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Advancing in Life Articles
On this page are links to articles that I hope will help with
advancing your relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ and your understanding of
His Word. Once again, I do not claim to have all the answers, but I have
been a follower of the Lord Jesus for many years now and along the way I have
come to know with complete certainty that God is utterly faithful to His
believing children and that the Word is God is totally reliable. You can
'bet your life' on it.
Many of these articles have been sourced from
Christianity Today,
Charisma Magazine
etc and are reproduced with thanks. If I am able to source an
author I will give credit, however I often find them unsigned.
Some come from the weekly E-Newsletter of the
International Church, Nelson, New Zealand, of which I am a
recipient. Thank you, Pastor David Barnes, and some have been
written by
myself at random intervals as I feel the need. Other items of
interest that I have labeled, "Thoughts"
are also available for your reading pleasure.
E&OE. Please note that if I
have failed to acknowledge a source, or done so incorrectly,
please advise me so that I can correct the omission. As
far as I am aware, I have only sourced articles freely available
from the public domain. Thank you.
I encourage you to visit Charisma Magazine's
Bible Study page as this has more wonderful articles that
will enrich your Christian experience and build you up in your
faith in Christ.
Charisma Magazine, likewise, has helpful and
inspiring studies that will bless you in your daily walk with
the Lord.
Charisma Studies
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Scroll down to find the article you would like
to read. I do, of course, recommend you reading them all,
however, they are listed in the order you see below.
Some are accessed via a grey button link which when you click
will cause a page to pop up with the study displayed on it.
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This is a most important article that will help you
build confidence in your salvation experience.
How can you know for sure if you are saved? Consider 1 John 5:11-13 (NLT): "And this is what God has
testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his
Son. So whoever has God's Son has life; whoever does not have his
Son does not have life. I write this to you who believe in the Son
of God so that you may know you have eternal life." (John 1:12). If
you have Jesus, you have life. Not temporary life, but eternal.
God wants us to have assurance of our salvation. We cannot live our Christian lives wondering and worrying each
day whether we are truly saved or not. That is why the Bible makes
the plan of salvation so clear. Believe in Jesus Christ and you will
be saved (John 3:16; Acts 16:31). Do you believe that Jesus is the
Savior, that He died to pay the penalty for your sins (Romans 5:8; 2
Corinthians 5:21)? Do you trust Him alone for salvation? If your
answer is yes, you are saved! Assurance means to "put beyond all
doubt." By taking God's Word to heart, you can "put beyond all
doubt" the fact and reality of your eternal salvation.
Jesus Himself affirms this regarding those who have believed in Him:
"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will
snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he
is more powerful than anyone else. So no one can take them from me"
(John 10:28-29 NLT). Eternal life is just that—eternal. There is
nobody, who can take Christ's God-given gift of salvation away from
you.
How Can I Know For Sure That I
Will Go To Heaven
When I Die?
Do you know for certain that you have eternal life and that
you will go to Heaven when you die? God wants you to be sure! The Bible says: “I write these things
to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may
know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Suppose you were
standing before God right now and He asked you, “Why should I let
you into Heaven?” What would you say? You may not know what to
reply. What you need to know is that God loves us and has provided a
way that we can know for sure where we will spend eternity. The
Bible states it this way: “For God so loved the world that He gave
His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have
eternal life” (John 3:16).
We have to first understand the problem that is keeping us from
Heaven. The problem is this - our sinful nature keeps us from having a
relationship with God. We are sinners by nature and by choice. “For
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
We cannot save ourselves. “For by grace are you saved, through
faith, and this not of yourselves – it is the gift of God. Not by
works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We deserve death
and hell. “For the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
God is holy and just and must punish sin, yet He loves us and has
provided forgiveness for our sin. Jesus said: “I am the way and the
truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”
(John 14:6). Jesus died for us on the cross: “For Christ died for
sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous to bring you to
God” (1 Peter 3:18). Jesus was resurrected from the dead: “He was
delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our
justification” (Romans 4:25).
So, back to the original question – “How can I know for sure that I
will go to Heaven when I die?” The answer is this – believe in the
Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). “To all who
received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right
to become children of God” (John 1:12). You can receive eternal life
as a FREE gift. “The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord” (Romans 6:23). You can live a full and meaningful life right
now. Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it
to the full” (John 10:10). You can spend eternity with Jesus in
Heaven, for He promised: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come back and take you to be with me that you may also be where
I am” (John 14:3).
