Response and Eternal Destiny (3)
Mike Measley
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We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen. - Article 10, EFCA Statement of Faith
GOD COMMANDS EVERYONE EVERYWHERE TO BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
GOD COMMANDS EVERYONE EVERYWHERE TO BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
The gospel is the good news… but what is this good news? Why is it good? Let’s review what we have discussed so far. (Please share scripture verses. You can look back through the text to find some.)
Who is God?
How has He revealed Himself?
Who is man?
What is our big problem? (Sin and the punishment for sin, death)
What is the gospel?
Who is the gospel for?
We are convinced that this good news is for everyone, everywhere.
We are convinced that this good news is for everyone, everywhere.
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Acts 17:24-31
In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
However, though God does not desire to see anyone perish, only those who obey the gospel will be saved.
However, though God does not desire to see anyone perish, only those who obey the gospel will be saved.
What is it to obey the gospel? Believe that Jesus alone is our savior; the One who died for our sins and rose from the dead for our justification.
John 3:16–18 (NIV84) ...“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
The primary command to all is to believe the gospel. What is the relation between “believe,” “repentance,” and “receiving”?
GOD WILL RAISE THE DEAD BODILY AND JUDGE THE WORLD
GOD WILL RAISE THE DEAD BODILY AND JUDGE THE WORLD
We believe that God will raise the dead bodily…
We believe that God will raise the dead bodily…
Isaiah 26:19 (NIV84) ...But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.
Ezekiel 37:12–14 (NIV84) ...Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ ”
and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
Revelation 20:5–6 (NIV84) ...(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, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
…and judge the world
…and judge the world
But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.
Acts 17:31 (NIV84) ...For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”
Romans 14:10 (NIV84) ...You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.
Hebrews 9:27 (NIV84) ...Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Revelation 20:12 (NIV84) ...And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
(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 share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
From Revelation 20:5-6 mentioning a ‘first resurrection’ before the millennial kingdom, and then another resurrection following the millennial kingdom, we understand there are two resurrections.
From Revelation 20:5-6 mentioning a ‘first resurrection’ before the millennial kingdom, and then another resurrection following the millennial kingdom, we understand there are two resurrections.
However, the Bible speaks of other resurrections as well. For example:
But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
Are there two or more? From other scriptures we confirm that there are two resurrections. Two in nature, not in the sequential numeric sense.
Are there two or more? From other scriptures we confirm that there are two resurrections. Two in nature, not in the sequential numeric sense.
● The first resurrection is the resurrection to Life.
● The second resurrection is the resurrection to condemnation and death.
(The second death).
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.
I am using the NASB here because I feel this translation gives the best sense of the original in the English.
First, in this verse God speaks of many, not all, rising. Those that rise will rise to everlasting life.
Then it speaks of others rising. Or, as some Hebrew scholars translate it, “the rest, who did not rise.” Who are they? The ones that were not a part of that many that rise first to everlasting life. Those will rise at another time to everlasting contempt. Early Jewish rabbis also saw this in the grammar and talked about it in their teachings.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. Things to Come: A Study in Biblical Eschatology. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1958.
Section Five; Chapter 23, II. The Time of the Resurrections
Unfortunately, some people use this passage to teach one universal resurrection, in which some rise to life, and others to condemnation. However, that is not what this passage says in the original grammar. It is speaking of two resurrections, separated by some period of time, with two different results. Later in Revelation, God explicates the period of time in Revelation 20.
Luke 14:14 (NIV84) ...and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
John 5:29 (NIV84) ...and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NIV84) ...Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Revelation 20:5–6 (NIV84) ...(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, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for 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 share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:11–15 (NIV84) ...Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire 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.
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Who is judged? What is the difference between God’s judgment of the believer and the unbeliever?
THE UNBELIEVER TO CONDEMNATION AND ETERNAL CONSCIOUS PUNISHMENT
THE UNBELIEVER TO CONDEMNATION AND ETERNAL CONSCIOUS PUNISHMENT
We believe God will assign the unbeliever “to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment”
Matthew 25:46 (NIV84) ...“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Luke 16:26 (NIV84) ...And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
John 5:25–29 (NIV84) ...I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NIV84) ...They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might
Revelation 14:10–11 (NIV84) ...he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.
Revelation 21:6–8 (NIV84) ...He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
What does this mean? How ought we respond? What impetus does this give to our proclamation of the gospel to unbelievers?
How does this position differ from annihilationism?
The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament 684. ἀπώλεια apṓleia
Destruction or waste (Mark 14:4; Sept.: Lev. 6:3, 4). Apṓleia and the verb apóllumi (622), to destroy, lose, perish, must never be construed as meaning extinction. One dies physically when his spirit and his body separate. Neither the body becomes extinct, nor the spirit. The body decomposes and ceases to exist in the form it was. Its constituent parts, however, continue to exist in a noncohesive form. The spirit takes a new existence, separate from its previous existence joined with the body. The lost sheep which was wandering away from the shepherd and the rest of the flock is called apolōlós (Luke 15:4, 6), also the coin which the woman lost (Luke 15:9, apṓlesa [the aor. of apóllumi {622}, to lose]) and the prodigal son who was lost (Luke 15:24, 32), but none of them ceased to exist. They simply were lost to the relationship which they had before and which was desired again by the owner.
THE BELIEVER TO ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS AND JOY
THE BELIEVER TO ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS AND JOY
It is true that everyone will face judgment. As Peter said in his gospel, judgment begins with the house of God.
We who believe will face a judgment at the Bema Seat of Christ as described in 1 Corinthians 3.
We who believe will face a judgment at the Bema Seat of Christ as described in 1 Corinthians 3.
Hebrews 9:27 (NIV84) ...Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
1 Peter 4:17 (NIV84) ...For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
1 Corinthians 3:10–15 (NIV84) ...By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care.
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,
their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.
If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.
If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
This will not be a judgment of condemnation, but a judgment of purification and rewards.
This will not be a judgment of condemnation, but a judgment of purification and rewards.
From that judgment, we believe God will assign the believer “to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord, in the new heaven and the new earth.
Isaiah 65:17 (NIV84) ...“Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
Isaiah 66:22 (NIV84) ...“As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me,” declares the LORD, “so will your name and descendants endure.
Matthew 25:34 (NIV84) ...“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
Matthew 25:46 (NIV84) ...“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
John 5:25–29 (NIV84) ...I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
John 14:2 (NIV84) ...In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
Romans 8:19–21 (NIV84) ...The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
Hebrews 12:26–27 (NIV84) ...At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
Revelation 21:1–3 (NIV84) ...Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
Knowing the judgment, and the hope of eternal blessedness should lead us on to holy lives as we wait eagerly for our Lord’s return.
Knowing the judgment, and the hope of eternal blessedness should lead us on to holy lives as we wait eagerly for our Lord’s return.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.
It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,
while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,
2 Peter 3:8–18 (NIV84) ...But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
Where will this be? Why is it vital to state the reality of “the new heaven and the new earth”?
TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE
TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORIOUS GRACE
Jude 24–25 (NIV84) ...To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—
to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Why is it fitting that this Article 10 on “response and eternal destiny” ends in praise?
How is it fitting that the whole Statement of Faith begins (Article 1, “to make all things new for His own glory”) and ends (Article 10, “to the praise of His glorious grace”) in a similar matter? Why is being God-centered vital to the Christian faith?
Memory Verses:
John 1:12-13 Revelation 21:3-4
