Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: TRIP (08/25/22)
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TITLE: Watch Your Step | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
08/31/22 -
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WATCH YOUR STEP, DON’T TRIP, and USE HAND RAILS signs are often posted in areas in which tripping accidents are likely to occur.
Failing to heed and to comply with the warnings can set the stage for disaster.
Scripture provides such warnings to believers (1) and unbelievers (2) alike, so that they can avoid stumbling blocks and their resulting consequences (3) in the spiritual realm.
There is ONE stumbling block that can result in spending all of eternity future in a state of spiritual death (4). Spiritual death is not a state of non-existence, but a never-ending existence, while separated from God.
Once this stumbling block has been pointed out, there is no acceptable excuse in the Court of Heaven for non-compliance.
The same unadulterated Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16, 18, that assures (5) believers of eternal life, assures unbelievers of eternal condemnation (6).
All souls have everlasting life, as this is the intangible part of Man that was created in God’s likeness (7). Life after death is NOT a matter of if, but a matter of where and how it WILL be experienced.
Souls that have received eternal life, as a result of being born again (8) during their time here on Earth, will experience life after death in fellowship with, and in the presence of God.
Souls that do not receive eternal life while here on Earth will initially experience life after death in the torments of Hades, and eventually in the lake of fire, separated from God, for all of Eternity.
Jesus could not have made these points any clearer in His conversation with Nicodemus recorded in John 3: 5, or with the group of Jews recorded in John 8: 24.
“Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3: 5 NASB).”
“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins (John 8: 24 NASB)."
In John 14: 6, Jesus dismisses ALL other means of entering Heaven.
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me (John 14: 6).”
For the unbeliever, the Gospel Message is the stumbling block, that when tripped over, results in spending eternity future in the lake of fire. What is the stumbling block for the unbeliever, is the corner stone for the believer (9).
Until one is born again, the devil’s objective is to do all that he can to prevent one from being born again. The devil does so by promoting atheism in some, while in others, he promotes religious traditions of men (10) as the means of salvation.
The devil offers Luke 4: 6 prosperities to his would-be followers, and persecutes the followers of Christ (11).
After being born again, the born-again believer then embarks on the road of the post (after) salvation spiritual life. There are many, many stumbling blocks (12) along this road, but none of them can result in the loss of salvation (13) Never-the-less, the devil has his reasons for continuing to lay down obstacles in the path of advancing disciples.
Although one’s salvation is never in jeopardy, the born-again believer’s battle with the devil is not over with until the day we depart this world.
By raising doubts concerning eternal security, the weak believer’s focus of attention will still remain on either obtaining or retaining something (eternal life) that he or she already has and can not lose, instead of moving forward in the post salvation plan of God.
For the maturing believer, who has developed the John 8: 32 confidence and freedom, based on the Romans 8: 1 reality, the devil has a new objective in mind.
The devil continues to set up stumbling blocks (14) along the path of the advancing disciple to secure his new objective. The devil’s new objective is the prevention or the diminishing of the potential productivity (15) in the born-again believer's post salvation spiritual life.
This productivity begins with the learning and applying of Bible Doctrine to his or her own life, and eventually participating in the evangelization and or edification of others.
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(1) 2John 1: 8 (2) John 8: 24 (3) 1Cor. 3: 15/Rev.20: 15 (4) Rev. 20: 15 (5) Romans 8: 1 (6) Rev.20: 15 (7) Gen. 1: 26 (8) John 3: 5, 7 (9) Matt.21: 42 (10) Matt. 15:9 (11) 2Tim. 3: 12 (12) Mark 4: 19 (13) Romans 8: 1 (14) Mark 4: 19 (15) Matt. 13: 22, 23
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