All born again believers have been there. Having a genuine desire to be obedient to God, but seem to be easily defeated when it comes to doing the right thing when the internal and external pressure of spiritual combat heats up.
In the spiritual realm, inconsistency is a state of being in which one fails to walk the walk as well one talks the talk. How well one can talk the talk is dependent on the quantity and accuracy of the Bible Doctrine one has in his edified soul structure. How well one walks the walk is dependent on if and to what degree one applies what he has learned (2Pet. 3: 18) to all that he thinks, speaks, and does (Matt. 7: 24-27).
Until one is born again (John 3: 5, 7), the soul is spiritually dead. Spiritual death is not a state of non-existence, but existing while separated from a relationship with God. Just as a physically dead person can do nothing in the natural realm, one can do nothing (John 15: 5) in the spiritual realm until he is born again.
Granted, one can reject the Gospel Message and "get by" in this world without ever being born again. Furthermore, its no secret that those who learn and adopt the ways of the devil's world can position themselves to be in line for worldly "prosperity" a lot sooner and a lot more often than those who choose to live within the parameters of discipleship. True discipleship will be a costly undertaking.
The earthly prosperity of the wicked has always been a challenge to the people of faith until one is spiritually matures enough to look at things in light of eternity.
One can ENJOY the , "passing pleasures of sin (Heb. 11: 25 NASB."
One can substitute God's ONE and ONLY plan of salvation (John 14: 6) with one of the many alternative plans offered in the name of Man-made religion, "feel" that all is well, without ever being born again.
But what one can NOT do, is to reject the Gospel Message and later enter Heaven, other than briefly to answer the divine summons when God calls all the unbelievers being held in the Torments of Hades to the Court of Heaven. At that time, every unbeliever will acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 2: 10/Rom. 14: 11), and then be cast into the lake of fire for all of eternity (Rev. 20: 13, 15 NASB).
God created Adam's body out of the dust of the Earth, and his soul (that God created-John 3: 6) was placed in his body by God when Adam took in his first breath of life (Gen. 2: 7).
Eve's body was created, by God, from Adam's rib (Gen. 2: 22). Scripture does not go into as great a detail concerning the creation of Eve, other than to note that her body was created from Adam's rib. In both cases, and in the generations of Man to follow, the body is created first and then the soul in placed in the body. It is when the first breath of natural life fills the lungs that the soul that God creates enters and indwells the nbody (Gen. 2: 7).
The only difference in the process is that the bodies of the generations to follow were reproduced (not created) via the process that God established for that purpose. The souls of the generations to follow are still created by God (John 3:6) and are placed in the reproduced bodies when the bodies are brought forth at birth and take in the first breath of life OUTSIDE of the womb.
Until the Fall, Adam and Eve lived in fellowship with God in a state of physical, mental, and spiritual perfection.
On the day of the Fall, Adam and Eve died spiritually, but continued to live on here on Earth until each one arrived at his/her appointed time of departure.
Once created, the soul NEVER dies, but experiences a change in location and in the type of body that houses it. Even in the Torments of Hades and in the Lake of Fire to come, the soul lives on and never dies.
Scripture refers to the first bodily form is referred to as a "tent" here on Earth. This "tent" is the one that our biological father and mother produced (John 3: 6) and was brought forth at birth. It was at birth that God (John 3: 6) creates the soul and placed us in the "tent" of His choosing. This "tent" is experienced by both the spiritually alive and the spiritually dead during their time here on Earth. We all come into this world spiritually dead. Those who are not born again leave this world spiritually dead.
The second type of bodily form that a soul experiences is dependent on WHERE the soul finds itself upon departing the "tent" at the moment of physical death.
For the born again believer, the Bible refers to the second body type as a "building (2Cor. 5: 1 NASB)." A "building" is of greater quality and longevity than a "tent," but is still not the permanent housing for the born again believer. In this "building" the born again believer is in Heaven, where he/she among others things is awaiting the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 16).
In this passage, the "dead in Christ" refers to those who, at the time of the Rapture, have already physically died and are in their interim bodies in Heaven.
There are NO SOULS in any casket, cemetery, or urn, etc.. Such things contain only the bodily remains. The soul leaves the body at the moment of physical death, before ANY postmortem activity takes place. Funerals, etc., can serve the interests of those we leave behind, but do NOTHING to change the location of where the departed soul has ALREADY gone.
As for the unbeliever, the Bible does not label the second type of bodily form, but does refer to as it as having body parts (e.g., eyes to see, a tongue) that can sense the impact of the fire of Hades (Luke 16: 23, 24) and suffer unfulfilled needs. Rather or not these body parts are actual or proverbial is irrelevant. Sometimes Scripture uses language of accommodation so that the principle being conveyed can be understood.
"And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away (in Paradise), and Lazarus (being comforted) in his bosom. And he cried out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame (Luke 16: 23, 24 NASB italics mine)."
[Paradise was a section in Hades where the souls of believers went prior to the coming and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are no longer any souls in this Paradise, by the Torments section of Hades continues to be filled with the souls of departing unbelievers. They will remain there, in suffering, until they are summoned to the Court of Heaven and then sent to the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15).]
Note that the souls in Hades are not consumed by the flame.
The final bodily form that a soul will experience again is dependent on which environment the soul finds itself. There is not much Biblical details concerning the type of bodily that the unbelieving souls in the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15). It could be one in the same bodily form that the unbelievers experienced in Hades. We are told that there will be never-ending suffering and that the soul within never dies.
For the believer, we are told that we will receive a resurrected body like that of the Lord's (1John 3: 2). Enough said!
That bodily form, which I believe is raised up in resurrection form from the dust of the "tent" at the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 16). It will be in this glorified body that the believing souls from all of the generations of human history will indwell for all of eternity. Again, this is an act of God that is not dependent on ANY postmortem activity regarding what was done or what was not possible to be done with one's bodily remains that was left behind at departure.
In any event, Scripture refers to this final and eternal bodily form as a mansion (John 14: 2 KJV). A mansion is greater that the building and tent that the believer previously experienced. In that mansion, the believer will receive and experience various rewards (1Cor. 3: 12) and can exercise accompanying privileges (e.g. Rev. 2: 17, 26/Rev. 3: 5, 12, 21, etc..) for all of eternity.
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When the time came for the generations of Man to come about, the "tents" of each generation were re-produced via sexual intercourse (that God designed).
The spiritual death status that Adam and the woman (later called Eve) received as of the day of the Fall, is passed down generation to generation at the moment of conception (Psalms 51: 5), via the male (Romans 5: 12) partner. The females of the generations that followed also had/have the sin nature passed down to them via their biological fathers, but are not the one through whom the sin/fallen nature is passed down to the humanity that produced as a result of the sexual act.
Mary, identified herself as a sinner, acknowledging God as being her HER personal (note the use of the personal pronoun my) Savior (Luke 1: 46. 47NASB).
"My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior (Luke 1: 46, 47 NASB)."
If she were not a sinner, she would have not have been in need of a Savior. Scripture (Romans. 3: 23/James 2: 10)reiterate the principles that we ALL have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God and are in EQUAL need of salvation.
Mary, never-the-less, was able to be used of God to produce what would become the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereas Joseph could not. Neither Joseph nor Mary was NOT randomly selected for the divine roles they fulfilled. Each one had to (and did) fulfill the Messianic prerequisites.
The sin nature is passed down through the male becomes a part of one't total being when the soul is placed in the body at birth.
Accordingly, the generations of Man (with the exception of the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ) come into the world physically and mentally alive, but spiritually dead.
The physical/natural life of every human body that is alive and here on Earth has an expiration date. This expiration date runs concurrent with the appointed date of departure assigned (Heb. 9: 27) to each soul by God.
As good stewards, one should do the best he/she can to take best care of the body in which we are placed, but one would be wise to keep in mind that many healthy people die every day. In the big picture, physical exercise and discipline of the body does a "little" good, whereas disciplining the soul has merit here and now AND in the life to come (1Timothy 4: 8).
One's date/time of entrance and departure are in the hands of God (Psalms 31: 15). They were recorded in the Divine Decree BEFORE any one of us every took our first breath. To whatever extent our individual choices play in the manifestation of our departure were all known to God when He authored the Divine Decree. The Divine Decree contains ALL of the activity of Man throughout the course of human history. Nothing happens without first having passed through the direct, permissive, or over-ruling will of God. Some of what the permissive will of God allows can be a hard pill to swallow. It takes great faith to place what we do not understand in the hands of God and move on with the plan of God.
Everything that God does is consistent with what He has planned, but not with what we had in mind.
No one entered this world nor leaves any sooner or later that what the direct or permissive will of God determines or allows. Our biological parents may or may not have had "a" baby in mind when what would become our humanity was conceived, but God DID have a plan in mind when He created our soul and placed us in the body of His choosing at birth (John 3: 6). The body of His choosing was a perfect match for the divine purposes that His plan required.
When the psalmist (Psalms 90: 10) spoke of the (seventy year +) life span of the human being, he was making a general observation of the times in which the passage was written. Some individuals of the earlier generations of Man lived close to 1,000 years (Gen. 5: 5, 7, etc.). In EVERY generation, there are those who live much longer and those who depart much sooner that the "average" person of that generation. What does NOT change is the fact that each one of us was given a specific amount of time to be on this planet with an appointed (Heb. 9: 27) date and time of departure.
The child of David, conceived in a act of adultery, fulfilled its divine purpose (2Sam. 12: 14) before he had the chance to even know what life was all about. Yet David, had the spiritual perception to know that he and deceased child would be reunited in the life to come (2Sam. 12: 23).
The Lord Jesus Christ accomplished the divine purpose for His time here on Earth in 30-33 years.
No matter how long or how relatively good one's experience here on Earth may be, it is no more than a momentary flash in comparison to eternity future that will NEVER end. Having us to the "natural" thing, that is to be focused on the here and now to the neglect of eternal issues. has been a long time objective of the devil.
It is not how much time one is given here on Earth that matters. It is what one does with the time that he IS given that determines first where, and then how he/she WILL experience all of eternity. Life after death is NOT a matter of IF, but of WHERE and HOW every soul will experience it.
The last generation of Church Age believers is the exception to the expiration date concept. Church Age believers who will be alive on the Earth when the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 17) will never experience physical death, but will instantaneously (1Cor.15: 52) experience a change in bodily form (from tent to mansion), as they are gathered together with the already departed souls of believers. It is at that time that ALL church age believers, that is the ones who were on the Earth at the time, and those who had already departed over the course of the Church Age receive their (mansions) resurrected bodies.
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Although it would be Man who reproduces the bodies of the future generations to come, it would remain God's exclusive role to create and place the soul into the body when the body was brought forth at birth (John 3: 6).
The omniscience of God is fully aware of all what Man would call advantages and disadvantages of the specific body that He chose to placed us in, but it never-the-less is a perfect fit for the objectives and plan of God.
Our biological parents may or may not have had a baby in mind at the moment what would become our "tent" was conceived, but it was God who created our soul and placed us in the body of His choosing. If the plan of God had called for one to be born into a different body with a different gender, race, or different period of history, He would have done so.
Regardless of what advances have been and will be made in the medical field, the physical death rate for the human race will still be 100%, with the exception of the one's taken up in the Rapture.
As of the Church Age, Man has been given all the information, encapsulated in the Gospel Message, that he is ever going to receive concerning the means to be saved, and all the post salvation doctrine that he is ever going to need to execute the post salvation spiritual life.
