Saturday 25 November 2017

Q&A About Heaven - 26 Nov 2017

Frequently Asked Questions About Heaven

I believe that many Christians are pulled in two different directions when we talk about Heaven. In one way they look forward to it. However, in another way they dread it. Surveys show that many evangelical, Bible–believing Christians actually dread the idea of going to Heaven. They say that they might even prefer annihilation to spending an endless eternity sitting on a cloud playing a harp. However, the only way a person could come to such a ridiculous conclusion would be if he/she has bought into the baloney from the world that Heaven will be boring and monotonous—just one long church service with endless preaching and choir concerts. The good news is that nothing could be further from the truth.
            Heaven will be exciting, beautiful, fun, satisfying, restful, stimulating, challenging, and delightful. In 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 Paul says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, 10 but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit” [in the Word]. In John 14:2-3 Jesus told His disciples that He was going back to the presence of the Father to prepare a place for us. He said, “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me, that you also may be where I am.” You can be sure that He wasn’t talking about just throwing something together. He doesn’t make junk! That place He’s been preparing for us will be better than anything you’ve ever dreamed.
In this article I want to try and broaden your horizons about this place called Heaven. The Bible speaks of three different heavens. The word is used of three separate domains. First, it refers to the atmosphere around our earth—the sky, and clouds, where the birds fly. This is often referred to as the “terrestrial heaven.” Secondly, heaven sometimes refers to what we call outer space, the realm of the planets and stars, as far out as we can probe. We refer to this as the “telestial heaven.” Thirdly, the word Heaven is used to refer to the dwelling place of God Himself, wherever that might be. This is sometimes called, the “celestial heaven.” It is this last definition that interests us for the moment. You may have noticed that when I use the word with this last meaning I always capitalize it, following an old custom of theologians and Bible teachers. That’s because Heaven is not merely a state of mind or state of being. It is not a concept or a dream. It is a place, just as surely as Boston is a place, or New York City. When I capitalize the word Heaven it reminds me that it is as real as the ground I am standing on right now.
            What is God’s dwelling place like? The Bible itself gives us some clues. The psalmist in Psalm 84 says, “How lovely is Your dwelling place, O Lord.” God, the Creator of all that is breathtakingly beautiful is not going to live in a dump, you can be sure of that. He is surrounded by beauty and majesty. It is going to knock your socks off when you see it!
I am not going to reteach last Sunday’s sermon, but I need to at least recap some of the events that will lead up to God ushering in the Eternal State. Paul describes in detail what it will be like when Christ comes back to claim His Bride, the Church. That is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. When Christ comes in the clouds to call us home to be with Him, millions of people from all over the world will disappear from this earth in a moment of time. In the last study I tried to outline the events that will follow that event, which we often call the Rapture, or the catching away of the Church. We spoke of the Tribulation and the rise of the Antichrist. We talked about the Return of Christ in power and glory at the end of that 7 years of Tribulation, and the great battle that the Bible calls Armageddon, when Christ will defeat the armies of the Antichrist that will come against Israel to try to destroy her. We looked at what the Bible teaches about the Millennium, the 1,000 years that will follow, when Christ Himself will rule and reign “with a rod of iron” from Jerusalem on the throne of David, as foretold in the Old Testament scriptures.
But eventually we get to the good part, after Christ puts an end to sin and death and the grave. Satan and his minions will be judged and thrown into the Lake of Fire. The day will come when the earth will be cleansed, time will be swallowed up in eternity, and God’s children will be home at last, nevermore to be separated from Him or from one another. 
But I need to stop for a moment and clarify something.  If you died today, where would you go? That’s not a trick question, by the way. If you are a Christian and have received Christ as your Saviour and Lord, then you will go immediately to be with Him. The Bible says, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” wherever that might be. It would happen in a heartbeat and you would simply awaken in His presence.
On the other hand, if you are not a child of God then upon death you will instantly find yourself in a place the Bible calls Hades (or Sheol, or Gehenna). It is the place where unbelievers are held until the final Great White Throne Judgment described in Revelation 20:11-15. It is sort of like Hell’s waiting room.
My point is that neither of these places is the ultimate dwelling place of either saints or sinners. The day will come as described in Revelation 20:13 when Hades will be emptied out and, after hearing judgment pronounced upon them, those who have rejected Christ will be thrown into Hell, also referred to as the Lake of Fire.
Believers, on the other hand, are also not yet at their final destination.  Upon death they go to be with the Lord, but the Bible makes it clear that the present Heaven is not the final Heaven. God is going to make “a new heaven [starry heaven] and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1) and He will make His abode with men, according to the last chapters of the Book of Revelation. It says that “the New Jerusalem will come down out of Heaven from God.”
God has deliberately left us in the dark about some of the details. Oddly enough, the Bible reveals more about Hell than Heaven. I believe that is because He is so intent on no one going there. The Bible says, “He desires that none should perish but that all should come to repentance.” We do know, however, that God is going to do an amazing “do-over” of this planet. Revelation also talks about a heavenly city called the New Jerusalem that apparently will come down and hover over the earth in approximately the place where the old Jerusalem used to be. The New Jerusalem is described in detail in Revelation chapters 21-22. It will be enormous—approximately 1,500 miles cubed (= 1,500 miles X 1,500 X 1,500; cf. Revelation 21:16). The Lord Himself will inhabit it and the people of God, and the angels will go in and out freely (see Revelation 21:24-27, “The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25 On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26 The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”
It is massive in size, and breathtaking in beauty! Yet there will be a perfect harmony between this marvelous city and the recreated earth over which it will hover. From the description in God’s Word I have concluded that we will have free and unfettered access to both places. Perhaps we will live in one and play in the other. I don’t know, but it will be incredible!
But don’t just take my word for it. Look it up for yourself in Revelation 21. But just a word of warning—do not think that you are going to understand all this completely. We can read the descriptions in the Word, but we have nothing in our experience to which we can compare these things. In fact, the Bible tells us that we don’t have the ability to take it all in right now. A moment ago I mentioned 1 Corinthians 2:9 where the apostle Paul, quoting Isaiah, writes, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, 10 but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.” That tells me that the best things I have ever tasted, the sweetest sounds I have ever heard, the most beautiful things my eyes have witnessed, and the most fantastic things my mind has conceived—all of these fall far short of the reality of what awaits me in Heaven. It is better than anything we can imagine!

