SIH’s Think On These Things: Heb 11:21

Heb 11:21  By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

The story of Jacob blessing his sons and grandsons followed by his death is found in Gen 48:8-49:33.

Here we are told that Jacob, physically weakened and facing his upcoming death (probably the same day - Gen 49:33), handed down the blessings and prophecies of God to his grandsons and then worshipped Jehovah.

If we knew that our death was approaching, how would we fill our final hours?  Would it be in the enjoyment of a worldly pleasure?  Perhaps spending time with our earthly family?   Or would we be hurrying to have arrangements made for the handling of our physical body and worldly possessions?   Worst of all, would some of us be quickly trying to find peace with God before facing Him in eternity?

How many of us, following the example of Jacob, would confidently know the Lord’s will for our lives and be seeking to fulfill it until we drew our last breath?

We do not know what tomorrow may hold for us.  It is very possible that someone who is reading this may never live another day.  Are we ready to meet our Lord?  If so, are we confident of His will for our lives and are we seeking to follow Him daily?  By actively making both spiritual and temporal preparations for our death now, we will be able to spend our last hours serving Him and experiencing His peace and the love of those around us.

May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org

SIH’s Think On These Things: Heb 11:17-19

Heb 11:17-19  By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  (18)  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:  (19)  Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

The account of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, his son, is found in Gen 22:1-19.

Abraham’s faith in the promises of God was put to the test when he was called upon to sacrifice his son, Isaac.  We had seen previously, that the conception and birth of Isaac was the result of a promise that God had given to Abraham and Sara (Heb 11:11-12).

A part of the original promise given by God was… “thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, [and] with his seed after him” Gen 17:19.  God promised that Abraham would have a son (Isaac), and also, God promised that Isaac would have descendants who would inherit the promises of His covenant.

In our Hebrews text, we read that Abraham’s faith was tried when he was called upon to offer up his son, Isaac.  As a result of his faith, he was compliant to God’s wishes and was prepared to complete the sacrifice.  What was his motivation to make this incredibly difficult decision?  He knew God was faithful in keeping His promises and He had power over physical death.

Basically, Abraham thought along these lines…

1. God has promised me that Isaac would have descendants.


2. As of yet, Isaac has had no children.


3. I know that God will not break His promise, therefore, God is not done with Isaac.


4. If God is not done with Isaac, God will still fulfill His promise and use Isaac, even if I sacrifice him.


5. Therefore, if I sacrifice Isaac, God (having all-power) will raise Isaac from the dead and use Isaac for His glory to fulfill His promises to me (Abraham).

WHAT GREAT FAITH!!!!  Abraham’s faith was blessed, as God supplied the ram as a replacement for Isaac.  God received the ram as a  “figure” (symbolic replacement) of Isaac.

Would to God, when we are called upon to serve will remember His faithfulness to His promises and His all-mighty power to intervene and give us the victory.

May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org

SIH Text Blog: http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/

SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/

SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com

SIH’s Think On These Things: Heb 11:5

Heb 11:5  By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

A short reference to the life of Enoch is recorded in Genesis 5:18-24.  He is also mentioned in Jude 1:14-15.  This is what these verses tell us about Enoch:

1. Heb 11: - Enoch lived a life pleasing to God. He affected others around him by this faithful testimony.


2. Jude 1: - How did he please the Lord?  We are told that he delivered prophecies concerning the Lord’s 2^nd coming in the last days.


3. Gen 5: - He “walked with God”. By this, we know that Enoch had a close relationship centered on communion with the Lord.

In our Hebrews text, we are told that he was “translated” by God.  A result of this “translation” is that Enoch “should not see death”.  The word “translated” carries with it three ideas…

1. To be carried or transported


2. To switch sides or transferred from one to another


3. To be changed or reshaped

Based upon the definition of “translated”, and the fact that Enoch did not face physical death, we can begin to understand what took place in the life of Enoch:

1. God took Enoch immediately from earth to heaven without Enoch experiencing physical death.


2. Since he did not experience death, we can assume that Enoch’s soul did not leave his body.  Apparently, when God “took” him, He took both his soul and his body.  If this is the case, then his body was glorified allowing it to enter into heaven in a sinless condition.


3. (If we remember, this same type of event happened one other time in history when Elijah was glorified and taken to heaven without experiencing death - 2 Kings 2:11).

