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Who Is A Christian?

6/26/2015

At first Christians were called followers of 'The Way' which refers to the fact that Jesus is the way to a relationship with God. Here are some verses showing this to be true.

John 14:6 Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.”
Acts 19:9 But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.

Acts 19:23 And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way.
Acts 22:4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women...
Acts 24:14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets.
Acts 24:22 But when Felix heard these things, having more accurate knowledge of the Way, he adjourned the proceedings and said, “When Lysias the commander comes down, I will make a decision on your case.”

The word 'Christian' was first used around 45 A.D. to refer to the disciples or followers of Jesus. The historian Tacitus said that Nero blamed the Christians for the burning of Rome which took place around 64 A.D. This shows that early historical records reveal that the word 'Christian' had become the common term to refer to those who follow Christ.

Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Acts 26:28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”
I Peter 4:16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

In the New Testament a Christian is someone who has the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them. You receive the Holy Spirit when you become born again or born of the Spirit. (Read my article entitled “What does it mean to be born again?”) A Christian is a person who has a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus the Christ. A Christian is someone who knows Jesus personally - they have met him and have been transformed by him by the Spirit. The Bible says Christians are those who are committed to the person of Jesus not merely the teachings of Jesus. Remember Jesus rose from the dead and is alive today! To surrender to the living Jesus is a life changing experience. One person referred to it as wearing sunglasses all of your life and for the first time the glasses are removed and you can see everything as it really is. Consider these verses that refer to being in Christ and Christ being in a person.

Roman 8:8-11 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
II Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you are disqualified.

Not everyone has the Spirit of God living in them, but everyone can. We were created by God, but our sin has separated us from God. We all need to be reconciled to God or reunited with him. God has made that possible in the person of Jesus not in the teachings of Jesus. Here are some false beliefs about what it means to be a Christian:

Attending a church - A lot of people go to church or even teach in a church who are not Christians in the true sense. They might believe that what Jesus said is a good way to live and believe that everyone should live that way, but that does not make them a Christian.
Raised in church - A lot of people are raised in the church by their parents and so to them going to church is a normal way to live, but that does not make them a Christian.
Water Baptism - Being baptized in water by sprinkling or by immersion does not mean you are a Christian nor is that the means to become a Christian or of obtaining heaven.
Communion - Taking communion does not mean you are a Christian nor is that the means to become a Christian.
Religious rituals - Performing religious rituals such as saying a certain prayer, lighting candles, wearing certain religious clothing does not mean you are a Christian nor is it the means to becoming one or of obtaining heaven.
Being good - In the same way being an honest person who does good kind things, gives to the needy, or volunteers for a disaster relief effort, does not mean you are a Christian nor is that the means to becoming one or of obtaining heaven.
Religious practices - A person who tries to follow the teachings of Jesus is not necessarily a Christian. A person who tries to follow the teachings of Jesus is a religious person, but that does not mean they are a Christian. (Read about a fellow named Cornelius - "Believing In God Is Not Enough")

I knew a fellow who was raised in church, went to college and maintained a Christian lifestyle, and went to seminary. About a month after he graduated from seminary he became a Christian. I have met many Catholics who experienced the same thing. They thought they were Christians because they belonged to the Catholic Church and believed in Christian teachings. A person can say they are a Christian and do unchristian like things because they are either not born of the Spirit of God or they have been taught incorrectly or they are simply being disobedient. God says a Christian is a person who has been born of the Spirit of God through faith and surrender of themselves to Jesus who is real and alive today. They have experienced a personal life changing encounter with Him. Do you know Jesus personally? Knowing him is the key. Jesus said that there would be people who come to him at the judgment claiming that they worked and lived for him and he will say to them “depart from me, I never knew you.” (Matthew 7:23.)

