Of all of the topics we discuss, this is the most important and most misunderstood.
Our experience in living teaches us one consistent thing. EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIE..........................EVERYONE!!!!!
I often think of the persons who built the Pyramids, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, The Coliseum of Rome. I also consider the persons who are spoken of in the Bible, Adam, Moses, Abraham, Job, Isaiah, Daniel, Mary, Peter, Paul, John. I even thought of all the persons who signed the American Declaration of Independence. Where are they? Where is Napoleon, and Alexander the Great, Hannibal, King Louis the VIII, Confucius, Hitler, Muhammad and Karl Marx, Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill? I have personally lived during the years of many people I loved and admired such as, Martin Luther King, Red Foxx, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr, George Halas, Vince Lombardi, Ray Charles, Barry White, James Cleveland, Ronald Reagan, Elvis, Malcolm X, Wilt Chamberlain, JFK, Aliyah, Reggie White, Princess Dianne, Luther Vandross. Lou Rawls, Peter Jennings. Coretta Scott King, Gerald and Shawn Levert, Red Auerbach, Gerald Ford, James Brown, Shawn Taylor, Prime Minister Bhutto, Bernie Mac, Isaac Hayes. Where are they today?
THEY ARE ALL........................ DEAD!!
In the words of Dr. Walter Martin: "The death rate is one per person and we're all going to make it!!!!"
Experience and scripture affirms that we all will die. The larger question is, since we all die, WHAT HAPPENS TO US WHEN WE DIE?
Many believe that we cease to exist when we physically die. Others insist that we go to a place called purgatory. Some embrace reincarnation and transmigration as the state of the dead. Many consider a poltergeist wandering existence plausible. Then there are those who believe we go to Heaven or Hell. I am thankful that you reading this section, have the opportunity to know exactly what happens to a person when they die and why!
History records some of the 'last words' of notable persons when they were within their eleventh hour:
Queen Elizabeth the First: "I'd give all my possessions for one more moment of time!"
Ludwig Beethoven: " Life is ending; 'too bad', too bad, it's too late."
Sigmund Freud: "The meager satisfaction that man can extract from reality leaves him starving."
Phillip 111, King of France: "What an account I shall have to give to God. How I wish I would have lived otherwise than I lived!"
Grotius: "I have lived my life in a laborious doing of nothing!"
Leonardo Da Vinci: "I have offended God and mankind because my work did not reach the quality it should have."
D L Moody: "I see earth receding, heaven opening up and God calling me."
Martin Luther: "Into thy hands I commend my spirit! Thou hast redeemed my soul; O God of truth!"
Those who approached their appointment with death had contrasting emotions and fears based upon their belief in God, or whether they were Christians. Those who lived outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ were filled with regret and fear. Those who were SAVED, had hope, peace and fulfilled promises of eternal life. Since most want to have peace and eternal life let's explore how to obtain salvation and discover what salvation really is.
To understand properly, we have to examine the events that occurred with the first human being Adam. God created a man and gave him a wonderful planet as his home. God tells Adam in Genesis 2:17 that he can eat from all trees but one. Adam was commanded to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God said when you eat from that tree you will DIE (muwth, die, die). God provided Adam a help meet or companion named EVE. Satan enticed her through the beast and deceived her into disobeying what God commanded.
Eve ate the fruit from the forbidden tree, as did Adam, and man became spiritually dead. Man became a disobedient sinner by nature. Man's relationship with God was severed. Man became rebellious, and his thoughts were evil continually. Man produced sin stained and rebellious children. We all are descendants of Adam, and as our prototype we all suffer the penalty and sin nature passed down from Adam generation to generation. Sin stinks in God's nostrils, and sin must be paid for (Romans 6:23). God began to put in place a plan to restore man back to him in (Genesis 3:15). God said that the seed of the woman who would be God the Son (John 1:1) Jesus Christ, would put Satan under His foot, thereby taking authority over the devil and restoring man back to God.
Here we have the roots of sin and death, with man's restoration clearly revealed. The Bible tells us about Moses who was a type of Christ, who would be a deliverer. He came to deliver Gods covenant people from bondage in Egypt. Moses confronted Pharaoh (a type of Satan) and demanded their release from slavery and bondage. He led them miraculously to the promised land. Jesus would also confront the devil and by His message and sacrifice lead many from spiritual slavery and bondage to the promised land (Heaven).
