Ecclesiastes Excerpts

You don't see many people intentionally taking Ecclesiastes literally. Here are some excerpts to prove it. Keep in mind this is from the bible the so called "infallible & perfectly breathed word of God" & that its also written by the same guy who wrote the beloved book of Proverbs. Anyway, I think these are all worth a look at to see the real mindset Jewish people had before Jesus came to clear things up. There are also thought provoking things here.

The eye never has enough to see, and the ear is never filled with what it hears.

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun. And see, it is all for nothing. It is like trying to catch the wind.  I set my mind to know wisdom and to know what is crazy and foolish. I saw that this also is like trying to catch the wind. Because in much wisdom there is much trouble. And he who gets much learning gets much sorrow.

My heart was pleased with all my work. This was my reward for all my work. Then I thought about all that my hands had done, and the work I had done. I saw that it was all for nothing. It was like trying to catch the wind, and there was nothing to get for it under the sun.

The wise man will not be remembered forever any more than the fool. All will be forgotten in the days to come. The wise man dies just like the fool! So I hated life. For the work which had been done under the sun brought sorrow to me. Because everything is for nothing and is like trying to catch the wind.

For what does a man get from all his work and trouble under the sun? For his work brings pain and sorrow all his days. Even during the night his mind does not rest. This also is for nothing.

God has put thoughts of the forever in man’s mind, yet man cannot understand the work God has done from the beginning to the end.

I know that everything God does will last forever. There is nothing to add to it, and nothing to take from it.

To be a man is no better than to be an animal. Because all is for nothing.

Then I saw all the bad powers that were ruling under the sun. I saw the tears of the people who were suffering under these powers, with no one to comfort them. Those who made it hard for them had the power. But the people had no one to comfort them. So I thought that those who are already dead are better off than those who are still living. But better than both is the one who has never been, who has never seen the wrong that is done under the sun.

I have seen that all the work done is because a man wants what his neighbor has. This also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind. The fool folds his hands and has no food to eat. One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of work and trying to catch the wind. [Solomon uncharacteristically says the fool is better off than the working man!]

It is work that brings sorrow.

Do not hurry to speak or be in a hurry as you think what to tell God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth. So let your words be few.

He who loves money will never have enough money to make him happy. It is the same for the one who loves to get many things. This also is for nothing.

Man comes from his mother without clothing, and he will go as he came. He will take nothing from his work that he can carry in his hand. what does the man get who works for the wind? All his life he eats in darkness with much sorrow, sickness and anger.

If a man becomes the father of a hundred children and lives many years until he is very old, but he is not happy with good things, and is not buried as he should be, then I say that the child who dies before it is born is shown more favor than he. For this child comes for nothing and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. It never sees the sun and it never knows anything. It is better off than he. Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not find joy in good things

All a man’s work is for his mouth, and yet his hunger is not filled.

The more words there are, the more they are worth nothing. What good is that to anyone? For who knows what is good for a man during his life, during the few years of his living for nothing? He will spend them like a shadow.

Do not say, “Why were the days of the past better than these?” For it is not wise to ask this.

To have sorrow is better than to laugh.

In the days of my life I have seen everything, but my life has been worth nothing. There is a right and good man who is destroyed while he is right and good. And there is a sinful man who lives long in his wrong-doing. Do not be too right and good, and do not be too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? Do not be too sinful, and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?

There are sinful men who have the same thing happen to them that happens to those who are right and good.

So I say a man should enjoy himself. For there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and drink and be happy.

The living know they will die. But the dead know nothing, and they will receive nothing further, for they are forgotten.

Drink your wine with a happy heart.

Time comes and goes and things happen for no reason to everyone.

A wise man’s heart leads him toward the right. But the foolish man’s heart leads him toward the left. [Ha ha Why aren't conservatives using this verse?]

The fool speaks many words. [Haha, Think of a preacher monologuing for an hour while everyone else is silent.]

Food is made ready to be enjoyed, wine makes life happy, but money is the answer to everything.

Do not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse a rich man in your bedroom because a bird of the heavens will carry your voice and an animal with wings will make it known.

If a tree falls to the south or to the north, wherever the tree falls, there it lies.

Let an old man remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. All that comes is for nothing.

Young man follow the ways of your heart and the desires of your eyes.

The dust will return to the earth as it was. And the spirit will return to God Who gave it. “It is of no use,” says the teacher, “It is all for nothing!”

My son, be careful. There is no end to the writing of many books and reading many of them makes the body tired.

The teacher (Solomon) looked to find pleasing words and to write words of truth in the right way.


Some Favorites:
There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and find joy in his work. I have seen that this also is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can find joy without Him? For God has given wisdom and much learning and joy to the person who is good in God’s eyes.

When a face is sad, the heart may become strong.

Not giving up in spirit is better than being proud in spirit.

For sure a bad power makes the wise man angry.

I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the work which has been done on the earth, not sleeping day or night. And I saw all the work of God and knew that man cannot even think of all that is done under the sun. Even if man tries hard to find out, he will not be able to. Even if a wise man says he knows, he does not.

Why should God be angry because of what you said, and destroy the work of your hands?

God has already been pleased with your works.

If you're going to preach against sin you should also preach against the law.

Sin kills (Romans 7:11)
The letter of the law kills (2 Corinthians 3:6).

The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
The ministry of laws engraved in letters on stone brought death (2 Corinthians 3:7).

Sin gives birth to death (James 1:15).
The law arouses sinful passions & bears fruit for death (Romans 7:5).

You have died to sin (Romans 6:2).
You died to the law (Galatians 2:19). You have died to the law through the body of Christ (Romans 7:4).

Because Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross we have died to sins & live for righteousness (1 Peter 2:24).
We have been released from the Law, having died to the law which bound us in chains (Romans 7:6).

Consider yourself just as dead to sin as Jesus is (Romans 6:10-11).
If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. If you are led by the law you are not being led by the Spirit (Galatians 5:18).
When you are not under law sin stops being your master because you are instead under grace (Romans 6:14).

Jesus made us alive together with Him while we were dead in our sins and transgressions. He has taken away from us all of our sins and transgressions. He canceled out the certificate of debt which consisted of laws that were against us & hostile to us. He has taken the law out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14).

The law was not made for the righteous, know that everyone who has trusted Jesus is righteous. The Law is only good if one uses it lawfully, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God. Do not use the law for anything other than revealing the glorious gospel of the blessed God to the unrighteous so that they may trust Jesus (1 Timothy 1:8-11).

Gnostic Writing Excerpts that Don't Suck

I'm not saying these are true quotes or true accounts but I wondered if there were some truths that could be culled from these as there is from any book today. Most of these writings are crap or nonsense. Some easily show you the exact teachings John was writing against in 1 John. If you're not looking to understand the Gnostics don't bother reading these because below are the only good things I could find. Don't think, "Boy there are some wise, graceful things here. Maybe I should check these writings out" because I assure you these are the only wise, graceful things I've found in these writings. Brackets denote paraphrasing or changes made by me. All sub-bullets are notes by me.

From The Apocryphon of John:

• Be not afraid. I am with you all always.
• A saved soul receives eternal rest.
• I am the providence of everything. I became like my own human children.
• I completed everything and you have heard it.

From The Gospel of Mary:

• Beware that no one lead you astray saying look here or look there! For the Son of Man is within you.
• Do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.

From The Sophia of Jesus:

• The Father is unchanging good. He is faultless. He is eternal. He is blessed. He is immeasurable. He is perfect, having no defect.
• God is full of ever-imperishable glory and ineffable joy. His people are at rest in him, ever rejoicing in ineffable joy in his unchanging glory and measureless jubilation.
• They ever delight themselves on account of their unchanging glory and the immeasurable rest.
• I came here that you might be joined with that Spirit and Breath, and might from two become one, that you might yield much fruit and go up to Him Who Is from the Beginning, in ineffable joy and glory and honor and grace of the Father.
• Those who have the untraceable wealth of the Spirit may take from his goodness, even the wealth of their rest.
• I came to remove them from their blindness, that I might tell everyone about God.