If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and receive
forgiveness from God, here is prayer you can pray.
Saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you.
It is only trusting in Jesus Christ that can provide forgiveness of
sins. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in
Him and thank Him for providing for your forgiveness.
"God, I know that I have sinned against You and am deserving
of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I
deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I
place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your
wonderful grace and forgiveness! Amen!"
"What Happens After Death?"
Within the Christian faith, there is a significant
amount of confusion regarding what happens after death. Some hold
that after death, everyone “sleeps” until the final judgment, after
which everyone will be sent to heaven or hell. Others believe that
at the moment of death, people are instantly judged and sent to
their eternal destinations. Still others claim that when people die,
their souls/spirits are sent to a “temporary” heaven or hell, to
await the final resurrection, the final judgment, and then the
finality of their eternal destination. So, what exactly does the
Bible say happens after death?
First, for the believer in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us
that after death believers’ souls/spirits are taken to heaven,
because their sins are forgiven by having received Christ as Savior
(John 3:16, 18, 36). For believers, death is to be “away from the
body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians
1:23). However, passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1
Thessalonians 4:13-17 describe believers being resurrected and given
glorified bodies. If believers go to be with Christ immediately
after death, what is the purpose of this resurrection? It seems that
while the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ
immediately after death, the physical body remains in the grave
“sleeping.” At the resurrection of believers, the physical body is
resurrected, glorified, and then reunited with the soul/spirit. This
reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the possession of
believers for eternity in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation
21-22).
Second, for those who do not receive Jesus Christ as Savior,
death means everlasting punishment. However, similar to the destiny
of believers, unbelievers also seem to be sent immediately to a
temporary holding place, to await their final resurrection,
judgment, and eternal destiny. Luke 16:22-23 describes a rich man
being tormented immediately after death. Revelation 20:11-15
describes all the unbelieving dead being resurrected, judged at the
great white throne, and then being cast into the lake of fire.
Unbelievers, then, are not sent to hell (the lake of fire)
immediately after death, but rather are in a temporary realm of
judgment and condemnation. However, even though unbelievers are not
instantly sent to the lake of fire, their immediate fate after death
is not a pleasant one. The rich man cried out, “I am in agony in
this fire” (Luke 16:24).
Therefore, after death, a person resides in a “temporary” heaven
or hell. After this temporary realm, at the final resurrection,
a person’s eternal destiny will not change. The precise “location”
of that eternal destiny is what changes. Believers will ultimately
be granted entrance into the new heavens and new earth (Revelation
21:1). Unbelievers will ultimately be sent to the lake of fire
(Revelation 20:11-15). These are the final, eternal destinations of
all people—based entirely on whether or not they had trusted Jesus
Christ alone for salvation (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36).
Regarding Life After Death and
What It May Be Like
I have put together this note as a simple
explanation for what we may anticipate as our experience after
physical death separates us from our mental faculties and processes.
A dream like existence For my part, I understand that the believer experiences a
disembodied, dreamlike sensation after physical death. This I
rather think is because the ethereal part of our being, the spirit
and soul, which is, after all, the essential part of our personhood,
is separated from the physical parts of us, including our brain,
nervous system and so on. That being so, it seems logical to
me that we are very much 'alive' even though we are without the reasoning faculties that
allow us to be analytical and definitive in our perceptions.
This is not to say that we are without perception or sensation or awareness.
It means we
are just unable to rationalise and understand as definitively as we
do when we have the use of our brain etc. Isaiah seems
to be describing this 'dream' like existence when he speaks about
the departed souls of the 'great ones' of the earth in Sheol/Hades being stirred up at the arrival of
Lucifer (generally accepted as being a name for Satan) the chief of
all those angelic beings who joined him in his rebellion against the
Creator and are described in the Bible as 'fallen' angels.
Note: The difference between Lucifer and the other 'Great Ones' in
Sheol/Hades, is that, while he has been 'cast out' of Heaven, the
presence of God, he can still move around between the physical realm
of earth and the spirit-realm of Sheol/Hades. Consider verse
12 below in this regard.
This is the entire passage from Isaiah chapter fourteen.
