Category: Discipleship Foundations

“And the Books Were Opened…” – A Preview of the Last Judgment

 

 

 

 

 

Everything as we know it now will come to an end one day. Everything in this world upon which people pin their hopes will eventually cease to be. According to the Bible, even the earth and heavens will “wear out like a garment” and pass away. (Psalm 102:25-26, Isaiah 51:6, Hebrews 1:10-12) In their place will be something new and amazing. But until that day arrives, the only thing we can count on is that eventually, when our physical lives are complete, we will die, and, after that, what? The Bible provides some very specific answers, which will determine whether you look forward to that day with hope or dread.

What Is in the Books?

As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire.10  A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. Daniel 7:9-10 (ESV)

Daniel the prophet was given this vision of the coming Day of the Lord, when God will judge all people who ever lived. This heavenly courtroom scene is both majestic and terrible. The Judge is Someone called the Ancient of Days, whose presence creates awe and dread. Is there anything here on earth can prepare us for what that day will be like?

“And the books were opened.” If you are like me, I would like to know what are those books? Is there something in them about you and me? God gave John the apostle a similar vision, when he was exiled on the Isle of Patmos for his bold testimony and faith in Jesus the Messiah. Here is his written record of that experience.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13  And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14  Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15 (ESV)

According to this and other Bible passages, the books that will be opened before the Ancient of Days contain a written record of how each of us lived here on earth during the time allotted to us.

This will include, according to Jesus, not only what we did, but also what we said. (Matthew 12:36) Our utterances are what we might consider to be verbal deeds. And according to the Bible, even our thoughts and intentions will be made known, which makes this an even more horrifying spectacle. (Hebrews 4:12, Ecclesiastes 12:14) None of us desires our worst thoughts to be made public, but that is what is going to happen. Imagine a book that contains all the thoughts, words, and deeds we ever had or did!

By what Standard Will We Be Judged?

Another question we might ask ourselves is by what standard our thoughts, words, and deeds will be measured? Will we be compared to other people from our socio-economic group who lived about the same time as we, or will we be graded against all people who ever lived? Will we only be scored against others from our own religious grouping, or against all other world religions? Will we be graded “on a curve,” which would allow most of us to pass, despite our poor showing? But what if some, as is often the case, did so well that the normal curve no longer applies? What if someone made a perfect score? And what if we did not even believe that there was such a person as the Ancient of Days? Will we get a do over?

The Bible makes it clear that God has given us his standard for judging people. It is called the Law, which revealed to people God’s holiness and what he expects of us.

The Ten Commandments are the bare essence of this standard. When we consider our lives in light of these commands, some of us might think we will come away pretty well at the Last Judgment. Most of us have never murdered anyone, right? That is, unless abortion is murder, or, as Jesus taught, being angry with someone is tantamount to committing murder. (Matthew 5:22) What if hatred or harboring a grudge and wishing ill on another is in the same category as murder? Jesus taught that God looks at the thoughts and intents of the heart, not just what we had the nerve to perform.

What about adultery? Can we say that most people have never committed adultery? Once upon a time perhaps, but probably not today. Adultery, like murder, under the Law was punishable by death. It is an extremely serious offense in God’s eyes, which are the only eyes that will matter at the Last Judgment. Jesus raised the bar even higher when he told his followers that, if we lust after another person in our hearts, we are guilty of adultery. (Matthew 5:28) Does this mean that lustful thoughts are worthy of death? I guess we will find out soon enough.

What Is this Thing Called “Sin?”

Paul wrote that “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) God created us to live in harmony and dependence upon him. We sin when we choose go our own way in disobedience to his clear commands and when we live without consideration or reference to God. It’s not just when we do “bad things” like murder. It is when we do the most evil thing of all – forsake God.

Sin began in the Garden of Eden and has been passed down genetically and spiritually to each of their descendants. As a result we have all taken up the torch and run with it, spreading sin and rebellion against God to the far corners of the earth.

Every single human being who has ever lived a self-directed life apart from God deserves death. We have all fallen short of God’s glorious standard of right living.

We may not like this standard, but it is the one by which we will be judged by the Ancient of Days on that Day.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23 (ESV)

Who Is the Ancient of Days?

The Bible teaches that he is none other than the One Jesus called his Father, the Creator God. Jesus is the “only begotten” Son of the Father, the eternal Logos, through whom the Father created all things. Jesus, the Logos, became a human being, lived a perfect life of union and submission to his Father, died sacrificially for our sins, and rose again as Lord of Lords. Jesus prophesied that in the future he will return as the glorious Son of Man, Ancient of Days’ representative, to carry out judgment.

…And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Matthew 26:63-64 (ESV)

The future Judge of all people was sentenced to death when he affirmed his true identity. That will make for an interesting scene someday when his accusers stand before him and these words are brought up as testimony against them!

Jesus, the Perfect Man, the Son of God, the Lamb who was slain to take away our sins, the Risen Lord of glory, is the only person worthy to judge the rest of us.

He lived, breathed, walked, talked, and thought as a man, but without sin. He blew the curve right out of the water. He ruined our chances for being compared to other miserable sinners at that last tribunal.

We will be judged against Christ’s perfection and obedience. We have absolutely no chance of being found righteous.

Before his ascension, Jesus told us that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to him by this Father. (Matthew 28:18) He also spoke these words:

Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20  For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21  For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22  For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, John 5:19-22 (NKJV)

Jesus is the standard by which every person will be judged. He is the one who scored 100% on the course of life. He ruined the curve for everyone else, but he also made a way for us to skip the test.

Is There Any Way Out?

The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23  that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 25  “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:22-29 (ESV)

As you already know, or probably surmised, we do have hope. Otherwise, I would not waste my time writing this article. Jesus made a way for us to get exempted from the final exam! Jesus, the Righteous Judge, died in our place so that can be spared from having the sword of God’s judgment fall upon us. Jesus, the Perfect One, took our sin and punishment upon himself, so that we might walk free from the condemnation and fear of judgment which we so richly deserve.

Those who place their faith in this Savior King will stand before the Judgment Seat, too, but our names will be found written in another book called the Lamb’s Book of Life.

The Lamb’s Book of Life

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23  And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24  By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25  and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26  They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27  But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:22-27 (ESV)

The Lamb’s Book of Life is a most intriguing book! The names of those who have put their trust in Christ and who loyally follow him are written there. If our names are in that book, we do not have to worry about being condemned for our sins and failings.

That is really good news, since all of his fall short of God’s standard! How do we get our names enrolled there? Sign me up! What is intensely interesting is that the Bible says that our names were written there before the earth was founded.

"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. Revelation 17:8 (NASB)

This amazing statement agrees with Paul’s teaching in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4  even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5  he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6  to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:3-6 (ESV)

Our God is so loving, merciful, and great that he set in motion his plan to redeem a people to himself before he even created the world! Jesus did not come as a makeshift plan or a mid-course correction. God’s amazing mind saw and planned it all beforehand. What a great God we serve!

