Dead and Judged Judged Part 1

[Please Note this is an edited reprint of this three part article originally published in August 2005. In the coming weeks we will reprint all three parts. Having presented the need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and a 'One Verse' Evangelism tool - let us remember 'why' we need to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.]

Friends,
The Bible contains many truths. One is very important. Specifically, after death, comes judgement. The Bible is quite clear about that fact: Everyone faces judgement.
Actually, almost every religion agrees there is a ‘judgement’. Muslims believe Allah will judge. Buddhists and Hindus believe that if they have not found ‘enlightenment’ they will continue the cycle (someone or something has to decide if they have found ‘enlightenment’ - that is a form of judgement). Christians and Jews believe that God will judge them. About the only people in the world that believe there will not be a judgement of some kind are atheists and agnostics. [Regardless of what the media tells us, true atheists and agnostics are a serious minority.]

The Bible tells us everyone faces judgement.
“So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:12

“And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,” Hebrews 9:27

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ…” 2 Corinthians 5:10

“All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.” Matthew 25:32

“But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” Romans 14:10

[Matthew 25:31-32, Matthew 12:36, Matt. 16:27, Acts 10:42, Romans 2:16, Galatians 6:5, 2 Timothy 4:1, 1 Peter 4:5]

Each of us will stand before Christ and be judged.
There are only two possible outcomes of this judgement: 1. Salvation - eternal communion WITH God. 2. Condemnation - that is permanent separation FROM God.

No matter what religion one believes, there are two possible outcomes from judgement - one ‘good’ and one ‘bad’. Christians, Jews, and Muslims are very specific - Heaven or Hell. It is going to be one or the other.

The question then is, “Which place am I going to?”

We want to believe that we (our loved ones and ourselves) are going to the ‘GOOD’ place. That is what we tell ourselves we are trying to ‘achieve’. The question is can we KNOW which way we are going?


No matter how fast we live our lives, Eternity is a Long, Long time - It would be nice to know where we will spend it!

COMMENTS (from previous posting)
loren said...

Hi,

As I was reading this, it struck me just how signifiganet it is for us to know, in relation to the judgment, that Jesus died and rose from the dead.

As the firstborn from the dead, Jesus represents all that we really need to understand about the judgment. (I could quote Scriptures for this, but I'm trying to keep the concept open to others besides Chrisians.)

As the firstborn, He is the pattern; in Him is the assurance, if we are joined with Him; through Him is the leadership and the breakthrough itself. Clinging to Him is our life, even through death. And as He reigns we shall reign with Him. Life is not an end, but a new beginning through the One who loved us and gae Himself for us.

Also, a very interesting insight into the karma folks. Lots of people believe things without even knowing it.

Escape CondemnationJudged Part 2

In “Dead and Judged”, we concluded that everyone faces judgement. There is a judgement and with a judgement, comes a verdict. There are no ‘hung juries’, God alone will judge. That means there are two alternatives - ‘not guilty’ and ‘guilty’.

“God is a God of Love - He would not sentence me to damnation!” It is an Absolute Truth - God is Love! That statement is definitive, but incomplete. God IS Love, He is also righteous, and perfect. God will judge everyone by the same standard - His. The ‘evidence’ God will use in judgement is the life one has lived. He will not sentence one to damnation, unless they have damned themselves. “For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”” (Romans 14:11) God’s judgement of each individual is purely dependent on what that individual has done.

“I’ve lived a pretty good life and tried to do the right thing, so I’m okay!” Unfortunately, living a good life is not ‘good enough’. Romans 3:23 tells us, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” That means, no matter how ‘good’ a life one has led, one has fallen short somewhere. The tiniest infraction, no matter how small, is enough to damn one. Go ahead, look in the mirror - look yourself square in the eye. Can you honestly say that you have NEVER done ANYTHING wrong - never told a ‘white lie’, never disobeyed an authority figure or law, never been unkind to someone? Do not ‘rationalize’ it; just remember everything you have ever done. Can you honestly say, “I have NEVER done ANYTHING wrong?”

He explains very clearly that the ONLY way into His House is through righteousness. No one that has ever done anything wrong is righteous. God will most certainly condemn anyone that is not righteous to eternal separation from Him - He will only allow righteousness in His House.

