Love of the Church motivated by the Assurance of salvation

Love of the Church motivated by the Assurance of salvation

1 John 4:11-14

Introduction

An elderly man said to H.A. Ironside, “I will not go on unless I know I’m saved, or else know it’s hopeless to seek to be sure of it. I want a definite witness, something I can’t be mistaken about!” Ironside replied, “Suppose you had a vision of an angel who told you your sins were forgiven. Would that be enough to rest on?” “Yes, I think it would. An angel should be right.” Ironside continued, “But suppose on your deathbed Satan came and said, ’I was that angel, transformed to deceive you.’ What would you say?” The man was speechless. Ironside then told him that God has given us something more dependable than the voice of an angel. He has given His Son, who died for our sins, and He has testified in His own Word that if we trust Him all our sins are gone. Ironside read I John 5:13, “You may know that you have eternal life.” Then he said, “Is that not enough to rest on? It is a letter from heaven expressly to you.” God’s Spirit used that to bring assurance to the man’s heart. (H. A. Ironside).

 

1. The Exhortation to Love (vv. 11)

“Beloved” – mentioned another time.

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

The expression “God so loved us” – either refer to:

1. The manner of God’s love to the reader – He loved the readers in this way, that is, in a gracious and sacrificial way.
2. The extent of God’s love – He loved them to the extent that He sent His unique Son to save them.

The Latter is preferred, though it is difficult to distinguish between the two in this context.

In either case, John is using God’s love for the readers as an example and incentive for his readers to love one another.

Matt 22:37-39 “And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ “This is the great and foremost commandment. “The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’”

Burdick explains:

The fact of God’s matchless love lays upon us a continuing obligation (Greek present tense) to be loving one another. Not only is it true that we have received the nature of God by reason of our new birth and thus we should love, but we have the example of His love teaching us and persuading us to love each other.

Those who are children of God they ought to have mercy as God have mercy on us.

Luke 6:36 “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

We must live a holy life as He is holy

1 Peter 1:15-16 “   but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

We must love one another as God loved us.

 

II. The Motivation to Love (vv. 12-14)

In these verses John is drawing a connection between loving other believers and the assurance of salvation as an incentive for his readers to heed his exhortation.

 

1. The first motivation is that God is seen through our love to one another (v.12)

“No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.”

In this verse John is answering an implied question, how is God seen in this world?

- Since God is pure spirit and absolutely holy, no man has ever seen God at any time.

- Yet, this does not mean that God cannot be seen.

- John’s point is that God can and should be seen in the love that those who are born of Him show toward one another.

- Those who continue (present tense) to show love toward one another demonstrate that God abides in them, that is, they demonstrate that they have been born of God and that they enjoy a saving relationship with God.

- Furthermore, by loving other believers, God’s love that has been sown in us is perfected in the sense that it is reaching its intended goal.

John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

We have to show the world God by our love to each other when:

1. We meet together (Heb 10:24-25; Acts 2:42)
2. We practice Baptism and communion (Acts 2:41; 1 Cor 11)
3. We witness to the world together (Matt 5:13-16)
4. we are united (Eph 4:1-6)
5. We are welcoming (Col 3:9-11; James 2:1-7)

 

2.  The second motivation is the witness of the Holy Spirit (v. 13)

The Subjective element of assurance is the internal witness of the Spirit

“By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”

The readers can know, that is, they can have confidence that they abide in the Father and Father in them because of the presence of God’s Spirit in their lives.

The connection between this verse and the preceding one is clearly implied. As the believers love one another, God’s Spirit gives them assurance that they are the children of God and have eternal life.

Romans 8:16 “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Galatians 4:5-7 “so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”

Ephesians 1:13-14 “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.”

 

1. The third motivation is the witness of the apostolic preaching of the gospel (v. 14)

The Objective element of assurance is the witness of the apostolic preaching of the gospel (v. 14)

“We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.”

“We have seen and testify” – (cf. 1 John 1:1-3) The use of the pronoun “We” is referring to the apostles and eye witnesses.

“that the Father has  sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” – John introduces another criterion for confirmation of the believers’ union with God: adherence to the apostolic message. They bear “witness” to the Father’s saving activity in the Son.

This fact that God promised us salvation and eternal life motivate us to love one another.

1 Tim 1:15 “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.”

2 Pet 3:13 “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

 

Love toward One Another Motivated by God’s Love

Love toward One Another Motivated by God’s Love

1 John 4:7-10

Introduction:

This is the third and final time John appeals to the subject of brotherly love.  He first mentioned it in 2:7–11, where it is given as an indicator of one who is walking in the light. The second occurrence comes in 3:11–18 (or even 3:10–24) and is mentioned as evidence that one is a child of God.

 

1. The Command to Love (v. 7a)

“Beloved” a new term John calls the believers. Here they are beloved by God, has a new stand before God.

“Let us love one another” – occurs three times in this passage. Here in v. 7 it is an exhortation; in v. 11 it is a statement of duty, and in v. 12 it is a hypothesis.

John 15:12, 17  “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you…“This I command you, that you love one another.”

1 Peter 1:11 “Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart.”

1 Peter 2:17 “Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.”

 

1. The Source of Love (vv. 7b-8)

v. 7b “for love is from God” The basis for this love is God and his love; in fact, it is because (hoti) love is from God. Love flows from or out of (ek) God and has God as its spring or source.

“and everyone who loves is born of  God and knows God.” Not only is this true of God, but all who love have been born (gegennētai) of God.

Rom 5:5 “and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

- John now turns from the positive expression of truth to its negative expression. He adds emphasis to the point in v. 7 by now stating the converse.

v. 8 “The One who does not love does not know God” Negatively the one who does not love is not born of God and has no relationship with him.

“for God is love” – The nature of God is love. Akin is his commentary says, “Because his very nature is love, mercy and goodness flow from God like a beautiful river, as sunlight radiates from the sun. Love, real love (cf. 1 Cor 13), has its ultimate source and origin in God. It is not an abstract concept but concrete action, as John will now explain.”

 

1. III.                The Nature of Love (vv. 9-10)

 

1. A.      The Love of God is Tangible (v. 9) something we can touch, benefit from

v. 9 “By this the love of God was manifested in us,” – manifested is in the aorist tense which is a past tense. God manifested his love in us in a certain point in history.

“that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world” –  The perfect tense, has sent, points to the abiding results of the sending.

“has sent” apostéllō is to send forth on a certain mission such as to preach (Mark 3:14; Luke 9:2); speak (Luke 1:19); bless (Acts 3:26); rule, redeem, propitiate (Acts 7:35; 1 John 4:10); save (1 John 4:14). The expression that Jesus was sent by God (John 3:34) denotes the mission which He had to fulfill and the authority which backed Him. The importance of this mission is denoted by the fact that God sent His own Son.

