Author: hillturnfs

4. God will faithfully reward believers for genuine works they produce – The Bible speaks of rewards, privileges or crowns that can be gained in heaven by the child of God for faithful Christian service and living down here on earth. The Bible only mentions five crowns up for grabs but there are probably many more. The important thing is the rewards we earn during our short 70-80 year lifespan lasts for eternity. What we earn will last for billions and billions of years! That’s a good return on any time you invest in God’s work. I know this much, heaven is going to be wonderful beyond anything we can possibly imagine and it’ll be the same with the rewards we receive in heaven for our work on earth.

A. The incorruptible crown – This reward is given to those who live a disciplined, Godly life under the dual control of the Holy Spirit and self. All believers who go to heaven will receive at least one crown just for getting there and I believe this is the universal crown given to all the saints in heaven. Nowhere in my research can I find any corroboration on this but it’s just something I feel inside.

1 Corinthians 9:25 – And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

B. The crown of rejoicing – This reward is given to those who have been faithful and effective in witnessing for Christ. This is the crown I long for the most for several reasons. Witnessing for Christ is the Great Commission of Jesus to all his disciples. We all want to please God and nothing would please God more than for us to obey the command dearest to his heart, which is witnessing for Christ. I can’t bear the thought of any fellow human being going to hell for eternity. I worry about all the lost souls. The thought of it keeps me up at night. If I can share the gospel message of Christ and do my part to help save at least one person for the kingdom of God then my life will have had meaning. My life will have mattered. That’s why I blog. My web site is named onemoreforjesus.net for this reason. My goal is to instruct and exhort others to study God’s word and witness for Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 – For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

C. The crown of righteousness – This reward is for those who have fulfilled God’s will for their lives and who love the coming of Christ. When I was searching for God the first thing about Christianity that caught my eye was fulfilled Bible prophecy. I love Bible prophecy and I love studying it. God gave us Bible prophecy to prove he is who he says he is, Almighty God. The Bible contains over 1000 prophecies, over 500 of which have been fulfilled and well documented. When that fact soaks in you know the Bible you’re holding in your hands is the word of God. Of all the prophecies in the Bible, the coming of Christ to rapture the saints in the air is the one I love the most.

2 Timothy 4:8 – (Paul speaking) – There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

D. The crown of life – This reward will be given to those who have endured persecution for their faith. Every martyred saint will receive this reward. One of the reasons we should rejoice when we face trials for our faith is the prospect of receiving this crown in heaven. It’s possible this crown is the one given to all believers who enter heaven instead of the incorruptible crown. I’m not sure which one it is. Whatever this crown is for I want it.

James 1:12 – Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

E. The crown of glory – This reward is given to pastors who have faithfully guided their local church. God doesn’t call everyone to ministry but everyone can still gain this reward by being deacons and other church leaders. Believers who teach Sunday school and direct Bible study classes also qualify for this reward. The key is you’re sharing God’s word with others for their edification. You’re helping others to gain knowledge, understanding and wisdom from God’s word. I qualify for the crown of glory because my blog site promotes the studying of God’s word and witnessing for Christ. The Apostle Paul was the greatest Christian who ever lived and he was not ashamed of seeking out the treasures of heaven and we should follow his lead. The Bible is our guide telling us how to gain the riches of heaven so let’s proceed with determination and purpose.

1 Peter 5:1-4 – The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory which does not fade away.

3. Proper doctrine is essential for salvation – As I said earlier, the Christian must know what they believe and why they believe it. A Christian must not be spoon-fed their faith by the church or anyone else who may be wrong or have some hidden agenda. Every Christian is responsible for reading the Bible themselves and studying God’s word for knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Every Christian has the responsibility of talking to God daily in prayer and seeking the revelation of God through the Holy Spirit. Every Christian is commanded to witness for Christ. A person must believe in the following core tenets of the Christian faith or they are not saved:

A. The existence of God – I’m not talking about Allah, other gods or multiple gods. I’m talking about Jehovah, the the one true living God in heaven.

B. The sinfulness of man – The atheists of the world believe man is his own god and that man is basically good. The Bible teaches us man is wicked and eternally lost without the saving grace of God.

C. The deity of Jesus – Atheists and other religions believe Jesus was a good man, a wise teacher, and a prophet but he was not divine. A Christian must believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to earth and took on flesh. A Christian must believe Jesus is God.

D. The substitutionary death and bodily resurrection of Christ – Christians must believe Jesus Christ came to earth for the purpose of dying a terrible death on the cross in our place so that our sins could be forgiven by a just God. For God’s grace to be applied the believer must accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Christians must believe Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all men, past, present and future. Christian’s must believe that Jesus was crucified, was buried, and on the third day arose from the dead. Christian’s must believe Jesus ascended back to heaven and now sits at the right hand of God making intercession for us.