In the course of time, you and I were born and received our chance to play our parts on the grand stage called life. During our time on planet earth, God’s Holy Spirit is at work in our lives, reviving our spiritually dead condition, drawing our hearts toward God, and opening us to want to know more about Jesus. If you have any pull at all toward God and his Son, Jesus, it is because the Holy Spirit is at work in you. Otherwise, you still would be hostile to the gospel message and would not waste your time with it. If you are still reading, you are still interested, which makes me confident that the Holy Spirit is at work in you.

Jesus said:

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38  For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39  And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:37-40 (ESV)

If we come to Christ, it means we were drawn. If the Spirit draws us, it is because the Father has already known, loved, and chosen us to be the undeserving recipients of his love. If we come, Jesus will receive us. Our part is to respond to God’s drawing by choosing to come to Christ, to open our hearts to him, and to believe in Him. The Holy Spirit guides the process from start to finish, but we must cooperate. No matter where you are in this process of being drawn, you can turn to God right now and tell him you want to keep going. God expects us to be active participants, not passive onlookers.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I understand now that you have been drawing me to Christ. Please keep working in me. I surrender my life into your hands. Jesus, I want to know you and believe it you. I open my heart to you. Come into my life. Forgive my sins. I receive the eternal life you promise. Open my eyes, ears, and heart to know you and your truth. Amen.

Your Eternal Destiny Hangs in the Balance

The final outcome for those who trust in Christ is completely the reverse of what it will be like for those who refuse his generous offer. Those who refuse to believe and do not have their names written in the book of life will suffer what the Bible calls the second death.

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:14-15 (ESV)

But those who do choose to trust and serve the Messiah King will be ushered into a glorious eternity in God’s loving presence.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4 (ESV)

Embracing Hope

Jesus is the Hope of all people. The Bible says that the hope of those who trust in him is his coming again in glory to raise the dead and judge the nations.

Again, Isaiah says, “There will be a root from Jesse. He will rise to rule the nations, and he will give the nations hope.” Romans 15:12 (GW)

Hopeless people do desperate things, but people who have hope live in the light of that hope. Those who have put their trust in Jesus will live as people of hope.

In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. 13  But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:12-13 (NLT) 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4  to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5  who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7  so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8  Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9  obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV)

Today you have the opportunity to make sure you are on the right side of things on the Last Day. Make the most of it! If you have never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, what are you waiting for? If you are already a follower of Christ, rededicate yourself to his service. See you on that day!

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Basic Doctrines of Christ: Should I Be Rewarded for Serving God?

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years I have heard many say that they are not looking to be rewarded for serving God, as if that were a very noble thing to say. There is only one problem, however: it directly opposes Jesus’ teachings on the matter. Our Lord made a very big deal of how important it is for God’s people to live in a way that will gain the maximum reward from God.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV)

People will sacrifice for what they treasure.

We learn from Jesus and other biblical authors that earning heavenly reward comes at a dear price. Jesus taught in the passage above that the pursuit of worldly wealth and heavenly riches can be at odds. Every day people make the choice to run after one or the other.

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. Matthew 6:24 (ESV)

If we make the choice to forego pursuing the thing that is most attractive to the great majority of people, it stands to reason that there must be something even better being offered by God.

Surely he is not asking us to deny ourselves in this life just for the fun of it.

Paul the apostle was a man who willingly gave up worldly wealth, prestige, and power to follow Christ. What motivated him?

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10  that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:8-11 (ESV)

Paul received such a clear revelation of Christ that it propelled him to a lifetime of costly service. He suffered intensely and was finally martyred, but to him it was all worth it.

Our willingness to deny ourselves in the pursuit of Christ and his kingdom indicates how much we believe that the reward being offered is worth it.

Likewise, our unwillingness to sacrifice in the here and now for what is promised in eternity means we probably do not even believe it is true. Either that or we don’t care. I am not sure which is worse.

Jesus taught his followers, and I hope that includes you, that we should choose to do things because of the attached reward.

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14  and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:12-14 (ESV)

Jesus not only taught this principle: he lived by it. As he approached his crucifixion, he weighed the price he was about to pay with the reward that lay ahead in heaven.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:2 (NLT)

Everyday we should weigh the cost of serving God against the joy of our heavenly reward.

Every time we choose between immediate gratification and what God promises those who love and serve him, we please God and become spiritually richer. Otherwise, we are danger of becoming like the rich fool who lost everything. (Luke 12:21)

Only those who have faith will be able to choose well.

Paul wrote that those who choose worldly gratification are serving another god.

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 18  For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19  Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. 20  But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21  who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Philippians 3:17-21 (ESV)

There is an intense battle associated with the choice to live for heavenly reward.

Over the years people have demonstrated whether or not God’s promises mean more to them than immediate gratification. It goes all the way back to Genesis. A clear example of this is found in the history of Jacob and Esau. According to the Bible, when Esau was hungry he traded his birthright for a bowl of lentil soup, and it cost him eternally.

Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17  You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears. Hebrews 12:16-17 (NLT)

But when we do choose for God, Jesus promises a sure and lasting reward.

Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30  who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. Mark 10:29-30 (ESV)

The apostle Peter, who heard Jesus say these words, took it to heart and lived accordingly.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4  to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you... 1 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV)

Should we be rewarded for serving God? Yes, according to Jesus. Even though our ability to serve God comes through grace, a free gift from God, our choice to serve him is so valuable to God that he celebrates it with pouring out even more blessings upon us.

We cannot overestimate how much God appreciates people who lay down their lives in service to him.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you gave yourself away at great cost to yourself to bring many people into Father God’s family. I am one of those who have benefited from your sacrifice. Help me to value you so much that I am willing to sacrifice my own desires and advantages whenever they run at cross purposes with your will for my life. Help me to believe that your promise of eternal reward is true so that I always have the proper perspective. Help me to love you and others so much that sacrifice comes more easily. At the end of my life, let me be one of those who hears you say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Amen.

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Basic Doctrines of Christ: Should I Fear Eternal Judgment?

 

 

 

 

 

Next to receiving a visit from the Grim Reaper, perhaps the most feared future event for many people is the prospect of facing God after death. Perhaps a majority of us realize that we have failed to live up to God’s standards of righteousness and wonder what he will have to say to us. Many, however, do not believe that God will judge people at all. They hold that God loves people too much to condemn anyone and will benevolently give everyone a “pass.” Such a view has God brushing aside all injustice in the name of love and admitting all to eternal bliss, even those who took pleasure in evil and hurting others. Some do not believe there is a God at all. Materialists think that death is the quite literally the end. What does the Bible have to say?

Does Justice Matter to God?

I know a man who insists that God will never judge or condemn anyone; yet, I have seen this person become very angry over a perceived injustice. Something in him hates when someone is treated unfairly. What gives? Can we have it both ways? Can we believe that a loving God does not really care about injustice, when we care greatly?

