Friday, 29 November 2013
Saturday, 20 April 2013
END-TIME CHRISTIAN YOUTHS NETWORK: THE END-TIME TRIBULATION ON THE WORLD
END-TIME CHRISTIAN YOUTHS NETWORK: THE END-TIME TRIBULATION ON THE WORLD: REVELATION 6:7-8 (John) 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I look...
Saturday, 13 April 2013
THE END-TIME TRIBULATION ON THE WORLD
REVELATION 6:7-8 (John)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
REVELATION 6:12-13 (John)
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
REVELATION 16:2 (John)
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
REVELATION 16:8-9 (John)
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
REVELATION 16:10-11 (John)
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Note: The above scriptures show some of the tribulation which will come on the wicked people on the earth during that last few years of this present age, when they will suffer the seven seal judgements (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1-5). The last of these includes the seven trumpet judgements (Revelation 8:6-13; 9:1-21; 11:15-19), and the seven vial judgements (Revelation 16:1-21). We see a quarter of the population of the earth killed with sword, hunger etc. (Revelation 6:8), earthquakes, the sun becoming black, the stars of heaven falling (Revelation 6:12-13), people suffering with grievous sores (Revelation 16:2), men scorched with fire (Revelation 16:8-9), people gnawing their tongues with pain (Revelation 16:10), and these are only a few of the troubles. The end of all this will be the destruction of the wicked who attack Jerusalem:
(Zechariah 14:12) "And this shall be the plague with which the LORD shall smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth."
We can therefore forget the idea that great tribulation will only come on the Jews. All the world will suffer.
THE END-TIME TRIBULATION ON THE WORLD
REVELATION 6:7-8 (John)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
REVELATION 6:12-13 (John)
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
REVELATION 16:2 (John)
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
REVELATION 16:8-9 (John)
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
REVELATION 16:10-11 (John)
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Note: The above scriptures show some of the tribulation which will come on the wicked people on the earth during that last few years of this present age, when they will suffer the seven seal judgements (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1-5). The last of these includes the seven trumpet judgements (Revelation 8:6-13; 9:1-21; 11:15-19), and the seven vial judgements (Revelation 16:1-21). We see a quarter of the population of the earth killed with sword, hunger etc. (Revelation 6:8), earthquakes, the sun becoming black, the stars of heaven falling (Revelation 6:12-13), people suffering with grievous sores (Revelation 16:2), men scorched with fire (Revelation 16:8-9), people gnawing their tongues with pain (Revelation 16:10), and these are only a few of the troubles. The end of all this will be the destruction of the wicked who attack Jerusalem:
(Zechariah 14:12) "And this shall be the plague with which the LORD shall smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth."
We can therefore forget the idea that great tribulation will only come on the Jews. All the world will suffer.
THE END-TIME TRIBULATION ON THE WORLD
REVELATION 6:7-8 (John)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
REVELATION 6:12-13 (John)
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
REVELATION 16:2 (John)
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
REVELATION 16:8-9 (John)
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
REVELATION 16:10-11 (John)
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Note: The above scriptures show some of the tribulation which will come on the wicked people on the earth during that last few years of this present age, when they will suffer the seven seal judgements (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1-5). The last of these includes the seven trumpet judgements (Revelation 8:6-13; 9:1-21; 11:15-19), and the seven vial judgements (Revelation 16:1-21). We see a quarter of the population of the earth killed with sword, hunger etc. (Revelation 6:8), earthquakes, the sun becoming black, the stars of heaven falling (Revelation 6:12-13), people suffering with grievous sores (Revelation 16:2), men scorched with fire (Revelation 16:8-9), people gnawing their tongues with pain (Revelation 16:10), and these are only a few of the troubles. The end of all this will be the destruction of the wicked who attack Jerusalem:
(Zechariah 14:12) "And this shall be the plague with which the LORD shall smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth."
We can therefore forget the idea that great tribulation will only come on the Jews. All the world will suffer.
THE END-TIME TRIBULATION ON THE WORLD
REVELATION 6:7-8 (John)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
REVELATION 6:12-13 (John)
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
REVELATION 16:2 (John)
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
REVELATION 16:8-9 (John)
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
REVELATION 16:10-11 (John)
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Note: The above scriptures show some of the tribulation which will come on the wicked people on the earth during that last few years of this present age, when they will suffer the seven seal judgements (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1-5). The last of these includes the seven trumpet judgements (Revelation 8:6-13; 9:1-21; 11:15-19), and the seven vial judgements (Revelation 16:1-21). We see a quarter of the population of the earth killed with sword, hunger etc. (Revelation 6:8), earthquakes, the sun becoming black, the stars of heaven falling (Revelation 6:12-13), people suffering with grievous sores (Revelation 16:2), men scorched with fire (Revelation 16:8-9), people gnawing their tongues with pain (Revelation 16:10), and these are only a few of the troubles. The end of all this will be the destruction of the wicked who attack Jerusalem:
(Zechariah 14:12) "And this shall be the plague with which the LORD shall smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth."
We can therefore forget the idea that great tribulation will only come on the Jews. All the world will suffer.
THE END-TIME TRIBULATION ON THE WORLD
REVELATION 6:7-8 (John)
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: his name who sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
REVELATION 6:12-13 (John)
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
12 And when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
REVELATION 16:2 (John)
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast, and upon those who worshipped his image.
REVELATION 16:8-9 (John)
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given to him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, who has power over these plagues: and they did not repent to give him glory.