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Understanding Salvation

4/28/2015

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You Need to be Saved
The word "saved" is not a religious word. It is a word commonly used to refer to someone who is in a desperate situation that they cannot escape on their own. A drowning person will yell, "Help, save me!" Someone in a fire will yell, "Help, save me!" It is a cry for help that means if someone else does not come and help me then I will die, I will perish, and if they do help me then I will be saved, I will be rescued, I will be delivered, I will live and not die. Did you know that you are living in such a situation right now? You need to be saved, rescued, delivered. You are in a situation that you cannot escape on your own. What is that situation? You have sinned against God and have been found guilty and the punishment is death. Death means living without God. That describes everyone on earth for God says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) And "the wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) Death is the wage, the payment, the reward that you get for sinning. It is something you have earned, it is something you deserve. You have death right now - life without God - and if you are not saved, rescued, delivered, you will have death - life without God - throughout eternity.

You Cannot Save Yourself
God is well aware of your situation even if you are not. He sees that you are living without him. In the Bible Jesus referred to people who were living as being dead. What is the solution? God wants to give you life, in fact he wants to give you his very own life. His life is eternal. No one else has this kind of life, but God, and he wants you to have it. But there is a problem. He cannot get his life to you - there is something blocking him from getting it to you. That problem is your sin. You have sinned, it's a fact. It's too late, it's already been done and it cannot be undone. Your sin deserves death. It is the payment that you have earned for sinning against God and that payment must be paid.

God Himself Will Save You
Jesus came from heaven to earth to die for you! He made the payment on your behalf. He is the only one qualified to make the payment of death for you because he has no sin. He is as righteous as his father because he and his father are one (the same). So he came and gave his life for you by dieing on the cross. Not only that, but most people do not know that while he was dead for three days, Jesus descended into hell and delivered your payment of death to hell. He made the payment of death for you on earth and delivered that payment to hell for all eternity. Okay, so now you are half-way there. God himself paid the penalty of sin for you. Jesus died for you. So now God can get his very own life delivered to you. But there is another problem.

If you are not part of the solution then you are part of the problem
We've all heard that saying before. And in many ways it's true. And it's true regarding this salvation, this rescue attempt that God is making. God has done his part. God is ready right now to give you his very own life. Your sin is no longer blocking that delivery because Jesus paid for it. Jesus paid for it and so now God can deliver his life to you. That delivery however must be received by you in person. Guess who delivers it. Jesus. He paid for it so he owns it. Jesus has this eternal life. You must get it from him. You must come to him personally and get it. If you do not come to him and get eternal life then you will die without eternal life and therefore you will go to eternal death - life without God. God has made it possible for you and everyone to escape; be rescued; be saved; be delivered from the judgment or penalty of sin (death) both now and forever. Jesus possesses this eternal life and you must come to him to receive it. There is no other way. You cannot save yourself. God says...

"For I love you so much that I gave my only begotten Son so that when you believe on him, you will not perish, but will have the gift of eternal life. For I did not send my Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world (you) might be saved through him" John 3:16,17

Come to Jesus today, do it now, you'll be very glad you did.

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Who Is Jesus?

2/7/2015

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John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Based upon these verses then Jesus is the Word of God - capital letters because that's his title and his name before he became flesh. Jesus was with God. Jesus was God - meaning the same as God, not different from, but the same as - identical. Jesus was with God in the beginning - The Word (Jesus) is eternal without beginning and without end. Everything was made through Him. When God spoke everything into existence, His Word (i.e. Jesus) went forth and brought into existence everything the Father spoke, thus God made everything through Jesus the living Word of God.

John 1:6-13 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Jesus is the Light and came to give light to every person. When we believe in him and receive him then we become born of God and are therefore children of God. Note: Everyone is a creation of God, but only those born of God through Jesus are children of God.

John1:14-18 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

Jesus (the Word) became flesh. Jesus was not created in Mary's womb because as we already saw he was God and was with God from the beginning. Jesus was placed into Mary's womb where he took on a human body. Notice John said that Jesus was before him. That's interesting because John was born six months before Jesus so John is referring to the fact that Jesus existed in heaven before. When it says he has declared the Father it means not by words only but by his very being - he is God who became a man and lived among us. We see this again in the following verses in John. Notice that they understood Jesus perfectly when he said he was God. They understood him so well that they wanted to kill him for saying that.

John 14:7-11...32-39 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?” The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

Jesus said the works that he does proves that he is of God. Jesus continually emphasizes who he is throughout his ministry - he is the son of God - God in the flesh of a man.