The truth is that if God is not just, he is not good.

No amount of love and forbearance can simply overlook crimes against humanity. Very imperfect humans expect more from other humans. Either God is just or he is not good and loving. Can he be both?

The Bible says that God loves justice. It is part of his nature.

The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. Deuteronomy 32:4 (ESV)

God’s justice, which is part of his goodness and character, is a blessing for us and poses a huge problem. Injustice is rooted in the human condition. Despite the fact that we universally hate injustice, we are guilty perpetrators of the same.

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2  We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Romans 2:1-2 (ESV)

God is good and we are not. God is just and we are not. Therefore, we have a problem. We hate injustice, but we don’t want to have to face up to our own sins and failures. Ultimately, we will answer to God for our own participation in injustice and evil.

Jesus, the Judge

Jesus taught his disciples that he has been given authority to judge all people.

Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26  For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27  And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28  Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29  and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:25-29 (ESV)

No one I know has died and come back to life and has the tee shirt; so, any purported knowledge we have about what happens after physical death has to come from another source. Jesus the Lord is the only One who died and rose again, without ever dying again. According to the Bible, he was pre-existent before coming to planet earth (John 1:1), at which time he took upon himself the human condition, in fulfillment of promises made to Abraham (Genesis 22:18) and King David (2 Samuel 7:12-13). Fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah (Isaiah 53:4-6) and John the Baptist (John 1:29), he gave up his life as a sacrifice for sins. Three days later, he rose again, having been vindicated by God. Forty days after that he ascended into heaven, where he now rules as Lord of Lords. (Acts 2:32-36) The Bible says that, at the appointed time, he will return to judge the living and the dead.

And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. Acts 10:42 (ESV)

Jesus’ voluntary sacrificial death can only be understood in light of God’s justice.

Mankind in general and each of us individually owed God a debt of justice against sin that we were completely unable to pay. Bankrupt people cannot pay off creditors. Jesus, who lived in complete submission to his heavenly Father, was the only one with enough spiritual “credit” (righteousness) who could pay the debt, which he did at great cost to himself. In recognition for his incredible act of love and obedience, God the Father elevated Jesus to the highest rank in the universe – Lord of Lords. (Philippians 2:5-11)

Jesus is now the One whose right and privilege it is one day to judge all people in God the Father’s behalf, in order to finally set things right in the universe with respect to justice.

The Gospel of Justice and Judgment

Paul preached these words to onlookers while he stood in the middle of the Areopagus in Athens, Greece.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31  For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31 (NLT)

The announcement that Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead is integral to the gospel message.

Jesus is not the leader of some “feel good” religion, in which we all try to discover our own truth. Rather, he is a very real person, who lived, died, came alive again, and still lives in a glorious body, waiting in heaven until the appointed time for his return, when he will raise the dead and judge all people according to their works. (John 5:19-29)

The Apostle Peter said that Jesus actually instructed his followers to focus on this part of the Gospel message.

And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43  To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Acts 10:42-43 (ESV)

Jesus, the only One who really knows what will take place after we die, made it abundantly clear that every person will be judged by him. Jesus has the right to judge mankind because he chose to absorb God’s judgment against humanity on our behalf. All who declare their allegiance to Christ the Lord and believe in his atoning sacrifice are made right with God.

Those who spurn this generous offer condemn themselves to endure God’s just judgment against such arrogant rebellion. They judge themselves to be “unworthy of eternal life.” (Acts 13:46)

Now What?

In today’s world, it is not popular or politically correct to announce that Jesus will come again to judge people, assigning them either to eternal blessedness or eternal damnation. This generation has largely rejected God and his truth. They demand tolerance for their sins and cannot imagine that God is so intolerant! People who reject the gospel ask what right do we have to think that Jesus is the only Way to God? Nevertheless, that is the clear teaching of Jesus in the Bible (John 14:6) and is part of the gospel message. If Jesus is who the Bible says he is, there is no other way to God, no other way to escape condemnation at the last judgment. He is the only One who took our just condemnation upon himself so we don’t have to endure hearing God consign us to hell.

Gospel means “good news,” and there cannot be any really great news unless something really bad is hanging over us.

Most of us are familiar with the photos taken at the announcement that the second World War had ended. Joyous celebrations erupted. People rejoiced exuberantly because of how bad that war had been. It is only when we understand our predicament of having to face a holy God’s justice as sinners that we appreciate the good news that Jesus already did it for us.

One of the main deceptions of Satan is to convince people that they have no need of what Jesus came to provide for us.

The siren song of Satan is “I’m okay and you’re okay. Don’t worry. Be happy. When you die, your existence is over. Don’t fret yourself about it.” Reality is that this life is our opportunity to learn to trust God. Use it or lose it. If we reject God’s offer of salvation through Christ, there will be hell to pay. After all, it’s what we sinners deserve anyway. No one goes to damnation without choosing it. To reject the gospel is to choose to face God’s wrath against sin and end up in the lake of fire for eternity. This is a no brainer.

The Bible says that, as a result of sin, people come into this world without God and without hope. (Ephesians 2:12-13) It says that we are dead in sin and enemies of God. (Romans 5:6-11) Jesus said that eternal suffering awaits those who reject his message. (John 8:23-24 and Mark 9:43) Paul declared that the future for such people will be an eternity separated from God’s presence. (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10) I don’t know about you, but that all sounds very bad indeed. Are we truly able to dismiss such dire warnings with a wave of the hand, affirming that we do not believe in God or the afterlife? Some do just that, but what we believe will not alter what is actually true.

Many at one time believed that the world was flat, but their certainty about that matter did not for one instant make it so. I would rather believe one person who circumnavigated the globe than ten thousand who merely theorized about it. I choose to believe the one Man who actually rose from the dead, rather than any number of those who have not yet died.

One day we will all know first hand whether or not the Bible is right when it speaks about the coming judgment! Then it will be too late. Now we have a chance to escape.

The Only Way to Escape the Coming Judgment

But, if we do accept that all people will eventually stand before God, what are our prospects at this last judgment? Jesus taught his followers that those who put their faith and allegiance in him will not be condemned.

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. 25  “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. 26  The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. 27  And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. 28  Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29  and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. John 5:24-29 (NLT)

Putting our faith and allegiance in Jesus will give us a “pass” from ever being condemned for the bad things we have done! Imagine that! How can that be? It’s really very simple: he already underwent judgment on our behalf. He stood before Pilate as an innocent man, but was condemned to die. The just One died in place of those who actually deserved to die, thus winning our release from condemnation. Debts cannot be justly paid twice.

The logic is inescapable, but it requires that we lay aside any notion of our own worthiness before God, which should not be too difficult for any honest person. Once we grasp just how bad we are, we will be overjoyed to accept God’s provision of his innocent Lamb, who died to take away the sins of the world.