“so that we might live through Him” – to have eternal life with Christ and through Christ.

1 Thess 5:10 “who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.”

2 Cor 13:4 “For indeed He was crucified because of weakness, yet He lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, yet we will live with Him because of the power of God directed toward you.”

Gal 4:4-5 “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

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

 

1. B.      The Love of God is sacrificial (v. 10)

v. 10 “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us” – God is always taking the initiative to love first not us. This verse implies that man has not love of and in himself of God. God has to initiate this love.

“and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” – In this verse the purpose in sending the Son is not the incarnation but the atonement—God sent his Son to die. Our act was to sin. God’s was to love and send.

Rom 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 John 3:16 “We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Related articles

• Do you love God? How do you know? (wordsofgrace.wordpress.com)

 

The Creator: Owner of Everything

 

Introduction

 

WHO MADE ME? I love the story of the boy sitting on his father’s lap as they were looking into a mirror. The boy said to his dad, “Dad, who made me?”

He said, “God made you, son.”

He said, “Dad, who made you?”

He said, “God made me, son.”

He said, “Dad, who made granddad?”

He said, “God made him, son.”

He said, “Dad, who made great-granddad?” He said, “God made him, son. Why do you ask?”

The boy took one look back in the mirror and said, “Well, it just seems to me He’s been doing a better job in recent years!”

 

In psalm 19:1 the paslmist praise the Lord for His creation saying, “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.” When we look at the mountains, hills, sea, sky, stars, animals, the diverse kind of plants and flowers, and to humans we see the majesty and wonder of God’s creative activity. God created all things by His Word.

 

Our sermon today we want to talk about God the Creator, His creation, and His will in creation.

 

Outline

I. The Creator: The Triune God (Gen 1:1) “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

1. Described to be God (Gen 1:1; Col 1:15-17; Ps 104:30)

2. Described to be Mighty (Isaiah 40:18-26)

3. He spoke and it was – Psalm 33:9 “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.”

4. He has the right to end creation (Gen 6:7) “The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”

5. One day He will end this world and start a brand new world where righteousness will dwell forever (1 Pet 3:13) “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

 

Application

God is the owner of all things everything in Heaven and on earth (Neh 9:6). Because sin entered the world (Rom 1:19ff.) we can speak of creation as if God lost the ownership of his creation. That’s why we read in passages like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

 

II. Creation: Those who are created (Col 1:16)

1. The Heavens and every thing in it

a. Created the Angels (Neh 9:6)

b. Satan and all of his fallen angels (Gen 1:31; 2:1; cf. Isa 14; Ezk 28:11ff.)

c. The vast universe with all the stars in it, and the galaxies (Gen 1:1)

2. The Earth and everything on it

a. The Land: desert (Gen  1:1

b. Animals (Gen 1)

c. Humans (Gen 1:21; 26-27; 2:3, 4; 5:1, 2; 6:7)

 

Application

We are God’s creation therefore we are ought to turn to him and not away from him (Gen 3).

 

Ps 27:8 “When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 “Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Psalm 34:10 “The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”

 

III. Creation was Created from Nothing: The visible from the invisible (Heb 11:3; cf. Gen 1:1)

 

Theologians involved in teaching about creation they usually use the Latin phrase Ex nihilo meaning “out of nothing” to describe the original creation in Genesis 1:1.

 

This biblical truth speaks against the theory proposed by Charles Robert Darwin[1] called Evolution Theory. The main thrust of this theory is that,

 

He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.

 

But we know from Genesis 1 and 2 that all God’s creation from plants, animals, humans were created directly by God. And that the original earth and universe was created from nothing by God.

 

IV. God’s Will in Creation (Rev 4:11; Ps 148:5; Gen 1:26-27)

 

God will was to create all things especially mankind in order for man to glorify God.

 

V. The Creator Holding Everything by His Word (Col 1:15ff.; Heb 1:1-3)

---

[1]Charles Robert Darwin (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist. Darwin published his theory with compelling evidence for evolution in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, overcoming scientific rejection of earlier concepts of transmutation of species. By the 1870s the scientific community and much of the general public had accepted evolution as a fact. However, many favored competing explanations and it was not until the emergence of the modern evolutionary synthesis from the 1930s to the 1950s that a broad consensus developed in which natural selection was the basic mechanism of evolution. In modified form, Darwin’s scientific discovery is the unifying theory of the life sciences, explaining the diversity of life.

 

The Extent of the Fall of Adam (Genesis 3:1-24 outlined)

 

On  May 11, 2000 a lady found a new e-mail message on her computer, which simply said, “I love you”. It looked innocent enough, perhaps even romantic. Like most of us would, she clicked to open the message, and the so-called “Love Bug” was born. With lightning speed it raced around the world, bringing politics and business to a halt. It was a deadly computer virus that caused millions of computer software programmes to crash. One virus, but so much contamination. But it’s not the first time that a single virus has caused so much grief to mankind. In fact, it’s a kind of replay of a deadlier virus that hit Planet Earth more than six thousand years ago polluting the first human couple, Adam and Eve. Despite God’s warning not to click on to Satan’s message, they did so with appalling consequences for them, and through them to all mankind. That virus is called “Sin”.

I. The First Dialogue: The Serpent and the Woman (3:1-7)

a. Satan spoke twice (3:1, 4-5)

b. The woman was open to dialogue (3:2-3, 6)

c. The Immediate Results (3:7)

1). Their eyes opened (3:7a; cf. v. 5) knowledge of Good and Evil by experience of disobedience

2). They knew that they were naked (3:7b) – Shame, fear cf. v. 10; 2:24-25)

3). They made to themselves coverings around their waist (3:7c) – Lost Freedom cf. v. 21

II. The Second Dialogue: The Lord confronts Adam and Eve (3:8-13)

III. The Third Dialogue: The Pronouncement of Judgment (3:14-19)

a. Judgment on Satan (3:14-15)

1). On the literal Serpent (3:14)

“The serpent had earlier been a noble creature; as a result of the judgment it was altered in form and shape. Because the serpent exalted itself it would now be forced to crawl on its belly and eat the dust of the earth as it crawled along” (Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook, p. 309).

2). On the force behind the Serpent – Satan (3:15; Rom 16:20)

b. Judgment on the Woman (3:16)

1). Experience Pain in childbirth (3:16a)

2). Struggle with Submission (3:16b)

c. Judgment on the Man (3:17-19)

1). The Curse of the Ground (3:17b-18)

2). The Need to Work (3:19a)

3). The Entrance of Physical Death (3:19b cf. Rom 5:12)

The fall of Adam and Eve effected all of mankind. We as children of Adam inherited Adam’s sin.

