| ...or Way to be Saved (to Heaven, from Hell) |
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Part I: God’s Requirement for Salvation Lesson 1 (and a booklet) entitled “The Best Belief” explains why Christian theism is the most logical answer to truthseekers’ questions concerning ultimate reality, because the New Testament (NT) God provides the only credible hope for attaining heaven and justice, the “duo of desirables” (DOD). The purpose of this lesson is to delve more deeply into God’s requirement for salvation (GRFS). The Old Testament (OT) indicates that God chose the Jewish culture for the purpose of providing Messiah, through whom the world would be blessed or saved (GN 22:18, IS 42:6, 49:6, JL 2:28& 32, MIC 4:2-3, ZPH 3:8-9, ZCH 2:11, 14:9&16), and the NT proclaims that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah or Christ (ACTS 2:36, RM 1:1-4, HB 1:1-4, 3:3-6). It is tragic that the person God has ordained to be the head of one worldwide body of believers (JN 17:20-23, EPH 1:9-10 & 3:6, CL 1:18-20, PHP 2:9-11) is rejected by so many who claim to be theists. And it is ironic that this gemstone, which is the foundation and cornerstone of ultimate reality (EPH 2:20), is the stumbling-stone (1PT 2:6-8) to faith in GRFS for many souls (1CR 1:22-25). Messiah/Christ is the key stone. A crisis that threatened a Philippian jailer with death prompted him to ask Paul and Silas the most important question in life: “What must I do to be saved?” (ACTS 16:30) This question is most important, because—as sinful and mortal souls—we need saving from corruption, both moral and physical. We need saving from physical death if we value or enjoy life, and we need saving from immorality or evil-doing if it results in unhappy existence, especially after this lifetime. The reply of Paul and Silas was this: “Believe in the Lord Jesus.” (ACTS 16:31) This is GRFS in a nutshell. Jesus Himself expressed GRFS even more succinctly using three, four and five letter words: “Ask… seek… knock…” (MT 7:7). As Hebrews 11:6 states: “he [God] rewards those who earnestly seek him” (cf. IS 45:19). I like to denote GRFS by the use of the Greek word kerygma, meaning proclamation or preaching, referring to the good news (Gospel) concerning salvation to heaven and from a just hell (the DOD, cf. RM 1:16, GL 1:6-12, CL 1:21-23). This Gospel was preached by Peter (in ACTS 2:22-24) and summarized by Paul (in 1CR 15:1-8). The salient points include: Jesus was a man, accredited by God (to be Messiah), who died on a cross, but who was raised or resurrected from the dead. Messiah is the Way to heaven. An obvious question to ask at this point is, “What is GRFS for those who have never heard of Jesus?” (which includes everyone living B.C. and millions of people who have lived A.D.) If God loves the world (JN 3:16) and wants everyone to be saved (2TM 2:4), then He must provide an opportunity. God’s just judgment is illustrated by Jesus in the Parable of the Talents (MT 25:14-29), which indicates that God will judge souls on the basis of the truth (Word = Christ per JN 1:1f.) they have received. Three ways God/Christ is encountered include: 1. general revelation, which includes meditating on the natural world or God’s supernatural work. Paul says men are without excuse, both because God’s eternal power and divine nature (love) are manifested by creation (RM 1:20), and because a proto-gospel has been proclaimed to everyone under heaven implicitly or in pre-NT foreshadowings (CL 1:23, RM 10:13-18, GL 3:8). 2. the inner conscience, a natural or “common” sense (RM 2:14-16), which manifests morality or a moral Authority in every culture; and 3. special revelation (1PT 1:8-12), which refers to the biblical and especially NT teaching regarding God’s history of salvation. Again, Jesus taught that souls are saved via faith in God/ Christ as revealed (cf. 1CR 10:1-5). Truthseekers around the world in all times are pilgrims at various places along the road of life, and all true roads eventually lead to the Way to eternal life in heaven (JN 14:6, ACTS 24:14, PHP 2:10-11). All truth leads to One Way. Regarding the third mode of revelation (NT), the kerygma or GRFS can be stated in various ways, which may cause confusion. Some statements (e.g. ACTS 16:31, quoted previously, & EPH 2:8-9) are in terms of believing right, and others (e.g. MT 7:21, “only he who does the will of my Father will enter heaven”, cf. GL 6:7-9 & EPH 2:10) are in terms of behaving right. This prompts the question: Is salvation obtained by believing God’s words or by doing God’s works? The answer is indicated by John 6:29: “The work of God is to believe in the one [Messiah/Christ] He has sent.” As Jesus stated (in JN 14:6): “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The mind of Jesus is truth incarnate (JN 1:14), and all truth manifests the Spirit of Christ or God (1JN 5:6). The work of God (GRFS) is to seek and believe the truth, and part of the truth is that no one comes to know God as Father except through faith in God’s truth embodied as God the Son. If a moralist truthseeker (on the basis of general revelation) is taught about God (perhaps via the OT or Qur’an), then he/she may choose to believe in God or become a theist. If theists are taught the Gospel (NT), then they may choose to believe/accept Jesus as Christ. In both cases salvation is a gift from God received by faith “from first to last” (RM 1:17). I refer to teachings that are secondary or subsequent to learning GRFS by another Greek word, didache, which means teaching. The didache may be very important and requisite for becoming spiritually mature, but it is not most important or necessary to know/believe in order to be saved. The distinction between kerygma/saving faith and didache/working faith was made by Jesus when He commissioned His original twelve disciples minus Judas (MT 28:19-20). This “Great Commission” speaks of both types of information. The kerygma is indicated by verse 19, in which Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”. A Christian disciple is a learner or one who believes the good news about God’s offer of eternal life to all who accept Jesus as Christ, the Lord incarnate. The didache is implicit in verse 20, in which Jesus continues by saying “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” This speaks of the information a disciple needs to know and believe after conversion in order to grow in Christ-likeness regarding how to live the law of love. It is the “all truth” that is taught by the Spirit referred to in John 16:13. Again, it is very important but not necessary for salvation. Witness the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-43, who had no opportunity to learn the didache after his conversion; although, like Paul (according to Acts 22:3) and most adults, some didachaic truth is learned prior to knowing the kerygma. The distinction between kerygma and didache can be seen also in 2 Timothy 3:15-17. The scriptures “which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” refers to the Gospel or kerygma. The scriptural teaching that is useful for “training in righteousness, so that the man [or woman per GL 3:28] of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” refers to