“But He’s the God of Love - how can He sentence me to condemnation?”
Again, God is Love, and He proves it:
John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

Romans 5:7 puts it in a little better perspective, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.”
That is a good definition of love - sacrificing one’s self for one’s friends or sacrifice for a ‘good man’.

God shows us how much greater His love for us is by this definition.
Many have heard and quoted John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
That gets a better handle on God’s love for us…He gave His own Son to die for ‘the world’.

Get an even better understanding.
Let us take a closer look at that sacrifice:
“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

Wait a minute, not for a friend, or a righteous man, “for the ungodly”.

Make it even clearer:
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.
Again, He did not die for a ‘good man’, a ‘friend’, or a righteous man, but for “sinners”. We know from Romans 3:23 that includes everyone.

“But He is love, He will not really condemn me!”
GOD DOES NOT WANT TO CONDEMN ANYONE!
John 3:17 tells us that, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
God does love you. God does not want to condemn. He provided a way to be ‘righteous’ so the curse of Romans 3:23 “all have sinned” can be lifted.

However, understand this, there is only ONE way to lift that curse - the blood of Jesus Christ!
"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." 1 Timothy 1:15

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

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life." John 5:24

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

"And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved,” Acts 16:30-31


Fall on to your knees, and face the facts:
You will be judged.
There are only two possible outcomes - Communion with God or Separation from God.
God loves you and does not want to condemn you!
He has to condemn you if you have ever done anything wrong.
He has provided the means to escape that condemnation - Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

All it takes to be judged righteous is belief, acknowledgement, repentance (confession), trust, and acceptance!
We believe that God’s promises are true, that we need His redemption.
We acknowledge that Jesus Christ is God; that He came to earth as a man in order to live the sinless life that we cannot live; that He died in our place, so that we would not have to pay the penalty we deserve.
We confess our past life of sin -- living for ourselves and not obeying God.
We admit we are ready to trust Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
We ask Jesus to come into our heart, take up residence there, and begin living through us.

A simple prayer (talk to God) for salvation*:
“Dear God, Thank you for hearing my call. I believe your Word is true and I need redemption. I acknowledge Jesus Christ, your Son died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sin. I know I have sinned, that in your eyes I am unworthy. I ask you now, to forgive my sins, because you promise that your Son’s sacrifice is able to do that. Jesus Christ, I ask you save me, I cannot save myself. I accept your sacrifice in my place, and having cleansed me from sin, enter my life, make me new, help me to abide in You, serve You, and worship You. Be Lord of my life. Thank you for your wonderful gift.”

Even simpler*:
“Dear Lord Jesus I am a sinner. I believe that you died for my sins. Forgive my sins. Right now I turn from my sins and open the door of my heart and life. I receive you as my personal Lord and Savior. Through the help of the Holy Spirit I will serve you all the days of my life.”


*There is no ‘magic formula’ prayer that guarantees ‘Salvation’ -a verdict of ‘not guilty’. The words of the prayer themselves are not important, it is their meaning… It is in your heart: You acknowledge you are guilty. You believe God promises to relieve that guilt. You believe that Jesus Christ already paid the price to make you righteous. You ask Him to forgive you for your sins. You ask Him to make you righteous. You ask Him to accept you as you accept Him. You trust His word is true.

Do a ‘Google’ search “Prayer of Salvation” - there are hundreds of ‘prayers’ listed - most acknowledge the same thing: - Believe in the sacrifice of Christ because without it there is only condemnation.

COMMENTS (from previous posting)

Mark 1:17 said...

Awesome Post!
God is Love, but He is also Just!
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father, but through Him!

Thanks,
David


Unchained Slave said...

Mark 1:17 is Correct,
God is Love
God is Righeous
God is Perfect
& Among other attributes,
GOD IS JUST


loren said...

Hi David,

I think some people have a hard time accepting the fact that even one sin is enough to condemn them. They don't understand that God's purpose in doing it this way is to have mercy on all.

To illustrate this point, we need only focus on the opposite. Okay, go ahead and live that perfect life if you can, since you want the chance to prove yourself. One sin? Let's get real!

By confiding all under sin in this way, God has actually removed the burden of utter merit from our lives. Instead He placed that burden on one Man, Jesus Christ, who alone was able to live so perfectly.

When we believe in Jesus, our life is joined with Him in the death that He died for us all; and in the likeness of His resurrection we will live again through Him.