IV. The Naming of the Woman, The Making of the garments, and casting out of the Garden (3:20-24)

a. The Naming of the Woman (3:20)

b. The making of garments (3:21): Gives us several hints concerning God

1). God took initiative to resolve our problem (Eph 2:1-4)

2). God provided a sacrifice to die on behalf of Adam and Eve (Heb 9:11-14)

3). God provided Christ’s Righteousness to cover us (2 Cor 5:21; Rom 3:21-31)

c. The Driving out of the Garden (3:22-24)

But God in His mercy found a solution for our problem of sin. He provided a sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins.

 

A Survey of the Essence and Incommunicable Attributes of God (pt. 1)

I. THE NATURE OF GOD

     A.      The Spirituality of God “God is Spirit.”

1.      STATEMENT OF THE FACT, JOHN 4:24: “GOD IS SPIRIT.”

Meaning: The Samaritan woman’s question,“Where is God to be found?” etc. On Mt. Zion or Gerizim? Christ’s answer: God is not to be confined to any one place (cf. Acts 7:48; 17:25; 1 Kings 8:27). God must be worshipped in spirit as distinguished from place, form, or other sensual limitations (John 4:21); and in truth as distinguished from false conceptions resulting from imperfect knowledge (4:22).

Luke 24:39: “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

Col. 1:15: “The image of the invisible God.”

1 Tim. 1:17 (R.V.): “Now unto the King incorruptible, invisible.”

These passages teach that God has nothing of a material or bodily nature. Sight sees only objects of the material world, but God is not of the nature of the material world, hence He cannot be seen with the material eye—at least not now.

2.      CAUTIONS AGAINST REPRESENTING GOD BY GRAVEN IMAGES

Exod. 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself [a]an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.” (Deut. 4:15–23; Isa. 40:25).

3.      DEFINITION OF “GOD IS SPIRIT” IN THE LIGHT OF ALL THIS

God is invisible, incorporeal, without parts, without body, without passions, and therefore free from all limitations; He is apprehended not by the senses, but by the soul; hence God is above sensuous perceptions.

4.      QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS WITH REFERENCE TO THE STATEMENT THAT “GOD IS SPIRIT.”

(a)      What shall we do with statements like MAN WAS MADE “IN THE IMAGE OF GOD”?

(Gen 1:26-27; Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:24) By that is Meant that the Image of God in Man Consisted in Intellectual and Moral Likeness Rather Than Physical Resemblance.

(b)      WHAT IS MEANT BY THE ANTHROPOMORPHIC EXPRESSIONS USED OF GOD?

For example: God is said to have hands, feet, arms, eyes, ears; He sees, feels, hears, walks, etc. Such expressions are to be understood only in the sense of being human expressions used in order to bring the infinite within the comprehension of the finite. How otherwise could we understand God saving by means of human expressions, in figures that we all can understand!

(c)      HOW ARE SUCH PASSAGES AS EXOD. 24:10 AND 33:18–23, IN WHICH IT IS DISTINCTLY STATED THAT MEN SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL, TO BE RECONCILED WITH SUCH PASSAGES AS JOHN 1:18: “NO MAN HATH SEEN GOD AT ANY TIME,” AND EXOD. 33:20: “THERE SHALL NO MAN SEE ME AND LIVE”? ANSWER:

(aa)      Spirit Can Be Manifested in Visible Form:

John 1:32: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove [or in the form of a dove].” So throughout the ages the invisible God has manifested Himself in visible form. (See Judges 6:34: The Spirit of the Lord clothed Himself with Gideon.)

(bb)      On This Truth is Based the Doctrine of “The Angel of the Lord”

In the Old Testament: Gen. 16:7, 10, 13. Note here how the Angel of the Lord is identified with Jehovah Himself, cf. vv. 10, 13. Also Gen. 22:12—“The angel of the Lord … not withheld from me.” In 18:1–16, one of the three angels clearly and definitely identifies himself with Jehovah. Compare chapter 19, where it is seen that only two of the angels have come to Sodom; the other has remained behind. Who was this one, this remaining angel? Gen. 18:17, 20 answers the question; v. 22 reads: “And Abraham stood yet before the LORD.” In Exod. 13:21 it is Jehovah, while in 14:19 it is the Angel that went before Israel. Thus was the way prepared for the incarnation, for the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament is undoubtedly the second person of the Trinity. This seems evident from Judges 13:18 compared with Isa. 9:6, in both of which passages, clearly referring to Christ, the name “Wonderful” occurs. Also the omission of the definite article “the” from before the expression “Angel of the Lord,” and the substitution of “an” points to the same truth. This change is made in the Revised Version.

B. Self-Existence

• While man’s ground of existence is outside of himself, God’s existence is not dependent upon anything outside of himself.

Exod 3:14 “I am who I am.”

John 8:58 “Before Abraham I am.”

Isaiah 41:4 “Who has performed and accomplished it, Calling forth the generations from the beginning?

‘I, the Lord, am the first, and with the last. I am He.’”

Rev 1:8 ““I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “ who is and who was and who [a]is to come, the Almighty.”

C. Immensity

• God is infinite in relation to space.
• He is not limited or circumscribed by space
• On the contrary, all finite space is dependent upon him.
• He is, in fact, above space.

1 Kings 8:27 ““But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built!

2 Chron 2:6 “But who is able to build a house for Him, for the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain Him? So who am I, that I should build a house for Him, except to [a]burn incense before Him?”

Ps 113:4-6; 139:7f; Isa 66:1; Jer 23:24; Acts 17:24-28

D. Eternity

• God is also infinite in relation to time
• He is without beginning or end
• He is free from all succession of time
• He is the cause of time

Gen 21:33 He is called “the Everlasting God”

Ps 90:2 “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God.”

Ps 102:27 “You are the same, and your years will not come to an end.”

Isa 57:15 “The high and exalted One Who lives forever.”

1 Tim 6:16 “God alone possesses immortality.”

II. The Attributes of God

A. Incommunicable Attrbiutes

            1. THE OMNIPRESENCE OF GOD

• By the omnipresence of God is meant that God is everywhere present.
• This attribute is closely connected with the omniscience and omnipotence of God, for if God is everywhere present He is everywhere active and possesses full knowledge of all that transpires in every place.
• This does not mean that God is everywhere present in a bodily sense, nor even in the same sense; for there is a sense in which He may be in heaven, His dwelling place, in which He cannot be said to be elsewhere.
• God is everywhere and in every place; His center is everywhere; His boundaries nowhere.
• But this presence is a spiritual and not a material presence; yet it is a real presence.