Once being presented with the opportunity to hear either one, spiritual ignorance is a choice that we make.
Being "saved" from the Torments of Hades (Luke 16: 24) and the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15) is the result of making a one time decision to believe (believe = place one's FULL trust and confidence) in the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ that He accomplished on the cross. This one time confession of faith (not religious rituals) results in God regenerating (Titus 3: 5) what was the spiritually dead spirit, and the receiving of eternal life (John 3: 16) necessary to liive with God in Heaven upon departing this world. This is what the Gospel Message is all about.
The "readings from the Gospels", as it is referred to in at least one major denomination, could be addressing a host of different subjects, and must be distinguished from the Gospel Message that is exclusively focused on the issue of salvation. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are virtually read in all of the various denominations on a regular basis, but the Gospel Message itself is not clearly communicated from all pulpits. Much of the confusion is the result of promoting the additives of religion.
For those who choose to believe (place their 100% trust and confidence) in a presentation of the true Gospel Message, the issue of WHERE he/she will spend ALL of eternity is forever settled, no matter what else takes place or fails to take place in the post (after) salvation spiritual life of the then born again believer (John 3: 18). The primary indicator that one truly understands the Gospel Message is that he/she can see the futility in engaging in Man made products of religion. Ask a "religious Christian" (an oxymoron) if he/she is going to Heaven and the response will likely be, "I hope so.". Ask an advancing Christian disciple if he/she is going to Heaven, and the response will be, "I know so.". This is not personal arrogance or self confidence, but confidence and trust in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the post salvation assurances of God documented in the Word of God.
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Sin, rebellion (against God), and selfishness are characteristics the NATURAL mind set and overt activity of one who is under the influence of his fallen nature. This is true in the lives of unbelievers and believers alike.
The perceived need to engage in Man-made "religious" practices to either fully obtain or retain what God has already accomplished is a good indicator that the ones involved do not have a clear understanding of the Gospel Message. Failure to identify and to continuing to pursue the post (after) salvation spiritual life is an indication that the born again believer is either ignorant of what it entails, or has other priorities for the life and time that God has given him/her.
False means of securing and/or retaining salvation in the name of "religion" have existed from the very beginning of the Church Age (e.g. Gal. 3: 1), and will continue to increase especially here in the end times (1Timothy 4: 1). At the very least, such things are satanically endorsed, and in the worse case scenario are the products of demonic influence (1 Tim. 4: 1).
Engaging in humanitarian projects and/or behaving within the parameters of relatively good moral conduct in order to receive or retain salvation are among the false means promoted here in the devil's world. While such things can be the RESULT of being born again, they are NEVER the means to either obtain or retain salvation. No amount of humanitarian deeds, religious activity, or relatively good conduct has ever or will ever "save" anyone (Titus 3: 5, 7).
No one, other than the Lord Jesus Christ, while living in a moral body ever has or ever will be "good" enough to earn eternal life. On the other side of the same coin, no born again believer can ever be bad enough to lose his salvation. Salvation is an irrevocable (Romans 11: 29) gift of God given to those who choose to believe (place their full trust and confidence) in the truth of the true Gospel Message.
Good deeds and relatively good conduct are among the RESULTS of engaging in the post salvation spiritual life, but are NOT the MEANS to either obtain or retain salvation.
The difference between the spiritually dead unbeliever, and the spiritually regenerated (Titus 3: 5) born again believer is that the spiritually dead unbeliever will continue to function under the self-centered, rebellious, fallen nature with which he/she came into the world. This IS the "natural" thing to do (Romans 8: 7). Being led by the Spirit, is the "supernatural" thing to do (Romans 8: 14). Which source of influence we are under at any given time is a choice that we make.
any times, when an unbeliever does "good", it is for the purpose of obtaining (or trying to obtain) or avoiding something for him/herself in this life or in the life to come. His/her focus is not on God, but on self. The true motivation for doing such good is revealed as soon as the doer comes to the conclusion that he/she is not getting what his/her "good" deeds were to accomplish.
The heart with pure intentions does what is good with or without reward, even at the cost of persecution.
Both the "religious" and the "spiritual" individual will do what they do, believing that it is through such means that they will receive both temporal and eternal reward. To the extent that God permits, the devil will bless the "religious" to encourage their participation and to challenge the faith (trsut and confidence) of the spiritual individual. In the end, however, the religious but spiritually dead will find themselves in the Torments of Hades upon departing this Earth, and eventually in the lake of fire for all of eternity. In the end, those who are born again (John 3: 5, 7) and are therefore spiritually alive (Titus 3: 5) and sealed by God the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4: 30), will find themselves in Heaven (2Cor. 5: 8) upon departing this world and the recipients of eternal rewards (1Cor. 3: 12-15) in line with the divine good they were involved in while here on Earth.
"Religion and religious people (Psalms 96: 5) can be found both outside and inside of what is commonly acknowledged as the Christian Community (Gal. 3: 1/1Timothy 4 1).
Atheists seek to receive worldly prosperity, living in rejection of the knowledge of eternity (Eccl. 3: 11) that God places in the heart of every soul that He creates (John 3: 6). Atheists reject the concept that there are many blessings (like their next breath) that each one of us receive every day(). Many believers get upset over the mercy that God extends to atheists, unbelievers, and backsliding believers, forgetting where any one of us would be headed if it not for the mercy that God extended to each one of us.
Both religious and born again believers seek to receive temporal and divine blessings here on Earth and in the life to come. Both groups will also want to avoid both secular and divine discipline.
Both the unbeliever and the born again believer, through human efforts via human power, can secure many earthly benefits, and human compliance with the laws of Man can result in avoiding discipline by secular authorities.
Both unbelievers and born again believers can willfully or ignorantly choose to engage in futile "religious" activity.
In many ways, there are many earthly desires, among them the desire to receive earthly prosperity, shared by the atheists, religious persons, and born again believers.
The difference between these groups is what they see the source of prosperity.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying earthly pleasures that are legitimately obtained. Legitimately obtained and maintained simply means that one did not violate the principles of God to obtain them, and did/does not violate the laws of God to retain them. The devil will use even legitimate desires to re-arrange one's list of priorities. The devil will promote ANYTHING if it can take the place of God and/or the things of God on the priority list of a born again believer.
The wise recipient of earthly prosperity and blessings will enjoy its benefits for as long as they are available, but is well aware that no matter what earthly blessings one secures and enjoys while here on Earth, they are ALL left behind when the soul departs the body and enters eternity future.
No matter how great or challenging one's time here on Earth may be, it will amount to no more than a flash of light in comparison to the never-ending experience that every soul will encounter for all of eternity.
Yet, as relatively brief as our time on this Earth may be, it is the SPIRITUAL decisions that we choose to make HERE that determines where and how we will experience eternity THERE!
"Life after death is NOT a matter of IF, but a matter of WHERE an HOW it WILL be experienced.
The forfeiting of Mark 8: 36 does not mean that one's soul is destroyed. What can be destroyed (with eternal consequences) is the production of divine good during the course of one's post salvation spiritual life. This is what results in the forfeiture of rewards (1Cor. 3: 14, 15)) in Heaven. The soul and its salvation remains in tact.
Just "getting in" (to Heaven)may sound like an acceptable strategy while here on Earth, but it will be a decision that will be regretted.
What an unbelieving loses is the opportunity to spend all of eternity in fellowship and in the presence of God. Every soul that has ever lived, or will come into this world throughout the course of human history, will find itself in one of two general environments upon leaving this world.
Scripture (1Cor. 3: 12-15) also speaks of a forfeiture of rewards that the born again believer will experience in Heaven. The receiving or forfeiting of rewards is based on the power source (divine vs. human) and motivation that was behind the "good deeds" that the born again believer was involved in during his/her time here on Earth.
NO amount of Man-made religious activity or relatively "good" moral behavior will EVER "earn" or qualify a soul a split second of eternal life. Good moral behavior and humanitarian deeds accomplished via human ability and desire have their own rewards HERE on Earth, but are no more than a pile of "filthy rags - Isa. 64: 6 NASB" when it comes to securing eternal life.
NO "religious" act(s) secures eternal life. Eternal life is a gift (that cannot be earned) from God that is given to all who place their trust and confidence in a presentation of the Gospel Message. God has declared His gifts and calling to be irrevocable (). God will not, and no other power in Heaven or on the Earth can undo what God did (Titus 3: 5, Eph. 6, etc.) at the moment of salvation.
One of the reasons that "religious" authorities dispute this principle of Bible Doctrine is that it diminishes their own-established "significance" and the discloses their Man-made rituals for what they really are.
The primary role of the Church Age evangelist is to fulfill the first half of the Great Commission by proclaiming the TRUE Gospel Message to spiritually dead unbelievers. The primary role of Church Age pastor-teachers is to fulfill the second half of the Great Commission by "making disciples", that is students and appliers of the Word of God, out of those who have been BORN AGAIN (John 3: 5, 7).
Rewards (in Heaven) for the born again believer are based on the deeds of divine good that God (John 15: 5)accomplished through the advancing disciple throughout the course of his/her post salvation spiritual life.
From the very beginning of the Church Age (Gal. 3: 1 to the present times (1Tim. 4: 1), it has been the work of devil and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil to obstruct the proclamation of the TRUE Gospel Message to unbelievers, and to inhibit the development of post salvation discipleship in the individual lives of those who have been born again (John 3: 5, 7).
The most effective ally that the devil has in the realm of spiritual warfare is Man-made religion and the "alternatives" that it produces.
Human beings can be consistently "religious" OR consistently "spiritual", but NEVER both at the same time.
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The fallen nature that had been passed down to our humanity at the moment of conception (Psalms 51: 5) does NOT go away after one is born again (Romans 7). In the lives of those who have been born again (John 3: 5, 7), and especially in the lives of born again believers who choose to entertain post salvation discipleship, the fallen nature will increase its pressure on the soul, trying to keep pace with the influencing mentoring of God the Holy Spirit.
Choosing to submit the pressure of the fallen nature within us, or choose to submit to the mentoring and leadership of God the Holy Spirit is the moment to moment, daily, experience of the post salvation spiritual life. We are free to choose which source of pressure, be it God's, our own, the fallen nature, or the devil, but we are not free having to make such choices. We can not say "Yes!" to one without saying "No!" to the others.
If one does not experience this internal struggle on a DAILY basis, this is an indicator that one is in need of a 2Cor. 13:5 SELF examination to determine why this is so.
If one does not sense the daily pressure from God the Holy Spirit to grow in the knowledge (2Pet. 3: 18) and/or the application (James 1: 22) of the Word of God, we have developed a bad case of "spiritual ear wax" that needs to be addressed. No one EVER (while here on Earth) arrives at the point where he/she has learned or consistently applies all that the Word of God has to offer.
If one can not discern when it is his/her evil, self-centered, hostile (towards God or the things of God), fallen nature at the helm, he/she is in s-e-r-i-o-u-s spiritual danger.
Knowing how one, in the capacity of an advancing disciple, is SUPPOSED to think, behave, and interact with others, and DOING so when the pressure is on are two VERY different things. This is the internal struggle that Paul wrote about in his letter to the believers in Rome (Romans 7). Sooner or later, the advancing disciple will discover the reality of John 15: 5, teaching that apart from God we can accomplish NOTHING for ourselves or anyone else where spiritual issues are in view.
