Funny story.
I had finished my Bible study and had turned on my laptop and set it in my lap so it could power up while I was praying. The house was silent and still and with my head bowed and my eyes closed there was this huge crash of thunder and lightening that came out of my laptop.
Scared me to death.
I think my heart stopped beating for at least three full seconds.
It was apparently this weather channel app that is now downloaded onto my computer and I can't get it off.
Anyway......
on with Slave Chapter Eleven!
Rewind
How do you feel knowing you were rescued from certain eternal judgement and given new life as the child of the King?
Only by His grace am I saved. I feel humbled and so thankful because without His grace I would be right where so many others are right now, lost and blinded by sin.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18 What does this passage say about your relationship with God?
I am God's child. I am set apart as His very own. he is my Daddy. He doesn't want me to be full of this world, but clean and holy and perfect.
Rethink
What inheritance is your because of your status as God's child?
My inheritance is everything God owns (which is everything), forever being in His presence, forever fellowshipping with Him and Jesus and believers, forever dwelling in the perfect place He has prepared for me.
2 Corinthians 4: 17-18 In what ways does the reality of your future inheritance change the way you look at the trials of this life?
This life goes by so fast and is really only a vapor in light of all eternity. Sure, there are hardships (some harder than others) but enduring them and continuing in faith is producing rewards that we will have forever. It's so worth it to endure now what you will benefit from for eternity. You know I have to give a childbirth analogy here! It's difficult, painful and exhausting and you want to give up. But, you know that you have no choice- you have to persevere and get that baby out. But, it's all worth it in the end when you look at that sweet little face and years later that few hours you were in labor really were only a vapor compared to the rest of your life.
Romans 8:15
Obey God and live in the Spirit, not because you are slaves and are afraid of your master, but because you are His sons and He is your Father, and you love Him like a Daddy and want to obey Him. It's as important to understand this today as it was then, God never changes, so any means of a relationship with Him is still the same today as it was then.
Ephesians 1:3-6 List some of the spiritual blessings that God has given believers through Jesus.
Well, first every spiritual blessing of heaven, holiness, blamelessness, love, adoption as sons, kindness to name a few.
Reflect
Romans 8:15 again, Why do we no longer need to be afraid, and how does this compare to 1 John 4:17-18?
This touches on that final point in the doctrine of grace- perserverance of the saints. (I know MacArthur names the points a little differently in the chapters, but the easiest and most common way to remember the points in TULIP). The Calvinist would say that once you are saved you are always saved. The Armenian would say that you have a free will choice to walk away from God after being saved.
This is one point of the doctrine that I adamently side with Calvin for a few reasons:
-According to Romans 8:15, we have not received a Spirit leading to fear. If we could lose our Salvation, wouldn't we always be fearful that something bad would happen and we would choose to walk away?
-If we could choose to walk away, then we are choosing to walk away in our own strength, which means we were choosing to remain in the faith in our own strength, which makes our faith a "work" which contradicts what the Bible says about Salvation- that it's not a work, but a gift. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
-John 10:28 says that no one can snatch you out of the Father's hand. If you are choosing to walk away from God, wouldn't you be "snatching yourself" from the Father's hand?
-Ephesians 1:13 says that after you believe you are "sealed in Him" which to me says that it's a done deal, not to be "undone".
This leads into............
1 John 2:19-20
"They were not really of us." Someone who has "turned away" from the faith was never really a believer in the first place.
Hebrews 6 is another area that describes someone who has never believed. They tasted (maybe they went to church, fellowshipped with believers, heard sermons, etc, they knew a bit of what it was like to follow Jesus), but were never saved. This passage never describes this person as having been saved (renewed spirit, new life, regeneration, etc.) only that the person tasted and walked away. This person never became a true believer, but they knew exactly what they were walking away from.
The bottom line is this: Scripture seems to clearly indicate that if you have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are now an adopted son of God the Father, a fellow heir with Jesus forever and nothing can change that position once you have it.
React
As God's children, we should no longer fear death, because it will usher us into the presence of our heavenly Father. How has your attitude toward death changed since you accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
Death for the believer really is a time of great joy. Only then will we get to see our Heavenly Daddy and Lord Jesus face to face and be in their presence forever, and fully partake of our inheritance as children of God. Sure, it would be sad to leave behind your earthly family, but if they are believers, it will really be only briefly until they can join you again.
I would think death for an unbeliever would be terrifying-fear of the unknown. The atheist would hope to just cease to exist, the agnostic would hope those other religions like reincarnation aren't true and others would hope that they've "done enough good" that God will let them into heaven. Certainly God would have mercy, right? Folks, God has mercy. That's why He's already sent his Son to die for us. Please don't wait til it's too late to receive Jesus!
What are your thoughts?
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