(1)      SCRIPTURAL STATEMENT OF THE FACT

Jer. 23:23, 24 ““Am I a God who is near,” declares the Lord, “And not a God far off? 24 “Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?” declares the Lord. “ Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord.” (Psa. 10:1-14).

Psa. 139:7-12 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8  If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” 12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.

Isaiah 66:1 “Thus says the Lord, “ Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.

Where then is a house you could build for Me? And where is a place that I may rest?”

Acts 17:24-28—“For in him we live, and move, and have our being.”

• Without His upholding hand we must perish;
• God is our nearest environment.
• From these and many other scriptures we are clearly taught that God is everywhere present and acting; there is no place where God is not.

This does not mean that God is everywhere present in the same sense. For we are told that He is in heaven, His dwelling place (1 Kings 8:30); that Christ is at His right hand in heaven (Eph. 1:20); that God’s throne is in heaven (Rev. 21:2; Isa. 66:1).

(2)      SOME PRACTICAL INFERENCES FROM THIS DOCTRINE

First, of Comfort: The nearness of God to the believer. After dwelling on this great and awful attribute in Psalm 139, the psalmist, in vv. 17, 18, exclaims: “How precious are your thoughts to me … when I awake, I am still with You.” By this is meant that God stands by our side to help, and as One who loves and understands us (Matt. 28:20).

Second, of Warning: “As in the Roman empire the whole world was one great prison to a malefactor, and in his flight to the most distant lands the emperor could track him, so under the government of God no sinner can escape the eye of the judge.”

Hebrews 4:13 “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

2. THE OMNISCIENCE OF GOD

• God is infinite in Knowledge
• He knows himself and all other things perfectly from all eternity, whether they be actual or merely possible, whether they be past, present, or future.
• He knows things immediately, at the same time, exhaustively, and truly.

(1)      SCRIPTURES SETTING FORTH THE FACT OF GOD’S OMNISCIENCE

Isa. 40:28—“There is no searching of his understanding.” Israel’s captive condition might lead to loss of trust and faith in God. But Israel has not seen all God’s plans—no man has.

Job 37:16—“The wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge.” Could Job explain the wonders of the natural phenomena around him? Much less the purposes and judgments of God.

Psa. 147:5—“His understanding is infinite.”

1 John 3:20—“God knows all things.” Our hearts may pass over certain things, and fail to see some things that should be confessed. God, however, sees all things.

Rom. 11:33—“How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.” The mysterious purposes and decrees of God touching man and his salvation are beyond all human comprehension.

In detail, and by way of illustration:

(aa)      His Knowledge is Absolutely Comprehensive.

Prov. 15:3—“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch upon the evil and the good.” How could He reward and punish otherwise? Not one single thing occurring in any place escapes His knowledge.

Prov 5:21—“For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponder all his goings.” We may have habits hidden from our fellow creatures, but not from God.

(bb)      God Has a Perfect Knowledge of All that is in Nature.

Psa. 147:4—“He tell the number of the stars; he call  them all by their names.” Man cannot (Gen. 15:5).

How, then, can Israel say, “My way is hid from the Lord”? Cf. Isa. 40:26, 27.

Matt. 10: 29—“One … sparrow shall not fall to the ground without your Father.” Much less would one of His children who perchance might be killed for His name’s sake fall without His knowledge.

(cc)      God Has a Perfect Knowledge of All that Transpires in Human Experience.

Prov. 5:21—“For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponder all his goings.” All a man’s doings are weighed by God. How this should affect his conduct!

Psa. 139:2, 3—“You know my down sitting and my uprising, you understand my thought afar off. You compass my path and my lying down, and You are acquainted with all my ways.” Before our thoughts are fully developed, our unspoken sentences, the rising feeling in our hearts, our activity, our resting, all that we do from day to day is known and sifted by God. v. 4—“There is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.” Not only thoughts and purposes, but words spoken, idle, good, or bad.

Exod. 3:7—“I have seen the affliction … heard the cry: know the sorrows of my people which are in Egypt.” The tears and grief which they dared not show to their taskmasters, God saw and noted. Did God know of their trouble in Egypt? It seemed to them as though He did not. But He did.

Matt. 10:29, 30—“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

Exod. 3:19—“And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.” Here is intimate knowledge as to what a single individual will do.

Isa. 48:18—“O that thou hadst harkened to my commandments! then had thy peace have been as a river,” etc. God knows what our lives would have been if only we had acted and decided differently.

(dd)      God Has a Perfect Knowledge of All that Transpires in Human History.

With what precision are national changes and destinies foretold and depicted in Dan. 2 and 8!

Acts 15:18—“Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world [ages].” In the context surrounding this verse are clearly set forth the religious changes that were to characterize the generations to come, the which have been so far literally, though not fully, fulfilled.

(ee)      God Knows from All Eternity to All Eternity What Will Take Place.

Isa. 48:5-8—“I have even from the beginning declared it unto thee; before it came to pass I showed it thee.… I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things,” etc.

Isa 46:9, 10—“I am God … declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.”

3. THE OMNIPOTENCE OF GOD

The omnipotence of God is that attribute by which He can bring to pass everything which He wills. God’s power admits of no bounds or limitations. God’s declaration of His intention is the pledge of the thing intended being carried out. “Hath he said, and shall he not do it?”

(1)      SCRIPTURAL DECLARATION OF THE FACT; IN GENERAL:

Job 42:2—“I know that you can do everything [all things], and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

Gen. 18:14—“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” What had ceased to be possible by natural means comes to pass by supernatural means.

4. IMMUTABILITY OF GOD

• By the immutability of God is meant that God’s nature is absolutely unchangeable.
• It is not possible that He should possess one attribute at one time that He does not possess at another.
• Nor can there be any change in the Deity for better or for worse.
• God remains forever the same.
• He is without beginning and without end; the self-existent “I am”; He remains forever the same, and unchangeable.

(1)      SCRIPTURAL STATEMENT OF THE FACT: THE ETERNITY OF GOD

Hab. 1:12—“Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One?” Chaldea had threatened to annihilate Israel. The prophet cannot believe it possible, for has not God eternal purposes for Israel? Is He not holy? How, then, can evil triumph?

Psa. 90:2—“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Short and transitory is the life of man; with God it is otherwise. The perishable nature of man is here compared with the imperishable nature of God.

Psa. 102:24-27—“I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations. Of old thou hast laid the foundations of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.” With the perishable nature of the whole material creation the psalmist contrasts the imperishable nature of God.

