Psalm 83 War Coming?

Psalm 83 war in the Middle East is now on the immediate horizon.

In March 2018, Turkey, supposedly a NATO ally, has called for the formation of an 5.2 million man Islamic army for the immediate attack and destruction of Israel.

However, there is growing friction between Arab Muslims( Saudi & other Gulf States) and non-Arab Muslims (Turkey, Syria, Iran, etc.).

Israel is a new ally of Saudi Arabia, and maybe other nations who feel threatened by Iran.

All these secondary issues have limited by whom and how fast that call to arms by Turkey will proceed.

Let's look at Bible prophecy to see what it says will occur, so that we can judge how close we are to the start of this huge, decisive war.

Verses 6-8 of Psalm 83 tells us who will be involved in the attack on Israel:

The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot.

Joel's Trumpet has decoded Psalm 83 attackers as follows in present day countries:

Turkey and Jordon have a long, close relationship.

Turkey has been a long time, loud supporter of Hamas, Lebanon, PLO, Palastinian Authority, Gaza, and Hezbollah.  Any significant incident by Israel against any of these could be the fuse which ignites immediate retallation by Turkey and Psalm 83 allies.

Turkey and Iran have a long standing mutually beneficial relationship for many decades.  Recently, Turkey was forced to stop significant purchases of Iranian oil due to US sanctions over the failed nuclear deal with Iran.

Turkey and Iraq have a long relationship that frequently churns, boils, and changes.  They are culturally, religiously, geographically, and economically bound to each other.  Psalm 83 War will likely be another source of simultaneous binding, and/or  strife.

There is some likelihood that the Isaiah 17:1 prophecy of the complete & total destruction of Damascus Syria (described in the Bible with symptoms of melting stone, similar to what happens in nuclear war, or a large meteorite strike) may be related to the Psalm 83 War; possibly the instigation of that war, or is possibly related to the Battle of Armageddon in Revelation 16:12-16.

The supposed involvement of Saudi Arabia attacking Israel (Ishmaelites) is somewhat a surprize based on the recent cozy relationship between them, and that Saudi and Iran are sworn enemies.  Perhaps that will all suddenly change over Damascus, or some other unifying Islamic issue.

Whenever Psalm 83 occurs, God is called upon to rescue Israel.  Will God answer, or will Israel and USA save Israel?  The Bible, our best info source, is silent.

In Ezekiel 38-39 (Rev. 1:  most likely Battle of Armageddon) God intercedes on behalf of Israel, leaving only 1/6 of the attacking troops to escape (83% of attackers killed).

### Rev. 1:  There are many who dismiss Ps. 83 as merely fanciful poetry, or an allegory that has a hidden, unknown meaning, or a battle long forgotten in history, or the Arab-Israeli Wars from May 1948 to present.  

In response,  I say the Bible is 100% truth, the Holy Spirit wouldn't have included it if it wasn't important and had a specific purpose for Christians & Jews to know and understand.  Note that all the named countries are Shia Muslim majority countries, and its them who hate Israel the most, and want to wipe Israel off the face of the planet.  However, Egypt is conspicuously absent from the evil plotting, yet Egypt is a Shia Muslim majority country, and Hamas was spawned from Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, and Egypt was a key player and instigator in all the early Arab-Israeli battles, until they signed a peace treaty with Israel.  Pharaoh eventually learned not to tangle with Moses and God, and so did modern Egypt.  The absense of Egypt is proof positive Ps. 83 is not May 1948 prophecy fulfillment.  The only other legitimate option in 2023 Muslim-Israeli War) ### End Rev. 1

I'm still awaiting additional puzzle pieces to be disclosed by God, or better interpretation of the current puzzle pieces we already have.

### Rev. 1 added 2023-10-13   ###

Personal Responsibility

Are you personally responsible for your actions and inactions?

Do you also carry the burden of all sins by your ancestors, all the way back to Noah, then all the way back to Adam & Eve?

Romans 5:12-21, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 shows us that Adam & Eve's sins led to a limited life (ie. Loss of eternal life) for them and all subsequent humans.

Psalm 51:5 goes even further, saying that there is guilt of sin at the moment of conception.

