Category: hell and lake of fire

God Looks and Notices the Tyrants and Crooks

Friday, August 17, 2012

“Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1 KJV).

In faith, we join the psalmist and inquire, “The wicked are reigning, so where are You, LORD?”

Psalm 10, which should be read in its entirety, discusses a Jewish believer’s attitude toward the wicked, who seem to go unpunished. God appears to be “standing afar off,” to be “hiding himself in times of trouble,” while the prideful wicked “persecute the poor” (verse 2), “bless [approve] the covetous” (verse 3), ignore God (verse 4), boast of their indestructibility (verses 5,6), curse, deceive, and commit fraud (verse 7), secretly “murder the innocent” (verse 8), and ensnare and oppress the poor (verses 8-10).

The wicked actually say in their heart, “God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it”—they believe they will never be punished (verse 11). Oh, what a faulty assumption!!! The believing Jew responds, “Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble…. Thou hast seen it: for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite [avenge] it with thy hand… Break thou the arm of the wicked and evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none” (verses 12,14,15).

Once God retaliates, the psalmist concludes, “that the man of the earth may no more oppress” (verse 18). Psalm 10 is actually describing the antichrist, who will tyrannically rule Israel and the nations by persecuting and murdering God’s people (the “little flock,” the believing remnant of Israel; Matthew 10:16-39; Matthew 24:9,10; Revelation 13:1-18). To these Jews, it will seem like the antichrist is going unpunished (that God is “hiding”): not so, for God’s wrath will consume the antichrist after the seven years have expired (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

Today, crimes are downplayed and/or denied by authorities that God ordained to execute justice. Does God’s wrath consume them? No… not yet, anyway. In due time, God punishes our persecutors (either at Calvary’s cross if they are believers, or hell and the lake of fire if they are unbelievers). Remember, the adage, “God never sleeps,” is always true!

To Be (For All Eternity)

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8 KJV).

As I celebrate my 24th birthday today, we remember that the axiom, “You only live once,” is true… eternally true….

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). According to this verse, we humans have a visible physical body, made of the elements of the earth’s crust, and an invisible spiritual body.

Our soul and spirit—the “real” us—cannot be seen, but they reside in a visible tabernacle (tent), our physical bodies. The soul is our will, our emotions, and our heart (not the muscle of flesh, but our innermost being, what we use to believe God’s Word; see Romans 10:10). “God is a Spirit” (John 4:24a), so He communicates with and educates us by means of His indwelling Holy Spirit connecting with our spirit, our mind, and enlightening us once we meditate on His Word (1 Corinthians 2:12; Ephesians 4:23).

In today’s Scripture, the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul explains that we believers, upon physical death, still exist: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” Physical death is not the end—the human soul and spirit continue, saved and lost alike. When we who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, physically die, our souls and spirits go to be with the Lord in the third heaven, and we remain there until the rapture, when we all receive new glorified physical bodies (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). However, when those who do not trust Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour, physically die, their soul and spirit literally wake up in hell’s torments, and eventually the everlasting lake of fire (Luke 16:22b,23).

Saved, or lost, you only live once… and that life is for all eternity….

We Troublemakers Are Grace Partakers #5

Sunday, July 29, 2012

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (Romans 3:9 KJV).

The dispensational change from Law to Grace demonstrates our faithlessness and Christ’s faithfulness….

Verses 22-25a explain: “…[T]he righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood….”

We are all equally sinners, all “fallen short of the glory of God”—“there is no difference.” Accordingly, we can all be “made the righteousness of God in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21)—again, “there is no difference.” God can declare us righteous (positionally) in Christ. We can be justified “freely,” no cost to us, because God’s grace is what He did for us (we sinners can do nothing for Him)! What did He do for us? Christ’s shed blood paid for our sins in full (the “redemption” of Ephesians 1:7 and Colossians 1:14). God the Father set forth His Son Jesus Christ as “a propitiation,” literally “an appeasement,” a fully satisfying payment to mollify His wrath against our sins. “Jesus… by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9).

