Originally Posted Sept 11, 2014: TimesDaily Religion Forum (Florence, AL)
Hi to all my Friends,
On the TimesDaily Religion Forum a Roman Catholic Friend began a new discussion titled "Heaven Or Hell." He began his discussion with the hypothetical story of a young man who steals a newspaper:
A young guy walked to his favorite news stand. Approaching the stand he noticed that Tommy, the owner of the business, was not around. But, that was not uncommon. The Honor System is always applicable at such times. The guy, whose name is Vic, thought to himself, "Where is Tommy?"
He picked up the newspaper and, remembering how many he had purchased in the past, decided this one was on the house. Here's the sad part. While walking and reading his inexpensive newspaper, he walked by a car just as it exploded. Vic was killed.
But, because he had just stolen the newspaper, he died with a sin on his soul. He didn't have a chance to ask forgiveness of that sin. And, he didn't buy into the OSAS "Once Saved, Always Saved" insurance which Protestants tell us about. So, I would guess that he went to Hell. Why?
Because God will not allow him into heaven because of that sin. Sin isn't allowed in Heaven. I for one don't believe Vic deserves Hell. But, what happens to him now?
My Friend, rather than depend upon the word of man, any man -- you,
me, any pastor, the Pope, etc. - let's allow the Bible, God's
Written Word, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ to give us a very clear
answer:
When we hear and believe the Gospel - we are sealed in Christ by the Holy Spirit. And, we are sealed until the day of our redemption. The day of our redemption is the day we die in this mortal body or the day we are raptured from this mortal body.
How are we saved? We are saved by the grace of God, through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, i.e., "It is finished!" (John 19:30).
How can we know for sure that we are saved and have eternal life in Christ?
Jesus tells us, "He who believes HAS eternal life" and the apostle John confirms what Jesus has said, "He who has the Son HAS the life."
What does "HAS eternal life" mean? It means that this person HAS eternal life -- not "could have," or "will have if," or "will have when" - but, it states firmly that this person "HAS eternal life."
What does it mean to have "eternal life"? Eternal means "never ending" - so this means that this person has a life in Christ and with Christ which will NEVER END. That is eternal life.
But, what happens if the person who became a believer changes his/her mind and walks away from Christ? Let's see what the Bible tells us about that:
My Friend, in my book NO ONE means, well, it means NO ONE! NO ONE also includes the saved person. NO ONE can snatch the believer out of God's hands. Not sure about you, but, to me - that is blessed assurance, that is "eternal security."
And, the apostle John, under the inspiration of God, puts this final stamp of proof upon what the Bible has told us:
So, my Friend, what happens to your hypothetical young man who neglected to pay for the newspaper and ended up stealing it?
From this, and Revelation 20:11-15, we know that we ALL people must stand before Jesus Christ in Judgment - believers at the Believers' Judgment (Bema Seat) and non-believers at that Great White Throne Judgment. But, if the believer HAS eternal security - why does he/she have to stand in judgment?
Because we are all frail, fallen descendents of Adam, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory God had intended for us (Romans 3:23). As a result, the only righteousness we have is seen as unclean before the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6). So, to allow us to come into the throne room of God in prayer and seeking His face - we are covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ from the moment of our salvation. God does not see us in our own righteousness, but, instead sees us covered by the imputed, or attributed, righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Yet, for us to actually enter into God's heaven at death or at the Rapture, we must be able to stand in our righteousness before Him. Thus all believers, when we are raptured will stand before Christ at the Believers' Judgment to gain our rewards, or lack of rewards, in heaven. One reward we are all assured is to be able to stand before God in our own righteousness, our own robes of "fine linen, bright and clean, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints" (Revelation 19:8).
The Believers' Judgment is described by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. He tells us that our works, the fruit of our salvation - not the cause of our salvation - will be tested (Believers' Judgment). For many of us our works will be like wood, straw, or hay (such as the young man's theft of the newspaper) and will be burned up in the Refiners Fire (Malachi 3:2) of judgment.
