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“Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are *in Christ Jesus (Romans 8: 1 NASB).”
"So then each one of us WILL give an ACCOUNT of himself to God (Romans 14: 12 NASB)."

As we will see in this presentation, these verses do NOT contradict each other...

One becomes and forever remains *in Christ Jesus the moment he/she is “sealed” (baptized = marked for identification) by God the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4: 30) when he/she is “born again (John 3: 5, 7).” This is the work of God and involves NO human activity by another believer or clergy.

One is born again by making a conscious decision to believe, that is to place his 100% trust and confidence, in the Person and the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. When one places his 100% trust and confidence in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, he refutes ALL other means.

What is meant by the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ is explained in a detailed presentation of the Gospel Message, but is encapsulated in just a few words recorded in John 3: 16, and reiterated in such verses as John 3: 18.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life (John 3: 16 NASB).”

“He who believes in Him is NOT judged; he who does NOT believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3: 18 NASB).”

Every soul that is born again has been forever saved from the wrath of God awaiting ALL unbelievers (Rev. 20: 15).

Once saved, the soul has already received the irrevocable (Romans 11: 29) gift of eternal life, with the accompanying assurances of a home in Heaven. A gift is not earned or deserved. This is what it means to be saved by the "grace" of God.

Sounds simple enough so that even a child (with the enabling power that God the Holy provides) can understand it. This is exactly how God intended it to be!

Yet, there are many teachings that have infiltrated and evolved in the Christian Community that promote the idea that faith in the atoning Work that Christ accomplished on cross is NOT enough to either obtain or retain salvation. Once this fundamental principle is learned, the "required" rituals of religion are exposed for the (Mark 7:7/Col. 2: 8) "traditions of men" that they are.

Various Christian Religions (as opposed to Christianity) have developed their own lists of dos and don'ts contending that one's eternal future hangs in the balance. .If such things were true, then the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ FAILED to do all that Scripture and the Lord Jesus Christ has told us.

God the Father cannot require any additives to the atoning work that the Lord Jesus Christ declared "finished - John 19: 30." God the Father cannot send ANYONE to Hell, or what the Bible calls the lake of fire, for ANY sin debt hat has already been stamped PAID IN FULL by the shed/atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. To do so would make null and void the atoning work on the cross, and a liar out of the Lord Jesus Christ, and all the inspired writers of Scripture.

The ONE and ONLY sin that can and WILL cause a soul to eventually find him/herself in the Rev. 20: 18 lake of fire is the sin of disbelief (John 3: 18). This sin, by divine design, was the ONLY sin that was not atoned for by the Lord Jesus Christ. For this reason, there is NO atonement or forgiveness, by any means, for those who choose to commit the one "unpardonable" sin.

For the sin of disbelief there is NO remedy. Those who choose to commit this sin will spend ALL of eternity in never-ending separation from God in what the Bible calls the lake of fire. The answer to any prayers seeking to change the present or eternal location of a departed unbeliever is "No!"

Eternal Security is NOT a license to sin, as there IS divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6) that can take place here on Earth (Acts 5/1Cor.11: 27, etc.).

In addition to divine discipline that takes place here on Earth, there is the indirect loss of reward (1 Cor. 3: 15) and privileges (Rev. 2/Rev. 3) for all of eternity that would have otherwise been the possession and experience of the same born again believer. I say indirect, because when one is out of fellowship with God, he/she will not be in the frame of mind consistent with the production divine good, and to spiritually mature. It is for the production of divine good that the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 rewards are given, and it is for spiritually maturing (overcoming) that the Rev.2/Rev. 3 privileges are received in Heaven.

Every born again believer is assured of a home in Heaven (John 3: 16, 18/Romans 8: 1), but not all born again believers in Heaven will receive and experience the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 rewards and/or the Rev. 2/Rev. 3 privileges.

Post salvation (after one has been saved) sin will put the spiritual life of a born again believer "on hold," or on the "back burner." If one is not moving forward in the post salvation spiritual life, he/she is drifting backwards or off course. Christians do not usually wake up one morning with an aversion to God or the to the things of God. It is a mind set that usually develops slowly, but always begins with breaking fellowship with God.

There is an old science project is which a frog is held over a boiling pot of water. When the frog senses the heat and the danger, it will squirm and fight for its life trying to avoid being placed into the boiling pot. Yet, place the same frog in water with a room warm temperature and very gradually raise the heat, the same frog will be lulled to sleep and eventually be boiled to death with no resistance or attempt to escape.

No thinking soul is going to do something that he/she has the common sense to avoid, but like  the frog in the experiment, it can be lulled into danger and death. "For The wages of sin is death ...(Romans 6: 23 NASB). " This death can be natural, temporal, and/or *spiritual.

*Spiritual death is not a state of non-existence, it is a state of conscious existence while separated in relationship with God. It is in a state of spiritual death that all unbelievers will eventually spend all of eternity future in what the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15).

The post salvation spiritual life of discipleship is NOT for the purpose of obtaining or retaining salvation. The post salvation spiritual life of discipleship is the means through which a born again believer has the opportunity to glorify God. The glorification of God is the primary purpose that God created the human race. This includes all of us corporately, and all of us individually.

As we will see, it is the quality of one's post salvation spiritual life that each and every born again believer will give an account of to God (Romans 14: 12). It behooves each one of us, therefore, to learn what this post salvation spiritual life is really all about.

There are many parts to the post salvation spiritual life, but there are two among them  that carry a lot of weight when it comes to our (Romans 14: 12) accountability and God's evaluation of the post salvation spiritual life of a Church Age believer.  One key part is the production of divine good. Divine good is NOT what we do for God, it is what God does through us (John 15: 5). It is important for the born again believer to learn the all important difference between human good that any human being can choose to produce, and divine good that is produced by God through advancing. Spirit-filled, disciples.  This principle will be explained further along in this presentation.

The other key element is the identification, development, and execution of one's spiritual gift.   The spiritual gift and the accompanying ministry (service) that we are to involve ourselves  is God's choice (1Cor. 12: 7, 11, 18), and not ours.  Many born again believers make the mistake of choosing what area of service that appeals to them, and then seeks God's blessings.  Not all of God's servants were (or are) necessarily "over-joyed" (Jonah) or feel/felt qualified (Moses/Solomon) to handle  the part that they were/are called to play.

All born again believers are called to the life of discipleship.  Discipleship involves being taught (Matt. 28: 19/2Pet. 3: 18) and then applying  (James 1: 22) the Word of God to all that one thinks, says, and does on a daily basis. 

Discipleship is initially for the edification of oneself, but with the long term objective of participating in the Great Commission.  All advancing disciples are called to be Christ's ambassadors (), here in the devil's world, matter where he/she is or what he/she is otherwise doing.

It is the identification, development, and execution of the spiritual gift and accompanying ministry to others that reveals where and how we, as individuals, fit into the master plan of God.  Here in the Church Age, the Master Plan of God is focused on the Great Commission.

Neglect any of these key elements, and one is going to have a lot of blank pages in the account they he/she is going to present to the Lord when the Romans 14: 112/1Cor. 3 12-15 event takes place.

One of the interesting aspects of this event is that we will not be telling the omniscient (all-knowing) God ANYTHING that He does not already know. It is more for US to, in some cases, finally learn what life here on Earth was supposed to have been all about.

The devil, human viewpoint, and religion (including so-called Christian religion) have engineered and promote “alternative" objectives and designs to the post salvation spiritual life that God designed for Church Age.

One of these erroneous objectives is that the purpose and objective of the post salvation spiritual life is to continue to earn salvation that we desire to receive when we die. Another erroneous objective is that Christians are here to prepare the devil's (Luke 4: 6) for the Lord's return (1Thess. 4: 16, 17).

The truth is that salvation (being "saved") has NEVER been earned. Salvation is an irrevocable (Romans 11: 29) gift from God that He bestows on believers (John 3: 16, 18). Salvation and its accompanying eternal life is received the moment one is born again here on Earth, and continues on throughout all of eternity.  As we will see, the environment in which Fallen Man will be experiencing when the Rapture takes place is hardly one in which evil has been overcome.