Prayer

God, please forgive me for arrogantly dismissing your judgment that I am a hopeless sinner. I recognize that, without your help, I am lost forever because I can never repay the debt of injustice I owe you. I ask you to forgive me on the basis of what Jesus accomplished through his death on my behalf. I receive all the blessings he won for me. I accept your eternal life and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Thank you for restoring me to a right relationship with you and making me your child. Thank you for setting me free from the things that previously enslaved me. Thank you for delivering me from ever being condemned for my sins. Now, help me to live the remainder of my life in your service. I recognize that Jesus is the Lord of Lords and Coming Judge, to whom I owe all my life and allegiance. Amen.

If you prayed the above, I encourage you to join a Bible believing local church where you can be baptized in water and continue your journey as a follower of Christ and fisher of men. If you live in the Alamance County, NC area, we invite you to connect with LifeNet. Our mission is to make disciples of Jesus.
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Basic Doctrines of Christ: Baptism into the Body of Christ

 

 

 

 

 

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13 (NASB)

There are three distinct baptisms in the New Testament: baptism into the body of Christ, baptism into water, and baptism in the Holy Spirit. Each baptism has a different baptizer, medium, mode, and purpose. The chart below shows this.

The baptism into the body of Christ is foundational to the others.

When a person is born again, the Spirit “immerses” him or her into Christ. We become one with Christ and part of his “body.” This oneness with Christ is the key to everything else.

We receive or share in his life, his right standing with God, his relationship with Abba Father, his inheritance, his power, his rule, and his glory. This baptism is done without our direct participation. It is done by the Spirit, without our even really knowing that it happened until afterward. As we study the Scriptures, we learn about it. We experience the result of this amazing baptism immediately. It is called the new birth. Through this baptism we become a new creation. This baptism seals us for redemption, marking us as belonging to God. The Bible verses outlining these claims are found in the chart.

Water baptism logically follows the baptism into the body of Christ. It is the outward expression of the inner reality of what happened in this first baptism. The baptism into the Holy Spirit is another matter altogether. It equips and empowers us to be part of Christ’s outreach army, spreading the gospel and making disciples. You can read about these other two baptisms elsewhere by clicking on the links above.

The baptism in the body of Christ comes through the sprinkling of Christ’s blood. Baptism in water is through immersion, and baptism in the Holy Spirit is an outpouring. Different Christian groups have adopted sprinkling and pouring as modes of water baptism, but this is a misapplication of Scripture. Only when there is not enough water to immerse should sprinkling or pouring be used for water baptism.

If you have never been born again (baptized into the body of Christ), water baptism has no meaning for you. We are saved by Christ’s blood, not by undergoing a ritual. However, when born again believers submit to water baptism, it is an act of obedience and a declaration of allegiance to Christ and has great meaning. A person who is baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit has the Spirit living within him or her, but this is not the same thing as being baptized in the Spirit (or having the Spirit poured out on us). The Spirit is “in” us for our sake, but is poured out “upon” us for the sake of those who do not yet know Christ. The Spirit within imparts God’s life to us. The Spirit outpoured imparts Christ’s power to be his witness.

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Basic Doctrines of Christ: Baptisms – Water Baptism

 

 

 

 

 

From the beginning of the Christian movement, water baptism has been emphasized as a way for a new believer to publicly declare his or her allegiance to Christ. Immersion is the best mode of water baptism since it captures the essence of being united with Christ in his death and risen with Christ in his resurrection. The going down into the water symbolizes being buried with Christ, bringing to an end our self-directed way of life. Rising out of the water expresses our new unity with and dependence upon the life of Christ’s Spirit within us, who will help us live from now one as servants of God.

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. 5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Romans 6:4-11 (NLT)

Jesus’ resurrection proved him to be the Son of God, the Messianic King, and the Lord of Lords. As such, he deserves our worship, appreciation, and devotion. Loving service to him is the highest good for those who call themselves disciples. Water baptism is a disciple’s declaration of allegiance or loyalty to the King. It is the equivalent of enlisting in the Great Commission Army of Witnesses and Disciple Makers. It is a decisive, no-looking-back, moment of truth that sets a disciple on a one-way path of service to Jesus.

But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 (NLT)

21st century in consumerist Christians often imagine that Jesus died merely to provide them with a free pass to heaven by dying to forgive our sins. This concept of being a Christian merely means “getting saved,” which is a kind of the Monopoly “Get Out of Jail Free” card. Consumerist Christians may point to a moment in their lives when they “gave their heart to Jesus,” but sadly their lives may currently show little or no evidence that he is actually and practically their Lord. To put it another way, they live as functional atheists with no regard to obeying Christ’s teachings or serving his mission.

This should make us all pause to think about Christ’s clear warning in Matthew’s Gospel.

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT)

True disciples, on the other hand, can be defined as followers of Christ and fishers of men.

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” Matthew 4:19 (NLT)

Jesus did not say, “Come follow me, and I will make you good church members.” He also did not say, “Give your heart to me, and do your own thing.” Following Jesus means we obey him and his teachings. We obey him via the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is able to communicate Jesus’ will to us personally and grace us to obey it.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

We also apply Jesus’ teachings, as found in the Bible, to our lives.

The key to being a follower of Christ is surrender , which is part of what water baptism symbolizes.

hen a believer goes under the water, it symbolizes what should have already taken place in his or her heart – true repentance and death to the old order of things. The old order includes living for our own desires, doing things without reference to God or his will, and all the sinful things we do as an outworking of the first two points.

Water baptism indicates that the disciple consciously and deliberately surrenders to Jesus.

Our new birth as sons and daughters in God’s image enables us to live the remainder of our lives here on earth for His purposes and glory. It is not enough to simply lay aside the old order of things: we must embrace the new.

It is not enough to merely receive all the benefits supplied to us through Christ’s death and resurrection: we must devote our lives in loving service to the one who laid down his life for us. That is what it means to be a true disciple. That is the meaning of water baptism.

Laying down our lives for Jesus through the power of the indwelling Spirit will manifest itself in three basic ways, which are laid for us in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

  • We will love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Everything else flows from this. Love for God expresses itself in worship, prayer, meditation on his written Word found in the Bible, listening to the voice of God’s Spirit within, and obeying him from the heart.
  • We will love others. Jesus taught that the second commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. He went on to show us that our neighbor is anyone in need, especially those who follow Christ. Love for others is spiritual, emotional, and extremely practical. Love for others compels us to serve others lovingly and sacrificially.
  • We will actively pursue the mission to go and make disciples. The Great Commission propels followers of Christ into God’s mission.

Once we have been included in God’s ever expanding family through our faith in Christ and his finished work, we are immediately commissioned to be part of his worldwide army of disciple makers.

We do this by loving people enough to relate to them, befriend them, and serve them. Doing so opens the door to being able to share what is really eternally important: the gospel. Once people put their faith in Christ, we teach them to do the same thing we are doing – following Christ and fishing for people.