the didache. The apostle Paul also employs the difference between kerygma and didache in 1 Corinthians 3:10-15. The “foundation… which is Jesus Christ” is the kerygmatic teaching regarding salvation. Paul alludes to the didache when he says that one should be careful how he/she builds upon this foundation. The distinction between kerygma and didache involves a difference in content and purpose. The kerygma proclaims GRFS, which calls for repentance and acceptance of Jesus as Lord, which is an all or nothing decision that occurs at one moment in time. The didache teaches God’s will regarding how those who have been saved should live in order to be a good witness for Christ, which involves learning more of God’s Word throughout one’s lifetime. A passage teaching this truth is Colossians 2:6-7: “Just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord [kerygma], continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught [didache].” Notice that the kerygma/Gospel fulfills and supersedes OT revelation, but does not contradict its correct interpretation (HB 8:6-13). However, the NT revelation of GRFS will never become obsolete (PHP 2:9-11, RV 22:12-13). Thus, new revelations from God’s Holy Spirit will not contradict the Gospel, although they may express its truth in a different way or form, or else God would be inconsistent or tricky. There may be new wine skins, but no new wine (MT 19:17). Post-NT inspiration must be didachaic information regarding contemporary moral or political issues. The kerygma/GRFS should be every Christian’s creed, and only belief in this crucial truth should be viewed as a test for orthodoxy or heresy. As Paul wrote in Romans 10:9, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Conversely, judgments concerning a person’s spiritual orientation or ultimate destiny should not be made on the basis of didachaic or secondary doctrines. (If any judgment is made, it should begin with a self-examination per MT 7:1&5, 2CR 13:5-8). A major reason many Christians throughout history have not manifested the love and unity of God’s Spirit (EPH 4:3) as well as they should is because of failure to realize this truth. If they did, it would free them to speak honestly and fellowship without becoming unduly upset about relatively minor issues. They would receive God’s blessing as peacemakers, who draw inclusive circles around people based on the kerygma rather than denominational lines between them due to didachaic differences. Jesus prayed for spiritual unity (cf. JN 17:20-23, “May they be one…”). The normative way of stating the kerygma/GRFS in the NT is “Accept Christ Jesus as Lord” (as in 2CR 4:5 & CL 2:6). The main points of Christian orthodoxy implicit in this statement can be explained or elaborated as follows:
Although perfection is not achieved in this life, the necessity of learning the didache in order to strive for perfection indicates the need for perseverance or to keep on learning and growing spiritually until we die physically. Thus, although learning any specific part of the didache is not GRFS, a person who does not “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (MT 5:6) or want to learn “every word that comes from the mouth of God” (MT 4:4) fails the self-examination Paul commanded and Jesus implied (mentioned previously). If we truly believe in Jesus as Christ, the One who represents God the Father, then we will also accept Him as Lord (LK 2:11) or God the Son (MT 16:16) or God in the human dimension (CL 2:9). When we truly accept Jesus as Lord, we will want to please Him by doing His will (MT 7:21, EPH 5:8-10). Learning the manifold teachings or doctrines describing God’s moral will takes a lifetime. Thus, the need for perseverance/loyalty/remaining faithful, which is as easy or simple as an act of will. Remain faithful until the end.
Part II: Need for Perseverance The fifth point of the creed set forth in Part I warrants additional explanation. Just as unsaved sinners do not experience complete hell on earth, saved sinners/saints do not “live happily ever” on this earth when they repent of evil/Satanism. While we look forward to the proverbial “pie in the sky by and by”, we receive only a taste of heaven (HB 6:5) in the here and now. In order not to become discouraged, Christians need to understand that salvation has three stages or time components. They were saved from ultimate hell at the moment of deciding to accept Jesus as Lord (EPH 1:13, RV 3:20), they are (being) saved or perfected morally while remaining loyal to Jesus (JM 1:3-4), and they will be saved bodily on the day of resurrection (ZCH 14:1-9, 1THS 4:16, cf. 1CR 15:35-55). The spiritual union between believers and Christ is comparable to marriage (EPH 5:23-32), and just as a husband and wife need to continue their commitment until they part at death, Christians also need to retain saving faith (LK 9:23, 2CR 4:16) as they grow spiritually, learning how to become more like Christ or achieve His fullness. Then they will neither take God’s grace for granted nor repent of their decision to serve Him as Lord. In other words, perseverance is an implicit and integral part of faith; Christians need to persevere in their acceptance of the kerygma and to keep on learning the didache until the day they die (MT 10:22, 2THS 1:3-5, 2PT 1:5-8). Saying we “need” perseverance prompts this question: Is it possible for a Christian to repudiate his/her saving faith and become apostate or again bound for hell? Before seeking to answer this question, we should remember that although perseverance is an implicit part of the creed, understanding the details of this or any doctrine is not necessary in order to remain saved, because the kerygma is simple enough for a young soul to understand (cf. MT 18:3), and didachaic details can become rather complicated and controversial. Thus, a Christian needs to be humble or Spirit-filled before tackling such issues, keeping in mind that whichever position a Christian takes on any secondary doctrine, he/she should fellowship with those having a different interpretation who affirm the kerygma both verbally and by typically manifesting divine love. The issue of apostasy has been debated ever since Augustine of Hippo developed his doctrine of predestination about A.D. 400. Romans 8:38-39 seems to say that it is impossible for a Christian to fail to persevere. Paul writes: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life… nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We also read in John 10:27-29 that Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice… no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” (Also, see EPH 1:11-14, 1JN 2:19, ACTS 17:26, PS 135:6 & PR 21:1.) However, there are numerous verses in the NT which indicate that it is possible for a believer intentionally or willfully to separate him/herself from Christ (cf. GL 5:1 & RV 12:9). The classic passage that teaches the possibility of apostasy is Hebrews 6:4-6: “It is impossible for those who have… shared in the Holy Spirit… if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again.” Another verse in this vein is Galatians 5:4: “You who are trying to be justified by law… have fallen away from grace.” (The reader should also see