There will be many advances made in science and technology impacting the human environment, but the fallen nature in Man and his need to address it (John 3: 7) have not changed since the Fall of Man.

"...You MUST be born again (John 3: 7 NASB)."

Many of these same "advances" will provide the means of oppression and destruction, in the political, natural, and spiritual environments. As long as man thinks (Proverbs 14: 12) that he can solve his own problems, he (generally) is not interested in God or the things of God. Even if Man could solve every political, racial, economic, social, environmental, and health issue that comes along, it would still profit him NOTHING on the day he dies and comes face to face with his Creator (Mark 8: 36/Heb. 9: 27/Romans 14: 12/Rev. 20: 15).

"And in as much as it is appointed for men to die once and after this (physical death) comes judgment...(Hebrews 9: 27 NASB italics mine)."

For the unbeliever, this Heb. 9: 27 "judgment" is the Rev. 20: 13, 15 event.

For the believer, this "judgment"is the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 event when he/she gives his/her Romans 14: 12 account.

Scripture (Matt. 24: 22) teach that period of human history that immediately precedes the Second Advent, will be so horrific that if it is not cut short by divine intervention, Man would destroy himself.

As for the Christian Community in the end times, much of it will be filled with false teachings and practices promoted by demons (1Tim. 4: 1). So-called "Christians" will seek out and follow religious leaders that will tell them what they want to hear (2Tim. 4: 3), leaving them with the false impression that all is well. A good argument can be made that we are already living in these "end times."

The Great Commission (Matt. 28: 19, 20) given to the Church was for the Church to preserve and proclaim the Gospel Message to unbelievers, and to make disciples, that is students and appliers of the Word of God. Yet, Matt. 7: 13  discloses that it  be only a minority of each generation (on a global scale) will follow this road. The church that God designed, consisting of born again believers from all over the world, will endure (Matt. 24: 14 here on Earth until it is taken away by God (1Thess. 4: 17), having completed the Great Commission for which it was established in the first place (Matt. 24: 14).

If you are a born again believer who believes that the accountability that you are going to give to God has to do with SALVATION ( determining who gets in or stays in Heaven), you have been misguided (Matt. 15: 14). The issue of salvation is determined BEFORE the soul leaves this Earth (John 3: 18b).

"...he who does not believe has been judged a-l-r-e-a-d-y, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3: 18b NASB)."

The (Romans 14: 12) accounting that every born again believer will give to God has to do with the QUALITY of his/her post salvation spiritual life.  A large portion of the post salvation spiritual life is centered around  the production  of divine good, symbolized as the silver, gold, and precious stones in the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 passage.   It is for the production of divine good that one receives the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 rewards.  It is for the lack of production of divine good that these same rewards are forfeited.

Attending (or otherwise connecting with) a local assembly or ministry of the type that God designed for Church Age is where and how (according to the plan of God) that a Church Age, born again believer, worships God and is equipped (Eph. 4: 12)  and prepared (1Pet. 3: 15) to identify and to execute the post salvation spiritual life.   As essential part of the worship of God is the learning and the application of the Word of God. This learning (2Pet. 3: 18) is what fulfills the internal part of the Great Commission.

The record of divine good, symbolized as the silver, gold and precious stones of 1Cor. 3: 12-15 endure the testing (evaluation by "fire") whereas ALL the good deeds of human good, symbolized as wood, hay, and straw in the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 passage are "burnt up" and receive NO reward. Note that NO sin is an issue at this event. The purpose of this event is to separate one's good deeds produced by human effort, from one's good deeds produced by divine power (John 15: 5). It is the production of divine good that receives reward.

"...apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15: 5 NASB)."

Until a soul is born again, he/she is spiritually dead and functionally "apart from Me." When a born again believer is out of fellowship with God, he/she is and remains spiritually alive, but is functionally "apart from Me." Whatever good either one of these produce, it is, at best, only human good.

Believers (Christians) and unbelievers alike produce human good (wood, hay, straw) every day for a variety of reasons. Human good has a place and value HERE on Earth, but will be "burnt up (1Cor. 3: 15 NASB)" as far as having any consideration for 1Cor. 3: 12-15 reward.

Divine good is NOT what humans do "for" God. Divine good is what GOD does through advancing disciples (John 15: 5). Every human being can produce human good, symbolized as wood, hay, and straw in the 1Cor. 3: 12-15 passage. Equating human good with divine good is one of the deceptions of the devil.

The classical example of great human good is the work of a talented surgeon who is an unbeliever. No one will dispute the earthly good and the earthly benefits of the human good that such a person can produce, but such human good does NOTHING to eternally benefit the same recipient's soul.

Human good has great value here on Earth, and has its own (earthly) rewards for ones who produce it and it a blessing for those who benefit from it. But as (1Cor. 3) clearly points out, human good is given NO consideration for the type of rewards spoken of in 1Cor. 3: 12-15, and has nothing to do with receiving the type of privileges spoken of in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3.

Granted, good human behavior and doing good deeds for others are characteristic of the type of life that Christians are called to live James 2: 15, 16). But such deeds that ONLY benefit the body or the human environment but not the soul. The advancing disciple will make use of the time he/she spends interacting with others  while producing human good along side of others where he/she works, socialized, recreates, etc.. He/she "makes use" of the time by producing divine good at the same time, when God the Holy Spirit provides him/her with the opportunity.

The production of divine good  is what give spiritual significance to all the activities that born again believers share with believers and unbelievers alike. It is such scenarios that born again believers are called to function as ambassadors for Christ.  If a born again believer is not interested in becoming and functioning as Christ's ambassador, he/she is not interested in the post salvation spiritual life, and has likely exchanged it for  one of the many  religious "alternatives" that are promoted in the name of Christian religion.

The healing miracles that Jesus performed certainly  benefited the ones involved while here on Earth, but it was their spiritual needs (and the spiritual needs of the one's observing the miracle) that was of His top priority.

What, in the spiritual realm is to be gained if our deeds of human good satisfied the logistical, political, social, needs of everyone, but fail to offer what their souls need in the process?

Is this not the point that Jesus was making in Mark 8: 36?

“For what does it profit a man to gain (or to be given) the whole world, and forfeit his soul (Mark 8: 36 NASB italics mine).”

The Biblical answer to this rhetorical question is "NOTHNG."
***
Eternal life is NOT the same as everlasting life. Understanding this difference is critical. Every soul has everlasting life, being created in this likeness of God (Gen. 1: 26). But ONLY the souls that choose to believe in Him have eternal life (John 3: 16, 18). It is this eternal life that qualifies the saved to soul to live in fellowship with God, here on Earth and when he/she departs this world.

“That (the body) which is born of flesh is flesh (physical), and that (the soul) which is born of Spirit (God) is spirit(ual) (John 3: 6 NASB italics mine).”

Biological parents reproduce the body. God creates the soul. One's biological parents may or may not have had a baby in mind when what would become our humanity was conceived, but God had in mind the person and the part that He desired that person to play in His plan  when He created the soul.

It is our omniscient (all knowing) God that chooses to create our soul and chooses the body that our soul is to occupy during our appointed time here on this Earth..

The body dies and returns to *dust (Gen. 3), but the soul lives on forever in ONE of two general environments.

All one has to do is open a casket or an urn and one can see that what is left of the bodily remains that the parted soul  left behind when the soul departed . There is NO soul in ANY corpse, morgue, funeral parlor, urn, or cemetery. At the present time, EVERY departed soul is either in Heaven, or in the Torments of Hades.

The *dust (bodily remains) of born again believers will be raised in the form of a resurrected body when what theologians call the Rapture takes place (1Thess. 4. 15-17).
 
Whatever (if any) "final arrangements" were made for the disposition of anyone's bodily remains does NOT assist God (or prevent) the omniscient and omnipotent God from raising these bodily remains when the Rapture takes place. This should be a source of comfort when, for one reason or another,  the bodily remains are not available to the ones that the departed soul leaves behind.

Until the Rapture takes place, the souls of departed (2Cor. 5: 8) born again believers are in interim bodies in Heaven (2Cor. 5: 1, 8).

The souls of departed unbelievers are in the Torments of Hades in some type of interim bodies (Luke 16: 23, 24), as well.  Departed souls of unbelievers will remain in the Torments of Hades until the Rev. 20: 13, 15 event takes place.