REVELATION 16:10-11 (John)
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
Note: The above scriptures show some of the tribulation which will come on the wicked people on the earth during that last few years of this present age, when they will suffer the seven seal judgements (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1-5). The last of these includes the seven trumpet judgements (Revelation 8:6-13; 9:1-21; 11:15-19), and the seven vial judgements (Revelation 16:1-21). We see a quarter of the population of the earth killed with sword, hunger etc. (Revelation 6:8), earthquakes, the sun becoming black, the stars of heaven falling (Revelation 6:12-13), people suffering with grievous sores (Revelation 16:2), men scorched with fire (Revelation 16:8-9), people gnawing their tongues with pain (Revelation 16:10), and these are only a few of the troubles. The end of all this will be the destruction of the wicked who attack Jerusalem:
(Zechariah 14:12) "And this shall be the plague with which the LORD shall smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth."
We can therefore forget the idea that great tribulation will only come on the Jews. All the world will suffer.
Monday, 8 April 2013
SOWING&REAPING
| CP means 'Compare Passage' Just as surely as everything in nature reproduces after its kind, harvests being as sure as sowings, so every one of us will reap what we sow in this life and be solely responsible for our destiny in eternity (CP Ga 6:7-8). This is God's law of sowing and reaping and it applies to every aspect of our Christian walk - to the giving of ourselves, our finances and our time to others; our financial support of the ministry; our moral behaviour and our Christian service. V8 clearly teaches that anyone who claims to be born again of the Spirit of God while consciously sowing to the flesh deceives themselves. It is folly for them to think that they will reap eternal life while they sow to things that will eternally damn them (CP Psa 15:1-5; Pr 22:8). There is no difference between the Old Testament and New Testament requirements for salvation. They are the same: only those who sow to the kingdom will reap the kingdom benefits (CP 1Cor 6:9-11; Eph 5:5). Paul is talking to two Churches here so this is for our admonition too. Anyone who persists in the evils of the wicked faces the same final judgement as the wicked (CP Hos 8:7). The seed of their wickedness will produce an abundant harvest of punishment. Sinful actions sow seeds that yield evil fruit (CP Pr 11:18). Those who sow righteousness shall have a sure reward (CP Psa 126:5-6). These verses are generally used to teach the principle of sowing the gospel and reaping souls for Christ, and although that teaching can be applied, it is not what the verses mean literally. They simply express the great truth of sowing and reaping. The sowing of seeds accompanied by a spirit of brokenness will be abundantly blessed by God in the future. This encourages us to sow to righteousness through deeds of righteous obedience for a rich harvest of God's blessings (CP Pr 11:30-31). The righteous produce eternal life for sinners by winning them to God. Both the righteous and the wicked will reap what they sow (CP Eze 18:20-28). These passages clearly teach that once saved does not mean always saved as some teach. We can only be assured of a place in the kingdom if we are sowing to the Spirit at the end of our earthly life (CP Rev 22:11). As we are when we die is how we will be for all eternity. This clearly proves that there will be no chance to improve the life and character of anyone after they die (CP He 9:27). We need to know these scriptures in order to share them with others who do not know this (CP Lu 16:19-31). There is marvellous teaching in this scripture. But first and foremost it does not teach that the rich go to hell and the poor go to heaven. Where we spend eternity is dependent entirely upon our relationship with Jesus, not whether we are rich or poor. What it does teach is that there is no intermediate state as some believe between death and our final destination in eternity called "purgatory". At death the soul and spirit of the righteous go straight to heaven while the soul and spirit of the unrighteous go straight to hell. There is no such place as "purgatory", and neither is there any further opportunity for sinners to repent. The choices we make in our earthly life determine where we will spend eternity (CP Pr 21:13; 22:9). If we want God to hear our prayers when we are in need then we must also hear and respond in love to the needs of others. God has a special concern for the weak and the helpless. They are very important in His plan of redemption and He blesses those who help them. If we share God's pity for those in need we can confidently expect Him to deliver us if ever we are in trouble ourselves (CP Pr 19:17). There is no clearer evidence in scripture than this of how God identifies with the plight of poor people. The help we give them becomes God's own debt to us. We should consider this the greatest privilege in life: to be able to lend to God (CP Psa 41:1-3). Poor here means helpless and powerless, poor in health, weak and gaunt. The blessing promised to the saints here who minister to the needy is the resurrection. That is what "The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive" means in V2 (CP Psa 112:9). Paul quotes this Psalm to encourage Christian giving (CP 2Cor 9:1-15). This scripture teaches there are four things we must do in giving: we must give willingly from the heart; we must not give grudgingly; we must not give of compulsion; we must give cheerfully. Believers who give what they can to help those in need will find that the grace of God furnishes a sufficiency for their own needs and even more in order that they may abound in good works for others (CP Pr 11:24-25). God blesses those who are generous, whether it be in their finances or the giving of themselves. We are all stewards of God's gifts and we must use them for His cause and for the benefit of those in need. God promises that those who are generous will get back more than they give (CP Ecc 11:1-6). We must always be willing to be generous and helpful and not withhold from anyone, for nobody knows when they may need help themselves. V3 illustrates the certainty of blessing. Just as surely as nature is unfailing, so then whoever helps others in need will themselves be blessed in due course. V6 is a similar teaching to Ga 6:9 (CP Ga 6:9-10). While ever we keep doing good in spite of the opposition we will encounter, in due course we will reap the fruit of the harvest, and notwithstanding