The truth is, because of man's sinful status, all men had an appointment with eternal torment and death unless a deliverer or Savior came to set man free. (Romans 6:23).
In our section on 'Inerrancy of Scripture' we have provided much evidence as to why we believe that the Bible is God's word. We also demonstrated that the central person of the Bible, Jesus Christ has been proven to be a real historical figure who conquered death and proved He was God by virtue of the resurrection (John 2:19-21). History and the Bible records that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The Bible said in John 3:16, God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son that 'Whosoever believeth' in Him (Jesus) will not perish but have everlasting life. This is the most popular and most quoted verse in the Bible. We see it written on posters at baseball, football games, the Olympics and at any large national gathering. Let's really look at what it reveals to us.
First it says: God loves every human being. That means that no matter what you have done, no matter what your past. You may be a murderer or a prostitute, a liar, homosexual, an adulterer, extortioner, drug dealer, gang banger, pedophile, thief, atheist God still loves you. But because we were the seed of fallen Adam, we were destined for eternal torment away from God. The only way that we could be delivered is by God sending a spotless sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins. So God the Father sent His Son (Jesus) who would teach us the message of faith and die in our place (2 Corinthians 5:21). The person who believes in Jesus Christ will never perish (suffer in Hell or become extinct) but would obtain eternal life (in heaven with God).
So we must first acknowledge that Jesus is the only way to have eternal life. Let's look at a few verses and see what they say about Jesus being the way to eternal life.
John the Baptist was in the river called Jordan and said in (John1:29) "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."
(1Timothy 2:6) say's, Jesus gave His life as a ransom for all people. What is a ransom? It is something that is paid to secure another's freedom. So we were all under the captivity of sin and spiritual bondage. God sent Jesus our Savior or deliverer, to pay the ransom that God demanded for the rebellion of Adam (mankind).
(Acts 4:12) says, There is salvation in no other name under heaven given among men whereby we (mankind) must or can be saved but the name of Jesus.
Jesus said in (John 10:7), I am the Door.
Jesus said in (John 14:6), I AM..... the WAY......TRUTH and the.....LIFE.
Romans (3:22-25) says, that we are made righteous with God by having faith in Jesus Christ. Since we all have sinned and can never please God, we are justified freely by grace (God's unmerited favor) through the redemption that can only be obtained through Jesus Christ. He was set forth by God to be a propitiation through faith in his blood (sacrifice on the cross).
(Romans 5:1) says, we are justified by faith and have peace with God by Jesus Christ.
(Romans 5:12-18) say's, Because of one man (Adam) death and sin was passed upon all men. Death reigned from Adam to Moses. If the offence (sin) of Adam abounded, the free gift by grace will much more justify us before God. By the offence of Adam Gods judgment (eternal torment in Hell) came upon all men to condemnation. But by Jesus righteousness, we received the free gift unto justification of life.
There are many other text that confirm having faith in Jesus is the only way that mankind can have eternal life with God our creator. I would like to explain how we go about doing it.
First you must admit that you are a sinner, (Romans 3:22), (Ephesians 2:1-3).
Second you must believe that Jesus is the way to salvation. (John 14:6 ).
Third you must 'repent' (Greek: metanoa ;change of mind, turn away from evil deeds).You must surrender your will to God's will. (Acts 2:38, Romans 12:1-2).
(Romans 10:9-10) tells us that if we confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe with our heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved. What will you be saved from? God's wrath, judgment, punishment that all men were bound to receive.
(Romans 10:13) say's, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
(1 John 1:9), If we admit we have sinned and confess our sins. He (Jesus) is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.......
Let me ask a question. Can you remember a time when you piloted an F-15 jet fighter? Can you recall ever winning the Kentucky Derby? Can you remember steering a nuclear submarine under the Artic Circle?
Likewise, Can you remember a time when you repented, turned away from your sins, and told Jesus that you believed that God raised him from the dead and that he died for your sins, and asked him to become your Lord and Savior?