"In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far way (in Paradise) and Lazarus in his (Abraham's) bosom (arms). And he cried out and said,"Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he many 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)."

This Paradise in which Abraham and Lazarus were in was a section of Hades where the souls of the faithful descended to prior to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This Paradise is NOT the "3rd Heaven of 2Cor. 12: 2, where the throne of God always had been and is still located (Acts 1: 11). When Scripture speaks of heaven, it can be referring to the sky around the Earth, the stars and planets of stellar universe, or the 3rd Heaven where the throne of God is located. One must make these distinctions when interpreting Scripture.

The Paradise referred to in Luke 16 was the same Paradise that the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of when He was in conversation with the man on the cross next to His (Luke 23: 43). There are no longer any souls in this Paradise, but the souls of departed unbelievers continue to accumulate in the Torments of Hades upon departing this Earth. These souls will remain in the torments of Hades until the Rev. 20: 13, 15 event takes place.

"...and Hades gave up the (spiritually) dead (departed souls) which were in them; and they were judged, every one them according to their deeds (13). "And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (15). (Rev. 20: 13, 15 NASB italics mine).

When Moses, whose natural body was buried (Deut. 34: 6) by God and decayed some 1500 years earlier, appeared and spoke to the Lord Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17), he was in an interim body.

Everlasting life of the soul that continues on after the physical death of the body is NOT a matter of IF, but is a matter of where and how it will be experienced.

Biological parents, through the process that God established, reproduces the bodies of the next generation (John 3: 6). From the moment of conception (Psalms 51: 5), there IS biological life in the developing fetus.

As the human fetus develops, it can and will respond to stimuli. It's heartbeat and bodily movements (evidence of biological life) can be felt by the mother (and others) and can be observed and monitored in detail via modern day technology. These same developments and movements take place in many of the developing species of the animal kingdom, as well. What distinguished the human being from other life forms in the animal kingdom, is that at BIRTH, the human fetus becomes a human being when it receives a soul that was created in the likeness of God.

Animals do NOT have a sense of what it morally right or wrong. They do what they naturally have been programed by God to do, or in some cases, what that have been trained to do by humans (James 3: 7) on the basis of receiving reward or consequence. An animal can experience and exhibit the results of having both positive and negative emotional interactions with other life forms and with human beings.  Among the emotions are fear, companionship, aggression, security, possession, and praise.

Proverbs 12: 10 teach that a righteous Man will have regard for the well-being of his animals. 

A dog can be tamed and trained to be a service dog for a handicapped person, or a military, or an ttack dog without making any moral distinctions between the two very different activities. Such animals would expect to be "rewarded" for the performing the actions that they have been trained to, with no regard for what is morally right or wrong.  There is always the risk of any animal responding to some type of stimuli that can trigger the violent side of their natural instincts.

When perverse human beings turn a deaf ear to the moral voice of God, they can functionally become no more than a relatively high intelligent life form capable of engaging in violence and evil with little (if any) regard for their moral or legal accountability.

It is God that creates and places the soul into the body (John 3: 6) when the body comes forth at BIRTH. This takes place simultaneously with the first breath of physical life when the fetus, that had been biologically alive since conception, becomes a living, breathing, human being, independent from that point forward of the mother’s natural life-support system.

“The the Lord (first) formed man of dust from the ground, and (then) breathed into his nostrils the breath of (natural) life; and (then) man (Adam) b-e-c-a-m-e a living being (soul) Gen. 2: 7 NASB italics mine.”

Every soul that God creates has everlasting life.

Once united at birth, the soul with its everlasting life and the body with its biological life are inseparable until, at the moment of physical death of the body, when the soul with its everlasting life, departs this world and enters in eternity future.

There is NO soul in any corpse, morgue, funeral parlor, grave, urn, or cemetery. NO one is “there” for his/her own wake, funeral, or ANY other post death arrangements.

Every soul is created with and has everlasting life, but every soul does will NOT possess eternal life. To receive eternal life, one must be born again (John 3: 5, 7). It is eternal life that qualifies the soul with everlasting life to enter into and remain in Heaven. Without eternal life, the soul with everlasting life will spend all of eternity future separated from God.

Eternal life is a gift from God that He bestows on those who are born again. It is eternal life that enables the soul (that already has everlasting life) to live with God for all of eternity future.

Every soul is created in His likeness (Gen. 1: 26).

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to our image, according to our likeness…(Gen. 1: 26 NASB).”

The human soul is unlike God in that each human soul does have a starting point (John 3: 6), whereas that God never did. The starting point for the human soul is at birth, as it is at birth that God places the soul that He creates into the body that comes forth.

The human soul is like God in that it will never die. This "never dying" aspect is what  the likeness of God, being spoken of in Gen. 1: 26, is all about.  Every soul, from Adam on down to what will be the last soul that God creates has everlasting life, and will NEVER die.

When God created Adam and then woman (later called Eve), they lived in a state of sinless perfection and in ongoing and uninterrupted fellowship with God.

As of the Fall of Man, spiritual death became a part of the human environment, separating Adam and the woman Eve) from their fellowship with God. As of The Fall, Adam and Eve received a sin nature that is passed down to the humanities of the generations of Man at the moment of conception (Psalms 51: 5). 

Psalms 51 :5 is not saying that marital sex is a sin.  Psalms 51:5 is merely pointing out that it is at the moment of conception that the sin nature is passed down to what will be the humanities (bodies) of the next generation.  If the only divine purpose for marital sex was reproduction, there would be a baby born for each and every act of sexual intercourse.  It is when sex outside of marriage takes place that it becomes a sin (Hebrews 13: 4).

The sin nature that is passed down at conception becomes a part of one’s total being when the soul that is created by God (John 3: 6) is placed in the body that the biological parents reproduced when the body  is brought forth at birth.   Note that Scripture teach that t he Lord Jesus Christ) came into the world in Bethlehem (Luke 2: 11), NOT nine months earlier in Nazareth where and when Mary conceived (Luke 1: 26-35) what would become His humanity at birth.

Just as the Lord first prepared a body for Adam before He created and placed Adam's soul in the body that He prepared to receive it, God had prepared (before His birth) the body for the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10: 5).

The body of Adam was NOT born, it was created. The body of Eve was not born, but created from the rib of Adam. The souls of Adam and Eve were created by God. The bodies of the coming generations of Man (with the exception of the Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ-Luke 1: 34, 35) were/are conceived through human sexuality,  or later on by way of artificial insemination making use of the same biological materials. These bodies are reproduced' not "created."

The unique conception of what became the body of the Lord Jesus Christ was necessary in order for Him to have a type of body (without a sin nature) in order to become and fulfill His role as the Lamb of God (John 1: 29 ).

It is at BIRTH that a biologically alive human fetus becomes a human being with a soul that will NEVER die.

{I am fully aware that this is a "hot spot" within and outside of the Christian Community. The fact that the human fetus does not become a human being (with a soul) until birth does NOT justify abortion.  Abortion involves the taking of the biological life of a human fetus. For the record, it is my position that the only time an abortion can be considered (not automatic) is when the biological life of the mother is in actual jeopardy, as this would be an act of self defense).

{Many more times than not, abortions take place as a means of birth control to terminate unwanted, but healthy, unborn babies.  Under these circumstance, I am totally opposed to abortion at ANY stage in development of the fetus, be it the "morning after" or at any point in time during the pregnancy.

I have supported Pro-Life activities locally, and have marched in a nation-wide Pro-Life demonstration in Washington, DC. I respect the efforts of the Pro-Life groups, short of violence. I do propose, however, that perhaps more good could be accomplished if instead of making abortion the primary bone of contention, that perhaps the focus of attention should be on the activities (fornication, adultery, incest, rape, lack of pro-active birth control by married couples) that bring about the overwhelming percentage of "unwanted" pregnancies in the first place!

At the moment of physical death, the biological life of the body comes to an end, but the soul with its everlasting life (created in the likeness of God) continues to live, as it will for all of eternity.