that we are to do good unto all men, we are to be particularly concerned with the well-being of our brothers and sisters in Christ. In the Greek construction of V10 Paul is exhorting the Church to not only do good when the opportunity presents itself, but to look for opportunities to do good (CP Mt 25:31-46). All of our giving has to be as to God our source, for whatever we do we are doing it as unto Jesus. Jesus equates our treatment of those in need with our treatment of Himself: what we do for them we do for Him. Our Christian walk is not only a spiritual walk, it must also serve the material needs of others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ (CP Jas 2:13-17). Here we are presented with the real test of our faith. Christians are not justified by works, but because we are justified by faith, we do the works. This proves our Christian consecration to God's service and confirms our love for God and for each other (CP 1Jn 3:16-19). The only faith that saves is that demonstrated by works out of our love for God. This scripture is the exact counterpart of Jn 3:16. This is the acid test of Christianity by which we know whether we are following the example of God's love to others. If we are not willing to give of material things to others in need, we certainly would not lay down our lives for them (CP 2Cor 8:1-15). 2Cor 8-9 contain the most extensive teaching about Christian giving in the New Testament. The principles and promises in these two chapters are a guide for believers and Churches for all time. They teach that we belong to God and what we have is held as a trust for our Lord, that we must make the basic decision within our hearts to serve God and not money (CP Mt 6:24); that our giving is done to help those in need and to advance the Kingdom of God; that our giving should be in proportion to our income (CP 1Cor 16:1-2). It is not important how much we give as we learned from 2Cor 8:12, providing we are eager to give it. We can only give in accordance with what we have. We are not forced to give what we do not have. Giving is seen as proof of our love. It should be done sacrificially and voluntarily. By giving to God we sow not only money but also faith, time and service, thus reaping greater faith and blessing in return (CP 1Ti 6:17-19). Here Church leaders are urged to teach against the selfish use of personal wealth and to persuade wealthy members of their congregations to give liberally to God's work and lay up for themselves treasures in heaven (CP Mt 6:19-24; Lu 12:15; 2Cor 9:5-6; Col 3:5; He 13:5). It is not enough that wealth and material possessions should be acquired simply for our own self-gratification. They must always be made available for the work of God (CP Lu 6:38). God's law of sowing and reaping dictates that blessings will always be returned for generosity. This teaches once more that giving and receiving go together, though we should never give in order to receive. That would be self-centredness - our giving would be profit-motivated instead of being motivated by love. Receiving is not an enticement to give but the law of sowing and reaping is a principle of life already established by God and we have no say in the matter. It is an assurance that sets us free to give (CP Ge 8:22). There are a lot of Christians however who expect to receive the kingdom benefits without ever giving into the kingdom. But how can God bless us with all the fullness of His blessings for giving if we do not give in the first place, and how can His kingdom be extended if we do not financially support it? (CP 1Cor 9:1-14). Paul was pointing out to the Corinthian Church here that it was their duty to keep him even though he chose to keep himself (CP 2Th 3:7-9). It is the Church's responsibility to ensure that those who minister the word live off the word (CP Ga 6:6). It is the duty of all who are taught the word to help provide material support for those who teach the word. This includes all those who pastor the Churches, missionaries, etc (CP 3Jn 5-8). This scripture teaches us that no workers of the word should have to seek help from those they are trying to evangelise. To have to seek help from unbelievers could hinder the gospel and expose the messengers of the gospel to charges of preaching for financial gain. Christians have a duty, and it should be seen as a privilege, to contribute to missionary needs and works. Workers of the word must not be treated like beggars, but received, sent and supported in a manner worthy of God (CP Mt 10:40; Lu 10:3-7; Php 4:10-18; 1Ti 5:17-18; Tit 3:13). Jesus promises that "he that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward." (CP Mt 10:41-42). This teaches us how important it is in God's economy for Christians to receive and support true messengers of the gospel but conversely, we should not receive and support anyone who does not proclaim God's truth according to the New Testament revelation, or who do not live godly lives according to God's righteous standards. If we support them we will bring ourselves into their condemnation (CP 2Jn 7-11). It should be noted here that none of the scriptures studied so far concerning the giving of our finances into the work of God are referring to tithes, but to freewill offerings. The New Testament does not stress tithing but rather, as the scriptures so far studied indicate, invites Christians to give generously in response to the needs of others and as an expression of their love for God. A great many Christians believe that tithing is purely an Old Testament concept and does not translate to New Testament giving. They believe that under the New Covenant the supreme law of love has been substituted for Old Testament tithing and that New Testament giving is centred entirely around stewardship - the giving of ourselves completely to the work of God, which includes our time, our finances, and our material possessions. They believe that we are to give voluntarily, spontaneously and freely, not from a sense of obligation, nor with an intent to merit God's blessings. God has given wonderfully to us and is deserving of all that we might be moved to give Him. Many of these Christians use the tithe as the minimum standard by which they measure their giving to the Lord, but they do not accept that the tithe is required by scripture. They do not agree that scriptures teach that the tithe Abraham paid to Melchizedec established a precedent for tithing that New Testament Christians must follow. Rather they believe that Abraham's tithe had special symbolic implications related to establishing Christ's eternal priesthood. They believe this is borne out by the