From The Gospel of Thomas:

• The treasures of God are unfailing and enduring.
• The one who lives from the living one will not see death.
• His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?" Jesus said, "It will not come by waiting for it. It will not be a matter of saying 'here it is' or 'there it is.' Rather, the kingdom of the father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it."
• Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a certain woman who was carrying a jar full of meal. While she was walking on the road, still some distance from home, the handle of the jar broke and the meal emptied out behind her on the road. She did not realize it; she had noticed no accident. When she reached her house, she set the jar down and found it empty."
• The parable of the empty jar from the Gospel of Thomas strikes me as a true teaching of Jesus that found its way into the gnostic writings.
• My Interpretation:  The meal is sin. Home is heaven. This refers to Jesus taking away our sins here on earth but the majority of us do not realize that they are gone. When we get to heaven all of us will find that our sins had been emptied out. This does fit the experience of the kingdom for most Christians. Many of us think we are taking the meal (sin) home (to heaven) & will be judged for it but we do not realize Jesus has already removed our sins from us.

From The Gospel of Truth:

• The established truth of Jesus as the Savior is unchanging, unperturbed and completely beautiful.
• Jesus is the expression of God's desires.
• The Son reveals the Father so that through the compassion of the Father people may know him & end their wearying search for the Father and rest themselves in him, knowing that He is rest.
• When you are unified with the Father you are complete. Those who do not know the Father are incomplete but when they know the Father, incompleteness, from that moment on, will cease to exist. As one's ignorance disappears when he gains knowledge, and as darkness disappears when light appears, so also incompleteness is eliminated by completeness. You understand yourself when you understand your unity with the Father.
• Say in your heart that you are [in] this perfect heavenly day of salvation, rest, & endless light. Say in your heart that in you the light which does not fail dwells.
• Make sure-footed those who stumble and stretch forth your hands to the sick. Nourish the hungry and set at ease those who are troubled. Foster men who love. Raise up and awaken those who sleep.
• Do not be concerned with that which you have cast forth from yourselves, that which you have dismissed [sin]. Do not return to them to eat them. Do not be moth-eaten. Do not be worm-eaten, for you have already shaken it off. Do not be a place of the devil, for you have already destroyed him. Do not strengthen your last obstacles.
• The Father is sweet and his desires are good. He knows the things that are yours, so that you may rest yourselves in them.
• God came and destroyed the division and he brought love.
• They have not been deprived of the glory of the Father nor have they thought of Him as small, nor bitter, nor angry, but as absolutely good, unperturbed, & sweet.
• They rest in him who rests, without wearying themselves. The Father is in them, and they are in the Father, since they are perfect, inseparable from him who is truly good. They lack nothing in any way, but they are given rest and are refreshed by the Spirit.
• The Father is good and his children are perfect and worthy of his name, because he is their Father.

From The Gospel According to Philip:

• The son is not only a son but lays claim to the inheritance of the father. The dead are heirs to nothing. For how can he who is dead inherit?
• He who has believed in the truth has found life.
• Jesus said "He who shall not eat my flesh and drink my blood has not life in him." What is it? His flesh is the word, and his blood is the Holy Spirit. He who has received these has food and he has drink and clothing.
• This is an interesting possibility.
• Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the removal of sins." (Matthew 26:26-28)
• Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).
• Do not get drunk with wine but be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
• The father makes a son, and the son has not the power to make a son. For he who has been begotten has not the power to beget, but the son gets brothers for himself, not sons.
• Faith receives, love gives. No one will be able to receive without faith. No one will be able to give without love.
• When the pearl is cast down into the mud, it becomes greatly despised but it always has value in the eyes of its owner. Compare the Sons of God: wherever they may be, they still have value in the eyes of their Father.
• An ass which turns a millstone did a hundred miles walking. When it was loosed, it found that it was still at the same place. There are men who make many journeys, but make no progress towards any destination.
• [You are all equally loved but do not see it]. When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another. When the light comes, then he who sees will see the light, and he who is blind will remain in darkness.
• When you have knowledge of God's love you will see it as it is & rejoice but when you have an inaccurate view of who God is & how He loves you you will not recognize His love even while it is being poured out on you or in you.
• If you fear the flesh it will gain mastery over you.
• Through the Holy Spirit we are indeed begotten. We are anointed through the Spirit. When we were begotten, we were united.
• Adam's separation became the beginning of death. Because of this, Christ came to repair the separation, which was from the beginning, and to give life to those who died as a result of the separation, and unite them [to Himself].
• Men make gods and worship their creation. It would be more fitting for those gods to worship men!
• To those who so desired, Jesus gave life, that they might not die.
• The law was the tree of knowledge. It has power to give the knowledge of good and evil. It neither removes from evil, nor does it set men in the good, but it creates death for those who eat of it.
• These are the ones which will not be able to rise above the heart of flesh. If they do not know themselves they will not enjoy what they possess. But those who have come to know themselves will enjoy their possessions.
• [Those who are better at abstaining from sin] become arrogant. Even their knowledge gives them a sense of superiority over the whole world. But "Love builds up." Those who are really freed through the truth are willing to live as slaves because of their love for those who have not yet been freed by the truth.
• Spiritual love is [like a] fragrance. All those who love take pleasure in it. Those who are nearby also profit from their love. [Love those who are nearby & they shall be able to love as well because] love heals wounds.
• Knowledge is the light through which we ripen.
• It is not proper to cause anyone distress - whether the person is great or small, unbeliever or believer - and then give comfort only to those who take satisfaction in good deeds. Some find it advantageous to give comfort [only] to the one who has fared well.
• Truth is stronger than ignorance and error. It gives freedom. The Word said, "If you know the truth, the truth will make you free." Ignorance is a slave. Knowledge is freedom. If we know the truth, we shall find the fruits of the truth within us.

From The Book of Thomas the Contender:

• Since you are called my brother learn who you are, in what way you exist. It is not fitting that you be ignorant of yourself.
• Blessed is the wise man who sought after the truth, and when he found it, he rested upon it forever and was unafraid of those who wanted to disturb him.
• It is useful & good for you to rest.
• Their mind is directed to their own selves, for their thought is occupied with their deeds.

From The Apocryphon of James:

• I came down to dwell with you, so that you in turn might dwell with me.
• You are the beloved; you are they who will be the cause of life in many.
• Rejoice, and be glad, as sons of God.
• For your sakes I placed myself under the curse of the law, that you may be saved.

From The Letter of Peter to Philip:

• Why are you asking me to hear you? I am Jesus Christ who is with you forever.
• Be not afraid, I am with you forever.
• Our Lord Jesus Christ is the author of our rest.

From The Prayer of the Apostle Paul:
You are my treasure house open for me!

From The Prayer of Thanksgiving:
From the Father to everyone and everything comes the fatherly kindness and affection and love, and any teaching there may be that is sweet and plain


From The Treatise on the Resurrection:

• We have received rest through our Savior, our Lord Christ. We received it when we came to know the truth and rested ourselves upon it.
• We have known the Son of Man, and we have believed that he rose from among the dead. This is he of whom we say, "He became the destruction of death, as he is a great one in whom they believe." Great are those who believe.
• The mind of those who have known him shall not perish.
• We have received salvation from end to end. Let us think in this way! Let us comprehend in this way!
• The resurrection is the truth which stands firm. It is the revelation of what is, and the transformation of things, and a transition into newness. For imperishability descends upon the perishable; the light flows down upon the darkness, swallowing it up. Why not consider yourself as risen and already brought to this?
• Do not be jealous of anyone who is in your number when he is able to help.

From The Exegesis on the Soul:

• It is by being born again that [lives] will be saved. And this is due not to rote phrases or to professional skills or to book learning. Rather it is the grace & gift of the [Father].
• The Father is good and loves humanity, and he hears the soul that calls upon him and sends it the light of salvation.
• He is long suffering and abundantly merciful.

From The Testimony of Truth:

• Many have sought after the truth and have not been able to find it; because there has taken hold of them the old leaven of the Pharisees and the scribes of the Law. For no one who is under the Law will be able to look up to the truth, for they will not be able to serve two masters.
• For one who is in ignorance, it is difficult for him to diminish his works of darkness which he has done.
• The foolish - thinking in their heart that if they confess, "We are Christians," in word only (but) not with power, while giving themselves over to ignorance, not knowing where they are going nor who Christ is, thinking that they will live, when they are (really) in error - hasten towards the principalities and authorities. They fall into their clutches because of the ignorance that is in them.
• This is the thought that they have within them: "If we deliver ourselves over to death for the sake of the Name we will be saved." These matters are not settled in this way.
• This is the perfect life, that man know himself by means of the All.
• We have been released from the flesh.
• He who has found the life-giving word, and he who has come to know the Father of Truth, has come to rest; he has ceased seeking, having found.
• A free man is not envious.

