THE FIERY EVENTS OF SCRIPTURE
Part Three of Three
Here in 2023, edified believers know that the 2Pet. 3: 10 event is more than 1,000 years away, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be catastrophic events (1) on a global level taking place before the final meltdown of 2Pet. 3: 10.
The seven-year Tribulation period and the 1,000-year millennial Kingdom that follows, assures us that human history has at least another 1,007 years of endurance to go through before the 2Pet.3: 10 event takes place.
The 1,000-year millennial Kingdom does not begin until after the Second Advent (return of Christ) takes place.
The 2Pet. 3: 10 meltdown and coming of the Rev. 21 new heavens and Earth does will not take place until after the 1,000-year kingdom has been completed.
. . .
The 2Pet. 3: 10 meltdown and the Rev. 20: 15 lake of fire event are not the only events that the Matt.7: 13 majority of the human race needs to be made aware.
Having learned the hard way, all departed unbelievers are presently experiencing the tormenting fire (2) of Hades. They will continue to do so until the Rev.20:13 -15 takes place. During the Rev. 20: 13-15 event, they will be summoned up to the Court of Heaven, be given their day in court, only to be tossed into the lake of fire where they will spend all of Eternity.
This lake of fire is not a place of extermination. This lake of fire will be the final and never-ending residence of human souls who rejected God’s one and only plan of salvation.
So, what kind of people should we, here in 2023 be?
Should we eat, drink, and be merry, live for the things that this life has to offer? Should we, in 2023 be concerned about events that are more than 1,000 years away? Should we be concerned with events that are going to take place after the Rapture and before the Second Advent? Should we be so wrapped up in the future that we can not enjoy the present?
Are we not to be concerned about the eternal future of family, friends, and foes?
Our individual answers to such questions are evidenced in the choices we make each and every day!
The choices we (and they) make now, determines where we (and they) will be, and how we (and they) will experience the future events that ARE going to take place, long after any one of us alive today have departed this Earth.
. . .
To the disapproval of the religious crowd of His day, Jesus knew how to enjoy life (3), and how to associate and interact with people of questionable character. But in the midst of such activities, He never sinned (4).
It is not the company of unbelievers that 1Cor.5: 9-11 commands us to avoid. It is the company of other “Christians” who talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.
“I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-not even to eat with such a one (1Cor. 5: 9 – 11 NASB).”
Participation in the Great Commission of Matthew 28: 19, 20 calls for interaction with those whom God wants to evangelize or to edify.
The fish are not going to come to you. One can not catch fish without going to the pond. If you’re to be a fisher of men (5), you will have to spend time out at the pond, interacting with unbelievers in need of salvation and with believers in need of edification.
This interaction should be taking place when in the physical company of others as we go about our daily activities, and when in communication with others as we make use of the many means of communication that are available today.
The deeper one goes into the devil’s world, the bigger the target the advancing disciple becomes in the realm of spiritual combat. Advancing disciples will be called to step outside of their comfort zone. It is easy to speak about God and or the things of God when we are among like-minded individuals or groups. The challenge comes into the picture when surrounded by those who wish to silence the unspoken testimony of our lifestyle, and any attempts to promote the Great Commission.
Throughout His lifetime, Jesus had to maintain the sinless integrity of His humanity in order to be qualified to be “… the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1: 29 NASB), while on the cross. The preservation of His sinless humanity was a part of the individual plan that God the Father had in mind for Jesus.
Church Age believers will never reach sinless perfection this side of Heaven. Based on the grace of God, Romans 8: 1 teaches that the John 3: 16 eternal life, the Titus 3: 5 regeneration, and the Eph. 4: 30 sealing that believers receive at the moment of salvation are eternally secure.
In spite of our imperfections, Church Age believers have the 1John 1: 9 confession and John 8: 11 forsaking, so that we can be in a position, and in a Spirit-filled condition, to execute the individual plan that God has in mind for each one of us.
The resurrection was/is evidence God the Father approved of qualifying and the atoning Work that the Lord Jesus Christ, in the capacity of the spotless Lamb of God, accomplished on the cross.
When the time came for action, He would not be distracted or held back from moving forward in the plan of God. Advancing disciples must not be distracted from the mission (6) that was given to the Church at large, and from what the individual part (7) that they have been given to do.
Advancing disciples can enjoy the wholesome things of this world, but in doing so, must maintain the right set of priorities.
Advancing disciples must promptly address (8) post salvation sin. Born-again believers will remain saved, but will be out of fellowship with God until all known sin is confessed. When out of fellowship with God, the born-again believer will have a diminished (if any) interest in participating in the plan of God.
