4/14/9 Question: "How can I tell which church to join?"
ALL Christian churches claim that their faith is built on the teachings of the Bible. What frequently occurs is that a group of people see doctrines in the Bible that their current church does not teach or else supports only weakly as a side issue. They splinter off and establish their own church. Unfortunately they sometimes tend to focus to a strong degree on those doctrines that were not emphasized in their former church while neglecting to focus sufficiently on each of the doctrines of belief that the Bible teaches.
Most churches include in their tenets of belief basic doctrines that all Christians hold,: e.g. Jesus is the Son of God who came to the world as a man to live as our example and to be crucified on the cross as the perfect substitution for mankind's sins. After crucifixion He was resurrected on the third day as He had taught that He would do, ascended to Heaven to be with the Father until His return to earth to establish His perfect Kingdom during the millennial reign here on earth.
The Holy spirit came unto the church on the day of Pentecost and He has been our guide, leading us to all truth as we await Jesus Christ's return. After confessing Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives we are to be baptized in water in the Name of Jesus as a sign that we have repented from our sins, have accepted Jesus as Lord and are brought intoa new, Christian life with the Lord. Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit we are to teach throughout the world the truth of Jesus Christ and His sacrifice so that other people may share in this freely given salvation..
These are the bare bones of the Christian religion. These are called Christian doctrines since they are taken directly from the Bible. Church Dogma are ideas or teachings that are added by a church organization, often in the effort to reinforce the basic doctrine. These dogma are not necessarily derived directly from the Scripture but may be concepts that have been perceived by the church leaders and therefore in their opinion also require compliance for their church members.
Examples of church dogma may include concepts such as:
1) No instrumental music is permitted in the church, 2) Women must wear caps or scarves on their heads at all times as a sign of submission to their husbands or fathers. 3) Prayers must be made to the saints who have died. 4) Mary is to be worshipped as Queen of Heaven. 5) Penance must be done before sins can be forgiven. 6) Poisonous snakes should be handled in church as proof of one’s holiness and anointing. 7) Churches should meet on Saturday instead of Sunday. 8) No meat should be eaten. 9) Infants should be baptized to keep them out of limbo in case of infant death. 10) No jewelry at all should be worn by either men or women, not even wedding rings. 11) Women should have their hair long and not cut short. 12) If one does not belong to this particular church he will not go to Heaven. Etc.
2) Women must wear caps or scarves on their heads at all times as a sign of submission to their husbands or fathers.
3) Prayers must be made to the saints who have died.
4) Mary is to be worshipped as Queen of Heaven.
5) Penance must be done before sins can be forgiven.
6) Poisonous snakes should be handled in church as proof of one’s holiness and anointing.
7) Churches should meet on Saturday instead of Sunday.
8) No meat should be eaten.
9) Infants should be baptized to keep them out of limbo in case of infant death.
10) No jewelry at all should be worn by either men or women, not even wedding rings.
11) Women should have their hair long and not cut short.
12) If one does not belong to this particular church he will not go to Heaven.
Etc.
Many churches focus so much on church dogma that they will excommunicate people who refuse to adhere to these tenets. They may argue that mention of these concepts is made in the Bible. Even if the Biblical mention of these teachings are suggestions and not Biblical requirements they refuse to allow deviations from their established dogma.
The churches may focus so much on dogma that they neglect to observe Biblical doctrines that are in the Bible as Doctrines and not optional. Therefore we have thousands of different church organizations, most focusing on a few favorite scriptures.
Jesus told us that we are to be led by the Holy Spirit in all things,
and that we are to make sure that everything that we believe, practice
and teach are prescribed by Jesus in the Bible. While we focus on a few
basics such of forgiveness and salvation only through the sacrificial blood of Jesus we are not to forget other teachings of Jesus and of His twelve apostles (including Paul since He was God's choice to take the place of Judas Iscariot).
Basically, to ascertain whether a church, a doctrine, church dogma, a book or an internet website is based on the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are to compare all of their teachings with what was ordered in the Bible.If one of the church organizations seem to be based scripturally on most of the things they are teaching but are way off base on others found in the scriptures then you are advised to keep looking until you find a church that teaches the WHOLE truth of the Bible.