What a wonderful blessing it would be to “bypass” physical death on the way to spending eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The wonderful truth is each one of us, if we have come to a saving knowledge of Christ, possess the possibility that we will never experience physical death. Our faithful Lord promises us that, if we are living when He comes again, we too, will be glorified and taken to live with Him for an eternity!  Let’s thank Him today knowing that, it is possible, we will never face death! (1 Cor 15:51-57)

May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org

SIH Text Blog: http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com/all-about-salvation/

SIH Video Blog: http://youtube.com/settledinheaven/

SIH Email: settledinheaven@gmail.com

SIH’s Think On These Things: Heb 11:4

Heb 11:4  By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

The account of Abel’s and Cain’s offerings can be found in Genesis 4:1-10.

Abel’s sacrifice was a lamb of his flock, while Cain’s sacrifice was that of the crops which he had grown.  Both were valuable personal possessions.  Both were the result of physical labor of the offering’s giver.  Both were given to the Lord.

Why was Abel’s sacrifice “more excellent” than Cain’s sacrifice?  According to our Hebrews verse, it was because Abel offered the sacrifice “by faith”.  During the sacrifice, as the lamb’s blood was being shed, Abel believed that the Messiah would come and be a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin (see Heb 12:24).  In other words, this sacrifice was a display of Abel’s faith.

This same sacrifice declared that Abel had been given righteousness (given to him by God’s grace through faith).  By accepting Abel’s offering, God was publically testifying that Abel had received the saving gifts of faith and righteousness.

Although murdered by his brother, Abel’s testimony is still spoken of throughout the ages.  How can this be?  The public testimony of Abel’s faith was recorded in God’s Word. It is this same Word that is still being read and taught 6000 years later.

Our public testimony, when mixed with faith, is pleasing to God and profitable for man.  It has lasting, eternal value. Little did Abel know that one simple sacrifice would result in an ageless example of saving faith and obedience to the Lord; so, too, our testimony of faith.  We never know how the Lord may choose to use our testimony in His sovereign plan to redeem mankind from their sin.

May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.

SIH Homepage: http://www.settledinheaven.org

The Sown Seed

Bedtime stories, Aesop’s fables, Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen and other types of “moral stories” have been a part our childhood for many generations.  How many of us have not heard the story of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, “The Hare and the Tortoise”, “Little Red Riding Hood” or “Jack and the Beanstalk”?  http://crunkish.com/top-ten-childrens-stories/   

In spite of the good moral lessons presented in many of these stories, they lack spiritual truth and Godly authorship.   In the Word of God we find a series of lessons presented by Christ in the form of illustrative stories.  These lessons are called “parables”. 

What is a parable?  The Greek word for “parable” means “to set alongside for comparison”.  This definition helps us to understand the unique Biblical aspect of the parables of Christ.  A Biblical parable is the comparison of the physical to the spiritual in an effort to reveal the spiritual.   A parable simply uses illustrations from this physical world to help reveal and explain a spiritual truth to whom it was intended.



For today’s blog entry, let’s look at one of the most well-known parables of Christ and the spiritual truth represented in it….

THE SCRIPTURE:

Matt 13:1-9

1)  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2) And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3) And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4) And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5) Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6) And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7) And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8) But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9) Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matt 13:18-23 (KJV)

18) Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20) But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21) Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22) He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23) But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

THE STUDY:

In Matthew chapter 13, we find the parable of the Sower.  In verses 1-9 we find Christ’s presentation of the parable, in verses 18-23 we find the explanation of this parable.

The parable:

1)  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2) And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

Jesus’ audience for this parable was the multitudes that were following Him.  This multitude were probably following Him for many differing reasons.  Some followed Him trying to personally see the miracles being performed; others hoped to have their physical needs supplied; and some were following out of curiosity.

3) And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 

In this parable, we are told of a man who was sowing seed meant to produce mature seed bearing plants.

The rest of the parable centers on the four areas where the seed falls.  The Lord goes further and explains the effects each area has on the seed’s production.

4) And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Area #1 – The Way Side.   As the man sows, some of the feed fell “by the wayside” (the path upon which the sower walked).  The result, the seed is eaten by the birds.  There is no fruit produced.

5) Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6) And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

Area #2 – The Stony Places.  Some of the sown seed falls in shallow earth.  The result is that the ground allows the seed to sprout but as the sun beats down upon the plant it withers due to lack of moisture due to an insufficient root system.  No fruit was produced.

7) And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

Area #3 – The Thorny Places.  Other seed feel in among the thorns.  As the seeds began to grow, the thorns crowded them out and they died.  Again, no fruit was produced.

8) But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

Area #4 – The Good Ground.  Here, the seed falls on “good ground”.  This allows the seeds to sprout, grow and mature as they were intended.  This is the only case in which fruit was produced from the seed that was sown. 

9) Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Parables were not only meant to reveal truth to those who are blessed of God but also to hide the truth from those who would misuse it.  (Matt 13:10-16, Matt 7:6)  The Lord was inviting those of the multitude who was given understanding by God to learn and apply this parable to their lives.

The explanation:

18) Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

The Lord now beings to explain the spiritual truths contained within the parable.

19) When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

The sower represents a person who is taking God’s Word and proclaiming it to others.

The seed represents the Word of God that gives access to God’s Kingdom (salvation).

The fruit produced through the sowing of the seed is spiritual fruit that is produced by all who trust in Christ.

 Area #1 – “The Way Side” – In this portion of the parable.  The wayside is a picture of the heart of a lost individual who does not meditate on but ignore or do not take seriously the message of salvation.  The birds represent Satan who keeps his attention off the message.  Satan placing in his thoughts things “more important” than the Word for the lost person.  Because of this, salvation is not received and the fruits of the spirit are not borne by the lost one.  (Luke 9:57-62)

 20) But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21) Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Area #2 – The Stony Places.  Here, the word that is received by the lost person is a novelty and for awhile he applies it to his life producing an outward reformation of his actions, not a new life within.  After a while, the novelty wears off and the lost person returns to the same lifestyle that he had departed from.  (2 Pet 2:22)

 22) He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

Area #3 – The Thorny Places.  Here we see that when a lost person hears God’s Word, if he allows the desires of his flesh to rule his life, he will nto take heed to the Word but live according to his desires for wealth and the other things this world has to offer.  (Lk 18:18-23)

 23) But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth [it]; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Area #4 – Here we find God’s Word being presented to the heart that has been prepared by God.  The Word is received, understood and acted upon.  This results in spiritual fruits being borne as the Word grows and prospers in the heart.  (John 15:1-8)

 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

 For those who are saved …

We need to thank the Lord for preparing our hearts to receive His Word. And then, out of appreciation for what He has done, we should take His Word to others, through our voice and life of displaying the fruits of the Spirit.

 For those who have yet to be saved...

Why do some men hear the gospel message and yet do not trust in Christ as their Savior? In our study today, we have seen that:

1. For some, the Word of God is ignored and not taken seriously.


2. For others, it is a simply a novelty to be followed for awhile but no real commitment to the message of the Word is ever made. 


3. And for yet others, the true value of the Word is not perceived, therefore they choose to live their life in pursuit of worldly things they believe is of greater value.

 The only person that benefited from the preaching of the Word was the person whose heart has been prepared by God to receive the Word, understand the Word, and commit to the Word and its author, Christ.  Following this commitment, the newly saved person begins to bear spiritual fruits. 

 You, too have this decision before you.  The message of God’s Word centers on His son, Jesus Christ, and the salvation we can receive through Him…

 John 3:14-21 (KJV)

14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

 Won’t you take this message seriously, turn form your sin and place your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross?

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at  http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com

 Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

What Must We Do To Be Saved? Part 3 – Faith/Belief

THE most important question that anyone can ask is the question posed by the keeper of the prison in Acts 16:30... “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”.

The answer to this question is more valuable than gold, silver and all the wealth this world has to offer.  This answer will reveal to us the path that leads to the forgiveness of our sins, the receipt of the indwelling Holy Spirit, fellowship with the Only True and Living Creator, and eternity in paradise with God Himself.  Our very spiritual life and  eternal destiny rely upon finding the answer to this question.

This question is of such importance we will be taking several blog entries to carefully  answer this question...

Blog Entry #1 Salvation

Blog Entry #2 Repentance

Blog Entry #3 Faith / Belief

Blog Entry #4 What about good works?