On Calvary’s cross, Father God made Christ’s “soul an offering for sin” (Isaiah 53:10). Christ was “made sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus “was made a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). God forsook Christ and literally offered His soul (Psalm 22:1)!!! Oh, the spiritual, let alone physical, torment that Christ suffered on Calvary, we sinners should endure that forever in the lake of fire. Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, suffered the eternal wrath of God His Father, for us sinful sons of Adam.

God looked down through time and saw us troublemakers, and in His grace, made a provision for our souls’ salvation: He offered His only begotten Son.

We Troublemakers Are Grace Partakers #4

Saturday, July 28, 2012

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (Romans 3:9 KJV).

The Apostle Paul delivered such awful news in verses 10-20, in order to present the good news, the Gospel of the Grace of God.

Our very nature, let alone our deeds, condemns us. Furthermore, the Ten Commandments prove our sins offend God (who cannot even look upon sin without exacting punishment at some point). Yes, all of mankind is worthy of God’s wrath, a terrifying everlasting lake of fire and brimstone. What horrible news! “But,” verses 21 and 22 are the first glance of the ray of hope, God’s grace: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”

“The law and the prophets” “witnessed” that mankind could never measure up to God’s holy demands. The Law could never help mankind keep it; it could only demonstrate that he could not keep it. “But now,” in our Dispensation of Grace, God has provided us a way to obtain the righteousness the Mosaic Law demanded… without us having to keep the Law. We can be “made the righteousness of God in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Because of this dispensational change (Law to Grace), God is “manifesting” His righteousness (His standard of rightness) “without the law.”

By the “faith of (not ‘in’ as modern “bibles” suggest) Christ,” God is offering every single person (“unto all”) salvation from his or her sin and sins. But, this salvation is not imputed (applied) to that person until he or she trusts alone in Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary as the sufficient payment for their sins (“upon all them that believe”). Today, the horrible sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary demonstrates that we could never be fit for heaven through religious ceremonies or self-reformation.

It would take God Almighty to pay for our sins….

We Troublemakers Are Grace Partakers #3

Friday, July 27, 2012

“What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (Romans 3:9 KJV).

The verdict is in: Mankind is—guilty, guilty, GUILTY!

On the surface, mankind appears amicable, but peel away the attractive veneer—the ideologies of formalism (the elaborate religious ceremonies that seem godly) and self-reformation (“turning over a new leaf”)—to discover that mankind is a monster. Even the nicest person is potentially capable of doing the vilest of acts, in a moment’s notice.

After describing wicked mankind (verses 10-18), the Holy Spirit, through the pen of the Apostle Paul, summarizes God’s case against mankind: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his [God’s] sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (verses 19,20).

Why did God give the Ten Commandments? To demonstrate our worthiness to enter heaven, as many assume? NO! “The law is the knowledge of sin”—the Law proves God is just in damning us sinners to hellfire (1 Timothy 1:8-10)! The Ten Commandments, first given to Israel, actually condemn us all, Jews and Gentiles, as sinners (spiritually, we have “minus righteousness”).

We need to be honest with ourselves (our flesh abhors that!). There is nothing good in any of us: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” (Romans 5:12). Our basic problem is not that we commit sins, but rather that we have a sin nature, “desperately wicked hearts” (Jeremiah 17:9), an inherent predisposition that causes us to gravitate toward those sinful acts. We naturally follow our father Adam, federal head of mankind: we deliberately ignore God’s Word and do whatever we want (1 Timothy 2:14). “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6ab).

But….

No More Sacrifice for Sins?

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,…” (Hebrews 10:26 KJV).

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (verse 25) is often quoted as applicable today, but many stumble over the next verse (today’s Scripture). Exactly what does today’s Scripture mean?