This may be required to be assessed at the level of the local church because some church organizations allow deviations within their organizations at the discretion of the individual pastor. E.g. The doctrine and dogma of a specific church organization in city B is absolutely on target with the Bible because the local pastor teaches that way .Nevertheless, the same organizational church in city C is so far removed from scriptural truth that it can hardly be deemed to be Christian in concept. If this is the case Christians should feel free to select another church in the locality. It is not the church organization that saves us from our sins, it is the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ that covers our sins.
If the whole truth in the scriptures is not preached at a given local church it should be avoided like the plague. It only takes a small amount of poison to kill us, and it also takes only takes a small deviation from the scriptures to leave our spirits dried up within us and rendering us ineffective as witnesses of Jesus Christ and His salvation. If it is our own loved ones who are deprived of the truth of salvation it is quite possible that their souls may be lost because they may never have been educated about the truth of salvation. That would be a tragic loss.
Man's ideas, though attractive, are not good enough as our guiding source to salvation. If a doctrine or dogma is not already recorded in the Bible it should not be included as necessary for salvation. The Bible contains everything needed for salvation. The Bible is our source. It must already be written in the Bible for it to be included as church doctrine.
Jesus indicated that the Holy Spirit would lead us to all truth, John 14:26 and John 16:13, as found in the Bible. If Jesus did not teach a specific doctrine then you want to avoid it like the plague because it will become the base upon which other concepts are built that are pure poison to your soul and will lead to spiritual destruction. There are many teachings out there that possibly lead down the path of doctrinal and spiritual error. They can cause us to lose spiritual direction and will lead to further confusion.
The Bible states that God is not the author of confusion. Therefore the ultimate source of spiritual confusion is Satan. To assess the truths of any teaching we need to compare it with our ultimate source of truth: the Bible. That is why we need to study the Bible intently, so that we can quickly see the errors in the teaching before we get deeply involved with a group or a teaching.
Paul wrote in II Timothy 2:15,(?) "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
In John 10:7-19 Jesus said, "...Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
"The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.
" And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
Your comments or question
4/15/9 Question: "Are healings and miracles still happening in the church?"
This is not a matter of what I think versus what you think. Everything must be judged by the scripture, and it appears that quite frequently in Christian circles the gifts of the spirit are denounced, irrespective of merit and without careful comparison with the ministries of either Jesus or the apostles. What passes as "discernment" tends to be out of hand "rejection", that will not be discouraged with facts or solid evidence.
When clear medical documentation of a healing is presented the tendency is to ignore the
occurrences that can be proven in the drive to emphasize those who have failed to obtain documentation. There also are cases in which a real healing or miracle occurred but were not permanent because of doubt and unbelief by the receiver or by the scoffers who caused the eroding of faith necessary to keep the good result.
The scoffers ridicule because they know that they, themselves could not see such results from their ministries, therefore they cannot believe that God honors the faith of others who have childlike faith. Jesus remarked about children, and of those who have childlike faith, Matthew 19:14, "forbid them not to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Again Jesus asked, Matthew 12:27, "And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges."
The point that Jesus was making was that the children, or followers of the scribes, WERE NOT CASTING OUT DEVILS AS JESUS WAS. They had no power to do so since that power comes from God and only those who are empowered by God can see those deliverences. Acts 1:2, "You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you shall be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in Judea and
unto the uttermost part of the earth."
The same arguments that were used against Jesus are being used again today to discredit the works of God. Are we going to be so afraid of being ensnared by evil "miracle workers" that we denounce ALL the miracles of God also? By the way, where are all of these healing miracles that evil people supposedly are doing? Or are their followers like the followers of the scribes whom Jesus challenged? They have no healings.
When the antichrist and false prophet appear and start to do seeming miracles there will be sufficient peripheral evidence that these cannot be of God because of all of the other blatant blasphemous things they will be doing and saying, as clearly shown in the Revelation. For one thing the antichrist will say that he IS Christ. People who know the Bible will clearly understand that he cannot be the Christ and
therefore will reject his claims and false miracles.
The Christian ministries through which miracles occur today are emphatically NOT claiming to be the Christ. The Bible says that no one can say that Jesus is Lord except through the understanding that the Holy Spirit gives. If there is one common denominator among the healing, ministries it is the clear and constant giving of praise and the glory to the Lord Jesus Christ and consistently proclaiming that "Jesus is Lord". Check it out.