E. The necessity of the regeneration of the Holy Spirit – Christians must believe they are born in sin and the only way to heaven and eternal life is by the mercy and grace of a loving God. The Christian must believe that when they accept Jesus Christ and their Lord and Savior they are saved unto eternal life. This occurs when the Holy Spirit gives us a new spirit without sin (regeneration). Our eternal spirit has been born again.

2 John 9 – Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.

The believer must be intellectually and morally convinced of these truths and must willingly receive the person of Christ into their life. A genuine, initial belief in the doctrines of our faith and reception of Christ as Lord and Savior will continue throughout the believer’s life. The genuine Christian will never waver from this doctrinal position, or deny it. That’s why millions of Christians will be beheaded during the tribulation. The antichrist will lock up Christians for ten days to give them an opportunity to recant their faith. The vast majority of Christians will go to their death rather than deny God.

Colossians 1:21-23 – And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven.

If someone considers themselves a Christian they must believe in Jesus or they are not saved. Christianity means, “Christ’s men.” Holding fast to the doctrine of Christ is evidence of salvation and, conversely, anyone who denies any part of the doctrine of Christ is not saved and they will face the wrath of God on the last day. When it comes to believing Christian doctrine a person is either all in or all out. Failure to believe any part of the doctrine of faith means you are not saved. A person who holds fast until the end to the tenets of Christianity that I’ve just described will be presented to Jesus Christ in heaven on the last day for their reward. Personally, my goal is to always do what pleases God and my fondest wish when I’m standing before the bema judgement seat of Christ on the last day is to hear Jesus say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.”

2. Salvation will manifest in outward signs – If a believer has genuine saving faith it will produce genuine works of righteousness in a persons life. I’m not saying once you’re saved you have to turn into the Apostle Paul but there should be changes in your life to reflect your new position with God. Others may not notice the difference in you but the believer will know they have changed inside.

Matthew 7:17-18,20 – (Jesus speaking) – Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

You can only do what God calls you to do and everyone has a different calling. God calls on some to do great things for the kingdom of God and others are called simply to obedience and walking humbly with God. Most of us will fall somewhere in between. There are at least twelve things that believers will manifest when they are saved. A believer should manifest one or more of the following traits:

A. Enjoys fellowship with God, Jesus, and fellow believers.

1 John 1:3-4 – That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

B. A sensitivity to sin.

1 John 1:8-10 – If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

C. Basically obedient to the commandments of Scripture.

1 John 2:3-5 – Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know we are in Him.

D. Hatred of the world and its values.

1 John 2:15 – Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

E. Love of Jesus Christ and look forward to his coming.

2 Timothy 4:8 – There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

F. Sin less as a believer.

1 John 3:5-6 – And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.

G. Loves other believers.

1 John 3:14 – We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

H. Experienced answered prayers.

1 John 3:22 – And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep his commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

I. The inner witness of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:16 – The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

J. The ability to discern between spiritual truth and error.

John 10:27 – (Jesus speaking) – My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

K. Belief in the basic doctrines of the faith.

1 John 5:1 – Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

L. Experience persecution for their Christian position.

John 15:18-19 – (Jesus speaking) – If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

As a believer I’ve experienced all of the above traits of salvation in my life to one degree or another, except for persecution for being a Christian. Christians in America haven’t had to face persecution yet but according to the Bible it’s coming. Know what you believe and why so as to gird yourself for the coming hard times. If you’re a Christian and you don’t recognize any of the the above traits in your life you may want to reexamine you faith to see if you’re truly saved. Start by studying God’s Word and praying for God to reveal himself through his Holy Spirit.

1. Salvation is not repeatable – A natural birth cannot be reversed or repeated. In the Bible when God talks about being reborn he means spiritually. At conception God gives each of us a piece of himself, an eternal spirit. According to the Bible, God has begotten us. God made our physical bodies from the dust of the ground and he placed in that body an eternal spirit. In every sense of the word God is our father. It was actually the Holy Spirit who gave birth to our eternal spirit at conception and we know that the Holy Spirit is God. That’s why we refer to the Holy Spirit as the divine womb.

John 1:12 – But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even those who believe in His name.

1 John 5:1 – Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves Him who is begotten of Him.

1 John 5:18 – We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

At birth our eternal spirit has the sin nature from Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden. Since Adam was the first man he is our family patriarch. The spiritual law of imputation means every man who came after Adam in his family (us) has Adam’s sin passed on to him. God cannot abide sin and will not allow sin in heaven so therefore our eternal spirit cannot go there in its sinful state. If our eternal spirit can’t go to heaven the only other place it can go is hell. Those are the only two choices we have. Another spiritual law is the wages of sin is death. We are all born in sin and headed straight to hell with no way to save ourselves.

