PAUL: A Missionary Calling

Background
The apostle Paul probably came from a family that was financially well off and of good social standing. He grew up in Tarsus where he inherited Roman citizenship (Acts 21:39; 22:25-29). One of the earliest records of Tarsus refers to its rebuilding by Assyrian King Sennacherib (705–681 BC). In 67 BC it was absorbed into the Roman province of Cilicia. It was a leading city of the Eastern Empire, with an economy based on agriculture, linen and tentmaking. Tarsus was known for its wealth and its schools which rivaled Athens and Alexandria.

Paul’s family must have been religious as they sent him to Jerusalem to study under Gamaliel, one of the most influential rabbis of that time. He would have been in his mid-teens when he went to Jerusalem, where he not only studied the Law, but according to Jewish tradition learned the tentmaking trade as an occupation to fall back on in times of need (Acts 18:3).

Training
Jerusalem was the center of Jewish religious life in Israel since King David built an altar there to worship Jehovah (2 Sam. 24:18-25). The original temple built by Solomon was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and later rebuilt in Ezra’s time (Ezra 6:14). Herod was installed by Rome as king of Judea after a successful war against the Parthians, which gained him favor and political power in Israel. As peace followed, Herod began a building program in Israel, which included a new temple in Jerusalem (20 BC), gaining him more favor. This was where Paul studied to become a teacher of the Law and a Pharisee.

Pharisees had great influence in Judea both politically and religiously. When the pharisaical system began, its purpose was to accurately interpret and observe the Law of God, as well as maintain ritual purity in Israel. But after generations they had lost sight of the spirit in which it should have been taught and practiced. As they mixed their great knowledge with extra-biblical traditions and customs (which they themselves could not keep) it resulted in what Jesus called “hypocrisy.” Jesus warned the people against the Pharisees, saying that they did not practice what they preached, so the people should do what they say and not do what they do (Mt. 23:2-3).

Paul, also known as Saul, went to Jerusalem to study under Gamaliel, a moderate among religious intellectuals. Gamaliel was an honored elder of the Sanhedrin, a governing body of priests and Pharisees. His clear thinking was seen by how he intervened when the Sanhedrin wanted to kill the apostles. He said: “Leave these men alone … For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (Acts 5:38-39).

After years of training in Jerusalem, Paul had become a well-educated, God fearing, legalistically religious, fanatical bigot. He looked back on his life after his conversion and described himself as “circumcised … of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews … a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the Church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless” (Phil. 3:5-6). As a recent graduate from the rabbinical school, Saul began his religious duties with religious fervor. Our first encounter with him in Scripture is as the leader of the mob that stoned Stephen, the first martyr (Acts 8:1). Not content with killing Stephen, he began a campaign of persecuting believers in Jerusalem and putting them in prison (Acts 8:3).

With authority from the high priest, Paul went after others who had fled to Damascus and other cities to escape persecution. While today we might wonder at Paul’s behavior, we need to understand that his knowledge of the Scriptures led him to think he was serving God. How many today are perpetrating heinous crimes in the name of God? His knowledge was intellectual. He later wrote: “We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God” (1 Cor. 8:1-3). Paul knew a lot about Scripture, but did not really know the God of Scripture. He did not know that God is love!

Calling
But something happened that would change his life so radically that he wrote: “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him” (Phil. 3:7-9).

While traveling on the road to Damascus, light flashed around Paul; he fell to the ground and heard the Lord’s voice: “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?” In the exchange that followed, Paul realized that the One whom he had been fighting was not a dead subversive but the living Christ. Though Paul was physically blinded by the Lord’s glory, his spiritual eyes were opened to know that Jesus was the fulfillment of those Scriptures and prophesies that pointed to the coming Messiah. What had been academic became a reality (Acts 9:1-9).

Paul’s response was submission to the Lordship of Christ and the surrender of his life to serve Him: “What shall I do, Lord?” (Acts 22:10). He later wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal.2:20).

The Lord told Paul to go to Damascus where he would be told what to do (Acts 9:6). His new life’s plan was not given at that time. In Damascus he fasted, prayed and waited in obedience to the Lord. This obedience typified Paul’s attitude and way of life from then on.

Ananias was instructed in a vision to go to Paul and place his hands on him so he would receive his sight again. This frightened Ananias as he knew Paul was arresting believers. The Lord calmed him by telling him that Paul was a chosen vessel who would be used by God to take His message to the Gentiles, to kings and to Israel, and who would suffer for Jesus’ name (Acts 9:10-19). After he received his sight, Paul was immediately baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to teach publicly that Jesus was truly the Son of God, the Messiah.

Process Of Change
In spite of his readiness to obey and follow the Lord, Paul was in a process of change. It’s not easy to make radical changes in our lives. What we have been taught in our formative years becomes a part of us. That’s why in many churches today older people find it hard to adapt to changes in the way some things are done. Biblical doctrines don’t change, as the apostle Paul confirmed through his writings, but the ways we understand them are colored by our cultural and spiritual backgrounds. Before his conversion, Paul saw everything from the strict traditional focus of the Jewish religion.

Now that he realized that Jesus was the Christ, the Cornerstone of Scripture, he had to re-align his understanding of Scripture. Over the next few years he lived in Tarsus, and spent time in Arabia. These years of isolation from Israel were necessary so God could work in Paul’s heart, open his mind to the true meaning of Scripture and reveal things to him he would teach to the infant Church. It was in Arabia where Paul was “caught up to the third heaven” to see things that could not be expressed in words (2 Cor. 12:2-4).

