From Journal entry, 6-3-19
The seventh addition of agape love is a direct result of abiding in Christ, which is having the mind of Christ.
Christ commands us, “Abide in me” (John 15:4). This “abiding” comes from staying and remaining in Him and His mind. “Staying” and “remaining” are translated from the same Greek word as “abide or abiding.”
This is accomplished when we continually have Christ’s thoughts, plan, and purpose [More on His plan and purpose found here: Walking in the Spirit Comes from Knowledge of God’s Purpose of Reproducing Himself–Being About Our Father’s Business | Immortality Road (wordpress.com). This “abiding” yields much fruit. This spiritual fruit is agape love, which is the seventh addition to the faith.
We are to stay in His mind, walking in His thoughts. This is knowing Him. This knowledge of Him and His thoughts is the second addition to the faith.
To fully know Him we must know that He is sovereign. He created everything–both the good and the evil (Isa. 45:7). And He has subjected us to evil to accomplish His purpose of reproducing Himself—in us. We must remember how Christ suffered, how He endured the betrayals and the lies told against Him and even His crucifixion on false charges. He suffered, and He is our example, “that we should follow his steps” (I Peter 2:21). His armor will protect us from the onslaught of evil thought-arrows. And then once the trials are over, His love grows in us more and more until Christ is “all in all” (Eph. 1:23).
To abide in Him, we must think His thoughts. Part of Christ’s thinking is understanding death (the evil). To fully appreciate the resurrection unto eternal life (good), we must understand death. For you cannot partake in His resurrection without first partaking in His death. Kenneth Wayne Hancock
[Get your free copy of The Eleventh Commandment found here: https://immortalityroad.wordpress.com/free-copy-of-the-eleventh-commandment/ Also, order your free copy of The Additions to the Faith. Just send your name, mailing address, and the name of the book to my email: wayneman5@hotmail.com]
Immortality Road 
In the Bible, Isaiah 45:7 mentions that God created evil, but it’s important to understand the context and translation of the word “evil” in this verse. The Hebrew word “ra'” translated as “evil” in this verse can have different meanings in the Bible. It can refer to moral evil, such as wickedness and sin, or it can also signify harmful natural events, calamity, misfortune, adversity, affliction, or disaster.
In the case of Isaiah 45:7, the verse is often interpreted to mean that God brings about both good and difficult circumstances in the world. This doesn’t imply that God creates moral evil or sin, as moral evil goes against His nature and character, which are defined by goodness, holiness, and love. Instead, the verse suggests that God is sovereign over all events, both positive and challenging, and has the power to bring about various outcomes for His purposes.
Therefore, when considering the idea of God creating evil in this context, it’s essential to differentiate between moral evil, which is against God’s nature, and the broader concept of adversity or calamity, which can be part of God’s overall plan for the world.
I totally agree with you. Yahweh is loving and merciful. But He is also sovereign and “will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” He raised up Pharaoh, then hardened his heart, bringing calamity and disaster upon Egypt for this purpose: “…That I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth” (Rom. 9:14-23)…
He wrote the script of the play, and He is the Great Director with all tools of power in His toolbox. He loved Jacob but hated Esau and his ilk. Jacob/Israel and his offspring will prevail after much suffering. [On them He will have mercy].”He will take great Israelite nations and bring them low, to fulfill His desires, which is this: To humble His people that they might cry unto Him and love Him with their whole heart. This will not happen during the “fat years.” Humility comes when you are spiritually down to your last tortilla. Ask Gideon and the other prophets. “Then they cried unto Yahweh.” Then their hearts swelled with love for Him.
So, yes, He is a moral God who will use incomprehensible amounts of calamitous destructions upon nations. History is a listing of empires rising, only to be blasted into heaps of sands. Yahweh shows His wrath for a moral purpose, so that He might show His glory to “vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory. This makes all of us so grateful to Him for that mercy…Thank you for your thoughtful comment. kwh
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Thanks much for your insightful comment. In the Amplified version I like the expression of Rom. 9:13: 13 As it is written and forever remains written, “[a]Jacob I loved (chose, protected, blessed), but [b]Esau I hated (held in disregard compared to Jacob).” The footnotes are:
a.Romans 9:13 The Israelites received God’s protection and blessing.
b. Romans 9:13 The Edomites were left to God’s judgment.
Our ardent, affectionate Abba Almighty displays His love to humanity because of His intrinsic, infinite goodness, not because of any special trait of a person or people. More than having love with which to love, the One Triune God is Himself love, as we are told at 1 John 4:8, 16. He cannot be other than whom He is. The Holy Trinity does not treat us based on how we treat Him; He always treats us on the basis of His own character.
I must address your use of “Trinity,” “triune God,” and the concept of “three persons.” None of these are in the scriptures. Yahweh is the Father. He “is a Spirit.” The Father is the Holy Spirit. He dwells fully in the glorified vessel called the “Son” [Yahshua]. So, yes, three offices, if you will, but “One Spirit.” He is the “Holy One of Israel. No “three persons.” “Person” only appears one time as iysh, meaning “man.”
More on this is found here: https://immortalityroad.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/he-shall-be-called-the-everlasting-father/ You do know that we must “purge out the old leaven”? kwh
In Scripture is set forth the concept of “three persons” referring to the Christian belief in the Trinity, which is the belief that God exists as three distinct persons – the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit – while still being one God. This concept is central to the Christian faith and is seen as a mystery that is beyond human understanding.
“Triune God” refers to the Christian belief in the Trinity, which is the idea that God exists as three persons in one being: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. This concept is central to Christian theology and understanding of God’s nature.
Yes, the trinity concept of the godhead has been around since the 4th century when this most catholic [and later protestant] of doctrines arose. They pushed all of the Oneness believers into “heretic” land, thus establishing this false premise: That the three are distinct different persons. That is the teaching, but you must leap to a trinitarian concept or be indoctrinated from youth.
Instead of litigating the trinity versus oneness case again, I will leave you with some articles found in my books and blog. I must say, as a retired English composition and literature, you have a rare gift of clear expression. I would just hope that you will someday see our Father living at present fully in His original form, the Son of God. The Father is a Spirit (John 4), and He dwells in the Son. [Christ commands us, “Believe me that the Father is in me.” And His apostle confirms: “God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself.”]
Here are some articles on this topic. https://immortalityroad.wordpress.com/category/oneness/ https://immortalityroad.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/he-shall-be-called-the-everlasting-father/
May Yah bless you as a conduit of His love,
Wayneman
Brian, brother in Christ, did you reject my comment I posted here yesterday? I do not see it here, nor is there any indication today that it is awaiting approval, which is the situation with posts pertaining to the 1 Cor. 14 tongues subject. Consistently, I write for discussion with a duly respectful attitude of love and respect for God, the blogger and the readership. Kind regards, Stephen
I do appreciate your sincerity and eloquence with which you defend the Trinity. In like manner, I have championed the cause of Oneness for exactly 50 years now, since our Father granted me a new heart.
Thank you for taking the time to comment. The Immortality Road blog, however, is primarily a forum to share a Oneness view of the godhead. With your writing abilities, you should write for your own blog.
We do have three things in common concerning the godhead. We both have a Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. You have them in three distinct persons. We have them in three offices of the only God and our Savior Yahweh (Isa. 43:11). “I am Yahweh, and beside me there is no Savior.”
Since we are both ensconced for 50 years in our beliefs, I deem it fruitless for us to try to set the other one straight. I do wish you well in your endeavors for Christ. One last question. If the heavens were to open to you, how many thrones would you see?
God bless you and yours, Kenneth Wayne Hancock