5 Feb 2010
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WELCOME BACK. I AM PASTOR DOUG. WE NOW CONTINUE WITH PART 189 IN OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “PAUL’S LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS.”
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When we closed our last session, we were taking a look at choices that the majority and minority of the born again believers make, upon coming to the inevitable folk in the road that separates the believers from the disciples.
Although it is God’s desire that all men come to the saving belief in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, Scripture teach and secular statistics and history concur that only a minority of each generation of the world’s population will believe the Gospel Message and be born again.
In Matthew 7: 13, 14 we read, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.
The wide gate and broad road is the road of human viewpoint, that includes man-made religion, and the many refers to the MAJORITY of people to enter into that gate and take the road to Hades and the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15).
The road to destruction can also refer to the post salvation road of legalism, works, religious customs and rituals, and/or antinomianism that the majority of born again believers take upon coming to that fork in the road in their walk with God.
Such born again believers remain saved but are subject to divine discipline and/or loss of rewards in Heaven (Hebrews 12:6/1Corinthians 3:15.)
The small gate and narrow way refers to the Gospel Message and the true post salvation spiritual life.
The minority refers to the minority of people who are born again in each generation of the world’s population, and the minority of those who ARE born again who enter into and remain in true discipleship.
Even a passive examination of the Christian Community would reveal that only a minority of those who are born again enter into or remain in TRUE discipleship.
This minority within a minority is made up of those who make discipleship, that being the study and application of Bible Doctrine, their top priority during their post salvation spiritual life.
Biblical discipleship, under the filling of God the Holy Spirit is the one and ONLY way that a born again believer can identify, refine, and execute the true post salvation spiritual life during the Church Age.
When the Bible speaks of the Church, it is not referring to Man-made, tangible buildings where Christians gather together to worship.
The Bible is not referring to ANY of the various institutions of religion.
Scripture defines the “Church” as being the collective body of the INTANGIBLE souls of all born again believers during the Church Age (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Born again believers do not GO to Church.
Born again believers ARE the Church that gathers together for corporate worship (Hebrews 10:25).
Most of the Church is now in Heaven in interim bodies awaiting the next great event in the plan of God, the Rapture of the Church (1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17), to take place.
There are only a few generations of the Church on the earth at any given time.
It will not be until the Rapture takes place that the entire Church will be gathered together in one location for the first time since the Church began at Pentecost (Acts 2) as its members of each passing generation of the Church Age began to go home to be with the Lord a their appointed times of physical death.
In each dispensation, God has made clear what the objectives of believers are to be in the overall plan of God.
Satan and his forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12) also have an agenda, which is to impede the progress of God’s plan.
We live in the dispensation of the Church Age that began at Pentecost in the approx. year 30-33 AD (Acts 2) and will end at the Rapture.
The Rapture is not a Biblical term, but it is a theological term that theologians use to name the future event that reveals what will happen when the Church Age comes to its end.
The activity of the Rapture is recorded in such passages as 1Thessalonians 4:16,17.
The Rapture must be distinguished from the Second Advent. These two events both involve the Lord Jesus Christ and the Church, but differ in time, location, and purpose.
The TIMING of the Rapture takes place just before the seven-year Tribulation period that precedes the Second Advent.
It is fair to say that some believers understand the Bible to teach that the Rapture will take place at the mid-point of the seven year Tribulation period.
Either way, it will take place PRIOR to the dreadful events of the last 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation period that the Bible defines as being the worst time in all of human history.
In fact, if it were not cut short via the manifestation of the Second Advent, no human life would survive.
We see this in Matthew 24:22 where we read, “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”
The “elect” in this passage is NOT a reference to Church Age members, as the Church will have already departed in the Rapture. The elect are those who are born again DURING the Tribulation period in what we would call crisis evangelism. STOP
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WELCOME BACK. I AM PASTOR DOUG. WE NOW CONTINUE WITH PART 190 IN OUR SERIES ENTITLED, PAUL’S LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS.”
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The (location) of the Rapture is in the AIR, where the departed believers who are in their interim bodies in Heaven are united with the last generation of the Church Age believers who are taken up, away from the Earth.
It is at that time that ALL of the Church receives their resurrected bodies.
When the Second Advent takes place, the location is on the Earth, when the Church returns with the Lord Jesus Christ, who among other things establishes the Millennial Kingdom on Earth, headquartered in Jerusalem.
