TOJ #66: John is the last OT prophet. [MT 11:4-15] This literal truth is amplified by a metaphorical truth: John is Elijah, the harbinger of the Messiah (ML 3:1 & 4:5). {MT 17:11-13//MK 9:12-13, LK 7:18-28, 16:16}
TOJ #67: Many souls are not truth-seekers. [MT 11:15-19//LK 7:31-35] They are deaf toward the truth, so they do not dance with joy at hearing the gospel; and they are hypercritical of GW, although they may be educated (1CR 1:18-25), so they will not learn no matter what teaching method is used. {MT 13:14-15, JN 8:43, 10:25a&26} This is similar to TOJ #46. Some statements {MT 11:25-26, MK 4:12//LK 10:21} sound as though Jesus or God wanted to prevent people from understanding the gospel, but since God is not tricky (TOJ #29, #30, #44, #53, etc.), we must infer that Jesus was employing irony.
TOJ #68: Woe to unbelievers! [MT 11:21-24//LK 10:13-15] This is the other side of TOJ #9. It is not a wish, but a tragic fact. Woe refers to hell, the just/logical consequence of rejecting God’s heaven. Unbelievers will lose all blessings and true knowledge. {MT 13:12, 18:6-9, 25:29, LK 6:24-26, 7:31-35, 17:1, JN 3:18}
TOJ #69: GRFS is simple enough for a child to satisfy. [MT 11:25-26//LK 10:21] Thus, Jesus commanded parents/adults to let little children hear the gospel and accept Him {MT 19:14//MK 10:14//LK 18:16}. Perhaps He had in mind Psalm 8:2. {MT 20:16} He does not give an exact age, but moral/spiritual understanding and consequent accountability seems to develop around the age of ten or just prior to puberty.
The Bible does not reveal the destiny of pre-moral or unaccountable children, but certainly they would not be damned. So, if a child accepts God/Christ as soon as he/she understands GRFS and remains Faithful until death, then there is no time when he/she is not saved. (See TOJ #99.) This is God’s “plan A”, although it might not make a very entertaining testimony!
TOJ #67: Many souls are not truth-seekers. [MT 11:15-19//LK 7:31-35] They are deaf toward the truth, so they do not dance with joy at hearing the gospel; and they are hypercritical of GW, although they may be educated (1CR 1:18-25), so they will not learn no matter what teaching method is used. {MT 13:14-15, JN 8:43, 10:25a&26} This is similar to TOJ #46. Some statements {MT 11:25-26, MK 4:12//LK 10:21} sound as though Jesus or God wanted to prevent people from understanding the gospel, but since God is not tricky (TOJ #29, #30, #44, #53, etc.), we must infer that Jesus was employing irony.
TOJ #68: Woe to unbelievers! [MT 11:21-24//LK 10:13-15] This is the other side of TOJ #9. It is not a wish, but a tragic fact. Woe refers to hell, the just/logical consequence of rejecting God’s heaven. Unbelievers will lose all blessings and true knowledge. {MT 13:12, 18:6-9, 25:29, LK 6:24-26, 7:31-35, 17:1, JN 3:18}
TOJ #69: GRFS is simple enough for a child to satisfy. [MT 11:25-26//LK 10:21] Thus, Jesus commanded parents/adults to let little children hear the gospel and accept Him {MT 19:14//MK 10:14//LK 18:16}. Perhaps He had in mind Psalm 8:2. {MT 20:16} He does not give an exact age, but moral/spiritual understanding and consequent accountability seems to develop around the age of ten or just prior to puberty.
The Bible does not reveal the destiny of pre-moral or unaccountable children, but certainly they would not be damned. So, if a child accepts God/Christ as soon as he/she understands GRFS and remains Faithful until death, then there is no time when he/she is not saved. (See TOJ #99.) This is God’s “plan A”, although it might not make a very entertaining testimony!
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