RM 11:22, 1CR 15:2, CL 1:22-23, 2THS 1:4-5, 2TM 2:12, HB 3:6&14, 10:35-36, JM 1:12, 2PT 1:10-11, 2:20, 1JN 2:24-25 and RV 2:10. These Scriptures are quoted at the end of this part.) Some Christians say that the biblical exhortations to persevere do not imply the possibility of apostasy but this interpretation is problematic for three reasons: First, the plain sense of many verses of Scripture including those listed in the preceding parentheses suggests that it is possible for a believer to commit apostasy, and saying that this under-standing is false seems to make God tricky. Second, God’s plan of salvation from the miserable consequences of choosing to reject Him makes sense only if people are morally accountable or free, and free will is meaningful only if a person can choose between essentially opposite options, as in Deuteronomy 30:19: “I set before you today life and death, blessings and curses.” This is the same choice that was set before Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (GN 2:16-17) and before that to Satan in heaven (LK 10:18). I see no reason to think that this choice is not eternal, because it is this choice which creates: free will (faith in Christ or antichrist), moral responsibility (love the Lord or hate Him) and meaningful life (taste of heaven now and hope for eternal joy rather than misery now and ultimately hell). And 1 Corinthians 13:13 says “these three remain”. Third, Jesus said “The truth will set you free” (JN 8:32), and “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (JN 8:36) As a disciple of Christ I feel free, and I find every day fraught with significance as I fight on God’s side against evil in a war that has ultimate consequences for the destiny of my soul. Spiritual freedom is in Christ. If Christians retain the same freedom they had as non-Christians to accept or reject Christ’s Lordship, then the second most important truth to learn in life after the Gospel/kerygma is the “necessity” of persevering in accepting Christ as Lord and in learning God’s Word (LGW) until we die in order to achieve our God-given purpose in life: the fullness of Christ or spiritual maturity. [LGW signifies this truth.] The doctrine of perseverance or LGW serves as a bridge from the kerygma (creed) to the didache (lifelong spiritual growth) or from spiritual birth to maturity, so it is logical to harmonize various biblical statements on this issue before proceeding to other didachaic topics. The passages cited previously that seem to support predestination may be harmonized with those supporting free will or perseverance as follows: 1. Romans 8:38-39 – “anything else” refers to powers other than one’s own will. 2. John 10:27-29 – being “unsnatchable” does not disallow a person from choosing to jump out of the “Father’s hand”. 3. Ephesians 1:11-14 – what is “predestined” is God’s plan to choose or elect anyone who desires to be “in him” or to satisfy GRFS. Thus, being “marked in him with a seal” does not abrogate moral free will (cf. 2PT 1:10f). 4. 1 John 2:19 – when synthesized with verse 24 must mean that those who repudiate their Faith do not eternally “belong”. 5. Psalm 135:6 – in light of “volitional verses” (such as DT 30:19 & MT 23:37) means that God “pleases” to permit limited free will. 6. Proverbs 21:1 – in order not to make God responsible for the sins cited in the rest of the chapter must mean that the “king’s heart” or will is choosing to cooperate with the Lord’s “hand” or directions.
Scriptures that teach the possibility of apostasy include the following: MT 10:22, “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” RM 11:22, “Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.” 1CR 15:2, “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” GL 5:4, “You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.” CL 1:22-23, “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.” 2THS 1:4-5, “Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.” 2TM 2:12, “If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;” HB 3:6&14, “But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast… We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” HB 6:4-6, “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.” HB 10:26-36, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God… So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.” JM 1:12, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” 2PT 1:10-11, “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2PT 2:20, “If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.” 1JN 2:24-25, “See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—even eternal life.” JUDE 21, “Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” RV 2:10, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” Believers may share Christ’s suffering before His glory.
Part III: Spiritual Dynamics Part II discussed perseverance as the bridge from GRFS (the kerygma) to LGW regarding various teachings (the didache) subsequent to learning the Gospel. Jesus taught that the evidence of saving faith or satisfying GRFS is working faith or helping humanity (JN 13:35). Disciples of Jesus (or Believers) tend to love and help others, not by virtue of their own goodness, but because they are moved or motivated by the loving Spirit of the Lord (1JN 4:7-8). Humans can never become good enough to earn or merit salvation as a reward for right behavior. A person cannot be good by doing good. Those who try to attain heaven by imitating Christ-like behavior without accepting Christ’s Lordship and atonement actually go in the opposite direction (GL 5:4), so we should cooperate with God’s Way. No one achieves moral perfection in this life, but no one who lacks divine love will reap eternal life with God (GL 6:7-8). Thus, a person who claims to be godly but who is behaving in an ungodly (unloving, untruthful) manner may be in one of the following categories: a. a normally loving person observed during a rare moment when he/she acted uncharacteristically (PHP 3:12-16), b. an immature Believer, who is making progress–you should have known him/her a year ago! (1CR 3:1-3, EPH 4:11-15) c. a truthseeker who has not yet learned the correct interpretation of God’s Word (1CR 6:9-11, EPH 5:8-9), or d. a pseudo-Christian (MT 7:21), who may affirm morality while rejecting its divine rationale. Paul listed some sins he implied genuine Christians would not typically commit (in 1CR 6:9-10), saying: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” Apparently, although a new Christian might commit such sins occasionally, it is inconceivable (because antithetical to NT teaching) that a mature Christian would commit them so typically that the person could be classified as an adulterer, for example. Atheists might try to practice the “Golden Rule”, but the key issue for them on judgment day will be explaining what good reason they had for rejecting God rather than glorifying Him as the One who determines what is good/golden. Sinners can overcome selfishness only by becoming one with Christ via faith in Him/God as Lord and thereby sharing His goodness because of union with His/God’s Holy Spirit. This spiritual union is denoted by references to those who have saving faith as children of God the