This Psalm is said to have been written on or about 990 - 931 BC by King David, so that he could repent his great sins concerning Bathsheba.

The concept of ancestral sin is found in Exodus 20:5 , 34:6-7, and Deut. 5:9.

Jer. 31:29-30 subsequently prophesized around 600 BC that the day would come when the son would no longer suffer the iniquities of the father.

Finally, around 582 BC, Ezekiel 18 declares God's commandment that every person was from that day forth, solely responsible for their own sins.

Romans 5:12-21 says Adam brought sin into the world, and subsequently, everybody became sinners. Many misinterprit these verses in Romans by failing to consider Jer. 31:29-30 and Ezekiel 18.

Augustine (354-430 AD) subsequently went on to coin the phrase "originating sin", but was somewhat misled with his self-confessed mediocrity of understanding Koine Greek.

God made mankind upright (ie. good, without sin) according to Eccles. 7:29, so sin wasn't present at Creation.

Adam & Eve suffered the loss of eternal life due to their sins, as did all other humans.

Adam & Eve were also evicted from the Garden of Eden.  When a landlord evicts the current generation, the next generation of the evicted has no right to reclaim the Garden; it belongs to the Owner.

God was under no known obligation to provide neither eternal life nor the Garden to His creation.  Therefore both of these were God's gifts through grace to Adam & Eve.  Their simultaneous eviction from the Garden and loss of eternal life was God's judgement for their sins.  Once they lost both of these, neither of these prior gifts of grace remain as rightful property or assets that are still in the estates of Adam or Eve.  Neither of these asset (ie. Occupancy of Garden, and Eternal Life) are available to be passed on to subsequent generations as a legecy of Adam & Eve.

This is suggested as an alternative explanation which is more simple than Original Sin, and yet fully meets and describes all parts of the Bible.

If you feel I have failed to adequately describe or explain 1 or more Bible verses by this proposal, please let me know in the Comments below.

Eastern Orthodox Christians saw this fall of Adam & Eve as an infection with the "disease of death".

Augustine and subsequent Western theologins however saw it as Original Sin.

It appears Augustine decided to ignore Jer. 31:29-30 and Ezekiel 18.  Original sin becomes a moot point, even if it existed, as God said in Ezekiel that He would blot out and forgive all prior sins that are repented.  That obviously would include Original Sin.  Secondly, God expressly commands that vicarious or ancestral sin or Original Sin is no longer in effect as of 582 BC (or there abouts).

Besides Augustine (and my new theory presented above), there are three other theories that try to explain Original Sin (see http://www.the-highway.com/fall_Sproul.html ).  To me, all of them are far fetched, spurious, doubtful, poorly supported by the Bible, or not necessary.

This Original Sin idea subsequently got expanded into "Total Depravity" under Calvin's TULIP doctrine.

My analysis, if fully supported by the Bible, seems to deflate Augustine and Calvinism, while somewhat supporting Arminianism.

These are complicated theologies, and I don't begin to know how to spell them, let alone all the nuances of each of them.

Perhaps it's best to regard all of this as a Satanic distraction away from the most important issues:

• Jesus Christ and His Teachings
• God's Word in the Bible
• Removing sin and iniquity from our lives
• Loving God with all of our mind, body, soul, & strength
• Understanding the Gospel
• World-wide testimony and spreading the Gospel.

My Psalm

King David wrote many psalms, so maybe I should too.

This week on Manitoulin Island is kind of a National Holiday on a local basis.  While participating in this holiday event, you have 2 hours every morning and another 2 hrs. every evening to sit quietly in the forest all alone; just you and your private thoughts.

In the past, I have used that time to write letters to family members, writing one thought, then meditating and fully thinking about that before writing the next thought.

A month ago, I had written letters to all my immediate family members, so I needed something else to occupy me. That is how I came to write a psalm.

It isn't perfect.  It needs some more work.  However I am courageous enough to share my unfinished work with you in the hope that it brings some value to you.  Maybe you will decide to write your own psalm, or perhaps you'll suggest how to improve what I wrote.

My Psalm

O God, my God, glory be,

All my evil that You see,

Comes from my will wildly flexed,

Stains this short life and my next.