Water baptism is an extremely important gateway into discipleship.

If we cannot obey Christ in this simple area, we are only kidding ourselves to think we have surrendered our lives to him. If you have never been baptized in water since you put your faith in Christ, with the understanding that it meant a total selling out to Jesus and his rule in our lives, it is time for you to obey this command.

Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Acts 2:37-39 (NLT)
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The Reason It’s So Important to Keep Our Word

 

 

 

 

 

But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no. 19  For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. 20  For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. 21  Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 22  who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. 2 Corinthians 1:18-22 (NASB)

How important is it for us to keep our promises? Many of us, who find it hard to keep commitments, go more by how we feel at the moment, instead of by what we may have promised. Sadly, this is also true of many a marriage. Too many blithely vow to be faithful unto death, but renege on their promises when “the thrill is gone.”

To get a better idea of how to think about this, let us consider the nature and character of God. God is unchanging and he is absolutely truthful. He says what he means and means what he says. It is because of his faithfulness to his promises that we have hope.

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Numbers 23:19 (ESV)

All of us have lapses in our faithfulness to some degree or another. Most of us can bring to mind times when we let someone down. For some of us, this may have become a way of life. If so, acknowledging our sin and asking the Lord to help us change is in order. For those of us who have placed our allegiance and trust in Christ, over time the indwelling Holy Spirit develops Christ’s character. One area he works in us is  being faithful to our word. Perhaps he is speaking to your heart about this right now.

The more we become like God, the more faithful we will be to our promises.

King David wrote that God will honor…

 Those who…keep their promises even when it hurts. Psalm 15:4 (NLT)

One of Jesus’ titles is the Truth. (John 14:6) Every lie we tell is a betrayal of our Lord and grieves the Holy Spirit. It might even be said that lying is a form of idolatry because it elevates falsehood in our lives over the Truth. Conversely, the more we keep our word, the more Jesus’ truthfulness is evident in and through us.

God intends that our behavior should reinforce the gospel message. The more we look and act like the truth we share with others, the more people will be apt to take notice. Conversely, when we fall short of the gospel’s call to truthfulness, we give our hearers another excuse to reject Jesus.

Practically speaking, if we prioritize keeping our promises, it will make us more careful about what we say. We will do our best to only commit to those things we actually plan to follow through on, rather than promising to do something simply because we hate to say “no.” We should be regarded as honest persons who keep our word. We will be more respected, happier, a better reflection of God’s character, and a better transmitter of the gospel. None of us is perfect, but the Holy Spirit should be making progress in in our lives.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I praise and worship you for your perfect truthfulness. Thank you, Holy Spirit, that you are the Spirit of Truth. Work truth in me. Live your perfect truthfulness through me. I repent all forms of falsehood and ask you to develop Christ’s character in me. Help me to be an example that will not cause offense or a stumbling block to others. Amen.

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Is There Some Way to Tell if I Am a True Believer?

 

 

 

 

 

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)

Paul exhorted the church in Corinth to take test to see if they were true followers of Christ. Wouldn’t it be great if it were as simple as answering a couple of questions? Unfortunately, people are adept at saying what they think others want to hear and putting on a false front for others to see. Churchgoers learn all the right answers, even if they do not come from the heart, and cover up struggles by putting on a smile when around other Christians. King David wrote that God seeks truth on the inside (Psalm 51:6), where he alone sees with perfect clarity.

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3  You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4  Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. Psalm 139:1-4 (NASB)

So, is there any way to know for sure if we are really a Christian or a self-deceived counterfeit?

Repentance and Baptism

When people come to Christ God may points out specific sins to us, which he wants us to stop committing; but, the larger and more important aspect of repentance is turning away from a self-directed lifestyle. Water baptism is a very huge step Jesus directs all his followers to take. The believer who submits to water baptism signals his or her allegiance to Christ, death to sin, and a leaving behind of the self-directed life.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4 (ESV)

Going down into the water is a picture of our being united with Christ in his death. The coming up out of the water symbolizes the spiritual reality that we are identified with and participate in Christ’s resurrection. The remainder of our lives is to be lived in the power of Christ’s resurrection to the glory of God. This cannot happen unless we learn obedience, which is one of the most significant goals of the gospel.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26  but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— Romans 16:25-26 (ESV)

Lordship and Obedience

The “gospel” of personal salvation does not emphasize obedience. Instead it focuses on forgiveness, so much so that many people think they can continue to live a sinful lifestyle because God will be sure to forgive them. This is a sin of presumption: we presume on God’s mercy while being casual towards sin. While it is true that God is merciful and we are all sinners, the gospel does not give us a license to continue deliberately in a sinful lifestyle without making any attempt at cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the work of transformation. The fear of the Lord seems to be missing. People who do such things are either not saved at all or have in their future a somewhat scary encounter with the living God, who will discipline them as he sees fit in order to help them change.

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Hebrews 12:6-7 (ESV)

The true gospel, however, emphasizes the Lordship of Christ. People who grasp that Jesus is Lord over all things, especially over the lives of those who come to him for salvation, understand that obedience to him (loyalty) defines the relationship.

Truthfulness on the inside will produce loyalty in our behavior. Falsehood in the inside will produce a sinful lifestyle. What we are inside always comes to the surface eventually.

If Jesus is Lord, then we will say “yes” to him in every area of life. When we say “yes,” the Holy Spirit comes alongside us to help us live it out. If we only see Jesus as a savior, we may feel comfortable saying “no” to him. There is something extremely disingenuous and paradoxical when a follower of Christ says, “No, Lord.” Those two words do not ever properly go together.

Grace and Transformation

The true gospel of God’s grace transforms us from the inside out. It sets us apart to fulfill God’s purposes through the activity and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This always results in obedience to the Great Commission and in all the little details of life. Followers of Christ no longer belong to themselves. We have been bought and paid for by God through the death and resurrection of his Son.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)

Grace and Obedience

Grace is sometimes misunderstood and equated with mercy. Mercy is when God does not punish us according to what our sins deserve. Because Christ already took the punishment for our sins upon himself, God no longer must pay us back in kind for our sins. His justice has already been served. Instead he works on an entirely different plane. He deals with his children in order to transform them into Christ’s image, bring glory to himself, and validate the gospel’s claims. A side benefit to us is that we experience great joy and fulfillment in the process. Sometimes he is extremely kind and patient with us. At other times, we may encounter the severity of God. God’s “woodshed” is not a place we want to visit.

Think about it. God is not glorified by disobedient Christians. When we disobey God, we fail to reflect Christ to a watching world. Our disobedience often gives unbelievers an excuse to reject the gospel. They may reason that the gospel is a hoax because we who profess to believe are behaving badly. Grace is God’s power working within the believer to enable him or her to obey. It really is that simple. The Holy Spirit is God’s Agent of grace to us. He indwells every child of God, empowering us to live the Christ life. This is an amazing secret to being God’s proper representatives in the world. Paul called it the “law of the Spirit of life.”