writer of Hebrews when he contrasts Christ's eternal priesthood with the temporary Levitical priesthood (CP Ge 14:1-20 with He 6:17-9:17). Whether or not we agree with that is beside the point here, suffice it to say that at the heart of all giving is the acknowledgement that God is the creator, the owner and the giver of all things, and what we give back to God is only a part of what He has given to us in the first place (CP Ge 1:1; Ex 19:5; 1Chr 29:11-16; Psa 24:1-2; 50:10-12; Hag 2:8; Jn 1:1-3; Jas 1:17). Everything we have belongs to the Lord. No one has anything that they had not first received from God (CP De 8:7-20; Job 1:21; Jn 3:27; 1Cor 4:7; 2Pe 1:3). (Concerning Job 1:21 we must remember that Job did not have a complete revelation of God when he said "... and the Lord hath taken away." Job did not know that it was not God but the devil afflicting him. He knew God gave him all he had and so he believed it was God also who took it away. But we know better - we have the book of Job to teach us yet Job's misconception of God has been perpetuated in Christendom ever since. Let us not perpetuate it any further.) To sum up here, our stewardship is a valid test of our relationship with God (CP Mt 25:14-30). This parable of the talents warns us that our place and our service in heaven will depend on the faithfulness of our lives and stewardship here on earth. A talent represents our abilities, time, resources and opportunities to serve God while on earth. These things are considered by God as a trust that we are to administer on His behalf in the wisest possible way. We will all have to give an account of our stewardship to the Lord in due course and every work we do in the meantime will be brought into judgement (CP Ecc 12:13-14;Mt 5:20; Lu 16:1-2; Ro 14:12; 1Cor 4:1-2). Christian giving should always be characterised by what Paul says in 2Cor 9:7, "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." |
The Rapture
CP means 'Compare Passage'A great many professing Christians dismiss the doctrine of the rapture as a fallacy of fundamentalism because the word rapture is not found in scripture, but neither is the word Trinity, yet they accept the doctrine of the Trinity as a valid scriptural teaching without any reservation whatsoever. It is not crucial to sound Christian doctrine that the word defining it is not in scripture. What is crucial is that the doctrine itself stresses its authority in scripture. Both the doctrines of the Trinity and the rapture stress their authority in scripture. The doctrine of the Trinity perfectly defines the scriptural fact of the three-in-one Godhead: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (CP 1Jn 5:7). The doctrine of the rapture perfectly defines the scriptural fact of the event that will take place when Jesus comes back to take the Church up to heaven with Him at the end of this dispensation (CP 1Th 4:17). It is incongruous that the doctrine of the Trinity is so readily accepted but the doctrine of the rapture is not. The rapture signifies the end of the Church age as well as the end of this dispensation, and every professing Christian needs to know about it. Most born again believers accept the rapture as a valid biblical teaching but are not sure when it will happen - whether it will be before, during or after the Great Tribulation. The purpose of this study is to establish the fact, the manner and the time frame in which it will occur by the scriptures. They alone are the final authority on all questions of doctrine and they teach us all things. The word rapture is derived from a Latin word, raptus, which means being caught away or caught up. Its equivalent Greek word is harpazo, which also means being caught away or caught up. It is found a number of times in scripture to describe being bodily translated from one place to another (CP Ac 8:39-40). Philip was bodily translated from the waterhole beside the Gaza Road where he had just baptised the Ethiopian eunuch to a town called Azotus nearly twenty-five miles away (CP 2Cor 12:1-4). Paul was translated alive to heaven, though whether it was an in-the-body experience or out-of-the-body experience he did not know. Suffice it to say he was translated alive. He was raptured - caught up to heaven - for a time of learning from the Lord (CP Ge 5:21-24; He 11:5). Enoch was the first of two Old Testament saints raptured to heaven. He is still there, which makes him the oldest living human being - well over 5,000 years old. (Enoch was the father of Methuselah, who has the longest earthly life on record - 969 years (Ge 5:27) Methuselah was the grandfather of Noah). The other Old Testament saint raptured to heaven is Elijah (CP 2Ki 2:1-12). He is also still living in heaven, which proves that being translated from the earth while still living is no new thing with God. Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary defines rapture as a state of being caught up or carried away with joy, love, ecstasy. What other word could better portray the way the Church will be transported to heaven with Jesus. That is why it is called the rapture. Every born again believer knows something about the rapture but not too many fully understand it. Generally it is because they confuse the scriptures referring to the rapture with the scriptures referring to Christ's second coming. They are two distinct and separate events in time and we really need to be able to distinguish between the scriptures concerning them (CP Isa 63:1-6,Dan 2:44-45; 7:13-14, 18, 27; Joel 3:1-21; Zech 14:1-5, 9, 16-21; Mt 24:27-44; 25:31; Mk 13:24-27; Lu 21:25-28; 2Th 1:7-10; Jude 14-15; Rev 1:7; 19:11-21). All those scriptures concern the second coming of Christ, not the rapture. They relate to the Antichrist, the Great Tribulation, the battle of Armageddon, the Judgement of the Nations and the setting up of the millennial kingdom, etc. This is when Christ comes back to earth with His saints. The rapture is when Christ comes in the air, for the saints, to take them to heaven. There will be at least seven years between this event and His second coming. We will study all the scriptures concerning the rapture shortly but first turn to Lu 21:25-26,36. Jesus alludes to the rapture here in Verse 36. It is the first reference to the rapture in scripture. Jesus tells His listeners that there is a way to escape the horrendous events of the Great Tribulation He was describing in V25-26, and that is to be accounted worthy to escape them. The only way to escape them though is to be removed from the earth beforehand, because they will affect everyone on earth. This also proves the rapture will precede the Tribulation (CP Jn 14:1-3). Here we get a clearer picture of how the Church is going to be taken out of the way of the Great Tribulation, and if there was no other proof in scripture the promise of Jesus here alone would suffice. We can be secure in the knowledge that as surely as Jesus went to heaven so will He return for His own to take them there too (CP Jn 14:19). Jesus said, "Because I live ye shall live also." We live, not in anticipation of physical death as unbelievers do, but in anticipation of Jesus coming again for us, and whether we be living or dead at that time we shall rise together with Him in glory. This is assured because Jesus has already risen and ascended to heaven and that is why His resurrection is so important to believers - not only does it guarantee the future resurrection and ascension of those who have died in Christ and are in the grave, it also guarantees the rapture of those still living at that time. The ultimate purpose of the Lord coming back for His saints is so they will be with Him in all eternity, and taking them to heaven is simply the first step in His purpose (CP 1Cor15:12-23, 32, 42-44, 50-58; 1Th 4:13-18). If there is no rapture these scriptures are meaningless, but they are not meaningless at all. They clearly express God's eternal purpose and plan for His saints and are unassailable proof of the fact and the manner of the rapture for those who dismiss the rapture as a fallacy of fundamentalism. We learn from these scriptures that the spirits and the souls of all the dead saints will be brought back from heaven to be united to their resurrected bodies. Their corruptible bodies will rise up from the grave and put on incorruption while the mortal bodies of the saints still living at that time will put on immortality. Then we will all meet up together in the clouds before going to the place Jesus has prepared for us in heaven as He promised in Jn 14:1-3. 1Cor 15:51-58 is the first clear reference in scripture to the rapture (CP Php 3:11-12, 20-21). This is another clear promise of the rapture. The word conversation in V20 means citizenship. This teaches us that our citizenship is in heaven from whence we look for Jesus to come and take us unto Himself. Paul reaffirms here what he told the Corinthian Church, that when Jesus comes He will change our natural bodies to spiritual, from mortal to immortal, from corruption to incorruption and from weakness and humiliation to glory and power. We also learn here that our new transformed bodies will be flesh and bone like Christ's body of glory which He showed to the disciples before He ascended to heaven (CP Lu 24:36-43). The Church and all the saints of God will go up to be with Jesus - Old Testament and New Testament saints alike - right back from Abel onwards. This even includes Rahab the harlot (CP Josh 2:1-3, 6:17-25; He 11:31; Jas 2:25). Christ died to redeem the Old Testament saints too. They looked forward to the cross and its salvation benefits in faith, as we look back to it in faith. We are all one in Christ now (CP Ro 3:23-26; He 9:13-15; 11:4-5, 7-10, 13-16, 39-40). The rapture of the Church, the raising of the dead saints and all the saints that come out of the Tribulation, including God's two witnesses who were killed in Rev 11, until the second coming of Christ all form part of what the Bible calls the first resurrection (CP Dan 12:2; Lu 14:13-14; 20:34-38; Jn 5:28-29; Ac 24:14-15; He 11:35; Rev 11:3-12; 14:9-13; 20:4-6). There will be two resurrections of the dead. The first resurrection is to eternal life for the righteous dead, who will be judged at the Judgement Seat of Christ and the second resurrection - over 1,000 years later - is to eternal damnation for the wicked dead. They will be judged and consigned to hell at the Great White Throne Judgement (CP 2Cor 5:10; Rev 20:4-6, 11-15). The rapture is the blessed hope of the Church. The Church has been waiting for it to happen since Paul's day. Paul knew the rapture could have happened in his lifetime, and he communicated that anticipation to the Thessalonian Church (CP 1Th 4:13-18). We likewise are to be in eager anticipation of it and communicate it to others also (CP Ro 13:11-14; 1Cor 10:1-12; 2Cor 5:1-4; Php 4:5; Tit 2:11-15). The rapture is a purifying hope - the source of inspiration and consecration for all sincere Christians, and a comfort to those being persecuted for Jesus' sake (CP Eph 5:25-27; Col 3:1-6;1Th 3:12-13; 5:23; 2Th 3:5; Jas 5:7-9; 1Pe 5:4; 1Jn 2:28; 3:1-3; Jude 24). The first intimation we have of the rapture is when Jesus alluded to it in Lu 21:36, and as indirect a reference as it is, nonetheless it teaches us that there is a way to escape the Great Tribulation and that is to be accounted worthy. The more scriptures we study the more we see the Church as being accounted worthy through the Blood of Christ (CP Ro 5:8-10). The Church is not going to go through the Tribulation. The Tribulation is God's wrath poured out upon sinners, not saints (CP Eph 5:1-7). Paul is talking to the Christian Church here. This admonition is for us also. It teaches that only those walking in the light as God is in the light will be taken up in the rapture. Those of us who do not remain faithful to the salvation benefits wrought out for us by Christ on the Cross of Calvary will have the wrath of God poured out upon them the same as unbelievers. They will go through the Tribulation with the unbelievers (CP 1Th 1:6, 9-10). This makes it clear that truly faithful believers are not appointed to go through the Tribulation, and that they can know they will be taken out of the way when Jesus returns for His saints. This is also what Jesus promised the Philadelphia Church in Rev 3:7-13 (CP 1Th 5:1-11). This teaches us that the Day of the Lord, designated by the Tribulation will not overtake us like a thief in the night because we are not the children of darkness, who it will overtake, but the children of Light, and we are not appointed to go through the Tribulation. Again we see that God's wrath is to be poured out upon sinners, not saints. This is further proof for those who are not sure that the rapture will precede the Great Tribulation, however we must all comply with the conditions of V6-8 to qualify for the rapture. We are not to sleep, but watch and be sober. That means we are to be spiritually prepared. We are to live soberly and righteously and not get drunk. We are to live as the children of the day, not as the children of the night. The word sober here has two meanings - one is literal and refers to abstaining from strong drink. The other is metaphorical and means alertness, wakefulness, self-control. We are to be alert