Sin on sin, Your patience tried,

My sin grows iniquity,

My life wasted, gray goes black

Help me God, please bring me back.

Seven churches, most are lost,

Their foul doctrine must be tossed,

No one local that I know

Help Your Word in me to sow.

Wilderness voice that I hear

Calls to me so I come near

He is also a lost sheep

We're a new flock God can reap.

Book and verse we struggle long

To consume Your Word so strong

We are confused, me the most

Thanks for sending Holy Ghost.

Your pure Word lifts Satan's fog,

Sobering us from sinful grog,

Prayer and worship we enjoy,

With our hymns we sing in joy.

Please forgive our deadly sins,

Stop our losses, let us win,

Your salvation that we seek.

Brash is gone, so now we're meek.

Holy Father, time is short,

Second Coming soon report,

Your Commandments we now know,

Iniquity we do not sow.

Signs in stars, so we look up,

Patience! Wait to fill His cup,

Watch each day for blessed hope

Satan's dark world, can we cope?

Till You come, we have our flock,

Persecution, us they mock,

Loving this world do not keep,

Climb the narrow way, it's steep.

2019-11-18

Love Vs. Iniquity

This Blog Posting is Part 2, an expansion of Part 1: Exactly How Do You Love Jesus?

The Bible tells us that Apostle John loved Jesus in the "agapao" way.

"Agapao" is the Greek word (Strong's G25) for a Holy kind of eternal, all consuming type of love.

 Luke 10:27, Mark 12:30, John 13:34, and Mat 22:37 tells us to love God in an "agapao" way.

 In John 14:15, John records Jesus saying "If ye love me, keep my commandments". This again is the "agapao" type of love.

In  1 John 2:15-17 we are told not to love the world nor the things therein with an "agapao" type of love. The world is temporary, full of pride and lust.  Even though God created the world, the world is not God, for God is permanent.  We must love the Creator and our fellow humans, not the rest of creation.  Agapao love of the rest of the created world is idolatry.

In the OT, Deut 6:4-5 and Levit 19:17-18 tells us to love God and neighbours in a Hebrew "ahab", Strong's H157 manner, similar to Strong's G25 "agapao" type of love.

Apostle Peter could never bring himself to "agapao" type of love for Jesus, as Peter was stuck at the "fileo" level of friendship, not deep abiding love that Jesus gave, and wanted in return (see John 21:7-18). No wonder Peter denied Jesus 3 times a short time later.

"Agapao" type of love is what the Bible says and means when "a man knows a woman" and they become one flesh. God's love for us is "agapao" love.

 For more understanding of "agapao" love, see C.S. Lewis' The Four Loves (Agapao) https://youtu.be/gaVaGGpeQKM

Is there a danger or consequence to a shallow love of Jesus, just the friendship level, the "fileo" level?

 In Mat 7:21-23 the people cried 'Lord, Lord', and claimed to have prophesized, cast out devils, & done many wonderful works. But Jesus said "I never knew you: depart from me, you workers of iniquity".

"Depart from me" means these workers of iniquity must leave Heaven, and get thrown into Hell.

 In Mat 13:41-42, at the 2nd Coming of Jesus, Jesus sends His angels to gather up all those doing iniquity, casting them into a furnace of fire, to their wailing and nashing of teeth.

 Iniquity is deadly.

For all those misleading Pastors who teach a simple A-B-C, magical prayer as being 100% sufficient for salvation, they need to reform their incorrect teachings, and tell everybody that they have previously misled.

 When "agapao" love is missing, iniquity reigns.

Iniquity is defined as pre-planned, purposeful sin. KJV uses 6 different words for iniquity: H205, H5766, H5771, H5999 G93, and G458.

Mat 25:12 tells us the parable of the Five Foolish Virgins, not adequately prepared, not watching, arriving after the door was shut, saying "Lord, Lord, open to us". The Master said "I know you not".

Again, a shallow relationship (ie. anything but deep "agapao" type of love, so the groom doesn't know the foolish virgins in a deep "agapao" kind of way). 

I suggest that a half-baked kind of love leads to a half-baked type of preparations for the groom's arrival.

Today  the church is Jesus' bride, who must watch and prepare herself and be continuously ready for His arrival.