John 3:3 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 3:6 – (Jesus speaking) – That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

John 3:8 – (Jesus speaking) – The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

God devised a salvation plan for man. To satisfy a just God the removal of the sins of man required a blood sacrifice from a sinless man. Since all men are sinners, we are lost. God had to send his own Son to earth in the form of a man to qualify as that spotless blood sacrifice in our place so that our sins might be forgiven. Even though Jesus Christ died for the sins of all men, that precious gift of divine blood has to be received to be applied. A person must believe in God and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent to redeem us of our sins by his sacrificial death on the cross. A person must believe Jesus was crucified, was buried and then arose from the dead on the third day in a resurrected body and now sits at the right hand of God in heaven.

A person by faith must accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The moment we become believers we are saved unto eternal life by the blood of Christ. The divine womb of the Holy Spirit births a “new” eternal spirit and removes the old one. We get a one for one swap of eternal spirits instantaneously that we can neither feel nor detect. We only know it happens because the Bible says it does. Just remember when we become adopted sons of God our old spirit is exchanged for a new one without sin on it so we can enter heaven when we die. We are born a second time spiritually. We have been reborn in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 1:3-5 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

For proof in Scripture look at the above verses and understand what it says. It says God has, “begotten us again,” which means God has birthed an eternal spirit in us a second time. The first birth was at conception. Our eternal spirit has been reborn at salvation. Why? So that our sins can be forgiven and we can be translated to the kingdom of God by our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Our “living hope” is to also be raised from the dead and receive a new glorified body like the one Jesus has. Notice also that God says all believers have an inheritance (eternal life) waiting on them in heaven. Furthermore, God says our salvation is “reserved” in heaven which means it’s guaranteed. Most importantly, our salvation unto eternal life is, “kept by the power of God.” God is holding onto our salvation personally until we get to heaven to receive it. If God has our salvation in his hands nothing can loosen his grip on our eternal spirit. God will never let go of us.

John 6:51 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.

John 6:35 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

John 6:27 – (Jesus speaking) – Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because Gof the Father has set His seal on Him.

Jesus repeatedly uses the metaphor of food and water to represent salvation and eternal life. Just as we need food and water to survive in our physical bodies, so we need faith in Jesus Christ to be given eternal life in heaven. Our spiritual food and water is provided by our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Salvation is only needed one time for all time; and you can’t lose it. The Bible says once we’re saved God holds our salvation in his hands for us until the last day when our redemption will be completed by Jesus Christ. Once we’re indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God it means we’re saved and the Holy Spirit will never leave us until our death. That’s what it means to be sealed by the Holy Spirit.

When we die the Holy Spirit will take us straight to the presence of Jesus in heaven. The Holy Spirit within us is God’s seal of ownership ensuring we have eternal life. It can never be revoked. Romans 8:38-39, makes it clear that once God has us in the kingdom of God nothing can take us out of his hand. Satan can’t remove us, we can’t sin enough to remove ourselves, and God won’t change his mind and let us go. Once you’ve given your life to Jesus Christ your spot in heaven is secure and it is guaranteed by the power of Almighty God. If you can never lose your salvation you don’t have to worry about having to repeat it.

Romans 8:38-39 – For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 10:28 – (Jesus speaking) – And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

John 10:29 – (Jesus speaking) – My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Luke 1:37 – For with God nothing will be impossible.

I’ve never lost my excitement over God’s Word. Every verse in the Bible is a gem, full of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. I’m like a kid in a candy store running to each one saying, “this one is my favorite.” Over the years I have probably had more than a dozen favorite verses. In previous blogs I have identified at least half a dozen verses as my favorite. We usually all start with John 3:16, as our favorite verse. Then we migrate to Psalm 23:4, and possibly the Lord’s Prayer. Personally, I’m fond of Isaiah 1:18, because God is telling us to come reason with him about our salvation. I’ve always been impressed by the fact God is inviting us to come talk to him any time about our salvation.

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

Isaiah 1:18 – Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are like red crimson, they shall be as wool.

Psalm 23:4 – Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

My newest favorite Bible verse, and I’m really serious about it this time, is Jeremiah 29:11. Jeremiah was an Old Testament prophet. In the Old Testament times God spoke to Israel through his prophets. God spoke to the prophet directly and the prophet relayed God’s message to the people. In this verse God is sharing a personal message not only to the Jewish people in ancient times but to all people in all times. God is also speaking directly to you as if you’re the only person who matters; as if you’re the only person who has ever lived. Pay close attention to this message from God just for you:

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.