Frankly, I probably do not know a lot more about Heaven than you do. The answers I give here are speculative at best, though I hope, in keeping with the Word of God. I want to deal with some of the most commonly asked questions, but keep in mind that my answers are subject to review and revision. But I hope they begin to make you homesick for that place He is preparing for us.
 
Question #1: Will there be animals in Heaven?
I believe there will be, for at least four reasons. First, God made a lot of animals, so He must like them too. Secondly, they give us tremendous pleasure and I cannot imagine a Heaven without them. Thirdly, Revelation speaks of at least four horses in Heaven (Rev. 6), and according to 19:11 Jesus Himself will ride the white one. And fourthly, Eden was full of animals before the Fall, and I believe the New Earth will have them too. But I do not believe that we will eat them.

Question #2: Will we eat and drink in Heaven?
I believe that we will. What would a Marriage Supper be without real food? And think about this—in the Garden, before Adam and Eve sinned, they ate all they wanted, and enjoyed it. The glorified bodies that we will receive when we go home to Heaven will be like Adam’s body before the Fall. I believe that they will be capable of the same things we can do now, only better. We are an earthly people, specially created for a terrestrial existence. I believe that we will eat for pleasure and for fellowship, not out of necessity. But there will be no gluttony and no heartburn J

Question #3: Where will we actually live? in the New Jerusalem or upon the new earth?
God went to a lot of trouble to make this physical earth a fit habitation for us. In Revelation 21:1-4 the apostle John writes, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” 
The new heaven and new earth mentioned here refer to the starry heavens, and our own planet with its atmosphere. Through man’s doing they are so messed up that God will have to do an “extreme makeover” on them to get them back to the way they are supposed to be, the way they were in the beginning before sin entered the picture. If you think the world we have now is a beautiful place, just wait until you see what God is going to do next!
Many people have a misconception of what Heaven is truly like. Revelation chapters 21-22 give us a detailed picture of the New Heaven and the New Earth. After the end times, the current heavens and Earth will be done away with and replaced by the new. The eternal dwelling place of believers will be the New Earth and/or the New Jerusalem. This is the “Heaven” on which we will spend eternity. It is the New Earth on which the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city, will reside.
Heaven, made up of the recreated earth and the incredible New Jerusalem will be a physical place in which we will dwell with glorified physical bodies (see 1 Corinthians 15:35-58). The concept that Heaven is “in the clouds” is unbiblical. The concept that we will be “spirits floating around in Heaven” is unbiblical. The Heaven that believers will experience will be a new and perfect planet on which we will dwell. The New Earth will be free from sin, evil, sickness, suffering, and death. I believe it will be very similar to our current Earth, but without the curse of sin.

Question #4: How will we spend our time in Heaven?
Do not make the mistake of thinking that we will spend eternity sitting around playing golden harps. Do not fall for that old malarkey! For one thing, that harp business does not come from the Bible. For another, we will have plenty to keep us busy. Apparently, God is going to provide us with a new earth, similar to Eden. Before the Fall Adam and Eve had work to do, things to accomplish. I believe that we too will have jobs to do. But it will not be drudgery. Work will bring us joy and a sense of real accomplishment. I believe we will learn new things. In no place does the Bible lead us to conclude that we will have immediate knowledge that we did not have before we went to be with Christ. I believe that we will take classes, be instructed by the angels, go to demonstrations and seminars where the Lord Himself will show us how He made the mountains and the seas. We will learn, we will grow, we will be amazed again and again, finding never-ending reasons to praise God and marvel at His greatness.
Heaven will not be boring. It will not be one endless, monotonous church service. It will be life in Technicolor, sound in THX! We will have bodies that do not get sick, do not die, do not sustain injury, do not have our present limitations. We will have minds that are not clouded by sin and pride and stupidity. We will be free to learn, to grow. We will not be plagued by the character faults that so limit our ability to relate well to one another. There will be no sin, and therefore no jealousy, no mistrust, no envy, and no anger. We will not be plagued by sexual perversions that cause us to see people as objects rather than as amazing creatures made in the image of God.
We will make new friendships. We will laugh a lot. We will not grow tired and weak and sickly. We will be able to develop the talents and abilities that God has given us, and will do it all for His glory. Those who wrote good songs on earth will write better songs, and will sing and play them to the praise of God alone. Those who painted well will do it better, and their pictures will not be about human angst and pain, but about beauty, and majesty, and truth. I personally want to learn to fly. I am planning to sign up for a class. And I bet there will be one, with no long waiting list!