From Eugnostos the Blessed:

• The Father is unchanging good. He is faultless. He is everlasting.
• The Father is ever full of ineffable joy. They are all at rest in him, ever rejoicing in ineffable joy, over the unchanging glory and the measureless jubilation of the Father.
• The kingdom of the Son of Man is full of ineffable joy and unchanging jubilation, ever rejoicing in ineffable joy over their imperishable glory.
• They ever delight themselves on account of their glory that does not change, and the rest that is not measured.
• He will speak all these things to you joyously and in pure knowledge.

From The Secret Gospel of Mark:
We are children of Light having been illuminated by the dawn of the Spirit of the Lord from on high, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty for all things are pure to the pure.

From The Living Gospel:
The Savior Jesus [is] the head (source) of all these gifts. May he be praised!

From Second Treatise of the Great Seth:

• They put on the new man since they have come to know that perfect Blessed One of the eternal Father, which is I. I came to my own and united them with myself.
• We were hated and persecuted, not only by those who are ignorant, but also by those who think that they are advancing the name of Christ, since they were not knowing who they are. They persecuted those who have been liberated by [Christ]. They weep & groan because they did not fully know [Christ]. Instead, they served two masters, even a multitude.
• We are innocent, pure, & good.
• They have bruised the noble pleasure of the Assembly because they revealed a mixture of ignorance in a counterfeit since they are untaught & have not understood that light [God] has fellowship with light [children of light]. They made an imitation of truth, having proclaimed a doctrine of lies so as to resemble the freedom and purity of the perfect Assembly. It was ludicrous. It is I who bear witness that it was ludicrous. They join themselves with their doctrine to fear and slavery and worldly cares. [They see themselves] as small. They hate the One in whom they are, and love the one in whom they are not. For they do not know the knowledge of the greatness that it is from above and from a fountain of truth, and that it is not from slavery & fear. They freely use the [laws] which are not theirs. They desire a law from themselves over whatever they will wish.
  
  They lead astray those who possess the truth of their freedom. They buy them for servitude & constrain them by cares and fears. Yet they are in slavery themselves. But he who is brought by constraint of force and threat has [still] been guarded by God. Those who are from Him [always] belong to Him. He has made them perfect through the living water. They are perfect & worthy & established & united with Christ. There is no enmity [between them & God but the offer] of good friendship. O those who do not see, you do not see your blindness. The blind ones are always being slaves of law and earthly fear. He who lives in harmony and friendship of brotherly love, naturally and not artificially, this person is truly the desire of the Father who is perfect love.
• This has some interesting & exact language that can apply to Christians & Christian leaders who live under law, how they treat those who are under grace, & how God loves & values both groups regardless. I've gussied it up a little by light editing, reordering, & paraphrasing. So don't go thinking the Gnostics were persecuted grace people. This same document denies Jesus' death & other terrible things.
• I accomplish everything through the Good One.
• Through our fellowship we grasped his teaching.
• He is life & perfect Truth, since he came from the Father. The Father is the union of peace and a friend of good things, and life eternal and undefiled joy. [We know Him by] a great harmony of life and faith.
• [Your union with God will be a] joyful union [when you trust that He] is trustworthy and [you] faithfully listen to [Him].
• The Father is in fatherhood and motherhood and brotherhood and sisterhood and wisdom.
• Union, peace, & love are perfected in Christ.
• They have been blended into the one through the Living Word.
• I am in the spirit and the truth of motherhood.
• I am among those who are united in the friendship of friends forever, who neither know hostility at all, nor evil, but who are united by my knowledge in word and peace. These are in friendship with each other in the spirit.
• All these are from a single Spirit.
• You are perfect and incorruptible ones because [you are born] of the incorruptible and perfect One.
• Present the knowledge of incorruption from the spiritual union. [If you] do not know it, [it is] because the fleshly cloud overshadows [your mind].
• The bosom of the Father is the place of the sons of the Truth. Rest then with me in His bosom, my fellow spirits and my brothers, forever.

From The Three Steles of Seth:

• You have saved, you have saved, you have saved us, O crown-bearer, crown-giver! We bless you eternally. We are perfect on account of you. We became perfect with you who is complete, who completes. You are Perfect! You are Perfect! You are Perfect!
• You have empowered the eternal ones in being; You have empowered divinity in living; You have empowered knowledge in goodness.
• You have come forth to these and from these.
• Salvation has come to us; from you is salvation. You are wisdom, You are knowledge; You are truthfulness. On account of You is life; from You is life.
• Unite us as You have been united. Teach us those things which You do see.
• You have heard! You have heard! You have saved! You have saved! We give thanks! We bless You always! We shall glorify You!
• We bless You Father of divinity and life, creator of mind, giver of good, giver of blessedness!
• We bless You because we were saved. Always we glorify You. We have blessed You, for we are empowered.

From The Teachings of Silvanus:

• Do not flee from the divine and the teaching which are within you, for He who is teaching you loves you very much.
• Cast your anxiety upon God alone.
• A foolish man puts on shame like a garment of sorrow.
• [Partake in] your divine nature. Regard Christ, this true friend, as a good teacher.
• God, the holy Father, the true Life, the Spring of Life
• The divine which is within you will purify you & make you become self-controlled in your soul and body. He will give you a great light & you will become a throne of wisdom.
• Know your birth. Know yourself.
• The created, however, is the [spirit], which has come into being in [the likeness of] the image of God. Live according to the [spirit]. Do not think about things pertaining to the flesh. Acquire strength, for the [spirit] is strong.
• The Adversary comes as a true friend, saying, "I advise good things for you." But you did not recognize the deceitfulness of this one when you received him as a true friend. For he casts into your heart evil thoughts as good ones, and hypocrisy in the guise of true wisdom, eagerness in the guise of conservative frugality, boastfulness and pride in the guise of great self-control, and godlessness as great godliness. And he casts false knowledge into your heart in the guise of mysterious words. My son, how will you be able to comprehend the schemes of this one, or his soul-killing counsel? For his devices, and the schemes of his wickedness, are many.
  