In 1Thessalonians 4:16,17 we read, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven, with a shout, of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. And then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air….”.
Until the Rapture takes place, the mission of the Church on Earth is to proclaim the TRUE Gospel Message to unbelievers, and to make disciples, that being students and appliers of the Word of God, out of those who are born again as a result of believing the Gospel Message.
The preservation of the true Gospel Message will become more and more of a challenge in “later times (1Timothy 4:1)” when the Church at large becomes flooded with all kinds of apostate teachings and practices.
It is only during one’s time here on Earth that born again believers have the opportunity to glorify God in the ongoing conflict between the forces of God and the forces of Satan that began before the creation of Man.
It was for the glorification of God in the midst of this ongoing conflict that God created Man in the first place.
This spiritual conflict, during the dispensation of the CHURCH Age, is primarily an invisible war of WORDS, as the political realm continues to set the stage for rise of globalism and the reign of the antichrist.
The “words” that are the bone of contention primarily consist of the Gospel Message and the mystery doctrines of the Church Age.
The Ephesians 6:12 forces of evil will promote a perverted version or application of the Word of God for the purpose of advancing its own agenda.
Satan can quote, or misquote, Scripture, as well as the any one of us, but always with an evil motive (Genesis 3/Luke 4/Matthew 4).
The identification and execution of the post salvation spiritual life are revealed in the mystery doctrines of the Church Age. They are referred to as Mystery Doctrines of The Church Age because they were not announced or taught in previous dispensations.
If and how one CHOOSES to respond to the WORDS of the Gospel Message determines where each one of us will spend all of eternity (John 3:18).
Those who BELIEVE the WORDS of the Gospel Message are immediately BORN AGAIN (John 3:3) and receive a regenerated spirit (Titus 3:5) and ETERNAL life.
Those who disbelieve the WORDS of the Gospel Message remain spiritually dead. Spiritually dead is the condition that all of us come into the world (Psalm 51:5) since the Fall of Man.
The only exception to this was the Humanity of the Lord Christ, whose conception was achieved by God the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), thereby circumventing the participation of a human male partner in the production of our Lord’s humanity and the passing down of the sin nature that would have otherwise taken place (Psalms 51:5).
In Luke 1:35 we read of the unique conception of our Lord’s humanity, “…the Holy Spirit, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.”
As for the rest of us, the sin nature is passed down through the MALE partner to the fetus when our HUMANITY is CONCEIVED and becomes an inherent part of our being when our SOUL is created and imputed to our humanity at BIRTH (Psalms 51:5/Genesis 2:7).
In Psalms 51:5 we read, “…in sin my mother conceived me….”and in Genesis 2:7 we read, “…and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
Natural life, independent of the mother’s, is received at birth and terminates at physical death.
The soul, with everlasting life is created and simultaneously imputed at birth, and departs at the moment of physical death of the body.
The human spirit, if one is born again, is regenerated at the moment of salvation (Titus 3:5).
After the First Advent, Mary and Joseph later had at least four sons and two daughters (Matthew 13:55, 56), all of whom received sin natures, as did both of their parents, who received their sin nature from their father at when their own humanities were conceived.
The fact that it is through the male partner that the sin nature is passed down is what excluded Joseph, but allowed Mary to take part in the manifestation of our Lord’s humanity.
Those who choose to leave this world spiritually dead will find themselves in Hades and eventually in what the Bible calls the lake of fire for all of eternity (Revelation 20: 13,15).
There we read, “….and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds….And if anyone’s name was not found in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
One’s name is written in “the book of life” if/when an individual is born again (John 3:3).
The primary battlefield of the Church Age is between the two ears of each and every human being that is on the earth.
It is there, within the soul where the individual processes both true and false information that is presently daily to the soul.
This includes both true and false information concerning spiritual issues.
As a result of this process and the nature of the spiritual combat of the Church Age, both true and false information regarding the spiritual realm is presented to the soul every day from a host of resources that are used by the Ephesians 6:12 forces of evil. STOP
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WELCOME BACK. I AM PASTOR DOUG. WE NOW CONTINUE WITH PART 191 IN OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “PAUL’S LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS”.
For the person who has not been saved, much of this information is presented to him/her to reinforce the human viewpoint and religious information that he/she already has and to distract him/her from hearing or responding to a presentation of the true Gospel Message.