Isaiah chapter 14: 9-12
Verse 9: Hell from beneath is moved for thee
to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for
thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised
up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Verse 10: All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art
thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
Verse 11: Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the
noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the
worms cover thee.
Verse 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of
the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which
didst weaken the nations!
Notice several things about these human beings who
are dead, and apparently have been dead for some time. They
are capable of speech. They are able to recognise another
'great one' coming to join them. Also, they know where they
are. In this case, these are unrepentant dead who are
estranged from God and heaven and are in 'Sheol/Hades'. 'Hell'
is the translation of the Hebrew and Greek words for the grave.
Sheol is Hebrew and Hades, from which we get hell, is Greek.
It is clear that we are not talking about the physical body, as that
has long since fallen into decay. The experience Isaiah is
apparently describing here is that of the immaterial part of a human
beings nature. The invisible part, our spirit and soul continues
to exist after physical death. We understand from other
Biblical passages, which I will discuss elsewhere, that this
immaterial part of our personhood will experience a further phase,
resurrection. Note: the previous article discusses this
in some measure also.
This then, appears to be the experience of all human
beings when the physical body dies and ceases to exist: a dream like
sensation, in many ways similar to what we all experience when
asleep. The difference being that, while these perceptions are based
on a reality we are very much aware of, it is in a timeless and non-physical state.
It is important however, to stress that this is a very very real
experience and NOT a dream.
For the believer, more importantly and
very wonderfully, it will be in the
presence of the Lord Jesus himself.
II Corinthians 5: 8. '...absent
from the body...present with the Lord'. Ponder the entire
passage from verse one through verse twenty.
1 For we know that if our earthly house of
this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God,
an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For
in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with
our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being
clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in
this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we
would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might
be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for
the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the
earnest of the Spirit.
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we
are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For
we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say,
and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be
present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether
present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must
all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every
one may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade
men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are
made manifest in your consciences. 12 For we commend not
ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on
our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which
glory in appearance, and not in heart. 13 For whether we be
beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it
is for your cause. 14 For the love of Christ constraineth
us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then
were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which
live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto
him which died for them, and rose again.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea,
though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now
henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be
in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;
behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of
God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and
hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit,
that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,
not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did
beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye
reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us,
who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him. II Corinthians 5: 1-20 KJV
What Is Heaven Like?
Heaven is a real place described in the Bible. The word “heaven” is found 276 times in the New Testament alone.
Scripture refers to three heavens. The apostle Paul was “caught up
to the third heaven,” but he was prohibited from revealing what he
experienced there (2 Corinthians 12:1-9).
If a third heaven exists, there must also be two other heavens. The
first is most frequently referred to in the Old Testament as the
“sky” or the “firmament.” This is the heaven that contains clouds,
the area that birds fly through. The second heaven is
interstellar/outer space, which is the abode of the stars, planets,
and other celestial objects (Genesis 1:14-18).
The third heaven, the location of which is not revealed, is the
dwelling place of God. Jesus promised to prepare a place for true
Christians in heaven (John 14:2). Heaven is also the destination of
Old Testament saints who died trusting God's promise of the Redeemer
(Ephesians 4:8). Whoever believes in Christ shall never perish but
have eternal life (John 3:16).
The apostle John was privileged to see and report on the heavenly
city (Revelation 21:10-27). John witnessed that heaven (the new
earth) possesses the “glory of God” (Revelation 21:11), the very
presence of God. Because heaven has no night and the Lord Himself is
the light, the sun and moon are no longer needed (Revelation 22:5).
The city is filled with the brilliance of costly stones and crystal
clear jasper. Heaven has twelve gates (Revelation 21:12) and twelve
foundations (Revelation 21:14). The paradise of the Garden of Eden
is restored: the river of the water of life flows freely and the
tree of life is available once again, yielding fruit monthly with
leaves that “heal the nations” (Revelation 22:1-2). However eloquent
John was in his description of heaven, the reality of heaven is
beyond the ability of finite man to describe (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Heaven is a place of “no mores.” There will be no more tears, no
more pain, and no more sorrow (Revelation 21:4). There will be no
more separation, because death will be conquered (Revelation 20:6).
The best thing about heaven is the presence
of our Lord and Savior (1 John 3:2). We will be face to face
with the Lamb of God who loved us and sacrificed Himself so that
we can enjoy His presence in heaven for eternity.
Is Heaven Real?