Exod. 3:14—“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM.” The past, present and future lie in these words for the name of Jehovah.

Rev. 1:8—“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

Fuel to the Growth of the Early Church: Persecution

Introduction

Persecution is the act of rejection, hatred, and social and physical harm from people of this world to those who live and serve Christ and preach His gospel.

The Scripture is filled with passages that confirm my definition of persecution for example:

2 Timothy 3:12 “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”

These words are a reminder to every Christians that they will face opposition for devotion to Christ. As Christ said to His disciples in

John 15:18-20 ” 18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”

Acts 14:21b-22 “Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.”

Persecution comes in different shapes, and degrees, and they come from different people. The early church was faced with different shapes of persecution. Some times they faced individual persecution, other times they faces persecution from the Jewish nation, the Roman government, and still other times they were faced with organized persecution especially in the life of Paul.

As Hiebert says, “Persecution “may vary in degree and take different forms in different countries and in different ages, but the basic hostility of the world to the godly man remains unchanged.”

Thus persecution is part of the church throughout it’s history. In reality persecution is the church fuel. Without it the church would not probably grow as it had grown or spread.

Many of the disciples and apostles of Christ were persecuted intensely. Fox’s Book of Martyrs writes about the death of the early church disciples. For example:

• Stephen was cast out of the city and stoned to death
• James the son of Zebedee 10 years later (A.D. 44) was executed by Herod Agrippa as a favor to the Jews
• Philip was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterward crucified A.D. 54
• Matthew was slain by a sword in A.D. 60
• James the half brother of Jesus was beaten and stoned by the Jews at age ninety-four and finally had his brain dashed out with a fuller’s club
• Matthias was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded
• Andrew was taken and crucified on a cross, the tow ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground.
• Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria at the great Solemnity of Serapis their idol.
• Peter was crucified with his head downward, at his own request
• Paul was arrested by Nero and beheaded
• Jude was crucified A.D. 72
• Bartholomew was at length cruelly beaten and then crucified by the impatient idolaters
• Thomas was martyred by being thrust through with a spear
• Luke was hanged on an olive tree, by the idolatrous priests of Greece
• Simon was crucified
• John was exiled to the island of Betimes

Today I want us to think of persecution from a biblical perspective giving that persecution is part of the Christian life. Thus we will be looking at seven reminders from the Scripture to help us keep a biblical perspective as we go through trials, persecution, and suffer for the name of Christ.

1. God Appoint certain people to be persecuted.

Acts 9:10-15 “For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.  10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.  11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”  15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.

2. God promised to be with us.

Matthew 28:20 “…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

3. God gives sufficient grace in the midst of persecution, trials, and suffering so that we would endure it.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

4. God is still Sovereign in the midst of persecution

Psalm 115:3 “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.”

Psalm 135:6 “The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths.”

Psalm 47:1-4 “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. 2 For the LORD Most High is awesome, the great King over all the earth. 3 He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet. He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.”

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

5. God will not allow anything in our lives that He knows we will not be able to endure.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ” No temptation[a] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted[b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,[c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

6. God will allow nothing to separate us from the love of Christ.

Romans 8:35-39 “35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Matthew 10:28 “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

7. Our Savior, king, and redeemer Jesus Christ is worthy of our dedication and suffering for Him because He suffered and died for us.

Revelation 5:8-14 “8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

and with your blood you purchased for God

persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they will reign[b] on the earth.”

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and praise!”

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!” 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Philippians 3:7-8  ”7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.”

THE DOCTRINE OF PHYSICAL DEATH

by Issa Haddad

INTRODUCTION

            In one of his lighter moments, Benjamin Franklin penned his own epitaph. He didn’t profess to be a born-again Christian, but it seems that he must have been influenced by Paul’s teaching of the resurrection of the body. Here’s what he wrote:

The Body of B. Franklin, Printer:

Like the Cover of an old Book

Its contents torn out,

And stript of its Lettering and Guilding,

Lies here, Food for Worms,

But the Work shall not be wholly lost:

For it will, as he believ’d,

Appear once more

In a new and more perfect Edition,

Corrected and amended by the Author.

The Bible presents death as separation: physical death is the separation of the soul from the body, and spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God.

Death is the result of sin. “For the wages of sin is death,…” (Rom 6:23a). The whole world is subject to death, because all have sinned. “By one man sin entered the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Rom 5:12). In Genesis 2:17, the Lord warned Adam that the penalty for disobedience would be death—“you will surely die.” When Adam disobeyed, he experienced immediate spiritual death, which caused him to hide “from Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Gen 3:8). Later, Adam experienced physical death (Gen 5:5).

On the cross, Jesus also experienced physical death (Matt 27:50). The difference is that Adam died because he was a sinner, and Jesus, who had never sinned, chose to die as a substitute for sinners (Heb 2:9). Jesus then showed His power over death and sin by rising from the dead on the third day (Matt 28;Rev 1:18). Because of Christ, death is a defeated foe. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor 15:55;Hos 13:14).

For the unsaved, death brings to an end the chance to accept God’s gracious offer of salvation. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb 9:27). For the saved, death ushers us into the presence of Christ: “To be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8;Phil 1:23). So real is the promise of the believer’s resurrection that the physical death of a Christian is called “sleep” (1 Cor 15:51;1 Thess 5:10). We look forward to that time when “there shall be no more death” (Rev 21:4).

Erickson speaks of “individual eschatology” and “cosmic eschatology.”[1] One is the future of the individual and the other of the human race and the entire creation. Individual eschatology occurs at death; the cosmic eschatology is at the second coming.

This essay will discuss death in the Scriptures, the origin of physical death, and the meaning of physical death.

DEATH IN THE SCRIPTURES

The word death is used in the Scriptures with reference to three experiences.

Spiritual Death

            Spiritual death is the separation of the person from God. It is the spiritual separation of a person from fellowship with God. Because of God’s omnipresence, there can be no ultimate metaphysical separation from God at any time.

A spiritually dead person is insensitive to the things of God. He is unable and unwilling to initiate any kind of overture or response to God. To be helped, he must be acted upon because he is incapable of helping himself in any way. Isaiah write in 59:2 “Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God.” Furthermore, Paul writes in Ephesians 2:1“And you were dead in you trespasses and sins.” In verse 5 of the same chapter “even when we were dead in our transgressions” (Eph 2:5). Also Paul further says in Ephesians 2:12“Remember that you were at that time separate from Christ.”

The only remedy for spiritual death is regeneration—the impartation of spiritual life to the spiritually dead.