Have you ever asked Jesus to forgive you for your sins and receive you into his family?
IF NOT, lets pause and let me ask you to repeat these words to Jesus Christ.
Lord, I believe you are the way to eternal life,
I repent for all my sins, I am sorry for my disobedience and sins, forgive me for my sins.
I believe that God raised you from the dead, and I receive the free gift of salvation.
I am now your child, I am born again, I am saved. Thank You Jesus!
If you said that, and believe that, you have just obtained eternal life!!!!
Thank You Jesus for your mercy, grace and provision!!! The angels in Heaven are rejoicing that a new person has joined the family of God!!!
Now that you have made the most important decision in your life, it is imperative that you find a well balanced Bible teaching and loving church. Contact us at info@barcresearch.org and we will help you with any questions you may have about your new life in Christ.
There are some very important things that God wants you to know about your new life and salvation. Jesus said "In my Fathers house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again and receive you unto myself and where I am there ye may be also."( John 14:2-3) .
Jesus reminds us that we will live in Heaven with Christ.The beauty of this promise is found in ( 2 Corinthians 5:1-8). There Paul said that "if (or when) our earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved (our bodies die) we have a building of God an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
Men groan and desire to have a spiritual body that will never perish.
For when we die we will 'SEPARATE' from our mortal body and proceed immediately to be with our Lord.
(1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) reminds us that the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. This means that Christ is coming back to take us to the place He prepared (Heaven). Those persons who died believing in Christ will receive a new eternal spiritual body and be resurrected first. Those who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
(1 Corinthians 15:42-58) tells us that because of Christ, we will be transformed from the image of the earthy (Adam) we will now bear the image of the heavenly (Jesus).
Paul informs us flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, but we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed. We shall become incorruptible and immortal. Finally the sting and power of the grave has been conquered by Christ.
(Revelation 21): provides us with a panoramic view of what awaits us when Christ returns.
Many question, what if I receive Christ and then because of my bad habits and struggle with obeying God's word, can I lose my salvation?
We at BARC feel in our hearts that scripture teaches, those who have been SAVED will never lose their free gift of eternal life.
The scriptures tells us in Romans 6, that we can't continue in sin that grace may abound. We must examine ourselves to determine if we are truly in the faith or saved. If we continue living a life of continual sin, we may not have been converted or truly repented. We must show growth and maturity and victory in our living. But if a person is truly saved, we believe that they will never lose or have their gift revoked or voided.
Jesus said: in John 3:16 that God so Loved ......That whosoever believeth in Him 'SHALL NEVER PERISH, BUT HAS EVERLASTING LIFE!!!' By way of commentary two central facts must be seen. First, when a person receives Christ they shall never experience condemnation or damnation through perishing. Secondly, a believer has everlasting {eternal} life. Jesus didn't give temporary, intermittent, or post-conditional life, he gave permanent and eternal life!
Romans 8:1 comforts us in saying, There is therefore NO condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus......... We shall not be condemned or punished for our sins.
(John 5:24) tells us, Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath {already has} everlasting life, and shall not come to condemnation, but has (already) passed from death to life.
(John 10:28) reminds us; And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
(Romans 8:35-39) proclaims; Who or what can separate us from the Love of God? The answer is nothing will be able to dissolve or sever our communion and relationship with Christ.
(Romans 8:30) tells us that God predestinated that some will believe and become His heirs. Those who were predestinated to be His children by adoption, would be called, and justified, and glorified.
(Ephesians 2:5) reveals that although we were once dead in sin, because of Christ we have been made to sit together in heavenly places {God sees us in heaven already} in Christ.
(Revelation 3:5) tells us that God would not remove or blot out our names from the book of life! You can sing glory hallelujah to the King Jesus, the Savior of the world, (Col 1:13) says, We have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness or Satan and been translated into the Kingdom of his dear Son.
Now is the time to go into all the world and demonstrate by your new way of living that you have been saved (Matthew 28:19). Go and make disciples of all men. You must learn more of Christ, by reading the Bible and fellowshipping with other true believers in a local church. Tell others that Jesus Christ can save their soul if they sincerely seek Him (Matthew 7:7) and receive Him as their Lord and Savior.