Committing post-salvation sin takes the born-again believer out of fellowship with God. Confessing post salvation sin restores fellowship with God. Forsaking post salvation sin maintains intimate fellowship with God.
By confessing, but then not forsaking, post-salvation sin, the born-again believer will spend much of his or her post salvation life going around and around in a revolving doorway, going in and out of fellowship with God, and never moving forward along the road to spiritual maturity.
Identifying and executing (9) the general and the individual plan is how the Church that God designed, and each individual member of it, brings maximum glory to God during the appointed time that the Church, and each member of it, has been given here on Earth.
. . .
After departing this Earth, there is a fiery event that will take place in Heaven!
This event is for believers only, and therefore has nothing to do with who goes and who stays in Heaven (10). The purpose of this 1Cor. 3 event is to evaluate the deeds of each believer, to determine what reward and privileges, if any, each born-again believer is going to receive, in addition to a home in Heaven that all born-again believers will experience.
“… each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with FIRE, and the FIRE itself will test the NATURE of each man’s WORK (deeds). If any man’s WORK which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is BURNED up, he will suffer loss (of reward); but he himself will be saved, yet so as through (one escaping from a) FIRE (1Cor. 3: 13-15 NASB parentheses mine).”
For many “Christians”, they will watch and see what they thought had earned them rewards and privileges in Heaven, going up in smoke, having failed to understand the difference between human good and divine good.
The rule of thumb is that if an unbeliever can do the same deed, then it is not divine good that is in view (11).
An unsaved soul can perform deeds of human good, such as feeding, clothing, and sheltering the poor, but will still find him/herself in the tormenting fire of Hades and in the lake of fire if he or she is not born again (12).
It is not always WHAT believers do, but WHY they do it, and through what power source that determines what heavenly reward (if any) they going to receive.
Rewardable divine good must be done for the right reasons
”Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have NO reward with your Father who is in heaven (Matt. 6: 1 NASB).”
To the extent that God allows, evil forces can produce miracles and wonders (13) in order to deceive. There are times when one must look beyond the deed and look at the message that the producer of the deed is promoting.
At this 1Cor. 3 event, it is not what the believer had done for God while here on Earth. It will be what God had done (14) THROUGH Spirit-filled believers that is going to be rewarded.
Deeds of divine good are rewarded at the 1Cor. 3 event. Deeds of human good performed by the same believer are not.
Deeds of human good performed by both believers and unbelievers had their own reward or compensation here on Earth, but do not qualify for heavenly reward. The earthly rewards are all left behind when one departs this world.
Deeds of human good, symbolized as the wood, hay, and straw in1Cor. 3: 12, can be produced by unbelievers and believers alike. Deeds of human good HAD (past tense) a time and purpose here on Earth, but will be burned up (rejected) as far as entitling the believer for heavenly reward.
The classic example of great human good are the life-saving or life-improving medical procedures that are performed by surgeons who are unbelievers. Their deeds are rewarded by the compensation and the praise they receive while here on Earth; none of which can be taken with them into eternity.
Deeds of divine good are symbolized as the silver, gold, precious stones in 1Cor 3: 12. These deeds that God accomplished through a Spirit-filled believer endure the fiery test (of judgment) and are rewarded.
The classic example of great divine good are the deeds that result in the evangelization and or edification of human souls. Such deeds have eternal value.
If deeds of human good “earned” heavenly time or reward, then God would owe time and rewards to ANYONE (including atheists) that produced them. Rev 20: 12 teaches that after the deeds of all unbelievers are evaluated in Heaven, the unbelievers are tossed into the lake of fire.
In closing, ask yourself (15), are you prepared for the coming fiery events awaiting the human race. Scripture (16) tells us that the end days will be like the days of Noah. The people of Noah’s day did not take seriously the preaching of Noah (17). Then one day it started to rain, and the door to the ark was shut.
End of Part Three
(1)\tRev. Chapters 6-9 (2) Luke 16: 24 (3) Matt. 11:19 (4) Heb. 4: 15 (5) Matt. 4: 19 (6) Matt.28: 19, 20 /Mark 16: 15 (7) 1Cor. 12 (8) 1John 1: 9 / John 8: 11 (9) Mark 4: 19 (10) Romans 8: 1 (11) John 15: 5 (12) John 3: 5, 7, 18 (13) Matt. 24: 24/Acts 19: 19/Exodus 7: 1, 12 (14) John 15: 5 (15) 2Cor. 13: 5 (16) Matt.24: 37 (17) 2Pet.2: 5
End of Part 3
Part Three of Three
Here in 2023, edified believers know that the 2Pet. 3: 10 event is more than 1,000 years away, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be catastrophic events (1) on a global level taking place before the final meltdown of 2Pet. 3: 10.