The Second Death

            The second death is the permanent and final separation of the person from God. It is an irrevocable continuation of spiritual death. John in Revelation 20:14 write, “This is the second death, the lake of fire.” Also in Revelation 21:8“…and all liars, will have their part will be in the lake of fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

There is no remedy for the second death.

The Physical Death

            Physical death is the temporary separation of the body from the soul and spirit. We read in Genesis 35:18 Moses says that Rachel’s “soul was departing, for she died.” Also James writes, “The body without the spirit is dead” (Jam 2:26). The remedy for physical death is the resurrection.

Physical death involves the whole person. In describing physical death, the Bible always indicates that the person dies, not just his body. Death brings about the dissolution of the parts of the person. The body goes to dust and the soul and spirit continue on in the intermediate state in conscious existence. Moses writes in Genesis 2:17“you shall surely die.” Also we read in Luke 16:22“the poor man died…and the rich man also died.”

In the intertestamental period there developed that the whole person did not die, only the body died. “The soul lives on either to await resurrection (1 Enoch 102) or to enjoy its natural immortality free from the body (Wisdom 3:4; 4:1; 4 Macc 16:13; 17:12), which was an essentially Greek idea.”[2]

Spiritual death is the experience of all men. Physical death is the experience of all except Enoch, Elijah, and those Christians living at the time of the Rapture of the church. The second death is the experience of all who have not received the new birth or spiritual life.

THE ORIGIN OF PHYSICAL DEATH

            Death was not a part of the original creation. In Genesis 1:31“and God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” Adam’s body was apparently neither strictly mortal nor immortal. It was not liable to death nor was it incapable of death. It had the capability of death only after the seeds of sin were sown in it.

Death came as a result of Adam’s sin. God told Adam in Genesis 2:17“In the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” Because Adam disobeyed God’s command, God pronounced a curse on him.Genesis 3:19 the curse on man: “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground.” Paul write in Romans 5:12 to summarize the conclusion saying, “Just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, so death spread to all men.”

THE MEANING OF PHYSICAL DEATH

            Here the discussion will cover the meaning of death to mankind in general, death to the unsaved, death to the Old Testament saints, and death to the New Testament saints.

Death to Mankind in General

            First of all, death is something that is inevitable to all mankind. Salomon writes in Ecclesiastes 3:2 there is a time to die. In context this may refer more to God’s decree than the mere inevitability of death. Also in Ecclesiastes 3:19“For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other” (see also Eccl 9:5).

Second, death is an enemy. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:26“the last enemy that will be abolished is death.”

Death to the Unsaved

            First of all, death mean to the unsaved is the loss of all good. The world philosophy says that the supreme good is pleasure or happiness. Paul quotes a saying in 1 Corinthians 15:32 which says, “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Second, death mean to the unsaved is an escape from the evils of life. In 1 Chronicles 10:4-5 Saul asked his armor bearer to kill him. In Revelation 9:6“and in those days men will seek death and will not find it; and they will long to die and death flees from them.”

Third, death mean to the unsaved is the precursor to divine judgment. In Hebrews 9:27 writes “It is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgment.”

Death to the Old Testament Saints

            Death to the Old Testament saints, in general, was a gloomy and darksome experience. Job writes in Job 10:20-22“before I go…to the land of darkness and deep shadow; the land of utter gloom as darkness itself, of deep shadow without order, and which shines as the darkness” (cf. 17:13;1 Sam 2:9; Ps 88:10-12; 143:3;Lam 3:6).  We reads in Psalm 6:5 “For there is no mention of Thee in death; in Sheol who will give Thee thanks?”

For Sheol as a place of silence (see Ps 31:17; 94:17; 115:17). There may be figurative language in some references to Sheol, expressions of distress and the like.[3]

However death was a gloomy to the Old Testament saints, there was a partial Amount of light to alleviate the gloom. This light was concerning the resurrection of the body. The doctrine of resurrection is not developed very fully in the OT, but it is the offsetting factor to all the gloom surrounding death. The intermediate state, however, remained a mystery.

Death to the New Testament Saints

            First, death mean to the New Testament is no longer feared. Paul writes in Romans 8:2 about Christians that they are “free from the law of sin and death.”  Also in Romans 8:38“Neither death…shall separate us from the love of God.” Further, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:56, 57 that God gives Christians the victory over death through Christ.

The writer of Hebrews writes in Hebrews 2:14-15 that Christ “rendered powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” Christ has conquered the power of death and has taken away its sting. Some Christians may still be in bondage because they haven’t comprehended Christ’s work.

Second, death is no longer a mystery. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that Christians “prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” Further, in 1 Thessalonians 5:10“whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.” Death is not a mystery because the truth about the intermediate state has been revealed. Death actually becomes a gateway into the presence of Christ Himself (Phil 1:23—“having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better”).

Third, death can be an instrument of chastening. God can discipline believers by death. In Hebrews 12:9“shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?” (See also 1 Corinthians 11:27-32 especially v. 30: “…a number sleep”).

Fourth, death is still an enemy to the believer of the New Testament saints. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:26 it is the “last enemy.”

Fifth, death is not inevitable. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:51“we shall not all sleep.”

CONCLUSION

            In conclusion, we covered topics in physical death such as, death in the Scriptures, origin of death, and the meaning of death.

When Lymann Abott wrote the following he was 80 years old:

I enjoy my home, my friends, my life. I shall be sorry to part from them. But I have always stood in the bow looking forward with hopeful anticipation. When the time comes for me to put out to sea, I think I shall still be standing in the bow and looking forward with eager interest and glad hopefulness to the new world to which the unknown voyage will take me.

The believer in Christ should have that assurance that one day will be with the Lord forever.

BIBLIGRAPHY

Boettner, Loraine. Immortality.Grand Rapids,MI: Eerdmans, 1957.

Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology.Grand Rapids,MI: Baker Academic, 1998.

_____________. Contemporary Options in Escatology.Grand Rapids,MI: Baker Academic, 1977.

Harris,MurrayJ. From Grave To Glory.Grand Rapids,MI: Zondervan, 1990.

____________. Raised Immortal.Grand Rapids,MI: Eerdmans, 1983.

Hoekema, Anthony A. The Bible and the Future.Grand Rapids,MI: Eerdmans, 1979.

Hoyt, Herman A. The End Times.Chicago,IL: Moody, 1969.

NIV Study Bible.Grand Rapids,MI: Zondervan, 2002.

Thiessen Henry C. Lectures in Systematic Theology.Grand Rapids,MI: Williams B. Eerdmans, 1949.

---

[1]Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1998), 1173.

[2]P. H. Davids, “Death,” Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 300.

[3]See the NIV Study Bible on Ps 30:1 (p. 813).