  Accept Christ, who is able to set you free, and who has taken on the devices of that one, so that through these he might destroy him. For this is the king whom you have who is forever invincible, against whom no one will be able to fight nor say a word. This is your king and your father, for there is no one like him. The divine teacher is with you always. He is a helper, and he meets you because of the good which is in you.
• A wise man does not blurt out every word, but he will be discerning toward those who hear.
• Entrust yourself to God as father and as friend.
• Christ is the true light and the sun of life. For just as the sun which is visible and makes light for the eyes of the flesh, so Christ illuminates every mind and the heart.
• Do not think in your heart that God exists in a place. If you localize the Lord of all in a place, then it is fitting for you to say that the place is more exalted than he who dwells in it. For that which contains is more exalted than that which is contained.
• It is necessary to know God as he is. You cannot know God through anyone except Christ, who has the image of the Father, for this image reveals the true likeness in correspondence to that which is revealed.
• Indeed, it is good to ask and to know who God is.
• He who is in darkness will not be able to see anything unless he receives the light.
• Do not cease walking in the way of Christ. Walk in it so that you may receive rest from your labors. If you walk in another way, there will be no profit in it.
• You [are] a temple, (but) you have made yourself [out to be] a tomb. Cease being a tomb, and [know that you are] a temple, [Behold] uprightness and divinity remain in you.
• The Tree of Life is Christ. He is Wisdom. For he is Wisdom; he is also the Word. He is the Life, the Power, and the Door. He is the Light, the Messenger, and the Good Shepherd. Entrust yourself to this one who became all for your sake.
• The Life died for you when he was powerless, so that through his death, he might give life to you who have died.
• Give yourself gladness from the true vine of Christ.
• Do not pierce yourself with the sword of sin. Do not burn yourself with the fire of lust. Do not surrender yourself to barbarians like a prisoner, nor to savage beasts which want to trample upon you. For they are as lions which roar very loudly.
• The [spirit] which is a member of God's household is one which is kept pure, and the [spirit] which has put on Christ is one which is pure. It is impossible for it to sin. Now where Christ is, there sin is idle.
• Let Christ bring to naught all powers which have come upon you.
• Know who Christ is, and acquire him as a friend, for this is the friend who is faithful. He is also God and Teacher. This one, being God, became man for your sake. It is this one who broke the iron bars of the Underworld, and the bronze bolts. It is this one who attacked and cast down every haughty tyrant. It is he who loosened from himself the chains of which he had taken hold. He brought up the poor from the Abyss and the mourners from the Underworld. It is he who humbled the haughty powers; he who put to shame haughtiness through humility; he who has cast down the strong and the boaster through weakness, so that humility for God's sake might be highly exalted; (and) he who has put on humanity.
• God bears patiently with man always.
• Christ has exalted man to become like God, not in order that he might bring God down to man, but that man might become like God.
• The Life of Heaven wishes to renew all, that he may cast out that which is weak that everyone may shine forth in heavenly garments in order to make manifest the command of the Father (who) is exceedingly brilliant, and that Christ may crown those wishing to contend well. Christ, being judge of the contest, is he who crowned every one, teaching every one to contend. This one who contended first received the crown, gained dominion, and appeared, giving light to everyone. And all are made new through the Holy Spirit.
• O Lord Almighty, how much glory shall I give Thee? No one has been able to glorify God adequately. It is You who have given glory to Your Word (Son) in order to save everyone, O Merciful God.
• Christ is illuminates the power of God, and he is an emanation of the pure glory of the Almighty. He is the spotless mirror of the working of God, and he is the image of his goodness. He is the eye which looks at the invisible Father, always serving and forming by the Father's will. He alone was begotten by the Father's good pleasure. He is Wisdom and Life. He gives life to, and nourishes, all living things and powers. For he is the beginning and the end, watching over all. He is troubled on behalf of everyone, and he rejoices and also mourns.
• Raise yourself up when you have left your old man behind like an eagle.
• O this patience of God, which bears with every one, which desires that every one who has become subject to sin be saved!
• For God does not need to put any man to the test. He knows things before they happen, and he knows the hidden things of the heart.
• Open the door for yourself, that you may know the One who is. For he is the Ruler of Faith and the Sharp Sword, having become all for everyone because he wishes to have compassion on everyone.
• If you have Christ, you will conquer this entire world.
• Do not wish to acquire honors which are insecure, nor the boastfulness which brings you to ruin.
• Accept the wisdom of Christ, (who is) patient and mild, and guard this, O my son, knowing that God's way is always profitable.

From The Gospel of Judas:  Nothing worth keeping
From The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles:  Nothing worth keeping
From The Apocalypse of Paul:  Nothing worth keeping
From The Thought of Norea:  Nothing worth keeping

From The Apocalypse of Peter:

• Those who oppose the truth & are the messengers of error will set up their error and their law against the pure thoughts of God, thinking that good and evil are from one source. They do business in my word and what they spread will result in harsh outcomes.
• I ransomed them from the slavery in which they were to give them freedom.
• They think they are in the spiritual fellowship of those united [by Christ's death & life]. But instead they are in the imitation. Where [brothers] oppress their brothers.
• There shall be others of those who are outside our number who name themselves bishop and also ministers, as if they have received their authority from God. People will bend themselves under the judgment of [these] leaders.
• There are multitudes that will mislead other multitudes of living ones, and destroy them among themselves. And when they speak your name they will be believed.
• This is a picture of all of church history. On the violent side like the Catholics killed those who opposed them for centuries & the protestants killed those such as the anabaptists.
• All that is needed is for people to speak (in) God's name & others will follow them regardless of how ungodly they lead.
• In proportion to their lies they will rule over the little ones.
• He whom you saw on the tree, glad and laughing, this is the living Jesus.
• He whom they crucified is the first-born. He stands joyfully looking at those who did him violence
• Be courageous and do not fear at all. For I shall be with you in order that none of your enemies may prevail unto you. Peace be to you, Be strong!

From The First Apocalypse of James:

• For you descended into a great ignorance, but you have not been defiled by anything in it. You walked in mud, and your garments were not soiled.
• Now since you are a just man of God, you have embraced me and kissed me. Truly I say to you that you have stirred up great anger and wrath against yourself [from men].
• They seize people & sit there as toll collectors. Not only do they demand toll, but they also take away souls by theft.
• A just man will perish through injustice.

From The Second Apocalypse of James:

• This Lord who is present came as a son who sees.
• I hasten to make them free and want to take them to the Father who wants them.
• I am the beloved. I am the righteous one. I am the son of the Father. I speak even as I heard.
• Understand and know the Father who has compassion.
• I tell you judges, you have been judged. And you did not spare, but you were spared.
• Renounce the difficult way, which is so variable, and walk in accordance with Him who desires that you become free men. God will not judge you for those things that you did, but will have mercy on you. He is not a wrathful one, He is a kind Father. But you have judged yourselves, and because of this you will remain in chains. You have oppressed yourselves [thus] you will repent but it will be of no benefit to you at all.
• When you judge yourself & oppress yourself you put chains on yourself, keeping you from experiencing the freedom God wants you to have. In this bound state repenting (trying to sin less/turning from sins) never works out. That was my experience before I saw the freedom God had given me. I would repent for the same things pretty well every day & nothing ever improved. It didn't benefit me because I was judging myself as a sinner struggling in chains instead of knowing God had removed the real chains long ago. The idea of repentance that I grew up with was "feel really bad (ashamed) & promise God I'll never perform that particular action again." It wasn't just of no benefit, it was also additional self-oppression because I was relying on my performance & promises instead of God's on my behalf.
• I am the Just One. I do not act as your master but I act as your helper.
• My God and my Father saved me from dead hope & made me alive.
• Love is alive in me.
• I trusted in you with all my strength, because you are the life of the life!
• Because I am alive in you, your grace is alive in me.

From The Infancy Gospel of Thomas:
Let those bear fruit that were barren and let them see that were blind in heart.

From The Acts of Paul and Thecla:

• Paul's companions Demas & Hermogenes were then full of hypocrisy. But Paul looked only at the goodness of God and did them no harm, but loved them greatly.
• We arose again when we came to the knowledge of God.
• God stands in need of nothing but the salvation of his creatures. He wants to reclaim them from their corruptions, from sin & death.
• Jesus Christ the Son of God alone is the way to eternal salvation and the foundation of eternal life. He is a refuge to those who are in distress, a support to the afflicted, a hope and defense to those who are hopeless, and in a word, all those who do not trust on him shall not live, but suffer eternal death.

From The Gospel of Nicodemus (aka Acts of Pilate):