Blog Entry #5 What about baptism?

Blog Entry #6 What about the Lord's Supper?

Blog Entry #7 What about church membership?

We now begin our study with blog entry #3.... Faith (or Belief) ....

THE SCRIPTURES:

Acts 16:29-34 (KJV)

29) Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

30) And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

31) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

32) And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

33) And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed [their] stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

34) And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

Acts 13:36-39 (KJV)

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:

37) But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

38) Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:

39) And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

John 1:10-14 (KJV)

10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 3:14-17 (KJV)

14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

John 3:35-36 (KJV)

35) The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

36) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

John 6:32-47 (KJV)

32) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33) For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

34) Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

35) And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

36) But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

37) All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38) For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39) And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40) And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

41) The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

42) And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

43) Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

44) No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

45) It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

46) Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

47) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 11:25-27 (KJV)

25) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27) She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

John 20:30-31 (KJV)

30) And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

31) But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Rom 4:23-5:1 (KJV)

23) Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

24) But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead;

25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

1) Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Eph 2:4-10 (KJV)

4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:

7) That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

8) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10) For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

1 John 5:10-13 (KJV)

10) He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

11) And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12) He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

THE STUDY:

What is faith?  The Biblical term “faith” carries with it the idea of “reliance”, “persuasion”, “conviction”, or “trust”.  To believe or to trust are other Biblical terms for the same idea.

When we speak of faith, or belief, or trust, in Christ... we are saying that an individual is persuaded, and becomes thoroughly convinced of the Bible teachings about the person and work of Christ. This conviction leads him to totally rely upon the work of Christ as the basis of the forgiveness and salvation from his sin.  This is a Biblical faith in Christ.

A Saving faith is centered on the work  of Christ on the cross.

John 3:14-17 (KJV) - And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:  That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Following the plague of the serpents that fell upon the Israelites, they were told to look unto the brazen serpent on the pole to receive healing.  This was a wonderful picture of the salvation that comes through faith in Christ and his work.

Just as mankind is facing eternal spiritual death due to the “bite” of sin in their lives... by looking to Christ and His work on the cross by faith, they can receive forgiveness and healing from the wounds of sin. (Psa 41:4, 1 Pet 2:20-24, Isa 53:4-6)

Saving Faith is a necessity for salvation and therefore, it is a part of the great commission

Mark 16:15-16 (KJV) - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Here, we find the authority to proclaim the gospel message (the great commission) being handed down from Christ to His assembled believers.  Please note that belief, and the lack thereof, dictates the gain, or loss, of salvation.  “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”  In other words, He that believes with a sincere belief (displayed publically through the act of baptism) shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.   (John 3:14-19, John 8:21-24, 1 Pet 1:18-23)

Please note in these verses, baptism, in this context, is a distinguishing mark of a genuine belief.  Anyone who believes in Christ, and is willing to declare that belief publicly, shall be saved.  Anyone who claims to believe, but is not willing to make a public profession, for fear of ridicule, harm or rejection cannot be certain of salvation.  Why?  A true saving faith will trust in Christ to handle any adverse results of a public profession of faith.

Please note that this verse does not say... “but he that is not baptized shall be damned”.  The lack of baptism is not even mentioned as a cause of remaining under the damnation of God.

This verse, and the entire subject of the role of baptism in salvation, will be covered in great detail in blog entry #5 of this series.

A Saving Faith results in…

The removal of God's wrath

John 3:35-36 (KJV) - The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

In the prior verse, faith was said to be necessary to be removed from the damnation of God.  Here, it is said to deliver us from God's wrath.  “Damnation” carries with it the idea of “a judicial judgment”, “condemnation”, or a “just decision rendered”.  “Wrath” involves the idea of  “hot anger”, “vengeance according to justice”, “passionate fierceness”.