Here we must remember that the healings, miracles, etc. are not done by the person who prays. They are done by the power of God who only presents by our belief that He actually will do the things that He freely promised to do through those who would believe, not only for the apostles then but also in the future, until this time today.
People who do not see these healings and miracles in their own ministries like to argue, "These miracles were only for the establishment of the church. The days of miracles passed away with the early church fathers. We were told that when that which is perfect has come then these gifts shall pass away, and they have passed now that the church is established."
If the "church" is perfect then why all the thousands of different denominations who much of the time are at each other's spiritual throats? "That which is perfect" ( I Corinthians 13:10) will come when Jesus returns to establish his millennial kingdom here on earth. Then the gifts of the Holy Spirit shall cease since there will be no need for them in the millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 13:12) "For now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face; now I know in part but then face to face, for then shall I know even as also I am known."
There is not a single scripture that will back up the claims that the Holy Spirit no longer is
performing healings and miracles, but people blindly accept those statements because they, themselves are not sure of what the Bible says. After all, they never saw such occurrences in their prior experiences. We tend to believe what our ministers tell us. Additionally, too many Christians fail to read the Scriptures enough to know, themselves, what they teach.
Certain church leaders often try to "debunk" healings and miracles to soothe their own sense of inadequacy with ministries bereft of such evidence. Or 1) they are simply jealous ,or 2) they are afraid that their little flock will leave for greener pastures thus taking away their financial support. After all, sheep are for shearing, aren't they?
In cases were people seemed to receive a miracle only to lose it, we are reminded of Peter, who actually DID walk on water until he got his eyes off Jesus and began to look at the storm raging around him. He lost his faith and began to sink. After Jesus rescued Peter he chided, "Oh you of little faith why did you doubt?"
The truth remains, however, that Jesus DID warn us, that those who fullfill Jesus’ commands and through whom the Holy Spirit produces miracles and healings would be rejected by many. Mark 3:22-30 "The scribes...said, 'He has Beezebub, and by the prince of the devils casts out devils...(Jesus) called to them, 'How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand...if Satan rise up against himself and be divided, he cannot stand, and has an end...I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith they shall blaspheme: but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit has never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:' because they said, he has an unclean spirit."
Jesus said, John 10:9-11 "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. The thief comes not but to steal and to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep."
The devil destroys and kills. That is what he does. Jesus restores a life worth living, health and salvation. That is what he does.
If we are like Jesus, who is supposed to be our example, then we should be doing what he does. Too many of us who call ourselves Christians prefer to emulate the devil, destroying ministries, people and hope.
As Kathryn Kuhlman used to say, "I believe in miracles because I believe in God."
The Bible is clear. The choice is up to us.
5/3/9 Question: "How do we become worthy to enter the Kingdom of Heaven?"
We become worthy through the worthiness of Jesus Christ. John 1:29, As "..the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world." Jesus on the cross took upon Himself our sins that had separated us from God. He bore all of our sin. To receive the benefit of His sacrifice to remove our sins we simply must receive this fact by faith that this one-time sacrifice is sufficient to cover our sins.
Everything that we receive from God is received by faith, or by simply believing that since God has promised us, then His word is sufficient. When we refuse to believe what He has promised then we say, in effect, that God is a liar. He wants us to believe what He has said, just as if we were little children who believe their parents.
Jesus emphasized the necessity for us to take God at His word. In Matthew. 19:14 and Mark 10:14,15 Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me for of such is the kingdom of God. Truly I say unto you Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein."
God is very serious about being believed and there is no other way that we can receive blessings from the Lord but to trust Him and to obey His word, the Bible. Because of His sacrifice Jesus Christ makes us worthy to escape the second death, or eternal banishment from the presence of God by His blood shed on the cross for us. Through His righteousness we are made righteous. Because we are covered with the blood of Jesus through faith when God looks at us He cannot see our past sins. They have been "washed away" in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ.