Understanding where, when, and how the different forms of human life is in view, and what Scripture has to say about each and every one of them, is critically important. Among these different forms is the biological life of the fetus supported by the mother; the physical life of a body independent of mother; the everlasting life of the soul; the eternal life of a born again believer/ the post (after) salvation spiritual life of an advancing disciple).

In accordance with the plan of God, there are  different types of  bodies that the human soul can indwell.  One is the natural body that Scripture (2Cor. 5: 1) calls a "tent" into  which the soul is placed at birth.   One is an interim body that Scripture (2Cor. 5: 1 NASB) calls a "building" in which a departed soul of a born again believer indwells in Heaven until the Rapture takes place.   One is a resurrected body that Scripture (John 14: 2 KJV) calls a "mansion" that born again believers who are presently in Heaven and born again believers who are on the Earth receive when the Rapture takes place.  Note as each on is exchanged for a new one, the quality and the durability  increases with their environment.

There will be a "glow" as bright as the sun around the bodies of some believers in Heaven (Daniel 2: 3/1Cor. 15: 40-44/Rev. 22:12), whereas the glow around others will be hard to see., if there is one at all.  This too, is determined by the amount of glory that the same believer brought to God during his/her post salvation spiritual life HERE on Earth.

Where the departed soul continues to live is dependent on rather or not the soul received eternal life. As of the Church Age, one is born again (John 3: 16) IF and WHEN he/she chooses to believe in a presentation of the Gospel Message.

There is NO "religious" ritual or ceremony can take place before or after being presented with the Gospel Message that can cause one to be any more or any less saved that he/she becomes at the moment that he/she is born again.

This is why the Lord Jesus Christ taught Nicodemus (and us) that one MUST (not an option) be born again (John 3: 7) to enter the kingdom of God, and why the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15) will be the final eternal  destination for all unbelievers.

Fallen Man, under the influence of the sin nature, is inherently “hostile- Romans 8: 7) towards the God of the Bible and the things of the God of the Bible. Further complicating matters is the fact that although Fallen Man is hostile towards God and the things of God, Fallen Man is receptive to all the false religions (Psalms 96: 5) of the world, and all the false teachings and traditions of men WITHIN the Christian Community (Galatians 3: 1/1Tim. 4: 1, etc.).

Fallen Man is inherently hostile (opposed) to the “simplicity” of the Gospel Message concerning salvation, and hostile towards the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship that is outlined in Church Age (New Testament) Scripture.

Note that eternal security has to do with salvation, but being eternally “saved” is not a license to sin. Nor is being saved mean that one has fulfilled all that God created the born again believer to become.  If being saved was all that God created Man to become, there would be no need for a born again believer to remain here on Earth once he/she has been saved.  Some would go as far as to say that it would be an act of unnecessary cruelty.

After being saved, the born again believer is here on Earth to identify, develop, and execute the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship for the glory of God.

To keep  advancing disciples on track, God imposes divine discipline (Heb. 12: 6).

Divine discipline can result in anything from having to live with a guilty conscience (until the sin is confessed (1John 1: 9), up to and including physical death (Acts 5/1Cor. 11: 27).  The sensitivity of the conscience of an advancing disciple will generate an acute desire for him/her to address the situation, whereas the hardening soul of a back-sliding believer will become more and more resistant and disinterested, to his/her own hurt.

The objective of divine discipline is to get a born again believer onto (or back onto) the Mat. 7: 13 straight and narrow way of the post salvation spiritual life outlined in Scripture. The execution of the post salvation spiritual life calls for fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) with God. This is because when one is not in fellowship with God, he/she will not be in the type of mindset (Romans 8:7) that accompanies the successful execution of the post salvation spiritual life.

Post salvation (after one has already been saved) sin embraced on Earth can not only invite divine discipline, it can also result in the forfeiture of all (1Cor. 3: 15) or some (2John 1: 8) of the 1Cor. 3: 14 rewards and (Rev. 2/Rev.3) privileges that the same born again believer could have otherwise received in Heaven and enjoyd for all of eternity future.

Advancing disciples do NOT serve God in order to be rewarded or privileged in Heaven, but God has revealed to us that He has chosen to reward and privilege the born again believers who choose to identify and to execute the type of post salvation spiritual life that God established for the Church Age.

Forfeiture of rewards and privileges does not result in the loss of salvation, but will impact HOW any given born again believer will experience all of eternity future. There will be some born again believers who will receive 1Cor. 3 rewards and Revelation 2 and Revelation 3 privileges, and there will be some who will receive none (1Cor. 3: 15.

Technically this 1Cor. 3 forfeiture is NOT “divine discipline,” as discipline (vs. punishment) is for the purpose of getting or keeping the advancing disciple on track.  There is nothing that a departed soul can do to change the life or the eternal outcome of the life that he/she chose to live while he/she had been on Earth. This forfeiture is the end result of negative choices that back-sliding believers made while here on Earth.

The rewards and privileges reserved for born again believers that choose to become advancing disciples are in addition to the eternal life that ALL born again believers have received and will experience in Heaven.

Accordingly, the giving of an account of oneself to God (Romans 14: 12) is NOT for the purpose of seeing who gets in or stays in Heaven. That is/was already self-determined by one’s chosen response to a presentation of the Gospel Message while here on Earth. Rejection of the Gospel Message can take place at the point of opportunity to be presented with the Gospel Message, or after having been presented with it , choosing to disbelieve.

One can be presented with the Gospel Message in ANY place and under ANY circumstances that God chooses.  One can choose to become more or less "religious" at any time, but one can only be saved when called and enabled by God the Holy Spirit (Heb. 3: 15). No unbeliever can be certain if he/she will have another opportunity to hear the Gospel Message and be saved.  No born again believer knows when his/her post salvation spiritual life will come to an end; only that it will.  Tens of thousands of souls depart this world every day, even though their departure was the last thing on their minds or on the minds of  those who knew them.

Because of all the alternative agendas that are found among the various local assemblies and denominations of the Christian Community, one can go or be taken to a Church on a regular basis and yet never hear the Gospel Message if the church or local assembly is not functioning as the type of Church that God designed. Making matters worse, attending such local assemblies that promote alternative agendas can prove to be counter-productive.

An alternative agenda is any program that offers or promotes other means of  obtaining and/or retaining  salvation beyond personal trust and confidence in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 3: 18).  There have been (Gal. 3), are now, and will continue to be (1Tim. 4: 1)  false means to either obtain or retain salvation being promoted WITHIN the Christian Community at large.   There are just as many alternatives to the post salvation spiritual life that is outlined in Scripture being promoted within the Christian Community at large.  As in any successful counterfeit operation, these alternatives, by design, have been engineered to appear to be the "real thing." 

Attending (or otherwise connecting) with a type of local assembly or ministry where the true Gospel Message IS preached and reiterated does NOT mean that one is a born again believer.  Going to (or otherwise connecting) with a type of local assembly or ministry where the true post salvation spiritual life
is taught and promoted, does NOT mean that one is an advancing disciple.

Those who believe the Gospel Message are born again and have their names recorded in the Rev. 20: 15 book of life. Those who disbelieve the Gospel Message are not born again, and do not have their names recorded in the book of life.

What's the significance of having or not having one's name in the Rev. 20: 15 book of life?

“And if anyone’s name in not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15 NASB).”

Anyone who has read or heard this presentation can no longer say that he/she was never given the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel Message.
It is the born again believer who chooses to learn of and to execute the post salvation spiritual life that becomes an advancing disiciple.

What's the significance of a born born again believer  becoming (or not becoming) an advancing disciple?

It is the advancing disciple that receives the 1Cor. 3 12-15 rewards and the Rev. 2 and Rev. 3 privileges in Heaven.  These rewards and privileges are in addition to the home in Heaven that all born again believers receive.

The “accounting” that a born again believer will give to God has to do with the quality of his/her post salvation spiritual life. The quality of one’s post salvation spiritual life determines what (if any) glory that any given born again believer brings to God AFTER he/she has been saved.

Saved from what? Saved from the wrath of God awaiting all those who reject the Gospel Message.

Until one is saved (born again), there is N-O-T-H-I-N-G that he/she has done (or had done by parents or others) that can result in the (Titus 3: 5) regeneration of his/her DEAD spirit, and/or the (Eph. 4: 30) “sealing” of one’s soul. This regeneration and sealing is the Work of God the Holy Spirit that automatically takes place the moment one is born again. It is NOT the result of having engaged in a religious ceremony performed by human clergy.

