March 1, 2009
Morning Service

Hebrews 6:1-3

 

Review:

1.      We have been discussing the principles of the Doctrine ( teaching ) of Christ.  The first things in the Doctrine of Christ. 

• Repentance from dead works.
• Faith toward God.
• The Doctrine of baptisms.  Plural.
• The laying on of hands.
• The resurrection from the dead.

And today we will look at the teaching of eternal judgment.

 

ETERNAL = Without end of existence or duration; everlasting; endless; immortal.

 

·         As a child growing up in the Nazarene church it was pounded in our minds that if we didn’t want to spend eternity in hell with the devil, we better be good, and not sin, and we would go to heaven.  Most preachers, preached this doctrine, and it is basically preached today.

·         There is a hell, and there is a heaven, but let’s see what the Scriptures say about it.  Not what Aristotle, Plato, some of the supposedly great minds of yesteryear had to say about it, but the Scriptures.

·         There has been controversy over this doctrine, as many other doctrines, for some time.  Even in the days of Jesus, some believed in the resurrection, and eternal life, and some didn’t.  These were all religious Jews, worshipping the same God, in the same synagogue.  No doubt, it is still true today.

·         Jesus spoke of hell 15 times in the books of Matt. Mk. And Luke.  Not mentioned in the book of John. 

·         The word hell is used 8 times in the rest of the N.T. twice in the book of Acts, quoting O.T. writings, and 4 times in the book of Revelations.

·         Jesus used the word Heaven 144 times in the books of Matt. Mk. Luk. And Jn.

·         The word Heaven is used 112 times in the rest of the N.T.

Upon being converted, giving my heart, and life to the Lord, I had a thirst for the Word of God, and a hunger for the understanding of God’s will for me.  It wasn’t a fear of God, but a since of the wonderful love that God had for me, that’s what brought me to my knees before God.

 

As I began my walk with God, there were good times, and bad times.  I experienced controversy in doctrinal understanding in places where I would worship.  Not satisfied with the answers I would receive for the questions I would have.  Rather than use the Word of God, most would end up saying “well we have taught this for so long, that we can’t change now.”  

 

• As I look back on my walk with God, I know it was difficult for Judy, but she was right by my side all the time.  Not once did I lose contact with God in my wanderings.  He was always there, in His Word guiding me on to what I consider the proper understanding of His Word.

 

As I studied different peoples thoughts, and teachings comparing them to the Word, I came across a challenge to find something in the Word.  I thought now, “here is a good thing.”  No one wanting me to look in their manual, or doctrinal book of worship, but the Scriptures.  So I jumped on this challenge with a fervent desire.  The challenge was to find where the words, immortal soul, were linked together in the Bible.  I thought, “this should be easy.”

To my surprise it was not there.  As I continued studying the subject I was taken back to the beginning to understand what it takes to make a soul.

·         Gen 2:7  And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

So it took the dust of the ground, and the breath from God, to make a soul.  Okay, without those two elements coming together, they would remain, dust, and breath, but added together they became a living soul.

Now I’m no authority on cooking, but there are some good examples of this reasoning here.  Such as, making dough.  It takes water, and flour, to make dough, I  think.  But apart they are water, and flour.  I am pretty decent in making gravy.  I use sausage, and it’s grease, flour to stir up a base, and pour in milk, and stir, and out comes some delicious gravy.  Separate, they are what they are, but together we have gravy.

 

When the miraculous birth of a child happens, it becomes a living soul when it begins to breathe the breath from God.  If it doesn’t start breathing it will return to dust, just as we do when we die.  Ecc 12:7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

 

We might reason, “well once one is born, and becomes a living soul, is it not then immortal?” 

 

Let’s go on in Geneses.   We find that eventually Adam, and Eve sin against God, by the act of disobedience.  Listen to what happens.  

·         Gen 3:22-24  And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever:  (23)  Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.  (24)  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Man does not possess eternal life in himself.  Only God ( The Eternal Spirit of Love, IJn. 4:8 ) is immortal, or eternal.

·         1Ti 1:17  Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

In the book of Ezekiel, Eze 18:20  The soul that sinneth, it shall die.  Read this for yourselves.  It is in reference to someone being punished for another’s sins.   But the point is, sin brings forth death.  Paul tells us this in the Roman letter.  Rom 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

I don’t think it can be much plainer than that.  It boils down to this;

Now death is a sleep;  listen to the Scriptures;

·         Deu 31:16  And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers;

·         2Sa 7:12  And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers,

·         Act 13:36  For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

·         1Co 15:51  Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

·         1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

There is no question that the Scriptures teach the first death is a sleep.

 

Now listen to John the Revelator: 

• Rev 2:11  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
• Rev 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power
• Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

·         Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

 

This morning we have attempted to establish the teaching in the Bible concerning eternal life, and the immortality of the soul.  The conclusion of my studies have led me to believe that only born again Christians, who possess the Spirit of Almighty God, have immortality, or eternal life.  They will sleep until the resurrection, and be raised to life eternal with God Almighty. 

Those that have died in their sins, without Christ, shall be resurrected and cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. 

Upon being resurrected, the lake of fire will be ever so real, and destructive, and the punishment is forever.

Jesus said, “Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

 

This evening we will discuss Eternal Judgment.