John12:44,45 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

John 17:1-8...24 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. For You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

Notice above that he prays to be restored to the glory he had with God before when he was in heaven as the Word of God. Notice too he says that he had that glory before the world was created.

John 20:30.31 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

God loves you and went to a lot of trouble to reveal himself to you. He came down from heaven and became a man. He did that to pay for your sins by shedding his blood as a sacrifice. That was necessary so you can receive the gift of eternal life. Without his sacrifice he could not offer you eternal life. Eternal life is not heaven. Heaven is a place. Eternal life is a kind of life. It is eternal having no end. It is his very own life. You can have it as a gift when you believe in Jesus and surrender yourself completely to him. Why not do that right now? You'll be very glad you did. God says...

For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have eternal life. John 3:16.

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What Kind of Person Are You?

11/11/2014

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Have you ever heard someone say, "There are two kinds of people in this world." And then they go on to tell you the two kinds and everyone has two other types that are different than theirs. Jesus says there are four kinds of people. Which kind you are could very well determine where you will spend eternity. Jesus says...

Luke 8:4-8  The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road; and it was trampled under foot and the birds of the air ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky soil, and as soon as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. Other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as great.

Well, there you have it. The roadside soil, the rocky soil, soil with thorns, and the good soil. Read on...

Luke 8:9-15 His disciples began questioning him as to what this parable meant.  He said, Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

Jesus says that these four kinds of soil are actually four different kinds of people, four different kinds of hearts that people have. Jesus says that the seed which is the word of God, is sown into your heart. He explains that how you respond to the word of God reveals what kind of person you are, what kind of heart you have. Only the person who responds with a good heart - the one who keeps it - will bear fruit.

How have you responded to the word of God? Do you blow it off? Ignore it - Don't give it any thought at all? Do you believe for a little while and then abandon it? Do you hear it and consider it, but you are more interested in the things of the world - shopping, travel, tech gadgets, money, entertainment. Do you care more about these things than about getting to know God? You are reading and understanding the word of God right now, how will you respond to what God says? Ask God to change your heart. Ask him for a heart that seeks him and wants to know him for God says...

Jeremiah 29:12-14 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Tell him right now that you want to know him. Tell him that you believe in him and Jesus whom he sent. Don't remain as you are, let him change you. Let him change your hard, rocky, thorny heart to a good heart who loves God. Read about what God has done for you through Jesus in the book of John and start believing what God says.

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Jesus on the Cross

2/20/2013

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Jesus was on the cross, And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34). This outcry of Jesus has been explained many different ways. Some say Jesus actually did not understand why God had forsaken him. Some say this shows that Jesus was confused. Some say Jesus had lost faith in God his father. Some say Jesus says this to let those around know that God had forsaken him. None of these explanations are consistent with the nature and character of God the Father or his relationship with his son Jesus. So I ask you to consider this…

This outcry of Jesus are the very first words of Psalm 22 and that is very important. Psalm 22 is part of the Old Testament and is the word of God. The Old Testament was the only word of God that they had up until that time. Many of the people looking on at Jesus dying on the cross were Jews and were very familiar with the Old Testament scriptures. Their scriptures at that time did not have chapter numbers and verse numbers. This is the key to understanding this passage. If you were speaking to a group of people and wanted to refer to a section of scripture you would always start out by quoting or reading the first verse of that section so that everyone would know which section you were talking about. So Jesus on the cross cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Immediately all those standing and looking and listening to him who are familiar with the scriptures know which Psalm of David Jesus is quoting. But Jesus is not merely quoting that verse, he is drawing attention to the fact that that verse and the entire chapter is at that very moment being fulfilled right now before their eyes and ears. He is desperately even at the very end of his life pointing out to them that he is their savior and Lord and is fulfilling all scripture as you can plainly see in Psalm 22:1-31.

1-8 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, "He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!"

This is amazing because the people at the crucifixion of Jesus actually yelled out these very words.

9-13 But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help. Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion.

Above we see that in the psalm he is saying that even from birth he belonged to God the Father. And he refers to the people who were yelling at him. The following is a description of what it is like to be crucified.