The seven-year Tribulation period and the 1,000-year millennial Kingdom that follows, assures us that human history has at least another 1,007 years of endurance to go through before the 2Pet.3: 10 event takes place.
The 1,000-year millennial Kingdom does not begin until after the Second Advent (return of Christ) takes place.
The 2Pet. 3: 10 meltdown and coming of the Rev. 21 new heavens and Earth does will not take place until after the 1,000-year kingdom has been completed.
. . .
The 2Pet. 3: 10 meltdown and the Rev. 20: 15 lake of fire event are not the only events that the Matt.7: 13 majority of the human race needs to be made aware.
Having learned the hard way, all departed unbelievers are presently experiencing the tormenting fire (2) of Hades. They will continue to do so until the Rev.20:13 -15 takes place. During the Rev. 20: 13-15 event, they will be summoned up to the Court of Heaven, be given their day in court, only to be tossed into the lake of fire where they will spend all of Eternity.
This lake of fire is not a place of extermination. This lake of fire will be the final and never-ending residence of human souls who rejected God’s one and only plan of salvation.
So, what kind of people should we, here in 2023 be?
Should we eat, drink, and be merry, live for the things that this life has to offer? Should we, in 2023 be concerned about events that are more than 1,000 years away? Should we be concerned with events that are going to take place after the Rapture and before the Second Advent? Should we be so wrapped up in the future that we can not enjoy the present?
Are we not to be concerned about the eternal future of family, friends, and foes?
Our individual answers to such questions are evidenced in the choices we make each and every day!
The choices we (and they) make now, determines where we (and they) will be, and how we (and they) will experience the future events that ARE going to take place, long after any one of us alive today have departed this Earth.
. . .
To the disapproval of the religious crowd of His day, Jesus knew how to enjoy life (3), and how to associate and interact with people of questionable character. But in the midst of such activities, He never sinned (4).
It is not the company of unbelievers that 1Cor.5: 9-11 commands us to avoid. It is the company of other “Christians” who talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk.
“I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-not even to eat with such a one (1Cor. 5: 9 – 11 NASB).”
Participation in the Great Commission of Matthew 28: 19, 20 calls for interaction with those whom God wants to evangelize or to edify.
The fish are not going to come to you. One can not catch fish without going to the pond. If you’re to be a fisher of men (5), you will have to spend time out at the pond, interacting with unbelievers in need of salvation and with believers in need of edification.
This interaction should be taking place when in the physical company of others as we go about our daily activities, and when in communication with others as we make use of the many means of communication that are available today.
The deeper one goes into the devil’s world, the bigger the target the advancing disciple becomes in the realm of spiritual combat. Advancing disciples will be called to step outside of their comfort zone. It is easy to speak about God and or the things of God when we are among like-minded individuals or groups. The challenge comes into the picture when surrounded by those who wish to silence the unspoken testimony of our lifestyle, and any attempts to promote the Great Commission.
Throughout His lifetime, Jesus had to maintain the sinless integrity of His humanity in order to be qualified to be “… the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1: 29 NASB), while on the cross. The preservation of His sinless humanity was a part of the individual plan that God the Father had in mind for Jesus.
Church Age believers will never reach sinless perfection this side of Heaven. Based on the grace of God, Romans 8: 1 teaches that the John 3: 16 eternal life, the Titus 3: 5 regeneration, and the Eph. 4: 30 sealing that believers receive at the moment of salvation are eternally secure.
In spite of our imperfections, Church Age believers have the 1John 1: 9 confession and John 8: 11 forsaking, so that we can be in a position, and in a Spirit-filled condition, to execute the individual plan that God has in mind for each one of us.
The resurrection was/is evidence God the Father approved of qualifying and the atoning Work that the Lord Jesus Christ, in the capacity of the spotless Lamb of God, accomplished on the cross.
When the time came for action, He would not be distracted or held back from moving forward in the plan of God. Advancing disciples must not be distracted from the mission (6) that was given to the Church at large, and from what the individual part (7) that they have been given to do.
Advancing disciples can enjoy the wholesome things of this world, but in doing so, must maintain the right set of priorities.
Advancing disciples must promptly address (8) post salvation sin. Born-again believers will remain saved, but will be out of fellowship with God until all known sin is confessed. When out of fellowship with God, the born-again believer will have a diminished (if any) interest in participating in the plan of God.
