Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 34 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and four amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has published two books - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles which he has compiled into books in PDF form.

Water Baptism: Our Pledge of Allegiance to the King

 

Water baptism is a public pledge of allegiance to Jesus the King.

One of the core parts of the Gospel is that Jesus fulfilled God’s promise to King David that one of his descendants would occupy Israel’s throne forever.

“When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13  “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-13 (NASB)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he was confirmed as the promised Davidic King, the Jewish Messiah, the glorious Lord of Lords, who now sits at God’s right hand, possessing all authority in heaven and earth and ruling over his kingdom until his enemies are completely subdued. One day he will come again as the glorious Son of Man in Daniel 7:13-14 to judge the living and the dead and share his glory and authority with those who declare their allegiance to him.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)

The only proper response to make to such a Person is to give him our allegiance, trust, love, and loyal service.

An Old Testament Example of Pledging Allegiance

When David, the called and anointed but yet to be crowned king of Israel, was hiding in the wilderness to escape King Saul’s jealous and murderous pursuit, men began to recognize David’s leadership and calling and realized that he was the future king of Israel. They heard about Samuel’s prophecy over him and how that prophet had poured oil over his head to anoint him as Israel’s future king. They knew that David had killed the giant and led Israel’s armies to victory over her enemies. The Holy Spirit inspired many to join his rag tag band of believers in the wilderness.

One such man was a leader named Amasai, who approached David at his hideout. When David questioned his intentions, whether he came as friend or foe, the Bible says that Amasai was “clothed” with the Holy Spirit, which means that Amasai become a spokesman for God at that moment. What came out of his mouth was a huge encouragement to David on two accounts. Here is what he said, which has been recorded for our benefit.

Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them officers of his troops. 1 Chronicles 12:18 (ESV)

On the one hand, Amasai spoke words of affirmation and encouragement to David. He prophesied that God would give David and his supporters success (shalom) in every way – peace, prosperity, health, wholeness, and victory. When he said, “your God helps you,” he described perfectly one of the most important ministries of God’s Spirit, whom Jesus called the “Helper” in John 14:16. He is the one who is called alongside and now lives inside true believers to enable us to enjoy God’s presence and fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. David was in a very stressful and discouraging situation, and these words must have refreshed his soul.

In addition, Amasai’s words were a  declaration of allegiance to King David and a model for us with respect to King Jesus, David’s promised descendant. It was a threefold declaration of faith: an acknowledgement of David’s identity as king, a profession of loyalty, and a dedication to service. This is what it means to “believe” in our Lord.

Being a Christian is much more than agreeing with a doctrinal statement of faith: it is trust in and loyalty to the risen King.

The Gospel Call to Allegiance

A good Gospel presentation should include the declaration that after his resurrection Jesus ascended into heaven and now sits at God’s right hand as the reigning Lord of all, who will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Peter preached these words to Cornelius in the first Gospel presentation to Gentiles with the promise that “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43) It should be clear that the belief to which Peter refers is that Jesus is Lord of all. Paul confirms this in his famous rendering of the essence of what it means to become a follower of Christ.

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)

We confess what we believe; so, if we confess that Jesus is Lord, it is because that is what we believe. Confession of Christ’s lordship presupposes that we properly respond as his subjects, which is to give allegiance, honor, trust, love, and obedient service to him. Those who do this are forgiven of their sins of disobedience and disloyalty to God and his Messiah King. It’s really very simple, but often misunderstood. We are not asked merely to confess that Jesus is our merciful Savior who died for our sins as God’s Lamb, but who does not require anything from us. Rather, we are told to confess that he is Lord, which presupposes our love, loyalty, and obedience.

Any Gospel presentation that does not major on Christ’s identity as the risen Lord is deficient. Our response to this amazing news must include a declaration of allegiance to the Lord, or we are little more than Christian consumers who are looking for a “get out of jail free” card.

When we confess that Jesus is Lord, we acknowledge his true identity, declare our allegiance, and devote ourselves to a lifetime of service, just as Amasai did toward King David so long ago.

Water baptism is our public formal declaration of allegiance to King Jesus.

It is one thing to privately ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, but something else altogether to seal it by being baptized in water. Have you stood up for Jesus in public yet?

Prayer

You may wish to pray the following as a prelude to taking the step of publicly declaring allegiance to King Jesus.

Jesus, I recognize you are indeed Lord of all, just as the Bible says. When you rose from the dead and ascended to God’s right hand, you became my Lord. I bow my knee to you and pledge my loyalty to you. I give my life to you to use me as you see fit. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life! Help me to tell others about this great Good News and help them to be disciples, too. Holy Spirit, fill me and empower me to live the Christ life and to be a fisher of men. Amen.

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Chapter 87: Discipleship as Spiritual Warfare

Discipleship is a form of spiritual warfare called force multiplication.

Jesus commissioned the church to go and make disciples and duplicate itself in others who will be able to multiply our efforts and carry on when we are not present or after we physically die.

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  2 Timothy 2:2 (NKJV)

God’s first commandment after creating Adam and Eve was to be fruitful and multiply. Our Lord never rescinded that command. It applies both to biological reproduction and discipleship. The devil hates all forms of reproduction and tries to convince people to refrain from having children at all or at least very few. He even works to convince people that it is to their advantage to abort children in the womb for a variety of reasons. Satan tries to convince people that children are an inconvenience, too expensive, or barriers to pursuing our personal goals. Rather than viewing children negatively, God sees all children as precious and the key to the future.

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3 (NLT)

His desire is for the earth to be filled with people who will become part of his eternal family. He wants us to be part of that process by winning people to Christ through the gospel and discipling them to do the same.

Even some in the church have also been affected by a negative view toward spiritual reproduction.

We may prefer the convenience and comfort of relating to our spiritual “clique” instead of accepting the challenge to go out into the world to “catch” people and disciple them. Obviously, this something for which we should repent.

The psalmist wrote:

Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 5 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.  Psalm 127:4–5 (NLT)

An arrow extends the ability of the archer to inflict damage on the enemy.

Children, both natural (if they become disciples) and spiritual, extend and expand our impact in spiritual warfare.

US Army Special Forces operate behind enemy lines to carry out guerilla operations and to train and equip indigenous guerilla fighters to continue warfare after they leave the area. This is a fine example of force multiplication which parallels Christian discipleship.