For the born again believer, this information is intended to distract him/her from either identifying or executing the true post salvation spiritual life.
With the freedom of choice that every soul has been given, both true and false information can be allowed to become a part of the individual’s belief system.
Choosing to believe or not to believe something does not change the truthfulness or the deceitfulness of the information.
Every human being has a soul that is imputed simultaneously with his/her first breathe of natural life at birth (Genesis 2:7) and departs the body at the moment of physical death.
All souls have everlasting life that never dies. Once created and imputed by God at birth, the soul will live on for all of eternity either in fellowship with God, or separated from God in Hades and then in the lake of fire for ALL of eternity.
The choices and decisions that are made by each soul concerning the spiritual information it receives is what determines his/her location and environment when the soul leaves the body at the moment of physical death.
The arrogance from the pride in our fallen nature would have us believe otherwise, but no thinking individual is free from being influenced by both the true and false information that is presented to his/her soul every day.
No one asked to be born and no one is excluded from being involved with the spiritual issues of life.
Choosing to ignore or deny the reality and significance of the spiritual issues does not mean they are do not exist and that one is not accountable for any negative decisions he/she makes regarding them.
Persuading one to ignore the spiritual issues of life is very much a part of Satan’s strategy. This is often accomplished by presenting both legitimate concerns and things of personal interest to the individual soul. Providing that these things are kept in a proper place on one’s list of priorities, there isn’t anything wrong with any of them.
When one becomes sensitive to the spiritual issues behind the daily routines of our life, it is amazing how many things that were previously dismissed as harmless becomes areas of great concern once the spiritual issues become known to us.
Our choice of entertainment reflects much about where we are at any given time in our walk with God.
All forms of media, be it on the news, sit-coms, internet, books, magazines, commercials, advertisements, movies, or music, ALL have a message and an agenda.
Some of these messages are positive and constructive and many of them are negative and destructive.
Take notice sometime on how much time is devoted to presenting alternatives to what is promoted by the Word of God in a single commercial, song, or sit-com, etc., and you will begin to see what the agenda behind the comedy, advertisement, or story really is.
Failing to discern the spiritual issues behind all these sources of information that we are exposed to every day threatens the integrity of our soul structure from which we make numerous decisions every day.
This is why a daily dosage of Bible Doctrine is required to maintain our resistance to the negative influence that such things can have on our walk with God.
The fallen nature in Man, that is hostile (Romans 8:7) towards God and the things of God, pressures the soul to reject spiritual truth and to accept either an atheistic viewpoint or one of the many religious counterfeits.
Every human being has a soul, and within that soul God has placed a desire to know of eternal matters.
In Ecclesiastes 3:11 we read, “He [God] has also set eternity in their heart… .”
I’m going out on a limb here and could be wrong, but this concept of God-consciousness, I believe, will be the basis on which those who are never exposed to the Gospel Message while here on earth will be judged.
The omniscience of God would know what the response of each such individual soul would be if he/she was presented with the Gospel Message.
It could be argued that individuals who genuinely desire to fill the inherent void that God creates would indeed make a positive response to the Gospel Message if it were presented to him/her.
It is this void in the human soul, I believe, that the pre-salvation ministry of God the Holy Spirit arouses when the Gospel Message IS presented.
This scenario, although not specifically mentioned or elaborated on in Scripture is consistent with the plan, character and nature of God who desires that all men be saved (1Timothy 2:4), and who paid the sin debt FOR the whole world (1John 2:2).
Again, I repeat, that this is my own personal conclusion based on the revealed desire, character, nature, and plan of God.
Another explanation is that God the Holy Spirit, having omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence somehow arranges for a presentation of the Gospel Message to anyone, anywhere, and under any circumstances who truly desires to know God and how to establish a relationship with Him. STOP
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WELCOME BACK. I AM PASTOR DOUG. WE NOW CONTINUE WITH PART 192 IN OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “PAUL’S LETTERS TO THE CORINTHIANS.”
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The only BIBLICAL exceptions to the Gospel response requirement, revealed in John 3:16 would be children and persons who die prior to reaching the age or stage of moral accountability. Such children and persons do go to Heaven (2Samuel 12:23).
In John 3:16 we read, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
In 2Samuel 12:23 we read, “But now he (David’s child) has died; why should I fast: Can I bring him back again. I (David) shall go to him (in Heaven), but he will not return to me (on earth).”