Note that this letter was towards the END of thirty year ministry that included much personal interaction with God and even a "trip" to Heaven (2Cor. 12). By the time that Paul penned his letter (Book of Romans), it was no longer only faith, as he had had many personal encounters and experiences along the way that far exceed what the average believer will experience this side of Heaven. Human viewpoint would have us think that with all that Paul had been through, his personal battle in the spiritual realm would have been over with years ago, but Paul's day to day internal struggle continued on until his appointed time of departure arrived. This will be the case of ALL advancing disciples.
Jesus taught that the "blessed" (worthy to be praised) believers are the ones who believe without the benefit of tangible evidence (John 20: 29). If the opportunity presents itself, how one perceives death, and especially how one handles the process of dying, can leave the ones we leave behind with a powerful testimony. It is when one faces such challenges that the quality of the faith (trust and confidence) that one claimed to possess along the way is made clear to all that observe us.
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If and when one has an accurate understanding of what the TRUE Gospel Message conveys, there will be no inconsistencies between what one believes and what one practices regarding salvation.
The one who has an accurate understanding of the Gospel Message will see the futile vanity, and in some cases the blasphemous nature, behind the rituals that religion promotes to either secure or to retain salvation.
Such things are futile in that they fail to achieve what they are promoted to accomplish. They are blasphemous in that they raise questions as to the integrity of the claims made the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Work that He finished on the cross.
But this does not mean that there won't be challenges to overcome. Many of these challenges come from the various religious concepts that claim that one must do this and that and not do this and that in order to either obtain or retain salvation.
Christian religion (an oxymoron) has added many "requirements" and accompanying rituals that it claims one must go through, or be put through, in order to "finish" or to "retain" the Work that the Lord "finished-John 1: 30 NASB) while on the cross. Christian religion has done the same regarding the Work of God the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5/Eph. 4: 30/ etc.) that took place at the moment of salvation, and/or continues to take place (Romans 14: 4/John 14: 26) throughout the course of one's post salvation spiritual life.
Religion has always been the primary means through which the devil infiltrates and draws the Christian Community away from the accurate interpretation and application of both the Gospel Message (Gal. 3: 1) and the post (after) salvation doctrines found in the Word of God.
Christianity and Christian Religion are NOT one in the same.
The devil knows that he has lost the primary battle for the soul of a born again believer, but will take advantage of every opportunity to raise doubts as to integrity of the salvation that one has ALREADY received (John 3: 18).
As long as a born again believer has doubts about the integrity of the salvation that he has ALREADY received, he/she will spend most of his post salvation spiritual life worrying about or "working" to retain what he can not lose, rather than identifying and moving forward with the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship.
Although the issue of the salvation of a born again believer IS forever secure, his/her post salvation spiritual life HERE on Earth has only just begun.
Should the born again believer advance to the level of spiritual maturity that he/she no longer doubts what God has said regarding his/her salvation, the devil then aims at the "next-best" target. The " next-best" target is the production of divine good during the believer's post salvation spiritual life.
For those who overcome the doubts that the devil raises concerning the eternal security of one's salvation, the devil will THEN promote the idea that since salvation can not be lost, one is free to live any way he/she chooses with impunity. This of course, is another half-truth and lie of the devil.
While it IS true that one's salvation can not be lost, it is NOT true that there aren't other consequences for the post salvation sins that we choose to entertain.
Divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) can range in anything from having to live with a guilty conscience, up to an including physical sickness (1Cor. 11:30) and/or physical death (Acts 5). Eternal consequences involve the loss of rewards (1Cor. 3: 15) that one would have otherwise received in addition to his/her home in Heaven that all born again believers will receive and never lose.
God provides His solution (1John 1: 9/John 8: 11) to address post (after) salvation sin.
Of course, the devil was right there to provide his alternates in the name of religion, yet it is often the most "religious" ones among us that have no clue as to what being forgiven by God really entails. Unlike with people, when God forgives one's, they are cast away as far as the east is from the west Psalms 103: 12, NEVER to brought up again.
The "confessional" that God designed is open 24-7 and does not involve a human clergyman. See the Doctrine of Confession for more details.
It is the desire of the devil for every born again believer to fail to identify what the post salvation spiritual life is all about, and/or to fail to consistently execute it.
Contrary to what religion would have us believe, the purpose of the post (after we are already saved) salvation life is NOT for the purpose of retaining one's salvation. The work of providing for one's salvation, and maintaining of one's salvation was/is the function of God. Man is only required to believe (place his full confidence and trust) in what God has done and will do, to receive and retain all of the benefits. The perceived need to engage to engage in the "ADDITIVES", promoted in the name (authority) of religion reflects the level of success that the devil has had in this area of spiritual warfare.
The post salvation spiritual life of born again believers is for the purpose of bringing the maximum glory to God, as one learns and applies the principles of Bible Doctrine to the DAILY activities of the remaining time that he/she is given here on Earth.
Prior to one being born again, the ONE spiritual issue is salvation. Until one has addressed the issue of salvation, one can "live" in the "Church", participate in all the practices of "religion", but remain spiritually dead.
After one is already saved, the spiritual issue is discipleship.
D-i-s-c-i-p-l-e-s-h-i-p, that is the study and the application of the Word of God, requires much, much more. So much more, that many born again believers desert the spiritual battlefield when the pressure intensifies.
Discipleship was/is the "inside" part of the Great Commission (marching orders) that was given to the Church (Matt. 28: 19, 20). Discipleship begins with the development of the believers own soul structure, with the long term goal of evangelizing (presenting the Gospel Message) to unbelievers, and edifying fellow believers via Bible Doctrine.
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Inconsistencies are the result of "faith failures." Faith involves not ONLY the act of believing (placing our confidence and trust) is something, but WHAT it is they we believe . Accordingly, faith failures can take place at the place of origin when we fail to take in correct information, or at the point of application when we fail to apply the correct information to how we think and/or behave.
Experiencing faith failure(s) do not mean that a born believer has lost his salvation (2Tim. 2: 13). Our failure does not mean that God has failed (Eph. 4: 15/Romans 14: 4)/2Tim. 2: 13( us. The born again believer, while reeling about in the aftermath of a faith failure, remains "sealed - Eph.4: 30" and assured of eternal life in Heaven Romans 14: 4.
Faith failure(s) can manifest themselves as a result of a sudden, unexpected, disappointing, event (or series of events within a relatively short period of time) that raises doubts concerning the reality or significance of God, especially regarding what His permissive will allows to take place. This was the experience of Job. The devil contended that when given enough loss, pain, and suffering, the sufferer will curse God to His face (Job 2: 5). The devil was proved wrong in the case of Job, but there are many who experience faith failures after being put through tests of faith that don't come close to the degree of sufferings imposed on Job.
The devil also contends that everyone has a price. The devil was proved wrong concerning the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 4: 6), but there are so-called Christians who dishonor the Lord Jesus Christ every day in order to save a buck here or make a buck there.
Such inconsistencies are NOT little matters when the glory (or dishonor) of God is on the line. Even if no other other human beings observing us, God ALWAYS knows. That, in itself, is enough to motivate an advancing disciple to do the right thing.
Furthermore, there are other times when there are observing angels and/or evil spiritual beings (Eph. 6: 12) taking note when we choose to glorify or dishonor God, giving one side or the other reason to rejoice (Luke 15: 10). The devil does not have the divine attribute of omniscience (all knowledge) or omnipresence (being anywhere and everywhere at the same time), but has a history (Book of Job/Rev. 9: 10) bringing accusations, true and false, against the people of God in the Court of Heaven. Such intelligence is gathered by himself and often by his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil.
No one knows the true status of his individual faith until it is tested. We can all make with sincerity the boasts of Peter, but find ourselves completely failing when put to the test (Mark 14: 66-71). We have all experienced times when we knew what the right thing to do was, but failed to do it (Matt. 7: 24-27).
Tests of faith, consisting of what God sends or allows, can be a heart-breaking experience (Mark 14: 72). Never-the-less, they can be a good thing (Romans 8 : 28), when they are used to reveal to a born again believer (and those who observe) exactly where he/she truly stands in his/her walk with God.
Anyone can be willing to walk with the Lord as long as things are going his/her way, but what about when hit with tragedy upon tragedy (as in the case of Job)? Or what about finding oneself being among those who God determines are not receive any reward for his/her spirituality while here on Earth (Heb. 11: 39), but yet be subjected to the greatest tests of faith (Heb. 11: 35-38) that God allows and that the devil can generate?
Note I said in his/her "walk" with God, and not in his/her relationship with God.
The relationship that a born gain believer has with God is based on our faith in what God did, is doing, and will do in the future, as a result of a one-time decision to make a positive response to the Gospel Message.
One's "walk" with the Lord IS dependent on if and how well one develops its intimacy. In any two party relationship, each party must spend quality time and really get to know the other, if intimacy is going to be developed. ALL born again believers are forever in a relationship with God, but only a minority of born again believers live in intimacy with God.
Omniscient God already knows everything there is to know about each one of us, but how much each one of us knows about God differs greatly among those who claim to be Christians.
How well one knows the "living" Word (John 1: 1 ) is consistent with what one knows about the written Word of God (The Bible). Teaching the Word of God was /is the primary internal (inside) mission given to the Church (Matt. 28: 20).
Spiritual maturity is evidenced by the quantity, quality, and the application of the Word of God to the daily choices we make. In the spiritual realm, we are what we choose to be.
Going to Church (or to our source of spiritual edification) on a regular basis is like going to our local pharmacy. We can go to "a" Church or to "a" pharmacy every day, but if while there we do not get the right prescription (doctrine) to address our (spiritual) need(s), we will not benefit from just having been there. If we take home the right prescription (doctrine), it will still do us no good unless we take (apply) it. Choosing the right prescriber of one's doctrine is as critical a decision to maintaining one's spiritual health, as is choosing the right presecriber to maintain one's in the medical health. As good stewards, we are concerned about what we take in to our bodies that are here today and gone tommorow, but accept a "good enough" attitude concerning the doctrine that we take into our souls that are gong to live forever.
In whatever area(s) of our life that one chooses NOT to be conformed to the "likeness" of Christ (Romans 8: 29), there will always be inconsistencies in one's thoughts and behaviors. Sometimes one will choose to think and behave in line with the mind of Christ (1Cor. 2: 16), and other times, the same person will cave in to the pressure and follow the lead of his fallen nature or other evil sources of influence.
This is an on-going battle that will never come to an end here on Earth. There will always be the next issue that God the Holy Spirit will bring to our attention that He desires for us to address. One will not experience intimacy with the God of the Bible without post salvation discipleship, yet true discipleship will be the source of a many internal and external conflicts.
One cannot please God, the devil, our fallen nature, or other people simultaneously. To the extent that we favor one, the others are rejected.
The cause of our inconsistencies in the our spirituality is that there are times (perhaps many times in the course of any given day) that we are pleasing God at one moment and then pleasing ourselves, the devil. or other people the next. When we choose to obey God, He is pleased. When we choose to disobey God, we are pleasing the devil.
Obedience to God involves submitting to the lead of God the Holy Spirit in ALL that we think, say, or do. Every time we entertain thoughts, say things, or do things that runs contrary to what the Word of God has to say, we are disobedient to God. Failing to learn what God has to say about ANY given issue, is an act of disobedience (2Pet. 3: 18). Failing to apply what we learn in an act of wilful disobedience (James ). One can NOT experience an intimate walk with God and live a life of willful disobedience.