If we fail to make disciples, when we physically die, who will be left to carry on the work? The church will cease to exist without the continuous making of new disciples. But we are not to be concerned with merely continuing to exist. Our job is to participate with God in growing the church and expanding the kingdom of God through evangelism and disciple making.

Parents and spiritual leaders are charged with teaching children and disciples how to love God, love people, make disciples, and successfully negotiate this thing called life.

Disciple making simply means that we teach others to live and serve God as we do.

Whatever we prioritize will likely be adopted as being important by our disciples. If we only pay lip service to some aspect of the Christian life, it will likely be viewed as non-essential by those we influence.

Special forces operators are some of our most elite and best trained soldiers. When they make disciples, they make them in their own image.

The better the trainer, the better will be the disciple.

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  Luke 6:40 (NKJV)

The more joyfully committed the disciple maker, the more committed will be the disciple. We can train people to be full of joy in their service to God or to become dour legalists.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.  Matthew 23:15 (NKJV)

We cannot escape the law of sowing and reaping when it comes to discipleship. We can only give away what we have. We can only reproduce after our own likeness. God is calling us to commit to becoming the best disciples possible and duplicate ourselves in our followers.

The longest lasting action in spiritual warfare is making disciples.

The goal of evangelism is to add people to God’s family. The goal of discipleship is to multiply workers who bring people into God’s family and continue to multiply workers.

God’s plan is for his kingdom to expand and fill the earth, and this can only happen through making disciples. It is not enough for us to find eternal life for ourselves. This would be equivalent to viewing our time here on the Earth as being only for our own personal enjoyment, without regard to our commission to be fruitful and multiply. God wants us to accept the commission to make disciples and then ask him to assist us in carrying it out.

I believe we should earnestly ask God to give us disciples. If we have young children in our home, we should ask God to help us do the best job we can to teach them to be disciples of our Lord. This means we should also ask the Lord to help us to be the best disciples and disciple makers we can be. Jesus taught quite a lot on what is required for his disciples, most of which is extremely challenging. In fact, it is quite impossible to be a disciple without the help of the Holy Spirit.

The first step of using discipleship as an act of war is to make the decision to become a committed follower of Christ.

This requires us to evaluate our willingness to accept the associated costs.

Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.  Luke 14:31–33 (NLT)

Once again, as we face the challenge of discipleship, we must turn to the Holy Spirit for help. The Christian life was never meant to be lived on our own. We are dependent beings designed to be led and empowered by God.

When those who look to us for leadership see that we are willing to pay the cost associated with discipleship, it will encourage them to do the same.

If we are unwilling, we will likely produce disciples afflicted with the same lack of commitment.

We will only be able to teach others to obey Christ in those areas where we obey him.

Disciples learn more by what we do than from what we say, if our words are not backed up by actions. Paul wrote;

Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.  1 Corinthians 4:16 (NASB95)

Paul modeled discipleship in a multitude of ways.

But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. 11 You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it.  2 Timothy 3:10–11 (NLT)

This is how we pass on to others what we have. We cannot give away something we do not have. Unless we live as a disciple, we will not be able to make disciples.

Jesus told us that continuing faithfulness to his Word makes us his disciples.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:31–32 (NLT)

Therefore, it is an act of spiritual warfare to read, study, meditate upon, and put into practice Christ’s teachings, since that is the essence of discipleship. This fits perfectly with the Great Commission in which Jesus taught us to teach others to keep his commandments. We can only teach others to keep what we keep.

Paul wrote to Timothy:

Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.  1 Timothy 4:13–16 (NASB95)

The more closely we attend to our own walk with Jesus, the better we will be at making disciples.

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The “Lite” Gospel Could Send Us to Hell

In an effort to make the gospel more appealing to the masses, some people preach what I call a “lite” version, which can send us to hell instead of saving us. “Lite” beer and diet colas are designed to taste as much like the real thing as possible, but with fewer calories. We are always looking for ways to cheat the natural consequences of our behavior. Sadly, the substitute ingredients are often harmful to our health, and usually the “lite” version does not taste as well as the original. Surprisingly, such lite versions can work to add weight instead of what they claim. Almost always the more costly and “real” way of producing something will yield superior results, but people who have grown accustomed to the inferior product may actually prefer it over the original.

When it comes to the gospel, the same sort of thing is true.

Over the years, well meaning people have crafted the “gospel” in such a way as to make it quicker, easier, more “palatable,” and less costly to become a Christian in order to mass produce conversions.

Below I will compare and contrast the true gospel with what I perceive to be an inferior “lite” version.

  The True Gospel Gospel Lite
Message Jesus is the Lamb of God who died for our sins. He rose again as Lord of Lords and commissioned his church to go and make disciples. Afterward he ascended to heaven, from where, as the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and Lord of the Harvest, he poured out the Holy Spirit on the church, empowering her to fulfill the Great Commission. He will come in again in glory as the divine Son of Man to judge all peoples and rule over God’s kingdom forever. Jesus died to provide forgiveness for our sins.
Desired Response Repent from our self-directed lifestyle, confess that Jesus is our Lord, receive the forgiveness he provides whereby we are made part of God’s eternal family, declare our allegiance to him through water baptism, receive the baptism in the Spirit, and join his Great Commission army. Repent and receive forgiveness for your sins, whereby our membership in God’s eternal family is assured.
Big Difference The true gospel emphasizes surrender to Christ’s lordship and participation in the Great Commission. Gospel lite may lead to receiving the blessings of the gospel without a true surrender to Christ’s lordship.
Methods The Holy Spirit must work in the heart of the hearer to bring him or her to a place of revelation of Christ’s lordship and surrender to it. This cannot be rushed. The preacher looks for some evidence of a true conversion. Receiving the Lord is made straight forward and “easy.” If you want what the gospel has to offer, simply repeat the sinner’s prayer, as is often led by the person sharing the gospel. Afterward, you are told that you are saved, no matter what interaction the person has made with the Lord at the heart level.
Results A life of surrendered discipleship. A belief that one is saved and going to heaven.
Danger A person may realize the high cost of following Christ as a disciple and choose not to become one. A person may never truly “see” who Jesus is (Lord of Lords and King of Kings), but may merely go for the sales pitch – Pray this prayer and you can go to heaven.
Distinguishing Marks A person coming to Christ under the true gospel will call Jesus Lord. A person who is a product of Gospel Lite may only recognize Jesus his or her “personal Savior.”

The Gospel Lite salvation process may be more like an assembly line than the fine work of a craftsman.

