Present\nYour Bodies a Living Sacrifice
\n\nPart Two
\n\n
\n\nPicking\nup where we left off at the end of Part One…
\n\nNominal\nChristians will fall short of “finishing the course,” becoming unproductive in\ntheir walk with the Lord (1). They\nremain saved, but will not receive a full reward (2).
\n\nDoes this\nmean that we are not to enjoy any of the things and activities and that life\nhere on Earth has to offer?
\n\nAbsolutely\nnot!
\n\nIn fact, providing\nthat our activities do not involve sin, it is when and where we are engaged in\nsecular activities at home, work, school, and play, while interacting with\nothers sharing the same experience or activity, that we are called to be\nChrist's ambassadors.
\n\nIt is\nwhen we conduct ourselves “in a worthy manner” while in the midst of our daily\nactivities that we establish common ground with other people. This is what will provide the prepared\ndisciple with 1Pet. 3: 15 opportunities to glorify God by ministering to the\nspiritual needs of others.
\n\nEph. 4: 1\nis not talking about just doing “a” daily good deed. It is referring to a 7/24 lifestyle.
\n\nKeep in\nmind that as an advancing disciple, we are under constant observation. One can\ndo many good deeds, but it will be the occasional slip-up that people will\nremember and the devil will exploit.
\n\nNow,\nlet’s move on by taking a look at a few examples of how a Church Age believer’s\nphysical body can become a daily, living sacrifice.
\n\nNote that\nto be a sacrifice, it requires that we refrain from engaging in some activities\nthat we would otherwise desire to do, in order to complete the work that He has\nin mind.
\n\nWork? I thought that we are saved by grace, and not\nby works.
\n\nWe ARE saved\nby grace. The works associated with post salvation discipleship are not for the\npurpose of obtaining or retaining salvation. \nThey are for the purpose of glorifying and serving God, by serving other\npeople (3).
\n\nOur bodies\nas a whole…
\n\nAs of the\nmoment that we are born again, our physical bodies become the temple of God (4).\nHow we present our bodies, and what we do while in our bodies, should reflect this\nprinciple.
\n\n“Or do\nyou not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom\nyou have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price:\ntherefore glorify God in your body (1Cor.6: 19, 20 NASB).”
\n\nOur eyes…
\n\nWe make\nour eyes a living sacrifice to glorify God when we choose to look at things\nthat edify us, and by NOT looking at the things that the devil can use to plant\nthe seeds of evil.
\n\nOur ears…
\n\nWe make\nour ears a living sacrifice by choosing to listen to the things that edify, and\nby choosing not to listen to the things that the devil can use to plant the\nseeds of evil (5).
\n\nOur tongues…
\n\nWe make\nour mouths a living sacrifice when we use it to praise God, to pray, to evangelize,\nand to edify fellow believers, and by not using it to gossip or to destroy\nother people (6).
\n\nOur feet…
\n\nWe make\nour feet a living sacrifice when we use them to go to places that God would\nhave us go, and not to go (or leave) places where God does not want us to go or\nto remain (7)
\n\nOur private\nparts…
\n\nWe make\nour private parts a living sacrifice when we reserve and enjoy their usage within\nthe boundaries of heterosexual marriage (8).
\n\nOur hands…
\n\nWe make\nour hands a living sacrifice when we use them to do the deeds that God would\nhave us do, and by not using them to do the deeds that pleases our fallen nature\nand or the devil.
\n\nIn some\ncases, our physical body parts (eyes, ears, hands. feet) have a corresponding part\nin our soul structure. The eyes of our\nsoul take in and store away the images of what our physical eyes see. The ears of our soul take and “tape record”\nwhat our physical ears hear. The feet of\nour soul, mentally go where our thoughts take us. The hands of our soul carry out it's desires.
\n\nWhile on\nEarth, human beings are trichotomous creatures, having a physical body, a soul,\nand a spirit. What impacts one, impacts\nthe remaining two, as well (9).
\n\nSince the\nFall of Man, we come into this world with a physically alive body, a soul that\nwill never cease to exist, and a spirit that is in need of regeneration. This regeneration is the Work of God that\nautomatically takes place the moment that one is born again (10).
\n\nWhen born\nagain believers leave this world, they leave their physical bodies behind, and go\nto Heaven where they will have an interim body until, what theologians call the\nRapture, takes place. When the Rapture\ntakes place, believers in Heaven receive their physical bodies back, but in\nresurrected form. Believers, who are\nphysically alive on the Earth when the Rapture takes place, instantaneously have\ntheir physical bodies transformed into resurrected form, and gather together with\nthe Lord and the departed believers who return with Him.
\n\nBut until\nthen, what believers on Earth do while in their physical bodies impacts the\nquality of their post salvation spiritual life here on Earth, and impacts what\ntheir eternal experience is going to be like.
\n\nRather or\nnot any given Church Age believer’s heavenly experience will include the\nrewards and privileges that are reserved for advancing disciples, is a choice\nthat each one makes on a daily basis while here on Earth.