One’s post salvation spiritual life here on Earth begins at the moment one is born again, and ends when the same soul departs this world.   As each day passes, what one did or failed to do in the spiritual realm is a matter of divine record and can NOT be changed for the better or for the worse. We cannot change anything in the past, but we can receive total forgiveness (1John 1: 9), learn from it (John 8: 11).  By learning from it, we can improve the quality of our post salvation spiritual life during what time (if any) is left for us here on Earth,  The quality of our post salvation spiritual life  here on Earth determines what our experience will be in Heaven.

It is this day to day (and accumulative) divine record of our post salvation spiritual life that every born again believer will give an accounting of to God. Some days will be spent producing a little divine good. Some days will be spent producing a lot of divine good. Some days will be spent out of fellowship with God, producing none. This is a daily choice that we make.

Divine good is produced by God (John 15: 5) in the life of a born again believer as he/she learns (2Pet. 3: 18) and applies (James 1: 22) the principles of the Word of God to ALL of the daily thoughts and actions that takes place throughout the course of every day of one’s post salvation spiritual life.

Human viewpoint and Man-made religions produce and promote MANY different alternatives to the post salvation spiritual life that is outlined in Scripture. Many who consider themselves "Christians" embrace these alternatives.

The devil appreciates all the “help” that human good contributes to making his world (Luke 4: 6) a better place to live for the time being. This is especially true when these contributors are "Christians" who produce human good, instead of prioritizing the Great Commission.  The Great Commission calls for the preserving and proclamation of the Gospel Message to unbelievers, and the teaching/sharing of Bible Doctrine with those who have already been born again for the development of post salvation discipleship.

All the time and other resources that a local assembly spends on alternative agendas, is time and resources not being invested in the primary work that our Lord gave the Church that He designed to do. That is, unless the fulfillment of the Great Commission is incorporated with the human good  that is being produced.  While there is good in giving natural food and clothing to a hungry and needy man, it is better to give spiritual food and shelter to his soul.

So why not s-i-m-u-l-t-a-n-e-o-u-s-l-y do both?

Some will say that the spiritual well-being of others in none of our business, but the Great Commission (being the work that God gave His Church to do) clearly says otherwise.
* * *
"For where your treasure ($$$) is, there your heart will be also (Matt. 6: 21 NASB)."

This principles applies to personal finances, and to the managing of the resources that a local assembly receives. Accounting for how one used the time, talents, and treasures ($$$) that each one of us received will be  a part of the Romans 14: 12 accounting. Those in charge of the money received by a local assembly will give an account of how, when, where, and on what these resources were invested.

The "happy medium" is of course is for the local assembly to include the fulfilling of the Great Commission while simultaneously engaged in such things as humanitarian, social justice, environmental, and ecological projects.

Good deeds ARE characteristic of the life of a Christian (and local Christian assembly), but must be kept in the right place on the list of priorities.

Atheists and spiritually dead human beings can (and often do) produce just as  human good as their Christian counter-parts , that contributes to making the devil's world a better place to live. Establishing a productive and prosperous kingdom HERE on Earth, but one that is i-n-d-e-p-e-n-d-e-n-t of God, has been one of the devil's desires all along (Isa. 13: 14).

Human good, no matter who produces it, has great value here on Earth, but is given NO consideration when the 1Cor. 3:12-15 rewards are handed out. If such things were the ticket to heaven, then God would “owe” at least a little time in Heaven to virtually everyone. John 14:6/Rev. 20: 15 makes it perfectly clear that the gates of Heaven are NOT going to open to everyone. The lake of fire is awaiting every soul whose name is not written in the book of life, no matter how much "religious" activity he/she embraced, how much  human good he/she produced,  or how relatively well one behaved he/she was while here on earth.

Note that the Rev. 20:13 examination of the unbeliever's deeds did NOT cause any unbeliever to be spared from the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15).

NO sin will be an issue during the Romans 14: 12 account-giving, as EVERY sin (with the exception of the sin of disbelief) of the entire human race (1John 2: 2) was (past tense) already addressed by the atoning Work that the Lord Jesus Christ FINISHED (John 19: 30) on the cross.

Sin IS an issue for the born again believer while here on Earth.  This is because it is unaddressed SIN that causes the born again believer here on Earth to be out of fellowship with God. The born again, Heaven bound, believer remains out of fellowship with God here on Earth  until the sin that took him/her out of fellowship is addressed. Post salvation sin is addressed when it is confessed (1John 1: 9) and forsaken (John 8: 11).

Confessing but then not forsaking ANY given sin will result in one spending much of his post salvation spiritual life going around and around in a “revolving” doorway, going in and out of fellowship with God, and therefore, NEVER moving forward in the post salvation spiritual life (1John 1:6).

Such a believer's account are going to have a lot of BLANK pages to present to God!

Consider the divine record of one's post salvation spiritual life to be like a daily planner here on Earth. For each day of our lives, there is a blank box, in which we record our appointments and things to do. The divine record of our post salvation spiritual life has a similar set-up. in which God records the  opportunities and the divine good (if any) that was produced on each and every day of our post salvation spiritual life.

Every minute of every day that we spend out of fellowship with God results in NO ENTRIES being recorded. in the box for that day.  When in fellowship, the deeds of divine good that God (John 15: 5) produces through us are recorded. When we are given the opportunity to engage in the production of divine good but choose not to do so, the space remains blank. Divine good is produced when one learns and/or  applies the Word of God to what one thinks, does, and says, throughout the course of each and every day.

The advancing disciple will become aware of the many, many, opportunities that are his/her each and every day.  Divine good, and NOT human good, is what glorifies God.

* * *
To be “sanctified” means to be identified and set apart for the purposes of God.

“Positional sanctification takes place at the moment of salvation when the soul is “sealed” by God the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4: 30). No one can ever be any more or any less SAVED than he/she became the moment he/she was born again. When the born again believer arrives in Heaven, he/she will be received as one in the status of positional sanctification, and in fellowship with God.

“Functional sanctification” here on Earth, however, requires that the born again believer be in fellowship with God. When out of fellowship, one is not going to be in a frame of mind to execute the post salvation spiritual life. Executing the post salvation spiritual life is the purpose of God for which an advancing disciple has been “set apart"while HERE on Earth.  How much accumulated time one spends out of fellowship with God are choices that each one of us makes every day.

Set apart from who?

Born again believers are set apart (separated) from the majority (Matt. 7: 13) of those  who are not and/or will NOT be born again.  Born again believers are set apart (separated) by what they think, say, do, and prioritize.

Advancing disciples are set apart (separated) from other born again again believers who will not choose to identify and/or to execute the post salvation spiritual life!  Advancing disciples, will separated from other born again believers by what they think, say, do, and prioritize.

Until a soul has been set apart as a born again believer, he/she has NOT been saved. If a born again (saved) believer has not been set apart from other born again believers as an advancing disciple, he/she is not engaged in the type of post salvation spiritual life that God has designed for the Church Age.

This separation, and the persecution, rejection, and isolation that discipleship can generate can be a painful challenge that is greater than what man who claim to be Christians are willing to accept (Luke 14: 26).

Yet, as Paul leaned soon enough, such will be the life of one who takes a stand for God (Gal. 1: 10). One's spiritual enemies can be the members of his/her own household (Matt. 10: 36). Yet, our battle is not with people (flesh and blood), but with the forces of evil (Eph. 6: 12).

As long as a born again believer is out of fellowship with God, he/she is functionally apart from God and can do NOTHING in the spiritual realm (John 15: 5).

"...for apart from Me, you (born again believers) can do nothing (John 15: 5 NASB italics mine)."

The born again believer will give an account (Romans 14: 12) for all the times and for all the opportunities he/she was given to engage in the production of divine good throughout the course of every day of his/her post salvation spiritual life.

Among such times and opportunities are the times and opportunities one was given to gather together (Heb. 10: 25) to worship God by engaging in such things as  celebrating communion (1Cor. 11: 24, 25) and being  taught the Word of God.  Gathering together for an hour once a week, as is the custom of many, only accounts for less than 1% of the 168 hours that God gives to each one us each and every week to glorify Him.