Question #5: Can people in Heaven look down and see those of us who are still on the earth?
Hebrews 12:1 starts out, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses...” Some understand the “cloud of witnesses” as being people looking down on us from Heaven, watching everything we do. I do not believe that is the correct interpretation. Hebrews chapter 11 records many people whom God commended for their faith. It is these people who are the “cloud of witnesses.” However, they are “witnesses” not in the sense that they are watching us, but rather in that they have set an example for us and we should be watching them...they are witnesses for Christ, and God, and truth. Hebrews 12:1 continues, “...so let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
The Bible does not specifically say whether people can look down on us who are still on the earth. I would guess that they cannot. Why? One, they would sometimes witness us sinning, which would be distressing for them. Two, they would sometimes see things that would cause them grief, such as murders, car accidents, and natural disasters. Three, I believe that people in Heaven are so occupied with worshipping God that they truly do not care what is happening here on earth. The very fact that they are free from sin, in Heaven, and in God’s presence is enough for them to be happy.

Question #6: Are there different levels of Heaven?
The closest thing Scripture says to there being different levels of Heaven is found in 2 Corinthians 12:2, where Paul writes, “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know--God knows.” Some interpret this as indicating that there are three different levels of Heaven. They claim that these supposed levels of Heaven are divided into a level for “super-committed Christians” or Christians who have obtained a high level of spirituality, a level for “ordinary” Christians, and a level for Christians who did not serve God faithfully—A students, C students, and D students, so to speak.
However, Paul is not saying that there are three Heavens, or even three levels of Heaven. Paul was saying that God took him to the “celestial” Heaven, the realm in which God dwells. The concept of different levels of Heaven is foreign to Scripture. There are different levels of reward in Heaven (1 Corinthians 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5), but only one “level” of Heaven.

Question #7: Will there be marriage in Heaven?
The Bible tells us in Matthew 22:30, “At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in Heaven.” This was Jesus’ answer in response to a question concerning a woman who had been married multiple times in her life—who would she be married to in Heaven? Evidently, there will be no such thing as marriage in Heaven. This does not mean that a husband and wife will no longer know and love each other in Heaven. This also does not mean that a husband and wife could not still have a close relationship in Heaven. What it does seem to indicate, though, is that a husband and wife will no longer be married in Heaven. There is likely no purpose for marriage in Heaven since there is no procreation or loneliness.

Question #8: What will we look like in Heaven?
We are not told exactly what we will look like in the next life, as to what age we will appear to be, nor if we will look thin or fat. But while many believe that we will bear some resemblance to what we look like now (based on the analogy that each seed bears its own type of plant, i.e., a corn seed produces a corn plant, for example; see 1 Corinthians 15:37-38), we do know that in whatever ways our appearance or health has been altered as a result of sin (whether because of overeating or not eating right, hereditary malformations, injuries, aging, etc.), these traits will not be carried over into our appearance or health in the next life. More importantly, the sin nature, inherited from Adam (Romans 5:12) will no longer be with us, for we will be made after the holiness of Christ (1 John 3:2). Because we have this sure hope in Christ in the next life, we are encouraged to purify ourselves now, even as He is pure (1 John 3:3).

Question #9: What age will everyone be in Heaven?
The Bible does not specifically answer this question. Will babies and children who die still be babies or children in Heaven? What about elderly people who die, do they remain elderly in Heaven? First, everyone will be given a resurrected body (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). Of that I am sure. My guess is that infants and children will be resurrected as an infant or child but will be allowed to grow up in Heaven until they reach the "ideal age," whatever that is. However, they also may be "fast-forwarded" to the "ideal age", just as those who die at an old age will be "re-wound" to the ideal age. I do not think there will be any people with elderly bodies in Heaven. But what is the ideal age? Again, I do not know, because this concept is not specifically Biblical. I would guess around 30. Some guess 33 since that is approximately the age Jesus was when He died. 1 John 3:2 declares, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

Question #10: Will we have physical bodies in Heaven?
I believe that we will. The key text for this is 1 Corinthians 15:35-50. Verse 49 tells me that we will have a body like Jesus’ resurrected body. And Jesus, after His resurrection, invited His disciples to touch Him and to watch Him eat, demonstrating that He was not merely a spirit (Luke 24:37-43). Rather, I believe that a natural body is that which is fitted for this present life in our present physical universe, whereas the spiritual body we will possess will be that which will best suit us for the eternal existence we were destined for in Christ in our eternal abode. Jesus’ resurrected body could enter locked rooms at will (John 20:19). Thomas, in John 20:27 physically touched the body of Christ following His resurrection. Our earthly body limits us in ways (and/or dimensions) that our spiritual body will not.
We can expect that all believers’ resurrections will be like that of Christ’s. What a wonderful truth! The Bible is not specific, but it seems that we will be able to eat, for example. John, in Revelation 22:2, writes of his vision of the eternal state where he saw “in the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the Tree of Life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month.” This seems to be a reversal of the Genesis 3 punishment where Adam and Eve, and hence all of mankind, were banned from eating from this tree. As for hunger and thirst, it appears that there will not be any.  Isaiah 49:10 says that there will be no hunger or thirst in the Millennial Kingdom. This is speaking of mortal men during that period, not of translated saints, but by extension it can be said that if mortals on earth during Christ’s Kingdom do not hunger, then surely there will be no hunger in Heaven (see also Revelation 7:14-16).
Finally, Job, in Job 19:25, states that he knows for sure that even after he dies, and his skin is long gone, that “…in my FLESH I shall SEE God.”
1 Corinthians 15:43 also describes the transformation from “sown in dishonor” to “raised in glory.” Philippians 3:21 says that Jesus “...will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body...”  I believe that our decaying bodies are described with the word “dishonor” because of they bear the mark of the results of sin. We can all likely picture in our minds the lungs of one who has ruined his health through smoking, or a brain that is no longer able to form complete thoughts because of drug abuse. In the same way, the decaying physical body is the direct result of man’s sinfulness. Had there been no sin, there would be no decay and death (1 Corinthians 15:56). But God, through Christ’s transforming power, will raise up His children in Christ with new glorious bodies, no longer bearing any effects of sin, being completely free from the ravages of sin and possessing the glory of Christ instead.

