30+ pages is a loooong read... and I admit I skipped every now and then
So... directly? We don't do good works to be saved... we do good works because we are saved.
Was Jesus death on the cross part of the plan? Yes... it was in the Old Testament
When Jesus said "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." this was for the people below impelled by the pharisees to put him to death.
Why did Jesus say, "My God, my God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?"
This was the time he was bearing the weight of our sins. ALL our sins. Sins past, present, and things we haven't even done yet. Now that's got to be heavy.
He knew he was going to go through this. I'm not sure if I'm saying this right but He said that to indicate the moment when God turned away as God is holy and cannot "look" at sin.
Why would God allow His only Son to be sacrificed for us? In the Old Testament the Israelites made animal sacrifices to God for their sins. The pharisees and priests would bring these to be offered to God in the inner sanctum of the temple, the Holy of Holies. This was divided from the rest of the temple by a curtain, a veil.
But God wanted Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice so no more sacrifices had to be made. And not just for the Jews but for everyone in the world. He loved us so much to do this for you and me.
When Jesus died that's why that veil in the temple was torn. To indicate we don't need priest to mediate for us. We can have direct access to God. We can have a direct relationship with Him.
Someone questioned that it couldn't be because then it would be a sadistic god to allow his son to be made in to a sacrifice. But actually it's because of God's love for us that He did this.
Now look at it in another way. If you loved people so much that you sacrificed your son and then these people would say, "No, that's too easy. Here, we'll pay our way with money or with works." How would you feel? "Look people, I sacrificed my own son so you wouldn't have to pay your way because I know you can't do it. But you're treating my son's death as nothing? As not worthy enough?"
Will the world end tomorrow? I don't know. What I do know is after tomorrow it's going to make it a lot harder to reach out to people. This will be used as "proof that there is no God" Maybe the End Days do start tomorrow as there will be a drastic turn away from God around the world. "God doesn't exist... hey, let's do what we want!"
"As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the Son of man... Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot...even thus shall it be when the Son of man is revealed." (Luke 17:26-30)
The days of Lot were the days of Sodom and Gomorrah. If you look up the description of those two cities doesn't that sound like the way things are now?
People think that Satan is some red dude with horns and pointy tail sitting on your shoulder telling you to do bad things. He was a former angel and was THE angel in the beginning. He was described as someone beautiful.
The devil is a deceiver. This guy is not going to be obvious. If he can lure you away from the truth with religion then he'll go for it.
So how does one know the truth? Tellers, cashiers, people who handle money know a fake bill when they see one. Not by studying fake bills and the ways and means forgeries are made... but by being intimate with the real thing. These people are familiar with the layout, texture, color, feel of the real thing. So they know when they have a fake in their hands because it just doesn't feel right.
What IS the truth?
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
John 14:6