Father (RM 8:14-16). This is why Christianity is a relationship with God motivated by gratitude for God’s grace (PS 100, EPH 2:4-8) rather than a legalistic religion of working to merit God’s mercy because of fear of punishment. I will now attempt to explain the dynamics of the relationship between God and truthseekers or how the Holy Spirit of God interacts and communicates with humans. Humans are born innocent babies with the potential to attain the stage of accountability, comparable to when God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (GN 2:17). At this stage, a person’s interaction with the Spirit of God begins, because he/she has become a living soul or embodied mind/spirit (GN 2:7). (The spiritual status of humans before they reach the stage of moral accountability is not clearly explained in Scripture. Surely they would not go to hell, but on what basis would their destiny be heaven? Perhaps they share the fate of amoral animals.) A person’s fellowship with God begins in a primitive and impersonal way when a soul becomes a truthseeker, because God’s Spirit is truth (1JN 5:6). The commitment to seek and have faith in the truth as revealed is a primitive “pre-theistic” satisfaction of GRFS (MT 7:7), thus the person begins a saving relationship with God although he/she does not know it (RM 1:17). As a truthseeker at any time in history and place in the world meditates upon his/her experiences, Paul indicates that they will be able to discern God’s being and love (RM 1:20, 2:14-15, GL 5:14) by means of what theologians call “natural or general revelation”. When truthseekers recognize the reality of God as the Creator of the universe who has a moral requirement, if they decide to become theists and worship Him, they become like Abraham and other OT believers, and their fellowship deepens or becomes personal. Presumably, God provides such believers the opportunity to hear the gospel of Christ in a pre-NT form (cf. the proto-gospel), so they may repent of sin and accept the pre-incarnate Christ as Lord (JN 8:42, 1JN 1:3-4). At the moment of repentance/acceptance, God’s Holy Spirit enters their spiritual hearts (RV 3:20), uniting them with God as heavenly Father (RM 8:9) and identifying them with Christ’s worldwide/catholic body or church (CL 1:18). This manifold event is called spiritual birth or baptism (1CR 12:13). We can infer that this dynamic occurs also for pre-NT believers, because there is no salvation outside of Christ’s ekklesia or church (ACTS 4:12). Partial knowledge of God’s Word will limit ability to cooperate with Him, so there is a need for evangelism or learning the full Gospel (MT 28:18-20, cf. ACTS 18:24-26) as well as for lifelong discipleship or spiritual training (2TM 3:16-17). Confusion may arise from the fact that in Ephesians 4:5 Paul says there is only one baptism, but elsewhere the NT seems to refer to two types of baptism: one by water and another by the Holy Spirit. In His “Great Commission” Jesus tied saving faith closely to the work of water baptism when He said “Make disciples of all nations, baptizing them” (MT 28:19). Yet, in 1 Corinthians 12:13 Paul wrote that “We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body.” This suggests that spirit baptism occurs at the moment of conversion, when the Holy Spirit unites the new saint (saved sinner/soul) with Christ, because “if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” (RM 8:9) The indwelling of the Holy Spirit may also be called the initial filling by the Holy Spirit, because at the point of confession and conversion a person is cooperating fully with God. (See RM 6:3-7, GL 2:20) The evidence that a person has been baptized by God’s Spirit or included in Christ’s spiritual body is love in its myriad of forms (GL 5:22-23, JN 13:35). Any confusion is resolved by understanding that the two types of baptism are united if baptism with water is viewed as a symbolic way of portraying baptism by the Holy Spirit. The details for this work are vague, but the mode of immersion best portrays a Believer’s spiritual union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection to eternal life (CL 2:12, RM 6:4). As a practical matter, a new Believer normally would be baptized by the local congregation of the catholic (worldwide) church in which he/she will want to participate as an acknowledged member. Water baptism symbolizes spiritual baptism. Instead of commanding water baptism for salvation, Paul said in one place (RM 10:9-10) that a convert should confess “with your mouth” in order to be saved, even though elsewhere (EPH 2:8-9) he taught that one is saved by faith. Both outward confession and water baptism may be seen as works manifesting love for God that every new Believer will want to (but we cannot say “must”) perform as soon as possible following his/her decision to have saving faith (cf. MT 3:13-15, ACTS 2:38). The relationship between Believers/Christians and God may be viewed as having three stages (mentioned in Part II). The first stage is the moment of conversion or repentance (ACTS 20:21) just mentioned, when a person “plugs in” to the power of God’s Holy Spirit by accepting Christ Jesus as Lord. Because a person’s commitment to Christ is in accordance with God’s perfect will and the response of yielding to His calling (1TM 2:3-4), the moment of spiritual baptism fulfills the command of Ephesians 5:18 to be filled (cooperate fully) with the Spirit. For Christians, this stage occurred in the past historically and grammatically; we were saved when we repented and accepted Christ. The second stage is spiritual growth, which is also referred to as maturation (EPH 4:13), discipleship (ACTS 14:22) or sanctification (2THS 2:13). Grammatically it is present pro-gressive, and historically it is the process of being saved now. This stage has two phases: instability and maturity. Although a new Spirit-filled convert has access to all of the power he/she needs for loving like Christ (EPH 3:16-19), no one attains immediate “perfection” by remaining filled with the Holy Spirit forever (PHP 3:12). Instead, the combination of temptations, ignorance and the old selfish nature results in immature saints committing their first post-conversion sin(s). Then he/she no longer is spiritual or filled with the Holy Spirit but rather is acting like unsaved unbelievers (1CR 3:1). This “venial” type of error differs from the “mortal” or damning sin of unbelief or apostasy (rejecting God’s Lordship, cf. JM 1:15 & Part II). As soon as a new Christian realizes a sin was committed, he/she should confess it (1JN 1:9) rather than compound it by trying to hide it or cover it up like Adam and Eve did (GN 3:7-8). Then God will forgive, and the saint will again be in a Spirit-filled or spiritual condition. This spiritual flip-flopping might happen once a day, or it could occur several times in an hour. While this instability may be bad, failure to confess promptly is much worse, because it results in chain-sinning or back-sliding. This condition is also referred to as being carnal/worldly (1CR 3:1) or prodigal (LK 15:13) if it continues for weeks or years. Unfortunately, some people may not appreciate the process of being renewed morally or as Paul says (in RM 12:2) of