The struggle to apply what we (should) have learned to how we think, what we say, or what we do in the course of our daily lives in what Paul was speaking of in Romans 7: 21-23.
In the spiritual realm, the advancing disciple struggles every day with the devil and/or his Eph. 6:12 forces of evil, bent on the destruction (1Pet. 5: 8) of the production of divine good (1Cor. 3: 12-15)inherent with his/her post salvation spiritual life. The advancing disciple struggles every day with his/her own fallen nature that is inherently "hostile" towards God and the things of God (Romans 8:7). The advancing disciple struggles every day with other people that have a different agenda or a different method of operation. If this struggle is NOT the experience of a born again believer, then he/she is NOT executing the true post salvation spiritual life spoken of in Scripture. Such believers are often times living in denial of their own inconsistencies while being very sharp and critical of the short-comings (Romans 3: 23) of others.
There is nothing wrong with pursuing legitimate self interest, or the legitimate interests of other people, providing that in the process we do not elevate such things to the point that we or they complete with God for His proper place in our list of priorities. By legitimate, I mean any things that do not violate the Word of God.
The born again believer glorifies God by learning, refining, and applying the principles of the Word of God to ALL that he/she thinks, says, and does, each and every day. At the same time, a born again believer dishonors God by doing the opposite.
Whoever or whatever is having the greatest influence over our thoughts at ANY given time is the one that determines what we say and do. This source of influence is whoever or whatever we choose to listen to at any given time. This source could be God, the devil, our fallen nature, other people, or other things, but it is OUR choice, responsibility and accountability.
The advancing disciple will start out EVERY day in a moment of prayer, taking whatever steps (e.g. 1John 1: 9/John 8: 11) to make sure that the he/she is in fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) with God. The advancing disciple will ask God to reveal to him/her the will of God of will be in all of choices that they day will bring. The advancing disciple will ask God to grant him/her the wisdom to accomplish the objectives of the day with the wisdom (2Pet. 3: 18) and the power (John 15: 5) that He supplies. The advancing disciple, from experience, is fully aware that ALL other sources of influence have a plan to take over the ship and set a different course than what the plan of God would have us think, say, or do.
With God the Holy Spirit as the ship's lookout, the born again believer we will be made aware of obstacles ahead. With God as our navigator, we will be advised when (not if) we are drifting off course. Failing to heed the information being conveyed to us by our lookout or our navigator is a recipe for disaster.
The advancing disciple closes each day with a 2Cor 13:5 self examination to provide him/herself with an honest evaluation of how the day went, with the idea of avoiding or better handling the same inhibitors that tomorrow
Don't kid yourself. To whom or what one places at the helm of our ship (soul structure), is the ONE or the thing who/what determines All that we think, say, or do at any moment during the course of any day. We are free to choose who or what will be our primary source of influence, but we are not free from having to make that choice. At EVERY moment of each 24 hr. day, someone or something IS at th helm of our individual ship.
We might be able to conceal (from people) some of our thoughts, and we may be able to restrain ourselves from what we might want to say, or want to do, but God is aware of ALL of it.
On any given day, every one of us comes up a little short (sometimes a lot short) of glorifying God. For this reason, the confessional (1John 1: 9) that God designed is open 24-7.
Just how long one remains out of fellowship (with God with the volume of one's lookout and navigator turned down low), is a choice that WE make. Sailing on the seas of life here in the devil's world out of fellowship with God is a recipe for disaster.
A born again believer remains saved, but is out of fellowship with God whenever he/she has a known sin that has not been confessed (1Jon 1: 9). The confessor will likely soon commit the same sin again if he/she does not choose to forsake (John 8: 11) it, as well.
A born again believer thinking, speaking, or conducting him/herself in ways that glorifies God while not being in fellowship with God is not very likely.
Why so? When God is no longer at the helm, someone or something else is. There would be no motive for a mutiny if the ship was already on course and headed for the destination of the one(s) who would otherwise want to take over the ship.
When experiencing frequent inconsistencies, ask yourself who or what it is at the helm of your ship.
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The intensity of this ongoing struggle will keep steady pace with whatever spiritual advancement one experiences along the road to spiritual maturity. Note that when Paul penned the following verse, it was towards the end of his thirty year ministry:
In Scripture, (Romans 7 NASB/italics mine) we read, "I find then the principle that evil in present within me, the one who wishes to do good (vs. 21). For I joyfully concur with the law (set of standards an accompanying desires) of God in the inner man (vs. 22). But I see a different law (i.e. the ways of the world) in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind (edified soul structure), and making me a prisoner (taking me captive) of the law of sin which is in my members (vs. 23)."
Contrary to what "religion" would have us believe, the integrity of one's salvation is not dependent on what takes place (or fails to take place) in the born again believer's post (after) salvation spiritual life.
Man and his religious rituals could do nothing to equate the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Man and his religious rituals or other products of religion can do nothing to add to complete the already finished (John 19: 30) the Work on the cross. Man and his religious ritiuals can do nothing to retain salvation, nor can Man or his religious rituals replace what cannot be lost in the first place.
If Man or his religious rituals could have done ANY of the above, then there would have been no need for the Son of God to be crucified, and there would be no need for the post salvation work of God.
The one "ritual" that God ordained for the Church Age is the celebration of the Lord's Supper/Communion. The purpose of this ritual is to BRING INTO REMEMBRANCE (1Cor. 11: 24, 25), NOT to reproduce, the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The function of the Church that God designed is to proclaim the Gospel Message to unbelievers, and to make disciples (students and appliers) out of those who choose to make a positive response to the Gospel Message. See Matt, 28: 19, 20.
What goes on (or fails to go on) throughout the course of one's post (after) salvation spiritual life has got NOTHING to do with retaining salvation, but has EVERYTHING to do with a born again believer's WALK with the Lord! One can not "walk" with Someone if we choose to take another path (Matt. 7: 13, 14). Both born again believers, who do not identify and execute the true post salvation spiritual life, and advancing disciples will arrive at the same destination (Heaven), but only the advancing disciple will have walked and brought much glory to God, and only the advancing disciple will receive the eternal rewards of discipleship (1Cor. 3: 12-15).
The quality of a born again believers WALK with the Lord will NEITHER increase nor decrease the integrity of one's salvation, but has EVERYTHING to do with the amount of glory that God either receives or is denied.
The greater the faith and potential that one has, the greater the form of attacks the devil will use to counter whatever forward progress the believer is making along his/her road to spiritual maturity.
If one is not the recipient of satanic attacks, one must consider why it is that the devil does not consider him or her to be a worthy target.
Increased or shaken faith of a parent, for instance, can be used by both God and the devil to impact the faith of the children. Abraham Lincoln and Pope John Paul II would have both agreed that however goes the family, so goes the nation and the world in which we live.
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The classic example of an immediate faith failure, was just after Peter exhibited one of the greatest acts of APPLIED personal faith (Matt. 14: 29). In Matthew 14: 29-3, 1Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk across the water towards the Lord, but when he began to look all around himself, he began to sink and nearly drowned.
Faith failures can last for a few seconds when the devil or one of his spokespersons whisper doubts into our spiritual ears, or when unexpected tragedy strikes. How long it takes one to recover is largely in line with where one is in his/her walk with the Lord when the "storms" (Matt. 7: 24-27) of life strike.
As in the case of Peter, faith failures can be the result of taking our spiritual eyes off Jesus, and begin to look at all that surrounds us (Matt 14: 29). Faith failures can take place when we fail to apply the doctrines that we (should) have in our soul structures (Matt. 7: 24-27). Faith failures can be triggered by fear or disappointment.
Fear and/or are normal human responses, but so are uncontrolled anger and revenge. Fear and faith are antithetical. The more you have of one, the less you have of the other. Entertaining sin IS the "natural -m" thing to do. The post salvation spiritual life, however, is not about what comes natural to us, but what is supernatural with the (John 15: 5) power that God supplies.
Let's have reality check here. We do not cease being human and/or reacting as ALL humans do when hit by the storms of life. When the storms of life strike, we ARE going to "feel" that at least the immediate the control of our life or the situation at hand is out of OUR control. It is at such times that our faith, consisting of what we REALLY believe, is put to the APPLICATION test. One of the MANY reasons that God allows the storms of life to strike is toreaveal to us the area(s) of our own personal (spiritual) weaknesses, OR to give us the opportunity to bring the maximum glory to God by the way we handle the circumstances. Either way, BOTH are a part of the adversity (Job 2: 10) that IS a part of the plan that God for us as an individual. This answers, in part, the age old question, "Why is this happening to me?".
It is if and how long it takes to recover and then move forward that determines where we are in our walk with the Lord. Are we gong to choose to respond in a way that brings the greatest glory to God, or are we going to entertain one of the MANY alternatives. God is glorified IF and when one chooses to apply the appropriate doctrine (Matt. 7: 24). The greater the challenge, the greater the glory that is brought to God. Regardless of the outcome, the advancing disciple moves forward in the plan of God.
In the final analysis, there is always some form of sin involved when we encounter a faith failure. Fear, doubts, and wilful ignorance are not of faith Whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14: 23).
The divine solution for all post salvation sin is found in 1John 1:9 and John 8: 11. The confessor is called to acknowledge the fact that he/she has sinned, citing the specific sin(s). The confessor is guaranteed forgiveness on the basis of the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Then, in order to move forward in the plan of God, the confessor must then forsake, that is choose to turn away from that category of sin. Religion and human viewpoint have added many other requirements and provided alternative rituals that appeal to Man, but are without Biblical substantiation. See Doctrine of Confession.
In the post salvation spiritual life, there is no neutrality or rest areas. No born again believer can become any ore or any less saved, but each and everyday one is either drawing nearer to the things of God, or is drifting further away. Not only do we draw nearer or drift away, we influence others to do the same.
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The opposite of inconsistency is conformity.
Being conformed to the likeness of Christ (Romans. 3: 28) in thought (1Cor. 2: 16) and behavior (James 1: 22) is a never-ending process throughout the course of the post salvation spiritual life. Learning, refining, and applying doctrine to our daily priorities and activities is what discipleship is all about.
No one, this side of Heaven, is going to reach the stage of perfection in this regard, but all advancing disciples should be working towards this goal.
As one advances in this realm of spiritual combat, the advancing disciple will discover soon enough the reality of John 15:5 NASB, "...apart from Me you can do nothing." This is especially true in the realm of application.
There will be MANY things that an advancing disciple will want to achieve (Romans 7: 21) for the glory of God, but find it beyond human ability in the midst of great internal or external pressure. The good news is that God never intended for us to accomplish anything without Him. There will be overt actions that will be a part of our living testimony, but for the most part, our role in discipleship, as it pertains to others, is to learn and to communicate accurate spiritual information.
The spiritual life is NOT about what comes natural to us (Romans 8: 7), or what we can do with our human abilities or rituals of Man-made religion. The spiritual life is about what God does through us with His supernatural power and ability.
One cannot apply what he/she does not know, and one can not do anything of value in the spiritual realm apart from God.
The more accurate doctrine that the advancing disciple learns (2Pet. 3: 18), stores away in his/her edified soul structure (Matt. 7: 24-27), and APPLIES (James 1: 22), the less inconsistencies there will be in his/her walk with the Lord.