We know that since the time of our acceptance of this salvation by grace through faith in His Name (Ephesians 2:7-9) we have at times done things that He would not have done and we have neglected to do the things that that Jesus would have done. These are sins committed after our salvation. We cannot take the stand that Paul warned against, Romans 6:1-28, he cautions that we should not continue doing the unrighteous works of the past, but that through the newness of life available through the help of the Holy Spirit of God we should produce works of righteousness, just like Jesus.
If we have stumbled and fallen back into sin we are urged to return to the Lord in confession and request forgiveness for those sins and request His help to live as we should. I John 1:8-10, speaking to people who already have become Christians, "If we say that we have not sinned we lie and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned , we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
> Concerning our being taken to live with Jesus at the rapture you said: Luke 21:36 "Watch >therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things [what things? --the >things he previously discussed: tribulation] that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man >[and where will we stand before our Lord? -- in heaven. But when? Well, if you are accounted worthy, it . >will be at the pre-tribulation rapture -- because you will have "escaped all these things"].
Agreed. It is the Holy Spirit who makes us worthy to "escape all of these things " that are to happen on the earth. The Holy Spirit makes us worthy through the process of our allowing Him to lead us, guide us, and as Jesus described the Holy Spirit's purpose; John 16:8-15, to "reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment:..."
When the Holy Spirit has shown us that we have slipped we can repent and get back on the right track. (Our walk needs to match our talk). With His help we focus on pleasing God through our life choices. We will exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our daily walk as we reveal His agape, perfect love, through us to others, just as Jesus did.
By these processes we allow Him to lead us gently along the right path. We ask for His leadings in our decisions and then trust His ability to provide for us and to keep us from straying as we follow His gentle guidance. He does not have an easy task because all of us, in our natural state, want to feel that we are in total control. Like a pack of cats we tend to be impossible to herd, everyone going his own way. This is reflected in a poem we studied in high school that ended: "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul."
A popular song indicated that we can opt to do it "my way." Like the poem, this also sounded noble and courageous. These promised a brave new world with "us" in charge. We see where that has gotten us; wars, wars and more wars. As Walt Kelly said through Pogo the 'possum, "We has met the enemy and they is us."
The other way is to let the Holy Spirit do it through us "His way." Given sufficient time to assess results we'll unerringly conclude that, in the final analysis, the "best way" is "His way". Since Father, Son and Holy Spirit are a triune being, three in one, it all depends on Him after all, if we'll just relinquish the reins and let Him be in charge of our lives.
5/1/9 Question: "How are we supposed to pray"
A communal prayer is appropriate at times, such as the congregation's saying the Lord's prayer together. Prayer never, however, should be just mouthed with no thought of what we are saying. Even with the Lord's prayer which most Christians have known by heart should have real and significant meaning to us personally every single time we say it. If we are not thinking it but just parroting the words the prayer becomes meaningless. ALL prayer should be a direct conversation between each individual and God. And we should mean it with all of our hearts.
In addition to such well known prayers EACH of us should also pray daily like we are talking with a friend. There is no greater or more powerful friend than Jesus. Sometimes we "talk" (pray) with Jesus, sometimes with the Holy Spirit and sometimes with God the Father. When we pray it should always be a prayer through Jesus' Name (we have power of attorney to use His Name since He gave us that right to use His power and authority). Our requests for help should be made to our Father, God in the Name of Jesus. As you know when Jesus was here on earth, giving us an example of the life we should be living, Jesus spent long hours praying directly to God. By praying to God the Father Jesus regained His physical, mental and spiritual strength and stamina.
We receive everything, the air we breath, the food we eat, the water we drink directly from the Father. We need to consider these many blessings that we have received from the generous and loving hand of God. He could snuff out our breath in a heartbeat, but He does not. He loves us.
As we thank Him and praise Him (father, Son and Holy Ghost) we should concentrate on just how wonderful God is. That is worship. That is the major reason why we go to church, so that we can worship the Lord together with praise and adoration.
Jesus said that when two or three of us are together He is there in our midst. As the Lord is magnified, worshipped and praised our faith increases. As our faith increases we get to know the love of God more intimately and we begin to believe that He will answer our prayers. That actually is how our prayers are answered. We ask, in faith, believing that if God made these promises He will perform them. We know that God listens for our prayers and hears us when we pray.