Missionary Spirit
Barnabas was in Antioch helping believers form a local church, and realized that Paul was better equipped to teach this church which was a mixture of both Jew and Gentile believers. He went to Tarsus and brought Paul to Antioch where he discipled the believers for a year. It was from Antioch that Paul and Barnabas left on Paul’s first missionary journey (Acts 13). The following years in Paul’s ministry were fruitful and effective as he established churches in many places. He made three important missionary journeys, and during those years was the first to establish churches in Europe. He discipled and trained younger men who would carry on the work even after his death. Timothy and Titus were two examples of disciples who were given great responsibility in Ephesus and Crete.

Writings
Paul’s concern for the churches caused him not only to pray for them but to write to them to encourage their collective witness and their walk with the Lord. In some cases it was necessary to correct wrong attitudes and practices such as those in Corinth. To the Romans he wrote a superb thesis on the gospel of salvation and justification by faith. He wrote to Timothy and Titus to encourage them in the important pastoral work and teaching needed for building up and strengthening the local church.

Paul’s most effective writing was from a prison in Rome. He called himself the Lord’s prisoner, realizing that the Lord was using him during the latter years of his life to write many pages of inspired Scripture that would light the paths of believers in the future: salvation by faith alone and not of works (Eph. 2:8-9); the rapture of the Church (1 Th. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15); the analogies of the Church as Christ’s body (1 Cor. 12; Rom. 12), as His bride (Eph. 5:25-27), as a temple (2 Cor. 6:16), and as a family (Eph. 2:19-20; 1 Tim. 3:15).

Life And Witness
From the day the Lord called him, Paul made Him his whole purpose for living: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Paul was ready to die for Him. Second Corinthians 11:22-33 tells us some of the ways that Paul suffered. With the Lord as his focus and goal, his main desire was to please Him: “So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it” (2 Cor. 5:9).

As Paul awaited death, he stated confidently: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). Paul turned his back on the world, and focused on the only worthwhile goal for life and eternity: “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14).

By Ian Taylor

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

top

Is good health necessary for serving the Lord? The Bible doesn’t say so. In fact it shows us that some of God’s greatest servants were used in spite of physical problems. Moses felt his speech impediment would keep him from speaking for God (Ex. 4:10), but God used him as a great leader of His people.

Paul, the subject of this month’s Feature articles, was similarly used by God in spite of “a thorn in the flesh.” And this should teach us two important lessons: God desires to use us in spite of our infirmities; and His grace is sufficient for us to serve in spite of our limitations. Shouldn’t 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 encourage us to look for ways to serve regardless of our weaknesses?

The Bible does not support the idea that God blesses His servants with “health, wealth, and prosperity” either before, during or after serving. Paul ended his career of exemplary service as a prisoner, deserted by many of his followers and without so much as a coat to keep him warm and a book to read (2 Tim. 1:15; 4:10-13). Yet in his letters he continued to encourage his co-workers then – like Timothy, Luke and Mark – and us today.

Health, wealth, and prosperity were never promised to God’s servants. Very often, a true servant’s attitude is most present in those who don’t possess these things. The desire for health, wealth and prosperity has been used by the enemy to keep many from ever serving the Lord. Pray that the servants you know don’t fall into this trap. Pray that you don’t either.

By Larry Ondrejack

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

top

Willing Service

We live in a world of change. What we see now disappears in a moment. Those in high places today are unceremoniously removed tomorrow. However, in this transitory world, there remains one thing immovable – the Holy Bible. But to our shame, there is an increasing tendency to belittle this priceless treasure.

Psalm 1 begins with the word “blessed.” One commentator has described this psalm as an introduction to Psalms which he called “God’s hymnbook.” Whenever we hear the word “blessed” what comes to mind is one who has everything. But in the Bible this word has an entirely different meaning.

The joy of the blessed man of Psalm 1 is his “delight” in God’s Word, as one who has found a great treasure (Ps. 119:162). It is important to know the source of our joy. If it is in this world’s pleasures, they will pass. Our real joy is to find delight in God’s Word “day and night.” Such a one is compared to “a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither” (Ps. 1:3 NIV). It has been said that palm trees are useful to us in over 250 ways. For example, grown trees inhale about 14,000 liters of carbon dioxide, and exhale double that amount in oxygen for us to inhale.

A godly man should be established in God’s Word for nourishment, growth and maturity that brings forth blessing to many. We reflect the divine nature by our constant communion with God in His Word. This is how we can live a life without absorbing the impurities of this world.

In a world full of changes, many storms and waves may lash against the tree of our lives. But if we are “like a tree planted by streams of water” – God’s living water – we have no reason to fear. Let us grant priority to the Lord and His Word. That’s where our blessing is.

By Philip Verghese Ariel

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

top

A Look At First Thessalonians
Part 1: Model Believers

Paul was a missionary who established churches around the Mediterranean Sea. His second missionary journey took him to Greece, then known as Macedonia and Achaia. Thessalonica, the capital of Macedonia, with a population of over 200,000, was a busy seaport. Christianity came to Thessalonica when Paul preached the gospel and some Jews and Greeks became believers (Acts 17:1-10). When the jealous Jewish leaders rioted in the city, Paul and Silas escaped at night to Berea. Paul later fled to Athens. He sent Timothy to check on the Thessalonian believers (1 Th. 2:17-3:3) while he went to Corinth. Timothy brought news of how they were standing firm despite opposition.

Paul wrote to the Thessalonian church in 50-51 AD to address the issues they faced. Jews claimed that Paul was not a real apostle; pagans persecuted them because they worshiped one God instead of many; sexual immorality was common in Greece; there were misunderstandings about the second coming of Christ; tensions arose between the congregation and the elders; and some stifled the Holy Spirit’s work, treating prophetic teachings with contempt.

Paul encouraged them “to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more” (1 Th. 4:1NIV). This letter can be divided into six sections: model believers; Paul’s example; Paul’s joy; living to please God; the coming of the Lord; and living as a Christian. In part one we look at model believers.

Introduction
“Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you” (1 Th. 1:1).