This is a very great mercy. Those who are reluctant should understand God's love and generosity in doing it this way. But how will they escape if the neglect so great a salvation?

I hope this helps your readers.

ADDENDUM (Already Judged)

Those who have accepted the Gift of Life from Jesus Christ are already judged righteous!
We will NEVER have to ‘be judged’ righteous again! Not at death, not at the ‘Rapture’, not at the ‘White Throne Judgement’

“and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Acts 13:39

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),” Galatians 3:13

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” John 5:24

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13 (Ephesians 4:30).

Let us try to be 'true' to the spirit of this blog - Let us keep it simple; “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Romans 11:29 (Romans 11:25-33)
It does not get much simpler than that...

(Psalm 37:28; Matthew 19:29; John 1:12-13; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:37; John 10:27-28; John 14:16-17; John 17:11; Acts 13:39; Romans 4:6-7; Romans 6:2 -7, 18, 22; Romans 8:2-4, 30, 38-39; 2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:30; Colossians 3:3; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 4:18; Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 10:17; Hebrews 12:2; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 1:4-5, 23; 1 John 3:2; 1 John 5:13; Jude 24)



Thanks to “Mark 1:17”, David Blissett at "Get Out of The Boat" for this excellent link: "50 Reason why a Saved person can never be Lost!"



Stay tuned. In "Judged - Part 3 Addendum we address why, if Christians are already judged 'NOT GUILTY' why we do 'Good Works'.

Back Door To HeavenJudged 3

In “Dead and Judged”, we concluded that everyone faces judgement. Because there is a judgement, with a judgement, comes a verdict. There are no ‘hung juries’, God alone will judge.
In “Escape Condemnation”, we learned that God loves us so much, He gave us an escape - Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ can provide us with a ‘not guilty verdict’.

The question then becomes, is there another way? Is there something else we can do to get ‘into heaven’? Is there a Back Door?

The answer is NO!

Listen to what He said:
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."" John 14:6

“No one comes to the Father except through ME!” Jesus Christ said it Himself. This verse is so important because it DEFINES the simple truth - Christ ALONE is the way to escape condemnation.

What about the Back Door?
We live in a world that wants to believe there is a way to ‘escape’ judgement. Or, better yet, something other than the simple truth, “I am the way”, is good enough to get us into heaven. We are taught ‘trying to live a good life’ is enough. We are taught following some ‘path’ of living is enough. We are taught some ‘magic formula’ is enough. Some believe that wearing a ‘necklace’ is enough…



It is hard to read the inscription - it says, “Whosover dies wearing this Scapular shall be saved”… Wearing a ‘magic necklace’ is NOT going to save anyone… Sadly - there are people that actually believe this.

We are taught, in some cases, that just believing the simple truth is NOT enough - in addition to believing that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, we have ‘follow’ some pre-defined formula.

Again, what did He say, "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."" This sentence ends with a period not a comma.

IT sounds like we are beating a dead horse. Think about this:
Crucifixion is probably one of the Most Painful ways to die that there is. First, the pre-crucifixion rituals physically exhaust one (the beatings, the chains, the carrying of the crossbar through a city and up a hill). Then there comes the pain of literally nailing one to the wood. If one has ever stepped on nail or hit one’s thumb with a hammer - think about how much more painful it would be to actually drive a spike through the hands and feet. Then one is ‘gently’ (as if anyone is going to be gentle with a condemned criminal) hoisted onto a pillar. In that position, tremendous pressure on the chest makes breathing difficult, and often dislocates the shoulders. In order to breathe, one has to pull up with arms, wrenching at the nails through the hands, and push downward with legs, wrenching those nails… Every breath is searing agony. That continues, until one suffocates. It gives new meaning to the phrase “cruel and unusual punishment”.


Jesus was fully God and fully man. He KNEW what was about to happen to Him. He knew that He was going to be beaten. He knew people were going to curse, ridicule, insult, and humiliate Him. He knew He was going to be crucified¹…

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, knowing His own future. Here is what happened, “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”” Matthew 26:39, and a second time in verse 42, “Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.”” It says, He prayed a third time in verse 44, “So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.”²

Pay Attention: Three times Jesus Christ asked God if there was ANY OTHER WAY!
Mark 14:36 records Him as saying, “…Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

Three times Jesus begged not to have to bear the burden of the world’s sins. Can one honestly believe that God would not have provided Him a ‘Back Door’ into Salvation if one existed? If there was anything humanity could do to ‘merit’ salvation - a ‘not guilty’ verdict, why would God require His Son to go through that agony and torture? Paul tells us in Galatians 2:12, “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” In other words, a back door through man's efforts makes Christ's sacrifice worthless. Is it possible to honestly believe that if wearing a ‘magic necklace’ or following some ‘magic formula’ would get one into heaven, that God would have required such a sacrifice?