14-18 I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.

The roman soldiers at the very time when Jesus was on the cross were gambling for ownership of his clothes since he had a robe that was all one piece and that was valuable at that time.

19-31 But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. Save Me from the lion’s mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me. I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard. My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever! All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the LORD’s, And He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive. A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has done this.

Now this is truly amazing especially when you consider that Psalm 22 was written by David around 600 B.C. David actually prophesied the very words that would come out of the bystanders mouths, he prophesied a description of Jesus’ crucifixion, and he prophesied the gambling for his clothes and even being born again of the Spirit.

Now here is Jesus on the cross 630 years later crying out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Jesus is not confused, he has not lost his faith, nor is he attempting to gain pity from the crowd. He is crying out for people to take notice that all the things David wrote about in Psalm 22 are being fulfilled right before their very eyes. Jesus is proclaiming that he is the Messiah and Lord right up to the very end, even on the cross.

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What Happens After Death?

12/25/2012

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There are two completely different experiences after death. The experience you will have is determined by the choice you make while here on earth. Here is what God says:

Matthew 7:13-14 Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it:
Eternal Death - Hades
I Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, by which also He went and preached unto the spirits in prison, who at one time were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, wherein few, (that is, eight souls) were saved by water.

What does this verse tell us? Simply that when Jesus died He went and preached to the spirits in prison. He did this by the Spirit and this was a one time occurrence. The prison is a place where those people who died without believing go to wait until the judgment. It is a holding place, a place of captivity. They are being held captive there under guard just like someone might be in prison on earth.

Luke 16:19-31 There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously everyday. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. And in hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that they who would pass from here to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from there.’ Then he said, ‘I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them lest they also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham said unto him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘Nay, father Abraham; but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.’ And Abraham said unto him, ‘If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.’

Here we see that Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom, but the rich man went to Hades. Hades is the name of the place where people who died without Jesus go to await their final judgment. In the Old Testament it is called Sheol and in the New Testament it is called Hades. We see this more clearly in...

Revelation 20:13-15 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hades delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Hades and hell are two different places. It says death and Hades delivered up the dead which were in them. Hades being the holding tank of lost souls has to give them up at the judgment. Then it says that death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. So right now Hades is not in the lake of fire (which is hell). Hades also will be cast into the lake of fire at the judgment. In Hades a person is in torment while awaiting judgment. There a person is not paying for their sins so they may go to heaven, God accepts no payment for sins from men, rather you are receiving the wages of your sin which is death. There is nothing a person can do to pay for their sin so that it might be erased neither is there anything that a person can do to earn a place in heaven. The question is not how good you are, the question is - have you sinned against God? The fact of your sin stays with you forever unless God Himself gets rid of it (which he does when you surrender to Jesus) otherwise you will bear it forever. Consider what God says...

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death...

Everyone has sinned, that includes you. You have earned something for sinning - death - you have earned it, you deserve it. Death belongs to you, and at the judgment you will receive what you have earned.

Judgment
Jesus is so certain of judgment and death that at one point he referred to people who were living as being dead.

Matthew 8:22 Jesus said, “Follow Me and let the dead bury their own dead.”

The dead will appear before God at the final judgment. This takes place after the 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth. We find this in...

Revelation 20:4-15 And I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hades delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

John 3:18 He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe is judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 3:36 He that believes on the Son has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him.

Jesus says that people who do not believe are already living under the judgment of God; that is, their judgment and doom is sure as long as they do not believe. The judgment is not a trial where your good and bad deeds are weighed in the balance of a scale. God knows everything about you already. The judgment is the second phase of your trial - the sentencing phase. Your first trial was here on earth. God has already seen that you are guilty of sin before him. He saw that while you lived your life on earth. Your guilt before Him is extremely obvious. Now as you stand before Him you will receive your sentence which is death. Since God is life, death is life without God at all. It is an existence that is so horrible it is hard to imagine. This is hell. All people who enter into Hades are destined to enter hell at the final judgment.