This Momentary Marriage by John Piper (free ebook)

John Piper provides this ebook about marriage for free.

This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence

Reflecting on forty years of matrimony, John Piper exalts the biblical meaning of marriage over its emotion, exhorting couples to keep their covenant for all the best reasons.

Even in the days when people commonly stayed married “til death do us part,” there has never been a generation whose view of marriage was high enough, says Pastor John Piper. That is all the more true in our casual times.

Though personal selfishness and cultural bondage obstruct the wonder of God’s purpose, it is found in God’s Word, where his design can awaken a glorious vision capable of freeing every person from small, Christ-ignoring, romance-intoxicated views. As Piper explains in reflecting on forty years of matrimony: “Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And ultimately, marriage is the display of God. It displays the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his people to the world in a way that no other event or institution does. Marriage,therefore, is not mainly about being in love. It’s mainly about telling the truth with our lives. And staying married is not about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant and putting the glory of Christ’s covenant-keeping love on display.”

This Momentary Marriage unpacks the biblical vision,its unexpected contours, and its weighty implications for married, single, divorced, and remarried alike.

 

The Judgment Seat of Christ: Christians’ Joy or shame!

Daniel Webster when asked once about the judgment seat of Christ he responded: “My greatest thought is my accountability to God.” Accountability is something all struggle with. Being accountable to someone or something means responsibilities. Webster’s dictionary defines accountability as the quality or state of being accountable; especially an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions. It is a sobering thought to think of the responsibility that one have toward God as a Christians and child of God. To think of being accountable of every action, word, attitude, and thought toward God may cause us to have a serious thought of the actions words, thoughts, and attitudes one does.

The Bible speaks of an evaluation, a judgment if you well for the Christians. Christ at his coming will judge his people (Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; etc). The Judgment seat of God/Christ could be of a blessing thought to a faithful believer but a serious embarrassing thought to the unfaithful believer. Yet the Scriptures teach it several times in the Bible (e.g. Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; 1 Peter 1:17; 2 John 8).

The name “judgment seat” comes from the Greek word bema referring to a raised step or platform located in a public area within a city. The civil magistrates would sit on such a seat when performing their judicial duties. Most of the New Testament references to this seat occur where an individual is brought before a ruling authority for the adjudication of some charge. When Herod Agrippa I met his sudden death in Caesarea, he was seated on a bema making a speech to a deputation from Tyre and Sidon after negotiating a treaty with them (Acts 12:21, 23). When the Corinthians Jews accused Paul before Gallio, they brought him before the bema (Acts 18:12, 16f). On two occasions, the expression “the judgment seat of God” (Romans 14:10) and “the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10) is found describing Christians standing before Christ at His return and being held accountable for their lives.

What kind of judgment is this and what exactly takes place at this judgment is the subject of much confusion and debate. Some view the judgment seat of Christ as a place of intense sorrow and shame, a place of terror. Others take the opposite position, viewing this as a place of no remorse or shame but only of rejoicing. In light of such divergence positions, it is important to study the biblical support.

This post will cover subjects such as, when does this judgment occur? Who is involved in this judgment? What precisely is judged? What is the purpose of this judgment?

Evidence from Key Passages

Although the expression “the judgment seat of Christ/God” is found only twice, there are actually three passages in the New Testament that directly discuss this event. All three are found in the writing of the apostle Paul: Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; and 2 Corinthians 5:6-10. In the first and third passage, Paul talks in general about the future evaluation of believers in the churches. In the second passage, he talks in particular about the future evaluation of ministers in the churches.

Romans 14:10-12 “10 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, ‘as I live says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’ 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.”

1 Corinthians 3:10-15. “10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful ho he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved yet so as through fire.”

2 Corinthians 5:6-10. “6 Therefore always of a good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

From these and related verses, the following questions need to be answered.

When Does This Judgment will occur?

From the above verses this judgment will occur in connection with the Lord’s return. The passage in 1 Corinthians 3:13 Paul mention this judgment that it is going to happened in that “day”. This day is the known long expression of the day of the Lord. This expression is found in Paul’s writing elsewhere to describe events surrounding the second advent of Christ (1 Cor 1:8 it is clear from this passage Paul is talking about future event; Phil 1:6 “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus”). More particularly, the judgment seat of Christ, as a part of this “day,” will come after the rapture of the church (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2; cf. Revelation 3:10). Ryrie comments on the time of this judgment said, “Though not specifically stated, this judgment will…take place immediately after the Rapture of the church, since the twenty-four elders who likely represent believers have their crowns in the scene in heaven at the beginning of the Tribulation (Revelation 4:4, 10).”[1] It occurs while the believers are in heaven with Christ (John 14:1-3) and before Christ returns to the earth at the end of the Tribulation to vanquish His enemies and establish His kingdom (Revelation 19:11-20:6; cf. 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:8).

Who Is Involved in this Judgment?

According to the above, this judgment is specifically for Christians, that is, for believers in the body of Christ. Writing to the church at Corinth, Paul says, “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10; cf. Romans 14:10). The expression “all” in this context refers to Paul and his readers, that is, to believers as members of Christ’s body, the church (1 Corinthians 12:13; Colossians 1:18, 24). Other judgments are mentioned in God’s Word, but Christians are not involved in these. Two examples of these judgments are in Matthew 25:31-46, which talks about Christ’s judging the nations at the end of the Tribulation period, and Revelation 20:11-15, which speaks of the judgment of all unbelievers at the Great White Throne of God.

What Precisely is Judged?

This judgment involves an evaluation of the believer’s works. In Romans 14:12 Paul states, “so then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” “As Lord, Jesus will one day review and evaluate the ministry of His servants at His judgment seat (bēma; cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10). Paul affirmed the certainty of this event by quoting Isaiah 49:18 and 45:23, pertaining to everyone standing before Christ and confessing Him as Lord (cf. Philippians 2:10-11). At that event each believer will give an account (lit., “a word”) of himself to God.” [2] In 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, Paul states precisely that it is our “works” that are to be examined, and, in particular, our works performed as co-laborers with Christ as Christian servants. Moreover, these works are judged by Christ to determine whether they are good or evil, that is whether they are those that Christ can approve (“gold, silver, precious stones”) or not approve (“wood, hay, straw”). As noted earlier, 1 Corinthians 3 is specifically talks about the evaluation of ministers. However, the language Paul uses appear to be talking in general to all believers. Furthermore, Paul picks up the same theme in 2 Corinthians 5:10 and expands this evaluation to include all of his readers as believers in the body of Christ. On the other hand 2 Corinthians 5:10 seems to include all the deeds done in the body each one will be receiving rewards “according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” What is specifically good or bad mean or how the works will be categorized as good or bad is not clearly defined. However, the Greek lexicon help us in defining the Greek words for good and bad behind the English. The Greek word for good is agathos it is an adjective. AV translates as “good” 77 times. The word mean (1). “that of good constitution or nature”; (2). “Useful, salutary;” (3). “Good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy;” (4). “Excellent, distinguished; (5). Upright, honorable.” Therefore, a good work is a work that has value and useful or good, motivated by faith and love toward God (James 2:21). The Greek word for bad is phaulos it is an adjective as well. It describe the deeds that has been done in the body. It occur four times in the New Testament; AV translates as “evil” four times. Strong lexicon translates it as, “easy, slight, ordinary, mean, and worthless, of no account. Ethically: bad, base, wicked. Thus the word could possibly mean that which is worthless with no value or account. Motivated by bad motivation, and wicked.