When these ideas are put together, we find that a saving faith removes the sinful man from God's just sentence of punishment against sin.  The punishment He has decreed against our sin is a fierce punishment flowing from His fervent anger.  (Psa 2:12, Rom 1:16-20)

The gift of eternal life

John 11:25-27 (KJV) - Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

John 20:30-31 (KJV) - And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Death involves separation.  Physical death is the state of separation between the body and the soul (spirit).  Spiritual death is the state of separation between the individual and God due to the sin of the individual.  Eternal death is the never ending state of separation from God.  The individual eternally dwelling in theLakeofFireunder God's punishment, while God is eternally dwelling on the New Earth in eternal bliss.  (Rev 20:12-15, Rev 21:1-8)

A saving faith in Christ undoes the spiritual results of sin on mankind.  Once saved, a man's communion with God is restored and when he enters eternity, he will dwell with the Lord in heaven and later on the New Earth.  (Hebs 11:16, Rev 21:, Rev 22:)

Being declared innocent of the sin we have committed

Rom 4:23-5:1 (KJV) - Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Although guilty of the commission of sin, man can find forgiveness and the removal of sins guilt  through faith in Christ.  As the shed blood of Christ is applied to our account washing away our sin, we then can be declared innocent of the very sin that before had condemned us. (1 John 1:5-10, Rev 1:4-6)

The presence of saving faith in our life can be a certainty.

1John 5:10-13 (KJV) - He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; [and] he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

It is through a lifestyle of trusting in Christ that we can find assurance of our salvation experience.  Trusting in Christ is not simply a one time act, it is an act repeated every day many times a day under the leadership of the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Once we are genuinely saved, a part of our changed life is a continuous looking to Him, believing His Word and relying on Him during all our day to day issues of life. (Rom 1:17,  Hab 2:4, Gals 3:10-14)

Salvation is given to sinful man by faith not keeping the works of the law

Acts 13:36-39 (KJV) 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:  But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.  Be it known unto you therefore, men [and] brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Eph 2:4-10 (KJV) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The sinfulness of mankind can never be covered, nor outweighed by a man's morally good works.  The Bible makes it plain that a man cannot merit salvation through his good works.  This principle is so important we will be devoting blog entry #4 in this series to an in depth study of the Bible teachings concerning the relationship of good works to salvation.

In the above two verses, we can clearly see that neither the keeping of the Mosaic law, nor good works of any kind can merit salvation.  This teaching eliminates many good works that are falsely taught to merit salvation... baptism, church membership or partaking of the Lord's supper.  Again, as our series progresses, each of these false teachings will be examined in detail. But for now, suffice it to say that good works cannot merit salvation.  Salvation comes by grace through faith upon the people of God. (Roms 3:23-28, Roms 4:1-8, Roms 10:1-10, Titus 3:3-8)

Saving Faith comes to mankind via the will and grace of God

John 1:10-14 (KJV)  He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John 6:32-47 (KJV) Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.  But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.  For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.  And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.  And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?  Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.  It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

Faith and repentance are very similar in many aspects.  One of those aspects is the fact that mankind is unable to repent nor believe apart from Divine intervention in his life.  Please notice in the above verses, we find explicit teaching on this truth...

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

“But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.  All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

“Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Although mankind is responsible to repent and believe, because of their fallen nature and sinful condition they cannot come to Christ apart from the gracious intervention of God.  This is one of the greatest displays of God's love and grace.... to intervene in the life of a rebellious, sinful,  helpless man and open his sin blinded eyes, convict him of his sin, lead him to Christ and grant him repentance and faith.  (James 1:17-18, Roms 8:29-31, 2 Tim 1:8-12)

Faith and Repentance are two sides of the same coin

Mark 1:15 (KJV) And saying, The time is fulfilled, and thekingdomofGodis at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Matt 21:28-32 (KJV)  But what think ye? A [certain] man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.  He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.  And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I [go], sir: and went not.  Whether of them twain did the will of [his] father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.  For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen [it], repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.

You cannot have repentance with faith and faith without repentance.  This is what I mean by the phrase, “faith and repentance are two sides of the same coin.”   For a person to come to faith in Christ, he must experience a change of attitude and heart concerning God's Word, Christ and His work, and his own sinful condition.  This change is repentance.  Without it genuine faith in Christ cannot be experienced.  Likewise, without a new set of beliefs existing in the heart, no real change can take place in the lives of man.  Truly, in the mind of God repentance and faith are inseparably linked.

Clearly, both repentance and belief are necessary in the experience of salvation.  Note in our verses above.... “repent ye, and believe the gospel” and “and ye, when ye had seen [it], repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.”   Although both are necessary, many times only one or the other is mentioned as a necessity for salvation....  Here are two examples...