The bottom line is this:
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."" John 14:6

If there were a ‘Back Door’, Jesus would never have had to suffer and die on the Cross³. It is that obvious. If there were another way - God would have provided it for His own Son!

There is No Back Door! The ONLY door is through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ!




¹ [This point bears consideration - Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be - The Christ, The Son of God - OR He was the stupidest man that ever lived. Crucifixion was the ‘Roman’ form of execution. Jesus was not the first person be crucified. He probably witnessed it many times and knew its horror. At any point during His trials He could have simply said, “No, I am not the Christ.” Had He done so, the worst thing that could happen is a quick death by stoning or at best, freedom.]

² Full text is Matthew 26:36-46 cross referenced to Mark 14:32-42 & Luke 22:39-46.

³ See ‘The Sufferings and the Glory’ for a full account of the ‘Passion of Christ’ (His betrayal, sufferings, trials, death, and resurrection).

COMMENT (from previous posting)

loren said...

Hi,

This was a great posting, I really liked the case you made by using Jesus Himself as the example!

I'm not sure if most people know this, but the English word 'excruciate' comes from 'crucify'. It really is the most brutal form of death imagineable. Through this, Jesus is able to succor anyone who is facing any other form of death.



Blessings in Christ.

ADDENDUM (Why Do Good Works)
We have learned that Christians are already judged righteous (Judged 2). From this article we have learned that Nothing man can do can 'get them into heaven'. There is no back door...


So why do good works as a Christian?
Simply, there are five reasons why ‘Christians’ do ‘good works’ with the full and certain knowledge that works will not get us into heaven…

Obedience: Colossians 3:23, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,”. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Titus 2:14)

Glorify God: We have quoted 1 Corinthians 10:31 repeatedly as a foundational verse.
Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Share the Gospel: “You are the only Bible some people will ever read.” This continues to be true statement. Doing good works in the Name of Jesus Christ is an avenue to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:28-29 tells us to be ‘Christ like’ with the INTENT of sharing the Gospel. (see "Views: Doctrine 101.1" for an explanation of this abused passage.)
We are to be Christ like. Ephesians 1:6 tell us, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”
If the Holy Spirit is doing a good work in us, we should also be doing good works.

“They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love,” a song by Peter Scholtes (© 1966) is a very good song. 1 Corinthians 13 talks about all the things we can “DO”, but reminds us that without love they are meaningless. That love is for God, the sinner, and the saint.

Know the Gospel: 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” If the Spirit of God dwells in us how can we NOT show it in the things we do. (Psalm 119)
Joshua 1:8, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”

Treasures in heaven:
Lastly, our works determine many things in heaven (and the next life). Our position and stewardship is determined (2 Timothy 2:12, Revelation 5:10, Luke 19:11-27). We have available a crown of righteousness, a crown of glory, a crown of life, a crown of joy, and a crown which is imperishable (2 Tim. 4:7-8; 1 Peter 5:4; James 1:12; 1 Thess. 2:19; 1 Cor. 9:25). All because of what WE, as Christians, do (our works) in this life.

How Simple Is That?

[This is an edit of an article originally Posted Monday 26 September 2005, titled: “What Was His Name? or How Simple Is That?]

‘Learned’ people, in religious circles, like to throw around 'big' words. Words like justification, sanctification, imputed, imparted, dogma, doctrine, and propitiation are just a few… That is fine, but these words often confuse. Sometimes when these types of conversations start, one feels like “a hog looking at a wrist watch”.

It gets murky quickly. The ‘gospel made simple’ becomes a confusingly litany of do and do not. [†] After re-reading this quote, “Any clear presentation of the gospel of grace would include the following in some measure:” followed by a list of twelve ‘necessary’ requirements. The ‘response’ to the gospel is a list of nine evidentiary requirements. In other words, to ‘present the gospel’ requires twelve elements - someone responding to the gospel would require nine elements of ‘evidence’. I decided to ‘re-post’ this (edited) article.