We are eternally secure in Jesus Christ if we have trusted Him alone as our personal Saviour (Ephesians 4:30; 2 Timothy 1:12). Yet, critics of our “once saved, always saved” position usually quote today’s Scripture to contend that we can lose our salvation. Is this a “Bible contradiction?”

Failing to approach the Bible dispensationally only causes doctrinal chaos. This is especially true of the book of Hebrews. The title—Hebrews—indicates the nation Israel is the audience, not us Gentiles in the Dispensation of Grace. Also, Hebrews addresses the time period after our dispensation (that is, the seven-year Tribulation and Second Coming of Christ).

The verses following today’s Scripture explain: “But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:27-29).

Previous verses (1-24) discuss how Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on Calvary’s cross has abolished Israel’s Old Testament animal sacrifices commanded in “Moses’ law.” If a Jew living in the seven-year Tribulation will “sin wilfully”—that is, will return to offering those animal sacrifices (which ceremonies the antichrist will re-establish and then abolish during that time [Daniel 9:27])—this Jew cannot be saved because he has blasphemously rejected Jesus Christ’s blood and he will literally be participating in Satan worship (the antichrist’s religion). Only God’s “judgment,” “fiery indignation” (fire at the Second Coming of Christ, and eternal hellfire), awaits those wicked Jews, God’s “adversaries” (Hebrews 10:27,30,31; cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).

Today’s Scripture does not involve us.

Prelude

Thursday, July 19, 2012

“My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass” (Psalm 102:11 KJV).

This earthly life is brief, but it is a prelude of the life to come, so be sure to use your time wisely for God’s glory.

Even from conception, death works in us to end our physical life. As the psalmist wrote in today’s Scripture, “My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.” Because of the motion of the light source and/or the illuminated object, a shadow eventually grows smaller and smaller: it “declineth.” Our earthly life ends like grass “withereth” (fades away). James wrote, “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (4:14bc). A “vapour” is a gas that can either become a solid or liquid: it ultimately “vanisheth away” (disappears).

Indeed, this earthly life will fade, but our souls will continue to exist. Prepare! What we do in this earthly life with God’s Word will impact our eternity. Lost people can place their faith in Paul’s Gospel—Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary—as sufficient payment for their sins (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), and go to heaven, or they can reject it and go to hell. We Christians can study and believe sound (dispensational) Bible doctrine, so we can be equipped to function in the heavenly places for God’s glory, or we can ignore it and be unfit for God’s use.

Paul wrote, “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man [physical body] perish [die], yet the inward man [spiritual body] is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

This earthly life is but a prelude of “the ages to come:” by faith, look at the unseen future, and prepare for eternity!

Israel’s Three Prophetic Baptisms #8

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11 KJV).

Let us review why Israel’s three prophetic baptisms do not apply to us:

  1. John’s water baptism: God the Father sent John the Baptist to “make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17). John preaches to Israel, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand [approaching, near]” (Matthew 3:2). John’s water baptism is to prepare Israel to become a “kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:5,6; cf. 1 Peter 2:5,9), since Israel needs the Old Testament priests’ ceremonial washing. Jews who listen to John’s message and experience his water baptism form “the little flock,” the believing remnant of Israel that will inherit Christ’s earthly kingdom (Luke 12:32).
  2. The baptism with the Holy Ghost: On Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), Jesus Christ baptized that “little flock” (His apostles and disciples) with God’s Holy Spirit. This was to empower them to continue what He (Jesus Christ) had begun during His earthly ministry (that is, lead Israel to faith in Him as their Messiah-King; Luke 24:47-49; Acts 1:8).
  3. The fire baptism: Jews who refused the two above baptisms would receive the fire baptism, God’s wrath. Unbelieving Jews would never enter Christ’s earthly kingdom. They would perish in the fire baptism (the Tribulation, Christ’s Second Coming, and eventually hellfire), as described in Matthew 24:36-42, Luke 17:26-37, and Revelation 19:11-21.