Luke 5:31-32 (KJV) And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Acts 16:31 (KJV)

31) And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

In these examples only one or the other is mentioned not both.... Why does this take place?

Because, they are so closely related that when the Bible mentions one, it is automatically implying the other.  We CANNOT believe without experiencing repentance that leads us to that belief.  Likewise we CANNOT repent and turn to Christ without becoming convinced of Bible truths about ourselves, our condition and Christ and His work.

In this blog entry we have seen the very basic principle of the necessity of faith (or belief) in the salvation experience... In the following blog entries we will continue to study, in detail, the answer to the question “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

If you have any questions about your condition or the salvation that the Lord so graciously offers,  you can look to several sources for further information:  A local Bible-teaching church in your area, or you are welcome to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com, or you can refer to my blog page entitled “How to have a relationship with God” for more teachings on the subject of salvation.

 May the Lord bless you as you seek His truth.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Main Blog “Settled In Heaven” (updated twice weekly) – http://settledinheaven.wordpress.com

The following are other places you can find “Settled In Heaven” blog (updated once per month):

www.settledinheavenbibleblog.posterous.com

www.settledinheavenblog.blogspot.com

To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at  http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven

If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com

Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

Easter Week Devotion: The Resurrection Of Christ

The resurrection of Christ and the witnesses to that resurrection hold a key place within the Word of God. Both of these subjects are a part of the gospel message, the good news of Jesus and what He has done for His people…

1Cor 15:1-8 (KJV) –

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”

In this study we will be looking at the details of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and the witnesses to that resurrection.

THE SCRIPTURE:

Matt 28:1-8 (KJV)

In the end of the sabbath, … And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

 

Mark 16:1-8 (KJV)

And when the sabbath was past… And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any [man]; for they were afraid.

 

Luke 24:1-12 (KJV)

Now upon the first [day] of the week,… Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

 

John 20:1-10 (KJV)

The first [day] of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early,… Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

THE STUDY:

The resurrection account in chronological order…

The Stone Rolled From The Door By An Angel of the Lord

Matt 28: 2-4 - And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead [men].

Mary Magdalene and “the other” Mary and Salome come to the sepulchre, look in and find it empty

Matt 28:1- In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre

Mark 16:1-3 - And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first [day] of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

Luke 24:1-3 - Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain [others] with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

John 20:1- The first [day] of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

 

At seeing the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene runs to tell other disciples leaving the other Mary and Salome behind.

John 20:2- Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

 

The Angel of the Lord appears to the remaining women, after they enter the tomb, and give them instructions.

Matt 28:4-6- And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

Mark 16:4-7- And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

Luke 24:4-8 - And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down [their] faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words,

 

Peter and John leave Mary Magdalene and leave for the tomb.

John 20:3- Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple,

 

Before Peter and John’s arrival, the women (the other Mary and Salome) obey the angel and find the Peter and John and the other disciples telling them what had taken place.

Matt 28:8- And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

Mark 16:8- And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any [man]; for they were afraid.

Luke 24:9-11- And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary [the mother] of James, and other [women that were] with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

 

Peter and John arrive at the tomb

Luke 24:12- Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

John 20:6-9- So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, [and looking in], saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

 

Peter and John leave the tomb

John 20:10 - Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

What a confusing, joyful, and terrifying morning this must have been for the followers of Christ… so many questions and so few answers. There are a few very significant verses that help us to understand in the state of mind of the followers of Christ following all the excitement of this blessed Sunday morning…

Matt 28:8, Mark 16:8 – The Women: “fear”, “afraid”

Matt 28:8 – The Women: “great joy”

Mark 16:8 – The Women: “trembled”

Mark 16:8 – The Women: “amazed”

Luke 24:12 – Peter: “wondering”

John 20:8 – John: “believed”

Please take special note of John’s reaction… in the midst of such an exciting, extraordinary joyous and fearful event… the Bible simply says that John “and he saw, and believed”. What faith! Oh that we all could be as the Apostle John!

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

For those who are saved …

As we look at this account of that wondrous Sunday morning let us all, on a dialy basis, be thankful for the resurrection of our Lord. It is by this resurrection we can rest assured that His Word is true, His Work of redemption is complete, and that He is truly the Son of God, King of King and Lord of Lords!

For those who have yet to be saved...