It also is good to "pray in the Holy Spirit" by allowing the Holy Spirit of God to pray through our spirits. In this the Holy Spirit directs the words of the prayer, often in a language which we do not understand. It sounds strange to hear these unknown words coming from our mouths, but Jesus promised that this would happen and that "out of your belly will flow rivers of living waters". In this prayer we are intensely focused on God and allowing the spirit within us to direct the flow of words directly to the Father. This reference is found in I Corinthians chapters 12, 13, and 14.
Paul said that he prayed daily through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. In this kind of prayer he was being allowed to pray directly to God without being held back in his faith by his own natural unbelief and inability to have strong faith for the answer. We only can get answers to any prayer as our faith increases and we put aside doubt that God will answer. The human being sometimes finds it difficult to believe what he cannot see. Nevertheless, Jesus said about prayer requests, "It shall be as you say." Therefore, it behooves us to speak positively at all times and not negatively.
It is has been said that "what you say (in faith, believing that God will answer this prayer) is what you get" Instead of "What you see is what you get."). As you can see, prayer is extremely important. We should spend much time on a daily basis in "an attitude of prayer" That means that we are thinking of the Lord much of the day and find it easy to break into mental prayer, or thinking thoughts directed to God. In addition, praying and asking for help before beginning a task will cause our work to progress more rapidly as the Lord inspires our decisions. We shall be less likely to make mistakes in our work and the results will be more effective.
It is appropriate for us to pray for each other. James 5:16, states, "Confess your faults one to another, that you may be healed. The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
In the earlier two verses, James 5: 14,15 James encouraged: "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him."
Paul strongly emphasized our need to pray for each other. Colossians 1:9 "For this cause we also, since the day we heard of it (Your love in the Spirit of God) do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding: that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God:"
Prayer is among the list of things Christians are exhorted to obey: "I Thessalonians 5:15-25, "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that called you who also will do it. Brethren, pray for us."
The Lord enjoys this kind of relationship, in which you and He are in close communion, like the good friends you are. You will never have a friend like Jesus. We should always maintain our close relationship with Him like the friend and Savior He is.
5/1/9 Question: "Why do the pastors in some churches request the congregations to come to the altar to pray around the minister?"
The point is not to gather around the minister but to gather at the altar. This practice relates to the Biblical accounts in the old testament of building an altar to God and sacrificing animals for forgiveness of the people's sins.
Since Jesus Christ was sacrificed on the cross as the sacrificial "Lamb of God' we no longer sacrifice animals to take away our sins. In the Old Testament the people brought an animal to sacrifice so that its death would stand for their personal deaths because of their sins. Hebrews 9:22, speaking of the shedding of blood as the sacrifice for sin, "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (of sins)."
In the Old Testament, before Jesus was sacrificed for our sins, before the animal sacrifice for sin was made they laid their hands on the head of a perfect lamb selected for this purpose. With this, through faith, they transferred their personal sins to the lamb. When the lamb died their sin was said to be atoned or forgiven by God. because the shedding of blood was necessary for coverage of their sins. Without the sacrifice of the lamb to atone for their sins they would be required to pay for their own sins by the second death, or banishment from Heaven since God cannot allow sin or sinful, unforgiven men to enter Heaven.
When Jesus went to the cross he came as the Lamb of God and our sins were taken upon Himself, in advance, for our future sins. His death was in place of our death because of our sins.
After He lay dead 3 days and 3 nights in the grave He arose again in His glorified body just as our bodies will be glorified, or everlasting, when Jesus returns and calls our bodies from the grave to have eternal life and never to die again. Jesus said that for those who have not accepted His sacrifice for sins their bodies will not be resurrected, as will the Believers’ bodies, but they will suffer the second death, hell.
We will be resurrected as He was, to live forever with God, for 1000 years here on earth, then after that in the "New Jerusalem".This huge city will hover over the earth after the 1000 years, the millennial reign of Jesus Christ of peace on the earth. This millennial reign begins after the seven-year tribulation period which we believe will begin shortly in the next few months or else in a very few years.
This last 1000 years in the millennium will allow people who have not learned about Jesus to understand Jesus as the Lamb of God and also as Lord of lords and King of kings. As they have faith in Him and His sacrifice then they also will receive salvation and forgiveness of sins to live forever in the New Jerusalem.