being “transformed by the renewing of your mind”, perhaps because it involves admitting sins or having “guilt trips”. It is not guilt that is bad; rather whatever one is doing that makes one feel guilty. Guilt is like a warning light on a car’s instrument panel that lets one know something is wrong. Until we have the wisdom to welcome God’s “guilt trips” like we do warning lights, we will never feel the satisfaction of becoming a new and improved version of ourselves. Hopefully, we will never reach the point where we are so callous that we experience no guilt when we do wrong. Warnings are good! This unstable or immature phase in a Christian’s spiritual relationship with God is followed eventually (and hopefully soon) by a second phase of relative perfection or maturity signified in the Bible (especially the King James Version) by the phrase “walking with God”. Genesis 5:24 describes Enoch as a man who walked with God, and the apostle Paul described the goal of Christians (the fullness of Christ) as walking with God (RM 6:4, GL 5:16, EPH 4:1, 1THS 4:1). Elsewhere the continually (ideally) Spirit-filled condition is referred to as walking: in light (1JN 1:7), in love (EPH 5:2), in a new life (RM 6:4), according to the Spirit (RM 8:4), and in good works (CL 1:10). The outward evidence that someone is Spirit-filled (EPH 5:18) or walking with God is the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit or fullness of Christ (EPH 3:19, 4:13), which consists of such attributes as those listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Jesus said “All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (JN13:35), because “love” sums up the moral character of God (1JN 4:7-8). Someone who does not hunger and thirst after righteousness (MT 5:6) and LGW (PS 119:9) needs to reevaluate the sincerity of his/her profession of faith in the Lord. As Paul says (in 2CR 13:5), “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith.” The spiritual beauty of God’s truth is as awe-inspiring or attractive as the physical beauty of God’s world for one who has the Spirit/mind of Christ (1CR 2:12-16). How we become new and improved versions of ourselves is taught in EPH 4:1-16. We see that God’s goal for our faith is attaining Christ-like moral maturity and spiritual unity, so God’s will is resisted or contradicted by people who have a judgmental and divisive spirit rather than God’s loving or Holy Spirit. Jesus warned against this evil spirit early in his ministry (MT 7:1-5&21). Also near the end of his earthly life, Jesus prayed for godly unity (JN 17:20-23). It is up to each of us to cooperate with God in answering this prayer.
The third stage of a Christian’s relationship with God, called glorification (1PT 5:10) or immortality (1CR 15:53), occurs in heaven, when Believers will walk with God perfectly and eternally. Of course, grammatically and historically, this stage is in the future. Somehow, in heaven saints will be both free to sin and free of/from sin, perhaps because they will have perfect memories of the lessons learned in this earthly life (2PT 1:12-15), which will enable them to appreciate the blessings of heaven forever. Like physical walking, spiritual walking has two steps. Another apt analogy is the act of breathing. The meaning of both analogies is simply communion or communication with God’s Holy Spirit. The first step or inhale is listening to God (LGW), and the second step or exhale is responding to or cooperating with God. God’s message for mankind is revealed partially by the world He has created but more fully by the Scriptures He has inspired. The crux of God’s Word is the Gospel of salvation (kerygma), while the secondary teachings (didache) consist of the manifold applications of the law of love (1JN 3:11, cf. Part I). The Believer’s main types of responses to God’s Word are prayer to God and good works unto others for God (cf. 1JN 4:20, EPH 2:10). The kerygmatic prayer that is necessary in order for a sinner be saved and walk with God is confession (1JN 1:9, PS 32:1-5). Prayer is simply talking to God. From the moment of repentance onward, whenever a Believer acknowledges to God his/her known sins of immoral attitudes and actions, God forgives all sins (1JN 1:9b). This means he/she is pleasing rather than grieving God or once again is Spirit-filled (walking in the Spirit) and has a right relationship with Christ Jesus (EPH 4:30, 5:10 & 18). Paul exhorted Believers (in EPH 6:18) to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests, which leads into a discussion of didachaic prayers/thoughts a Believer might address to God. When a Believer confesses sin and is refilled by the Spirit, he/she experiences divine love, joy and peace (GL 5:22-23), which prompts prayers giving thanks. Jesus led a prayer of thanksgiving during the Last Supper (1CR 11:23-24). Paul frequently expressed thankfulness for believers he had helped to convert and who had helped support his ministry (1THS 1:2, PHP 1:3). He instructed Believers to “Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances.” (1THS 5:17-18) A type of prayer akin to thanksgiving is praise, which expresses love and glory to God for who He is and what He means to us. Numerous Psalms express this type of prayer, from 9:1-2 to 150:1-6. Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice [prayer] of praise.” Revelation 5:13 refers to prayers of praise in heaven: “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth . . . singing: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” A fourth kind of prayer is petition, which may be the most used and least understood type. The Lord’s Sample Prayer (MT 6:9-13) has a series of petitions. In Philippians 4:6 Paul taught: “By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” A petition in which we ask God for something on behalf of another person is called intercession. Paul frequently prayed for others (EPH 1:16-18, PHP 1:3-4&9, CL 1:3&9), and he asked believers to pray for him (EPH 6:18-20, CL 4:3-4, 1TM 2:1, 2THS 3:1), so perhaps intercession should be our most frequent type of petition (EPH 6:18b). The privilege of petitioning God should not be viewed as a blank check, nor is the primary purpose of prayer to persuade God to do our will like a genie. Rather, in prayer we should express our agreement with the perfect will of God. As 1 John 5:14 says, “if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” Although agreement with God is not always mentioned (cf. EPH 3:20, JN 16:23), Jesus exemplified this principle when He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (MT 26:36-46). Again, we should approach God’s “throne of grace” (HB 4:16) not to ask Him to do some good He otherwise would not do, but rather to remind ourselves of His presence and that He is the source of all blessings (JM 1:17). In order to pray in accordance with God’s will, we must know God’s Word (JN 15:7). Like bread and butter or romantic love and spiritual marriage, prayer and LGW go together. Pray for God’s will to be done. God may answer a petition in various ways: 1. He may grant it as requested (1KG 18:37-39), 2. He may grant the underlying desire in a way different than requested (GN 17:18-19), 3. He may grant the request, but