What should a wedding groom think & feel when his bride has 1,001 priorities which are wrongly judged more important than getting ready for the wedding ceremony?

 The logical corollary to John 14:15 is that those who fail to follow Jesus' commandments (10 in OT, 16 more in NT, 26 commandments in total, see "God's 26 Commandments for Christians", pdf document here: https://et-manitoulin.blogspot.com/p/documents.html ) are hypocrites; they pretend to deeply love Jesus, but fall short of true, deep, "agapao" type of love of Christ.

They pretend, but truly only love Jesus half heartedly, merely for show, or virtue signaling, or political correctness, or to extract maximum benefit with minimal effort, or to manipulate others, or band wagon jumping, or to avoid personal shame.

 Is this similar to the Pharisees that upset Jesus so much, with their "holier than thou" attitude, and their lack of "agapao" love for both man and God?

 In Luke 6:46, Jesus complained "And why call ye me, 'Lord, Lord', and do not the things which I say?" Those "things which I say" are Jesus' teachings, mainly His commandments.

 There is a huge difference between iniquity (ie. pre-meditated, purposeful sin &/or living in chronic ongoing sin) vs. accidental sin.

 Accidental sin will likely continue as long as you have a flesh body.

 Iniquity however, can be eliminated if you are truly saved, are Born Again, have the help of the Holy Spirit, and have a deep "agapao" type of love for Jesus Christ.

 False conversions (ie. those who pretend but are not True Christians), will continue with both iniquity and accidental sins in their lives. They may think they are destined for Heaven, but they will be thrown into Hell to be tormented and burned forever when their shallow, half hearted love and their ongoing iniquity is exposed. They will likely be the weepers in Hell.

 Here are some more verses that warn against iniquity: Ex. 20:5, 34:7; Job 4:8, 13:26, 34:32; Psalm 5:5, 6:8, 25:11, 32:2, 36:2, 51:5, 103:3; Prov. 22:8; Is. 53:5; Hab. 1:13; Ez. 3:18, 18:26; Mat 7:21-23, 13:41-42, 24:12, 25:1-13, 25:31-45; Luke 6:46, 13:25-27; John 14:15; Acts 1:18, 8:23; 2 Tim 2:19; Rom 6:19; 2 Thes 2:7; James 3:6; and Rev 14:9-20.

 Hosea 4:6 describes how Israel was destroyed by chronic sin. In Romans 1:21-28 people knew God but vanity and arrogance caused them not to worship God, but worship themselves, so they continued to sin, and God allowed them to continue in their sins & reprobate minds.

 Sin, especially chronic sin (ie. Iniquity) brings sickness. See: Ezek 4:17; Ps. 38:3, 107:17; Hosea 7:1; Zeph. 1:17; John 9:2; Micah 6:13; James 5:14-15; and 1Corith. 11:27-30.

If anybody doubts the deadliness of iniquity, or believes God's Commandments are "soooo Old Testament", and not applicable to those claiming salvation under Jesus Christ; that mere belief in Jesus is enough for Heavenly salvation,  then these deceived (&/or Deceivers) should be able to fully explain away all of these troublesome verses shown here.

Urgent Warning

*** Begin Update #1   2019-11-14   ***

The 6 reinforcing and overlapping prophecies listed here have not yet occured at the earliest expected date.

These prophecies either didn't have a specific date attached, or were precursors to what comes next.

Jonah may have faced a similar problem, for he prophecized the destruction of Nineva in 40 days, but the King and all subjects repented their evil ways.  Therefore God spared them from destructoon.  God's sparing of Nineva seems to have made Jonah into a false prophet about Nineva's destruction in 40 days.  However, you must know the whole story.

Nineva was eventually destroyed by God, for their repentance was only temporary.

Similarly, for the following prophecies, it is suggested that they are all still valid, but may be delayed for some unknown duration or reason.

It's God's End Times plan.  God is in charge.  We all struggle to watch and understand.  Don't give up.  Keep watching.  We are still obviously in God's End Times process.

*** End Update #1 ***


Even if you wrongly assume that the odds are less than 1 in a billion chance that the following prophesy is real, please take note and take action ASAP.

Even if you are a long way from the likely epicentre, the secondary effects will soon be felt world-wide, triggering billions of secondary events & consequences, many of them being life threatening.  