God is sharing a lot of information in this short verse. I’ll break it down into words and phrases so we can discuss each part and what it means for us personally:

1. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,”

God is speaking to us in the first person by repeatedly using the “I” word which means we’re in a one on one personal conversation with God as if there was no one else present in the room. Because God says “you” it’s just God and you and there’s something he wants you to know from him personally. We know that God thought about us in the past because God made us and we are wonderfully made. By using the word “think” instead of “thought” God is letting us know not only has God thought about us in the past, God is thinking about us now in the present time and he is always thinking about us. We are always on God’s mind. Imagine that, the Creator of the universe is always thinking about us which means we’re important to God. If we’re important to God that means God cares about us. If God cares for us it means he loves us.

2. “says the Lord,”

When God speaks to us directly we’re very important to him. In addition to using the first person “I”, God indicates the situation is current and ongoing by the word “says” instead of “said”. This confirms to us again that God never stops thinking about us. It tells us not only does God love us, God dotes on us like we would for a favorite grandchild.

3. “thoughts of peace and not of evil,”

In this phrase God is telling us what he’s thinking about pertaining to us. We know that our enmity with God came about because of our sin and this resulted in our broken fellowship with God. We know that our sin from Adam has led to our separation from God and the prospect of eternal death in the lake of fire. By using the word “peace” God lets us know he has a salvation plan to end the enmity between God and man, which is faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, not only results in peace with God, it gives us the peace of God. God doesn’t have any evil thoughts. Evil in this phrase refers to the wrath of God, which God has reserved for the unrepentant sinner. This word “peace” lets us know God has only good thoughts toward believers. The saved children of God need not worry about the coming wrath of God and the condemnation which is reserved for the unbeliever. The unsaved will go to hell forever.

4. “to give you a future and a hope.”

Again, because God is saying “you”, it’s meant to be a one on one personal conversation between you and God. “To give” means God is giving something to his children, believers in Christ Jesus. In this phrase when God says “a future” he’s referring to being in heaven with him. After we die there are only two places we can go, heaven or hell, and there certainly is no future in the lake of fire where we’d be in torment forever. So God has in the past, and is now, thinking about our future in heaven in his presence. You’ve got to remember that the Bible says whatever God wants will come to pass so our presence in heaven with our Father is a certainty. When God says he is going to give us “a hope” he is talking about the cross, the resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ from the dead. Jesus paid for our sin debt by his sacrificial death on the cross. In Scripture our blessed “hope” is that when we die we will be also be resurrected and receive a glorified body like Jesus. The Bible assures us Jesus was the first fruits of salvation of which we also will partake.

In summary, Jeremiah 29:11, tells us God is crazy about us and he’s always thinking about us. God has a salvation plan so we can get to heaven and be with him forever. God can’t wait for us to get to heaven so he can shower us with honor, glory and riches beyond our wildest dreams. Do you remember the Bible story about the prodigal son? This story of the prodigal son is really about us and the father in the story represents God. God is revealing something about himself in this story. The father in the prodigal son story sat on his front porch every morning looking off to the horizon hoping to see his boy returning home to him. The father never stopped loving his son and never stopped watching for him to come home. The father never gave up hope that his boy would return to him one day.

Our God is the same way. God made us and sent us off into the world to find our salvation. God is on the front porch of heaven watching and waiting anxiously for us to be saved and return home to him in spirit first and then eventually in heaven in person. The father in the prodigal son finally saw his son coming down the road and rushed to meet him. The father showered his son with kisses, placed a new robe on him and a ring on his finger. The father ordered a celebration feast in the son’s honor. The son didn’t deserve the father’s grace but such was the father’s love that he gave his son all that he had. God is waiting to shower us with the same kind of love, honor, and glory that the prodigal son received.

I’ve spoken to people who’ve accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but they’re still unsure if they’re really saved or not because they don’t feel any different physically. Some people believe they’re saved but they feel unworthy of being saved and fear they won’t be able to hold onto their salvation if they continue to commit sins. We’re looking at salvation from a human perspective instead of how God sees it. God is good and God is great. Keep that in mind when thinking about God. God is inclusive and his arms are open wide to welcome us into heaven. After all, God has a plan to save us and not condemn us. God does not throw up roadblocks to keep us out of heaven. It’s just the opposite. God would like nothing better than to have all his children join him in heaven. That’s why God has made our salvation as easy as possible. So easy that some people think there must be a catch, but there isn’t. Salvation is a gift of God and not contingent on how we feel about it.