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This concludes our study of the Doctrine of Inconsistencies
In the spiritual realm, inconsistency is a state of being in which one fails to walk the walk as well one talks the talk. How well one can talk the talk is dependent on the quantity and accuracy of the Bible Doctrine one has in his edified soul structure. How well one walks the walk is dependent on if and to what degree one applies what he has learned (2Pet. 3: 18) to all that he thinks, speaks, and does (Matt. 7: 24-27).
Until one is born again (John 3: 5, 7), the soul is spiritually dead. Spiritual death is not a state of non-existence, but existing while separated from a relationship with God. Just as a physically dead person can do nothing in the natural realm, one can do nothing (John 15: 5) in the spiritual realm until he is born again.
Granted, one can reject the Gospel Message and "get by" in this world without ever being born again. Furthermore, its no secret that those who learn and adopt the ways of the devil's world can position themselves to be in line for worldly "prosperity" a lot sooner and a lot more often than those who choose to live within the parameters of discipleship. True discipleship will be a costly undertaking.
The earthly prosperity of the wicked has always been a challenge to the people of faith until one is spiritually matures enough to look at things in light of eternity.
One can ENJOY the , "passing pleasures of sin (Heb. 11: 25 NASB."
One can substitute God's ONE and ONLY plan of salvation (John 14: 6) with one of the many alternative plans offered in the name of Man-made religion, "feel" that all is well, without ever being born again.
But what one can NOT do, is to reject the Gospel Message and later enter Heaven, other than briefly to answer the divine summons when God calls all the unbelievers being held in the Torments of Hades to the Court of Heaven. At that time, every unbeliever will acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 2: 10/Rom. 14: 11), and then be cast into the lake of fire for all of eternity (Rev. 20: 13, 15 NASB).
God created Adam's body out of the dust of the Earth, and his soul (that God created-John 3: 6) was placed in his body by God when Adam took in his first breath of life (Gen. 2: 7).
Eve's body was created, by God, from Adam's rib (Gen. 2: 22). Scripture does not go into as great a detail concerning the creation of Eve, other than to note that her body was created from Adam's rib. In both cases, and in the generations of Man to follow, the body is created first and then the soul in placed in the body. It is when the first breath of natural life fills the lungs that the soul that God creates enters and indwells the nbody (Gen. 2: 7).
The only difference in the process is that the bodies of the generations to follow were reproduced (not created) via the process that God established for that purpose. The souls of the generations to follow are still created by God (John 3:6) and are placed in the reproduced bodies when the bodies are brought forth at birth and take in the first breath of life OUTSIDE of the womb.
Until the Fall, Adam and Eve lived in fellowship with God in a state of physical, mental, and spiritual perfection.
On the day of the Fall, Adam and Eve died spiritually, but continued to live on here on Earth until each one arrived at his/her appointed time of departure.
Once created, the soul NEVER dies, but experiences a change in location and in the type of body that houses it. Even in the Torments of Hades and in the Lake of Fire to come, the soul lives on and never dies.
Scripture refers to the first bodily form is referred to as a "tent" here on Earth. This "tent" is the one that our biological father and mother produced (John 3: 6) and was brought forth at birth. It was at birth that God (John 3: 6) creates the soul and placed us in the "tent" of His choosing. This "tent" is experienced by both the spiritually alive and the spiritually dead during their time here on Earth. We all come into this world spiritually dead. Those who are not born again leave this world spiritually dead.
The second type of bodily form that a soul experiences is dependent on WHERE the soul finds itself upon departing the "tent" at the moment of physical death.
For the born again believer, the Bible refers to the second body type as a "building (2Cor. 5: 1 NASB)." A "building" is of greater quality and longevity than a "tent," but is still not the permanent housing for the born again believer. In this "building" the born again believer is in Heaven, where he/she among others things is awaiting the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 16).
In this passage, the "dead in Christ" refers to those who, at the time of the Rapture, have already physically died and are in their interim bodies in Heaven.
There are NO SOULS in any casket, cemetery, or urn, etc.. Such things contain only the bodily remains. The soul leaves the body at the moment of physical death, before ANY postmortem activity takes place. Funerals, etc., can serve the interests of those we leave behind, but do NOTHING to change the location of where the departed soul has ALREADY gone.
As for the unbeliever, the Bible does not label the second type of bodily form, but does refer to as it as having body parts (e.g., eyes to see, a tongue) that can sense the impact of the fire of Hades (Luke 16: 23, 24) and suffer unfulfilled needs. Rather or not these body parts are actual or proverbial is irrelevant. Sometimes Scripture uses language of accommodation so that the principle being conveyed can be understood.
"And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away (in Paradise), and Lazarus (being comforted) in his bosom. And he cried out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame (Luke 16: 23, 24 NASB italics mine)."
[Paradise was a section in Hades where the souls of believers went prior to the coming and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are no longer any souls in this Paradise, by the Torments section of Hades continues to be filled with the souls of departing unbelievers. They will remain there, in suffering, until they are summoned to the Court of Heaven and then sent to the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15).]
Note that the souls in Hades are not consumed by the flame.
The final bodily form that a soul will experience again is dependent on which environment the soul finds itself. There is not much Biblical details concerning the type of bodily that the unbelieving souls in the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15). It could be one in the same bodily form that the unbelievers experienced in Hades. We are told that there will be never-ending suffering and that the soul within never dies.
For the believer, we are told that we will receive a resurrected body like that of the Lord's (1John 3: 2). Enough said!
That bodily form, which I believe is raised up in resurrection form from the dust of the "tent" at the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 16). It will be in this glorified body that the believing souls from all of the generations of human history will indwell for all of eternity. Again, this is an act of God that is not dependent on ANY postmortem activity regarding what was done or what was not possible to be done with one's bodily remains that was left behind at departure.
In any event, Scripture refers to this final and eternal bodily form as a mansion (John 14: 2 KJV). A mansion is greater that the building and tent that the believer previously experienced. In that mansion, the believer will receive and experience various rewards (1Cor. 3: 12) and can exercise accompanying privileges (e.g. Rev. 2: 17, 26/Rev. 3: 5, 12, 21, etc..) for all of eternity.
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When the time came for the generations of Man to come about, the "tents" of each generation were re-produced via sexual intercourse (that God designed).
The spiritual death status that Adam and the woman (later called Eve) received as of the day of the Fall, is passed down generation to generation at the moment of conception (Psalms 51: 5), via the male (Romans 5: 12) partner. The females of the generations that followed also had/have the sin nature passed down to them via their biological fathers, but are not the one through whom the sin/fallen nature is passed down to the humanity that produced as a result of the sexual act.
Mary, identified herself as a sinner, acknowledging God as being her HER personal (note the use of the personal pronoun my) Savior (Luke 1: 46. 47NASB).
"My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior (Luke 1: 46, 47 NASB)."
If she were not a sinner, she would have not have been in need of a Savior. Scripture (Romans. 3: 23/James 2: 10)reiterate the principles that we ALL have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God and are in EQUAL need of salvation.
Mary, never-the-less, was able to be used of God to produce what would become the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ, whereas Joseph could not. Neither Joseph nor Mary was NOT randomly selected for the divine roles they fulfilled. Each one had to (and did) fulfill the Messianic prerequisites.
The sin nature is passed down through the male becomes a part of one't total being when the soul is placed in the body at birth.
Accordingly, the generations of Man (with the exception of the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ) come into the world physically and mentally alive, but spiritually dead.
The physical/natural life of every human body that is alive and here on Earth has an expiration date. This expiration date runs concurrent with the appointed date of departure assigned (Heb. 9: 27) to each soul by God.
As good stewards, one should do the best he/she can to take best care of the body in which we are placed, but one would be wise to keep in mind that many healthy people die every day. In the big picture, physical exercise and discipline of the body does a "little" good, whereas disciplining the soul has merit here and now AND in the life to come (1Timothy 4: 8).
One's date/time of entrance and departure are in the hands of God (Psalms 31: 15). They were recorded in the Divine Decree BEFORE any one of us every took our first breath. To whatever extent our individual choices play in the manifestation of our departure were all known to God when He authored the Divine Decree. The Divine Decree contains ALL of the activity of Man throughout the course of human history. Nothing happens without first having passed through the direct, permissive, or over-ruling will of God. Some of what the permissive will of God allows can be a hard pill to swallow. It takes great faith to place what we do not understand in the hands of God and move on with the plan of God.
Everything that God does is consistent with what He has planned, but not with what we had in mind.
No one entered this world nor leaves any sooner or later that what the direct or permissive will of God determines or allows. Our biological parents may or may not have had "a" baby in mind when what would become our humanity was conceived, but God DID have a plan in mind when He created our soul and placed us in the body of His choosing at birth (John 3: 6). The body of His choosing was a perfect match for the divine purposes that His plan required.
When the psalmist (Psalms 90: 10) spoke of the (seventy year +) life span of the human being, he was making a general observation of the times in which the passage was written. Some individuals of the earlier generations of Man lived close to 1,000 years (Gen. 5: 5, 7, etc.). In EVERY generation, there are those who live much longer and those who depart much sooner that the "average" person of that generation. What does NOT change is the fact that each one of us was given a specific amount of time to be on this planet with an appointed (Heb. 9: 27) date and time of departure.
The child of David, conceived in a act of adultery, fulfilled its divine purpose (2Sam. 12: 14) before he had the chance to even know what life was all about. Yet David, had the spiritual perception to know that he and deceased child would be reunited in the life to come (2Sam. 12: 23).
The Lord Jesus Christ accomplished the divine purpose for His time here on Earth in 30-33 years.
No matter how long or how relatively good one's experience here on Earth may be, it is no more than a momentary flash in comparison to eternity future that will NEVER end. Having us to the "natural" thing, that is to be focused on the here and now to the neglect of eternal issues. has been a long time objective of the devil.
It is not how much time one is given here on Earth that matters. It is what one does with the time that he IS given that determines first where, and then how he/she WILL experience all of eternity. Life after death is NOT a matter of IF, but of WHERE and HOW every soul will experience it.
The last generation of Church Age believers is the exception to the expiration date concept. Church Age believers who will be alive on the Earth when the Rapture (1Thess. 4: 17) will never experience physical death, but will instantaneously (1Cor.15: 52) experience a change in bodily form (from tent to mansion), as they are gathered together with the already departed souls of believers. It is at that time that ALL church age believers, that is the ones who were on the Earth at the time, and those who had already departed over the course of the Church Age receive their (mansions) resurrected bodies.
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Although it would be Man who reproduces the bodies of the future generations to come, it would remain God's exclusive role to create and place the soul into the body when the body was brought forth at birth (John 3: 6).
The omniscience of God is fully aware of all what Man would call advantages and disadvantages of the specific body that He chose to placed us in, but it never-the-less is a perfect fit for the objectives and plan of God.
Our biological parents may or may not have had a baby in mind at the moment what would become our "tent" was conceived, but it was God who created our soul and placed us in the body of His choosing. If the plan of God had called for one to be born into a different body with a different gender, race, or different period of history, He would have done so.
Regardless of what advances have been and will be made in the medical field, the physical death rate for the human race will still be 100%, with the exception of the one's taken up in the Rapture.
As of the Church Age, Man has been given all the information, encapsulated in the Gospel Message, that he is ever going to receive concerning the means to be saved, and all the post salvation doctrine that he is ever going to need to execute the post salvation spiritual life.