spiritually and self-controlled just as someone who does not touch strong drink. Paul used both meanings in this passage. We are also called to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold of eternal life (CP Mt 25:1-13). We cannot be indifferent and careless like the five virgins in this passage who went to sleep with no oil in their lamps but rather we are to be like the servants who when their lord returned were waiting to open the door to him (CP Lu 12:35-48). Verses 45-48 carry a grim warning for professing Christians who fail to abstain from evil and are unfaithful to Christ. They will be left behind at the rapture. Once more we learn that only those who comply with the conditions will qualify for the rapture (CP Rev 2:1-3:22). Of the seven Churches Jesus addressed here He promises to keep one only from the hour of trial - the Great Tribulation - and that is the Church of Philadelphia (Rev 3:7-13). Jesus confirms here what Paul told the Thessalonians in 1Th 1:10. They were the only ones who remained faithful to His word and did not surrender to their circumstances. This also is further proof of a pre-Tribulation rapture. Rev 3:11 refers to the rapture but it highlights another important teaching too: while those seven Churches were actual Churches in the cities mentioned at the time of John's revelation, they are also representative of all Churches in all ages from then until the rapture ends the Church age. The letters to the Churches are to be interpreted as not only applying for that time but as having an ongoing application for all generations, including ours. Jesus is talking to us here too both corporately and individually and we had best examine ourselves to ensure that we belong to the Philadelphia Church, otherwise we will not be going up in the rapture. Philadelphia means the love of brethren. Does that apply to us as a body and to each of us personally? Can we honestly say we love the brethren as Christ loves us, because God says that it is only our love of brethren that proves our love for Him. Brethren means every other Christian - not only those who are easy to love but those who are hard to love, too - not only those who are in China or India, but those who sit with us in Church also (CP 1Pe 1:22-23; 3:8-9; 1Jn 2:9-11; 3:14-19; 4:7-21). And if we love God then we will keep His commandments. This is the only sure way we know we qualify for the rapture, because we keep God's commandments. There is no other way - we forfeit our place in His kingdom if we do not keep his commandments. God calls us liars if we say we love Him but are not totally yielded to His word (CP 1Jn 2:3-6). The relevance of Christ's messages to the seven Churches of Revelation for Churches today, is what they reveal about the natural trend of Churches to fall into error; to accept false teaching; to tolerate immorality, idolatry and heresies; to lose their zeal for God and to adapt to the anti God elements of the world system. They are not hearing what the Spirit saith to them. But Churches are people - individuals formed into a body and God holds us individually responsible for our actions. We must continually examine our beliefs and activities and ensure that they always conform to what Christ expects of His Church, and to qualify ourselves for the rapture. Now to find out the time frame for the rapture. Thus far the scriptures have established the fact and the manner of the rapture, and that it will take place before the Great Tribulation, but what is its time frame in relation to the emergence of Antichrist, because it is during his reign that the Tribulation comes upon the earth (CP Dan 7:25; 8:23-25; 9:27; 11:36-39; 12:1; Mt 24:15-22). We learn from these scriptures that the Tribulation will occupy the last 3½ years of Antichrist's seven year reign. Does this mean then that the Church will still be on earth during the first 3½ years? Antichrist is a benevolent dictator during this period, not yet the enemy of God which he is to become (CP Rev 6:1-4). At the opening of the first seal Antichrist is revealed as the rider of the white horse. A great many Christians believe that the rider on the white horse in V2 is Jesus, but that is incorrect because Jesus is opening the seals. He would not be the contents of the seals and open them as well. Furthermore Jesus is symbolized here by a lamb, not a horseman (CP Rev 5:1-9). The opening of the first seal and the revelation of the rider on the white horse are synonymous with the first half of Daniel's seventieth week when Antichrist enters into his seven year peace treaty with Israel (CP Dan 7:7-8, 24-26; 8:8-10,20-25; 11:35-45). The rider on the white horse in Rev 6:2symbolizes Antichrist, who rises up at the start of Daniel's seventieth week - Antichrist rises to power as the eleventh king among the ten kings through the empowering of Satan, which is what we learned in Dan 8:24-25 and 11:36-39 (CP 2Th 2:8-9; Rev 13:1-4). Antichrist is the only one prophesied to go forth "conquering and to conquer", not Christ (CP Dan 7:23-25; 8:9-14; 11:40-43). The white horse of Rev 6:2 is not to be confused with the white horse of 19:11. The horse in 6:2 is only symbolic, whereas the one in 19:11 is literal. Christ is the rider on the white horse in 19:11, but until then He is symbolized by a lamb (CP Rev 19:11-13). There are no scriptures to corroborate any teaching that Christ is symbolized by the rider on the white horse in Rev 6:2who went forth "conquering and to conquer". Antichrist was given a crown because he had brought peace and prosperity to the earth. He has a bow but no arrows which depicts him as a benevolent dictator. We know he brought peace to the earth in V2 because in V4 he is given power to take it away. This power comes from Satan (CP Dan 7:21-22; 8:9-12, 24; 11:40-45;Rev 12:13-17). The opening of the second seal in Rev 6:4 signalled the onset of the Tribulation in the middle of Antichrist's reign. The opening of the second seal and the revelation of the rider on the red horse and the events that followed in Rev 6:3-4 are synonymous with the second half of Daniel's seventieth week - the time of the Great Tribulation. But where is the Church during the first 3½ years after the first seal is opened? The Church has not been mentioned since Rev 3:22 at the conclusion of Jesus' messages to the seven Churches, and it is not mentioned again in scripture as being on earth thereafter. We need to know why (CP 2 Th 2:1-12). Who is the restrainer of lawlessness here that has to be taken out of the way for Antichrist to be revealed? The Thessalonians knew who it is as V5-7 prove, so we can know it too. It is not the