If we want to maximize the number of people who get “saved” at a church service or evangelistic meeting, we should streamline the process, making it quick and simple. It might go something like this. After explaining that all men are sinners and need a savior because otherwise we are destined to hell, the preacher might invite all present who want to receive Jesus as their Savior, to raise a hand or come forward and pray the “sinner’s prayer” as led by the preacher. Such a process provides people with a simple one-step process to become a child of God and provides ministers with an easy way to count conversions. Afterward, the one who prayed is assured that he or she is now saved and going to heaven. But is this indeed the case?

Jesus said that it is necessary to “behold” him, to see who he really is, in order to believe in him and be saved. (John 6:40) This can only happen when the Holy Spirit opens our eyes. Faith is two-fold: it includes both trust and allegiance. When we behold the Lord, we surrender our lives to him and receive from him all he died to give us.

Jesus liked to ask people who they thought he is. He wanted to see what the Spirit of God had revealed to them.

Like our Lord, we should be observing what the Spirit is revealing to people about the Lord.

When Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?,” he did not ask them to repeat his leading words: “You are the Messiah King who will die for my sins and rise again as Lord of Lords.” Instead he simply allowed them to speak. When Peter confessed his faith in Jesus’ being the Messiah, our Lord knew that God had revealed this to him.

We likewise should encourage people to seek the Lord until they find him, ever watching to see what God is doing in their lives.

When they are ready, we can assist in the birthing of a new person into God’s kingdom, as a kind of spiritual midwife. Salvation is always a miracle of recreation and transformation orchestrated by the Master Craftsman, the Holy Spirit.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)

If we package the Gospel in a “lite” version, leaving out the time needed for the Spirit to do his work, we may unwittingly abort the conversion process.

Sadly, if we prompt someone to believe they are saved before they know that Christ is Lord by faith in their hearts, we may actually “inoculate” them against the possibility of a true conversion, leaving them convinced they are already “saved” without their ever having been born again.

During the first Great Awakening in the colonies in the late 18th century, preachers encouraged their hearers to seek God and, if necessary, to “wrestle” with him, until they found him, knowing that those who truly belong to Jesus will eventually “hear his voice.” (John 10:27)

Just as there is no way to instantly produce a human being, there is no shortcut to birthing someone into the kingdom of God.

Why, then, do we leave out the seeking the Lord part of the process, preferring to shorten things down to simply repeating a prayer? Do we skip the step of requiring people to seek God for themselves because we do not believe Jesus is able to communicate adequately with the seeker? Have we failed to grasp that unless the Spirit of God draws a person, they cannot come to Christ? (John 6:44) Do we not realize that no one can know the Father unless Jesus wills it and reveals the Father to them? (Matthew 11:27) Are we unwilling to simply leave people in the hands of God, knowing that he loves them far more than we do? Do we believe that the new birth depends more on us than on God?

Conclusion

Having made my point, that we must allow for the Spirit to do an inner work in a person before leading them to believe they are saved, let me emphasize that sometimes, many times, people are genuinely and deeply saved by responding to the preacher’s call to “pray after me.” That is because the Spirit has already been at work in their lives and prepared them for that moment. But in the case of those who are merely responding to a man, we must not lead them into the deception of thinking they already are saved, because they may cease the process of seeking the Lord.

Compounding the problem, our consumer culture draws people toward a message that encourages them to receive all the benefits of the gospel at the lowest possible cost to themselves.

They do not realize that when we receive all that Jesus died to give us, he asks us to give all of ourselves to him and his mission.

Confessing him as Lord is much different that asking him to be Savior.

According to Paul, the confession of Christ’s lordship is what actually saves us. (Romans 10:9)

The gospel does include receiving forgiveness of sins and eternal life, but those glorious benefits are not the whole gospel or even the heart of the gospel. They are benefits of our believing the gospel.

The gospel is not only about my personal forgiveness and regeneration, which are indeed important, but it is about the restoration of all things under the Lord Jesus.

As Peter put it in another place:

Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.  Acts 3:19-21 (ESV)

The early Christians were hounded, persecuted, and put to death because they proclaimed that Jesus is Lord over all things, even Caesar. Christians were taught to be loyal subjects of the empire (pay taxes, obey magistrates, give respect), but they could not obey the government if they were commanded to acknowledge that the supposedly divine Caesar was Lord over all.

It is unlikely that Rome would have persecuted a group who merely claimed that Jesus is a personal Savior.

Jesus is much more. He deserves our complete allegiance and will ultimately rule over every nation and kingdom. Every knee one day shall bow to him. Proclaiming such a gospel will likely get us into trouble with those who hate Christ’s rule because it means that we can and will only give a qualified form of allegiance to every other person and institution. The evil and worldly powers that want to dominate and rule us do not like this.

So what do we do with all of this?

I believe that it is crucial that we adjust how we present the gospel to conform to the message preached by Peter and the other early apostles.

We must not limit ourselves to the plan of salvation and merely ask for decisions for Christ. Instead, we must ask for and expect repentance, baptism in water, the infilling of the Spirit, and a commitment to the Great Commission. We must expect believers to immediately become disciples – followers of Christ and fishers of men, who apply Christ’s radical rules for living to their lives. We have short changed ourselves and God for far too long!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, forgive me for seeing you and presenting you in a partial, self-serving way. Forgive me for stripping the gospel of its power and minimizing it to a mere plan of salvation. Help me to fully devote myself to you and your kingdom. Help me to faithfully share your gospel every chance I get. Make me your follower and a fisher of men. Give us disciples who will go and make disciples. Amen.

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The Gospel’s Claim on Us

The gospel has a claim on our lives. When prospectors in the Old West mined or panned for gold, they would “stake a claim,” meaning they would stake off the boundaries of the land they legally claimed or owned to keep claim jumpers at bay if they happened to find gold.

The Bible says that God chose us before he ever created the world. (Ephesians 1:4) In a very real way, Jesus staked his claim on us when he died for us. When we believed the gospel, we agreed to that transaction, and we now belong to him. (1 Corinthians 6:19) Every time the gospel is shared, it requires the hearer to make a decision regarding Christ’s lordship and ownership.

The gospel makes a claim on everyone who hears it, forcing us to respond in some fashion. We can declare allegiance to Jesus, ignore the message, or fight against it.