When we understand that the three “baptisms” in today’s Scripture are unique to Israel’s prophetic kingdom program spoken by the Old Testament prophets (Acts 3:21), and that we Gentiles in the Dispensation of Grace live in the mystery (secret) program which God hid from the Old Testament prophets (Romans 16:25), it becomes apparently clear that we are totally isolated from Israel’s baptisms. When we understand that Paul is our apostle (Romans 11:13), we follow his epistles Romans through Philemon, and faith does not lead us to practice Israel’s water baptism, seek Israel’s “Pentecostal power,” or fear Israel’s Tribulation.

Israel’s Three Prophetic Baptisms #4

Friday, July 13, 2012

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11 KJV).

Let us review Israel’s three prophetic baptisms listed in today’s Scripture:

  1. John’s water baptism: John the Baptist preached, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand [approaching, near]” (verse 2). The first step in anointing believing Jews to become priests in Christ’s kingdom was to have them wash with water like Israel’s priests did before entering the ministry (Exodus 29:4). Israel needed to prepare for her coming Messiah (Jesus) by confessing her national sins (breaking the Old Covenant) and being water baptized of John.
  2. The Holy Ghost baptism: Israel’s Messiah Jesus will baptize her with God’s Holy Spirit (Acts chapter 2). This was the second and final step in anointing believing Jews to become God’s priests. After washing with water, Israel’s priests were anointed with oil (Exodus 29:7). Oil in Scripture is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, the “anointing” that believing Jews received on Pentecost (John 7:39 cf. 1 John 2:20,27).
  3. The fire baptism: A Jew needed both John’s baptism and the Holy Ghost baptism in order to function as a priest in Christ’s kingdom: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). This is why water baptism was necessary for salvation in Israel’s program (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). Any Jew who refused the two above baptisms would receive the fire baptism, God’s wrath. Unbelieving Jews would never enter Christ’s earthly kingdom, previously perishing in the fire baptism (Christ’s Second Coming, and eventually hellfire). Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:16-21 indicate this fire baptism would have occurred shortly after Acts chapter 2 (the Holy Spirit baptism). However, God interrupted and temporarily suspended Israel’s program: our Dispensation of Grace postponed this fire baptism, which is yet future (notice Israel’s prophetic timeline of Joel 2:28-32 and Acts 2:16-21 knew nothing of our dispensation occurring between baptisms 2 and 3).

Israel’s Three Prophetic Baptisms #3

Thursday, July 12, 2012

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11 KJV).

Today’s Scripture demonstrates that, contrary to church tradition, “baptism” in the Bible does not always mean water baptism. We want to examine the three “baptisms” found in today’s Scripture. By searching God’s Word, we will discover precious truths that traditional Bible teaching overlooks.

BAPTISM #3: “He shall baptize you with fire.”

Read today’s Scripture with its context (John the Baptist is warning Israel’s unbelieving religious leaders): “And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire… he [Jesus Christ] that cometh after me is mightier than I… he shall baptize you… with fire: whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (verses 10-12; cf. Luke 3:16,17).

Like John’s water baptism and Pentecost’s “Holy Ghost baptism,” this “fire baptism” was prophesied in the Old Testament. The LORD had told Israel through the prophet Joel (2:30,31) that after He would pour out His Spirit: “And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come [Christ’s Second Coming].” This will be fulfilled during the seven-year Tribulation, culminating with Christ’s Second Coming to establish His kingdom (Matthew 24:29,30a; cf. Mark 13:24-26; Luke 21:25-27).

Why will Jesus Christ baptize Israel with fire? The context of today’s Scripture (verses 10-12) explains this “fire baptism” is God’s wrath: the fire at Christ’s Second Coming will purge out and remove from earth the unbelieving Jews in Israel (Zechariah 13:8,9; cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). Consequently, only believing Jews will remain to ultimately enter Christ’s earthly kingdom (only saved Jews can be God’s priests).