Committing post-salvation sin takes the born-again believer out of fellowship with God. Confessing post salvation sin restores fellowship with God. Forsaking post salvation sin maintains intimate fellowship with God.
By confessing, but then not forsaking, post-salvation sin, the born-again believer will spend much of his or her post salvation life going around and around in a revolving doorway, going in and out of fellowship with God, and never moving forward along the road to spiritual maturity.
Identifying and executing (9) the general and the individual plan is how the Church that God designed, and each individual member of it, brings maximum glory to God during the appointed time that the Church, and each member of it, has been given here on Earth.
. . .
After departing this Earth, there is a fiery event that will take place in Heaven!
This event is for believers only, and therefore has nothing to do with who goes and who stays in Heaven (10). The purpose of this 1Cor. 3 event is to evaluate the deeds of each believer, to determine what reward and privileges, if any, each born-again believer is going to receive, in addition to a home in Heaven that all born-again believers will experience.
“… each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with FIRE, and the FIRE itself will test the NATURE of each man’s WORK (deeds). If any man’s WORK which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is BURNED up, he will suffer loss (of reward); but he himself will be saved, yet so as through (one escaping from a) FIRE (1Cor. 3: 13-15 NASB parentheses mine).”
For many “Christians”, they will watch and see what they thought had earned them rewards and privileges in Heaven, going up in smoke, having failed to understand the difference between human good and divine good.
The rule of thumb is that if an unbeliever can do the same deed, then it is not divine good that is in view (11).
An unsaved soul can perform deeds of human good, such as feeding, clothing, and sheltering the poor, but will still find him/herself in the tormenting fire of Hades and in the lake of fire if he or she is not born again (12).
It is not always WHAT believers do, but WHY they do it, and through what power source that determines what heavenly reward (if any) they going to receive.
Rewardable divine good must be done for the right reasons
”Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have NO reward with your Father who is in heaven (Matt. 6: 1 NASB).”
To the extent that God allows, evil forces can produce miracles and wonders (13) in order to deceive. There are times when one must look beyond the deed and look at the message that the producer of the deed is promoting.
At this 1Cor. 3 event, it is not what the believer had done for God while here on Earth. It will be what God had done (14) THROUGH Spirit-filled believers that is going to be rewarded.
Deeds of divine good are rewarded at the 1Cor. 3 event. Deeds of human good performed by the same believer are not.
Deeds of human good performed by both believers and unbelievers had their own reward or compensation here on Earth, but do not qualify for heavenly reward. The earthly rewards are all left behind when one departs this world.
Deeds of human good, symbolized as the wood, hay, and straw in1Cor. 3: 12, can be produced by unbelievers and believers alike. Deeds of human good HAD (past tense) a time and purpose here on Earth, but will be burned up (rejected) as far as entitling the believer for heavenly reward.
The classic example of great human good are the life-saving or life-improving medical procedures that are performed by surgeons who are unbelievers. Their deeds are rewarded by the compensation and the praise they receive while here on Earth; none of which can be taken with them into eternity.
Deeds of divine good are symbolized as the silver, gold, precious stones in 1Cor 3: 12. These deeds that God accomplished through a Spirit-filled believer endure the fiery test (of judgment) and are rewarded.
The classic example of great divine good are the deeds that result in the evangelization and or edification of human souls. Such deeds have eternal value.
If deeds of human good “earned” heavenly time or reward, then God would owe time and rewards to ANYONE (including atheists) that produced them. Rev 20: 12 teaches that after the deeds of all unbelievers are evaluated in Heaven, the unbelievers are tossed into the lake of fire.
In closing, ask yourself (15), are you prepared for the coming fiery events awaiting the human race. Scripture (16) tells us that the end days will be like the days of Noah. The people of Noah’s day did not take seriously the preaching of Noah (17). Then one day it started to rain, and the door to the ark was shut.
End of Part Three
(1)\tRev. Chapters 6-9 (2) Luke 16: 24 (3) Matt. 11:19 (4) Heb. 4: 15 (5) Matt. 4: 19 (6) Matt.28: 19, 20 /Mark 16: 15 (7) 1Cor. 12 (8) 1John 1: 9 / John 8: 11 (9) Mark 4: 19 (10) Romans 8: 1 (11) John 15: 5 (12) John 3: 5, 7, 18 (13) Matt. 24: 24/Acts 19: 19/Exodus 7: 1, 12 (14) John 15: 5 (15) 2Cor. 13: 5 (16) Matt.24: 37 (17) 2Pet.2: 5
End of Part 3