Holy Spirit as so many Christians believe because the Holy Spirit will still be on earth during the Great Tribulation (CP 1Cor 12:3). Nobody can call Jesus Lord except by the Holy Spirit, so He will remain on earth convicting the multitudes of their sins who get saved during the Tribulation. The he of 2 Th 2:7 is the Church. The Church is never again mentioned in scripture as being on earth after Rev 3:22, and Antichrist is not revealed until Rev 6:1-2. The Church is raptured in Rev 1 between "the things which are" and "the things which shall be hereafter" (CP Rev 1:19). The "things which are", are the things concerning the Church up until the rapture - the things Jesus told John to write in the letters to the seven Churches - and the "things that shall be hereafter" are the things that occur after the rapture which are the subject of Rev 4-22. (There is no need to read these chapters here but they do need to be read to learn what they teach.) Chapters 4-22 in Revelation address themselves to the events that come to pass after the rapture - the emergence of Antichrist, the Tribulation, Christ's second coming, the battle of Armageddon, and Christ's millennial kingdom, etc. The saints who are saved after Rev 4:1 come out of the Great Tribulation - they are not the Church as we have previously learned (CP Rev 7:13-14; 13:7, 15). Chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation record the Church, now represented by the four and twenty elders, as being in heaven, which is well before Antichrist is revealed in 6:1-2 (CP Rev 4:3-4, 10-11; 5:4-5, 8-14; 19:1-4; 22:8-9). The four and twenty elders identified themselves in Rev 5:9 as the Church, redeemed to God from out of every tribe, language, people, and nation in the earth (CP Rev 5:9). That is why Paul was able to assure the Thessalonian Church that the Great Tribulation would not overtake them as a thief in the night - because they would already be with Jesus in heaven (read again 1Th 5:1-11). This is for our edification also. We too can comfort each other in the knowledge that not only will the saints still living when Christ comes back not go through the Tribulation, but they will be raptured to heaven before Antichrist's seven year reign even commences. This part of our study is now complete. We have established from scripture the fact (CP 1Th 5:1-11), the manner (CP 1Th 4:13-18), and the time frame of the rapture for those who were not sure (CP 2Th 2:1-8). Praise God! But there is a very sobering teaching comes out of this study as well, and we must ever be mindful of it (CP 2Th 2:7-13). This teaches us that after the Church is taken up from the earth, salvation will no longer be available to those still living who have already heard the gospel and rejected it. They will be lost forever if they do not repent and accept Christ while the Church is still here. This includes members of our immediate family and other relatives and friends whom we dearly love, as well as professing Christians not truly committed to Christ, and others who are backslidden. Show them this scripture and explain what it means: that once the Church is gone from the earth salvation will only be available to those who never had an adequate opportunity to receive the knowledge of the truth or to hear and understand the gospel (CP alsoMt 7:21; 12:30). If they will not listen to us we must fervently pray God to send another labourer in the gospel unto them. We must never give up on God for their salvation. We can claim Jesus' promise in Jn 15:7 but we must make sure we meet the conditions first (CP Jn 15:7). There is no time to lose - the rapture could happen at any moment in time (CP Php 3:20-21; Tit 2:13). This teaches that there are no prophecies yet to be fulfilled for the rapture to take place (CP Jn 9:4). That means we still have to preach the gospel to other lost souls as well in the meantime. |
Sunday, 7 April 2013
END-TIME CHRISTIAN YOUTHS NETWORK: BEING BORN AGAIN MEANS
END-TIME CHRISTIAN YOUTHS NETWORK: BEING BORN AGAIN MEANS: CP means 'Compare Passage' Jesus said "...except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (CP Jn 3:...
BEING BORN AGAIN MEANS
CP means 'Compare Passage'Jesus said "...except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (CP Jn 3:1-7). Being born again expresses the change wrought in the life of a repentant sinner by the Holy Spirit after being converted to Christ. It means the sinner has died unto sin and has been born anew unto righteousness. How this happens is that when the gospel is preached the Holy Spirit works through the word exposing sin to awaken in the hearts of those open to receiving the gospel, a consciousness of guilt and the need for forgiveness. This leads them to repentance and to acknowledge their need of a saviour (CP 2 Cor 7:9-10). Repentance is that divinely wrought conviction of sin in the heart that the soul is guilty before God, and a resolute turning away from sin. It involves both a change of mind about sin and a change of heart-attitude toward sin. It is at the time a renunciation of sin and an acceptance of the Holy Spirit's enabling power for holy living. Repentance is both God's gift, and man's responsibility (CP Ac 5:31 with Lu 15:11-24). The parable of the prodigal son emphasises the character of true repentance: a complete turn-around and return to our heavenly Father is required. Truly repentant sinners have a deep conviction of their lost state, and earnestly seek to be reconciled to God. They determine to be partakers of the kingdom of God and all the salvation benefits Christ purchased for us with His blood on the cross of Calvary (CP Mt 11:12). That is what Jesus means in Jn 3:3 when He says "...except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Seeing the kingdom of God is actually perceiving it and its realities through the salvation that can only be obtained through abiding in Christ and having His word abiding in us (CP Ac 4:10-12). As they hear the gospel, repentant sinners are made aware by the Holy Spirit of God's standard of righteousness in Christ and they turn to Christ for salvation (CP Jn 16:7-11; Rom 1:16-17; 2Cor 4:6). Being born again means literally being born anew, begotten from above, from God (CP Jn 1:12-13; 2Pe 1:1-4; 1Jn 2:29). This is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith: the doctrine of regeneration, or the new birth. It is not limited to the initial act of renewal when we are first converted to Christ, but is a continuous work of the Holy Spirit renewing and transforming our lives as we surrender ourselves to the Lordship of Christ and the authority of His word throughout the entirety of our