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2  And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3  The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4  He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 (NLT)

Testing the Genuineness of Our Faith

Many believers have never been taught that God’s Spirit can and will enable them to live a life of transformational obedience. The “gospel” of personal salvation sets us up to believe that God does not expect much from us on this side of the grave. He forgives us for our continuing failures and absolves us from taking his commands seriously. The true grace of God, however, encourages us to realize that after being released from the just condemnation our sins deserved, God empowers us by his Spirit to live a God-glorifying life of obedience.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12  training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13  waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 (ESV)

Which gospel did we receive? We can easily tell by checking our attitude toward obedience.

  • Do we realize that our lives no longer belong to us, or do we think we still have the right to direct our own affairs without reference to God?
  • Do we routinely excuse our sinful behavior because we do not believe God really cares that much whether we obey or not?
  • Are we aware of God’s working in our lives to set us free from sin in specific areas? If so, are we cooperating with God’s grace and living in the fear of the Lord?
  • Have we embraced God’s mission as our mission? Are we Great Co-Missionaries?

If we feel no need to surrender our lives and personal affairs to Christ, we may not be a true follower of Christ. If we feel no desire or conviction to repent from a self-directed life and from specific sins, we may not be a true child of God. If we feel fine about never sharing our faith, perhaps we do not have the Great Witness, the Holy Spirit, living inside us.

These are very real considerations. Perhaps examining our lives in this way makes us feel uncomfortable; nevertheless, it is a good thing for us to do so.

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)

We do not earn our salvation through good works, but, if we are truly saved, good works will surely follow. This is because the Holy Spirit will inspire us to do these things and give us the inner power to accomplish them. That is what the law of the spirit of life does. As James put it: faith without works is dead. We demonstrate the reality of our faith through our good works done in love and faith via the power of God’s Spirit.

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18  Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” James 2:17-18 (NLT)

Sadly, the modern church has many people who have never been truly born again. They have never had their spiritual eyes opened to the revelation of Christ, who is both Savior and glorious Lord. They have never been filled with God’s Holy Spirit. They do not know personally what it means to be in relationship with God.

Three things help us to know if our faith is real.

  1. Have we believed the gospel in our hearts, rather than simply mentally agreeing with it?
  2. Do we have an inner “witness” from God’s Spirit that we belong to him?
  3. Do our lives give evidence of transformation and obedience to Christ?

If we cannot say yes to these three things, it is time for us to earnestly seek God until we have a breakthrough.

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)

Prayer

Lord Jesus, the Bible says that we can know that we have eternal life. You said that your sheep hear your voice. I want to know you in the deepest way possible. Holy Spirit please open my spiritual eyes, unstop my spiritual ears, and heal my hardened heart so that I may see Jesus for who he really is. Come, Lord Jesus, into my life as both Lord and Savior. Holy Spirit, transform me on the inside to make me an obedient child of God. I surrender every aspect of my life to you. I trust you to do in me what I cannot do for myself. Amen.

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Is There Some Way to Tell if I Am a True Believer?

 

 

 

 

 

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)

Paul exhorted the church in Corinth to take test to see if they were true followers of Christ. Wouldn’t it be great if it were as simple as answering a couple of questions? Unfortunately, people are adept at saying what they think others want to hear and putting on a false front for others to see. Churchgoers learn all the right answers, even if they do not come from the heart, and cover up struggles by putting on a smile when around other Christians. King David wrote that God seeks truth on the inside (Psalm 51:6), where he alone sees with perfect clarity.

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3  You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4  Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. Psalm 139:1-4 (NASB)

So, is there any way to know for sure if we are really a Christian or a self-deceived counterfeit?

Repentance and Baptism

When people come to Christ God may points out specific sins to us, which he wants us to stop committing; but, the larger and more important aspect of repentance is turning away from a self-directed lifestyle. Water baptism is a very huge step Jesus directs all his followers to take. The believer who submits to water baptism signals his or her allegiance to Christ, death to sin, and a leaving behind of the self-directed life.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4 (ESV)

Going down into the water is a picture of our being united with Christ in his death. The coming up out of the water symbolizes the spiritual reality that we are identified with and participate in Christ’s resurrection. The remainder of our lives is to be lived in the power of Christ’s resurrection to the glory of God. This cannot happen unless we learn obedience, which is one of the most significant goals of the gospel.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26  but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— Romans 16:25-26 (ESV)

Lordship and Obedience

The “gospel” of personal salvation does not emphasize obedience. Instead it focuses on forgiveness, so much so that many people think they can continue to live a sinful lifestyle because God will be sure to forgive them. This is a sin of presumption: we presume on God’s mercy while being casual towards sin. While it is true that God is merciful and we are all sinners, the gospel does not give us a license to continue deliberately in a sinful lifestyle without making any attempt at cooperating with the Holy Spirit in the work of transformation. The fear of the Lord seems to be missing. People who do such things are either not saved at all or have in their future a somewhat scary encounter with the living God, who will discipline them as he sees fit in order to help them change.

For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? Hebrews 12:6-7 (ESV)

The true gospel, however, emphasizes the Lordship of Christ. People who grasp that Jesus is Lord over all things, especially over the lives of those who come to him for salvation, understand that obedience to him (loyalty) defines the relationship.

Truthfulness on the inside will produce loyalty in our behavior. Falsehood in the inside will produce a sinful lifestyle. What we are inside always comes to the surface eventually.

If Jesus is Lord, then we will say “yes” to him in every area of life. When we say “yes,” the Holy Spirit comes alongside us to help us live it out. If we only see Jesus as a savior, we may feel comfortable saying “no” to him. There is something extremely disingenuous and paradoxical when a follower of Christ says, “No, Lord.” Those two words do not ever properly go together.

Grace and Transformation

The true gospel of God’s grace transforms us from the inside out. It sets us apart to fulfill God’s purposes through the activity and power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This always results in obedience to the Great Commission and in all the little details of life. Followers of Christ no longer belong to themselves. We have been bought and paid for by God through the death and resurrection of his Son.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV)

Grace and Obedience

Grace is sometimes misunderstood and equated with mercy. Mercy is when God does not punish us according to what our sins deserve. Because Christ already took the punishment for our sins upon himself, God no longer must pay us back in kind for our sins. His justice has already been served. Instead he works on an entirely different plane. He deals with his children in order to transform them into Christ’s image, bring glory to himself, and validate the gospel’s claims. A side benefit to us is that we experience great joy and fulfillment in the process. Sometimes he is extremely kind and patient with us. At other times, we may encounter the severity of God. God’s “woodshed” is not a place we want to visit.