The letter begins by telling us who it was from. Whenever he could, Paul worked with others, and here he mentioned them by name. He also referred to the believers as “the church” in Thessalonica. In the Bible, “church” refers to a group of believers, not a building. Because the Greek word for “church” meant any gathering of people, the believers were referred to as being “in God … and … Christ” to distinguish them from pagans, as the rioters in Ephesus were also referred to as an “assembly” or “church” (Acts 19:32). Years later, the word “church” came to mean a gathering of Christians, instead of a gathering of any kind.

Saying they were “in” God the Father and Christ indicates two relationships. First, the Greek word for “Father” means “a nourisher, protector, upholder.” God’s relationship to a believer is that of father to child. Second, the Greek word translated “Lord” was a title for one with power and supreme authority, such as Caesar, the absolute monarch. It could be translated as “ruler,” “master,” “God” or “owner.” It was also a title of honor and respect, with which servants greeted their master. Christ’s relationship to us is that of master to servant. Christians are those who confess “Jesus as Lord” (Rom. 10:9,13). By placing “God” and “Christ” together, Paul says Christ is part of the godhead.

Paul’s Prayer
“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Th. 1:2-3).

Paul regularly prayed for these believers. They were his children in the faith. He thanked God for the changes in their lives – their spiritual birth and growth, shown by their “work produced by faith,” their “labor prompted by love,” and their “endurance inspired by hope.” His thanksgiving preceded instruction.

Their “work produced by faith” was their conversion; they “turned to God from idols” (1:9). Faith is exercised when a sinner accepts the Savior and then lives in that faith. Faith is the act of trusting God (Jn. 6:28-29). This work includes the life of faith which follows conversion. Their “labor prompted by love” was their service for God motivated by love for Christ; they served “the living and true God” (1:9). Their “endurance inspired by hope” was their anticipation of Christ’s return. They waited “for His Son from heaven” (1:10; 4:13-18). Although persecuted for their faith, they didn’t give up.

Here we see that the motivation for Christian activity is faith, love and hope. The faith that God gives us results in love for God and the hope of Christ’s return, which in turn produces action such as labor and endurance.

Faith In Action
“For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction” (1 Th. 1:4-5).

This letter was written to both men and women. The Greek word for “brothers” means “brothers and sisters” or “the community.” Here, Paul commended all the Christians in Thessalonica and called them model believers. And he reminded them of two things. First, they were loved. God loves all of us, even before faith is evident in our lives (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:8). He loves us so much that His Son died for us. Second, they were chosen by God (Jn. 6:44). After they became Christians it was evident from their behavior that they had been chosen by God (Eph. 1:4). The Bible teaches that people have the choice to accept or reject the gift of salvation. They accepted.

The dramatic change in their lives occurred after Paul preached to them the gospel of God and Christ (2:2,8; 3:2). It came “with” four things. First, “with words” he preached about the Old Testament promises of God, who Jesus was and what He had done. Second, “with power” there was conviction of sin, repentance and conversion. The gospel has power to change lives. Third, “with the Holy Spirit” identified the source of that power. Fourth, “with deep conviction” they knew that Paul spoke for God and they gave their lives to Him. They accepted that Paul spoke God’s Word, “which is at work in you who believe” (1 Th. 2:13). His Word changes people as they obey it (2 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12). They heard the message and acted upon it and it changed their lives.

Love In Action
“You know how we lived among you … You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers … The Lord’s message rang out from you … your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Th. 1:5-9).

The Thessalonians imitated Paul and Christ, and were a good example to other believers (1:6-7), even though they were persecuted. Their love was shown in three ways. First, they stopped complaining and started rejoicing. They saw that God was in control and their eternal destiny was secure. Their suffering was short compared to their eternal salvation in Christ. Second, they shared the gospel with their neighbors and friends: “The Lord’s message rang out from you.” The gospel was worth telling because it gave joy and hope. Third, they trusted God to care for them daily; their “faith in God” was well known. Trust in God is needed to spread the gospel effectively. They did this so well that Paul didn’t need to repeat the gospel message.

The Thessalonians had made a great start in their Christian life. First, they repented of selfish living and turned to God from many forms of idols, from carved images to strong desires to possess things (Col. 3:5). Second, they served God out of love, which is a sacrificial concern for others (Jn. 13:34-35). Theirs was “labor prompted by love” (1:3).

Hope In Action
“They tell how you turned to God from idols … to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath” (1 Th. 1:10).

They were also waiting for Christ’s return (Jn. 14:3; 1 Th. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-58). God promised to take believers to be with Him. This can happen at death: “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). It can also happen at the rapture. Jesus said, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (Jn. 14:3). The Christian should live expecting the Lord to come at any moment.

Our hope is knowing that what God has begun through Christ’s work on earth, He will complete at His return. The trials of this life are temporary and bring endurance in spite of difficult circumstances. God is in control, and knows what He’s doing.

What does Paul mean when he refers to Jesus’ rescuing us from “the coming wrath”? The same thought is in 1 Th. 5:9, in the context of the “day of the Lord.” This is a coming time when God’s wrath will be poured out on the world (Mt. 24:21) immediately before His return in power and judgment (Mt. 24:27-31). When Christ returns at the rapture to take believers to heaven, He will rescue them from the tribulation that will occur between the rapture and His appearing (Mt. 24:4-28; 1 Th. 5:1-11; 2 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 3:10).

Changed Lives
The Thessalonians imitated Paul and Christ and were good examples for other believers in Greece. They are also good examples for us. But are we a good example for others? Are we a help or a hindrance to those we come in contact with? The gospel produced a radical change in these believers: a new faith – they followed God instead of idols; a new love – they served God; a new hope – they anticipated the second coming of Jesus Christ; a new joy – they knew God was in control; and a new mission – spreading the gospel. God wants us to be like them.