Question #11: Will we remember our earthly lives when we are in Heaven?
Isaiah 65:17 quotes God as saying, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Some interpret Isaiah 65:17 as saying that we will have no memory of our earthly lives in Heaven. However, one verse earlier, in Isaiah 65:16 the Bible says, “…For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.” It is likely only our “past troubles” that will be forgotten – not all our memories. Our memories will be cleansed, redeemed, healed, and restored – not erased. There is no reason why we could not possess many memories from our earthly lives. The memories that will be cleansed are the ones that involve sin, pain, and sadness. Revelation 21:4 declares, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Question #12: Do we become angels after we die?
Simply, NO. As I read the Bible, angels are beings created by God (cf. Colossians 1:15-17). In this passage Christ is the agent of creation (Colossians 1:12-17). Angels are entirely different from humans. They are God’s special agents to carry out His plan and to minister to followers of Christ (Hebrews 1:13-14).
Humans are created in the image of God to serve and enjoy Him forever. Adam and Eve represented the human race. They, however, yielded to Satan’s temptation, sinned, and thusly needed God’s redemption. Eventually, Christ came – “God with us” – “the God-man” – to do for us what we could not do for ourselves, namely provide us forgiveness and eternal life through His death and bodily resurrection. Those who accept Christ as Saviour, receive Christ’s new life, resurrection life, along with Christ indwelling them spiritually.
Eventually, the physical body of the believer in Christ will die. What happens then? The spirit or personality of the believer goes to be with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8). The believer does not become an angel. It is interesting that both Elijah and Moses were recognizable on the Mount of Transfiguration. Perhaps believers take on a temporary “body” while in the presence of the Lord after death while awaiting the return of Christ.

Question #13: Will there be such a thing as gender in Heaven?
Matthew 22:30 possibly speaks of people after the resurrection not participating in marriage--they become “like the angels.” However, this does not mean people are genderless. The masculine, not neuter, pronoun is used many times to describe angels (and HE was like...HIS appearance was like, etc.). So, there is no real indication that the angels are genderless beings. Nor is there sufficient evidence to conclude that all angels are masculine.  There may be female angels.  We simply don’t know. There is nothing in the Bible that indicates people will lose or change sex in eternity. Remember that gender is not bad—in fact, it is a good thing. God created Eve because Adam needed someone to complement him. Marriage (impossible without different genders), the model relationship between a man and a woman, is a picture of Christ and the Church. The Church is the Bride and Christ is the Groom (Ephesians 5:25-32).
Although it is not explicitly taught in the Bible, it seems most likely that people retain their gender after death. Our genders are a part of who we are. Gender is more than physical--it is part of our very nature and part of the way we relate to God. Therefore, it seems that gender will be perfected and glorified in eternity. I think it is also worthy to mention that Jesus retained his gender after His death and resurrection.

Question #14: Will we be able to see and know our friends and family members in Heaven?
Many people state that the first thing they want to do when they arrive in Heaven is see all their friends and loved ones who had passed on before them. I do not think this will be the case. Yes, I do believe we will be able to see, know, and spend time with our friends and family members in Heaven. In eternity, there will be plenty of time for that. However, I do not think that it will be our first, nor primary focus in Heaven. I believe we will be far more occupied with worshipping the Lord and enjoying the wonders of Heaven than with visiting in the neighborhood, though that will be wonderful too.
What does the Bible say about whether we will be able to see and know our loved ones in Heaven? The Bible declares that when we arrive in Heaven, we will “be like Him [Jesus]; for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Just as our earthly bodies were of the first man, Adam, so will our resurrection bodies be just like Christ’s (1 Corinthians 15:47). “And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:49,53). Many people saw and recognized Jesus after His resurrection. So, if Jesus was recognizable in His resurrection body, I see no reason to believe that ours will be any different.




Doctrine of Last Things - 26 Nov 2017

“Things Are Looking Up!”
The Doctrine of Last Things (Doctrines Series at SBC, Sligo)
26 November 2017

INTRODUCTION:
            Today we are finishing our series on the doctrinal statement of Sligo Baptist Church. Our purpose has been to help us all have a better understanding of the foundational teachings of the Christian faith so that we might sink our roots deeper, and be better prepared to give an answer to anyone who should ask us of the hope that is within us (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). I hope the series has been helpful so far, and that you feel a bit more confident about your faith. 
            Today we are considering a subject that has caused a lot of confusion in the minds of many people, believers and unbelievers alike, partly because of preachers who have often gone out on limbs and said more than the Bible says. Today we are going to look at the doctrine that in theology is called “Eschatology” from the Greek word, ἔσχατος (eschatos) meaning “last, final, the furthest, the extreme-end,” coupled with the Greek word, λόγος (logos), which means “word, speech, or instruction concerning.” Thus, Eschatology is simply the “Word About Last Things.”
As with the other subjects in this series, this one is too big to really do it justice in one session, but we will try to have you leave this place excited about what God has in store for those who know and love Him. But I should also caution you; I will be telling you what I believe the Bible says about future events and not everyone agrees with me. In areas where there is controversy I will try my best to be charitable to those who hold other views.

TRANSITION:
            To get us started let me read for you what our church’s Doctrinal Statement says about “Eternity.”
We believe that the blessed hope of the Church is the certain, imminent return of Christ to reign as King. We believe that all people will exist forever, believers immediately upon death entering into eternal conscious fellowship with the Lord, and unbelievers immediately entering into eternal conscious separation from Him to await final judgement. Those that trust in their own good works will exist forever separated from God in a literal Hell. Those who trust in the perfect life of Jesus and His death and resurrection for salvation will exist forever in the presence of God in a literal Heaven.