What is the Purpose of This Judgment?

The purpose of this judgment is to issue rewards for service. Again, Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:14, “If anyone’s work…endures, he will receive a reward.” According to this verse, the judgment seat of Christ does not directly address the believer’s sin, though it is understood that sin is the reason why a specific work would be counted worthless. This judgment will not in any way affect the salvation of the individual. In verse 15 this is shown clearly, “If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” It is the labor that was put in building that is going to be burned, and the loss that he suffers could be referring to the loss of the works plus the reward that would otherwise have been his.

However, having said that, this question is the most controversial question and hard to be answered. Some scholars say what about sins in the life of the believer, particularly unconfessed sins? When or where are these addressed? It cannot be stressed too strongly that the believer’s sins—past, present, and future—have once for all been forgiven at the moment of salvation and the believer will never face eternal condemnation (Romans 8:1; Hebrews 9:11-14; 10:10; 1 John 1:7-9).  Chafer in his comments on the Judgment seat of Christ says:

With reference to sin, Scripture teaches that child of God under grace shall not come into judgment (John 3:18; 5:24; 6:37; Romans 5:1; 8:1; 1 Corinthians 11:32); in his standing before God, and on the ground that the penalty for all sin—past, present, and future (Colossians 2:13—has been borne by Christ as the perfect Substitute, the believer is not only placed beyond condemnation, but being in Christ is accepted in the perfection of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:6; Colossians 2:10; Hebrews 10:14) and loved of God as Christ is loved (John 17:23).[3]

However, unconfessed sin does affect the believer, but it is the believer’s fellowship with God in this life that is affected. When sin are committed they are committed against God and it grief the Holy Spirit of God who cry inside of us “Abba, father” (Galatians 4:6). In order to restore any hindered fellowship with God the believer are to confess genuinely and repent of his sin that was committed against God (1 John 1:9).

Conclusion

From all of this we can conclude that the judgment seat of Christ is a serious matter. It reminds us of the importance and necessity of faithful living as we will certainly give an account of our lives on that day before an omniscient and holy Christ. The Scripture teach us that to each one of us was give a gift, a talent, a capacity, an ability, endowment (Romans 12:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12-14). God expect from us to use it wisely and according to His revealed will for His glory. The motivation for using our gifts are the obedience of God’s word and love for Him and the other believers.

However, we should never forget that the coming of the Lord is a blessed hope (Titus 2:13). We will receive our resurrected bodies in which sin no longer dwells (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2). We will stand glorified before Christ without fear of condemnation. Our Lord Jesus Christ has once for all borne the guilt of our sins and has paid forever the full penalty of God’s wrath. The over all picture, it will be a time of joy and rejoicing in the grace and goodness of God in saving us and giving us eternal life.

The emotional condition of the redeemed is that of complete and unending happiness. Emotion proceeds from the realization of facts in personal experience. Hope will at last become reality for all those who are delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:18–25). Elimination of the curse, pain and death will also remove sorrow, tears and crying (Revelation 21:4).[4]

The judgment seat of Christ might be compared to a commencement ceremony. At graduation there is some measure of disappointment and remorse that one did not do better and work harder. However, at such an event the overwhelming emotion is joy, not remorse. The graduates do not leave the auditorium weeping because they did not earn better grades. Rather, they are thankful that they have been graduated, and they are grateful for what they did achieve. To overdo the sorrow aspect of the judgment seat of Christ is to make heaven hell. To undergo the sorrow aspect is to make faithfulness inconsequential.[5]

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Benware, Paul N. Understanding End Times Prophecy: A Comprehensive Approach. Chicago: Moody, 1995.

_________. “The Biblical Doctrine of the Judgments.” In The Fundamentals For the Twenty-First Century: Examining the Crucial Issues of the Christian Faith. Ed. Mal Couch. Kregel: Grand Rapids, MI, 2000.

Chafer, Lewis Sperry. Major Bible Themes. Revised by John F. Walvoord. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974.

Couch, Mal. The Blessed Hope of the Church: The Rapture and the Bema Judgment.” In The Fundamentals For the Twenty-First Century: Examining the Crucial Issues of the Christian Faith. Ed. Mal Couch. Kregel: Grand Rapids, MI, 2000

Keathley, Hampton, J. III. The Doctrine of Rewards: The Judgment Seat (Bema) of Christ. Bible.org. Internet. http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=407. Accessed September 14, 2007.

Hoyt, Herman A. The End Times. Chicago: Moody, 1969.

Hoyt, Samuel L. “The Judgment Seat of Christ and Unconfessed Sins.” Bibliotheca Sacra 137 (January-March 1980): 32-40.

___________. “The Negative Aspects of the Christian’s Judgment.” Bibliotheca Sacra 137 (April-June 1980): 125-132.

Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understanding Biblical Truth. Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1986.

Witmer, John A. “Romans.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament. ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, 432-503. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983.

Footnotes:

[1]Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide to Understaning Biblical Truth, (Wheaton, IL: Victor, 1986), 597.

[2]John A  Witmer, “Romans,” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, 432-503. (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983), 492.

[3]Lewis Sperry Chafer, Major Bible Themes, Revised by John F. Walvoord. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1974), 282.

[4]Herman A. Hoyt, The End Times, (Chicago: Moody, 1969) 232-33.

[5]Samuel L. Hoyt, “The Negative Aspects of the Christian’s Judgment.” Bibliotheca Sacra 137 (April-June 1980): 131.

Expository Preaching: Sermon Notes

Dr. David Jeremiah pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon has his small group notes of his sermons online for those of you who would like to benefit from his excellent way to outline a passage of sermon.

Related articles

• Expository Sermons, Defined (compasschurchamman.wordpress.com)
• Expository Sermons, ten steps for sermon preparation (compasschurchamman.wordpress.com)