By George Hawke

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

top

Learning From Hosea and Gomer

Part 3 – Persistent Love: A Study Of Hosea 1-3

Painful Surprises
Chapter 3 opens with depressing news: “The Lord said to me, ‘Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress’” (3:1). Gomer had returned to her bad ways. Worse, because of her shameful life, she became another man’s slave and couldn’t return even if she wanted to.

Why do some find it so difficult to be free from some sin, bad habit or wrong way of thinking? Twice Hosea uses an expression which is unique to his book – “spirit of prostitution.” Could this extra bondage to a particular sin be caused by the influence of demons? In the first reference, Hosea is preaching against idolatry and then adds that “a spirit of prostitution leads them astray” (4:12). Something external had a strong influence over them. From other Scriptures we know that there is a direct connection between idols and demons (Dt. 32:16-17; 1 Cor. 10:20; Rev. 9:20). The second time Hosea uses the expression, he is concerned with Israel’s inability to return to their God. He sees two causes: “their doings” – the habit of bad behavior, and the fact that a spirit of fornication “is in the midst of them, and they do not acknowledge the Lord” (5:4). We know that demons can affect a thought pattern, blinding it to reality, making it very difficult to think and act correctly (1 Tim. 4:1).

Some, therefore, see in the expression “spirit of prostitution” evidence that demons specialize in creating bondage to sexual sin. The term “spirit” could also be translated “breath” or “wind,” and could refer to a general attitude, strong inclination or deep-seated desire. The uncertainty of the precise meaning of Hosea’s expression should not distract us from the fact that repeated sin enslaves. It is clear that in some forms of sin, the presence of demons can lead to further bondage. In counseling, prayerful, sound biblical advice will usually be sufficient to break sinful thought patterns, encourage repentance and lead to freedom. Yet, some people find themselves so addicted to their sin, bad habit or wrong way of thinking that they require deeper involvement by fellow believers to free them. This applies as much to adultery and covetousness as to legalism, pride and unwillingness to forgive.

At some point in her downward path, Gomer lost her freedom. Hosea, moved by love to his Lord and his wife, set out to find and redeem her: “So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley” (3:2). He paid about 170 grams of silver and probably about 500 liters of barley. The price of a slave used to be 30 shekels of silver (Ex. 21:32). Was Gomer so worn out that she was worth less than a normal slave? The fact that he paid only half the price and added some barley could also hint at Hosea’s limited financial resources. Emotionally and financially redeeming his wife proved expensive! Was she worth it? The Lord asked Hosea to do more: “Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites” (3:1). In New Testament terms: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25). We are unable to love like this. When the Lord asks us to do something, He will provide the strength, but we must want to obey and must ask for help.

If you are like me, you are now feeling sorry for Hosea. Is the Lord asking too much? How many times should Hosea forgive and pursue such a difficult wife? The apostle Peter posed the same question to Jesus: “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” The Lord told him a parable about a king who forgave one of his servants. The forgiven servant chose not to forgive a fellow servant (Mt. 18:21-30).

The king punished the servant who chose not to forgive. Then the Lord Jesus concluded: “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart” (Mt.18:30-35). Offended marriage partner, have you ever offended the Lord? Have you considered the magnitude and gravity of your own sin? Has the Lord, by grace, forgiven all of it? It is the Lord who is responsible for justice and forgiveness, not us. The Christian life is not about fairness, but about showing grace – expensive grace.

Hosea once more took the initiative. He again led her into the desert and spoke tenderly to her heart. “I told her, ‘You are to live with me for many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you’” (3:3). A new process of restoration began. Hosea again expressed his love for his wife. What a tragedy that more homes do not have someone willing to work to keep the family together. Will you try again? True love persists!

Why Allow Such Pain?
Jesus’ life was not free from pain, sacrifice and burdensome limitations. Why then do we expect to be free from them? How do you think Jesus would deal with your complicated partner? Would He ask less than what He asked of Hosea? Are you still willing to follow Jesus all the way? Perhaps you have already noticed that when you follow Jesus, it is possible to experience joy, peace and freedom while still living in undesirable circumstances.

To Develop Character: From the life of Hosea, it is clear that obedience isn’t always logical; it’s not always understood by family and friends; and it’s not always the easiest option. Jesus was not exaggerating when He said: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Yet there is nothing good about pain itself. The Lord did not look for pain, neither did He enjoy it. The wonder is that our heavenly Father uses the pain and frustration we experience to mould our characters and improve us for service. Hosea and Gomer needed each other. While they had happy times together, God worked on them through those more difficult periods. They learned to obey even when they didn’t feel like it. They grew in patience, learned to forgive, matured, and were forced to show grace.

To Prepare For Service: The Lord deeply desired to restore wayward Israel. Who better than Hosea could feel how He felt about His people? Knowing Hosea’s situation, we can hear the passion in his voice as he pleaded with Israel on the Lord’s behalf: “ ‘I am the Lord your God … You shall acknowledge no God but Me. I cared for you … When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot Me’… Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, your sins have been your downfall! Take words with you and return to the Lord. Say to him: ‘Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously’ ” (13:4-6, 14:1-2). The Lord needed such a prophet. Through those painful events, God worked His plans in the life of Hosea and Gomer. Your heavenly Father also desires to work His plans in your marriage. He is not finished!

True Love Persists
It is difficult to read and reflect on the family life of Hosea and Gomer without feeling emotional. Infidelity makes me angry. Forgiveness and reconciliation make me happy. However, what touched me most as I reflected on Hosea’s drama of persistent love was that this is an imperfect picture of what the Lord is willing to do for us. We know that Christ came to seek the lost, that He stooped down to our unworthy condition to clean us and adopt us into the family of God, that He paid a high price to redeem us – but that is not all. The love of our Lord Jesus, as our supreme Hosea, will seek and pursue us to the very, very end.