Think about it. God is not glorified by disobedient Christians. When we disobey God, we fail to reflect Christ to a watching world. Our disobedience often gives unbelievers an excuse to reject the gospel. They may reason that the gospel is a hoax because we who profess to believe are behaving badly. Grace is God’s power working within the believer to enable him or her to obey. It really is that simple. The Holy Spirit is God’s Agent of grace to us. He indwells every child of God, empowering us to live the Christ life. This is an amazing secret to being God’s proper representatives in the world. Paul called it the “law of the Spirit of life.”

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2  And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3  The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4  He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 (NLT)

Testing the Genuineness of Our Faith

Many believers have never been taught that God’s Spirit can and will enable them to live a life of transformational obedience. The “gospel” of personal salvation sets us up to believe that God does not expect much from us on this side of the grave. He forgives us for our continuing failures and absolves us from taking his commands seriously. The true grace of God, however, encourages us to realize that after being released from the just condemnation our sins deserved, God empowers us by his Spirit to live a God-glorifying life of obedience.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12  training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13  waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14  who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 (ESV)

Which gospel did we receive? We can easily tell by checking our attitude toward obedience.

  • Do we realize that our lives no longer belong to us, or do we think we still have the right to direct our own affairs without reference to God?
  • Do we routinely excuse our sinful behavior because we do not believe God really cares that much whether we obey or not?
  • Are we aware of God’s working in our lives to set us free from sin in specific areas? If so, are we cooperating with God’s grace and living in the fear of the Lord?
  • Have we embraced God’s mission as our mission? Are we Great Co-Missionaries?

If we feel no need to surrender our lives and personal affairs to Christ, we may not be a true follower of Christ. If we feel no desire or conviction to repent from a self-directed life and from specific sins, we may not be a true child of God. If we feel fine about never sharing our faith, perhaps we do not have the Great Witness, the Holy Spirit, living inside us.

These are very real considerations. Perhaps examining our lives in this way makes us feel uncomfortable; nevertheless, it is a good thing for us to do so.

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT)

We do not earn our salvation through good works, but, if we are truly saved, good works will surely follow. This is because the Holy Spirit will inspire us to do these things and give us the inner power to accomplish them. That is what the law of the spirit of life does. As James put it: faith without works is dead. We demonstrate the reality of our faith through our good works done in love and faith via the power of God’s Spirit.

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18  Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” James 2:17-18 (NLT)

Sadly, the modern church has many people who have never been truly born again. They have never had their spiritual eyes opened to the revelation of Christ, who is both Savior and glorious Lord. They have never been filled with God’s Holy Spirit. They do not know personally what it means to be in relationship with God.

Three things help us to know if our faith is real.

  1. Have we believed the gospel in our hearts, rather than simply mentally agreeing with it?
  2. Do we have an inner “witness” from God’s Spirit that we belong to him?
  3. Do our lives give evidence of transformation and obedience to Christ?

If we cannot say yes to these three things, it is time for us to earnestly seek God until we have a breakthrough.

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)

Prayer

Lord Jesus, the Bible says that we can know that we have eternal life. You said that your sheep hear your voice. I want to know you in the deepest way possible. Holy Spirit please open my spiritual eyes, unstop my spiritual ears, and heal my hardened heart so that I may see Jesus for who he really is. Come, Lord Jesus, into my life as both Lord and Savior. Holy Spirit, transform me on the inside to make me an obedient child of God. I surrender every aspect of my life to you. I trust you to do in me what I cannot do for myself. Amen.

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How Can I Transition from Spectator to Player?

 

 

 

 

 

Christianity is not a spectator sport. The Reformation renewed some very important truths of the faith that had been lost over time, one of which is the priesthood of the believer. This doctrine means that in the New Covenant there is no clergy-laity distinction.

All followers of Christ are called, equipped, and expected to partner with the Holy Spirit in the adventure of using their spiritual gifts, time, energy, finances – everything – to fish for people and encourage them to become followers of Christ and fishers of men in their own right.

Every football and basketball season an interesting phenomenon takes place. People personally identify with their favorite teams. When their team is doing well, they feel good about themselves and become enthusiastic, vocal, and visible fans. What is so intriguing is that many of us think that we somehow acquire greater worth and prestige, if our team excels and does better than the other teams. It is almost as if we were the ones who are competing. All big sporting events are filled with such fans who get satisfaction out of watching others play the game. So are churches.

We all know that playing and spectating are vastly different. When we spectate, we can imagine ourselves making better decisions and better plays than the players on the court or the field, but the reality is that we are not playing.

Jesus has invited his followers actually to participate in the greatest “game” of all time, which is being a great co-Missionary, his Spirit-filled and empowered representative.

Unfortunately most of us who call ourselves Christians are merely spectating fans. We may agree with the concept of being involved in the Great Commission, but we have into the trap of being passive -sitting on the sidelines, hoping that someone else will lead our family member, neighbor, or friend to Christ and teach them how to follow him fully. Many Christians think that evangelism is inviting someone to church, where they will hear the preacher talk about Christ. We do not see ourselves as the one who can best do that.

However, the truth of the matter is that we cannot transfer our responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission to someone else. God does not give us the option of merely being fans or spectators. God asks us to be players – disciples and disciple makers.

Not everyone is equally gifted at sharing the Gospel and discipling others, but we are all asked to participate. Some may win thousands to Christ, while others may help only a few become followers of the Master over a lifetime.

Sadly, a great number of those who call themselves Christians have never led even one person to faith in Christ. In some cases they have given up trying. This ought not be. Could this be because we do not even talk about Jesus in a serious way with anyone outside of church meetings?

Practical Tips

If you realize that you have been spectating instead of playing, what can you do? Here is a list of suggestions.

  • Ask God to forgive you for succumbing to laziness, fear, and the spirit of the age that tells us to keep our faith to ourselves.
  • Ask the Holy Spirit to stir in you the fire of enthusiasm for Jesus and the Gospel.
  • Ask him to give you a love for those who live around you who do not yet know Christ.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Gospel. (I recommend The King Jesus Gospel by McKnight. You can read my summary by clicking here or you may wish to read my articles on the subject.)
  • Pray for opportunities to speak meaningfully to people.
  • Make it a priority to get to know the people in your neighborhood, at work, at the gym, at school, and wherever you have the opportunity to connect. As you spend time in conversation, you will begin to see how Jesus and the Gospel can help them. Your care for them may give you a platform from which to speak about Jesus to them.
  • Visit people and have them over to your home. The more time you spend with people, the greater the opportunity you provide for the Holy Spirit to work in the relationship.
  • Offer to pray for people on the spot when a genuine need for God’s help surfaces.
  • Join a group (or start one) whose focus is fulfilling the Great Commission. In many cases this will be what some call a “missional” church, as opposed to an event-oriented spectator church. We need to be encouraged in the work of the Great Commission because, although it is rewarding, it can be difficult and discouraging at times.
  • Never, never, never, never give up. Your heavenly reward will be great!

To learn more about this way of living for Christ, visit our church website – www.lifenet.us.