\n\n
\n\nWhen\nthose who have rejected the unadulterated Gospel Message leave this world, they\nleave their bodies behind, as well. But instead\nof finding themselves at home with the Lord, they will find themselves in the\nTorments of Hades, with nothing to look forward to but the Eternal Lake of fire\n(11).
\n\nNothing\nthat is done (or not done) to the bodily remains of a departed soul does anything\nto benefit the departed soul, nor do such things assist or prevent God from\ndoing what He has in store for them in Eternity future.
\n\nThere is\nnot one departed soul in a funeral parlor, funeral service, cemetery, or urn,\netc.; only one’s bodily remains in various stages of decomposition.
\n\nThe grave\nis NOT the resting place where a departed soul “rests in peace.” The resting place for departed Church Age believers\nis in Heaven where Jesus had gone to prepare a place for them. There they will consciously be, until the\nRapture takes place.
\n\nThere is\nno resting for the departed soul of an unbeliever; only torment (12).
\n\nNote that\nduring the Old Testament dispensation, touching a corpse or a grave defiled the\nperson doing so (13).
\n\n\n\nIn closing, consider divine viewpoint and the consequences of\nusing our bodily parts to please oneself or to do evil, instead of using them\nto glorify God through daily sacrifice.
\n\n“There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which\nare an abomination to Him. Haughty eyes,\na lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked\nplans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one\nwho spreads strife among brothers (Proverbs 6: 17-19 NASB).”
\n\n“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage\nbed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Make sure that your character is free from\nthe love of money… (Heb.13: 4, 5 NASB).”
\n\nThe day we leave these bodies behind, is the day the window\nof opportunity to present our bodies a living sacrifice closes for all of\nEternity.
\n\n____________
\n\n(1) \n2Tim.4 the: 7/Mark 4: 19 (2) Romans 8: 1/1Cor.3: 15/2John 1: 8 (3) Eph.\n2: 8,9 (4) 1Cor. 3: 16 (5) Luke 8: 18/Matt. 11: 15/ 2Pet.3: 18/Matt. 7: 24-27 (6)\nJames 3: 5-10 (7) Proverbs 3: 6/Psalms 119: 101, 105 (8) Heb.13: 4 (9) 1Thess.\n5: 23 (10) John 3: 5, 7/Titus 3: 5 (11) Rev. 20: 13, 15 (12) Isa. 48: 22/Luke\n16: 24 (13) Numbers 9: 11, 13, 14, 16)
\n\nEnd of Part Two of Two
\n\n
\n\nPart Two
\n\n
\n\nPicking\nup where we left off at the end of Part One…
\n\nNominal\nChristians will fall short of “finishing the course,” becoming unproductive in\ntheir walk with the Lord (1). They\nremain saved, but will not receive a full reward (2).
\n\nDoes this\nmean that we are not to enjoy any of the things and activities and that life\nhere on Earth has to offer?
\n\nAbsolutely\nnot!
\n\nIn fact, providing\nthat our activities do not involve sin, it is when and where we are engaged in\nsecular activities at home, work, school, and play, while interacting with\nothers sharing the same experience or activity, that we are called to be\nChrist's ambassadors.
\n\nIt is\nwhen we conduct ourselves “in a worthy manner” while in the midst of our daily\nactivities that we establish common ground with other people. This is what will provide the prepared\ndisciple with 1Pet. 3: 15 opportunities to glorify God by ministering to the\nspiritual needs of others.
\n\nEph. 4: 1\nis not talking about just doing “a” daily good deed. It is referring to a 7/24 lifestyle.
\n\nKeep in\nmind that as an advancing disciple, we are under constant observation. One can\ndo many good deeds, but it will be the occasional slip-up that people will\nremember and the devil will exploit.
\n\nNow,\nlet’s move on by taking a look at a few examples of how a Church Age believer’s\nphysical body can become a daily, living sacrifice.
\n\nNote that\nto be a sacrifice, it requires that we refrain from engaging in some activities\nthat we would otherwise desire to do, in order to complete the work that He has\nin mind.
\n\nWork? I thought that we are saved by grace, and not\nby works.
\n\nWe ARE saved\nby grace. The works associated with post salvation discipleship are not for the\npurpose of obtaining or retaining salvation. \nThey are for the purpose of glorifying and serving God, by serving other\npeople (3).
\n\nOur bodies\nas a whole…
\n\nAs of the\nmoment that we are born again, our physical bodies become the temple of God (4).\nHow we present our bodies, and what we do while in our bodies, should reflect this\nprinciple.
\n\n“Or do\nyou not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom\nyou have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price:\ntherefore glorify God in your body (1Cor.6: 19, 20 NASB).”
\n\nOur eyes…
\n\nWe make\nour eyes a living sacrifice to glorify God when we choose to look at things\nthat edify us, and by NOT looking at the things that the devil can use to plant\nthe seeds of evil.