If some day our hearts grow cold and become unfaithful, even if we reach such a low condition as that of Gomer, we have a Divine Lover who will take the initiative and will pursue us, no matter what. He will never give up on us! This knowledge should warm our hearts and make us feel very secure. He loves us with “everlasting love” and will draw us with “loving-kindness” (Jer. 31:3).

Our God is the same God who followed Jonah and gave him another chance, who persisted with David even after he committed adultery and murder, and who restored embarrassed Peter to full apostolic ministry. Have you fallen? Have you messed up? Have you been unfaithful? Are you the guilty party in your marriage? As you read this, the Lord is calling you again. This undeserved persistence is the hallmark of true Divine Love. Let Him love you again!

The Lord had a special purpose for Hosea and Gomer’s complex marriage, and He has a special purpose for your marriage. Gomer was unstable, ungrateful and repeatedly unfaithful, yet Hosea took the initiative to search for her, forgive her, speak to her heart and initiate a process of restoration. Will you do the same for your marriage? True love doesn’t give up!

By Philip Nunn

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

top

God Has An Inheritance

“Making mention of you in my prayers … that ye may know … the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:18 KJV

This verse tells us that the all-sufficient God has an inheritance. And this is not the only Scripture that mentions it, as Deuteronomy and Psalms do as well. What an amazing truth! Man’s wildest imagination could never conceive of God having an inheritance. Let’s consider the following questions: What is God’s inheritance? How did He secure it? When did He secure it? How does He speak about it? How much does He treasure it? How can we possibly enrich God?

What Is God’s Inheritance?
Ephesians 1:18 answers this question: God’s inheritance is His people. This world is not His inheritance, as it is evil, has Satan as its prince, and one day will go up in smoke. And heaven, with all its glory, is not His inheritance; while God calls the angels His “ministers” (Ps. 104:4; Heb. 1:4), He never calls them His “inheritance.” Only His saints, the trophies of His grace, are His inheritance.

“For the LORD’s portion is His people … His inheritance … the apple of His eye” (Dt. 32:9-10). “Blessed is … the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance” (Ps. 33:12). “For the LORD will not abandon His people, nor will He forsake His inheritance” (Ps. 94:14). We are His inheritance.

How Did God Secure His Inheritance?
God obtained His inheritance in the same way man does, through the death of a testator, in this case His beloved Son. Thus we read of “the Church of God which He has purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). This verse does not say that Christ purchased the Church with His own blood. Nor does it speak of the blood of the Father. The Greek in this verse reads “by the blood of His own” – that is, His own Son. Since Christ is “God manifest in the flesh,” then it is appropriate to speak of “the Church of God purchased with His own blood.”

When Did God Secure His Inheritance?
This question can be answered in two ways. First, in eternity past God purposed to have such an inheritance (Rom. 8:28; Eph. 1:11; 3:11; 2 Tim. 1:9). God’s eternal purpose is His determination concerning the future. God’s decrees were made before time began and are executed in time. Nothing takes place in time except what God had decreed before the universe was called into existence. In Romans 8:28-30 we read about certain individuals whom God fore- knew, predestinated, called, justified and glorified. These persons constitute God’s inheritance. They are not an afterthought, but were in His mind when He decreed all things in eternity. Before the world’s foundation God set His heart on having the saints for Himself. The second way to answer this question is that God secured His inheritance when He sent His Son to save man from spiritual death. God not only redeemed us from bondage and death, but also for Himself.

How Does God Speak About His Inheritance?
The Scriptures tell us what God thinks of His inheritance. It is amazing that He picks poor sinners to be saved by His grace, makes us His inheritance and says such wonderful things about us: “You shall be My own possession among all the peoples” (Ex. 19:5-6). In Isaiah God calls them “My chosen people,” and also refers to them as “a crown of beauty … and a royal diadem in the hand of your God” (Isa. 43:20; 62:3). Zephaniah affirms that God’s people are His joy: “The LORD your God … He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy” (Zeph. 3:17). Why does He find His joy in poor lost sinners saved by His grace? Nothing in sinners brings joy to God’s heart, but saved sinners are “in Christ” and it is this union which makes them His joy. Malachi adds to the list of what God utters about His inheritance: “They shall be mine, saith the LORDof hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels” (Mal. 3:17).

In a parable in Matthew 13, our Lord speaks well of His saints and His inheritance: “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Mt. 13:45-46). That merchant is a picture of Jesus Christ who through His death redeemed those who believe on Him and become His “goodly pearls.” The “pearl of great price” is the Church for whom Christ “sold all that He had” – that is, gave His life. God owns the entire universe, but His most precious possession is the pearl of great price, the Church. When we put real faith in Christ, His own merits are communicated to our account. The “unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8) become ours and His eternal glory is lavished upon us.

Peter says four interesting things about God’s people: “Ye are a chosen generation, an holy nation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people” (1 Pet. 2:9). First, God’s people are a “chosen generation.” In the Scriptures there are two elect groups of people – the nation of Israel, and the Church. The Lord Jesus said of His disciples, “Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you” (Jn. 15:16). We say that we have come to Christ, but He says that He has chosen us. Second, the saints are “a royal priesthood.” Christ has “washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests” (Rev. 1:5-6). In the Old Testament God chose His priests from the nation of Israel. Today every believer is a priest. Third, unholy people become “an holy nation” when they trust Christ as their Savior, because Christ is their righteousness. Fourth, the saints are “a peculiar people” – a people of His own.

How Can We Possibly Enrich God?
An inheritance makes the heir rich. How can the God of everything become richer because of our faith, love and worship? Doesn’t He have everything? Is He not all-sufficient? In one sense He is, yet in another sense, there is something He needs – vessels to fill. Just as the sun needs the earth on which to shine, so God needs vessels to bear His glory and His love to the world.