The Jewish leaders of his day made their decision. Most of them rejected him, his message, and his kingdom. Fulfilling Jesus’ prophetic parable about the wicked tenants, they put the Son of God to death. (Luke 20:9-18) When Peter made his first gospel presentation on Pentecost, his Jewish hearers were pierced to the heart when he accused them of complicity in the treacherous betrayal and regicide of the Messiah. They had played a part in the murder of God’s Chosen One, the Son of David, the coming Judge of the whole earth. On hearing Peter’s words and realizing their guilt, they were desperate to try to set things straight. This was the response for which Peter and God were looking.

We were not in the crowd that yelled, “Crucify him,” but we have been among those who have rejected his claims to Lordship. We too are guilty of rebellion against God’s rule. Just as those who heard Peter’s first sermon begged for a way to get things right, the gospel should stir us to want to be forgiven and reconciled to the coming King and Judge. The glorious good news of the gospel demands a response greater than simply agreeing with its facts. If we are not motivated to do something to get right with God, it is doubtful that we have really understood.

Asking for forgiveness, turning away from a self-directed way of life, and declaring allegiance to God’s King is the response God desires.

If we reject the gospel’s claim on our lives, we will one day encounter the Judge of all the earth and give account for that decision. Indifference is just one more form of rebellion that begs for judgment. How can God excuse our being uninterested in the most important person in the universe and rejecting his gracious offer to be reconciled? But, if we respond properly, knowing and enjoying God for all of eternity opens up to us.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37  Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38  And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40  And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41  So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Acts 2:36-41 (ESV)
Prayer

Jesus, up to now I have never truly understood who you are. Now I see that you are the focus of the entire Bible. You are the Lamb of God who gave your life for me. I receive all you died to provide for me. Thank you for forgiving my sins, giving me eternal life, giving me a right standing with God, making me God’s child, and setting me free on the inside so I can serve you. Please baptize me in the Holy Spirit and empower me to be your witness. I surrender my entire life to you, my glorious Lord. Use me as you see fit. I ask especially that you will give me opportunities to share the gospel with others and to mentor those who come to you in repentance and faith. Amen.

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The Gospel Raises the Dead

The gospel has the power to raise people from the dead. Jesus told his disciples:

And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8  "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. Matthew 10:7-8 (NASB)

Jesus commissioned his disciples to announce the presence and power of God’s kingdom by preaching the good news of his, the king’s, arrival and ministry and by demonstrating the king’s delegated power and authority. This was done by healing, setting people free from demonic oppression, and raising people physically from the dead. Jesus also promised all who would follow that we would do even greater works than he did after his ascension into heaven (John 14:12).

Our Lord sent his Holy Spirit to empower us to preach the gospel and do miracles in his name as a testimony to the truthfulness of our words. (Acts 1:8)

In my lifetime I have seen God heal and set people free from demons, but not once have I witnessed a physically dead person being brought back to life. I must add, however, that I have heard of that happening and have even talked to people who said that they saw it happen in other countries. Why is this not taking place where we live? Is it a sign that we lack faith? Will this miracle become more prevalent as we draw closer to Christ’s Second Coming? I imagine the answer to these last two questions is yes and yes. But, let us consider another side to this.

Every single person who is born into this world, according to the Bible, is “dead in sins.” (Psalm 51:5, Ephesians 2:1) This is because we inherit Adam’s fallen nature. We come into this world separated spiritually from God with an inborn default propensity to pursue selfish and rebellious desires and to try to live independently from God. When we act on these propensities, we add our sin to the cauldron of evil that calls for God’s judgment. The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

Jesus came to rescue us from this nightmare situation. He paid the penalty for our sins, taking our judgment of death upon himself. After three days, God raised him from the dead, making him the Author of Life. In Jesus’ own words, he is the “resurrection and the life!”

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26 (NASB)

Each time someone is spiritually reborn through faith in Christ, God brings a dead person back to life. 

He gives us everlasting life in the spirit. Unless Christ returns first, every one of us will die physically, but Jesus taught that our new spiritual life transcends physical death. When we who believe die physically, we will experience a “seamless” transition into the manifest conscious presence of God. This is because everyone of us is already there spiritually.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:4-6 (NASB)

When we share the gospel and our hearer responds in faith, we have a part in God’s raising him or her from the dead spiritually speaking, which will one day result in his or her receiving a new resurrection body at the Second Coming. (John 6:40)

Being spiritually made alive again is a far greater thing than simply restoring life to a physical body.

Born again people will live forever with God, even after they die bodily. People who are merely physically raised from the dead will one day die again, and, if they are not reborn through the gospel, they will suffer eternal death.

Every single person who confesses that Jesus is Lord and believes in his or her heart that God raised him from the dead becomes a brand new creation, made alive from the dead, never to experience eternal death and separation from God.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)

The new birth is a miracle of the first magnitude that rivals creation.

The light (revelation) of Christ shining into our sin darkened hearts is even greater in some way than the light God spoke into existence during creation, because it reverses the curse upon sin and causes a dead person to come alive and be brought into God’s family to live eternally.

For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NASB)

The new birth is a spiritual resurrection.

For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you." Ephesians 5:14 (NASB)

So, do not be intimidated or feel like a failure if you have never physically raised someone from the dead. Perhaps one day we will even witness dead bodies coming to life again. Until then, however, every time we preach the gospel, we put ourselves in a position to see an even greater demonstration of Christ’s life giving power, the spiritual resurrection of a spiritually dead individual. That gives us a good reason to share the gospel and glorify God as we await the return of Christ and the glorious resurrection of all the dead.

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Man’s Ongoing Quest to Escape Our Assigned Habitation, the Earth

In this article, I will attempt to describe what I believe is mankind’s ongoing attempt to escape our assigned physical habitation, the earth. In my previous one, I wrote about humanity’s quest to escape the spiritual and intellectual limitations assigned to us by God in his Word, the Bible. The two are closely linked.

The Bible teaches us that Satan wished to go beyond his assigned place and role and usurp God’s throne.

But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. 14 ‘I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Isaiah 14:13–14 (NASB95)

The essence of sin lies in our refusal to accept God’s authority as the Creator to “make the rules” and assign to us our roles and limitations.

We see this being played out all around us in our culture. People are not happy with their assigned sexuality or gender. Some women despise the perceived limitations of being wives and mothers. Some men do not want to carry the weight of responsibility connected with the roles of husband and father. In both cases, sometimes people feel as if the sacrifice of freedom is too great.

Apparently Satan had a privileged status prior to his rebellion, but he wanted more. Although a created being, he considered himself to be God’s equal and had the audacity to attempt to overthrow God’s rule. The result was his defeat and ouster from heaven.