• They which speak the truth are judged by them that have authority upon earth.
• Blessed be the Lord God, who has redeemed Israel from shedding [the] innocent blood [of Jesus].
• The most beloved Son of God will come upon the earth to raise up the body of Adam and the bodies of the dead. He shall anoint with the oil of lovingkindness all that trust him, and that oil of lovingkindness shall be unto all generations of them that shall be born of water and of the Holy Ghost, unto life eternal.
• Satan the prince of death said, "Jesus has much been mine enemy, doing me great hurt, and many that I had made blind, lame, dumb, leprous, and possessed He has healed with a word: and some whom I have brought to death, them he has taken away."
• Jesus who was able to raise the dead is God, strong in command and mighty. He is the saviour of mankind. He will set free all that are shut up in the hard prison and bound in the chains of their sins that cannot be broken, and will bring them unto the life of his God forever.
• The Lord looked down from heaven that he might hear the groanings of them that are in fetters and deliver the children of them that have been slain.
• The Lord of majesty appeared in the form of a man and lightened the eternal darkness and broke the bonds that could not be loosed: and the help of his everlasting power came to us that sat in the deep darkness of our transgressions and in the shadow of death of our sins.
• In majesty unblemished Jesus in wrath condemned the power of Satan.
• Jesus, so great and so small, both humble and exalted, both soldier and commander, a marvelous warrior in the shape of a bondsman, and a King of glory who bore the cross & was slain upon it.
• Jesus sets free the prisoners that are held bound by original sin and restores them into liberty. Jesus sheds his divine & bright light upon them that were blinded with the darkness of their sins.
• The world of earth has been always subject unto death & sin until Jesus. By His death on the cross He tries to take all men out of the bonds of sin [& give them His life].
• The King of glory in His majesty trampled death & drew mankind to Himself, unto His own brightness.
• Jesus made all the darkness of death flee by the brightness of his majesty & has broken the strong depths of the prisons, and let out the prisoners and loosed them that were bound. And all that were sighing in torment do rejoice. The captives which never could be joyful now threaten the powers of darkness.
• From the beginning until this day they have despaired of life and salvation, BUT NOW none of their usual roarings are heard, neither do any groan, nor is there any sign of tears upon the face of any of them.
• O Satan, the riches which you had gained by the tree of transgression and the losing of paradise, you have lost by the tree of the cross, and all your gladness has perished.
• Satan is the author of death and head of all pride.
• Satan [has been given over to eternal torture] in the stead of Adam and his children.
• The Lord stretching forth his hand, said, "Come unto me, all my holy children which bear my image and my likeness. You that by the tree and the devil and death were condemned, behold now the devil and death condemned by the tree."
• Life is in the Lord's good pleasure.
• O Lord, you have set the name of your glory in the heavens and set up your cross for proof of redemption upon the earth.
• The Lord has made known his saving health, before the face of all nations has he revealed his righteousness.
• God is the Lord and has showed us light. Amen, Alleluia.
• What God is like you, O Lord, taking away iniquity and removing sins? And now you withhold your wrath for a testimony that your are merciful of free will, and you do have mercy on us, your remove all our iniquities and have sunk all our sins in the depths of the sea, as you swore unto our fathers in the days of old.
• All the saints said, "This is our God for ever and ever, he shall be our guide. Amen, Alleluia."
• He brought them all into the glory and beauty (grace) of paradise.
• Blessed be the Lord Almighty, the Father of eternal good things, the Father of mercies, you that has given such grace unto sinners & has brought them again into the beauty of paradise & into your good pastures.

The main problems with the gnostic writings I read are 1. They often depersonify God making him into an incomprehensible thing rather than a loving Father to relate to. 2. They create the idea that certain people are superior to others. 3. They are filled with non-sense with Jesus speaking about things & in such a way that we never see Him speak of elsewhere nor do we see the writers of the NT speak of such things. They support each other some but they find no support in the letters of the NT. 4. Its religious fan-fiction play time. Except for the fact that some narratives have Jesus giving out the information most of these purely resemble man made mythology.

On the plus side they seemed to grasp the idea of spiritual union with God & God's people being created perfect from their rebirth (spiritual identity), something taught by John & Paul yet almost absent from all of Christianity today. They also emphasized resting in God.

"You are in Me and I am in you." -Jesus

Christ In You
The Helper is IN YOU & with you forever. The Helper is the Spirit of truth. You know the Spirit of truth because He lives with you and is IN YOU. I live & so do you. Know that I am in My Father, and you are IN ME, and I am IN YOU. (John 14:16-20)
Because the Spirit of God dwells IN YOU, you are not in the flesh but IN the Spirit. Christ is IN YOU. Your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. But the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells IN YOU. He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells IN YOU. (Romans 8:9-11)
Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is IN YOU. (1 Corinthians 6:19)
You are a temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells IN YOU. (1 Corinthians 3:16)
God is the one who works IN YOU, both to desire and to do the good & loving things He desires. (Philippians 2:13)
Little children you are from God and have victory over the spirits of antichrists; because greater is He who is IN YOU than he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)
The glory of this reality is super-abundant, Christ is IN YOU! He gives you hope that you will see the riches of His glory unfold in your daily life. (Colossians 1:27)
Jesus Christ is IN YOU! (2 Corinthians 13:5)

You In Christ
By God's doing you are IN CHRIST JESUS. Jesus became to us wisdom from God and righteousness and purification and restoration of value. If you're going to rejoice, rejoice in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:30)
You are IN CHRIST! you are a new creature! The old things passed away! Look at the new things that have come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
There is no condemnation for you because you are IN CHRIST JESUS! (Romans 8:1)
Consider yourselves dead to sin in the same way Jesus is dead to sin. Consider yourselves alive to God IN CHRIST JESUS in the same way Jesus is alive to God. (Romans 6:11)
You were formerly darkness but now you are Light IN THE LORD; walk as children of Light. (Ephesians 5:8)
Your life is hidden with Christ IN GOD. Christ is your life. (Colossians 3:3)
We, who are many, are one body IN CHRIST, and we are each members one of another. (Romans 12:5)
We are all equally one IN CHRIST JESUS. (Galatians 3:28)

You being in God & God being in you is like a bag in the ocean.
It is in the ocean, & at the same time, the ocean is in it.

Great Scriptures for All Christians & Christian Groups

God is Love. God is not self seeking. (1 Corinthians 13:5/1 John 4:8)
Jesus says, "I reveal Myself to you so that in knowing Me you may have peace." (John 16:33)
God has stopped counting people's sins against them. (2 Corinthians 5:19)
God the Father loves you as much as He loves Jesus. Jesus loves you as much as the Father loves Him. (John 17:23,15:9)
Since God is for us God cannot also be against us. (Romans 8:31)
The Lord says, “I promise to never be angry with you or offended at you.“ (Isaiah 54:9)
Jesus says, “I do not call you my servants. I call you my friends. You are not God's servants. You are God's children.” (John 15:15/Galatians 4:7)

Nothing, including yourself, can separate you from the love of God. (Romans 8:35)
Jesus says, "I will never leave or forsake you. Look for me in your life because I will always be with you." (Hebrews 13:5/Matthew 28:20)
There is no fear in love. Love gets rid of fears. Fear involves punishment. Love does not punish. (1 John 4:18)
Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and He knows He has made us innocent. (1 John 3:20)
Jesus says, "I will treat you with gentleness & humility. I will not make you feel like a slave & I will not make you fearful. I want to give you rest, wisdom, & ease." (Matthew 11:28-30/Romans 8:15)

Whoever trusts that Jesus is the Christ is born of God & is one spirit with Him. (1 John 5:1/1 Corinthians 6:17)
Because we have trusted in Christ Jesus who rose from the dead we are not in our sins, we are in Christ instead! He has perfected our spirits forever & is purifying our flesh by renewing our minds with His kindness. (1 Corinthians 15:17/Hebrews 10:14/Romans 12:2,2:4)
Because the Spirit of God lives in you, you are never in the flesh, instead you are always in the spirit. God will never identify you by the flesh. (Romans 8:9/2 Corinthians 5:16)
Your new spirit has been created in the likeness of God. You truly are right with God. You were made righteous, pure, guiltless, innocent, faultless, and holy. (Ephesians 4:24)

By his divine power, God has already given us everything we need for life and godliness. All we have to do is discover and enjoy those things. (2 Peter 1:3-4)
God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. (Ephesians 1:3)
Do you want the riches of God's glory? Well the riches of God's glory is Christ in you! Jesus fills us with the hope of seeing God's glory unfolding throughout our lives. (Colossians 1:27)

Jesus abolished the Law of commandments contained in written rules. Those commands were against us & stood opposed to us. He took them away and nailed them to the cross (Colossians 2:14, Ephesians 2:15)
You cannot become righteous by keeping the commands in the scriptures. If you could then Christ died for nothing. Righteousness instead comes as a gift you receive from God by trusting in Christ. (Galatians 2:21/Philippians 3:9)
Trying to keep the law is like slavery & it is a burden too great for any person to bear, even the apostles & prophets of old. Christ set you free so you could stay free. Don't make yourselves slaves of the law by trying to keep the law. (Romans 7:6/Acts 15:10/Galatians 5:1)
You cannot be trying to keep the Law & be led by the Spirit of God at the same time. (Galatians 5:18)