Once being presented with the opportunity to hear either one, spiritual ignorance is a choice that we make.
Being "saved" from the Torments of Hades (Luke 16: 24) and the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 13, 15) is the result of making a one time decision to believe (believe = place one's FULL trust and confidence) in the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ that He accomplished on the cross. This one time confession of faith (not religious rituals) results in God regenerating (Titus 3: 5) what was the spiritually dead spirit, and the receiving of eternal life (John 3: 16) necessary to liive with God in Heaven upon departing this world. This is what the Gospel Message is all about.
The "readings from the Gospels", as it is referred to in at least one major denomination, could be addressing a host of different subjects, and must be distinguished from the Gospel Message that is exclusively focused on the issue of salvation. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are virtually read in all of the various denominations on a regular basis, but the Gospel Message itself is not clearly communicated from all pulpits. Much of the confusion is the result of promoting the additives of religion.
For those who choose to believe (place their 100% trust and confidence) in a presentation of the true Gospel Message, the issue of WHERE he/she will spend ALL of eternity is forever settled, no matter what else takes place or fails to take place in the post (after) salvation spiritual life of the then born again believer (John 3: 18). The primary indicator that one truly understands the Gospel Message is that he/she can see the futility in engaging in Man made products of religion. Ask a "religious Christian" (an oxymoron) if he/she is going to Heaven and the response will likely be, "I hope so.". Ask an advancing Christian disciple if he/she is going to Heaven, and the response will be, "I know so.". This is not personal arrogance or self confidence, but confidence and trust in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the post salvation assurances of God documented in the Word of God.
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Sin, rebellion (against God), and selfishness are characteristics the NATURAL mind set and overt activity of one who is under the influence of his fallen nature. This is true in the lives of unbelievers and believers alike.
The perceived need to engage in Man-made "religious" practices to either fully obtain or retain what God has already accomplished is a good indicator that the ones involved do not have a clear understanding of the Gospel Message. Failure to identify and to continuing to pursue the post (after) salvation spiritual life is an indication that the born again believer is either ignorant of what it entails, or has other priorities for the life and time that God has given him/her.
False means of securing and/or retaining salvation in the name of "religion" have existed from the very beginning of the Church Age (e.g. Gal. 3: 1), and will continue to increase especially here in the end times (1Timothy 4: 1). At the very least, such things are satanically endorsed, and in the worse case scenario are the products of demonic influence (1 Tim. 4: 1).
Engaging in humanitarian projects and/or behaving within the parameters of relatively good moral conduct in order to receive or retain salvation are among the false means promoted here in the devil's world. While such things can be the RESULT of being born again, they are NEVER the means to either obtain or retain salvation. No amount of humanitarian deeds, religious activity, or relatively good conduct has ever or will ever "save" anyone (Titus 3: 5, 7).
No one, other than the Lord Jesus Christ, while living in a moral body ever has or ever will be "good" enough to earn eternal life. On the other side of the same coin, no born again believer can ever be bad enough to lose his salvation. Salvation is an irrevocable (Romans 11: 29) gift of God given to those who choose to believe (place their full trust and confidence) in the truth of the true Gospel Message.
Good deeds and relatively good conduct are among the RESULTS of engaging in the post salvation spiritual life, but are NOT the MEANS to either obtain or retain salvation.
The difference between the spiritually dead unbeliever, and the spiritually regenerated (Titus 3: 5) born again believer is that the spiritually dead unbeliever will continue to function under the self-centered, rebellious, fallen nature with which he/she came into the world. This IS the "natural" thing to do (Romans 8: 7). Being led by the Spirit, is the "supernatural" thing to do (Romans 8: 14). Which source of influence we are under at any given time is a choice that we make.
any times, when an unbeliever does "good", it is for the purpose of obtaining (or trying to obtain) or avoiding something for him/herself in this life or in the life to come. His/her focus is not on God, but on self. The true motivation for doing such good is revealed as soon as the doer comes to the conclusion that he/she is not getting what his/her "good" deeds were to accomplish.
The heart with pure intentions does what is good with or without reward, even at the cost of persecution.
Both the "religious" and the "spiritual" individual will do what they do, believing that it is through such means that they will receive both temporal and eternal reward. To the extent that God permits, the devil will bless the "religious" to encourage their participation and to challenge the faith (trsut and confidence) of the spiritual individual. In the end, however, the religious but spiritually dead will find themselves in the Torments of Hades upon departing this Earth, and eventually in the lake of fire for all of eternity. In the end, those who are born again (John 3: 5, 7) and are therefore spiritually alive (Titus 3: 5) and sealed by God the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4: 30), will find themselves in Heaven (2Cor. 5: 8) upon departing this world and the recipients of eternal rewards (1Cor. 3: 12-15) in line with the divine good they were involved in while here on Earth.
"Religion and religious people (Psalms 96: 5) can be found both outside and inside of what is commonly acknowledged as the Christian Community (Gal. 3: 1/1Timothy 4 1).
Atheists seek to receive worldly prosperity, living in rejection of the knowledge of eternity (Eccl. 3: 11) that God places in the heart of every soul that He creates (John 3: 6). Atheists reject the concept that there are many blessings (like their next breath) that each one of us receive every day(). Many believers get upset over the mercy that God extends to atheists, unbelievers, and backsliding believers, forgetting where any one of us would be headed if it not for the mercy that God extended to each one of us.
Both religious and born again believers seek to receive temporal and divine blessings here on Earth and in the life to come. Both groups will also want to avoid both secular and divine discipline.
Both the unbeliever and the born again believer, through human efforts via human power, can secure many earthly benefits, and human compliance with the laws of Man can result in avoiding discipline by secular authorities.
Both unbelievers and born again believers can willfully or ignorantly choose to engage in futile "religious" activity.
In many ways, there are many earthly desires, among them the desire to receive earthly prosperity, shared by the atheists, religious persons, and born again believers.
The difference between these groups is what they see the source of prosperity.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying earthly pleasures that are legitimately obtained. Legitimately obtained and maintained simply means that one did not violate the principles of God to obtain them, and did/does not violate the laws of God to retain them. The devil will use even legitimate desires to re-arrange one's list of priorities. The devil will promote ANYTHING if it can take the place of God and/or the things of God on the priority list of a born again believer.
The wise recipient of earthly prosperity and blessings will enjoy its benefits for as long as they are available, but is well aware that no matter what earthly blessings one secures and enjoys while here on Earth, they are ALL left behind when the soul departs the body and enters eternity future.
No matter how great or challenging one's time here on Earth may be, it will amount to no more than a flash of light in comparison to the never-ending experience that every soul will encounter for all of eternity.
Yet, as relatively brief as our time on this Earth may be, it is the SPIRITUAL decisions that we choose to make HERE that determines where and how we will experience eternity THERE!
"Life after death is NOT a matter of IF, but a matter of WHERE an HOW it WILL be experienced.
The forfeiting of Mark 8: 36 does not mean that one's soul is destroyed. What can be destroyed (with eternal consequences) is the production of divine good during the course of one's post salvation spiritual life. This is what results in the forfeiture of rewards (1Cor. 3: 14, 15)) in Heaven. The soul and its salvation remains in tact.
Just "getting in" (to Heaven)may sound like an acceptable strategy while here on Earth, but it will be a decision that will be regretted.
What an unbelieving loses is the opportunity to spend all of eternity in fellowship and in the presence of God. Every soul that has ever lived, or will come into this world throughout the course of human history, will find itself in one of two general environments upon leaving this world.
Scripture (1Cor. 3: 12-15) also speaks of a forfeiture of rewards that the born again believer will experience in Heaven. The receiving or forfeiting of rewards is based on the power source (divine vs. human) and motivation that was behind the "good deeds" that the born again believer was involved in during his/her time here on Earth.
NO amount of Man-made religious activity or relatively "good" moral behavior will EVER "earn" or qualify a soul a split second of eternal life. Good moral behavior and humanitarian deeds accomplished via human ability and desire have their own rewards HERE on Earth, but are no more than a pile of "filthy rags - Isa. 64: 6 NASB" when it comes to securing eternal life.
NO "religious" act(s) secures eternal life. Eternal life is a gift (that cannot be earned) from God that is given to all who place their trust and confidence in a presentation of the Gospel Message. God has declared His gifts and calling to be irrevocable (). God will not, and no other power in Heaven or on the Earth can undo what God did (Titus 3: 5, Eph. 6, etc.) at the moment of salvation.
One of the reasons that "religious" authorities dispute this principle of Bible Doctrine is that it diminishes their own-established "significance" and the discloses their Man-made rituals for what they really are.
The primary role of the Church Age evangelist is to fulfill the first half of the Great Commission by proclaiming the TRUE Gospel Message to spiritually dead unbelievers. The primary role of Church Age pastor-teachers is to fulfill the second half of the Great Commission by "making disciples", that is students and appliers of the Word of God, out of those who have been BORN AGAIN (John 3: 5, 7).
Rewards (in Heaven) for the born again believer are based on the deeds of divine good that God (John 15: 5)accomplished through the advancing disciple throughout the course of his/her post salvation spiritual life.
From the very beginning of the Church Age (Gal. 3: 1 to the present times (1Tim. 4: 1), it has been the work of devil and his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil to obstruct the proclamation of the TRUE Gospel Message to unbelievers, and to inhibit the development of post salvation discipleship in the individual lives of those who have been born again (John 3: 5, 7).
The most effective ally that the devil has in the realm of spiritual warfare is Man-made religion and the "alternatives" that it produces.
Human beings can be consistently "religious" OR consistently "spiritual", but NEVER both at the same time.
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The fallen nature that had been passed down to our humanity at the moment of conception (Psalms 51: 5) does NOT go away after one is born again (Romans 7). In the lives of those who have been born again (John 3: 5, 7), and especially in the lives of born again believers who choose to entertain post salvation discipleship, the fallen nature will increase its pressure on the soul, trying to keep pace with the influencing mentoring of God the Holy Spirit.
Choosing to submit the pressure of the fallen nature within us, or choose to submit to the mentoring and leadership of God the Holy Spirit is the moment to moment, daily, experience of the post salvation spiritual life. We are free to choose which source of pressure, be it God's, our own, the fallen nature, or the devil, but we are not free having to make such choices. We can not say "Yes!" to one without saying "No!" to the others.
If one does not experience this internal struggle on a DAILY basis, this is an indicator that one is in need of a 2Cor. 13:5 SELF examination to determine why this is so.
If one does not sense the daily pressure from God the Holy Spirit to grow in the knowledge (2Pet. 3: 18) and/or the application (James 1: 22) of the Word of God, we have developed a bad case of "spiritual ear wax" that needs to be addressed. No one EVER (while here on Earth) arrives at the point where he/she has learned or consistently applies all that the Word of God has to offer.
If one can not discern when it is his/her evil, self-centered, hostile (towards God or the things of God), fallen nature at the helm, he/she is in s-e-r-i-o-u-s spiritual danger.
Knowing how one, in the capacity of an advancing disciple, is SUPPOSED to think, behave, and interact with others, and DOING so when the pressure is on are two VERY different things. This is the internal struggle that Paul wrote about in his letter to the believers in Rome (Romans 7). Sooner or later, the advancing disciple will discover the reality of John 15: 5, teaching that apart from God we can accomplish NOTHING for ourselves or anyone else where spiritual issues are in view.
