Bible Studies

. . . ALL unbelievers will be permanent residents in what the Bible calls the lake of fire after the Rev. 20: 13, 15 event takes place.

Rom. 8: 1 teaches that All born-again believers will be permanent residents in Heaven. All that remains to be determined for the individual born-again believer is what, if any, reward and privileges that he or she will either receive or forfeit, based on the daily choices he or she makes during his or her post salvation spiritual life. All the divine discipline that a born-again believer will receive takes place here on Earth.

It is a privilege to serve on the front lines of spiritual combat, being used by God to evangelize or to edify the souls of the people we interact with on a daily basis. If, as a result, just ONE soul is either saved or edified, then THAT day was not lived in vain.

It is an honor to be entrusted with the more difficult missions, that is, being placed in environments and circumstances where promoting the unadulterated Gospel Message and or edifying Bible doctrine is going to receive the most satanic resistance and opposition.

We are not responsible, and should not feel guilty, when some of those we attempt to evangelize or to edify make negative choices. As His ambassadors, we are accountable for what WE do with the opportunities that WE are given. We are not responsible for how others respond.

1Pet. 3: 15 is not a suggestion, it is a command.

“...always being ready to make a defense (provide an explanation) to everyone who ASKS you to give an account for the hope (faith) that is (seen) in you, but (do so) with gentleness and respect… (1Pet. 3: 15 NASB2020 parentheses mine).”

If the people you interact with on a regular basis never ASK you, it’s time for a 2Cor. 13:5 self-examination, as they might not be seeing anything different about you that is worth pursuing.

Weak believers will try to excuse themselves saying, “The spiritual status of other people is none of my business.”

Jesus made it YOUR business when He commissioned you to participate in the Matthew 28: 19, 20 Great Commission. This was not a suggestion, nor does it only apply to clergy. It is what gives spiritual meaning and purpose for the daily presence of any born-again believer, here on Earth, who claims to be a follower of Christ.

Jesus said, “FOLLOW Me, and I will make you fishers of people (Matt. 4: 19 NASB2020)”

Unaddressed guilt, be it real or imagined, will be a major obstacle in participating in the Great Commission. Satan will be there to remind you of your past sin and mistakes, trying to make you feel unworthy or disqualified to “preach” to others. People will do the same, as a defense mechanism, when you inevitably “hit a nerve” from time to time, bringing to their attention, what the BIBLE has to say.

Don’t get me wrong, present and ongoing sin must be confessed and forsaken, not only for your own good, but for the greater impact that you can have when sharing the unadulterated Gospel Message and or an edifying principle of doctrine with others.

Never-the-less, the truth is the truth, no matter who is speaking it! Judas Iscariot was among the disciples that Jesus sent out in Luke 10: 1-3.

Conceding your own past sin that you have confessed and forsaken can actually be a great starting point when attempting to evangelize or to edify others. Placing oneself in the same James 2: 10 boat as everyone else can open the doors of communication that might otherwise remain closed.

Growing up, it was the practice of the local assembly I attended to have guest ministers come and speak on Wednesday nights during the Lenten season.

I was just a young boy at the time, but there was one such service that made a lasting impression on me. I don’t remember the visiting minister’s name, but I was impressed by his candidness as he spoke of his ungodly speech and behavior back in the days when he was a coal-miner, prior to his call to the ministry.

While I am not suggesting that a trip on the wild side be a prerequisite for the ministry, there is something about the personal testimony of someone who has been there, done that, but then recovered, that appeals to those struggling with the same challenges.

Furthermore, if sinless perfection were to be a requirement for participating in the plan of Commission, NO ONE would qualify!

Adam’s sin brought SPIRITUAL DEATH into the human environment for all the generations to come. Abraham’s IMPATIENCE motivated him to go outside of the plan of God to father an heir with Sarah, contributing to ONGOING conflicts to this very day. Moses was a fugitive wanted for MURDER. Rahab was a PROSTITUTE. David was an ADULTERER that arranged for the death of the husband whose wife he impregnated. Noah was a DRUNK. Mary Magdalene had been DEMON POSSESSED. Peter DENIED he even knew Jesus. All of His disciples ABANDONED Him when he was arrested. Thomas was a DOUBTER . Saul (later named the Apostle Paul) desired to DESTROY the developing Church.

Yet their guilt and sins, did not exclude them (or us) from the future plan that God had in mind for each one of them.

End of Part Five