God Will Never Forsake His Inheritance
This assurance is found in many scriptures: “For the LORD will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake His inheritance” (Ps. 94:14). God is faithful to His people until the end and will not cast them away (Rom. 11:1-2). “The LORD thy God is a merciful God; He will never forsake thee” (Dt. 4:31). “For the LORD will not forsake His people … because it has pleased the LORD to make you His people” (I Sam. 12:22). “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). God’s inheritance is His people. Are you among them?

By Maurice Bassali

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

top

What Is This World Coming To?

“But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13 KJV

Terrorism, child kidnappings, murders, rapes, earthquakes, forest fires, floods and political unrest are all making the headlines every day. What is this world coming to? The Bible says things are going to get worse before they get better. Where does that leave those who have trusted in Christ for salvation?

In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians we read that the Christians in the area were worried about believers who had died before the promised return of the Lord (Jn. 14:1-3). Paul assured them that whether dead or alive, they would be “caught up … to meet the Lord in the air” when He returned for His Church (1 Th. 4:13-18). Thus Paul gave them hope for a bright future.

Then we read in Second Thessalonians that some came and tried to convince them that the Lord’s return was past, and that they were already in “the Tribulation.” Satan was trying to take away their hope again. So Paul reassured them that they might be going through “tribulation” but they weren’t going through the prophetic period called “the Tribulation.” That day, he said, will not come until there first comes a “falling away,” or an apostasy (2 Th. 2:3).

No, the Thessalonians were saved from the penalty they deserved, and they were saved from the earthly judgments that will one day fall on all who have rejected God’s Son. The verse above (2 Th. 2:13) says that believers are saved from the Tribulation because they have believed the truth and have been sanctified, set apart by the Spirit to be delivered from that coming wrath.

God gives us promises and Satan tries to get us to question those promises. He uses circumstances, friends, political situations, etc. to get us to question God. But God’s promises are true. We are saved “to the uttermost” (Heb. 7:25).

By Bruce Collins

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

top

HEAVEN AND HELL
What Does The Bible Teach?

We live and move within the confines of time, which is an infinitesimally tiny bubble floating in the endlessness of eternity. God is eternal, without beginning and without end – a concept which we grasp at but never truly get. God says He “inhabits eternity” (Isa. 57:15 NKJV) and Moses wrote, “from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Ps. 90:2 NIV).

Improbable as it seems, God made our tiny time-bubble as a stage for His crowning creation: a race made “in His own image” (Gen. 1:26-27) for the ultimate purpose of endowing us with His own life and nature – “eternal life … promised before the beginning of time” (Ti. 1:2). Our fall into sin was not a glitch in God’s plan. It was certainly not His wish, but it was not unforeseen nor was He unprepared for it. As He laid out His plan before time began, He foresaw our moral collapse and designed a breath-taking recovery plan!

Why would God do that? Because He is love (1 Jn. 4:8,16). Jesus’ entire earthly career and eternal existence were lived in endless communion with His Father, His greatest joy. As the end of His earthly mission neared in crucifixion, John said He spoke more about returning to His Father than of His suffering. To return home was the “joy set before Him” (Heb. 12:2). How thrilling that He begged His Father to bring His redeemed home too (Jn. 17:24), promising us the greatest joy (Jn. 14:3) – to be with the Father in His house.

Heaven Is Real
That concept of heaven is as old as Genesis, which says that for 300 years, “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away” (Gen. 5:24). Where? We’re told he didn’t die (Heb. 11:5), but he’s not on earth anymore. Given God’s wish to have His friends with Him, He must have taken His walking companion home. In Psalm 23, David concluded his celebration of God’s goodness with these words: “I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

These passages coincide with Jesus’ promise and point to a life in heaven with God for those who walk with Him here. Jesus spoke of many “mansions,” “rooms” or “dwelling places” (NKJV, NIV, NASB) in His Father’s house. All these translations agree with the Greek meaning. Today’s idea of a mansion as a huge, luxurious house is not inconsistent with the concept of heaven. But what Jesus is saying is more like, “My Father’s house has room for all My friends to live happily ever after with Us.” Or as a contemporary song says, “Come and go with me, to my Father’s house … a big, big house with lots and lots of room, a big, big table with lots and lots of food.”

Heaven, then, is God’s home, where He takes those who walk with Him in this life. It is the ultimate blessing to be in the constant company of our Creator, freely interacting directly with Him (Ps. 16:11). Our new birth into God’s family makes us “citizens of heaven” (Jn. 1:12-13; Phil. 3:20), and aliens on this corrupted earth in this restricted bubble of time. We look forward to going home to our Father, just as Jesus did. You get the idea.

Jesus went to prepare a place for His followers after He had physical contact with people in an obviously resurrected body for over 40 days (Lk. 24:13-23, 37-43; Mt. 28:9; Acts 1:3-4,9). On resurrection day the perplexed apostles thought they saw a ghost, but He dissolved their confusion by eating a piece of fish. Later they watched His bodily ascension to heaven. So, heaven is a sphere where Jesus, in a physical body, now lives and prepares a place for us.

Paul wrote that “just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the Man from heaven” (1 Cor. 15:42-49). John wrote that “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 Jn. 3:2). Paul told the Philippians that Jesus will come and “transform our lowly bodies” making them “like His glorious body” (Phil. 3:21). We believe in and vigorously defend Jesus’ physical resurrection, and ultimately our own too.

Even now, heaven is the true dwelling place of Christians. Paul wrote that God has “blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” and “raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 1:3; 2:6). He also wrote: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God … not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1-3). We still live on earth, but our life is in heaven. The references are to our present spiritual presence in heaven, but we’re promised that our resurrected bodies will also be taken there when Jesus comes (1 Th. 4:16-17).