The Bible is a prophetic book, from Genesis to Revelation. On nearly every page it has something to say about future events concerning the people of God as well as unbelievers. But for our purposes I think we are especially interested in what God has planned for His children. That is what we want to examine today. What does the Bible reveal about what awaits the Bride of Christ? What do we have to look forward to in the days ahead? But I must be honest—there is bad news, and there is good news.

MAIN BODY:
            I will start out with the bad news first. The Bible makes it clear that in the immediate future of Christ’s Church we are not in for a good time. That should come as no real surprise though, because from the beginning, the Church has been hunted, harassed, hounded, and hated. The world and the devil’s crowd have tried everything to muzzle her, to discourage her, to scatter her, to destroy her. Christians have been burned at the stake, fed to the lions, and put into prisons.
            Jesus warned His disciples to expect persecution. From the moment He began His earthly ministry He was a target of Satan and of evil men, and He made it clear that anyone who followed Him would become a target too.
Ø  In Matthew 5:10-12 He said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 11 Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Ø  Peter, in 1 Peter 2:19-23 says, “It is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps. 22 ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.’ 23 When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him [i.e. God the Father] who judges justly.”
Ø  In John 15:20 Jesus said, “Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also.”
Ø  And Jesus told His disciples in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble [i.e. tribulations, trials, and testing]. But take heart! I have overcome the world [the perfect tense means it is done, already accomplished].”

As I read my Bible I do not see that the persecution of Christians and of the Church will come to an end until the return of Christ for His Bride. For as long as Jesus tarries, the Church will be treated with disdain, disrespect and hatred in this world.
            But now for the good news! Jesus is coming back, and it could happen today!  Let’s look at some of the reasons why I have come to this conclusion:
Ø  John 14:1-3, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” 
Ø  Acts 1:6-11, “So when they met together, they asked Him, ‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7 He said to them: ‘It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ 9 After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into Heaven.’” 
Ø  I Thessalonians 4:13-18, “Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and, so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep [died] in Him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will come down from Heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.” 

So, what do we learn from these texts? That Jesus will come back the same way He left—quietly, without the world being aware, in the clouds, witnessed only by His disciples. This event, so beautifully described by Paul here in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is the next great event on God’s timetable. The Bible describes it as an event that will have no warning, no preceding signs. Those people who are always trying to read “the signs of the times” will be disappointed because there are none. It could happen today! In fact, this could be the dawning of that day.
One of the words that theologians have used to describe Christ’s return for His Church is “the Rapture.” If you look up the word rapture in a good dictionary you will find these definitions…
1.    The state of being carried away with joy, love, etc.; ecstasy
2.    An expression of great joy, pleasure, etc.
3.    [Now rare] A carrying away or being carried away in body or spirit

This word “rapture” itself is never used in any English Bible translation that I know of. However, it has been used by theologians for a long time to explain the event described by the biblical word, harpadzo that Paul uses in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 where he says that we will be “caught up together with them in the clouds.” The Greek word means “to snatch, or to catch away.” It is sometimes translated as “pluck, pull up, or take by force.”
One of these days, or nights, Christians all over the world will simultaneously hear a sound they have never heard before. It will be a sweet sound to our ears. It will be the call to come home and be with Jesus. In that moment, our bodies will be taken up, and in the twinkling of an eye we will be caught up to be with our Saviour. Moreover, in that moment our bodies will be changed into a new body, one fit for Heaven. Those who have died in Christ, who Paul says will return along with Jesus, will also receive their new, glorified bodies. We will meet with our loved ones on the way up, and we will recognize one another, and what a joyful meeting that will be!
That will be the mother of all homecomings! Looking around we will catch sight of people we know and love. We will laugh and cry at the same time. We will dance for joy. We will burst forth in songs of praise and thanks to God. Upon entering Heaven will bow before the throne of God and will marvel at His beauty and majesty. We will shake hands with everybody close to us and we will hug the angels. We will look around us at the azured halls of Heaven with our mouths hanging open in awe of what God has prepared for His children.
The Bible doesn’t give a lot of details about what comes next, nor does it say how soon after we get to Heaven that it will happen. But it is called in the Bible, “the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.”
Ø  Revelation 19:6-9, “Then I [John] heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His Bride [THAT’S US!] has made herself ready.’ 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear. For the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!’” And he added, ‘These are the true words of God.’” 