\n\nOur ears…
\n\nWe make\nour ears a living sacrifice by choosing to listen to the things that edify, and\nby choosing not to listen to the things that the devil can use to plant the\nseeds of evil (5).
\n\nOur tongues…
\n\nWe make\nour mouths a living sacrifice when we use it to praise God, to pray, to evangelize,\nand to edify fellow believers, and by not using it to gossip or to destroy\nother people (6).
\n\nOur feet…
\n\nWe make\nour feet a living sacrifice when we use them to go to places that God would\nhave us go, and not to go (or leave) places where God does not want us to go or\nto remain (7)
\n\nOur private\nparts…
\n\nWe make\nour private parts a living sacrifice when we reserve and enjoy their usage within\nthe boundaries of heterosexual marriage (8).
\n\nOur hands…
\n\nWe make\nour hands a living sacrifice when we use them to do the deeds that God would\nhave us do, and by not using them to do the deeds that pleases our fallen nature\nand or the devil.
\n\nIn some\ncases, our physical body parts (eyes, ears, hands. feet) have a corresponding part\nin our soul structure. The eyes of our\nsoul take in and store away the images of what our physical eyes see. The ears of our soul take and “tape record”\nwhat our physical ears hear. The feet of\nour soul, mentally go where our thoughts take us. The hands of our soul carry out it's desires.
\n\nWhile on\nEarth, human beings are trichotomous creatures, having a physical body, a soul,\nand a spirit. What impacts one, impacts\nthe remaining two, as well (9).
\n\nSince the\nFall of Man, we come into this world with a physically alive body, a soul that\nwill never cease to exist, and a spirit that is in need of regeneration. This regeneration is the Work of God that\nautomatically takes place the moment that one is born again (10).
\n\nWhen born\nagain believers leave this world, they leave their physical bodies behind, and go\nto Heaven where they will have an interim body until, what theologians call the\nRapture, takes place. When the Rapture\ntakes place, believers in Heaven receive their physical bodies back, but in\nresurrected form. Believers, who are\nphysically alive on the Earth when the Rapture takes place, instantaneously have\ntheir physical bodies transformed into resurrected form, and gather together with\nthe Lord and the departed believers who return with Him.
\n\nBut until\nthen, what believers on Earth do while in their physical bodies impacts the\nquality of their post salvation spiritual life here on Earth, and impacts what\ntheir eternal experience is going to be like.
\n\nRather or\nnot any given Church Age believer’s heavenly experience will include the\nrewards and privileges that are reserved for advancing disciples, is a choice\nthat each one makes on a daily basis while here on Earth.
\n\n
\n\nWhen\nthose who have rejected the unadulterated Gospel Message leave this world, they\nleave their bodies behind, as well. But instead\nof finding themselves at home with the Lord, they will find themselves in the\nTorments of Hades, with nothing to look forward to but the Eternal Lake of fire\n(11).
\n\nNothing\nthat is done (or not done) to the bodily remains of a departed soul does anything\nto benefit the departed soul, nor do such things assist or prevent God from\ndoing what He has in store for them in Eternity future.
\n\nThere is\nnot one departed soul in a funeral parlor, funeral service, cemetery, or urn,\netc.; only one’s bodily remains in various stages of decomposition.
\n\nThe grave\nis NOT the resting place where a departed soul “rests in peace.” The resting place for departed Church Age believers\nis in Heaven where Jesus had gone to prepare a place for them. There they will consciously be, until the\nRapture takes place.
\n\nThere is\nno resting for the departed soul of an unbeliever; only torment (12).
\n\nNote that\nduring the Old Testament dispensation, touching a corpse or a grave defiled the\nperson doing so (13).
\n\n\n\nIn closing, consider divine viewpoint and the consequences of\nusing our bodily parts to please oneself or to do evil, instead of using them\nto glorify God through daily sacrifice.
\n\n“There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which\nare an abomination to Him. Haughty eyes,\na lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked\nplans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one\nwho spreads strife among brothers (Proverbs 6: 17-19 NASB).”
\n\n“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage\nbed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Make sure that your character is free from\nthe love of money… (Heb.13: 4, 5 NASB).”
\n\nThe day we leave these bodies behind, is the day the window\nof opportunity to present our bodies a living sacrifice closes for all of\nEternity.
\n\n____________
\n\n(1) \n2Tim.4 the: 7/Mark 4: 19 (2) Romans 8: 1/1Cor.3: 15/2John 1: 8 (3) Eph.\n2: 8,9 (4) 1Cor. 3: 16 (5) Luke 8: 18/Matt. 11: 15/ 2Pet.3: 18/Matt. 7: 24-27 (6)\nJames 3: 5-10 (7) Proverbs 3: 6/Psalms 119: 101, 105 (8) Heb.13: 4 (9) 1Thess.\n5: 23 (10) John 3: 5, 7/Titus 3: 5 (11) Rev. 20: 13, 15 (12) Isa. 48: 22/Luke\n16: 24 (13) Numbers 9: 11, 13, 14, 16)
\n\nEnd of Part Two of Two
\n\n