Hell Is Just As Real
Hell is just as real as heaven. Jesus described it in terms of intense torment and suffering. The total opposite of rewards in heaven, hell is the punishment for rejecting God’s Son rather than accepting Him as Savior and serving Him. Jesus said that in hell “their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mk. 9:48), and Revelation 20:11-15 calls hell a “lake of fire.”

Just as heaven is forever the blissful rest of those eternally alive in Christ, so hell is an eternal fire (Mt. 18:8; 25:41; 2 Th. 1:9; Rev. 20:10). To be burned may be the most extreme pain. Can you imagine drowning forever in fire, and yet never ceasing to exist consciously?

How could a loving God even conceive of such torment? For humans, He didn’t. He created us to be objects of His infinite love and to have us with Him forever. We are made with no expiration date, to exist eternally just as our Creator is eternal. When our first parents chose death instead of life, the right to eternal life was forfeited, yet our eternal existence continued. When Jesus bore the penalty for our sin by dying in our place, He secured our pardon and recovered for us the right to eternal life, which He grants to us when we trust in Him, thus receiving the life our original ancestors once rejected.

But what is God to do with eternally-existing people who deny Him and insist on embracing our first parents’ death choice? There is an alternate eternity for rejectors of God’s free pardon which Christ paid for by His death on Calvary.

Jesus spoke of two resurrections: “All who are in their graves will hear (My) voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (Jn. 5:28-29). Revelation says John saw the souls of Jesus’ martyrs: “They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them … When the thousand years (were) over … I saw a great white throne … and … the dead, great and small, standing before the throne … The dead were judged according to what they had done … Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire (which) is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (20:4-6, 11-12, 14-15).

Thus the “second death” is eternal fire “prepared for the Devil and his angels” (Mt. 25:41) – angels who joined Satan’s rebellion against God. They are eternal, too, so he had to have a place for them. Human rejecters of God’s goodness, in effect, swear loyalty to the Devil and join his rebellion by choosing self-determination over the life that was once freely available. They have nowhere to go but to join their chosen leader in his eternal fiery prison.

Jesus taught about heaven and hell in a story about an unnamed rich man and a very poor man named Lazarus (Lk. 16:19-31). The rich man lived a self-absorbed life of privilege and luxury with no time for God nor inclination to share with others, like the destitute Lazarus lying at his gate. Like most of us when left to our own devices, his investment in time’s brief interval so blinded him that he spent it all making his life comfortable, blind to the eternity that awaited his soul.

When Lazarus died, angels carried him into Abraham’s bosom, symbolic of ultimate peace, joy, and fulfillment for a Jew. When the rich man died he awoke in fiery agony. Not yet fully grasping his sitation, the rich man begged Abraham to send Lazarus to bring him some slight relief. No way! “A great chasm has been fixed” (Lk. 16:26) between heaven and hell. Interestingly, the once-rich man thought of his family and appealed for them to be warned away from this place of torment. He realized he could go nowhere and now knew that his family would be no comfort. But Lazarus couldn’t leave his place either; heaven is forever and the believer’s bliss cannot be disturbed. Abraham reminded the rich man that he enjoyed all his happiness in his self-indulgent life on earth. The good times were over! Hell is unending, hopeless anguish – “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt. 8:12; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30).

Was the rich man in hell because he had been rich? No! Jesus consigned to the eternal fire, that was “prepared for the devil and his angels,” those who had neglected to minister to Him in the persons of “these brothers of mine” who were in need (Mt. 25:40-46; 2 Pet. 2:4).

Lazarus suffered in a diseased body, scorned by society. He was not in heaven because of his good deeds, nor even because he suffered. His works are not mentioned; he did not earn heaven. The rich man may have called Abraham father, but Lazarus was Abraham’s child, a child of faith and God rewards faith with heaven in company with Abraham, the man of faith (Gal. 3:6-9).

The original human sin was a deliberate choice of self-interest over eternal life – choosing the tree of the knowledge of good and evil over the Tree of Life (Gen. 2:8-9; 3:4-6). The self-interest tree was explicitly prohibited on pain of death, but the Tree of Life was unrestricted: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). But God wanted them (and us) to have life! Only after they had violated the ban did God say: “The man … must not be allowed to … take also from the Tree of Life and eat and live forever.” So he expelled them from Eden, condemned to die, cut off from eternal life (Gen. 3:22-24).

From that day forth death is etched in our DNA; we all inherit it genetically (Rom. 5:12). Our only salvation is through Jesus Christ and His dying in our place. By the grace of God He suffered death for everyone (Heb. 2:9). If you have not accepted Him as your Savior, please do so today. Heaven and hell are real, and one of them is your destiny.

By Bill Van Ryn

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

top

The Realities Of Heaven And Hell

But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. – 2 Peter 3:7 KJV

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. – Hebrews 10:39

Hell, the grave, the pit, judgment, punishment, perdition, fire, torments, damnation, the second death, the lake of fire: the Bible abounds with warnings against being cast out of God’s presence. It is so horrible that many words are used to convey the experience. There are fewer words to describe its antithesis: heaven, paradise and glory. Let’s compare the realities of heaven and hell.

Reality Of Hell
Preaching about hell and the lake of fire is not popular today. Men are lethargic or deluded regarding death’s consequences. A woman whose lifestyle is clearly condemned by Romans 1:26 said to me, “We are all God’s children.” My response about what caused the destruction of Sodom was not well received. What a waste of life, for everlasting fire was not prepared for man, but for the Devil and his angels (Mt. 25:41). Simple belief in what the Word of God says saves the soul from such a fate. “The Lord … is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9). But alas, “this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (Jn. 3:19). What does the Bible say about the realities of hell and the lake of fire?