Christian walk (CP Ro 12:2). Once we have committed our way to God we are no longer to be conformed to a world system that is without God, but be transformed by a renewed mind committed to the ideals of the kingdom of God. "Prove" means to test, to prove by practice in everyday life that God's will for us is good and acceptable and perfect. Our minds must be conformed to God's way of thinking. Our plans, goals and ambitions must be determined by heavenly and eternal truths, not by this evil, temporal and transient age (CP Eph 4:20-32). There is a teaching within the teaching here. Note in V28 that the first motive for a believer to earn money is that he may have something to give to someone else. The occupational enterprise of Christians is not simply to make a living for themselves but to also be a channel of blessing for others in need. We learn from scriptures that man sets himself apart unto God to be holy and God accepts him, forgives him and cleanses him, making him holy by the truth and by faith (CP Lev 20:7-8; Eze 18:30-31; Jn 17:17-19; Ac 26:18; Tit 3:3-6; 1Pe 1:15-16). The word conversation in 1Pe 1:15 means behaviour - it is our behaviour that sets us apart unto holiness before God. But we can only maintain that state of holiness by the empowering of the Holy Spirit, and for that empowering to be effective in our lives we must always be yielded to the Holy Spirit's leading (CP Ro 8:5-17; Ga 5:16-25; 6:7-9). Grieving the Holy Spirit leads to resisting Him (CP Ac 7:51); this in turn leads to quenching the Spirit (CP 1Th 5:19), and finally to despising Him (CP He 10:26-31), which will damn us for eternity. "Renewing of the Holy Ghost" in Tit 3:5 refers to the constant impartation of divine life to believers by the Holy Spirit after we surrender our lives to God (CP 2Pe 1:3-4). We must always continue willing to follow Christ in strict obedience to His word unto the end of our earthly life. Salvation is only assured to those sowing to the Spirit at the end of their life on earth. Whatever we are in life when we die is what we will be throughout eternity (CP Jude 21; Rev 22:11-12). Regeneration involves a complete transformation of our moral nature - a complete change of heart which expresses the change from the person we were to the person we become in Christ (CP Eph 2:1-8; Col 3:1-10). If we have made the way of Christ our way of life it will very plainly show (CP 2Cor 5:17; Ga 6:15). A great many Christians erroneously believe that we can never attain to righteousness and true holiness in this life but if it were not possible God would not have commanded it. It can only be done though through the blood Jesus shed for us at Calvary. None of us could ever stand before God in our own righteousness but all in Christ are made the righteousness of God (CP Ro 5:8-21; 2Cor 5:21). Jesus Christ is the only man who ever lived who was without sin. Every other person has sinned and come short of God's glory (CP Ro 3:10, 23; 5:12; He 4:14-15). That is why Jesus is the only one who can save us, and why we need to be born again to be saved. But we must always remember that whilst we become born again believers on our way to heaven from the moment we first become converted to Christ, that is only the first step in our life-long Christian walk. As we learned earlier regeneration, or the new birth, is an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit within us that requires our complete surrender to the Lordship of Jesus and the authority of His word (CP Jn 3:5). Many Christians believe that the water Jesus refers to here alludes to water baptism, but it does not. If it did Jesus would be teaching baptismal regeneration - that we can only be saved through water baptism - but He is not teaching that at all. Scriptures teach that we are saved by the word, not water (CP Psa 119:9). We are born again by God's word, and it is only by continuing obedient to the word and resisting all the immoral influences characterising the ungodly world system in which we live that we can cleanse our way (CP Isa 55:1-7). This is an open invitation for whosoever will to partake of the salvation benefits God has provided for us, but an essential prerequisite is a genuine spiritual hunger and thirst for forgiveness and a right relationship with God (CP 1Cor 1:17-18, 21). Paul clearly teaches here that it is the word of God - the gospel -that saves, not water baptism. Paul is not minimising Jesus' teaching concerning water baptism but rather is stressing the fact that he was ordained of God to preach the word for salvation, not to baptise new converts (CP Eph 5:25-26). We get a much clearer understanding here of what being born of water means. Christ is sanctifying the Church, setting it apart and cleansing it, making it pure and holy unto Himself by the word - the gospel. So we can see that it is not being immersed in water that saves, but being immersed in the word (CP 1Pe 1:23-25). This is virtually the same teaching as Eph 5:25-26. Men are saved by the word alone. Every human endeavour, and the corrupt world system will be judged by God's word CP Rev 21:5-6). This is Christ Himself speaking. He promises that whoever thirsts for knowledge of Him, He will give them to drink of the water of life. (This is a similar teaching to Isa 55:1-7. All who hunger and thirst for Christ will be saved (CP Jn 4:5-14). The water given by Christ means spiritual life (CP Isa 12:3). But to partake of the spiritual life in Christ we need to be continually drinking of the living water. The word drinketh is a present tense continuous action verb (it is called a present imperative in the Greek). It means that drinking of the water is not a momentary single act but is a progressive or repeated drinking. It is an action in progress, or repeated. It is very important to know that because what it teaches us is that drinking of the water of life requires regular communion with the source of the living water, Jesus Christ Himself. No one can continue to drink of the water of life if he or she becomes severed or separated from its source. That means we are not eligible for the salvation benefits in Christ if we are no longer abiding in Him, or His word is abiding in us. To sum up, our membership in God's family remains conditional on our love for Christ demonstrated by a life of sincere obedience to His word throughout our earthly existence (CP Jn 14:15, 21-23 with 1Jn 2:3-6). Just as we can be born again unto everlasting life by the Spirit of God, we can also extinguish that life by ungodly choices and unrighteous living (CP Ro 6:1-23; 8:12-14; 2Ti 2:11-12). |
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