Much more frequent and numerous, then,  are all the times and opportunities that one was given to apply His word to ALL that we think, say, and do in the course of any given day.   Discipleship requires that one  applies His word takes place no matter where we are or what we are otherwise doing, 24-7!

One can be religious and produce all kinds of human good without being in fellowship with God. However, one will not have an interest in executing the post salvation spiritual life while he/she is out of fellowship with God. This is another reason why the devil will have his own reasons for promoting “religion” and “good human  deeds" in the place of the post salvation spiritual life of Scripture.

Getting and keeping a born again believer dysfunctional in his/her post salvation spiritual life is on the devil's things to do list (1Pet. 5: 8). If the he (the devil) can have the same Christian engage in human good instead of divine good, all the better! It creates a win-win scenario. God is denied the glory that He would have otherwise received, and the devil's world receives the benefits of the human good produced.

If one has never been born again, he/she has NEVER experienced fellowship with God.   At best, such a soul may experience a social, familial, or cultural connection with people who engage in the same “religious” activity, but fellowship with people is is NOT the same thing as fellowship with God.

Once one has experienced fellowship with God, there will always be “something missing" in his/her personal walk with God when he/she is out of fellowship from that point forward. He/she may or not continue to engage in all the same activities, but in his/her heart of hearts, he/she will know that something is lacking.

“If we say (or think) that we have f-e-l-l-o-w-s-h-i-p with Him and yet *walk in darkness, we lie (to God, ourselves, and to others) and do NOT *practice the truth (1 John 1: 6 NASB italics mine).”

To walk in darkness means to have sin in our lives that has not be addressed via confession and forsaking the sin. It matters NOT which sin we have involved ourselves, as ANY type of sin (James 2: 10) takes us just as far out of fellowship with God as any other.

Engaging in other activities (religion/good deeds/church service) instead of addressing (1 John 1: 9/John 8: 11) the sin(s) in our lives will NOT bring us back into fellowship with God.

The amount of time we spend each day walking in darkness is an ongoing choice that we make. One steps out of fellowship with God when he/she sins, and remains out of fellowship until that sin is addressed. In order to maintain fellowship, confession is an ongoing, daily activity, since we all sin in one way or another on an going regularity (1John 1: 8).
The "confessional" that God designed is open 24/7 and involves NO ONE other than oneself and God. Only God can forgive sin, and He has delegated this function and authority to NO ONE.   Penance is an insult to the "finished (John 19: 30 NASB)  Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose very blood stamped the  sin debt PAID in FULL.

The "binding" of Matt. 18: 18 is speaking of the inevitable blessings (eternal life) or consequences (lake of fire) that individuals bring upon themselves as a result of the Gospel Message being presented to them by the Church that God commissioned (Matt. 28: 19).

Distinguishing what is of religion and what is of God can usually be accomplished by tracing back its teaching or practice to when it began, and by whom was is authorized.  The type of confession (between sinner and God) was from God and was practiced by the Christians since the beginning of the Church Age.  It came from God as it is clearly laid out in Scripture (1John 1: 9).  Confessing to or through an eartly priest and doing penance in order to receive "absolution" are among the many traditions of men () that have evolved within the Christian Community.  This type of confession (involving an earthly priest) was authorized and established by religious authority and differs in mechanics and purpose from the type of confession outlined in Scripture (1John 1: 9). Initially, this type of confession took place ONCE a year during Holy  Week.  This raised the obvious question of how did Christians received forgiveness of sin and maintain fellowship with God BEFORE this type of priesthood and practice came about.  The 1John 1: 9 answer  is that forgiveness of post salvation sin, then and now,   is accomplished by confessing one's sin to God 1John 1: 9.   Confession is necessary to be in fellowship (2Cor. 13: 14) with God, and is a critical part in the proper  celebration of the Lord's Supper.  Participating in the celebration of the Lord's Supper (Communion) as we are commanded (not an option) to do (1Cor. 11: 24-26), but in an "unworthy manner," opens the door to the most severe forms (1Cor. 11: 30) of divine discipline  (Heb. 12: 6) that a born again believer can receive.   Taking in the Communion elements with known sin that has not been confessed is what it means to participate in an "unworthy manner  (1Cor. 11: 27-30."  Confessing, but not forsaking (John 8: 11) sin, will result on no forward progress in the post salvation spiritual life.
***
A good practical example of being out of fellowship with God can be seen in the human fellowship that is experienced in the realm of marriage.

When a marital conflict takes place, the relationship is still there, but there is no harmony and there is no desire to please or favor the other partner until whatever caused the conflict is resolved.

When a born again believer is out of fellowship with God, the eternal security of his/her relationship with God remains in place, but the born again believer will make no forward progress in his/her post salvation spiritual life.  In the spiritual realm, one is either moving forward, or is back sliding. The further one backslides, the less of an interest there will be in correcting the situation.

When one choose the seasonal pleasures (Hebrews 11: 25) of his/her sin over his/her relationship with God, he/she will have NO desire to make any changes.  These“seasons” can last 20 seconds, 20 minutes, 20 days, or 20 years at a time. If a born again believer so chooses, they can last for the rest of his/her post salvation spiritual life.

To his own hurt, Fallen Man has mastered the art of self-justifying just about anything that he chooses to do or refuses to engage.

In the midst of our pain and suffering, one can become angry with God and hold Him “responsible” for what He has done or what He has allowed to take place. The devil will certainly be right there to whisper into ears thoughts that will seem to challenge the significance of God or the significance of living for God. The bottom line in such scenarios is that we forgot Who  and for what  purpose we are we here.  ALL that God sends or allows has a divine purpose.

As Job, the classic example of being one who was subjected to all kinds of "undeserved" loss, pain, and misery once asked, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity (Job 2: 10 NASB)."

The advancing disciple will NOT ask WHY, but for WHAT reason has God sent or allowed adversity  and pain to take place.

It is easy to be a "Christian" when we are experiencing God's blessings. The test of our faith is when we are without an explanation or the ability to understand what is taking place. Keep in mind, that God sends His best troops into the more intense battles in the spiritual realm.

Until these issues are resolved, the relationship suffers, and there is no forward progress in his/her post salvation spiritual life.

Learning to accept what we can not (yet) understand will be a reality and a hurdle to overcome along the path to spiritual maturity. Salvation is immediate and complete, but spiritual maturity is an ongoing process that takes a lifetime to obtain and/or maintain. The different levels of spiritual maturity that any given born again believer is at explains why some born again believers can handle just about anything, whereas others crumble with the least amount of adversity. 

Like physical strength in the natural realm, spiritual maturity in the spiritual realm comes from ongoing exercise with increasing resistance or difficulty.  Many will say that they wish they had the spiritual strength that they see in others, but are totally ignorant of all the trials and trouble that such believers have gone through to reach that point.

With spiritual discernment, one can see why the devil will promote ANY attitude or activity that can drive a wedge between a born again believer and the type of post salvation spiritual life that God has in mind for him/her.  It doesn't matter (to the devil) if this is accomplished through blessing (Luke 4: 6) or adversity (Book of Job), as long as his objective (1Pet. 5: 8) is secured.  The devil can do NOTHING to take away one's salvation, but can do much to try to distract a born again believer from identifying and/or executing the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship.

These periods spent “walking in darkness” can be as brief as the time it takes to confess the sin (to God), or for as long as the rest of one’s post salvation spiritual life here on Earth!  If one has what the Bible defines as sin in his/her life, he/she is walking in darkness.  1John 1: 8 tells us that we all spend at least some time in darkness every day as a result of some of the thoughts, behaviors, or the things we say to or about others.

The accumulative amount of time spent out of fellowship with God and walking in darkness over the course of one’s post salvation spiritual life greatly impacts its quality. One is NOT going to be interested in God or in the things of God when out of fellowship.  Instead of being like a lighthouse casting light into the darkness, out light is turned off and we contribute the to the darkness around us.  We will give an account for all the time that our light does not shine!