Note that this letter was towards the END of thirty year ministry that included much personal interaction with God and even a "trip" to Heaven (2Cor. 12). By the time that Paul penned his letter (Book of Romans), it was no longer only faith, as he had had many personal encounters and experiences along the way that far exceed what the average believer will experience this side of Heaven. Human viewpoint would have us think that with all that Paul had been through, his personal battle in the spiritual realm would have been over with years ago, but Paul's day to day internal struggle continued on until his appointed time of departure arrived. This will be the case of ALL advancing disciples.
Jesus taught that the "blessed" (worthy to be praised) believers are the ones who believe without the benefit of tangible evidence (John 20: 29). If the opportunity presents itself, how one perceives death, and especially how one handles the process of dying, can leave the ones we leave behind with a powerful testimony. It is when one faces such challenges that the quality of the faith (trust and confidence) that one claimed to possess along the way is made clear to all that observe us.
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If and when one has an accurate understanding of what the TRUE Gospel Message conveys, there will be no inconsistencies between what one believes and what one practices regarding salvation.
The one who has an accurate understanding of the Gospel Message will see the futile vanity, and in some cases the blasphemous nature, behind the rituals that religion promotes to either secure or to retain salvation.
Such things are futile in that they fail to achieve what they are promoted to accomplish. They are blasphemous in that they raise questions as to the integrity of the claims made the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Work that He finished on the cross.
But this does not mean that there won't be challenges to overcome. Many of these challenges come from the various religious concepts that claim that one must do this and that and not do this and that in order to either obtain or retain salvation.
Christian religion (an oxymoron) has added many "requirements" and accompanying rituals that it claims one must go through, or be put through, in order to "finish" or to "retain" the Work that the Lord "finished-John 1: 30 NASB) while on the cross. Christian religion has done the same regarding the Work of God the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5/Eph. 4: 30/ etc.) that took place at the moment of salvation, and/or continues to take place (Romans 14: 4/John 14: 26) throughout the course of one's post salvation spiritual life.
Religion has always been the primary means through which the devil infiltrates and draws the Christian Community away from the accurate interpretation and application of both the Gospel Message (Gal. 3: 1) and the post (after) salvation doctrines found in the Word of God.
Christianity and Christian Religion are NOT one in the same.
The devil knows that he has lost the primary battle for the soul of a born again believer, but will take advantage of every opportunity to raise doubts as to integrity of the salvation that one has ALREADY received (John 3: 18).
As long as a born again believer has doubts about the integrity of the salvation that he has ALREADY received, he/she will spend most of his post salvation spiritual life worrying about or "working" to retain what he can not lose, rather than identifying and moving forward with the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship.
Although the issue of the salvation of a born again believer IS forever secure, his/her post salvation spiritual life HERE on Earth has only just begun.
Should the born again believer advance to the level of spiritual maturity that he/she no longer doubts what God has said regarding his/her salvation, the devil then aims at the "next-best" target. The " next-best" target is the production of divine good during the believer's post salvation spiritual life.
For those who overcome the doubts that the devil raises concerning the eternal security of one's salvation, the devil will THEN promote the idea that since salvation can not be lost, one is free to live any way he/she chooses with impunity. This of course, is another half-truth and lie of the devil.
While it IS true that one's salvation can not be lost, it is NOT true that there aren't other consequences for the post salvation sins that we choose to entertain.
Divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) can range in anything from having to live with a guilty conscience, up to an including physical sickness (1Cor. 11:30) and/or physical death (Acts 5). Eternal consequences involve the loss of rewards (1Cor. 3: 15) that one would have otherwise received in addition to his/her home in Heaven that all born again believers will receive and never lose.
God provides His solution (1John 1: 9/John 8: 11) to address post (after) salvation sin.
Of course, the devil was right there to provide his alternates in the name of religion, yet it is often the most "religious" ones among us that have no clue as to what being forgiven by God really entails. Unlike with people, when God forgives one's, they are cast away as far as the east is from the west Psalms 103: 12, NEVER to brought up again.
The "confessional" that God designed is open 24-7 and does not involve a human clergyman. See the Doctrine of Confession for more details.
It is the desire of the devil for every born again believer to fail to identify what the post salvation spiritual life is all about, and/or to fail to consistently execute it.
Contrary to what religion would have us believe, the purpose of the post (after we are already saved) salvation life is NOT for the purpose of retaining one's salvation. The work of providing for one's salvation, and maintaining of one's salvation was/is the function of God. Man is only required to believe (place his full confidence and trust) in what God has done and will do, to receive and retain all of the benefits. The perceived need to engage to engage in the "ADDITIVES", promoted in the name (authority) of religion reflects the level of success that the devil has had in this area of spiritual warfare.
The post salvation spiritual life of born again believers is for the purpose of bringing the maximum glory to God, as one learns and applies the principles of Bible Doctrine to the DAILY activities of the remaining time that he/she is given here on Earth.
Prior to one being born again, the ONE spiritual issue is salvation. Until one has addressed the issue of salvation, one can "live" in the "Church", participate in all the practices of "religion", but remain spiritually dead.
After one is already saved, the spiritual issue is discipleship.
D-i-s-c-i-p-l-e-s-h-i-p, that is the study and the application of the Word of God, requires much, much more. So much more, that many born again believers desert the spiritual battlefield when the pressure intensifies.
Discipleship was/is the "inside" part of the Great Commission (marching orders) that was given to the Church (Matt. 28: 19, 20). Discipleship begins with the development of the believers own soul structure, with the long term goal of evangelizing (presenting the Gospel Message) to unbelievers, and edifying fellow believers via Bible Doctrine.
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Inconsistencies are the result of "faith failures." Faith involves not ONLY the act of believing (placing our confidence and trust) is something, but WHAT it is they we believe . Accordingly, faith failures can take place at the place of origin when we fail to take in correct information, or at the point of application when we fail to apply the correct information to how we think and/or behave.
Experiencing faith failure(s) do not mean that a born believer has lost his salvation (2Tim. 2: 13). Our failure does not mean that God has failed (Eph. 4: 15/Romans 14: 4)/2Tim. 2: 13( us. The born again believer, while reeling about in the aftermath of a faith failure, remains "sealed - Eph.4: 30" and assured of eternal life in Heaven Romans 14: 4.
Faith failure(s) can manifest themselves as a result of a sudden, unexpected, disappointing, event (or series of events within a relatively short period of time) that raises doubts concerning the reality or significance of God, especially regarding what His permissive will allows to take place. This was the experience of Job. The devil contended that when given enough loss, pain, and suffering, the sufferer will curse God to His face (Job 2: 5). The devil was proved wrong in the case of Job, but there are many who experience faith failures after being put through tests of faith that don't come close to the degree of sufferings imposed on Job.
The devil also contends that everyone has a price. The devil was proved wrong concerning the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 4: 6), but there are so-called Christians who dishonor the Lord Jesus Christ every day in order to save a buck here or make a buck there.
Such inconsistencies are NOT little matters when the glory (or dishonor) of God is on the line. Even if no other other human beings observing us, God ALWAYS knows. That, in itself, is enough to motivate an advancing disciple to do the right thing.
Furthermore, there are other times when there are observing angels and/or evil spiritual beings (Eph. 6: 12) taking note when we choose to glorify or dishonor God, giving one side or the other reason to rejoice (Luke 15: 10). The devil does not have the divine attribute of omniscience (all knowledge) or omnipresence (being anywhere and everywhere at the same time), but has a history (Book of Job/Rev. 9: 10) bringing accusations, true and false, against the people of God in the Court of Heaven. Such intelligence is gathered by himself and often by his Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil.
No one knows the true status of his individual faith until it is tested. We can all make with sincerity the boasts of Peter, but find ourselves completely failing when put to the test (Mark 14: 66-71). We have all experienced times when we knew what the right thing to do was, but failed to do it (Matt. 7: 24-27).
Tests of faith, consisting of what God sends or allows, can be a heart-breaking experience (Mark 14: 72). Never-the-less, they can be a good thing (Romans 8 : 28), when they are used to reveal to a born again believer (and those who observe) exactly where he/she truly stands in his/her walk with God.
Anyone can be willing to walk with the Lord as long as things are going his/her way, but what about when hit with tragedy upon tragedy (as in the case of Job)? Or what about finding oneself being among those who God determines are not receive any reward for his/her spirituality while here on Earth (Heb. 11: 39), but yet be subjected to the greatest tests of faith (Heb. 11: 35-38) that God allows and that the devil can generate?
Note I said in his/her "walk" with God, and not in his/her relationship with God.
The relationship that a born gain believer has with God is based on our faith in what God did, is doing, and will do in the future, as a result of a one-time decision to make a positive response to the Gospel Message.
One's "walk" with the Lord IS dependent on if and how well one develops its intimacy. In any two party relationship, each party must spend quality time and really get to know the other, if intimacy is going to be developed. ALL born again believers are forever in a relationship with God, but only a minority of born again believers live in intimacy with God.
Omniscient God already knows everything there is to know about each one of us, but how much each one of us knows about God differs greatly among those who claim to be Christians.
How well one knows the "living" Word (John 1: 1 ) is consistent with what one knows about the written Word of God (The Bible). Teaching the Word of God was /is the primary internal (inside) mission given to the Church (Matt. 28: 20).
Spiritual maturity is evidenced by the quantity, quality, and the application of the Word of God to the daily choices we make. In the spiritual realm, we are what we choose to be.
Going to Church (or to our source of spiritual edification) on a regular basis is like going to our local pharmacy. We can go to "a" Church or to "a" pharmacy every day, but if while there we do not get the right prescription (doctrine) to address our (spiritual) need(s), we will not benefit from just having been there. If we take home the right prescription (doctrine), it will still do us no good unless we take (apply) it. Choosing the right prescriber of one's doctrine is as critical a decision to maintaining one's spiritual health, as is choosing the right presecriber to maintain one's in the medical health. As good stewards, we are concerned about what we take in to our bodies that are here today and gone tommorow, but accept a "good enough" attitude concerning the doctrine that we take into our souls that are gong to live forever.
In whatever area(s) of our life that one chooses NOT to be conformed to the "likeness" of Christ (Romans 8: 29), there will always be inconsistencies in one's thoughts and behaviors. Sometimes one will choose to think and behave in line with the mind of Christ (1Cor. 2: 16), and other times, the same person will cave in to the pressure and follow the lead of his fallen nature or other evil sources of influence.
This is an on-going battle that will never come to an end here on Earth. There will always be the next issue that God the Holy Spirit will bring to our attention that He desires for us to address. One will not experience intimacy with the God of the Bible without post salvation discipleship, yet true discipleship will be the source of a many internal and external conflicts.
One cannot please God, the devil, our fallen nature, or other people simultaneously. To the extent that we favor one, the others are rejected.
The cause of our inconsistencies in the our spirituality is that there are times (perhaps many times in the course of any given day) that we are pleasing God at one moment and then pleasing ourselves, the devil. or other people the next. When we choose to obey God, He is pleased. When we choose to disobey God, we are pleasing the devil.
Obedience to God involves submitting to the lead of God the Holy Spirit in ALL that we think, say, or do. Every time we entertain thoughts, say things, or do things that runs contrary to what the Word of God has to say, we are disobedient to God. Failing to learn what God has to say about ANY given issue, is an act of disobedience (2Pet. 3: 18). Failing to apply what we learn in an act of wilful disobedience (James ). One can NOT experience an intimate walk with God and live a life of willful disobedience.