When Dathan and Abiram complained about the leaders God had appointed to lead His people out of Egypt to the Promised Land, they and all that pertained to them went down alive into the pit, meaning hell (Num. 16:24-33). It is called “the bottomless pit” or the abyss (Rev. 20:3). It appears, then, that hell is located in the earth, perhaps at the core where earth’s gravity is centered, where every way to go is up, so that a pit could be considered bottomless.

In the future, the beast and the false prophet will be cast alive into “the lake of fire burning with brimstone” at Christ’s return (Rev. 19:20), similar to Dathan and Abiram’s fate. Hell is a holding place for the dead until they are united with a resurrected body, for Satan, death, and hell itself, along with all who are not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire following the Great White Throne judgment after Christ’s thousand-year reign on earth (Rev. 20:10,14-15). This is the second death mentioned four times, all in Revelation. The first death separates us from our family and friends on this earth; the second death separates us from God permanently.

Daniel 12:2 mentions two resurrections: “Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Jesus elaborates on this in John 5:29, where two different Greek words are translated “done.” “And (the dead) shall come forth; they that have done (poieo, a single act of) good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done (prasso, perpetual) evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” Believing is the only “good” that a sinner can perform toward God. To not believe Him is to do “evil,” calling God a liar. The first resurrection unites all who “have done good” to be with God in peace and joy forever. The second resurrection leads only to the second death for all those who “have done evil.” There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. So all that are in hell now, will be raised bodily to be cast out of the presence of the Lord for all eternity.

The most graphic description of hell is from Isaiah: “They shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against Me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh” (Isa. 66:24). There was a song about the dead that we sang as kids which began, “The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out.” The rest of the song was even worse. It is true, though, that when these bodies of ours die, they naturally are consumed by “worms,” and when there is no more flesh to consume, the worms die as well. It’s over! When Jesus warned of hell fire, He used this verse from Isaiah three times (Mk. 9:44,46,48) to emphasize the horror of being condemned by God. Death will be in perpetuity: “their worm shall not die,” and in agony: “the fire is not quenched.” The offer of life from the dead has been made, but many refuse, and so they will “be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2 Th. 1:9).

The most detailed description of hell is found in the story concerning the rich man and Lazarus (Lk. 16:19-31). This is not called a parable, and Lazarus is named specifically. Notice that when the rich man died he found himself in hell, fully conscious, possessing full use of his faculties: memory, a sudden concern for others, a desire to be comforted from the tormenting flame, and no hope of escape. He could not leave this place. There seemed to be no one else there, no one who could give comfort. A great gulf separated him from the place called “Abraham’s bosom,” a place forever unobtainable by him. Hell is not a big party. There is no camaraderie among those who have rejected God, and no second chance. Each person there is in the same condition that Jesus was in on the cross: utterly alone and forsaken in darkness.

The most notable example of a person in hell is Judas Iscariot, who fell by transgression “that he might go to his own place” (Acts 1:25). Judas is called the son of perdition, akin to the Antichrist yet to come (Jn. 17:12, 2 Th. 2:3). All who are in hell are in the “perdition of ungodly men,” as our opening verse (2 Pet. 3:7) indicates. Perdition means waste. It describes the soul’s eternal loss. It is a waste of life to end up in hell, for men were created to bring glory and honor to God, and it is not His desire that any should perish, “but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9).

“The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence” (Ps. 115:17). Here is an aspect of hell not typically considered: Part of the torment of hell and the lake of fire is the impossibility of ever praising the Lord. If the inanimate “stones would immediately cry out” so that He would have praise (Lk. 19:40), then what will it be like for God’s crowning creatures to be silenced in hell? What weeping, what sorrow for those creatures who failed to praise Him in this life, to discover the impossibility of it in eternity! True, every knee shall bow to Him, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:10), but after being cast out from Him, there will be no further chance of honoring Him.

Reality Of Heaven
If these depictions of hell and the lake of fire are not enough to convince you of their reality, then, as a contrast, consider what heaven will be like.

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him” (1Cor. 2:9). We now look back to the sacrifice of Christ, and love Him for it. In Old Testament times, when God’s people looked forward to the time when He would send His chosen One to make all things right, it was written, “For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside Thee, what He has prepared for him that waits for Him” (Isa. 64:4). The things that God has prepared are so wonderful, so pleasurable, and so full of glory that we can’t even imagine them. Even now, “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (Jas. 1:17).

If every good thing we enjoy comes from God, how much more wonderful will be His very presence! Paul was not sure just how he got there, but somehow “he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words” (2 Cor. 12:4). There God shall wipe away every tear: “For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes … and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Rev. 7:17, 21:4). “In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps.16:11).

David said that God would not leave his soul in hell, but the man after God’s own heart surely did not go to a place of punishment when he died (Acts 13:22; Ps. 16:10, 23:6). David, as well as all the Old Testament saints, went to the place called “Abraham’s bosom” (Lk. 16:22). Jesus told the criminal on the cross that he would be with Him “in paradise” that very day.

When He ascended to heaven to the Father three days later, “He led captivity captive” (Jn. 20:17; Eph. 4:8). Then all those who were waiting – for the day when their sins at last were not merely covered by sacrifices of atonement, but fully taken away by the sacrifice of Christ – ascended together with Him. And since that day, all that are “asleep” in Christ Jesus have an instant place in heaven. They are now “absent from the body” and “present with the Lord,” waiting for the trumpet that will signal the first resurrection (2 Cor. 5:8; 1Th. 4:13-18).

During the first resurrection Christ’s living saints will be outfitted for heaven as well: “When He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is (1 Jn. 3:2). We shall be clothed with white linen, made like the Son of God: “And to (the Lamb’s wife) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Rev. 19:8).

Will It Be Heaven or Hell?
Deuteronomy 30:19 says the choice is yours: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.” Don’t let darkness be your guide, but say with Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Josh. 24:15).

By Tom & Susan Steere

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA. Website: www.gtpress.org

top