I am a K.I.S.S. person. K.I.S.S. is the acronym Keep It Simple I am Stupid. So let us K.I.S.S. this whole salvation ‘thing’, (with its 12 & 9 requirements) with a little Bible history lesson.

What was the name of the first person to die a ‘believer’? Who was it that first died believing that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and only through His crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection, one could receive salvation instead of being condemned and sent to hell?

Many people will say, “That is easy, it was Steven in Acts 7:60-8:2.” Um, wrong, Steven was the first recorded martyr, that is the first person executed for believing it, and teaching it. However, he was not the first one to die believing.

No, the first ‘believer’ to die was a thief. We do not even know his name. The Bible does not record his name… Just that he was the first.

Who was he and why is he important to us?

When Jesus was crucified (hung on a cross), He was crucified with two other men. The Bible tells us that they were thieves (convicted criminals). We read ‘their story’ in Luke 23:39-43.

One of the thieves reviled and mocked Jesus.

The other did not, in Luke 23:40-41, he defends Jesus, “But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

He goes on in verse 42, “Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

This in the simplest terms is the ‘gospel of salvation’!

Was this some kind of ‘special’ salvation (as some religions claim)? Alternatively, was this the entire ‘gospel’ message in the K.I.S.S. format?

This is the K.I.S.S. ‘gospel’.

Let us look the ‘elements’ of the thief’s declaration.
The thief admitted that he deserved to be condemned, that he deserved to die for his own crimes (vs. 40 & 41).
The thief recognized Jesus’ was blameless (vs. 41).
The thief recognized that Jesus was ‘his’ master by using the title ‘Lord’ (vs. 42).
The thief recognized Jesus was more than just a man and in fact ‘The King’ (which meant The Messiah) (vs. 42).
The thief asked to be ‘remembered’ (vs. 42).

The thief admitted that he was getting ‘what he deserved’. The thief ‘knew’ because of his own actions, there was nothing but a guilty verdict and death. The thief ‘knew’ that the only way ‘out’ of his condemnation was Jesus Christ. That is, nothing the thief could do was worth anything, only Jesus’ actions could save him.

How did Jesus Christ answer this thief?

“And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”” Luke 23:43.

Jesus Christ saved the thief. This unnamed thief was the first person to die ‘believing’ the ‘whole’ “gospel of Jesus Christ the power of God for salvation”. He was the first ‘Christian’ to die. Ephesians 2:8-9, tells us it is not of ourselves, it is a gift. Jesus Christ did not ‘owe’ the thief anything; He gave the thief a place in ‘Paradise’.

That is the Promise of the gospel of Jesus Christ - believe and you will be saved!

This unnamed thief is important to us because his ‘profession and belief’ is the definition of salvation made simple.

It really is that simple…


[†] 2 Corinthians 11:3 reminds us that the gospel is simple. Here is simple - the entire “gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation” in one verse: Romans 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” WE deserve death, God is willing to gift us eternal life, the way is through Christ.

Again, it really is that simple…

Seeing Black & White in a World of Shades of Grey.

Now that you know what I believe, you need to understand how I (try to) view the world.

Some call this a Christian or Biblical World View:

Jesus Christ lived a sinless life: Matthew 1:22, 23: Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5: 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; I Cor. 15:3, 4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13
Hebrews 4:14-15, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

God is the all-powerful (omnipotent) and all-knowing (omniscient) Creator of the universe and He rules it now and forever: Gen. 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2: 2 Cor. 13:14
Psalm 90:1, 2, “Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.”

The Bible is accurate in all of its teachings: 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; 12:6; Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 5:18
Psalm 119:160, “The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.”