The struggle to apply what we (should) have learned to how we think, what we say, or what we do in the course of our daily lives in what Paul was speaking of in Romans 7: 21-23.
In the spiritual realm, the advancing disciple struggles every day with the devil and/or his Eph. 6:12 forces of evil, bent on the destruction (1Pet. 5: 8) of the production of divine good (1Cor. 3: 12-15)inherent with his/her post salvation spiritual life. The advancing disciple struggles every day with his/her own fallen nature that is inherently "hostile" towards God and the things of God (Romans 8:7). The advancing disciple struggles every day with other people that have a different agenda or a different method of operation. If this struggle is NOT the experience of a born again believer, then he/she is NOT executing the true post salvation spiritual life spoken of in Scripture. Such believers are often times living in denial of their own inconsistencies while being very sharp and critical of the short-comings (Romans 3: 23) of others.
There is nothing wrong with pursuing legitimate self interest, or the legitimate interests of other people, providing that in the process we do not elevate such things to the point that we or they complete with God for His proper place in our list of priorities. By legitimate, I mean any things that do not violate the Word of God.
The born again believer glorifies God by learning, refining, and applying the principles of the Word of God to ALL that he/she thinks, says, and does, each and every day. At the same time, a born again believer dishonors God by doing the opposite.
Whoever or whatever is having the greatest influence over our thoughts at ANY given time is the one that determines what we say and do. This source of influence is whoever or whatever we choose to listen to at any given time. This source could be God, the devil, our fallen nature, other people, or other things, but it is OUR choice, responsibility and accountability.
The advancing disciple will start out EVERY day in a moment of prayer, taking whatever steps (e.g. 1John 1: 9/John 8: 11) to make sure that the he/she is in fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) with God. The advancing disciple will ask God to reveal to him/her the will of God of will be in all of choices that they day will bring. The advancing disciple will ask God to grant him/her the wisdom to accomplish the objectives of the day with the wisdom (2Pet. 3: 18) and the power (John 15: 5) that He supplies. The advancing disciple, from experience, is fully aware that ALL other sources of influence have a plan to take over the ship and set a different course than what the plan of God would have us think, say, or do.
With God the Holy Spirit as the ship's lookout, the born again believer we will be made aware of obstacles ahead. With God as our navigator, we will be advised when (not if) we are drifting off course. Failing to heed the information being conveyed to us by our lookout or our navigator is a recipe for disaster.
The advancing disciple closes each day with a 2Cor 13:5 self examination to provide him/herself with an honest evaluation of how the day went, with the idea of avoiding or better handling the same inhibitors that tomorrow
Don't kid yourself. To whom or what one places at the helm of our ship (soul structure), is the ONE or the thing who/what determines All that we think, say, or do at any moment during the course of any day. We are free to choose who or what will be our primary source of influence, but we are not free from having to make that choice. At EVERY moment of each 24 hr. day, someone or something IS at th helm of our individual ship.
We might be able to conceal (from people) some of our thoughts, and we may be able to restrain ourselves from what we might want to say, or want to do, but God is aware of ALL of it.
On any given day, every one of us comes up a little short (sometimes a lot short) of glorifying God. For this reason, the confessional (1John 1: 9) that God designed is open 24-7.
Just how long one remains out of fellowship (with God with the volume of one's lookout and navigator turned down low), is a choice that WE make. Sailing on the seas of life here in the devil's world out of fellowship with God is a recipe for disaster.
A born again believer remains saved, but is out of fellowship with God whenever he/she has a known sin that has not been confessed (1Jon 1: 9). The confessor will likely soon commit the same sin again if he/she does not choose to forsake (John 8: 11) it, as well.
A born again believer thinking, speaking, or conducting him/herself in ways that glorifies God while not being in fellowship with God is not very likely.
Why so? When God is no longer at the helm, someone or something else is. There would be no motive for a mutiny if the ship was already on course and headed for the destination of the one(s) who would otherwise want to take over the ship.
When experiencing frequent inconsistencies, ask yourself who or what it is at the helm of your ship.
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The intensity of this ongoing struggle will keep steady pace with whatever spiritual advancement one experiences along the road to spiritual maturity. Note that when Paul penned the following verse, it was towards the end of his thirty year ministry:
In Scripture, (Romans 7 NASB/italics mine) we read, "I find then the principle that evil in present within me, the one who wishes to do good (vs. 21). For I joyfully concur with the law (set of standards an accompanying desires) of God in the inner man (vs. 22). But I see a different law (i.e. the ways of the world) in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind (edified soul structure), and making me a prisoner (taking me captive) of the law of sin which is in my members (vs. 23)."
Contrary to what "religion" would have us believe, the integrity of one's salvation is not dependent on what takes place (or fails to take place) in the born again believer's post (after) salvation spiritual life.
Man and his religious rituals could do nothing to equate the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Man and his religious rituals or other products of religion can do nothing to add to complete the already finished (John 19: 30) the Work on the cross. Man and his religious ritiuals can do nothing to retain salvation, nor can Man or his religious rituals replace what cannot be lost in the first place.
If Man or his religious rituals could have done ANY of the above, then there would have been no need for the Son of God to be crucified, and there would be no need for the post salvation work of God.
The one "ritual" that God ordained for the Church Age is the celebration of the Lord's Supper/Communion. The purpose of this ritual is to BRING INTO REMEMBRANCE (1Cor. 11: 24, 25), NOT to reproduce, the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The function of the Church that God designed is to proclaim the Gospel Message to unbelievers, and to make disciples (students and appliers) out of those who choose to make a positive response to the Gospel Message. See Matt, 28: 19, 20.
What goes on (or fails to go on) throughout the course of one's post (after) salvation spiritual life has got NOTHING to do with retaining salvation, but has EVERYTHING to do with a born again believer's WALK with the Lord! One can not "walk" with Someone if we choose to take another path (Matt. 7: 13, 14). Both born again believers, who do not identify and execute the true post salvation spiritual life, and advancing disciples will arrive at the same destination (Heaven), but only the advancing disciple will have walked and brought much glory to God, and only the advancing disciple will receive the eternal rewards of discipleship (1Cor. 3: 12-15).
The quality of a born again believers WALK with the Lord will NEITHER increase nor decrease the integrity of one's salvation, but has EVERYTHING to do with the amount of glory that God either receives or is denied.
The greater the faith and potential that one has, the greater the form of attacks the devil will use to counter whatever forward progress the believer is making along his/her road to spiritual maturity.
If one is not the recipient of satanic attacks, one must consider why it is that the devil does not consider him or her to be a worthy target.
Increased or shaken faith of a parent, for instance, can be used by both God and the devil to impact the faith of the children. Abraham Lincoln and Pope John Paul II would have both agreed that however goes the family, so goes the nation and the world in which we live.
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The classic example of an immediate faith failure, was just after Peter exhibited one of the greatest acts of APPLIED personal faith (Matt. 14: 29). In Matthew 14: 29-3, 1Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk across the water towards the Lord, but when he began to look all around himself, he began to sink and nearly drowned.
Faith failures can last for a few seconds when the devil or one of his spokespersons whisper doubts into our spiritual ears, or when unexpected tragedy strikes. How long it takes one to recover is largely in line with where one is in his/her walk with the Lord when the "storms" (Matt. 7: 24-27) of life strike.
As in the case of Peter, faith failures can be the result of taking our spiritual eyes off Jesus, and begin to look at all that surrounds us (Matt 14: 29). Faith failures can take place when we fail to apply the doctrines that we (should) have in our soul structures (Matt. 7: 24-27). Faith failures can be triggered by fear or disappointment.
Fear and/or are normal human responses, but so are uncontrolled anger and revenge. Fear and faith are antithetical. The more you have of one, the less you have of the other. Entertaining sin IS the "natural -m" thing to do. The post salvation spiritual life, however, is not about what comes natural to us, but what is supernatural with the (John 15: 5) power that God supplies.
Let's have reality check here. We do not cease being human and/or reacting as ALL humans do when hit by the storms of life. When the storms of life strike, we ARE going to "feel" that at least the immediate the control of our life or the situation at hand is out of OUR control. It is at such times that our faith, consisting of what we REALLY believe, is put to the APPLICATION test. One of the MANY reasons that God allows the storms of life to strike is toreaveal to us the area(s) of our own personal (spiritual) weaknesses, OR to give us the opportunity to bring the maximum glory to God by the way we handle the circumstances. Either way, BOTH are a part of the adversity (Job 2: 10) that IS a part of the plan that God for us as an individual. This answers, in part, the age old question, "Why is this happening to me?".
It is if and how long it takes to recover and then move forward that determines where we are in our walk with the Lord. Are we gong to choose to respond in a way that brings the greatest glory to God, or are we going to entertain one of the MANY alternatives. God is glorified IF and when one chooses to apply the appropriate doctrine (Matt. 7: 24). The greater the challenge, the greater the glory that is brought to God. Regardless of the outcome, the advancing disciple moves forward in the plan of God.
In the final analysis, there is always some form of sin involved when we encounter a faith failure. Fear, doubts, and wilful ignorance are not of faith Whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14: 23).
The divine solution for all post salvation sin is found in 1John 1:9 and John 8: 11. The confessor is called to acknowledge the fact that he/she has sinned, citing the specific sin(s). The confessor is guaranteed forgiveness on the basis of the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Then, in order to move forward in the plan of God, the confessor must then forsake, that is choose to turn away from that category of sin. Religion and human viewpoint have added many other requirements and provided alternative rituals that appeal to Man, but are without Biblical substantiation. See Doctrine of Confession.
In the post salvation spiritual life, there is no neutrality or rest areas. No born again believer can become any ore or any less saved, but each and everyday one is either drawing nearer to the things of God, or is drifting further away. Not only do we draw nearer or drift away, we influence others to do the same.
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The opposite of inconsistency is conformity.
Being conformed to the likeness of Christ (Romans. 3: 28) in thought (1Cor. 2: 16) and behavior (James 1: 22) is a never-ending process throughout the course of the post salvation spiritual life. Learning, refining, and applying doctrine to our daily priorities and activities is what discipleship is all about.
No one, this side of Heaven, is going to reach the stage of perfection in this regard, but all advancing disciples should be working towards this goal.
As one advances in this realm of spiritual combat, the advancing disciple will discover soon enough the reality of John 15:5 NASB, "...apart from Me you can do nothing." This is especially true in the realm of application.
There will be MANY things that an advancing disciple will want to achieve (Romans 7: 21) for the glory of God, but find it beyond human ability in the midst of great internal or external pressure. The good news is that God never intended for us to accomplish anything without Him. There will be overt actions that will be a part of our living testimony, but for the most part, our role in discipleship, as it pertains to others, is to learn and to communicate accurate spiritual information.
The spiritual life is NOT about what comes natural to us (Romans 8: 7), or what we can do with our human abilities or rituals of Man-made religion. The spiritual life is about what God does through us with His supernatural power and ability.
One cannot apply what he/she does not know, and one can not do anything of value in the spiritual realm apart from God.
The more accurate doctrine that the advancing disciple learns (2Pet. 3: 18), stores away in his/her edified soul structure (Matt. 7: 24-27), and APPLIES (James 1: 22), the less inconsistencies there will be in his/her walk with the Lord.
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This concludes our study of the Doctrine of Inconsistencies