One practices the truth (1John 1: 6) by LEARNING what the TRUTH is concerning any given spiritual subject, and then APPLYING (James 1: 22) the TRUTH to activities of his/her daily life. Applying the truth is going to set the advancing disciple at odds with the majority (Matt. 7: 13) of the people he/she interacts with on a regular basis (Luke 14: 26). The advancing disciple is called to get along with e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e as much as possible (Romans 12: 18), but fellowship with God and fellowship with those who function in line with the devil's world is not possible. One can stir oil into a cup of water and it can have the appearance of bonding, but will sooner or later, separate.

"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Gal. 1: 10 NASB)."

The more one takes a stand for God and/or the things of God, the more it is going to cost the advancing disciple while here on Earth (Luke 14: 26). But being ashamed, embarrassed, timid, or unwilling to take a stand for God and/or the things of God while here on Earth, will cost the born again believer a lot more (Luke 9: 26).

"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of His Father and of the holy angels (Luke 9: 26 NASB)."

Accusing disciples of judging others is a common counter-attack used by the devil and those who would do his bidding in a attempt to silence the truth. When there is NO case against what the message, the only thing left to do is to attack the messenger (Matt. 7: 6). Weak Christians will attempt to justify their own silent cowardice, by accusing the more outspoken brothers and sisters of engaging in hate or of harshly judging others.

Being like our Lord who told some of the religious people of His day that they were the sons (followers) of the devil and doing the devil's work (John 8: 44) would not be what some would consider a very "Christian" thing to do.  Telling others what they need to hear is an act of LOVE, not hatred. The Lord Jesus Christ was not always understood by even the closest of His disciples, and neither will be His ambassadors.

In the realm of spiritual combat, the advancing disciple's "target" is SIN, and NOT the sinner (Eph. 6: 12).

An edified disciple will be the first to acknowledge that he/she is NOT in a position to be judging anyone, knowing that a Christian is (not was) a SINNER that has been saved by the grace of God (James 2: 10/1John 1: 9).

An advancing disciple speaks the truth in when it is and when it is not the popular thing to do (2Tim. 4: 2).

What the hearers of the truth choose to do with the TRUTH is between them and God, and NOT between hearers and the advancing disciple that God uses to communicate the truth to them. Edified Christians will be the first to agree that they are in NO position to judge anyone for anything, but as advancing disciples, they are called to be ambassadors for Christ (2Cor. 5: 20), here in the devil's world (Luke 4: 6).

An ambassador is one who represents one kingdom while living and being posted in another. An ambassador must have full knowledge of the policies and the positions of the kingdom that he/she represents, and NEVER offers his/her own independent opinions when functioning in his/her official capacity as an ambassador. Advancing disciples are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God while living here in the devil's world (Luke 4: 6).

If you prioritize being popular, well liked, and accepted, you are going to have much difficulty executing the post salvation spiritual life. As our Lord Jesus Christ, "You will be hated by all because of My name...(Matt. 10: 22 NASB)."

"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would NOT be a bond-servant of Christ (Gal. 1: 10 NASB)."

Just as much as the Gospel Message and edifying principles of Bible Doctrine generate a pleasing aroma to God and to spiritually alive human beings, such things generate an annoying and irritating stench to the majority (Matt. 7: 13) of each generation who follow the religions (Psalms 96: 5) of the world.

"Woe to you when all men speak well of you (concerning spiritual issues), for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way (Luke 6: 26 NASB italics."

When it comes to spiritual issues, the majority is usually WRONG (Matt. 7: 13).  This includes the majority what are WITHIN and as well as OUTSIDE of the Christian Community at large.

Being rejected, isolated, misunderstood, slandered, and otherwise persecuted (Matt. 5: 11) are all a part of the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship (2Tim. 3: 12).

"Indeed, all who desire to live godly (execute the post salvation spiritual life) in Christ Jesus will (not might)  be persecuted (2Tim. 3: 12 NASB italics mine."

To the surprise of many advancing disciples, this persecution will come from WITHIN the Christian Community, as well as from without.

If persecution has not been one's personal experience, he/she has good reasons to question the quality of his/her post salvation spiritual life for which every born again believer will give an accounting of to God. Being the type of "Christian" to whom God will say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant...(Matt. 25: 21 KJV)" does NOT come easy.

The more one advances in the post salvation spiritual life, the more frequent and the more intense will be his/her involvement with the spiritual combat (Eph. 6) of the Church Age.

It is much easier to be "religious," checking in once a week, going through the motions, but never moving forward in the plan of God. The devil is "wise" enough to leave a religious "Christian" alone.  He may   even encourage his/her level of participation. Such a Christian poses little threat to the devil's agenda, and in many cases, unwittingly promotes his alternative agendas.

Learning the TRUTH (2Pet. 3: 15), and thereby developing the ability to discern TRUTH from the error is an ongoing and challenging part of the post salvation spiritual life. Just as challenging, if not more so, is developing the willingness to apply (James 1: 22) the truth that one c-o-n-t-i-n-u-e-s to learn.

Learning and applying “some” truth will cause us to fall short of becoming all that God wants us to be (Matt. 5: 19).

There are many "sophomores" (wise fools) engaged in the elementary stages of discipleship. As a "sophomore," he/she can accurately quote or paraphrase many passages of Scripture, but fail to accurately interpret or apply the information that they have acquired. Because of this acquired knowledge, Christians can easily sin (Romans 12: 3) by thinking more highly of themselves than what they ought.

When any society is on a downhill slide, what WAS once clearly identified as sin is first renamed, and in time is  no longer considered sin, at all.  In some cases, what had been clearly identified as sin actually receives the endorsement of many sectors of the Christian Community in an attempt to retain  the support of its membership.  Doing what "everyone else is doing" didn't do those outside of the Noah's Ark any good when God (Gen. 7: 16) closed the door.  Having done what "everyone else was doing" isn't going to do any born again believers any good when they are called to give account of themselves to God (Romans 14: 12). 

All born again believers are forever saved, but if one thinks that post salvation sin does not impact his/her heavenly experience, he/she has been greatly deceived.

“Whoever then annuls (by thought, word, action, or lack of action)  one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others (by word or example) to do the same, shall be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven…(Matt. 5: 19 NABS).”

All human beings commit sin each and every day by what we think, say, do, or fail to do. 1John 1: 8 tells us that if we say that we have NO sin, we have been deceived. Many "pick up where they left off " the preceding day(s), making a lifestyle out of the various forms of sin they have chosen to embrace.

As (if) we *spiritually mature, there will be a decrease in the frequency of some sins, and an elimination (John 8: 11) of others, but never will any of us reach a point of sinless perfection this side of Heaven. In light of the combined teaching of 1John 1:8/James 2: 10, we are all still in the same stinking, sinking, boat of sin as everyone else, and in the same daily need of ongoing confession (1John 1: 9).

*Spiritual maturity is the result of ongoing learning, coupled with applying, the Word of God. According to the inside part of the  Great Commission that God gave to the Church that He designed, it is  through the teaching function of a Biblically -qualified pastor teacher of a local assembly that one attends or otherwise connects with, that he/she is to be taught the Word of God.

NO one (pastor, parent, fellow-believer) can  be used of God to bring other believers any further along the road to spiritual maturity than where he/she has first reached him/herself.

The  New Testament Gospels were  inspired by God (2Tim. 3: 16), and by divine design were composed in the Greek language by the human authors. It is of the utmost importance to go back to the original (Hebrew/Greek/ Aramaic) languages if an advancing disciple is going to adequately interpret and apply Scripture.  To the surprise of many, the Lord Jesus Christ NEVER spoke a word of English!

The English word disciple appearing in New Testament Scripture is an translation of the Greek word m-a-t-h-e-t-e-s, which means to be a technical student in a teacher-pupil relationship. Making disciples (students and appliers of the Word of God) out of those who have already been born again  is the inside mission of the Church that God designed.  Discipleship is initially for the edification of the individual born again believer, but with the long-term objective of evangelizing (sharing the Gospel Message) unbelievers and sharing edifying principles of Bible Doctrine with fellow believers.

Sharing the Gospel Message with others is the outside part of the Great Commission. If one is NOT involved with fulfilling the Great Commission, one is NOT involved with the long-term objective of the post salvation spiritual life of Scripture. If this is the case, such a believer's Romans 14: 12 "account" is going to have a lot of blank pages withf NO ENTRIES!