And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Luke 10:18 (NKJV)

Having failed, Satan did not give up. Apparently, he determined to seduce the humans God created and placed in the garden. He tempted them to join in his rebellion against God. It seems that the lure of god-like self-determination is quite strong. Adam and Eve took the bait hook, line, and sinker.

God created us to be perfectly fulfilled and satisfied dependent beings.

We were not designed or intended to go it alone. Our Lord’s desire has always been to be with us and live his life in and through us. That is the only pathway to peace and joy, but Adam and Eve threw that away for an empty promise from the tempter that they could be like God, knowing good and evil for themselves. Jesus came to restore us to the abundant life God originally intended.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. John 10:10 (NLT)

Not only did God intend for Adam and Eve and their descendants to enjoy a happy and fulfilled life of partnership and dependence upon their Creator, he also provided them with the perfect environment.

The earth God created was a paradise with more than enough capacity to provide for a vast number of people. Before they rebelled against God’s rule, the earth worked with them to provide their needs. After their sin and the consequent judgment, the earth worked against them to some degree.

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life. 18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; 19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17–19 (NASB95)

Now it is more difficult to extract the blessings from the ground, but not impossible. God’s command to be fruitful and multiply still stands. God still wants the earth to be full of people, something the devil works hard to prevent.

Satan, the father of lies, consistently lies to us about God and the earth.

He works hard to get us to believe and accept his version of reality in place of God’s truth. The earth God created is huge with plentiful resources. The Bible says that it is safely enclosed and protected in a solid firmament. This crystalline structure separates us from the third heaven where God’s throne is located.

Our assigned abode is on the earth below the firmament.

God reserved heaven for himself, his angels, and all who put their faith and allegiance in his Son, our Lord Jesus the Messiah.

After Adam’s and Eve’s rebellion and expulsion from the garden, almost from the beginning, their descendants, like Satan, were not content to remain in our assigned place.

The Bible records that residents of Mesopotamia constructed a giant tower whose purpose was to reach into heaven.

They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:4 (NASB95)

Tradition has it that Nimrod wanted to penetrate the barrier of the firmament in order to kill God with his bow and arrows. Regardless of whether there is any truth in that, God took note of this attempt to escape our assigned domain and frustrated their efforts. By dividing them into many different language groups, God slowed down mankind’s technological development. But the drive to test the limits of our habitation and escape its confines persists.

The quest to breach the firmament was delayed but not stopped.

Now I ask you to permit me space to conjecture a bit, with the full understanding that I am making what I consider to be an educated guess. When our own government blocks access to crucial information and propagates what is false, we are left trying to piece together the resulting puzzle. Thankfully, the Bible gives us much solid information.

The Bible tells us that the solid firmament rises from the earth where it is securely anchored. I wrote more about this in previous articles in this series. A 1958 version of The Encyclopedia Americana reported the presence of a dome. This was prior to the Antarctic Treaty and before censorship regarding that area of the world. We are “fenced in” by this structure. At this point, the general public does not know where the firmament connects to the earth, since that area of the world is now “off limits,” but quite possibly Admiral Richard E. Byrd found it, having made several expeditions to that region before and after WWII (1928-30, 1933-34, 1939-40, 1946-47, and 1955-56). He gave a televised interview in which he made some remarkable claims.

During and after Byrd completed his assignments there, several very interesting things took place.

  1. The United Nations was created in 1945.
  2. Walt Disney, who majored in fantasy, and Werner Von Braun partnered to produce a documentary on outer space travel in 1955.
  3. NASA was formed in 1958. Werner Von Braun, a former Nazi, brought to the US under the auspices of Operation Paperclip, was put in charge of our space program, or at least became one of its major spokesmen.
  4. The Antarctic Treaty was signed, cordoning off the area beyond the South 60th parallel, December 1, 1959. The signing nations were each assigned a segment to guard and protect against independent exploration. Interestingly, despite all our international conflicts since then, no one has violated this treaty? Why?
  5. Operation Fishbowl was part of a series of high altitude nuclear explosions conducted by the US and Russia. Operation Starfish exploded a 1.4 megaton bomb in 1962 at a reported altitude of 400 kilometers or 240 miles.

If I am correct in speculating that Byrd and his associates discovered the wall of the firmament, then the formation of NASA and subsequent rocket launches were part of a plan to probe and perhaps penetrate the firmament. Operation Fishbowl likely was designed to test the strength and nature of the firmament. Numerous videos of rocket launches show them apparently skimming through water and sometimes coming apart at very high altitudes. Many of NASA’s launches take an arc that would dump them into the Bermuda Triangle.

If the firmament is what the Bible says, outer space is a fantasy. The firmament cannot be penetrated, and pretty much everything NASA produces is part of a Disney-like magical kingdom.

It is apparent to many that NASA exists to maintain the illusion that we live on a globe while making ongoing efforts to break through the firmament.

Whatever is the actual case, no one will deny that many people are genuinely obsessed with space travel and the idea of leaving the earth and exploring, and maybe even establishing colonies, beyond the earth. Hollywood, which is known to hide the truth in plain sight, has given us many clues regarding the firmament and humanity’s inborn desire to escape our assigned habitation. Here are a few examples.

The Matrix movie describes a world where humans are enslaved by convincing them that the lie, with which they are all brainwashed, is actually reality. Wanting to escape the lie, is very different from trying to deny the truth and pursue the lie. Neo was encouraged to take the “red pill” that would open his eyes to the truth, which he did, embarking him on a dangerous adventure toward freedom.

Sinful rebellious humankind wants to escape the limitations of our God-imposed habitation. The controllers, those in power who are serving Satan, hide the true nature of our world from its inhabitants in order to enslave us under false pretenses. They tell us that the world we live in is more or less doomed and that we need to find somewhere else. All the while they hide how amazing and plentiful is God’s provision.

Almost everything about our world as presented by our government is contrary to the truth.

Consider the following.

  • We are told that we live on a “fragile” planet.  We are in danger from climate change, asteroids, disease, aliens, and over crowding.
  • Resources are limited and running out.
  • Our population needs to be reduced, resources rationed, and energy conserved.

But what does God say?

  • We live on a firmly secured earth enclosed by a solid firmament. Climate change, aliens, and asteroids are not real. Demons, yes, but not aliens.
  • God created the earth with more than enough resources to support a massive population. Otherwise, God would not have commanded us to fill the earth.
  • God said to be fruitful and multiply. Efforts to reduce the population through wars, starvation, abortion, vaccines, etc., like everything else Satan suggests, are in direct violation of God’s commands.