Jesus says, "This is the will of God, that you trust Me so you can know Me forever." (John 6:40)
Jesus says, "The only work God wants from you is to trust in Me. Everything else flows from that." (John 6:28-29)
Love doesn't happen by us trying to love God. Love starts with God loving us & ends with us loving one another. (1 John 4:7-11)
Listen to God & value Him. You can be secure if you stop trying to make yourself feel secure. Instead of trusting yourself to bring about your own security know that it is God who works in you to desire & to act according to His heart's desire. His heart desires the best for you. (Philippians 2:12-13)

Do not let anyone condemn you by insisting on self-denial in the name of humility. (Colossians 2:18)
Rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, strict self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in stopping the harmful desires of the flesh. (Colossians 2:23)
You'll be happy if you don't condemn yourself by choosing what you think is good to do & bad to do. Trust God & then don't doubt yourself. If you doubt yourself you'll feel guilty. (Romans 14:22-23)
God's kingdom is not a place of demanding & forcing. God is a giver who rules over us by giving to us. He gives us freedom, purity, peace, & joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)
Satan cannot touch someone who is born of God. (1 John 5:18)

God does not live in buildings made by people (Acts 17:24)
We are God's House (Hebrews 3:6)
Jesus says, "You do not need to go anywhere to worship. If you do go somewhere to worship it is irrelevant because true worship is done in spirit and truth." (John 4:23)
Each person should give what he has decided in his own heart to give. He should neither give reluctantly nor give because he feels forced. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

The Lord God declares, "I myself will shepherd my sheep and give them rest." (Ezekiel 34:15)
Jesus says, "Do not be called leaders because you only have one leader, Christ." (Matthew 23:10)
Jesus says, "You shall not have authority over one another. You are all equal brothers." (Luke 22:25-26/Matthew 23:8)
Do nothing to seek an office for yourself but with humility of mind regard others as more important than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
All who are in Christ are equally in Him. (2 Corinthians 10:7)
You do not need anyone to teach you. The Spirit teaches you about all things. (1 John 2:27/John 16:13)
No person is to act as your judge in regards to what you do. God accepts all of His children. He died for all of them. Don't judge your brother, only be careful not to stand in his way or cause him to stumble. All of you have been made complete in Christ. (Colossians 2:10,17/Romans 14:13,15)

Grace is God's Love for You

When I think of the word "grace" I get a vague idea of some positive power & goodness that comes from God. Personally I think grace is a religious word because the unsaved & most saved can't quite define it. The word grace is best translated as "favor." Grace is God's love for you. I challenge you to look at scriptures and exchange the word grace with the phrase "God's love for you" & see how scripture explodes with God's love. I have done so below.

• The Law was given through Moses; but God's love for us and God's truth were made evident through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)
• Stephen, full of power and the knowledge of God's love for him, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8)
• When Barnabas witnessed God's love for the assembly in Antioch he rejoiced. (Acts 11:23)
• The people were urged to continue to recognize God's love for them. (Acts 13:43)
• We trust that we are saved & made whole through the love the Lord Jesus has for us. (Acts 15:11)
• I sincerely testify of the good news of God's love for mankind. (Acts 20:24)
• We have been made righteous by trusting God. We have unending peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through trusting Him we have obtained our access into God's love for us. In His love is where we stand. We rejoice with the expectancy of experiencing God's magnificent love throughout our lives. (Romans 5:1-2)
• Those who receive the abundance of God's love and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)
• Sin shall have no power over you because you are not under law but under God's love for you. (Romans 6:14)
• If salvation is by God's love for us then salvation is not based on our works. If it were based on our works then His love would not really be love. (Romans 11:6)
• It is because of God's love for me that I am who I am. (1 Corinthians 15:10)
• It is not I who labor but the love of God accompanying me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)
• You know the love of our Lord Jesus Christ for you. Though He was rich He became poor for your sake. Through His poverty you have become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9)
• God is able to make all of His love superabound to you. His love gives you everything you need & is more than enough for you to do every kind of good work. He simply makes you rich in everything and produces countless reasons for thanksgiving. The love of God in you is transcendent, it is beyond everything else. Thank you God for Your indescribable gift! (from 2 Corinthians 9:8-15)
• The Lord said to me, "My love is all you need. My power brings an end to weakness." I will gladly rejoice about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may move in & take control of my weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
• You who are seeking to be justified by law have made Christ useless to you; you have fallen from the awareness of God's love for you. (Galatians 5:4)
• In Christ Jesus we have salvation through His blood, the removal of our sins, according to the riches of the love which He has lavished upon us. (Ephesians 1:7-8)
• God is so rich in mercy He made us alive together with Christ while we were still dead in our sins. He did this because of the great love that He has for us. You are saved by God’s love for you! God has raised us up and seated us in heavenly places with Christ Jesus so He can forever show us the surpassing riches of His love for us & His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. It is by His love for you that you have been saved through trust. This salvation is God’s gift to you. It is not a result of any good deeds you've done, so there is no reason for anyone to brag about how good they are because it is all about God's goodness. He gives us enough value through loving us that we don't even feel like boasting in our deeds because we are so busy basking in His unconditional love. We are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to join Him in doing the loving things He has decided for us to do. (Ephesians 2:4-10)
•  God has given me the honor of dispensing to you His love for you. (Ephesians 3:2)
• Don't speak bad things but only things that are good for building people up according to the need of the moment. In short, remind people of God's great & giving love for them. (Ephesians 4:29)
• We all partake of God's love for us. (Philippians 1:7)
• The love of the Lord Jesus Christ for you is with your spirit. (Philippians 4:23)
• You truly understood the love of God for us all. (Colossians 1:6)
• Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of every opportunity. Always speak of or with God's love towards mankind so that you will know how you should respond to each person. His love is like a fine seasoning that draws people to Him for more. (Colossians 4:5-6)
• Please recognize & remember that our Father always has love towards you & that the love of our Lord Jesus Christ is always with you. (1 Thessalonians 5:28)
• The name of our Lord Jesus is glorified in you, and you are glorified in Him when you confidently live knowing that He loves you. (2 Thessalonians 1:12)
• Allow the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father to comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word because He has loved us and given us eternal comfort & good hope by His gracious love for us. (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
• God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and His love for us which was granted to us in Christ Jesus from all eternity, but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the good news. (2 Timothy 1:9-10)
• Be strong in the love that Christ Jesus has for you. (2 Timothy 2:1)
• The love of God for mankind has appeared, bringing salvation to all men. His love for us trains us to reject godless ways & worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. His love for us makes us eager to do what is good. He gave Himself for us to restore us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people who belong to Him as His very own dearly loved children. (Titus 2:11-12,14)
• Listen to what I am about to say because it is reliable. "When the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of good deeds we have done, but according to His compassion. We have been made whole by the Holy Spirit's washing which restored us to who we were uniquely meant to be and changed us into children of God. He richly poured out His Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior and we have been made righteous by His love for us. We are now heirs with Christ to everything God has as we are holding onto the expectancy of continuing our eternal life with Him." When people who come to trust in God understand this they will seek to do good with eagerness & wisdom. (Titus 3:4-8)
• Because of God’s love for us, Jesus tasted death on behalf of everyone. (Hebrews 2:9)
• Let us confidently draw near to the throne of God's gracious love for us so that we may receive kindness and find His love for us which helps us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:16)
• See to it that no one comes short in their understanding of how much God loves them. No root of bitterness will spring up & cause trouble if we understand His love for us. No immoral or godless person can stand the pure love of God without being sucked into it & freed or angrily walking away from it. (Hebrews 12:15-16)
• It is good for your heart to be strengthened by God's love for you. The love of Jesus Christ for you is the same yesterday and today and forever. He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we could confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” The more you recognize God's love for you the less you will be carried away by various teachings. (Hebrews 13:5-6,8-9)
• God loves all of you and His love is with you all. (Hebrews 13:25)
• If you humble yourself, resist the devil, & engage God you will experience His love for you in greater & greater ways. (James 4:6-8)
• May you experience God's love for you & His peace to the furthest extent possible! (1 Peter 1:2)
• Fix your hope completely on the love that God has for you. (1 Peter 1:13)
• Show your wife that you value her as an equal partner in the life God loves to give you both. (1 Peter 3:7)
• Use the special gifts our Father has lovingly given you to serve one another. Be good at directing the beautifully multi-colored love of God for us to the right people at the right time. (1 Peter 4:10)
• If you value yourself & others as God does you will see God's love for us everywhere. (1 Peter 5:5)
• Though you suffer for a little while, the God of all gracious love has called you to His eternal glory in Christ and He will Himself completely mend you, make you stable, strengthen you, and settle you. (1 Peter 5:10)
• Stand firm in the true love of God! He loves you! (1 Peter 5:12)
• Your experience of God's peace & His love for you multiplies through your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. Know this, the Lord, by His divine power, has already given us everything we need for life and godliness. We can only take advantage of what He has given us by having knowledge of Him. (2 Peter 1:2-3)
• Keep on growing in your knowing that God loves you. Learn of Him from Him & you will not be carried away by the error of those who seek the flesh, instead your mind will stand firm in the knowledge & love of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)
• God's gracious love for us, His compassionate kindness, & His indescribable peace will certainly be with us forever in the truth & love of the Son & the Father. (2 John 1:2-3)
• May all have God’s loving-favor. Trust and let it be so. (Revelation 22:21)

See Also
God's Love in The Old Testament
God's Love in The New Testament

The Truth About Sin

If You, Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand? (Psalm 130:3)

Jesus came in the flesh to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 9:26).