Heaven is indeed a real
place. The Bible tells us that heaven is God’s throne (Isaiah
66:1; Acts 7:48-49;
Matthew
5:34-35). After Jesus’
resurrection and appearance on earth to His disciples, “He was taken
up into heaven and sat at the right hand of God” (Mark
16:19; Acts 7:55-56).
“Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of
the true one; He entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in
God’s presence” (Hebrews
9:24). Jesus not only
went before us, entering on our behalf, but He is alive and has a
present ministry in heaven, serving as our high priest in the true
tabernacle made by God (Hebrews
6:19-20; 8:1-2).
We are also told by Jesus
Himself that there are many rooms in God’s house and that He has
gone before us to prepare a place for us. We have the assurance of
His word that He will one day come back to earth and take us to
where He is in heaven (John
14:1-4). Our belief in
an eternal home in heaven is based on an explicit promise of Jesus.
Heaven is most definitely a real place. Heaven truly does exist.
When people deny the existence
of heaven, they deny not only the written Word of God, but they also
deny the innermost longings of their own hearts. Paul addressed this
issue in his letter to the Corinthians, encouraging them to cling to
the hope of heaven so that they would not lose heart. Although we
“groan and sigh” in our earthly state, we have the hope of heaven
always before us and are eager to get there (2
Corinthians 5:1-4). Paul
urged the Corinthians to look forward to their eternal home in
heaven, a perspective that would enable them to endure hardships and
disappointments in this life. “For our light and momentary troubles
are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all;
so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For
what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2
Corinthians 4:17-18).
Just as God has put in men’s
hearts the knowledge that He exists (Romans
1:19-20), so are we
“programmed” to desire heaven. It is the theme of countless books,
songs, and works of art. Unfortunately, our sin has barred the way
to heaven. Since heaven is the abode of a holy and perfect God, sin
has no place there, nor can it be tolerated. Fortunately, God has
provided for us the key to open the doors of heaven—Jesus Christ (John
14:6). All who believe
in Him and seek forgiveness for sin will find the doors of heaven
swung wide open for them. May the future glory of our eternal home
motivate us all to serve God faithfully and whole-heartedly. “Since
we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of
Jesus by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain,
that is his body, and since we have a great high priest over the
house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart full of
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a
guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews
10:19-22).
Christians Should Avoid Halloween & The
Real Truth About October 31st
As Bible believing Christians we should be
aware that the
October 31st celebration of Halloween has strong roots in paganism
and is closely connected with worship of the Enemy of this world,
Satan. Halloween glorifies the dark things of this world, rather
than the light of Jesus Christ*,
The Truth. Have you noticed how costumes and masks are increasingly
bloodier and depraved each year? Unfortunately, the gruesome and
grotesque and the occult are increasingly glorified not only on
Halloween, but throughout the year in horror movies and in
television programs.
Exploit every
opportunity: It is, however, a brilliant opportunity to share
Christ with all those visitors. After all, they have called on
your 'uninvited' so, it seems fair enough to exchange a sweet or
gift for an attractive pamphlet or tract that presents the Gospel of
eternal life simply and clearly. You do have a stock of good
Gospel literature on hand don't you? :-)
'Be very careful, then, how you
live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every
opportunity, because the days are
evil.' Eph 5:16
Relevant scripture on the issue of Halloween and
Christians:
("Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid
every kind of evil.")
James 1:27 ("keep oneself from being polluted by the
world")
3 John 1:11 ("do not imitate what is evil")
Romans 12:9 ("abhor
what is evil. Cling to what is good.")
Deuteronomy 18:9-14 (do not learn to imitate detestable
ways, including spiritists, sorcerers and witchcraft)
Ephesians 5:11-12 ("Have nothing to do with the
fruitless deeds of darkness" / "live as children of light")
James 4:7-8 (submit yourselves to God / resist the devil
/ purify your hearts)
Ezekiel 44:23 ("…teach my people… to distinguish between
the unclean and the clean.")
Proverbs 22:6 ("train a child in the way he should go")
Matthew 18:6 ("if anyone causes one of these little ones
who believe in me to sin…")
Hosea 4:6 ("My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge.")
John 3:19-20 (people love darkness instead of light)
Romans 13:12 ("put aside the deeds of darkness and put
on the armor of light.")