it will not satisfy our desire (NM 11:4-34, PS 106:15), and 4. God may say “no” or “not yet”, perhaps but not necessarily because we are committing some sin, including: a. lack of faith (JM 1:6-8), MT 21:21-22), b. disobedience or lack of love (1JN 3:21-23, PR 21:13, JOB 35:12-13), c. marital strife (1PT 3:7), and d. selfishness (JM 4:3). Knowing God’s will is necessary in order for us to pray more specifically than “Thy will be done”. Much of God’s will is prescriptive or stated in clear moral teachings such as the Ten Commandments (EX 20:1-17, MT 19:17-21, GL 5:22-23). We may not know how to pray, but we can “live up to what we have already attained” (PHP 3:16). That we pray is more important to God than our wording (EPH 6:18a, 1THS 5:17, RM 8:26-27). Not praying would be like giving God “the silent treatment”. The power of prayer is God’s, and Believers should not talk as though God would not act if they did not pray! In brief, prayer is like surfing: One does not need to ask God to send waves, but rather for readiness to ride them. The way God has chosen to answer our prayers for the kingdom of heaven to come on earth in our lifetime is for us to partake of the bread of truth (MT 6:10-11, cf. LGW above). We cannot live by physical bread (or prayer) alone; our souls need every word God speaks (MT 4:4). Jesus said that He is God’s way and the word/bread of life (JN 14:6, 6:35&63). He also said, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.” (JN 14:23) In order to obey, we must learn, even as Jesus did (HB 5:8). This is the reason Believers should attend a local church (fellowship) where the pastor/lead learner is a good Bible teacher (HB 10:25, RM 10:14). The numerous practical problems we experience in this pre-heavenly life—poverty, war, disease, divorce, crime and so forth—find their solution to the extent that as many people as possible LGW as soon as possible. Again, we do not live by prayer alone. We considered prayer in some detail, because it is an integral aspect of spiritual dynamics or how the Spirit of God communes with Believers. The second main type of response by Believers is doing good works, which would lead into discussion of a myriad of moral (didachaic) topics that is beyond the scope of this booklet. Let us simply say that saints should seek to become morally perfect (MT 5:48) or pure (PHP 1:10& 2:15) or spiritually mature (EPH 4:13, PHP 3:12-15), which means to remain filled by or to be in step with the Holy Spirit (GL 5:25) more and more of the time (PHP 1:9, 1THS 4:1 &10). Some people wonder whether God’s will includes a specific plan for their lives, including career and spouse. While some Believers may feel called to serve the Lord in a specific way, probably most Christians do not have a “Damascus road experience”, and so they are free to choose whatever morally respectable vocation (1THS 4:11-12) or spiritually compatible spouse (if any, 1CR 7:8-9, 2CR 6:14) appeals to them. Every soul’s general calling has been revealed or taught in the Holy Scriptures, which is to experience the miraculous fullness of Christ or become a Christ-like person (EPH 4:1-2, 2THS 1:11-12). We may make any moral choice.
Part IV: A Biblical and Logical Hermeneutic Now that we have considered GRFS and some details closely related to that subject, perhaps it is time for me to explain my hermeneutic or parameters for interpreting the Bible. My method begins with the instruction of Paul (1THS 5:21) to “Test everything. Hold on to the good.” A truthseeker wants to know the truth, and is guided by the question: What is most true or closest to the truth? The basis for determining truth is subjective logic that is made as objective as possible by learning from other truthseekers, preferably via dialogue when possible. As a result of seeking ultimate truth, I have come to value two NT teachings as key points from which to triangulate or use to guide my interpretation of the Bible, especially problematic statements. First, God loves and wants to save everyone (1TM 2:3-4); Christ died to show God’s love and the possible salvation of all (RM 5:6-8) including His enemies (ungodly, atheist, anti-Christ). Second, God is just (2THS 1:6a, cf. RM 3:25-26 & 9:14, DT 32:4, PS 36:6, LK 11:42, RV 15:3). Explanations of God’s Word should not impugn God’s justice and love for all people (JL 2:13, JN 3:16). I find this hermeneutic affirmed in the OT (PS 145:17): “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” Triangulate from God’s love & justness. This principle leads me to conclude that even the wrath of God is an expression of His love and justice. The writer of Hebrews (12:4-11) indicates that divine wrath is intended as discipline or for the purpose of teaching people to repent of their hatefulness and faithlessness (PR 3:12, IS 33:14-15 RV 3:19). If a righteous explanation cannot be found for a passage of Scripture purporting to describe God’s will, then it should be considered as historical or descriptive of what people perceived rather than as pedagogical or prescriptive of God’s nature. Unrighteous rage should not be attributed to God. The justice of God is a source of comfort and joy to those who have decided to accept His loving Lordship, but it is experienced as judgment or wrath by those who rebel against Him (IS 13:13, RM 1:18, RV 19:11). The fire that warms (purifies) also burns (punishes). Stating God’s requirement for salvation negatively: a person would do well (be wise) not to reject Him in order not to experience the miserable but just consequence (JN 3:17-18). Just consequences teach good behavior. Other important elements in my hermeneutic include the following. Everyone lives by fallible faith/belief/opinion and sufficient knowledge of evidence rather than by absolute certainty or proof or coercion (2CR 5:7). Second, a logical train of thought leads an unbiased truthseeker to have a propensity to believe in an all-loving God, who is not tricky and does not hide the way to heaven (HB 11:6, ACTS 13:10). Third, humanity’s understanding of God evolved or progressed through the millenniums, so that the OT was superseded by the NT, which is the apex of divine revelation (HB 7:18, 8:13, 9:15). The method employed in this hermeneutic is additive or eclectic as taught by Paul (in 1THS 5:21), exemplified by Jesus (in MT 4:6-7) and illustrated by the transparent overlays of bodily systems found in some books on anatomy. I want to include all true assertions in the picture of reality without making a “Procrustean Body” by cutting off or ignoring parts that do not seem to fit, because the correct understanding must be self-consistent or else God would be tricky. The whole truth combines parts without sawing! The Bible says God’s Spirit is love and truth (1JN 4:8 & 5:6), which means all love (agape, RM 6:5-8) in all people is God’s operation, and all truth in all cultures is God’s revelation. Thus, becoming a Christian theist does not mean rejecting what is good and true in one’s pre-Christian experience or culture. As the philosopher Hegel taught: when considering two different understandings (thesis A versus antithesis B), the truth may not be either one or the other but rather the proper harmonization of the two. (Both A and B = synthesis C.) The Bible teaches (GN 1:3, JN 1:1-3) that both the world and inspired words are expressions of God’s Word/Logos, and thus scientific and spiritual truths must be compatible or else God would be tricky. So, while belief that God is love and Jesus is Lord is based upon the biblical revelation, knowledge also is gleaned from the natural sciences and common sense. While my interpretation of reality is influenced by the Bible, I utilize logical thinking, especially where the Bible seems silent, hoping that I am guided by the Spirit of Truth (JN 14:17). Everyone ought to embrace this ecumenical hermeneutic. Logic is the way every sane soul has direct access to the supreme Mind or Logos (1CR 2:11-16). Right logic is the glue that binds all individual truths together in one catholic or universal faith. Logic provides the rationale for believing that the history of humanity is not a farce, and it sustains the hope of experiencing love and joy in a future heavenly existence. The beauty of this hermeneutic is the harmonization of whatever is good and true in all religions or isms. However, I realize that—just as frequently happens when a person shares favorite musical or scenic beauty with someone else—it may not move your soul like mine (MT 11:16-17). The explanation of how the infinite and holy God communicates with finite and fallible humans affirms two phenomena: accommodation and distanciation. It appears that God accommodated His revelation so that it corresponded with the evolutionary stages of human moral and intellectual development, imparting His Spirit/Word by means of words, both literal and allegorical or metaphorical (cf. MT 7:24-27, 16:6-12, etc.). In order to create volitional beings having moral free will, God designed reality so that His presence is less than compelling, so that we experience God as distant from us and “unknown” (ACTS 17:23). Even Jesus (God the Son) on the cross cried out “My God [the Father], why have you forsaken [taken God the Spirit from] me?” (MT 27:46, PS 51:11) We may feel distant from God even though He is close or immanent, “for in Him we live and move and have our being” (ACTS 17:28), because God’s normative means of conversion is persuasion rather than coercion (MT 12:39, 24:24, 1CR 1:22-23). This is seen very clearly in Jesus’ lament over the obstinacy of Jerusalem (MT 23:37). Apparently, undeniable miracles would be coercive or tantamount to demanding conversion and love at gunpoint. Because of human limitations and the necessity of accommodation and distanciation, we must be content with sufficient rather than perfect or inerrant knowledge of God’s revelation and not be unduly concerned when we find grains of sand (discrepancies and problematic passages) amid the gold or truth. God’s method of conversion is NOT coercion!
Part V: Some Kerygmatic Details In this part I will share a few more comments and insights regarding saving faith. Accepting Jesus as Christ and Lord implies the reason that the kerygma is stated in terms of believing right and behaving right. We can harmonize these two categories of teachings by understanding that right or saving faith precedes and produces good works or working faith that loves. The priority of faith is indicated by James 2:17, which says that “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied [manifested] by action, is dead.” And Paul (in GL 5:6) states, “the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Ephesians 2:8-9, which emphasizes salvation by grace through faith, is followed in verse 10 by: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” In other words, right faith in God/Christ is the horse that pulls a cartload of good works. Good or loving works are significant as the sign of saving faith, but we should never put the cart before the horse. A person who claims to be a Christian, but who seems selfish and unloving, may be making a false profession; but no particular work—even including outward confession and water baptism—is necessary in order to be saved and to become a Christian. Saving faith motivates good works. Of course, the gift of salvation may be rejected because of faith in lies or their father (JN 8:44-47). The latter decision is called “the spirit of the antichrist” (1JN 4:2-3), and Jesus said (in MT 12:30), “He who is not with me is against me.” It should be understood that although God’s love is universal and unconditional, receiving His gift of salvation is conditional upon repentance or choosing to accept it by means of non-meritorious faith or cooperating with GRFS. The purpose of evangelism or teaching everyone on earth the full Gospel (MT 28:18-20) is to fulfill God’s desire for those truthseekers who are saved either on the basis of belief in natural or general revelation and obedience to conscience (moralism) or on the basis of belief in God as Lord (theism) to learn the whole truth and be one spiritual body or church united by faith in Christ (CL 1:15-23). Someone might wonder whether souls may be good or have good “hearts” and merit heaven without accepting Christ’s atonement. The NT says no, but does not consider whether a person might have a psychological excuse (such as being abused as a child by an unloving “Christian” father). Regardless of how a person behaved while alive, the fact they did not believe the Gospel of Jesus (assuming they had the opportunity) would make them evil for rejecting the only One who is good (MT 19:17), the source and Spirit of good, and its Rationale. God initiates; we cooperate, or not. IOW, “good” is not an objective natural entity that exists independently from God or prior to Him, determining His morality, but rather goodness is God’s creation/decision and determined by Him. The corollary of this truth is that apart from God all accountable humans are sinners in need of God’s salvation from selfishness (RM 3:23, 6:23). The command of Jesus to be perfect (MT 5:48) means to become like God morally, or as Paul says, to be imitators of God and “live a life of love, just as Christ loved us.” (EPH 5:1-2) Paul calls this goal the “fullness” of God/Christ (EPH 3:19, 4:13). It signifies the reason for creation, the purpose of salvation and Believers’ blessings in heaven. Although God views believers in Christ as sharing His perfect righteousness (sometimes called imputed or positional perfection), practical perfection or continual loving behavior as an immortal being in heaven will begin when life’s test on earth is finished (PHP 3:12, 1JN 1:8, 1CR 15:42-50). May we all pass! Again, Christ’s command to be perfect/complete/full [the slashes denote equivalent terms] essentially means to become more like Him morally or in loving attitudes and actions (PHP 3:7-9, EPH 5:1-3). Apparently, achieving this goal is aided by an earthly experience or sojourn of learning lessons that prepare us for eternal life and of teaching what we learn to others (1JN 1:3-4), which might be why Believers are not immediately translated to heaven when they become Christians. How long this earthly history will continue only God knows, but some scriptures (MT 24:14, 2PT 3:9-15 RM 11:25) indicate that it will be until everyone living in the world at the time of the end has the opportunity to hear the