Ergo: If Jesus Christ is real, God is real, and the Bible is accurate:

Then the following must ipso facto be TRUE:

Salvation (eternity spent with God as opposed to being separated from God in Hell) is a gift…It is impossible to earn. Romans 6:23; Eph. 2:8, 9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Revelation 3:20
Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Satan is a real entity. 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 9:11; John 8:44; Acts 5:3
1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

Christians have a Duty to share their faith with other people. I Peter 2:9; Matthew 28:19, 24:14, 26:13; Mark 14:9; Romans 1:8; Colossians 1:6
Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

Absolute Moral truth EXISTS and the Bible defines THAT TRUTH. 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; 12:6; Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 5:18; Philippians 4:8; 1 Samuel 12:24; 1 Corinthians 13:6; Ephesians 5:9:
2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
John 17:17, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”

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The ‘Moral’ TRUTH of the Bible is one of the most assaulted parts of Christian life. We are battered constantly by ‘situational ethics’ and humanism. There is a constant battle to get Christians to compromise that ONE FACT. “You Shall Not Steal.” Means YOU SHALL NOT STEAL! Not,”It is okay if you are not caught.” Not, “They were not using it anyway.” Not, “I just borrowed it.” Stealing is stealing. As Christians, as people living in a corrupt world, we are constantly tempted by ‘little sins’, and ‘little white lies’. “Everybody does it,” is not an answer, its rationalization. Satan is using the world constantly to convince Christians that rationalizing sin makes it not sin. The major purpose of this assault is to get us to compromise. If Satan can coerce us into compromising ONE aspect of Truth…ALL Truth becomes suspect. If we say just once, “The Bible doesn’t REALLY mean that,” then EVERYTHING else becomes compromised. The Bible is not situational ethics; it is True…the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. What is right is right, everything left is wrong. The Bible is definitive…it is absolute black and white, right and wrong. It is not ‘sometimes right’ and ‘sometimes sin’.

There is a line in a movie that goes something like, “When you dance with the Devil, you don’t change the Devil, he changes you.” It is an excellent paraphrase of the importance of standing firm on beliefs. Fortunately, the opposite is true, and promised. When you spend time with God, God changes you! (Romans 12:1-2).

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Understand it is a life’s endeavor (and Christian duty) to see only black and white in world that Satan wants to be seen as shades of grey.

Setting the Record Straight.

Before beginning this blog, we need to set the record straight!
It is important for the reader to know WHAT I BELIEVE. (Sometimes called a ‘statement of faith’ and used almost exclusively by churches and ‘religious’ organizations, I believe an ‘Individual’ should have a ‘statement of faith’. The preferred format is written, with Biblical references. This allows individuals to remind themselves of where they stand, so they do not fall prey to the plethora of ‘kind of Biblical’ doctrines abounding today.)

Where Do I Stand?
I start with a quote by Count Zinzendorf, a leader of the Protestant Reformation. The Quote from Count Zinzendorf is “in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty and in all things charity (love).”
Here is what I believe and live by as the essentials of the Christian faith.

B.L.U.F. – Bottom Line Up Front
Jesus Christ, GOD, the one and only Son of God, crucified, dead, resurrected, reigning….IS My Savior

Zinzendorf’s quote:
In essential beliefs — we have unity:
“There is one Body and Spirit…there is one Lord, on faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of us all…” Eph. 4:4-6.
In non-essential beliefs — we have liberty:
“Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters… Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls… So then each of us will give an account of himself to God… So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God.” Romans 14:1-4,12,22
In all our beliefs — we show charity (love):
“…If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains – but have no love, I amount to nothing at all.” I Cor. 13:2 (Ph)

GOD
I believe in one living and true God. God is the Creator, Ruler, and Preserver of all things. God is a spirit, and God is love. I believe that God is eternal, infinite, all-powerful, all wise, almighty and unchangeable, yet can be known by humanity and is intensely concerned for His creation. I believe in the unity of the Godhead, which, in the divine mystery, is one substance yet Three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God is perfectly just and righteous as well as being gracious and merciful.
Gen. 1:1, 26, 27, 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; I Peter 1:2: 2 Cor. 13:14

JESUS CHRIST
I believe in Jesus Christ as the only Son of God, fully human and fully God. I believe that he was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. By Jesus’ incarnation, God became one of us to declare best to humanity His Love and Purpose. Jesus walked among us and in his sinless ness, became the perfect sacrifice for our sin. He suffered at the hands of humanity, was crucified, died and was buried and resurrected. The purpose was to restore our relationship with God, which was broken by sin.
He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven’s glory to intercede on our behalf with the God. He will return someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Matthew 1:22, 23: Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5: 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; I Cor. 15:3, 4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; I Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13