I believe that when Christ comes in the clouds to call us home to be with Him, millions of people from all over the world will disappear from this earth in an instant, in the blink of an eye. However, while we are with the Lord—enjoying His presence, getting to know the Family of God, partaking in the Marriage of the Lamb—the world down here on earth will be going through what the Bible calls the Tribulation. It will last for seven years. The last 3½ years of that time is referred in the Bible as “the Great Tribulation.” Satan, using a human puppet called the Antichrist as his intermediary, will try to wipe the knowledge of God from the face of the earth. But despite all that, God will be at work in the world and many will repent and believe in Christ as their Messiah. However, it will be a time of great persecution for people who come to faith in Christ, but still they will, by the millions. The Bible makes it clear that among others, there will be 144,000 Jewish witnesses for Christ who will go out preaching the Gospel of Messiah, but most them will suffer martyrdom for their trouble.
However, I do not believe that we who are part of the Bride will be aware of the moment-by-moment events unfolding down here. We will be with the Lord, enjoying the place that Jesus went to prepare for us.  In John 14:2-3 He told the disciples, “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.” 
Even though we will not be watching the events on RTE or SKY News, the Lord will be keeping close track of what is going on down here. The Bible says that at the end of that seven-year period the Antichrist and his buddies are going to rise up against Israel to try and utterly wipe her off the map. The armies of the nations will come against her from every side, including all the Arab nations. But God’s promises to Israel are at stake. He promised that no one will be able to destroy her. She is the apple of His eye. What happens next has been the topic of endless discussion. The Bible says that just in the nick of time, Christ will come back to this earth with His heavenly hosts to bring judgment and destruction upon the ungodly. The Lord Himself will fight to defend Israel. The Bible says that the great final battle will center in on the Valley of Megiddo in Israel—it is referred to as the battle of Armageddon.
I believe that we will be there to see it all. Apparently, the angelic forces will be the ones doing the actual fighting, but I believe that we will be present, because immediately following the battle the Bible says that Christ is going to establish His millennial reign here on earth, and I know for sure that we will participate in that, because the Scriptures say that we will rule and reign with Him during that time, though I am not sure of exactly what that means or how we will be used. The return of Christ with His armies in power and glory is described in Revelation 19:11-21. It is also outlined in Matthew 24:29-31. This return of Christ to the earth in power and glory is called the Second Coming.” People constantly confuse this with the Rapture. However, they are two separate events, seven years apart, with that joyful celebration called the Marriage Supper in the middle.
After the Battle of Armageddon Christ is going to judge the earth. He will separate “the wheat from the tares,” “the sheep from the goats.” The ungodly will be judged and sent away to await their final condemnation into Hell, as it is described in Revelation 20:11-15. Those who have believed in Christ will experience God’s favor and blessing. This judgment is described in detail in Matthew 25:31-46. “When the Son of Man [Christ] comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’     41 …Then he will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’  46 Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” 

From the Book of Revelation, we learn that the godly ones, identified as the wheat and the sheep, will enter into a time of peace and harmony on earth known as the Millennium, in which Christ will reign as the earthly King over all the earth from His temple in the city of Jerusalem. It will be a 1,000-year reign of peace and justice, something this world has never experienced before. All those living people who survive the Tribulation and go into the Millennium will be believers in Christ.
Satan will be bound during that time, with his influence curtailed [Revelation 20:1-10] but that does not mean that sin itself will be done away with. Those living, breathing people still have an old nature active in them.  Those believers will have children, and every one of them will be faced with the age-old decision to believe in Christ and serve Him, or reject Him and rebel. At the end of the 1,000-years reign the Bible says that Satan will be loosed for a little while to take his best shot at God. There is another great battle described in Revelation 20:7-9 in which again Satan loses. At that point Christ will squash him like a cockroach and throw him into the lake of fire, along with all who served him and have rejected Christ’s offer of salvation.

It is not a pretty picture, but the truth is not always pretty. What will happen then is a little bit hazy. God has deliberately left us in the dark about the details. What we do know is that God is going to do an amazing do-over of this planet. The Bible says that He will make a “New Heavens and a New Earth.” It also talks about a heavenly city called the New Jerusalem that apparently will hover over the earth in approximately the place where the old Jerusalem used to be. The New Jerusalem is described in detail in Revelation 21-22. The Lord Himself will inhabit it. And the people of God, and the angels will go in and out freely. It is massive in size, and breathtaking in beauty. Yet there will be a perfect harmony between this marvelous city and the recreated earth over which it will hover. From the description in God's Word I have concluded that we will have free and unfettered access to both places. Perhaps we will live in one and play in the other. I don’t know, but it will be incredible!
In fact, the Bible tells us that we do not have the ability to take it all in right now. In 1 Corinthians 2:9 the apostle Paul, quoting Isaiah, writes, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him, 10 but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.” That tells me that the best things I have ever tasted, the sweetest sounds I have ever heard, the most beautiful things my eyes have witnessed, and the most fantastic things my mind has conceived—all of these fall far short of the reality of what awaits me in Heaven. It is better than anything we can imagine.

CONCLUSION:
            This all brings me to one last question. When the Lord comes back for His Bride, when the trumpet sounds and the angels shout, will you go with Him or will you stay here? The Bible is clear that only those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ will go to be with Him. Salvation is not based on good works, religious sincerity, or blind faith. It is by grace, through faith in Christ alone. Lots of people have faith in lots of different things. But if you have your faith pointed in the wrong direction then you are simply deceived. The Bible says in Acts 4:12, “There is salvation in no one else. For there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved.” 
            Make no mistake. If you reject Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord, you are also rejecting Heaven and all the joys that await the child of God. You will not be there. You will not live to see it. You will condemn yourself to an eternity in Hell separated from Christ and the loved ones who have put their trust in Him. The choice is simple. The choice is clear. Heaven is a real place, but so is Hell. Both will be populated for eternity. What will you do with Jesus today? Your decision will determine where you go on that day.




Sunday 12 November 2017

Doctrine of Salvation - 12 November 2017

“So Great a Salvation”
Doctrine of Salvation from Romans 5:1-11
November 12, 2017 (Message at SBC, Sligo RoI)

INTRODUCTION:
This morning marks the 6th study in our series on the Doctrinal Statement of Sligo Baptist Church. Our purpose is to help us all have a better grasp of what we as a congregation believe about the foundational doctrines of the Christian Faith so that we will be better equipped, as 1 Peter 3:15 puts it, “…to always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” 
Let me begin by reading for us the declaration concerning the Doctrine of Salvation that is found in our church’s Doctrinal Statement:
“We believe that salvation is a free gift of God found only through faith in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross. It is only by this act of sovereign grace that fallen people can have their broken relationship with God restored. His shed blood is the sole basis for forgiveness of sins. Salvation occurs only when people turn from trust in merit and good behaviour to faith in Jesus as the only sufficient payment for their sins. We believe that at the moment of salvation, the person who has truly believed has the full penalty of his sin forgiven, is credited with the righteousness of Christ, and is declared righteous by God based on the sacrifice of Jesus. Because Jesus can never sin and never die, His sacrifice is eternal. Thus, we believe that all believers are kept eternally secure by the power of God, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the eternal sacrifice and High Priestly ministry of Jesus. We believe that God has made full provision for believers to overcome their sinful nature and live for Him by the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit working through the knowledge of the Bible. Through yielding to these, every believer should grow in maturity, Christ-likeness, and proper social concern as His ambassadors in the world.”