John 10:28 – (Jesus speaking) – And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

John 10:29 – (Jesus speaking) – My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Ephesians 1:13 – In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

1 John 2:25 – And this is the promise that He has promised us-eternal life.

Our God is a God of mercy but also justice. God wants us with him in heaven but we must make the choice of our own free will. Salvation isn’t about us, it’s about the promises of God. Salvation is a work of God and he’ll handle all the details. God gives us the precious gift of eternal life for his eternal glory. Salvation means eternal life and once something is made eternal by an act of God it cannot then be undone and made “not eternal”. Nobody else could do it and God won’t do it. That would make God a liar and the Word of God untrue. God is ever faithful and will always fulfill his word. If that were not the case then God wouldn’t be God and we’d still be in our sins and have no hope of eternal life. If our salvation is not forever then the Christian faith becomes null and void. Christianity rests on the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of Christ rests on eternal life being permanent when given. Once saved, always saved; otherwise Jesus died in vain.

John 3:18 – (Jesus speaking) – He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 6:40 – (Jesus speaking) – And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:37 – (Jesus speaking) – All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

Hebrews 7:25 – Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those that come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

1 John 5:13 – These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

It’s natural for us to think we are not worthy of salvation; because we aren’t. None of us deserve salvation. Every human being is born with a sin nature from Adam and because of that we all continue to sin the rest of our lives. We can sin less but we can’t stop sinning altogether. Salvation is not about us, it’s about God and his love, mercy and grace toward man, his special creation. We see ourselves and our current sinful state before a holy God and feel we are totally unworthy which is understandable. Because of the vast gulf between a holy God and our sinful state we can’t imagine what God could possibly see in us to make us worth saving. But God made us and to him we’re priceless. God sees us spiritually; how we’ll be in heaven where we’ll be the sinless, glorified sons of God that he has ordained. Whatever God purposes God already sees as a fact because God’s will always comes to pass.

1 Peter 1:3-5 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Romans 8:38-39 – For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 13:5 – I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Ephesians 1:4-5 – Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

Galatians 4:4-5 – But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

You’re saved because God says you are in his Word. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about what Scripture says on this matter. There are no exceptions. God says what he means and means what he says. God cannot lie and God cannot be unfaithful to his Word. Relax. Trust in God. If you were sincere when you prayed the sinner’s prayer to God you’re saved unto eternal life. That’s it, end of story. You won’t feel any different physically but spiritually you’re a new person because God says you are. When God saves someone unto eternal life he gives that person’s new spirit to his Son Jesus as his own possession and the gift is irrevocable. Would God glorify himself and Jesus by giving our spirit to his Son only to take it back later? I don’t think so. God never changes his mind and God never makes mistakes.

Romans 8:1 – There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Galatians 6:7 – Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

In death the soul separates from the body, but believers can never be separated from God. Once you’re saved you’ll always be a child of God. That doesn’t mean we’re free to sin without recourse. We will always be accountable to Jesus for our sins. If we sin persistently God will discipline us like any parent would do for his child. God could spank us in a number of ways and the punishment gets progressively stronger to fit the sin. We could suffer financial loss. We could suffer material loss. We could lose our effective service to God and our fellowship with God could be severed. We could suffer illness. In the worst case scenario, we could suffer physical death where God decides to bring us home before our sins become any more egregious. In all these cases we could potentially lose our reward but our position in heaven as sons of God is safe and secure. Eternal life is ours forever.

2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

1 John 3:1 – Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

1 John 5:11 – And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

1 Corinthians 4:15 – For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.

Romans 11:29 – For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Do you remember the movie, “The Green Mile,” starring Tom Hanks? It was a movie about inmates on death row back in the 1930’s. Have you ever imagined yourself in a similar situation, on death row awaiting your execution by the electric chair or by lethal injection? Imagine that all legal challenges to reverse your sentence have failed and the only hope you have left to avoid execution is a last minute a pardon from the governor of whatever state your prison is in. I have a vivid imagination and I’ve thought about how I would feel in that situation. But my mind didn’t stay on that topic for very long because the thought of being on death row was uncomfortable to think about. In fact, it is a downright scary subject to dwell on. Most of us shudder at the thought of being on death row and say to ourselves, “I hope I never do anything that puts me there.”

John 14:6 – (Jesus speaking) – I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me.

John 3:36 – (Jesus speaking) – He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

It’s also human nature to put off thinking about our own mortality. We all know we’re going to die someday but most of us just put off thinking about it altogether. Just like we put off thinking about God and what we ought to do about him. One of the problems that we have is a lack of information that stems from us not reading God’s Word. The Bible provides all the knowledge, understanding and wisdom we’ll ever need to make informed choices about our lives. Let me be clear. Every person who has even been born on this earth comes into the world already on death row. When Adam fell from grace in the Garden of Eden for the sin of disobeying God Adam’s sin was passed on to all men who came after him. That was the spiritual law of imputation at work. That sin nature we human beings received at birth causes all of us to continue to sin on earth all our lives There are no exceptions.