Back to the altar: When people gather at the altar they are making a statement that they are laying their own souls on the altar of God's salvation through the Sacrifice of Jesus, the Lamb of God. The perfect Son of God, Jesus, took all sins with him on the cross for believers past, present and
future, if they believe this in their hearts and choose Jesus to be their savior and master. Therefore there is no more need of any further animal sacrifices for sin. Jesus' blood, as the Son of God, is perfect and sufficient for all sins when we repent and ask forgiveness.
Jesus’ death and resurrection truly cover all sins as we believe by faith that God forgives us of all sins because of our acceptance by faith that Jesus died in my place, in your place.
By kneeling at the altar we dedicate our lives to God, in exchange for forgiveness of our sins through Jesus' sacrifice. This brings us from death (because of our past sins) unto life (a life without sin hanging over our heads).
John 3:16 states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son (Jesus) that whoever believes on Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
If we had died without receiving forgiveness we would have experienced the second death (Hell) because unforgiven sin cannot enter Heaven. The second death represents a permanent place in hell, banished from the presence of God in Heaven forever. God CANNOT allow unforgiven sin in Heaven since by definition it then would no longer be Heaven. That is why the sacrifice of Jesus when His blood was shed for us was necessary for us to be forgiven and saved.
No other sacrifice except the blood of Jesus, through our acceptance of this in faith, will now be sufficient to cover our sins. As we take the communion of the bread which represents the body of Jesus Christ sacrificed on the cross for us, and drink the wine or grape juice, which represents the blood of Jesus which flowed from Jesus' wounds on the cross, we are reminded again that it is Jesus and Jesus alone who has atoned for our sins.
At the altar we are making a dedication of our lives to God and His service because we give our lives to God in our gratitude to Him (God) that our sins are forgiven through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
If you have never received forgiveness for your sins you can do that very easily by accepting this scripture as true and receiving forgiveness in your heart from Jesus and His sacrifice for you. Romans 10:9,10:" If you believe in your heart and confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
5/1/9
Question: "What happens to Christians who, although having asked for forgiveness on the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, death and resurrection, have never bothered to include Jesus in their lives? They have not prayed much, they may not have attended church and they have not done any work for the Lord. Will their bodies be resurrected from the dead to go with us in the rapture?"
Paul reminds us that our work for Jesus Christ after our salvation is important, I Corinthians 3:11-15, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
If any man’s work abide which he has built upon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."
The deceased Christians who died without works of worthiness to their credit would not have received their glorified at the time of the first part of the phased rapture or snatching away of the bride of Christ from the body of the church, even as Eve was taken from Adam’s body as he slept.
We receive our glorified bodies when the time arrives when we are ready to begin our tasks throughout eternity under the direct guidance of the Lord. If we have done no righteous works after salvation then we are not yet ready to receive rewards for service.
Unlike those who receive the Reward of ruling and reigning with Christ in the millennial Kingdom or the thousand years of peace, these would not be in a position of leadership during that period. They would not be leaders since they have not good followers during our trials on earth in this life.
This is postulated by Bill Wingo of Tulsa OK in his book Rapture Shock. Taking into consideration Matthew 26:50, 51. In his book the reverend Bill Wingo discussed Jesus' parable of the wedding guests. The master had ordered his servants to gather wedding guests when those invited did not respond.
Matthew. 26:10, "So these servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they could, both bad and good; and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the King came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment; and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here, not having a wedding garment And he was speechless.
"Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
"Outer darkness" is not hell but the abode where souls are awaiting resurrection. In this status they have lost rewards because they were not "worthy servants", according to Jesus. Nevertheless they will not lose their souls. They will not go to Hell but await the final judgment to see if their names are in the "Lamb’s Book of Life". This occurs at theWhite Throne Judgment of God after the millennial reign of Christ.
Psalm 139:8 states about the Lord, "If I ascend up into heaven, you are there: if I make my bed in hell, behold you are there." In this passage hell is not the lake of fire of the book of Revelation. The Lake of fire comes later, after the White Throne Judgment of God.
There would therefore be justification for believing that even in "outer darkness" one is in the presence of the Lord. Once souls are cast into the lake of fire after the White Throne Judgment of God they then will never again be in the presence of the Lord.
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