God does not count sins against anyone in the world during this age. (2 Corinthians 5:19)

Those who refuse to trust Jesus store up wrath for themselves for the day of judgement in the next age. The sins that Jesus "put away" are returned to them. (Romans 2:5)

Those who trust Jesus enter into an eternal covenant of peace with Him that He made through the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1:20, Matthew 26:28, Isaiah 54:9-10)

To those who trust Him God says, "I will never remember your sins and lawless deeds" (Hebrews 10:17, 8:12). God takes their sins away forever (Romans 11:27, Psalm 103:12), freeing them from sin (Romans 6:6,7,18,22, 8:2), cleansing and purifying them from their sins forever (Hebrews 1:3, 13:11-12, 1 John 1:7,9).

Blessed is the person whose sin the Lord will never take into account! He will never charge that person with sin! (Romans 4:8)

My post The Sins of the World Taken Away & The Wrath of God goes into more detail.

God's Love in The New Testament

The Son of Man was lifted up on a cross so that whoever trusts in Him will know God. God loved the world so much that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever trusts in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but to save and cure the world through Him. (John 3:14-17, Post-Cross Paraphrase)

Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him. (Mark 10:21)

Jesus said, "Don't disregard the love of God." (Luke 11:42)

“Lord, behold, Lazarus whom You love is sick." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Jesus wept. So the Jews were saying, “See how Jesus loved Lazarus!”  (John 11:3,5,35-36)

Jesus loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (John 13:1)

The disciple whom Jesus loved was reclining on Jesus’ chest. (John 13:23)

Jesus said, "Love one another as I have loved you. I have loved you so that you may also love one another." (John 13:34)

Jesus said, "Just as the Father has loved Me, I have loved you; rest in My love." (John 15:9)

Jesus said, "No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Jesus said, "The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have trusted that I came forth from the Father." (John 16:27)

Jesus said, "Father You sent Me, and loved my followers just as much as You have loved Me." (John 17:23)

Jesus said, "Father I have made who You are known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:26)

When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” (John 19:26)

Hope does not bring shame because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5)

Christ made His love towards us obvious by dying for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:8)

God has given us right standing with himself. Who or what then will condemn us? No one, nothing, for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us. He is sitting at God’s right hand, participating in our lives and interceding for us. Who or what then can separate us from the love of Christ? There is no such thing! We overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:33-35,37-39)

Pray by the love of the spirit. (Romans 15:30)

The love of Christ surrounds us & completely holds us. He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live to themselves, but to Him who died for them and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

God loves the one who is happy to give. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

The God of love and peace is with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)

The favor & grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the companionship of the Holy Spirit is with you all! (2 Corinthians 13:14)

I live by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)

The fruit of the spirit is love. (Galatians 5:22)

Let us praise the God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has blessed us in Christ giving us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to make us pure and holy and blameless in spirit before Him. In His love and with kind intentions He predestined us through Jesus Christ to be adopted as His sons & daughters. He did this to show the magnificence of His favor which has been freely bestowed on us in the Beloved Jesus. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the removal of our sins. We have this because of the riches of His favor & grace which He lavished upon us. (Ephesians 1:3-8)

God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ, and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His favor in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. By God's favor you have been made whole. By God's favor you have been saved through trust; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:4-8)

May you know by experience the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask, think, or imagine, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:19-21)

Be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Christ loves His people and gave Himself up for them. (Ephesians 5:25)

God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give the family of God peace and love with trust. (Ephesians 6:23)

You yourselves are taught by God to love one another. (1 Thessalonians 4:9)

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father have loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by Their gracious favor. They comfort and strengthen our hearts in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

The Lord directs hearts into the love of God and into the patient endurance of Christ. (2 Thessalonians 3:5)

God's love filled opinion of us is too wonderful for us to ever fully handle. It brings the trust and love which are found in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:14)

God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but of strength and love and competence. (2 Timothy 1:7)

When God our Savior made His kindness and love for humanity appear, He saved us & made us whole, not on the basis of good things we had done but because of His merciful kindness and good will towards us. He made us whole by the washing of new birth and renewing by the Holy Spirit. He richly poured His Spirit out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior. We are made righteous & guiltless by His favor & grace. We have become heirs and we are confident that we have everlasting life. (Titus 3:4-7)

My son, do not lightly regard the guidance of the Lord, nor be irritated or grieved when He  refutes you attempting to lead you out of false beliefs. For the Lord nurtures the one He loves like a father nurtures a son he is pleased with. (Hebrews 12:5-6)

The love of God has truly been perfected in the person that treasures God's words, trusts Him, & loves others. (1 John 2:5)

The Father loves us so much that He calls us His very own children (1 John 3:1)

We know love by this, that Jesus laid down His life for us (1 John 3:16)

All love is from God. God is love. (1 John 4:7-8)

Love does not come from our love for God but God's love for us. God defined love by making His love known to us by sending His only begotten Son into the world for our sins thus overcoming our distrust so that we can live through Him. (1 John 4:9-10)

If we love one another God is living in us and God's love is accomplished in us. (1 John 4:12)

We have come to know, rely on, and have put our trust in the love God has for us. God is love (1 John 4:16).

God's perfect love removes fear because God will not punish those who trust Him. Their standing in the world is identical with Christ's. If you fear punishment or judgment from God you do not understand God's perfect love for you. (1 John 4:18)

We love because God first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Jesus, the truth, lives in us and will be with us forever. Truly from His love comes grace, favor, mercy and peace which will be with us from God the Father and from Him, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father. (2 John 1:2-3)

Keep yourself aware of God's love for you by building yourself up in pure trust and praying in the Holy Spirit (Jude 20-21)

Jesus gives us grace and peace. He loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood. (Revelation 1:4-5)

Jesus says, "I lead those I love out of false beliefs and cause them to learn the truth. Let my love motivate you to the eager sincerity to change your mind." (Revelation 3:19)

“I have loved you,” says Jesus. (Revelation 3:9)

 
See Also
God's Love in The Old Testament & Grace is God's Love for You

God's Love in The Old Testament

Lord, in Your lovingkindness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy abiding place. (Exodus 15:13)

The Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with Moses as he called upon the name of the Lord. Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness, mercy, and truth; who keeps lovingkindness and mercy for thousands of generations, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; He forgives the guilty and limits the consequences of their actions to the third and fourth generations.” (Exodus 34:5-7)

The Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing. (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)

The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you. (Deuteronomy 23:5)

Indeed, the Lord loves the people. All His holy ones (saints) are in His hand. (Deuteronomy 33:3)

May the Lord show lovingkindness and truth to you. (2 Samuel 2:6)

The Lord makes salvation and deliverance evident and shows lovingkindness to all His people forever. (2 Samuel 22:51)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34)

The Lord's lovingkindness is everlasting. (1 Chronicles 16:41, 2 Chronicles 5:13, 7:3, 7:6, 20:21)

Our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, You are a gracious and compassionate God who keeps lovingkindness and in Your great compassion does not forsake. (Nehemiah 9:31-32)