What about people who never heard about Jesus? In Romans 1 God says that everyone has His law written in their hearts and their conscience either convicts them or excuses them. Also the message of truth has been taught and spoken of since the beginning; Noah believed God, Enoch walked with God, Abraham obeyed God. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that God is not fair or that He is unjust. He is completely and absolutely just. Remember He knows everyone completely, He knows their heart and their conscience. We do not know everyone or everything, but God does! Is God required to explain himself to you or are you required to explain yourself to Him? Will God sit in judgment before you or will you sit in judgment before Him? Jesus is our judge.

II Thessalonians 1:8-9 The Lord Jesus will be dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.

Hebrews 9:27 It is appointed unto men once to die after this comes judgment.

Once you die there is no second chance. Remember the rich man? Jesus did not say when he died that he came back to live again in another form; No, he was in torment in Hades.

Hell - The Lake of Fire
Matthew 25:41 Then He will say to those on his left, depart from Me accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.

Here we see that hell was not made for man, but for the devil and his angels, but men will be sent there because that is what they have chosen. Hell was created. Hell is an actual place not a state of mind, awareness or feeling. Other verses refer to hell as “blackness of darkness” referring to the fact that there is no more hope at all. Hell is final.

Mark 9:47-48 ...be cast into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

Matthew 5:29-30 If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and cast from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Jesus is making the point here that hell is so terrible that it would actually be better to be lame or handicapped to avoid hell if that were possible which it is not. Would you want to live your life handicapped? Of course not! Then why would you choose to reject Jesus and go to hell! You can trust what Jesus says. Please realize that Jesus is NOT telling you to pluck out your eye to avoid hell, he is simply telling you how bad hell is and should be avoided at all cost!

Eternal Life and Heaven
EXAMPLE: The state of Texas has already determined that my son may drive a motor vehicle. He is only ten years old. The state of Texas has set up everything that will permit him to drive; they have places where he can go to obtain a drivers license, they have designed and administer driving tests, and they have passed all manner of laws regarding the obtaining and maintaining of his driving license. The state of Texas has done all it can do, so why doesn’t my son have a drivers license? Very simply, he has not done his part to obtain one. First he must live to be 16 years of age, then he must pass a written drivers exam, then he must pass a test involving the actual operation of a motor vehicle, then he must demonstrate that he can see properly, and then he must pay a fee and get his picture taken. The state of Texas has already determined that my 10 year old son may drive. As soon as he fulfills the requirements, the state will issue him a drivers license!

In the same way God has already determined who goes to hell and who goes to heaven. Very simply those who believe in Jesus and surrender to Him as their Lord, God and King are destined for heaven and those who reject Jesus are destined for hell. Our final destination depends on us not God. God is good and He simply gives us what we have chosen. We choose where we will go by either rejecting or surrendering to Jesus here on earth. God has done and is doing everything He can to help you to avoid hell and come to heaven. As soon as you do your part, God will grant you eternal life. Heaven is an actual place that God created. Heaven is the place where God and his angels live. Entrance into heaven will not be granted to anyone at the judgment. Entrance into heaven is granted to you while you are on earth. It is given to you and you receive it as a gift from God through faith in Jesus. When you do that you are given eternal life. Heaven is the final destination for those who already have eternal life. Just as earth is the dwelling place for those who have physical life, heaven is the dwelling place for those who have eternal life. First comes physical life, then you get to live that life on earth. It is the same with heaven. First you must possess eternal life, then you get to live that life in heaven with God, the angels, and all those who have received the gift of God namely Jesus. God says:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish, but will have everlasting life.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say to you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

The way to God is not through being good! You will never go to heaven by being good- no one does! It is not through your efforts that you obtain eternal life, but rather it is through believing and receiving the efforts of Jesus. He lived a life without sin. He lived a life of oneness and unity with His Father, always saying what His Father said and always doing what His Father does. Then He paid the price or penalty for your sin which is death. He has done it all for you! He has done His part. Now you must do your part - you must believe and surrender yourself completely to Him. When you do He will send His Holy Spirit to live inside you - you will be changed and have the eternal life of God living inside you!

I Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

This says that those who believe in Jesus go immediately to heaven when they die. They do not go to purgatory to pay for their sins or do penance for their sins. We have already read “the wages of sin is death” - Jesus already paid for our sins on the cross - the payment was complete. When something is paid for you don’t pay for it again! We can trust what Jesus says, He is telling us the truth. God gives you life as a unique individual made in his image. The choice you make while on earth is a serious one and therefore God commands all men to “seek the Lord while He may be found”.

Paradise
Revelation 2:7 He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.
Luke 23:42-43 And he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Verily I say to you, today you shall be with me in Paradise.”

The word ‘paradise’ in the Bible means park or garden. Paradise refers to the garden of God which is in heaven. We see from this scripture that Paradise is in heaven for that is where Jesus went to be with his father. So we also know that Paradise is not a holding area for believers but is a place in heaven. An example might be that in your city there is probably a garden or park and it is in the midst of your city. Revelation 22:2&14 says that the tree of life is in heaven and above we see that the tree of life is in the midst of Paradise. And again this verse shows that when a person dies they do not come back to live on earth in a different form or go to purgatory. A true believer goes immediately to heaven and an unbeliever goes to Hades to await judgment. Jesus did NOT say to the thief on the cross, “I am sorry you cannot come to paradise with me until you pay for your sins.” He did NOT say that - He said, “TODAY, YOU SHALL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE!”

Your Choice
If you were to die suddenly today where would you go - heaven or hell? Again I warn you not to answer that question based on your feelings or your desires or even worse your own opinion, but rather base the answer on what God says for that is the truth. Jesus said if you know and obey the truth you would be set free. Do you possess eternal life right now? You receive eternal life when you believe with your whole heart in the truth and reality of Jesus and surrender to Him as your Lord to love, follow and obey. You must openly follow Him with your whole heart and life and say so before others. Jesus says, “If you confess Me before men, I will also confess you before My Father. If you deny me before men I will deny you before My Father.” (Matthew 10:32, 33).

God says, “I am waiting for you with open arms and compassion to receive you. Receive my Son Jesus whom I gave for you so you may escape the judgment that lies ahead. Do not put Him off. Come to Jesus, come to Jesus today.”

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What Does It Mean To Be Born Again?

12/25/2012

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The phrase “born again” is only mentioned twice in the New Testament; however, the act of being born again is mentioned throughout the New Testament. Let’s start with the words of Jesus.

John 3:1-8
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus took Jesus literally asking him, “How can an old man be born again”? By this we see that Nicodemus understood exactly what Jesus said, he just did not understand the meaning of what Jesus said. Then Jesus explained it to him. Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Here Jesus is making a distinction between physical birth and spiritual birth. He says they are two entirely different things. Notice also that Jesus says you must be born both physically and spiritually to enter the kingdom of heaven. First comes the physical birth (conception) - you become a physical human being, then comes the spiritual birth - the second birth or being born again. Jesus called it being born of the Spirit two times in this passage of scripture. So obviously the Spirit of God has a lot to do with being born again.

Matthew 9:16,17 No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.

Jesus made this statement to show that something new would be coming. That He would bring the new life by the Holy Spirit and place it inside of you such that you would become a new person. Of course at the time they didn’t know what he meant, but notice what the crowd said later when the Holy Spirit did come into people.

Acts 2:12,13 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

Isn’t it amazing that the crowd described the Holy Spirit entering into people as being drunk with new wine! The very thing that Jesus said he would do he did! These things were said by Jesus and experienced by the first believers. Later as God delivered His words through the apostles they taught on the subject of being born again.

II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Here we read that being placed “in Christ” is involved in a person being born again. When you are born again you become a new creation, a new being. You are not the same person you were before. You now have an old life, life before Christ, and a new life, life with Christ. This is so true that Paul wrote…

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Paul said that he died with Christ and that he himself no longer lives (the old life), but now Christ has come in to him (being in Christ and being born again) so that now he has a new life (Christ himself) which is lived by faith. Here are some more verses that clearly teach that when a person surrenders to Jesus they become a new person by the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.
Ephesians 4:24 And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.
Titus 3:3-7 For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

We see that the Christians acknowledged that they too once lived in sin, but now they no longer do because they became saved (born again) not by doing good things, but by the “washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit...through Jesus Christ.” This is a very clear reference to being born again. The phrase “born of God” is used seven times in I John:

I John 3:9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
I John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
I John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
I John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.
I John 5:18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

Below in I Peter is the second place in the New Testament that uses the phrase “born again”. We read that a person is born again of incorruptible seed that is Jesus - who was not corrupted - who did not sin. Seed produces life.