Gospel, while others stress the need to be ready for it to occur at any moment (MT 24:44, 1THS 5:2, RV 3:3). Someone unfamiliar with the OT might ask, “Why did God’s plan of salvation include the gruesome death of Messiah?” The answer is that Jesus’ death not only fulfilled OT prophecies of a “prophet” like Moses (DT 18:15) and a “suffering servant” (IS 53), but it also completed and ended the Mosaic sacrificial system, as explained in Hebrews 7:18-10:1. It is logical to believe that an all-loving God’s plan of salvation would be just, the best and save the most. Paul taught (in RM 5:6-11) that the crucifixion of Jesus not only manifested God’s love but also provided the way for Him to forgive sins justly without abrogating free will and abetting sin. Jesus bore the just consequences of the sins of all humanity (called “atonement”) so that those who truly repent can receive forgiveness rather than having to experience those consequences or hell. We must underline the word “truly”, however, because God’s free grace is not cheap or unjust, allowing evil to go unpunished (cf. MT 7:21, 2TM 2:19, TIT 1:16). A person cannot play games with God, who knows the heart (GL 6:7-10, HB 4:12-13). Jesus is the only person qualified to be Messiah and atone for others’ sins, because he was innocent of sin even though tempted like every human (HB 4:15, 5:7-9 & 6:26-28). Anyone who thinks God should punish each individual for his/her own sins thinks too highly of himself and too little of the holiness of God. Even though some sins, such as murder, seem worse than others quantitatively, because they cause more obvious harm, all sin—even that of omission (JM 4:17)—is evil qualitatively and equivalent to murder for being diametrically opposed to the perfect will of God (JM 2:10-11). Thus, while it might seem that the just consequence for your own sins would be a hell much less horrible than for someone like Hitler, all ungodly souls are on Satan’s side and cannot earn heaven by trying to be good without cooperating with God. So instead of seeking salvation our own way, it is wise to be grateful for grace and ask for clarification of one’s (mis)understandings in heaven. Because perfect justice is not attained during this earthly existence, there is a resurrection and judgment (HB 9:27-28), when those who serve the Spirit of love (although imperfectly, PHP 3:12) are separated from demonic souls who do not even want to try to cooperate with the Holy Spirit (MT 25:31-46). Otherwise, there would be no ultimate justice and the entire biblical revelation would make no sense (1CR 15:14&19). If atheists/evil-doers remained unconscious after death, such ignorance would be relative bliss and morality would be nullified (ECC 2:12-17). Thus, hell (as a potential destiny) as well as heaven is good (part of the DOD)! The horror of self-condemnation for serving Satan is this: apparently the misery of hell does not motivate genuine repentance. Thus, God abandons people assigned to hell or second death (RV 20:6, RM 1:28-32), because they are hopelessly corrupt (JN 6:44). This destiny is eternal for anyone whose sins are infinite. For the rest, hell will end in destruction or non-existence per the following passages: JN 17:12, “None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” RM 9:22, “What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?” GL 6:8a, “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction.” PHP 3:19a, “Their destiny is destruction.” 2THS 1:9a, “They will be punished with everlasting destruction.” 2PT 3:7, “By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” The good news (Gospel) is that God has provided a Way for sinners to be saved from suffering and destruction and to be resurrected to eternal life in heaven. The desire for eternal joy is not selfish but rather the proper motivation for attaining immortality the right way. What hope is more credible than the Christian Gospel? None! And who is a better candidate for Christ/Messiah than Jesus of Nazareth? No one! (CL 1:15-20) If history evolved in a way that produced a false gospel and pseudo-Christ, all truthseekers want to know, but why choose to doubt the reality of a loving God, revealed by Jesus, who provides eternal joy in heaven until this hope is disproved or discredited? I prefer to doubt such doubts, because if Christianity is true, then life is not a farce. This concludes my explanation of the Christian creed and related topics (the Gospel, kerygma, GRFS, etc.). I have tried to be succinct so that busy readers who are investing valuable time in mining for spiritual gold will be rewarded with a rich vein. My hope is that truthseekers who are working the puzzle of reality will find many truisms that will elicit shouts of “Eureka!” An obvious truism that needs to be mentioned is that the happy ending has not happened yet! In between conversion and heaven, God allows our journey to go through various places we would rather not visit: the ghost town of job loss, the quarantined ghetto of disease, the burning village of divided families. History can be viewed as a long “King of the Hill” struggle (KOTH). But let us take heart from the words of Paul (in PHP 4:12-13: “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation… I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” I think Paul’s secret is to treat every negative experience as an opportunity for learning some truth that will help us to become stronger persons and better witnesses for Christ. Financial problems teach us to value spiritual riches and to rely on God (1TM 5:6-10), physical ailments teach us to appreciate a healthy immortal life in heaven (2CR 12:7-10), and unhappy relationships motivate us to resist the devil, even though we feel as if God has forsaken us (JM 4:7-10, MT 27:46). The paradoxical truth is that Believers experience joy despite KOTH or suffering (1PT 4:13). While not desiring to suffer or praying for problems, mature Christians have a Christ-like attitude so that tribulations only make them merely joyful rather than overjoyed! Christians are joyous because they realize that suffering is only for a season and for good reason:
2. Pain resulting from sinful behavior leads the wise to conform to the character of Christ (HB 12:4-11, RM 8:29), 3. Relying on God’s grace and truth in the midst of undeserved troubles glorifies Christ (2CR 4:7-11) and shows the value of LGW, 4. Troubles serve to keep mature saints humble (2CR 12:7-12), and 5. God’s Holy Spirit comforts those who suffer and thereby demonstrates His love (MT 5:4, 2CR 1:3-4). As Paul wrote (in RM 5:3-4), “We also rejoice in our sufferings (KOTH), because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Our hope is that we gain heaven (PHP 1:21), which is worth any grief occasioned by Faith (1PT 1:6-9, 2CR 4:16-18, HB 12:2). Yes, this life is not heaven yet, although our continual prayer is for God’s will to be done on earth in our lives, but I encourage you to keep on believing God and resisting evil (JM 4:7) until God’s kingdom comes. Do not be discouraged, but rather relax and rest in God’s love as you remember what is really important in life. Have joy despite adversity because of hope!
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