When one is NOT moving forward in the post salvation spiritual life, he/she is moving backwards, no matter how otherwise “religious” he/she may be, or how much human good he/she otherwise produces.

One can “go to” a “well” every day of his life, but still die of thirst if he does not drink the water. Drinking polluted water from the wrong well can prove to be just as counter-productive. Perceiving which well and the need to drink of its water comes with spiritual maturity.  The initial decision of what kind of a local assembly (if any) that one attends was/is the usually a choice that the parent(s) makes.  The choice of what kind (if any) of a local assemble an advancing diciple attends (or otherwise connects with) is an ongoing series of choices that an advancing disciple makes in order to c-o-n-t-i-n-u-e to grow in the knowledge of the Lord () and/or to further enhance the quality of his/her post salvation spiritual life.

There is a major difference between "Church hopping" in which one searches out one that will tell one what he wants to hear (1Tim. 4: 1),  and/or  one that will accommodate one's desired "services" (baptisms/weddings/funerals, etc.), as opposed to deciding to stay or to move on to another  to enhance the quality of one's post salvation spiritual life.  God can NOT use any pastor-teacher to bring the members of any given  congregation any further along the road to spiritual maturity than where he himself has already arrived.

Some religious organizations do not allow any input from the congregation as to who will stand behind their  pulpit.  In many cases, it really wouldn't make too much of a difference, as the clergy under the thumb of such an organization are required to follow the same format and promote the "company line" concerning spiritual issues and practices.  The strength in such a system is that in areas that they are accurate, that are universally correct, regardless of which local assembly one attends.  The weakness of such a system is that in areas that they are off target, they are off target no matter one goes within the same system. 

The bottom line for choosing a pastor-teacher (where such choices are allowed) should be the quantity and the quality of the Bible Doctrine that comes from the pulpit on a regular and on-going basis.  All to often, the decision to attend a local assembly is primarily based on family tradition, location, convenience, and on the personality of the one standing behind the pulpit.

Where and if one chooses to gather together  (Heb. 10: 25) will impact the quality of one's post salvation spiritual life for the better (2Pet. 3: 18) or for the worse (Matt. 15: 14).  Most of us do not accept the "any one will do" or the "gotta go somewhere" approach to choosing our medical doctors that can only, at best, serve the interests of our bodies that are going to die.  Should we not be more concerned about our choices regarding those who are supposed to be  there to serve the interests (salvation/edification) of our souls that are going to live forever?

The accountability that Romans 14: 12 is speaking of refers to the quality of one's post salvation spiritual life.

The primary goal and purpose of the post salvation spiritual life outlined in Scripture is to bring glory to God. Glorifying God in the midst of an ongoing conflict between the forces of good and evil was the primary goal and purpose for the creation of the human race.

Here in the dispensation of the Church Age, one glorifies God first by being born again (John 3: 5, 7), and then by identifying and executing the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship. The devil desires to deny God as much glory as he can, but it will be human soul involved that will suffer the conseqences (Rev. 20: 15/1Cor. 3: 15).

Q.  What is the  consequence for unbelievers:
A.  "And if anyone's name is not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15 NASB).

Q.   What are the consequences for born again believers that do not identify and/or execute the post salvatonispiritual life:
A.   "If any man's (born again beliver's) work (record of good deeds) are burned up, he wil suffer loss (of rewards); but he himself (his soul) will be saved, yet so as through fire (1Cor. 3: 15 NASB italics mine)."

Romans 14: 12 is speaking to born again believers. The post salvation spiritual life does not begin until one has first been born again. This accounting and reward event, recorded in 1Cor. 3: 12-15 refers to  born believers only,

This is not good news for the unbeliever. They too have an accounting that  takes place just before he/she is tossed into the lake of fire,(Rev. 20: 15) for having committed the sin of disbelief   (John 3: 18).  No amount of good deeds or "religious " activity recorded in the Rev. 20: 12 books of deeds offered by or in behalf of an unbeliever will spare him/her from being tossed into the lake of fire. To be spared from this consequence, one MUST (John 3: 5, 7) have been born again!

Many different Christian religions offer many different “alternatives” to the post salvation spiritual life spoken of in Scripture. These “alternatives” are usually in line with human viewpoint that is promoted by the many Psalms 96:5 “religions” of the world.  These (Psalms 96: 5) religions of the world (including some so-called "Christian religions," promote the concept that one is saved by participating in various religious rituals, good behavior, and doing good deeds. Such false religions, including many false so-called "Christian" religions have a never-ending list of sins  that can send a human soul to Hell.

From childhood on up, many of us were told that “good” people go to Heaven and “bad” people go to Hell.

The truth is that NO ONE is ever going to be “good enough” to enter Heaven.  The gates of Heaven have been opened to all who are born again.

Other than committing the unpardonable sin of disbelief (John 3: 18), NO ONE has ever been so “bad” that they can’t be saved. The condemning power of such sin would have to be greater than the power of the atoning shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that was shed to atone (pay) for it.

Such a teaching is not merely false, it amounts to blasphemy.

The power of the sin of disbelief is NOT greater than the power of the blood of Christ.  The reason that the condemning power for having committed  the sin of disbelief is "still on the table"  is because, by divine design,  the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ  was NOT applied to the sin of disbelief.  This is why  there is NO FOREGIVENESS for the sin of  disbelief.

A born again believer's "ticket to Heaven" was bought and paid for on the cross. All one has to do is receive it in act of faith, based up one's personal belief in the Person and the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Failing to receive it in act of faith is how one commits the sin of disbelief.  Prior to the First Advent, human souls were/are judged (by God) to the extent that God and the things of God had been made known to the individual soul.  As of the Church Age, the type of belief that "saves" the soul involves one consciously choosing to place his individual  trust and confidence in the Person and the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ after being presented with the Gospel Message.

I believe that if one is among those who never hear the Gospel Message, they are judged on on the same basis was were those who lived during the Old Testament dispensation (period of time).  That is, on the basis of what information they were given, beginning with the Eccl. 3: 11 concept of eternity that God places in every soul that He creates.

Believers (John 3: 16, 18) go Heaven, and unbelievers (Rev. 20: 15) go the lake of fire.  All born again believers go to Heaven (John 3: 18/Romans 8: 1), but only the born again believers who choose to become disciples (Matt. 28: 19), ambassadors (2Cor. 5: 20), and over-comers (Rev. 2: 7, 11, 17, 26/Rev. 3: 3, 5, 12, 21) are rewarded (1Cor. 3: 12-15) and privileged for having done so while HERE on Earth.  No one can do (John 15: 5) ANY of the above until he/she is first born again (John 3: 5, 7).

“Santa” and a host of religious others may be making  good and a naughty lists, but the wise will want to be on the list that God is making  of born again believers whose names are recorded in the Rev. 20: 15 book of life.

Anyone, whose name is not on THAT list, is going to be tossed into the lake of fire (aka Hell), no matter how otherwise “good” or “religious” they may have been.

The souls of the  human race, are NOT all headed for the same place! God IS a merciful God of grace.  He DOES forgive (1John 1: 9), but this mercy, grace, and forgiveness is the result of one's belief  (trust and confidences) is the Person and the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ that PAID IN FULL the sin(s) being confessed.

“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire (Rev. 20: 15 NASB).”

This is why the Lord Jesus Christ told Nicodemus (and every one of us) that one MUST be born again (John 3: 5, 7)!

As of the Church Age, the ONE and ONLY way to be born again and make THAT list in the book of life is to choose to believe (place one’s full trust and confidence) in the Person and the atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14: 6). Once so-written, it can NEVER be erased.

There are some rituals, good conduct, and good human deeds are a part of post salvation discipleship, but such things, in of themselves, do NOT “save” anyone, as many such things are embraced by atheists and religious souls that headed for the lake of fire!
The post salvation spiritual life BEGINS when one is BORN AGAIN, and ENDS when the soul departs this world.
The Romans 14: 12 “accounting’ that all born again believers are going to give to God is about the quality of one’s post salvation spiritual life of discipleship.