Jesus was not joking when he said the devil came to kill, steal, and destroy.

If we would accept that the earth God created is a perfectly designed habitation and seek to bring it more and more in line with God’s original intention under his rule, we would see our lives prosper in a greater way. Instead, inspired by Satan and our own rebelliousness, we refuse to tell the truth, listen to the truth, or accept our God-imposed limitations. Instead, we try to escape, not realizing that all the while Satan is working his plan to subjugate and enslave the inhabitants of the earth. Thankfully, we know from the Bible that God wins! Eventually he will create a new heaven and earth in which only righteousness exists. Hallelujah!

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The Gospel and Deliverance

The gospel provides deliverance from demonic oppression.

And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Matthew 10:7-8 (ESV)

Everywhere Jesus went he manifested the reality of the kingdom of God by setting people free from demonic oppression. He commissioned his disciples to do the same. This commission is still in effect.

Deliverance from demons, like healing, is clear indicator of the presence of the King and the advance of his kingdom.

But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Matthew 12:28 (ESV)

The Bible teaches us that evil spirits are real, not some remnant from a per-scientific worldview. Demons seek to capture, torment, and destroy people. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who came to set captives free and provide peace and protection. One of Jesus’ names and roles is Redeemer. A redeemer is one who purchases the freedom of another in order to set them free. Jesus paid for our freedom with his blood.

And they *sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Revelation 5:9 (NASB)

His death and resurrection through belief in the gospel sets people free from everything that wishes to enslave them, so that they might serve God freely, joyfully, and wholeheartedly.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20  that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21  Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22  God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.Ephesians 1:19-22 (NLT)

All power and authority was transferred to the risen Messiah King at his resurrection, which he uses to liberate Satan’s former captives. Jesus gave authority over evil spirits to his disciples, which is backed up by the unstoppable power of the Holy Spirit.

The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name." 18  And He said to them, "I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 19  "Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. Luke 10:17-19 (NASB)

Evil spirits must obey when followers of Christ command them to leave. The Holy Spirit enforces our commands when we operate in the authority of Christ. When disciples of Christ cast out demons, it is a clear demonstration of God’s power and Christ’s authority.

Like healing, deliverance confirms the authenticity of the gospel message.

The early church carried forward this practice as part of its gospel message.

Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13  None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14  And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15  so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16  The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Acts 5:12-16 (ESV)  

And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7  For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. Acts 8:6-7 (ESV)

Today people in the secularized West, where so-called science is worshiped, often try to explain away demonic activity as being some form of mental instability or other medically defined disease. However, if we maintain that Jesus actually knew what he was talking about and that the Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit, we must take demons seriously. Conversely, many people are terrified by the demonic, having gotten all their information from horror movies which glorify evil.

The reality is that demons exist, but they are under the authority of Christ and must obey Christ’s representatives.

(You can read more about our authority to cast out demons by clicking here.) Please keep in mind that demons are real, Christ has already defeated them, followers of Christ have authority over them, the Holy Spirit backs up that authority, and casting them out is a sign of the presence and power of God’s kingdom. When we preach the gospel, we should expect to encounter demonic oppression in people and be prepared to use Christ’s authority to handle the situation. When we do that properly, it confirms the truth of the gospel.

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How Well Can You Share the Gospel Story?

God wants us to be fluent enough in the gospel to share it like a story. Jesus frequently used stories because they are such a powerful way to communicate.

The gospel is the true story of Jesus Christ set in the context of Israel’s history with God.

Each of the four Gospels are presented in story form. We learn about Jesus from seeing how he was born, lived, died, rose again, and later ascended into heaven, where he now rules, waiting for the Father’s set time for his return to judge all people. In the Gospel story, we see how our Lord Jesus interacted with God the Father and those who lived around him. We listen to his words and marvel at his deeds.

In the gospel, we encounter the Creator and Sustainer of the universe who became a human being.

Each one of us has a personal story to tell, too. Our life stories are set in the context of the history of our families, when and where we have lived, what we have gone through, decisions we made, opportunities we received, victories we won, battles we lost, and any number of factors that make us unique and interesting.

Being a witness for Christ involves telling our own stories, with a special emphasis on how Jesus intersected our lives and the difference he made and is making. Ideally, our story should enable us to share His story, so that Jesus can become a major part of our listener’s story, too.

If we familiarize ourselves with the gospel message, we can learn to present the Jesus story in our own words. Through practice we can get more and more proficient and confident. When we are able blend our own story with the story of Jesus, it can be very effective. The Apostle Paul was a master at telling his own story and going right to the punch line of the gospel message – Jesus’ death for our sins and resurrection as the Lord who will come again as the judge of all the earth.

The Gospel can be presented in a variety of ways, depending on the leading of the Holy Spirit and the need and openness of the hearer. Below are some of the essential elements of the Gospel story. It is a good idea to study these in order to be able to share from the heart. If you can mix in a few relevant Bible verses, it will be even better.