Once you die, there is no further opportunity for repentence.  Dying with unrepented sins or chronic iniquity means a guaranteed trip to Hell.

****   URGENT WARNING   ****

First Prophecy

Atlantic-Caribbean Meteor Strike & Tsunami, Worldwide Earthquake  

 https://iamcallingyounow.blogspot.com/2019/11/atlantic-ocean-tsunami-and-worldwide.html?m=1

This prophecy was received by Julie Whedbee on Nov. 3, 2019, similar to many other prior prophecies by Julie Whedbee and other prophets.

While Julie didn't say any specific timing, I see urgency in her message.  Two other prophecies suggest one or more events on Nov. 9, 2019.  This meteor-tsunami-earthquake vision is obviously one of God's judgments.  Most bible scholors believe Rapture occurs first, then the God's judgments.

It is possible that Rapture for True Christians occurs on or about Nov. 9, 2019 then the meteor-tsunami-earthquake judgement starts immediately (or soon) thereafter.

Jesus said the End Times would be like the days of Lot & Noah.  In the case of Lot at Sodom & Gomorrah, the hail of fire & brimstone started right after sunrise as Lot and his family ran for their lives in great haste.  In the case of Noah, Methuselah died, there were 7 days of mourning while Noah & his family were locked inside the ark patiently waiting, then the rains began.

Therefore judgment of the meteor-tsunami-earthquakes could start immediately on Nov. 9th, or up to 7 days after Nov. 9th (ie. Nov. 9th to 17th).

Second Prophecy

Nov. 9, 2019 is exactly 777 days after the Revelation 12 sign found in the star alignment of Sept. 23, 2017.  See the YouTube https://youtu.be/aDRj3MsNNO0

The number 777 is Biblical, meaning "Perfect Completion, The End, or Judgement".

Nov. 9th could be the dividing point between the Church Age (or Age of Grace), and God's End Times process of 7 years as described in Daniel's prophecies.

Third Prophecy

In the following video https://youtu.be/sAa7ru_rcyk he shows that Jupiter drops below ecliptic, and comes under the foot, or is the footstool of Jesus on Nov. 9, 2019.  Psalm 110:1 says:

"The LORD [God the Father] said unto my Lord [Jesus Christ], 'Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.'  "

Is this the 3nd witness to the Rev. 12 sign and Nov. 9, 2019?

Fourth Prophecy

Two weeks ago, a  world-wide evangelic group A Voice in the Desert, disclosed that many of their members had received dreams and visions of an impending disaster in the USA.  Based on these events (&/or other info), they decided to evacuate all their USA-based members.  See  https://youtu.be/KN_UL6auhzg


Fifth Prophecy

According to Jewish history, Nov. 9th is the anniversary of when Methuselah died in 2105 BC.  Methuselah was the oldest man to ever live, 969 years old.  Methuselah means "when he dies, then the end".  Once Methuselah died, there was mourning for 7 days by Noah and his family, then the Great Flood started.  In Matthew 24:37-39, Jesus tells us that the 2nd Coming of Christ will be like the time of Noah.

But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

It is unclear if a modern day version of Methuselah has died (or will die), or if Nov. 9 2019 is just the anniversary.

6th Prophecy

Daniel 9:25-27 gave a prophecy in or around 539 BC for when to expect End Times and the 2nd Coming of Christ.  This Blog has already covered this prophecy, showing that it predicts on or after Nov. 1, 2019.

Conclusion

I therefore conclude, based on 6 independent prophecies, it is highly likely for this meteor-tsunami event to occur on or about Nov. 9, 2019.

These 6 prophecies, acting together, are likely sufficient evidence to issue an urgent warning.

Prior non-specific prophecies of a meteor strike (see here, here, and here)

Quick Tutorial on Meteor Tsunami Waves

Computer simulations of meteor-created tsunami can generate waves from 100 ft. high to as much as 1,500 ft. high at the epicenter.  Meteor-tsunami waves travel at speeds between 300 km/hr to 3,600 km/hr in all directions.  There will generally be dozens to hundreds of waves produced, one after another, radiating outwards from the epicentre.