I Peter 1:23...having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

John 1:12,13 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

'Born again' does not refer to the false belief called reincarnation. It is clear from the Bible that you must be born again while you are a person in this life. As a human being you must choose to believe and receive Jesus and at that moment you will become a new person being born again of the Spirit of God. God is clear that being born again is "of the Spirit and not of the flesh". It is spiritual not physical. Jesus said, "You must be born again..."

A person becomes born again when they believe in Jesus and surrender themselves over to him. When you do that Jesus himself will come into you by his Spirit. In an instant you will be a new person and you will know it. You will be born of God and become a member of God’s family becoming one of his children. Jesus will then live in you for all eternity therefore you have eternal life. Why not believe in Jesus right now and surrender yourself to him. You have all of heaven to gain and hell to lose. Jesus is ready, willing and waiting for you with his arms open wide to receive you to himself. God says...

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)

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Believing In God Is Not Enough

12/20/2012

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God sends an angel to Cornelius.
Acts 10: 1-8 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” And when the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier from among those who waited on him continually. So when he had explained all these things to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Notice that Cornelius was:

A devout man - That means he was consciously committed to religious ideals and morals.
One who feared God - He had a deep respect for God and his will and ways.
Also all his household feared God - He was the head of his household teaching and bringing his family and servants up to follow God.
Who gave alms generously to the people. (Alms are gifts/money to the poor.)
Prayed to God always - He spent time talking with God not just a few moments, but throughout his day.

Cornelius was a very religious man. Because of his heart God sent an angel to him. Why, wasn’t he okay with God? Wasn’t his eternal destiny secure? The angel said send for this guy called Peter and he will tell you what to do!

The men meet Peter
Acts 10:17-23 The men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?” And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” Then he invited them in and lodged them. On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Peter meets Cornelius
Acts 10:24-33 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?” So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.” (Here’s another thing we find out about how committed Cornelius was to his faith - he was fasting and praying.)

Peter speaks to Cornelius’ household
Acts 10:34-43 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ - He is Lord of all - that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

Look again at what Peter told them; it’s a brief history of the things that God has done to reveal himself and provide salvation for us: peace through Jesus Christ, he is Lord of all, God anointed Jesus with power, He did good and healed people, Peter was a witness to these things, Jesus died on a cross, was raised up, he ate and drank with many others after he was raised, and that Jesus is the Judge of all and that through his name, whoever believes in Him will receive the remission of sins. That is they will be forgiven and will not suffer because of their sins. In other words Peter told them the truth. He did not say, “You guys are just fine and I am sure you will go to heaven.” If being a religious person was all that was necessary to obtain heaven then why did God want Cornelius and his household to hear these things about Jesus? Faith in Jesus is the key and is absolute necessary for the forgiveness that God offers. Let’s read on.

The Holy Spirit falls on the listeners
Acts 10:44-48 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

As promised God sent the Holy Spirit upon these Gentiles (non-Jews) and he did so in the same manner as the Spirit was poured out upon the believing Jews on the day of Pentecost. Notice Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus. The name of Jesus is important because it is through faith in Jesus as Lord that forgiveness is offered since he paid for their sins with his own blood sacrifice on the cross. Being good and believing in God is not enough to obtain forgiveness of sins. Religion toward God is not a substitute for relationship with God. That forgiveness and that relationship in which you receive the Holy Spirit is available to you when you believe in Jesus and surrender yourself to Jesus as Lord. Cornelius and his household were religious, but their sins were not forgiven and they did not have the spirit of God. Now however, after they heard the truth and believed in Jesus they received the Spirit of God and forgiveness escaping the judgment of God and so can you! Come to Jesus today.

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