My long time
friend and brother in Christ, Pastor David Barnes adds this note to
the above which I sourced from his weekly newsletter,
"October 31, 1517 began one of
the most significant times in Christian history – Martin
Luther’s Reformation returned faith & freedom to every Believer
held ‘captive’ within the traditional institutionalized
‘Church’ of the day. Halloween is a demonic ‘smokescreen’ over a
day that all true Believers world-wide should be celebrating!"
– Ps. David
A 'smokescreen' is exactly
what Halloween is. It hides the truth of the Gospel of
Salvationbyfaith alone, in and through, Jesus Christ. Wikipedia has
a great article all about the Reformation and Martin Luther.
As an important part of our Christian heritage we should be familiar
with these events.
Martin Luther & the Reformation Note: This
article on Wikipedia is very well referenced, unlike many articles
on this particular resource.
'On 31 October, 1517,
Luther wrote to Albrecht, Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg,
protesting the sale of indulgences. He enclosed in his letter a copy
of his "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of
Indulgences," which came to be known as
The 95 Theses. Hans Hillerbrand writes that Luther had no
intention of confronting the church, but saw his disputation as a
scholarly objection to church practices, and the tone of the writing
is accordingly "searching, rather than doctrinaire."
Hillerbrand writes that there is nevertheless an undercurrent of
challenge in several of the theses, particularly in Thesis 86, which
asks: "Why does the pope, whose wealth today is greater than the
wealth of the richest Crassus, build the basilica of St. Peter with
the money of poor believers rather than with his own money?"'
This paragraph is sourced from the Wikipedia article
mentioned above.
Behold, Therefore, the Severity of God
Hell, Sin, Punishment and God: Warning!
This is tough stuff but has to be addressed at some point.
It might be helpful to understand
that, when using the word, 'hell', we are using it colloquially.
Strictly, 'Hell' is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and
Greek words for the grave. Sheol is Hebrew and Hades, from
which we get hell, is Greek. This can be confusing, as we
casually use the word 'hell' which carries the connotation of
eternal punishment. However, strictly we have to say that
'hell' is not the place of punishment, it does appear to be a place
of suffering in scripture as the story Jesus told of a rich man
(traditionally refered to as, Dives) and Lazarus clearly shows -
Luke 16: 19-31 KJV
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple
and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there
was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his
gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs
which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came
and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar
died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:
the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift
up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off,
and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip
the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I
am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son,
remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good
things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is
comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this,
between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they
which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they
pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I
pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to
my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may
testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of
torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the
prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father
Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will
repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose
from the dead.
In verse 24 (I've highlighted it)
the rich man clearly states that he is in torment because he is in a
fire (flame). The timing of this story, which, by the way, we
have no real reason to see as apocryphal and is likely to be a true
story known to Jesus who was and is the Eternal God incarnate in
human flesh so would be known to him, appears to be identifiable as
some point before the resurrection of Christ. Without going
into this in detail here (I'll discuss this at a later time) suffice
it to say that, after the resurrection I understand that Paradise,
that part of Sheol/Hades in which the righteous dead resided was
relocated to the presence of God and far removed from the realm of
the unrighteous dead. At that time, the unrighteous dead and
the righteous dead were apparently aware of and able to see each
other across a 'gulf' or chasm that divided the two parts of the
realm of the dead.
In the article which follows we
are discussing the final destination of the unrighteous dead, a
place of eternal punishment and separation from God and all that is
good and fine and pleasant, beautiful and enjoyable. This
place has similarities to the Sheol/Hades of the unrighteous dead in
that it is also a place of pain and suffering caused primarily by
the 'flame' or fire. In this case, it is further clearly
defined in scripture as Gehenna, or the lake of fire. This is
a solemn and sobering subject, but one that we need to know about
because it is a reality and the whole point of the Good News of the
Gospel is that our loving and eternal Father has made a way of
escape from this dreadful destination through the death and
resurrection of His Son, Jesus.
If your picture/concept of God is
of a soft sugar daddy, then you are very much mistaken.
Consider this verse in the Bible from the pen of the Apostle Paul,
Romans 11: 22
Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them
which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou
continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut
off.
The Almighty God, creator of the
universe, is an awesome and fearful being that is 'not a man' (i.e.
a human being). God, the God the Bible talks about, is first
of all a spirit. He became incarnate (i.e. He took upon
himself the form of a human being when he was born as baby in
Bethlehem's stable all those many years ago), but he is a spirit
being (John 4:24) quite alien from us in so many ways.