And, there will be others whose fruit of salvation works will be seen by God as gold, silver, and precious stones - those works which will not burn up in the Refiner's Fire.
Yet, Paul concludes that Scripture passage with the promise found in 1 Corinthians 3:15, "If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."
The believer's works will be tested (which would include stealing the newspaper) - but, he himself will be saved. He himself WILL HAVE eternal life in Christ and WILL spend eternity in the presence of God.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill Gray
Ephesians 1:13, 4:30, "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the Gospel of your salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. . . by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
When we hear and believe the Gospel - we are sealed in Christ by the Holy Spirit. And, we are sealed until the day of our redemption. The day of our redemption is the day we die in this mortal body or the day we are raptured from this mortal body.
Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."
How are we saved? We are saved by the grace of God, through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, i.e., "It is finished!" (John 19:30).
How can we know for sure that we are saved and have eternal life in Christ?
1 John 5:12, "He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life."
John 6:47 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life."
Jesus tells us, "He who believes HAS eternal life" and the apostle John confirms what Jesus has said, "He who has the Son HAS the life."
What does "HAS eternal life" mean? It means that this person HAS eternal life -- not "could have," or "will have if," or "will have when" - but, it states firmly that this person "HAS eternal life."
What does it mean to have "eternal life"? Eternal means "never ending" - so this means that this person has a life in Christ and with Christ which will NEVER END. That is eternal life.
But, what happens if the person who became a believer changes his/her mind and walks away from Christ? Let's see what the Bible tells us about that:
John 10:27-29, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."
My Friend, in my book NO ONE means, well, it means NO ONE! NO ONE also includes the saved person. NO ONE can snatch the believer out of God's hands. Not sure about you, but, to me - that is blessed assurance, that is "eternal security."
And, the apostle John, under the inspiration of God, puts this final stamp of proof upon what the Bible has told us:
1 John 5:13, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life."
So, my Friend, what happens to your hypothetical young man who neglected to pay for the newspaper and ended up stealing it?
Romans 14:12, "So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God."
2 Corinthians 5:9-10, "Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad."
From this, and Revelation 20:11-15, we know that we ALL people must stand before Jesus Christ in Judgment - believers at the Believers' Judgment (Bema Seat) and non-believers at that Great White Throne Judgment. But, if the believer HAS eternal security - why does he/she have to stand in judgment?
Because we are all frail, fallen descendents of Adam, we all have sinned and fall short of the glory God had intended for us (Romans 3:23). As a result, the only righteousness we have is seen as unclean before the eyes of God (Isaiah 64:6). So, to allow us to come into the throne room of God in prayer and seeking His face - we are covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ from the moment of our salvation. God does not see us in our own righteousness, but, instead sees us covered by the imputed, or attributed, righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Yet, for us to actually enter into God's heaven at death or at the Rapture, we must be able to stand in our righteousness before Him. Thus all believers, when we are raptured will stand before Christ at the Believers' Judgment to gain our rewards, or lack of rewards, in heaven. One reward we are all assured is to be able to stand before God in our own righteousness, our own robes of "fine linen, bright and clean, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints" (Revelation 19:8).
The Believers' Judgment is described by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. He tells us that our works, the fruit of our salvation - not the cause of our salvation - will be tested (Believers' Judgment). For many of us our works will be like wood, straw, or hay (such as the young man's theft of the newspaper) and will be burned up in the Refiners Fire (Malachi 3:2) of judgment.
And, there will be others whose fruit of salvation works will be seen by God as gold, silver, and precious stones - those works which will not burn up in the Refiner's Fire.
Yet, Paul concludes that Scripture passage with the promise found in 1 Corinthians 3:15, "If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."
The believer's works will be tested (which would include stealing the newspaper) - but, he himself will be saved. He himself WILL HAVE eternal life in Christ and WILL spend eternity in the presence of God.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill Gray