Like all the other topics in this teaching series, the biblical Doctrine of Salvation is too vast to absorb in one sitting or to put into just one study, but this morning we are going to try to at least hit some of the high points.
For me, one of the most helpful handles on this subject is to think of God’s salvation in three time-frames, or time zones. Here’s what I mean. I can accurately declare, “I was saved in 1964,” using the verb in the past tense. I can also accurately say, “I am being saved every day,” which is also true. And I can say, “One day, I will be saved.” Again, that is an accurate statement. For you see, for the Christian salvation is both a point in time past and a present process, as well as a future event. Today we want to look at all three of these time zones.

TRANSITION:
            The correct name for this area of theological study is “Soteriology,” which is a big scary word meaning, “the study of salvation.” It comes from the Greek word, σωτήρ [sōtēr] that means “saviour, deliverer, protector” and λόγος [logos] meaning the “study of” or “word about”. Related is the word σωτηρία [sōtēria] that means “salvation.” But under this broad heading of the Doctrine of Salvation come a host of other sub-topics including: The Divine Decree, Atonement, Grace, Election, Calling, Redemption, Regeneration, Conversion, Repentance, Faith, Justification, Sanctification, Perseverance, Assurance, and Glorification. These are all subjects worthy of our attention and full of meaning for every believer; however, we cannot begin to cover them all today. But in the passage of Scripture I have chosen for us to focus on this morning many of these make an appearance.
            But before we begin I need to steal a little thunder from the study Matthew will be doing next Sunday when he leads us to consider the Doctrine of Man, which is called Anthropology. God originally created man in His own image and free from sin. Adam was created with the divine intention that he should glorify God, enjoy His fellowship, and fulfill His will and purposes in the earth (Genesis 1:26-30; Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11). However, through the temptation of Satan, Adam and Eve transgressed the command of God, falling into sin by a voluntary act of personal disobedience to the revealed will of God (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:1-19; 1 Timothy 2:13-14). Thus, man fell from his original holiness and righteousness. Therefore, his posterity inherits a corrupt nature, wholly opposed to God and His law, and is under condemnation. We refer to this as man’s “Total Depravity.” We all come into this world as fallen, broken sinners, totally incapable of doing anything to save ourselves. That is the starting point for this study of Salvation. All men are sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine pronouncement. Therefore, all men are hopelessly and helplessly lost and need to be “born again” (John 3:3). This salvation is based not on our religious sincerity, good deeds or righteous acts but upon the elective grace of God through faith, apart from any virtue or work on our part, through the instrumentality of the Word of God as applied by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:17-18). Salvation is all of God, “by grace, through faith apart from works, lest any man should boast.” 
Now please turn to Romans 5 and we will begin at verse 1.

MAIN BODY:
Verse 1: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
  • Paul is obviously addressing fellow believers in these verses. The “we” refers to all those who have already come by faith to receive Christ as Saviour and Lord. If you are “in Christ” then all of this applies to you.
  • “…since we have been justified by faith…” Here is one of those salvation words: “justified.” “Justification” is the judicial pronouncement of “not guilty” that God declares upon all those who come before Him covered by the blood of Jesus. That blood sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary we refer to as “the Atonement.” On the Cross Jesus shed His blood for all those who would eventually be saved. It was a once-and-for-all sacrifice, never to be repeated. And it was applied to you the moment you believed and received Christ into your life. Paul uses the perfect tense here, which expresses a past action or event, the effects of which continue into the present. Only the genuine Christian can say, “I have been justified.” In that moment you were washed in the blood of Jesus and declared “not guilty” by the Father.
  • “Therefore…we have peace with God…through Christ.” What’s the time zone of this phrase? We havepresent tense, “peace with God.” Our peace with God is not something a Christian has to hope for, wish for, or pray for. Paul is not talking about a subjective feeling like peace of mind, but about a new kind of relationship with God. Previously we were His enemies but now we have been drawn near, made to be His friends. In fact, it’s even better than that! We have been adopted and made to be His children! We already have peace with God through what Jesus did for us and what the Father declared about us. He declared us “Not guilty” and in fact, “Innocent of all charges.” That is called “Justification” and it is mind-boggling!

Verse 2: “Through Him [Jesus] we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”   
  • We have obtained access because Jesus is the Door to salvation, freedom, mercy and grace! He said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” That happened in the past when we trusted in Christ.
  • As we, by faith, stepped through the Door we were introduced to the grace of God in a very personal way.
  • That grace allows us now to stand and to take a stand.
  • Moreover, that grace causes us to exult in the hope of one day in the future seeing the glory of God revealed. In theology terms that is called “Glorification.” I mentioned a few minutes ago that it is perfectly correct to state, “I will be saved,” because when we some day step into God’s presence we will be saved from the presence and power of sin, once and for all. Our salvation will finally be complete!