In the plan of God, born again believers are commissioned to proclaim the Gospel Message, but the ONLY soul that any one of us can save for certain, is our own by making a positive response to the Gospel Message.
I say this because it is only we who can choose to exercise the free will that God has given to each one of us.
Others can encourage us to listen and respond to the call of God, but only the individual can choose to believe or to reject the Gospel Message once it is presented to him/her.
God WILL not and we CAN not MAKE someone else believe.
When we pray for the salvation of an unsaved soul here on earth, God’s answer to that prayer might very well be to send or allow the worst of circumstances to take place in that individual’s life, if that is what it will take for the person to wake up and consider his/her standing with God before departing this world.
There are two things concerning a presentation of the true Gospel Message to an individual who has reached the age or stage of moral accountability that are NOT open for debate.
One is that by believing it the soul is forever saved, and TWO that by disbelieving it, one is self-condemning him/herself to an eternity in the Lake of Fire (John 3:18).
Not to accept is to reject.
Presenting the Gospel to an unbeliever is serious business.
If it should prove to be first and last time that any given individual hears it, it can result in the certainty of Hell as well as Heaven, depending on the individual’s response (John 3:18).
There we read, “He (whoever) who BELIEVES in Him (The Lord Jesus Christ) is not judged (in Heaven); he who does not BELIEVE has been judged already (while here on earth), because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Truly understanding the infinite things of God beyond the limitations of finite human reasoning is not possible.
It would be like trying to teach calculus to the average kindergarten student.
Nothing is going to be learned if the recipients do not have the capacity to do so.
Without the power of God the Holy Spirit in operation, UNBELIEVERS do not have the capacity to understand the Gospel Message and BELIEVERS do not have the capacity to take in and/or apply Bible Doctrine (John 15:5).
Being Spirit-filled does not mean that all an advancing disciple has to do is open his/her Bible and the answers to all his/her questions are going to jump off the page.
The edification and maintenance of one’s soul structure is a daily activity and a life-long process.
As an advancing disciple’s soul structure is developed, he/she will have more and more Biblical solutions to the issues he/she has to deal with, but there will be some things that are going to be beyond any given believer’s ability to fully comprehend this side of Heaven.
God sends or allows such things to take place in the life of an advancing disciple for momentum testing and to keep a leash on our arrogance.
Momentum testing reveals one’s willingness to continue on with the plan of God, even though we have questions that have not been answered and issues that have not been resolved.
Failing the momentum test(s) that God sends or allows to take place will impede our progress, or sideline us in the execution of the post salvation spiritual life until we learn and apply the Biblical solutions to the issues that God wants us to address.
As revealed in Ephesians 6:12, we must KNOW who our enemies are, and how, in the church age they function.
Only a very few individuals pose such a threat to the devil’s agenda, or are in a position so critical to Satan’s plan that they will draw the personal attention of the devil himself.
Unlike the members of the triune Godhead, the devil does not have the divine attributes of omnipresence or omniscience. Accordingly, he can only choose to be in one place at a time, and can only personally address one issue at a time.
He does, however, have at his disposal, the Ephesians 6:12 evil forces that do the devil’s bidding.
The clue to success in the spiritual combat that we are to engage in is to be aware of how the Ephesians 6:12 forces of evil function in the Church Age.
We need not be in fear of the attacks that the Ephesians 6:12 forces will organize. They can’t do anything to us that God does not allow.
If God allows such things, he HAS a DIVINE purpose for it.
It is when seemingly bad things happen to relatively good people that immature believers will question such things as the justice of God.
The mature believer acknowledges that there is a divine purpose for everything that God sends or allows to take place.
In the case of pastor teachers, I believe that God sends or allows much of the adversity that pastor teachers seem to attract so that they can speak from experience as well as from the doctrine they have learned.
Divinely ordered tests are not for the purpose for God to see how well we are getting along in the plan of God.
God already knows that.
The tests are for US to see how we are doing at any given time. It is in times of pressure and adversity that our faith is put to the test.
If we NEED to have answers to any outstanding issues while here on earth, God, in His timing, will provide them to us.
Continuing on when we do not have all the answers is a good example of what the Bible refers to when it speaks of walking by faith and not by sight (2Corinthians 5:7) STOP
Pastor Doug Laird
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