Nevertheless, he made humanity 'in His image' in so many ways and he
owns us and loves us and cares for us and sustains us and provides
for us in every possible way. We have 'fallen' from that
likeness and now the 'image' is blurred and marred so that it has
simply been spoiled. It was sin that did this, initiated by
the tempter, also known as Satan, to whom we yielded and continue to
yield in many awful ways thus bringing pain and suffering constantly
into the world. This is the true state-of-affairs and the God
of the Bible does not tolerate sin in His universe. He will
not tolerate sin in His universe, although he allowed for it to
bring about the final perfection of the human creation he made in
His image. Their are many illustrations in life that can help
with grasping this truth. The potter moulds and shapes his
creation until it is as he plans it. The lathe operator brings
the sharp tool into contact with the piece of steel he plans to
shape and forces it into it peeling off the surplus metal. The
glass blower uses heat to soften the glass to shape it according to
his plan. The sculptor applies the chisel to carve the wood or
other material into something beautiful. The masterpiece is
not finished until after the work is completed. So, the human
creation of the Master Creator will not be complete until after the
work is done.
The big difference is that God is
working with sentient beings of amazing complexity and he intends
the final product to be intentionally good and righteous. For
those who reject this and turn away from their creator, there is
only pain and sorrow -eternally. This is reality.
Is Hell Real?
It is interesting that a much higher percentage
of people believe in the existence of heaven than believe in the
existence of hell. According to the Bible, though, hell is just as
real as heaven. The Bible clearly and explicitly teaches that hell
is a real place to which the wicked/unbelieving are sent after
death. We have all sinned against God (Romans
3:23). The just punishment for that sin is death (Romans
6:23). Since all of our sin is ultimately against God (Psalm
51:4), and since God is an infinite and eternal Being,
the punishment for sin, death, must also be infinite and eternal.
Hell is this infinite and eternal death which we have earned because
of our sin.
The punishment of the wicked dead in hell is
described throughout Scripture as “eternal fire” (Matthew
25:41), “unquenchable fire” (Matthew
3:12), “shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel
12:2), a place where “the fire is not quenched” (Mark
9:44-49), a place of “torment” and “fire” (Luke
16:23-24), “everlasting destruction” (2
Thessalonians 1:9), a place where “the smoke of torment
rises forever and ever” (Revelation
14:10-11), and a “lake of burning sulfur” where the
wicked are “tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation
20:10).
The punishment of the wicked in hell is as
never ending as the bliss of the righteous in heaven. Jesus Himself
indicates that punishment in hell is just as everlasting as life in
heaven (Matthew
25:46). The wicked are forever subject to the fury and
the wrath of God. Those in hell will acknowledge the perfect justice
of God (Psalm
76:10). Those who are in hell will know that their
punishment is just and that they alone are to blame (Deuteronomy
32:3-5). Yes, hell is real. Yes, hell is a place of
torment and punishment that lasts forever and ever, with no end.
Praise God that, through Jesus, we can escape this eternal fate (John
3:16,
18,
36).
The
Truth About Judgment Day(s)
Yes, that's right, two separate
judgments. The Bible teaches there will be two separate
judgments at two separate times.
The First
Judgment: The Judgment of Believers Believers are judged at the
Judgment Seat of Christ (Romans
14:10-12).
The Bible clearly tells us that every believer will give an account
of himself at this judgment, where we are told, the Lord will judge
the believers actions, decisions, motives and all the secret things
of the heart. The important thing to grasp is that
this judgment is not for salvation and forgiveness of sin as for the
believer this took place vicariously when the Lord Jesus was judged
on behalf of all men at Calvary. The benefits of this judgment
are received by faith when we, as individuals chose to accept Jesus
Christ as our personal saviour from sin and its consequences.
(Ephesians
2:8-9).