Verses 3-4: “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,”    
  • Because of what happened at Calvary and the Tomb we can Persevere in trials and suffering as we finish our earthly course right up to the day when we step into eternity. Christ gives us His strength to do this. In fact, in the midst of tribulations we can even rejoice, knowing that suffering is not meaningless, but it is part of God’s plan to produce Christ-like character in His children. That process is called “Sanctification.” Romans 8:28-29 tell us that the trials come to “conform us to the image of His Son.” 
  • But notice that we exult not “because of” sufferings, but “in them.” There’s a big difference! We’re not masochists who just enjoy pain, but rather, we can rejoice in suffering because we know that life’s trials and tribulations are God’s way of making us strong. As we learn to persevere and rejoice in times of trouble our character is built up and made strong. We become more Christ-like through the things that we suffer.
  • Moreover, a hallmark of godly character is faith and hope in God. As we come to know Him and to grow strong in Him, it becomes much easier to trust Him and to have hope when others around us are hopeless.

Verse 5: “…and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”    
  • If we hope in something that is an unworthy object, then sooner or later we will be left looking foolish and will be ashamed that we were so gullible as to believe a lie or a scam. History is full of examples of people who put their trust in groups or leaders or doctrines that proved to have feet of clay. They trusted in things that were unworthy and that misplaced “hope” led them to shame, and disappointment, and death. Whereas, having our hope placed securely on God will never leave us disappointed or put us to shame. Never! We’re not talking here about baseless optimism but about unshakable faith in God’s power, character, and proven track-record of keeping His promises.
  • Why? Because “God’s love has been [perfect tense] poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been [perfect tense] given to us.” Remember, the perfect tense describes an action or event in the past, the consequences and benefits of which continue into the present. With this in mind, Paul is saying that because God’s love was poured out on us in the past in the person of the Holy Spirit we now have [present tense] God’s love, and we now have [present tense] God’s Holy Spirit. These are both present possessions.

Verses 6-8: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly [i.e. His Atonement, past tense]. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows [present tense] His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us [past tense].”     
  • 1 Peter 3:18 tells us, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the Just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” At the Cross Jesus said, “It is finished!” He had completed the work of Redemption through the shedding of His blood on the Cross. He did all that while we were still weak because of our slavery to sin. He did all that while we were still His enemies.
  • Notice, “…at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” God’s timing is impeccable, always perfect. Paul expresses it this way in Galatians 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.” Jesus came at just the right time in human history to carry out the work of Redemption.
  • In verse 7 while contemplating this scenario Paul admits his amazement that anyone would do such a thing. He can imagine a person possibly giving up his life to save a really good person, but he cannot fathom that anyone would do that for a sinner like him.
  • But look closely at verse 8: “But God shows [present tense] His love for us…” People often misquote this verse. It is true that the sacrifice took place in the past, but God continues in this present time to show it to people. The Cross still stands, and God is constantly pointing us back to it. The blood of Jesus continues to cleanse sinners of all unrighteousness. God is continuing to demonstrate His love for lost people.

Verse 9: Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God.”     
  • So now we live in a state of having already been justified by Christ’s blood. This is the sphere of grace in which we live and move and have our being. Justification is the air that we breathe, the medium in which we live. If you have come to Him by faith you are “in Christ” and in Him there is no more condemnation (Romans 8:1), just grace and mercy.
  • And because of what we have in Christ and who we are in Christ, we shall be [future tense] saved by Him from the wrath of God.” Again, that is the future aspect of Glorification. And don’t kid yourself; the wrath of God is coming! One of these days God will rend the heavens and descend with His holy angels and the Day of Grace will be over; the Day of Reckoning will have begun. Judgement Day will come and only those who are “in Christ” will be able to stand on that day. I Thessalonians 1:9-10 puts it this way: “For they themselves [i.e. the believers in Macedonia and Achaia] report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.” But even better than just surviving that day, Paul tells us up in verse 2 that we can look forward with hope and joyful expectancy to that day when the glory and majesty of God will be revealed. The Day of Judgement holds no fear for the true child of God because our sins were taken care of back at the Cross.  

Verse 10: “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son [And we were!], much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.”     
  • This, in both Greek and English is what is called a 1st Class Conditional Statement. It could just as well be translated, Even though while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son…” There is no element of doubt or negativity here even though it uses the word “if.” Notice that even though there was enmity between Man and God because of Man’s sin, God was never at war with us. In fact, He took the initiative to reconcile us to Himself through the blood of Jesus. That can only be explained by His love for us.
  • Notice, too, that this verse crosses all three time-zones:
    • In the past, though we were warring against Him, God reconciled us to Himself through the death of His Son, Jesus.
    • Now, in the present, having been reconciled to the Father with that as our present reality…
    • In the future we shall be saved by Christ’s life. The resurrected Christ is alive today and He continually intercedes for us, and we will be eternally saved because He lives to keep us. Hebrews 7:25 tells us: “Therefore He [Jesus] is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” Our Assurance of salvation rests securely on the foundation of God’s promise and Christ’s sacrifice.

Verse 11: “More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”     
  • More than that…” as if it were not enough that we have already received so much, God gives us yet more.
  • “…we have now received reconciliation.” As is the case with justification, Reconciliation is a present reality for the Christian, and it gives us great cause for rejoicing.

CONCLUSION:
Since the Day of Pentecost Christians have gathered on the first day of the week for worship in honor of the Resurrection of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Every Sunday we come together to commemorate the empty tomb and the Risen Christ and to give thanks and praise to God for “so great a salvation.”
If you have never taken that step to believe on Him as your Saviour and your Lord I would urge you not to put it off. In 2 Corinthians 6:2 we read, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” I beg you, trust in Christ today, while there is yet time.