The Essential Elements of the Gospel

  • Creation. This is where it all started for us. The creation story includes acknowledging that the Creator has always existed and reigns supreme. Creation means we owe our very existence to God, upon whom we were meant to rely. John Chapter One reveals that Jesus is the Creator. (John 1:3)
  • Mankind’s Rebellion. Adam and Eve chose to believe the devil’s lie that God cannot be trusted. They disobeyed him in an effort to become like God in order to be able to navigate life on their own. The essence of sin is self rule apart from God. Adam’s sin brought death to the human race and separated us from God. (Isaiah 53:6) This rebellion against God’s rule has permeated all of humanity and is the basic sin for which we need forgiveness and restoration. People are unable to save themselves because we are all sinners under judgment. Salvation would have to come from elsewhere.
  • Promise of a Savior. God took the initiative to provide amnesty and forgiveness to all those who want it. He promised Abraham, who became the father of the Jewish people, that one of his descendants would be a blessing to the entire earth. (Genesis 22:18) He later promised King David, one of Abraham’s offspring, that one of his descendants would rule on God’s throne forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13) God also promised that he would establish what is called a New Covenant, which would provide people with a “new heart” toward God and forgiveness of sins. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
  • Birth of Jesus. The four gospels show how Jesus’ birth fulfilled these prophecies and promises. As prophesied, Jesus was born to a virgin through the supernatural activity of God. (Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:22-23) The eternal and pre-existent Son of God became a human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. (John 1:14) This enabled him to be a perfect sacrifice for our sins, in accordance with John the Baptist’s announcement that Jesus was the Lamb of God. (John 1:29) He lived and died in complete obedience to his heavenly Father, undoing the rebellion of Adam, and became the progenitor of a new race of humans through what is called the “new birth.” (1 Corinthians 15:45)
  • Jesus’ Itinerant Ministry. Jesus spent three years announcing and ushering in God’s kingdom on earth. (Acts 10:38) As the Messiah King designate, Jesus preached the Good News of God’s kingdom rule and performed the works of that kingdom – healings, miracles, deliverances, resurrections, and forgiving sins. He befriended those who were humble enough to admit they needed him. He elevated the worth of women by including them in his traveling band of disciples. He taught with authority about God’s kingdom and his loving, but just, Father. Jesus claimed to be the one God had promised – the long awaited Messiah and eternal Son of God. In doing all this, he made the religious authorities jealous and angry; so much so that they put him to death as an act of supreme defiance against God’s rule over them.
  • Jesus’ Death, Burial, and Resurrection. As part of God’s eternal plan, Jesus was put to death on a cross as God’s Lamb, who took away the sins of the world. (Isaiah 53:7) He was buried, and after three days he rose again. His resurrection validated his claims to be God’s Messiah and the Lord of Lords. (Romans 1:1-4) His resurrection also proved that his Father accepted his sacrifice on our behalf. After appearing to his disciples and teaching them for forty days, he ascended into heaven where he now sits at God’s right hand as Lord of lords.
  • The Sending of the Holy Spirit. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to fill and empower his disciples to be bold and effective witnesses to his resurrection. He told them to go and make disciples throughout the world. (Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:18)
  • Second Coming, General Resurrection, and Final Judgment. Jesus promised that he will come again to raise the dead and sit in judgment upon every human being who has ever lived. (Matthew 16:27) He will assign them their eternal reward, good or bad. He will reign forevermore as God’s King of Kings with his church at his side. (Colossians 3:1-4)

This is the Gospel.

The Desired Response

We share the Gospel to help people come face to face with Jesus’ claim to absolute sovereignty over all creation and his magnanimous offer to pardon all rebels who will accept his rule in their lives. Allegiance to Jesus is the desired response.

People need to know that only Jesus can provide forgiveness for our rebellion against the rule of God. They need to understand that they will be held accountable to him at the last judgment for how they lived and responded to the gospel message.

As part of our surrender terms, we are able to receive all the benefits of his death and resurrection: forgiveness, reconciliation to God, being set free from all that enslaves us, having our guilt permanently removed, and receiving eternal life, the indwelling Spirit, and all the benefits and privileges of being God’s child.

The true story of the gospel has the power to save people and set them free. (Romans 1:16) Let’s make a habit of sharing it regularly with as many as we can. If we work at it, we will become very good at sharing it. There is no telling how many people will one day thank us for this service.

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Is the Wrath of God Part of the Gospel?

Even though it is not heard very often today, the wrath of God is actually part of the gospel message.

Most people know what “fire and brimstone” preaching is. The preacher focuses on God’s wrath against sin in an effort to motivate people to repent and accept God’s provision of forgiveness. It is sometimes viewed negatively as an attempt to scare people into the kingdom of God. However, Jesus was not averse to warning people of impending judgment.

I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. 5 “But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Luke 12:4–5 (NASB95)

In contrast, many present day preachers portray God as a merciful and kind dispenser of good will and blessings, who wants everyone to experience the best that life has to offer, without ever calling people to acknowledge and repent from their sins. We used to call this kind of preaching “greasy grace.” The general idea about God that results is that he is a “smiley face” who doesn’t get “bent out of shape” if we break his commandments. The only thing he really hates is intolerance. Churches who hear this kind of message are encouraged to embrace the latest trends of  “morality” and lose touch with Biblical standards of morality.

Mercy without repentance is foreign to the Bible.

Forgiveness with Strings Attached

Jesus died as God’s Lamb, taking upon himself the just penalty for our sins, in order to offer forgiveness and reconciliation with God. This gift of God is freely given; however, it comes with “strings attached.” Jesus does not simply offer us a “get out of hell free” card with nothing required of us. He calls us to acknowledge his lordship over every area of our lives. (Romans 10:9-10)

Humanity’s root sin is rejection of God’s right to rule over us. It is only by acknowledging Jesus’ lordship that we prove we are genuine about repentance.

God’s Wrath: The Other Side of Forgiveness

It is good to emphasize forgiveness in our presentation of the Gospel, as long as we include the necessity of repentance.

The cross was necessary because God’s wrath against sin is real.

If, as some suppose, God does not really care whether we sin or not, forgiveness has no real meaning and the Gospel no has no significance. But, if God’s wrath against sin is real and his judgment is waiting for us at the end of our lives, forgiveness becomes extremely meaningful!

The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day utterly rejected his claim that he was their messianic king descended from David, the one about whom the Scriptures spoke. (Matthew 26:63-68) They condemned the Lord of lords to death, mocked and spat upon him, and had him nailed to a cross to die the horrendous and torturous death of a criminal. This was the sin for which Jerusalem was subsequently annihilated by the Romans in 70 AD, just as Jesus warned would happen. (Matthew 23:37-39)

After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, he poured out the Holy Spirit upon his disciples, empowering them to announce the good news that those who turn to Christ and acknowledge his lordship will be forgiven for their treachery. Many took advantage of this magnanimous offer and were saved. Others, however, turned their backs on God’s offer of mercy. God’s wrath awaited those who rejected Jesus’ lordship. The same is true for us today. Will we accept Jesus as the Lord and the coming judge of all humanity, or will we reject him and his rule, just as did the Jews so long ago?

If we acknowledge Jesus’ lordship, we will be forgiven and restored to a right relationship with God, become part of God’s family, and receive eternal life. If we refuse, however, God’s wrath abides on us and awaits us.

This is the clear teaching of scripture. Jesus said:

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36 (NASB)

Therefore, it is altogether proper and necessary to impress on our listeners and readers the certainty of their running headlong into God’s wrath one day, unless they accept and declare allegiance to the one who absorbed that wrath for us on the cross.

Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica:

…you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, 10  and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 (NASB)

It is clear from this passage that Paul majored on the need for us to be “saved” from the coming wrath of God. We should do the same.