THE HOLY SPIRIT
I believe in the Holy Spirit as the person of the Holy Trinity who lives within us. The Spirit convicts us of sin, and guides us in repentance. The Spirit offers us comfort, helps us and gives us understanding of God’s truth. The Holy Spirit also gives us the power to live the Christian life and directs us in the discovery and use of our spiritual gifts.
2 Cor. 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16, 17; Acts 1:8; I Cor. 2:12; 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Gal. 5:25; Ephesians 5:18

THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE
I believe that the Holy Scriptures (the Bible) are and shall remain the only source and rule of doctrine, faith and practice. The Bible contains all the necessary truth to lead humanity into salvation. I believe that Christ is present with us in both Word and Sacrament and I decline to determine as binding what the Scripture has left undetermined or to argue about the mysteries impenetrable to human reason. Further, the Bible is God’s Word to us. Human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote it. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because God inspired it, it is the truth without any mixture of error.
2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; 12:6; Proverbs 30:5

HUMANITY AND SIN
I believe that God created humanity in His own image, pure and sinless. Yet through sin (disobeying God’s will) all humanity is sinful, having a selfish, rebellious and depraved nature. Being created in God’s image, I have the ability to determine what is right and wrong, as well as having the freedom to choose my own path. I also will be responsible for and held accountable for my actions and choices.
Sin destroys my ability to have a relationship with God. Sin is a way of life that seeks to satisfy wants and desires without regard of God. Sin is both individual acts of resisting, mistrusting and rejecting God’s will and the condition of my existence if I do not allow God to rule and direct my life. I believe that all of humanity is in bondage to sin and all are in need of salvation.
Genesis 1:27; Psalm8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1, 2

SALVATION
I believe that Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior of humanity. Mankind cannot save itself, but Jesus Christ, by dying on the cross for our sins, has mended our relationship with God. Humanity (as individuals) can be restored to that relationship only through acceptance and belief in Jesus Christ and his gift on the cross.
Recognizing Christ as Lord and Savior gives us the free gift of eternal life. Salvation is by grace and not through any human effort. Once I am in God’s grace, nothing can separate me from that eternal relationship. It is possible to fall into sin, but through confession and true repentance, I will find forgiveness and restored fellowship with God.
Romans 6:23; Eph. 2:8, 9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5

ABOUT ETERNITY
God created people to exist forever. We will either exist eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation or face judgment and damnation. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life through salvation. Those that have not been saved will be judged on their works and then be cast into the ‘Lake of Fire’ (Hell). Heaven and Hell are REAL places of eternal existence. John 3:16; 14:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:17-18; Revelation 20:10-15; I Cor. 2:7-9

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
I believe that the true spirit of my faith is life-centered rather than creed-centered and maintain that the greatest evidence of a regenerated heart is godly living. I find guidance for living this life of faith in the simplest Christian confession, “Jesus is Lord.”
I believe the Christian Life (Sanctification) is the work of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, making the believer pure in heart and totally committed to God. This work is both instantaneous and progressive. It begins with the birth of faith and continues throughout a person’s life.
The effective Christian life brings the believers to a point where they will denounce a desire to live for themselves and will desire to live totally for God. At this point Jesus will be truly Lord of our lives.
I believe that even though humanity cannot receive salvation through good works, they are pleasing to God and give evidence of genuine faith. Christian living in itself builds faith and gives testimony to God’s will for a person’s life.
Romans 12:1,2; James 5:12; Eph. 5:22-6:4; 1 Cor. 6:1-8; Rom. 12:17-21; Gal. 5:22-23; Eph. 6:18; Phil. 4:6


MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH
I believe that the Holy Spirit has given spiritual gifts to all believers. The purpose of these gifts are the building up of the Body of Christ (the Church) - and bringing glory to God. I believe in the Priesthood of all believers and that all Christians share in the privilege and responsibility of ministry in the church.
It is the goal of every believer to discover and use his or her gifts of ministry as a witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe that the church is called to evangelize the world, make disciples, and offer worthy worship to God. This mission is concerned with the individual souls of all people as well as the structures of the world. The social ministry of the church is one of justice, peace and equality.
I Peter 2:9; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-32; 1 Cor. 12:12-13; Eph. 4:11-16

THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
I believe that Jesus Christ will return to this world again to receive his believers and to be the righteous judge of God’s perfect justice. The time of His return is unknown, but may be at any moment. This is the glorious hope of all believers. 1 Thess. 4:16-17; 1 Thess. 1:10; Rev. 3:10; Rev. 19:11-20:6