Romans 3:20 – Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Ephesians 2:1-2 – And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sin, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.

God cannot abide sin and he won’t allow sin in heaven. Even thought God made man to fellowship with him in heaven our sin separated us from God. One of the spiritual laws of heaven is the wages of sin is death. Since we’re all born in sin our sentence is death. I’m not talking only about our physical death (the first death) which we all have to face. I’m also referring to our spiritual death sentence (the second death) in the lake of fire for eternity which we’ve all earned by our sins. God knew we couldn’t remove our sins and save ourselves so he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place. Jesus came to redeem us so our sins could be forgiven. God is better than any governor could be because only God can issue us a pardon that’ll get us off spiritual death row. Only God can pardon or forgive our sins, which will restore the broken fellowship between God and man and allow us to go to heaven to be with the Lord forever. Our deliverance by God can only come through our belief in Jesus Christ and our acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

Luke 19:10 – (Jesus speaking) – For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.

1 John 5:12 – He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

You either have everlasting life within you or the wrath of God upon you. Those are your only two choices. Another spiritual law of the kingdom of God is that you must accept God’s mercy and grace unto eternal life before you physically die. The wrath of God hangs over all the unsaved like the sword of Damocles. Imagine you’re facing the guillotine and your neck is already in the notch waiting for the blade to fall and end your life. Only the thread of a human heartbeat keeps the blade from falling on the neck of all unbelievers. The moment believers are saved unto eternal life God removes their neck from the notch of the guillotine leading to spiritual death. By our faith in Jesus God has forgiven our sins.

Hebrews 9:27 – And it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.

God has given us his Word, the Holy Bible, so we can become aware of the spiritual blade that is suspended over our heads and so that we can remove ourselves from the danger. God exhorts us all throughout the Bible to study his Word for knowledge, understanding and wisdom so we’re aware of the danger of spiritual death we all face. You cannot act appropriately in this world until you know what to do and the Bible tells us everything we need to know. The Bible is key to understanding what we’re supposed to do in this world so it’s critical we read it. God made us and he has a reason for everything he does. God is allowing our time here on earth as our grace period, our “testing time”, for us to decide whether we will serve God or Satan and the Bible is our guide to the truth of God.

John 1:4 – In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

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

God’s grace automatically extends to all children from conception up to the age of decision, which is normally around twelve years old. It varies depending on the individual. God is both merciful and just. When a person is old enough to make a decision about God he must accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to be saved unto eternal life. To reject Jesus or to make no decision means we don’t get our pardon from God and we remain on spiritual death row. On the last day when Jesus judges the unsaved the death sentence will be carried out. Unbelievers will be tossed into the lake of fire for eternity.

Here’s the picture I want you to hold in your head. Imagine you’re bobbing up and down in the lake of fire and brimstone like a cork. You’re screaming your head off because you’re in constant pain and agony 24 hours a day of every day for all of eternity. Remember that a hundred billion years is only a blink of the eyes in eternity. No matter how uncomfortable it may be to think about our impending death, thinking about the alternative of going to hell is downright terrifying to contemplate but we must do it. Our eternal soul depends on it. We must avoid the fate of eternal damnation at all costs. We must take action now and make the right decision before it’s too late. We’re only a heartbeat away from either heaven or hell so please repeat the sinner’s prayer to God right now and ensure your eternal destination is heaven and not the lake of fire.

Man stands condemned before a holy God if he rejects the sonship offered by God the Father and citizenship in the kingdom of God. Spiritually speaking, all men are born as citizens of this evil, depraved and sin-filled world. Spiritually speaking, all men are born as sons of the devil because Satan is the god of this world. Sons of Satan are by definition citizens of the world and they are lost, guilty before God and unsaved. Satan blinds the mind of his children and dulls their spiritual perceptions so they cannot see the truth of God.

1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

James 4:7 – Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

1 John 5:19 – We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

The unsaved love the world and sinning and they hate anyone who isn’t a part of their world. They worship and obey Satan and they’ll blindly follow him down to the pit. Those who are condemned love Satan and hate God. They don’t know any better nor do they want to. Believers witnessing for Christ is the only hope these lost souls have of finding salvation. Witnessing for Christ is the thing dearest to God’s heart and should be our top priority. It’s why God leaves us on this earth. Emulate Jesus in order to bring honor and glory to God the Father.