You God have granted me life, mercy, and lovingkindness; And Your care has preserved my spirit. (Job 10:12)

All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth (Psalm 25:10)

I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness, Because You have seen my affliction; You have known the troubles of my soul (Psalm 31:7)

Lovingkindness surrounds those who trust in the Lord (Psalm 32:10)

The Lord loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord. (Psalm 33:5)

Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. (Psalm 36:5)

The Lord loves justice and does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever. (Psalm 37:28)

You, O Lord, will not withhold Your compassion from me; Your lovingkindness and Your truth will continually preserve me. (Psalm 40:11)

The lovingkindness of God lasts all day long. (Psalm 52:1)

God accomplishes all things for me. He will send from heaven and save me. God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth. (Psalm 57:2-3)

You love is so great it reaches the heavens; your trustworthy faithfulness reaches to the clouds. (Psalm 57:10)

Your love O Lord is better than life (Psalm 63:3)

In Jesus lovingkindness and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. (Psalm 85:10, New Covenant Paraphrase)

For You, Lord, are good, and eager to put your forgiveness on display. You are abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You. (Psalm 86:5)

You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, patient and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. (Psalm 86:15)

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You. (Psalm 89:14)

If I should say, “My foot has slipped,” Your lovingkindness, O Lord, will hold me up. (Psalm 94:18)

The Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His loyal trustworthiness extends to all generations. (Psalm 100:5)

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; He pardons all your sins, He heals all your diseases; He redeems your life from the pit, He crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; He satisfies your years with good things. (Psalm 103:2-5)

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, patient and abounding in lovingkindness. He no longer strives with us, Nor does He retain His anger towards us. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our faults. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who trust His Son. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our sins from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord, our Father, has compassion on those who trust Him. (Psalm 103:8-13, New Covenant Paraphrase)

Consider the lovingkindnesses of the Lord. (Psalm 107:43)

The Lord's lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117:2)

Put your hope in the Lord Jesus. He has lovingkindness and has abundantly paid for our debt with His blood. He has delivered all His people from all their guilt. (Psalm 130:7-8, New Covenant Paraphrase)

Give thanks to the God of gods, the Lord of lords, for He is good. He gives food to all beings. He alone does great wonders. The Lord has remembered us in our low estate and has rescued us from the adversary. Give thanks to the God of heaven, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (from Psalm 136)

The Lord is gracious and merciful; Patient and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works. (Psalm 145:8-9)

The Lord executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets the prisoners free. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind & raises up those who are bowed down. The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord protects the strangers, He supports the fatherless and the widow, But He thwarts the way of the wicked. (Psalm 146:7-9)

My son, do not lightly regard the guidance of the Lord, nor be irritated or grieved when refuted by him. For the Lord teaches the one he loves like a father instructs a son he is pleased with. (Proverbs 3:11-12)

By lovingkindness and truth guilt is removed. (Proverbs 16:6)

Thus says the Lord, your Creator, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! I am the Lord your God, The Holy One, your Savior. You are precious in My sight. You are honored and I love you. Do not fear, for I am with you. You are My witnesses and My servants whom I have chosen, So that you may know and trust Me and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and there is no savior besides Me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, and I am God. Even from eternity I am He, and there is no one who can deliver you out of My hand; I act and no one can reverse it." (from Isaiah 43)

"With everlasting lovingkindness I will have compassion on you” says the Lord your Redeemer. "I have sworn that I will not be angry with you nor will I reject you. For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, And My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says the Lord who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:8-10)

God has given us great things and done many great things for us by His compassion and from the abundance of His lovingkindnesses. (Isaiah 63:7)

In God's love and in His mercy He redeemed us. (Isaiah 63:9)

Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth because I delight in these things,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

The Lord appeared saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness." (Jeremiah 31:3)

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses certainly never cease because His compassions never fail. His love, kindness, and compassion are new every morning. Great is Your loyal trustworthiness O Lord. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Where there is sorrow & grief the Lord will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. (Lamentations 3:32)

In that day I, the Lord will make a new covenant, “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, and I will say to those who were not My people, ‘You are My people!’ and they will say, ‘You are my God!’” (Hosea 2:18-20,23)

I will heal your backsliding. I will cure you from turning away. I love you freely. I have no anger towards you. (Hosea 14:4, New Covenant Paraphrase)

There is no God like you. You pardon guilt and do not hold rebellious acts against us. You did not retain anger against us beyond the cross of your Son. You delight in unchanging love. You have compassion on us. You crushed our sinful deeds under foot. Yes, You cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You have given truth and unchanging love to us with your Son. (From Micah 7:14-20, New Covenant Paraphrase)

The Lord your God is gracious and compassionate, patient, abounding in lovingkindness. (Joel 2:13)

You are a gracious and compassionate God, patient and overflowing with lovingkindness. (Jonah 4:2)

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. (Malachai 1:2)


Continued in..
God's Love in The New Testament & Grace is God's Love for You

My Righteous Identity in Christ

These aren't promises of me to God but promises of God to me. He has made me completely righteous in Jesus Christ so now everything He has said about the righteous I am also. These aren't things I strive to be but my true identity that flows out of my genuine self, a righteous child of God.

Christ died once for me & all of my sins, He brought me to God, He put my flesh to death, He made me alive in the spirit.	1 Peter 3:18
I will hold to God's way, I have clean hands and will grow stronger and stronger.	Job 17:9
I see and am glad	Job 22:19
God does not withdraw His eyes from me. He has seated me with kings on the throne forever, and we are exalted.	Job 36:7-8
The LORD loves me; I will behold His face.	Psalm 11:7
God is with me.	Psalm 14:5
God encompasses me with strength and makes my way blameless	Psalm 18:32
The eyes of the LORD are toward me and His ears are open to my cry.	Psalm 34:15
I cry, and the LORD hears and delivers me out of all my troubles.	Psalm 34:17
The LORD sustains me.	Psalm 34:17
I am gracious and I give.	Psalm 37:21
I am not forsaken nor does my family beg for food.	Psalm 37:25
I utter wisdom, and speak justice. My steps do not slip.	Psalm 37:30-31
My salvation is from the LORD; He is my strength in time of trouble. He helps me and delivers me; He saves me, because I trust in Him.	Psalm 37:39  Psalm 37:39
I trust in the loving kindness of God forever and ever.	Psalm 52:8
When I cast my burden upon the LORD He sustains me and will not allow me to be shaken.	Psalm 55:22
I am glad in the LORD and will trust in Him; I shine	Psalm 64:10
I am blessed.	Psalm 112:2
Light arises in the darkness for me; The LORD is gracious and compassionate towards me.	Psalm 112:4
I am gracious and compassionate and right with God.	Psalm 112:4
I will not put forth my hands to do wrong.	Psalm 125:3
I give thanks to God's name and dwell in His presence	Psalm 140:13
The LORD loves me.	Psalm 146:8
The LORD is intimate with me.	Proverbs 3:32
The LORD blesses my house.	Proverbs 3:33
My mouth is a fountain of life.	Proverbs 10:11
I have an everlasting foundation	Proverbs 10:25
My hope is gladness	Proverbs 10:28
I will never be shaken. My mouth flows with wisdom, My lips bring forth goodwill	Proverbs 10:30
I am delivered from trouble. Through knowledge I will be delivered.	Proverbs 11:8
My descendants will be delivered.	Proverbs 11:21
My desire is only good.	Proverbs 11:23
My thoughts are just	Proverbs 12:5
I am a guide to my neighbor	Proverbs 12:26
I will be given good things.	Proverbs 13:21
I have enough to satisfy my appetite.	Proverbs 13:25
My prayer is God's delight.	Proverbs 15:8
My heart ponders how to answer	Proverbs 15:28
The LORD hears my prayers.	Proverbs 15:29
I will inherit good.	Proverbs 28:10
I live by trust.	Habakkuk 2:4
God is my strong fortress and He sets my in His Way (Jesus).	2 Samuel 22:33
I have eternal life.	Matthew 25:46
I am not called to repentance.	Luke 5:32
The Law is not for me.	1Timothy 1:9
My prayer accomplishes much.	James 5:16
I will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of my Father.	Matthew 13:43