This account as written in God’s Word is the only trustworthy and reliable account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This resurrection is absolute proof that Jesus was who He claimed to be, The Savior of the World who has brought salvation to His people….

Matt 1:21 (KJV) - And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Such a miraculous event is bound to work up doubts in any of our minds. As we have seen, even His followers, in the early hours of that Sunday morning had many doubts about what had actually taken place. But thanks be to our Lord for He had allowed MANY witnesses to see Him following His resurrection. Many witnesses saw Him to prove beyond doubt that He had arisen and His work of redemption on the cross has been brought to completion…

1Cor 15:4-8 (KJV) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Turn from your sin to the Lord Jesus Christ. Come before Him realizing that He alone can save you from your sins. Believe that He died upon the cross bearing your sin. And then rest in the knowledge that He arose from the dead, to prove all of this is true.

If you have any further questions about the salvation that our Lord so graciously gives, please feel free to read my blog page… “How to have a relationship with God”. Otherwise, you can contact a Biblke based church, they will be glad to answer any of your questions about salvation that you may have. Or, you are welcome to contact me via a blog comment or email, it will be my privilege to answer any questions you may have about salvation and the work of Christ.

May the Lord bless you with His salvation.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

To see this lesson taught on video please go to my Video Blog at http://www.youtube.com/settledinheaven

If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

Take A Look At My Wife’s Artistic/Scriptural Devotion Blog http://alivewithchristart.blogspot.com

Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace

May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’m Late, I’m Late for a Very Important Da...errr… Discovery! (Part #2)

We have previously looked at seven different scientific “discoveries” that were first revealed to man by God in His Word.  It was only after many years that the scientific community “caught up” to the Bible, and affirmed the existence of these wonders of nature. 

 Unfortunately for mankind, a majority of the scientific community has still not caught up to the Bible.  In particular, there are at least two scientific truths revealed in the Bible that science has not accepted, but has actually rejected.  The denials of these truths have widespread ramifications for all of mankind.

  THE SCRIPTURE:

 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  (Rom 1:20-23)

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.  (Psa 139:13-18)

THE STUDY:

Here in Rom 1:20-22, the Bible describes men who have blinded themselves to the revelation of the Creator that is found in nature (Psa 19:1-6, Isa 40:22-26, Psa 8:3-9).  By misleading themselves, they deny the very existence of a Creator God.  These verses can easily be applied to many scientists that have existed both in the past and the present day.  They have claimed much wisdom and, yet, are shown to be foolish, by denying the unquestionable evidence of God found in all of nature. 

There is at least one other truth that science has yet to come to accept.  In Psa 139:13-18 – we find the truth that a child’s life begins at the child’s conception.  It is at conception that the child’s formation begins with the receipt of their genetic code (the book), before any of the child’s distinct body parts were existing (that which is unperfect).  It is this genetic code that dictates how the child’s members are fashioned and formed.     The Bible makes it a very plain truth that, at conception, a child exists with a life of their own.  This is proven by possessing a distinct genetic code (DNA) from their mother’s body.  God was actively at work in the life of this child while yet in it’s mother’s womb. (Jer 1:5, Psa 71:5-6, Isa 49:1 + 5, Gal 1:15-16, Luke 1:15, Psa 22:10)

Because most of science has actively denied the obvious facts of the existence of a Creator God and the existence of life at the conception of a child, we are forced to question every “discovery” that science comes up with.  We must compare any scientific discovery with Biblical teachings and call into question any discovery that is not supported by Biblical teachings.  

THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

Why is the recognition of a divine Creator so important for mankind?  God’s role as Creator is the very origin of His authority over all (Roms 9:20-23).  Because God created us He can do with us as He pleases. He is our ultimate lawgiver, our judge, and our King all because He made us.  To do away with His creatorship, is to do away with His authority over all mankind and mankind’s need to submit to His will and way. (Dan 4:34-37)

 The truth that life begins at conception is very important for mankind to understand.  Most importantly, the murdering of the innocent life (abortion) is a heinous sin, bringing to a society God’s hottest wrath (Matt 18:3-14, Hosea 13:16).

Also, the principle of the value of HUMAN life, no matter at what stage of development, is essential to the existence of our form of society.  Our founders believed every person has a right to LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  By taking the right to life from the youngest members of our society opens the door to taking the right to life from others as well.  Older American’s right to life is now being threatened. 