Ephesians 6:12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.

1 John 3:10 – In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

John 15:19 – (Jesus speaking) – If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 12:30-32 – (Jesus speaking) – This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.

Jesus came down from heaven and is not part of this world. When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior he reaches down and removes us from the world by grace and makes us sons of God and citizens of his world, citizens of heaven. When man becomes a son of God he can no longer be a son of Satan. When the believer becomes a citizen of heaven he loses his world citizenship. Man can’t have dual citizenship. A man only has two choices for citizenship, the world or heaven. We’re all born into world citizenship but we choose to have citizenship in heaven.

Philippians 3:20 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 11:13 – These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Romans 8:14,16 – For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

Colossians 1:13 – He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

Once a believer receives his new spiritual passport into the kingdom of God it’s final and can never be revoked or changed. This sinful world and the sin free kingdom of heaven are like oil and water, they don’t mix. They are polar opposites and unalterably opposed to each other in a heaven-earth conflict. A friend of the world is naturally the enemy of God and vice versa. Man cannot serve both God and Satan. God placed man on this earth to make the free will choice between God and Satan and choose we must. As long as a person remains an unsaved world citizen and slave of Satan he is lost.

Ephesians 2:1-2 – And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sin, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 – But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

John 17:6 – (Jesus speaking) – I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.

John 18:36 – (Jesus speaking) – My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.

Believers need to wake up and realize what has happened to them. It’s not business as usual. Their new citizenship in heaven isn’t a secret. Satan and his demons know it immediately when someone is saved and their spiritual attacks increase a a result of it. Satan hates all men but he especially hates Christians because we’re children of God and Satan hates God and seeks to grieve him through our destruction. The citizens of the world also know we’re citizens of the kingdom of God by our actions and our testimony for God and Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:1 – Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is et before us.

1 Corinthians 9:24 – Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

The battle lines are drawn. World citizens will ostracize the Christian and oppose him at every turn. The lost have a satanic nature and we’re a threat to them so the believer will be hated, persecuted, attacked and even killed in some cases. The world persecuted and hated Jesus because he was not a citizen of the world and we can expect the same treatment. In the Bible God has warned us this was coming and how we should respond. Besides our brothers and sisters in Christ for support we also have God at our back, guardian angels to either side of us and the Word of God held up before us as the sword of the Spirit. As soldiers for Christ we are to gird ourselves so that we can face a hostile world with determination, pressing ever forward with our witness for Christ until the battle is won or God brings us home. We fight for God! You know what you have to do to prepare so do it!

Man stands condemned before a holy God if he rejects the divine revelation he has been given. All unsaved men are guilty before God because they have rejected God’s divine revelation, no matter what form it has taken-creation, the image of God in man, the Bible, or the written and oral message of the cross. All men of all ages have received some form of divine revelation and God holds these men accountable for what each has been given, no matter how much or how little he has received.

Psalm 8:3-4 – When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?

First of all, God has revealed himself to all men through nature and creation. The heavens above, the earth below, and the physical bodies we possess were all designed to reveal truth about God’s character and being. Stop and think about it. If you look at the intricacies of inner and outer space an intelligent design is evident. Look inside a single living cell and you’ll notice a million of moving parts. Look at the heavens and notice how they are synchronized and operate in a very predictable and precise manner. What has been made can only be created by the fingers of God.

Hebrews 1:1 – God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets.

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of god; and the firmament shows His handiwork.

Romans 1:19-20 – Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

John 4:24 – (Jesus speaking) – God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

As we look at the physical body of man we see 75 trillion specialized cells grouped into specialized tissues, organs and enclosed biological systems and equipped with a brain that is the greatest supercomputer in the universe. If that’s not enough to impress us then we can look into the inner man, either casually or through a psychological study, and we find a living being who is self-aware. A moral being who knows right from wrong. Being moral, knowing right from wrong, is not something that can be evolved. It has to be given.

Genesis 2:7 – And the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Psalm 139:14 – I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.

Ephesians 2:10 – For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Man knows in his soul he’s a created being. That knowledge placed inside every man can only come from without. Where could this self-awareness of man come from? How does man know good from evil? The only logical conclusion is that a moral God created moral man in his own image; meaning man was created with not only intelligence, emotions and will but also with a moral compass and eternal spirit like the one possessed by God the Father. God made man a sentient being with a free will to choose whom he will serve, God or Satan. God made man to be responsible to God for his attitudes and actions.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Peter 1:20-21 – Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 1:18 – For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

John 3:18 – (Jesus speaking) – He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

In fairly recent times God has given us the Bible, a special revelation to man, God’s written word. God speaks to all men through the pages of the Bible in order to share what he wants known. The New Testament is the account of the life of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and his redemptive work on earth and, along with the Old Testament, gives to man God’s total revelation of himself and his program for the ages. To reject the Bible is to reject God and the saving grace Jesus Christ, resulting in condemnation.