Meteor-tsunami waves are huge compared to the mini (yet deadly) tsunamis created by underwater landslides, earthquakes, or volcanoes.

The first wave of a meteor-tsunami can penetrate from 50 to 150 km. inland from the coast, depending on the land configuration (eg. land slope, cliffs, trees, buildings, etc.).

Due to the drag of the coastal shallows and on-shore configuration, the hundreds of tsunami waves produced by the meteor tend to get out of phase with the initial wave, thereby robbing all subsequent waves of their original power.

This often means there is huge inundation onto the land by the first wave, then it quickly peters out as the first wave returning to the sea cancels most of the second wave's power, and so on for all subsequent waves.  While hundreds of tsunami waves will pass over the coast line, the water depth will be between 50 ft. to 1,500 ft. deep at all times.

Also, see Megatsunami

Likely Damage & Effect of a Meteor-Tsunami

I therefore conclude that the thousands of low lying Caribbean islands will be completely gone.

Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, US Gulf Coast will be destroyed (assume Katrina on steroids, all along the coast).

Africa, European Atlantic coast, USA Atlantic coast, and S. American Atlantic coast will be hard hit with 60 ft. high waves traveling at 300 km/hr to 1,500 km/hr.

Post-Tsunami, Subsequent Events

Due to the magnitude of the tsunami wave and its destructive forces, the wide geographical spread of the destruction, lack of warning through official channels, low level of preparedness, and the near-civil war conditions that currently exist, it would be crazy to depend upon your government for effective and timely help.  FEMA will likely be too little, too late, spread way too thin.

Hopefully, neighbours will help neighbours and strangers.

USA has been acting as "World Cop" for quite some time, and as a grand Imperial power for even longer, generating many enemies over the years. When the USA is knocked down & seriously wounded, those passive-agressive enemies are likely to take advantage of the situation, possibly kicking the USA in the head & crotch while it is down.

Be ready for anything.

What Should You Do?

For those willing & able to run for cover, you are delaying the inevitable, for subsequent judgments & disasters will follow you, no matter where you go today.

For those who can't or won't run for cover, there is safety in Jesus Christ no matter where you are located.

God's 26 Commandments for Christians will help you get under the protection of Jesus Christ ASAP.  This pdf document is available here on this Blog, in our Documents section.  Read the document.  Instructions to save yourself & your family are at the end.  Follow these instructions ASAP. 

 https://www.dropbox.com/s/kkxf2g4soslo5pc/GodsLaws_A13.pdf?dl=0 

Exactly HOW do you love Jesus?

Many people say they love Jesus.  Exactly how much, and in what way do you love Jesus?

Adults learn that talk is cheap.  People say many things, but what they do is sometimes different.  People sometimes say one thing in public, a different thing is said in private among family and close friends, and an even greater difference what is privately thought (shared with nobody), and is different again from what they eventually do.  All this is commonly called virtue signaling, hypocrisy, lying, and similar.

In John 14:15, Jesus says:

If ye love me, keep my commandments.

The Greek word for love used here is Strong's G25, agapeo which has the following meaning:

• of people
• to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
• of things
• to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing

There is another similar word (but with a world of difference), which is Strong's G5368 phileo which has the following meaning:

• to love
• to approve of
• to like
• sanction
• to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend
   
• to show signs of love
• to kiss
   
• to be fond of doing
• be wont, use to do

To fully understand the difference, consider a young woman who is considering caving in to her boyfriend's sinful, relentless pressure to have sex outside of marriage.  She asks him,

Do you love me?

to which he responds,

"Oh ya, I really like you!

Should the girl consider this a positive response to her question?  Based on his response, has she found her one & only true life-long soul mate, who will deeply love her and cherish her, and have children with her, till death do they part?

To me, it seems that he can't even pretend he has a deep, passionate respect and love for her.  By his prior pressure and his answer, he seems to merely wants sex, and deflects the question when she asks for a show of commitment.

Let's look at how the disciples loved (or liked) Jesus.