The “value to society” of both the youngest and the oldest of our nation is now being discussed openly.  This is leading to a belief that if a person does not contribute to society, their life is of less value. This will lead to the taking of more life as time progresses.

 If we are saved, we need to be aware of the changes to our society that are taking place and the belief system that is leading to these changes.  As the Lord says “the truth shall make you free”.  Our responsibility as Christians is to stand up for the Word of God by teaching our acquaintances and family the truths about God’s creatorship and life’s value.   We should also be voting for those who believe these truths so that our government will begin to uphold these Godly, Biblical values.  Finally, we should PRAY that the Lord would intervene in our nation and bring about a spirit of repentance upon our people so that our nation would turn from its sin and God’s wrath would be withheld.

 For those who have not turned from their sins and turned to Christ as Lord and Savior…  study the Bible with an open mind, and see the great truths He has revealed to man.  Believe His Word, trust His message about His Son and look to Jesus for forgiveness for your sin.  He will abundantly pardon. (Act 4:10-12)

 If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

 May the Lord bless your study of His Word.  

Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”

A Place that has to be Believed to be Seen

How many times have we heard the saying…. “seeing is believing”?  In other words, experience leads to belief.  It is only when we experience something that we can then place our faith in it. This is a generally accepted attitude that has existed throughout the generations, to say otherwise is just being foolish.  Or is it? 

In their song  “Walk On” the group U2 sings the following lyrics… “Walk on, walk on;   What you got, they can't steal it;   No they can't even feel it;   Walk on, walk on;   Stay safe tonight... You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been;   A place that has to be believed to be seen”  (http://www.macphisto.net/u2lyrics/Walk_On.html)  In the context, they point out that heaven must be believed in BEFORE it can be experienced.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wfjPmDlCB0   

The need to have belief before someone can enter into heaven aligns itself with Bible teachings … “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” … “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.” (Heb 11:1, 13-14) The need for faith to precede experience is not a principle limited to our experience of heaven, the Word of God makes it clear that faith is an absolute necessity in many areas of our Christian life…

 THE SCRIPTURE:

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal 5:22-25)

 THE STUDY:

 Faith is a basic Biblical principle, going far beyond the subject of heaven.  It applies to many different aspects of Christian living… when it comes to spiritual living, belief must precede experience.   Faith is necessary for the forgiveness of sin, for the receipt of the promises of God, as well as the experience of God’s glory after our death. (Roms 5:1, Roms 4:13, Roms 5:2)   Truly the life of a Christian is a life centered on faith, which then leads to experience.

One of the most amazing things about faith is that it is not a natural part of man, it is given to us as a gift from God. (Eph 2:8-9).  This emphasizes our need for Him in all areas of our life.   At our initial salvation experience, we could not trust in Him apart from His intervention in our lives. (John 6:44)  During our Christian life on earth, we are helpless to trust His promises and receive His blessings apart from His gift of faith. (Matt 13:58)  And finally, we would all be without hope for our future without His faith being granted to us. (1 Pet 1:18-21).  Yes, the Word is so true when it says that “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. (Joh 9:33)

 THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

 In Gals 5:22-25, “faith” is described as a “fruit of the Spirit”.  In other words, like all the other fruits of the Spirit, our life should be a living testament of the faith that has been so graciously given to us.   As we live our life on earth, the choices we make exhibits our faith to others. Pastor Charles Stanley of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta Ga.; says that we should “obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.”  This is a very simple way of stating the role of faith in the life of a Christian.  By choosing to obey the Lord, we are choosing to exercise faith in Him and His promises, instead of relying on our own abilities and devices.  This is the testimony we should be living in the sight of others…ALWAYS putting the Lord first and then, by faith, trusting Him to take care of the consequences of our actions.   

 For those who have never received the Lord’s faith into your life…. Your most important responsibility is to look to Him for salvation, realizing apart from Christ, you can do nothing for your own salvation.  He must intervene in your life and save you from your sins.  By totally trusting on Christ for your salvation, you are fulfilling your responsibility and can be assured that He has given you spiritual life and a wonderful eternity awaiting you…

“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Eph 2:5-10)

If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.    I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.

May the Lord bless your study of His Word.

Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”