Hebrews 4:12 – For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joint and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Ephesians 6:17 – And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

For man to escape condemnation they must be saved. For man to be saved they must receive by faith Jesus Christ of the gospel message contained in the Bible. When man hears the gospel he can either accept it or reject it, but he cannot remain neutral. If any man rejects the gospel message of Christ God holds him guilty and condemned. If man regards the message of the cross as nothing but foolishness then he is numbered among the condemned, those who are perishing. Condemnation is to be sentenced to the lake of fire and brimstone forever.

Unsaved man stands condemned before a holy God for their sin nature inherited from Adam after the fall and also for their sins committed in the body during their time on earth. Saved man, on the other hand, while he stands guilty before God for both of the sins mentioned above he is not condemned. The saved man by grace has their sins forgiven through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Salvation is our, “get out of jail free card,” that will keep us from going to hell.

Sin is any lack of conformity to the character and will of God. God created the universe so his will is law. God makes the rules. There’s no need to debate the semantics of sin. Sin is whatever God says it is and God says to disobey him is a sin. As a creature of God we are simply to obey. God is good and God is great. Never lose sight of the fact God is always fair and God always does what’s in our best interest.

Deuteronomy 7:9 – Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.

Psalm 51:1 – Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.

Psalm 117:2 – For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.

Jeremiah 31:3 – The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

God reveals his will, his commandments, through the Holy Bible. God makes positive statements and explicit commands in the Bible we’re to follow. Let me be clear, we sin any time we disobey a command of God. My Bible guide lists 129 separate commands God makes to man. Admittedly, some of these commands are redundant. For our discussion, let’s say there are 100 different commands from God to man. Most of us are familiar with the ten commandments and as believers we try to follow them.

Few believers consistently obey all ten commandments, including me. If we can’t obey God’s first ten commandments how are we doing on the other ninety? How many of the other ninety commandments of God do you know? I’ll bet not more that ten. That means most of us don’t know 80% of what God requires of us. Does that scare you? It does me. We’re held accountable for those unobeyed commandments whether we know them or not because we could know them if we searched the Bible for them and etched them in our hearts.

Proverbs 23:12 – Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to words of knowledge.

Psalm 32:8 – I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.

Psalm 119:2 – Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!

Psalm 119:18 – Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.

How can we obey the commands of God if we don’t know what they are? How can we know what God requires of us if we don’t read and study the Bible to find out? We can’t. That’s why God repeatedly commands us in the Bible to study the Word of God so that we can gain the knowledge, understanding and wisdom we need. Spiritual maturity is a journey but you must make the effort to know God. The Bible makes it clear that nobody consistently obeys God. We’re to try our best to obey God knowing we’ll probably fall short. Then we’re to ask God to forgive our sins and strengthen us so that we sin less over time.

Personally, I ask God every night to forgive the sins I’ve committed that day. As a believer saved unto eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior I’m a child of God. As his child, God has promised to forgive my sins if I ask him. I have peace with God and the peace of God every night before my eyes close. I don’t want to stand before God with unforgiven sins on my books. God cannot lie so I know my sins are forgiven. God is always faithful and true. What can be better than going to sleep in the arms of Almighty God?

Proverbs 8:34 – Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.

Isaiah 55:6 – Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.

Psalm 106:1 – Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Proverbs 14:25 – A true witness delivers souls.

My recommendation to anyone who is unsaved is to seek God while he may be found and accept the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. My suggestion to believers is to study the Bible so you know all of God’s commands and then obey them. Any decent Bible guide will have a listing of all the commands of God contained in the Bible. I cover these commands in more detail in my blogs posted in December, 2019. Nobody who is saved suddenly becomes a saint. We’re all sinners living in sin-filled world and we’ll all continue to sin while we’re on this earth. That’s a given. We should make it our goal to sin less over time and try our best to stop sinning altogether. It’s a slow incremental process.

When you do sin, ask God’s forgiveness, right then if you can, and then try to do better going forward. Remember that our race for God is a marathon and not a sprint. We’re to persevere in the faith. Don’t listen to Satan when he tells you God can’t possibly love you because of your sin. That’s Satan’s biggest lie. God made us and he loves us all equally, sin or no sin. God wouldn’t have sent his Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for all sinners if he didn’t love us all dearly. Our job down here on earth is to seek God’s face and to obey his commands, especially the command to witness for Christ. Then we’re to emulate Christ in the way we live our lives so as to honor and glorify God the Father.