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How Can We Know if We Are Born Again? Part 3

 

 

 

 

 

The New Birth Is a Sovereign Work of God’s Spirit

There are reasons that Jesus chose the term “born again” to describe what happens to us in the salvation process. One is that it parallels natural birth in significant ways. Think about it: what part did we play in our natural birth? Did we decide to become human beings? Did we conceive ourselves? Did we exert the effort to be born? Of course, the answer is “no” in every case. Why then should we think we can birth ourselves spiritually? Is it because we still think that we are in charge of our lives?

Jesus deliberately left Nicodemus (and us?) in a frustrating and confusing state of mind, which was revealed by the religious leader’s next question.

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?” John 3:9 (NASB)

Perhaps we are asking ourselves the same sort of questions. “Do you mean that, even if I want to be born again, I cannot simply make it happen? Can’t I simply pray a prayer or something?”

Let’s go back to our natural births. We had no choice or direct participation in our conception and gestation, but, by the time we were born, we were alive and kicking, having a nascent will of our own. If we are alive today it is because we endured the birthing process, which propelled us into this precarious thing called life outside the womb. At first we were absolutely dependent on our mother and father, or on whomever cared for us. Later, as we grew and matured, we learned to fend more and more for ourselves. The long term goal was for us to become self-governing, responsible adults. (Did we make it?)

Yet, even as adults we never become truly independent, especially not from God. God never intended that. He created us to rely upon him and partner with him from cradle to eternity. God is our Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer. He has always been and will always be that to us. (Hebrews 1:3)

"Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, You who have been borne by Me from birth And have been carried from the womb; 4  Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you. Isaiah 46:3-4 (NASB)

Every breath we take ultimately depends on God. We do not choose the day of our birth, our gender, race, nationality, DNA, personality, parents, height, weight, hair color, or anything else that fundamentally defines our being. God did that for us. Are we okay with that? Some people are not. That is why we have an emerging group of people called transgenders. That is why people try to be someone or something else besides who God created them to be. But that’s another subject.

Understanding the new birth requires us humbly to acknowledge our dependence upon God.

That in itself is a pretty big hurdle. Our pride and self-sufficiency wants to get some credit for our salvation. Otherwise why would we balk at this biblical idea? The Bible teaches us that God the Father chose us before he created the world, which was definitely before we could have been part of the process. (Ephesians 1:4-5) Similarly, Jesus died for us before we were naturally conceived, born, or drew a breath. When we finally showed up in history, at the exactly proper time, the Holy Spirit, acting as God’s agent and administrator, connected us in time with God’s eternal plan and work. He began his secret work in our hearts before we were aware of it or even wanted it, when we were still his enemies. (Romans 5:8-10) We were born into the world naturally with a built in hostility toward God, because we were spiritually dead. (Ephesians 2:1-5) If the Spirit had not intervened, we would have had no ability to positively respond to Christ or his gospel. All of this is very humbling, isn’t it?

For us to become a born again follower of Christ, we need to have the Spirit’s work in our lives. When we heard about Jesus and his fabulous offer of forgiveness and eternal life, we were intrigued and drawn. Not everyone is – only those in whom the Spirit is working. Just being drawn toward Christ is evidence of the Spirit’s work in our lives. Jesus said:

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 (NASB)

That being the case, the fact that you are reading this article is an indicator that the Spirit is at work in you.

Jesus understood perfectly this sovereign aspect of the new birth. He knew that only those whom the Father chose and drew would respond to him and his message, and he was okay with that. In fact, he rejoiced in it.

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26  “Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 27  “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Matthew 11:25-27 (NASB)

One sure sign that a person is born again is her or his ability to acknowledge the miracle of the Holy Spirit’s work in his or her life.

I remember reading John’s words after my new birth experience, which caused me to wonder thankfully at the mystery of the Spirit’s work.

Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:7-8 (ESV)

I realized that the Spirit had sovereignly and mysteriously touched my life and opened my spiritual eyes to see and comprehend the reality of Jesus’ risen lordship. I could not do that for myself. Yet I did have a part to play.

Our Participation in the Work of the Spirit

Before having my eyes opened in a flash on that very special evening so long ago, the Spirit was secretly at work in my life. He had been drawing me toward Christ for years. I just did not comprehend that it was he. When my girlfriend, now wife, told me of her conversion, the Spirit was setting me up. After talking and arguing with her, I was further drawn. I remember saying to my best friend that I thought I was going to try out this Christian thing. He warned me of the dangers. Nevertheless, I made the decision to pray a sincere prayer to a God I wasn’t sure was really there. It went something like this.

Jesus, if you are real, please come into my heart. I cannot pretend that I believe in you. Show me that you are real. Amen.

No one forced me to pray like this. It was my choice; yet, knowing what I know now from Scripture, I realize that the Spirit was at work in my making that choice. This is part of the mystery of how God works. He is sovereign and we have a choice. Don’t ask me to explain how both can be true, but they are.

And that is how we relate to God’s Spirit from now on. He is our invisible partner in a mysterious dance. He indwells us, thinks his thoughts through us, empowers us, convicts us, comforts us, encourages us, strengthens us… He is the best forever friend we will ever have, and he will never, ever leave or forsake us.

Paul perfectly describes this mysterious partnership in his letter to the church in Galatia.

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20 (NET1)

The Elect

The Bible has a name for those whom God chooses to be his children from before the foundation of the world. They are the chosen or the “elect.” Many followers of Christ balk at this biblical term because they falsely believe that being part of the elect somehow strips them of responsibility and choice. As I mentioned before, our responsibility and God’s sovereignty are both true. The doctrine of election was important to Jesus and should be to us.

Jesus was not trying to build a worldwide movement by reducing the entry requirement. He was content with having disciples only from that group who were genuinely born again by the Spirit – the elect.

 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36  “But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37  “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38  “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39  “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40  “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:35-40 (NASB)

It is important that, like Jesus, we only build with those people in whom God has been at work. Our church meetings are full of false disciples, whom Jesus called “tares” or weeds. We cannot always tell the difference between who is real and who is not, but God knows. Over time it will become apparent to all. Do not try to make becoming a disciple too easy. Leave room for God’s Spirit to work. He will, you know. We don’t have to manufacture anything. It is God’s work to build the church.

Conclusion

I wrote this this third part of this series to emphasize the Spirit’s role in the new birth. Why is this important in our being able to know if we have been born again? I believe if you have really been born again, you will know that God did it. You will realize that without the Spirit you are lost. May God open our eyes to the reality of the Spirit’s work!

Prayer

Jesus, I want to know you in the way I read about in the Bible. Please come into my life and be my lord and savior. I give myself to you. Please forgive my sins and the way I have lived independently from you all these years. From now on, I belong to you. Holy Spirit, open my spiritual eyes, unstop my ears, and heal my hardened heart so I can see, hear, and believe God’s words. Reveal Jesus to me, so that I can behold him and be born again. I depend on you to do this. I will not give up until you answer my prayer, which I know you will. Thank you. Amen.

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