This judgment is the time when believers give an account of their
lives since we made that decision and how we spent them in the
service of Christ. This moment of choice which was made at
some point in our lives (it could be right now for you dear Reader
if you are reading this and have not settled the matter all ready in
your heart with the Lord) when we began made the decision to become
a follower of Christ is referred to in the Bible as a 'foundation',
or beginning point from which we start to build our new lives as
Bible believing Christ-ones. In 1
Corinthians 3:11-15 the
Apostle Paul describes the things that take place in our lives after
this as a building upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and can be
either the “gold, silver, and [or] precious stones” of good
works in Christ’s name consisting of obedience and fruitfulness
(dedicated spiritual service to glorify God and build the church),
or it could be the “wood, hay and stubble” of selfish, thoughtless,
careless, frivolous activity that has no spiritual value.
It is the Judgment Seat of Christ
will reveal this.
The Bible assures us that the gold,
silver and precious stones of these 'good works' accrued by
Believers in the service of God will survive God’s refining fire (v.
13), and be rewarded accordingly. This needs to be pondered
carefully by all followers of Jesus Christ. Essentially it all
comes donw to how faithfully we served Christ (1
Corinthians 9:4-27),
how well we obeyed the Great Commission (Matthew
28:18-20),
how victorious we were over sin (Romans
6:1-4),
how well we controlled our tongues (James
3:1-9),
etc. Each one of us, without exception, will have to give an
account for all of our actions at this 'judgment' or perhaps, more
accurately, examination. We are advised that the fire of God’s
judgment will completely burn up all that was worthless in our
lives. That is, the “wood, hay and stubble” of the words we
spoke and things we did which had no eternal value.
“So then, each of us [believers]
will give an account of himself to God” (Romans
14:12
).
We emerge from that judgment to
receive the rewards for the works we have done that passed the test.
Some receive much, others little, but all enter into eternal life
with the new and glorious bodies
Christ promised. Note: we are
judged in our resurrected body.
The Second Judgment: The
Judgment of Unbelievers Unbelievers will be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment
spoken of in Revelation
20:11-15.
It is important to note that this judgment does not determine
salvation either. Everyone, without exception at this judgment
is an unbeliever who has rejected Christ in life and for whom,
therefore sentence has already been passed and is now confirmed and
executed. That sentence is to be cast, body and soul, into the
lake of fire or Gehenna. This is the awful reality of sin and
its consequences starkly revealed in all its horror.
The Bible tells us clearly in Revelation
20:12
that unbelievers will be “judged out of those things which were
written in the books, according to their works.” Those who
have rejected Christ as Lord and Savior will be judged based on
their works alone, and because the Bible tells us that “by the works
of the Law no flesh will be justified” (Galatians
2:16),
they will be condemned. No amount of good works and the keeping of
God’s laws can be sufficient to atone for sin. All their thoughts,
words and actions will be judged against God’s perfect standard and
found wanting. There will be no reward for them, only eternal
condemnation and punishment.
Do We Have An Appointed Time Of Death?
The Bible tells us that
“all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one
of them came to be”
(Psalm
139:16).
So, yes, God knows exactly when, where, and how we will die. God
knows absolutely everything about us (Psalm
139:1-6).
How does this affect our lives practically? We are to live each day
for God.
James 4:13-15
teaches us, “Now listen, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go
to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make
money.' Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is
your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then
vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we
will live and do this or that.'” We are to make wise decisions about
how we live our lives and how we take care of ourselves. And
ultimately, we trust God that He is sovereign and in control of all
things.
Will We Remember Our Earthly Lives
When We Are In Heaven?
Isaiah 65:17
tells us, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and
the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Some
interpret
Isaiah 65:17
as saying that we will have no memory of our earthly lives in
heaven. However, one verse earlier in
Isaiah 65:16,
the Bible says, “For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden
from my eyes.” It is likely only our “past troubles” that will be
forgotten – not all of our memories. Our memories will be cleansed,
redeemed, healed, and restored – not erased. There is no reason why
we could not possess many memories from our earthly lives. The
memories that will be cleansed are the ones that involve sin, pain,
and sadness.
Revelation 21:4
declares, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no
more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of
things has passed away.”
Some point to the
story of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke
16:19-31)
as proof that the dead remember their earthly lives. The rich man
asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to earth to warn the rich man’s
brothers not to come to hell. So he remembered his relatives. He
must have also remembered his own life of sin because he never asked
to be released from hell, nor did he ask why he was there or claim
there had been some kind of mistake. He remembered enough about his
earthly life to know that he deserved hell. But this is no proof
that those in heaven remember their earthly lives. The rich man’s
remembrance was part of his misery. If we have memories in heaven,
they will only be of things that will bring us joy.
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