In John 21:7-18 Jesus has a cryptic, yet telling conversation with Peter:

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved,^{G25 agapao} saith unto Peter, "It is the Lord". Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.10 Jesus saith unto them, "Bring of the fish which ye have now caught."   11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.12 Jesus saith unto them, "Come and dine." And none of the disciples durst ask him, 'Who art thou?' knowing that it was the Lord.13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest^{G25 agapao} thou me more than these?" He saith unto him, "Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love,^{G5368 phileo} thee." He saith unto him, "Feed my lambs."   16 He saith to him again the second time, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest,^{G25 agapao} thou me?" He saith unto him, "Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love^{G5368 phileo} thee."   He saith unto him, "Feed my sheep."  17 He saith unto him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest^{G5368 phileo} thou me?" Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, 'Lovest^{G5368 phileo} thou me?' And he said unto him, "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love^{G5368 phileo} thee." Jesus saith unto him, "Feed my sheep."

Before I knew how to go to the original Greek, I always found this passage to be strange.  What was Jesus trying to get Peter to say?  Likely, Peter was equally confused and uncomfortable.  Peter kept expanding his answer that he responded with, trying to satisfy Jesus, trying to end the interrogation.  Peter liked living in the gray areas of assumptions and superficiality.

Now, we have excellent online tools (such as Blue Letter Bible ) to help us go to the original Greek and better understand what was really going on.  Strong's Lexicon numbers every Greek ("Gxxxx") and Hebrew ("Hxxxx") word used in the Bible, where it is used, and its definition.  A useful reference text.  Blue Letter Bible makes Strong's Lexicon available to everybody.

In Verse 7 of the Bible passage shown above, the disciple whom Jesus loved (Strong's G25, agapao) was John.

In Verses 15 to 16, Jesus tried 3 times to get Peter to say that Peter loved Jesus in a Strong's G25 agapao way.  Each time, Peter refused Jesus' proposal, lessening Peter's love to just "liking" Jesus in a Strong's G5368 phileo manner.

So as to not force Peter to do something Peter was unwilling to do, eventually Jesus gives up inviting Peter to the deepest form of G25 agapao love.

Trying to accept Peter where he was at, in Verse 17 Jesus reduces his prior proposal of G25 agapao love, settling for the mere G5368 phileo level of friendship.

Peter accepts this modified proposal, and responds in a like manner at the friendship level of G5368 phileo love.

Conclusion

Therefore you need to decide for yourself exactly how & how much you love Jesus.  Is it:

• A fair weather, superficial, "take it while you can easily get it", a Strong's G5368 phileo type of love?
  
  or
• A unique, loyal, deep, all important, whatever it takes, never let it go, live or die for it, eternal, Strong's G25 agapao type of love?

Choose carefully, for you may not get into Heaven with the watered down version. Apostle John loved Jesus in a G25 agapao way.  No half measures for John.

How about you?  How do you want to love Jesus, as a friend G25 fileo way, or like Apostle John, in a 100%, full-on, G5368 agapao manner?

 Remember, in John 14:15, Jesus says:

If ye love^{G25 agapao} me, keep my commandments.

Also remember Jesus' statement in Luke 13:22-28

22 And He [Jesus] went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.23 Then said one unto Him, "Lord, are there few that be saved?"  And He said unto them,24 "Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."   25 "When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open unto us'; and He shall answer and say unto you, 'I know you not whence ye are':26 Then shall ye begin to say, 'We have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets.'   27 But He shall say, 'I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity.'   28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out."

If you aren't convinced by the verses above, see the following:

[Mat 7:23 KJV] 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  

[Mat 25:41 KJV] 41 Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

[Psa 6:8 KJV] 8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. 

[Tit 1:16 KJV] 16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Being thrust out of the Kingdom of God means you are thrown into the Lake of Fire, to be burned & tormented in Hell for ever & ever.

That is why you need a deep, complete, forever love of Jesus.  You must have an agapao type of love, which drives you to willingly keep God's Commandments, and thereby avoid iniquity (ie. premeditated, purposeful sin on a chronic basis).

For more info on iniquity and its fatal consequences, see my Blog posting here.

The superficial friendship kind of love (G5368 fileo) will likely foster iniquity, and iniquity sends you to Hell.

Please download God's 26 Commandments for Christians (available here), then follow the instructions at the end.  Time is short, do it today, before it's too late.

Part 2:  Agapeo Love Vs. Iniquity