Peter said that Jesus “ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this [He] is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.” (Acts 10:42 NASB)

Jesus emphasized and “ordered” that his disciples tell everyone that he is coming back as the Judge! Jesus will judge us for how we lived.

Did we dedicate our lives to him, or did we, like so many others, reject his claims of lordship, throwing away our opportunity to be forgiven?

How about you? Have you accepted or rejected God’s offer of mercy? Have you surrendered your life to Jesus’ rule, or do you persist in trying maintain self-rule, living independently from him? Have you made the choice that will enable you to encounter God’s mercy at the Last Judgment, or does God’s wrath await you? The choice is ours. Choose wisely.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I now realize that I have until now rejected your mercy. I have changed my mind and ask you to forgive me for my rebellious ways. I acknowledge and surrender to your lordship over my life and all creation. Thank you for dying for me on the cross. Thank you that, after you rose from the dead, you did not hold our sins against us, but offered us a chance to be reconciled to you and your heavenly Father. I am grateful that I am now included as one of God’s family. Thank you for eternal life. Thank you for sending your Spirit to live in and through me. Help me to be your disciple and tell others about this amazing good news. Amen

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The Second Coming Is Fundamental to the Gospel

Christ’s Second Coming is an important tenet of faith for Christians and is fundamental to the gospel.

1971. That was the year that the Holy Spirit opened my spiritual eyes and allowed me to see that Jesus is who the Bible says he is. The result was that my life was fundamentally altered. Everything changed inside. My purpose for living became entwined with Christ’s plan for my life, which resulted in pastoring a small church for thirty-four years and teaching the Bible for many more. I have written a few books, too. When God reveals Christ to us, the impact is dramatic. Just ask Paul the apostle.

You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors. 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie. 21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the churches in Christ that are in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me. Galatians 1:13–24 (NLT)

During the sixties and seventies, God orchestrated a gigantic in-gathering of people into his kingdom. Some called it the “Jesus Revolution,” during which thousands of so called “hippies” and others from that generation of “Baby Boomers,” as well as people from other age groups, became followers of Christ. Concurrent with that “awakening” was another “movement” called the Charismatic Renewal, in which thousands, if not millions, of people across a wide range of denominations and “non-denominations” received what many call the baptism and fullness of the Holy Spirit, complete with speaking in tongues, prophecy, and other manifestations of God’s Spirit. Many of those who came to Christ during that time became leaders in the church. What God did during that decade still impacts the church more than fifty years later.

One of the hallmarks of that ingathering was a profound interest in Christ’s Second Coming. People were fascinated with trying to piece together a proper sequence of future end-time events. Those who professed to know all about it worked out all kinds of charts showing their predicted scenarios. Many of us expected that Jesus would come very soon, just as did the early church.

The Gospel is the good news about a person named Jesus, who is the promised Messiah King of Israel. His grand mission is to reclaim and transform all creation under God’s rule. Jesus began his public ministry by proclaiming that “the kingdom of God is at hand.” The reason he could say that was because the King himself was then present on earth. Wherever king went, the kingdom was at hand. He introduced his kingdom rule into the lives of those who followed and believed in him by releasing them from the power of the devil and sin and calling them to follow him without reservation or hesitation.

His new way of living asks us to renounce all competing allegiances and surrender to his lordship in every area of life. This is what it means to follow Christ.

While he was here on earth physically, he was the epicenter of the kingdom of God and the focus of the messianic expectations of those around him. These expectations reached a crescendo when he entered Jerusalem on a donkey to the shouts of the crowd: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Those present proclaimed that he was the long promised successor to David’s throne – the Messiah!

Believing that Jesus was a spiritual and political threat, the religious and civil authorities put him to death, apparently dashing the hopes of his followers. But this was all part of God’s eternal plan to redeem us from our sins. The Messiah King first had to suffer and die in order to pay the penalty for our sins. Three days later our hope was restored when Jesus emerged from the tomb! For forty days he instructed his band of faithful followers in the things related to his kingdom. Then Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at his heavenly Father’s right hand upon the throne of God, waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool and for the appointed time for his return, this time as the victorious and glorious King of Kings, the Son of Man prophesied by Daniel, who will judge the living and the dead and put an end to every other rival kingdom. He will permanently install God’s long awaited rule over all creation!

The Second Coming will be the culmination of God’s grand plan to redeem and restore all things to himself through his Son.

On Pentecost the Holy Spirit was unleashed to baptize and empower Christ’s followers. The apostle Peter, filled with the Spirit, preached the first sermon in this new age of the Spirit-filled church. His conclusion is quoted below.

“So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Acts 2:36 (NLT)

Peter’s listeners responded, “What should we do?” Why would they feel the need to do anything? It was because they realized that they were answerable to God for rejecting and murdering his Son, who, amazingly, was still alive and sitting on God’s throne!

Jesus’ resurrection made him the de facto ruler of the universe to whom everyone must answer.

Behind Peter’s words is the understanding that Jesus will come again as the glorious Son of Man to judge every human being and punish those who choose to reject his benevolent rule.

The gospel is an invitation to all who have previously rejected the Messianic King to finally get right with God by confessing that Jesus is indeed the LORD, who has risen from the dead and who will come again one day to judge those who reject his kingly authority.

In Acts Chapter Three, Peter again preached.

Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.  Acts 3:19-21 (NLT)

The Gospel preaching of the early church was completely focused on the person named Jesus Christ, his lordship, and the Second Coming, which included the resurrection of the just and the evil, the last judgment, and the restoration of all things under God’s rule. It is no wonder that when this Gospel is preached, whether then or today, that those who hear and believe will become intensely interested in Jesus’ Second Coming!

The faith that saves is based on the Gospel revelation that Jesus is the Messiah King who is coming again to firmly establish God’s rule on planet earth.

Sadly, if all we do is present this glorious coming Lord as a “personal Savior” who rescues us from the consequence of our sin, it is no wonder that some people are not greatly moved and changed when they believe in him. A “personal savior” requires little or nothing from his adherents, but the glorious Lord of lords expects complete surrender from those who follow him!

Have we yet seen him for who he really is? Have we surrendered to him? Until we do that, we have not really known him.

Ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and heart, just as he did for those who heard Peter’s sermon so long ago.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I ask you to reveal Jesus to me so that I may properly surrender my life to him. My desire is to know Jesus to the greatest degree possible and serve him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Amen.

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