point.

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

He's so upset at this point that He is just speaking plainly.

29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous, 30 and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we wouldn’t have taken part with them in shedding the prophets’ blood.’ 31 So you testify against yourselves that you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your ancestors’ sins!

God's ways are truly not mans ways. Jesus is now full on warning the deceived that they are about to participate in the Murder of the most important MESSENGER that God has ever spoken to them, through. Immanuel!

33 “Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell? 34 This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.

This is a specific picture of every intended word that follows, within the soon to come epistles, that is known as "Condemnation" scripture. It's not towards sinners, or saved Christians that struggle.... or anything in this world. It's towards those that once knew the blessed way, but then exchanged it for lies of the father of lies.

35 So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation.

Jesus now finishes by adding those that are servants of Satan in twisted doctrine and hearts full of secret hate to the very Condemned fate of the Devil himself, since they chose to become the evil one's adopted offspring in heart, soul, doctrine, proselytization and daily practice.

The Saved? Praise Jesus for them. They are sheep in the fold of the GOOD Shepherd. It is the wicked and the unsaved that I pray for, daily. I, a worthless, only worthy by His Love and Design, Saved Sinner... who cries out: "Amazing Grace that saves a wretch like me", daily, count myself lower than the wicked and unsaved, daily. Why? Because... that's what my Idol did and does.