April 8, 2011

  • Giving all Diligence to assure our entrance into God's kingdom

    Introduction:   This is the month River of Life is studying 2 Peter. This is also a time when there is a lot of publicity for a book by a local pastor that seems to be saying we really don't have to worry about whether or not there is an eternal hell for most folks....God will make a way somehow...even after death.

    I am not even naming the book because I, for one , do not want to give it any more publicity than it is already getting.

    What follows below is basically WORD.

    The only thing you need to  receive what follows is a belief that the Bible is infallible -- that it contains God's Word. If you don't believe that; well, you will probably like the book that I was just referring to better than you like the Bible.......

    I am starting with truths from 2 Peter here and at the end have some of the verses that discuss hell for those who do not adhere to God's plan for salvation.

    Making sure we attain that abundant entrance into the kingdom when Jesus comes again and Making sure we do not end up in hell due to carelessness !  We must be  ”giving all diligence” in building ourselves up in Christ!

    2 Pet 1:1               Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:2              Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:4             Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.5     And beside this, giving all diligence,  {dictionary.com : diligence: constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind}

    add to your faith virtue;    ………………………………………… and to virtue knowledge;’………………….6      And to knowledge temperance;……………………….and to temperance patience;                             and to patience godliness;                                                7                And to godliness brotherly kindness;                      and to brotherly kindness charity.     8     For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.9    But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

    The prize  awaiting us  the end of it all  if we are fruitful in Christ?  The abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of Christ!

    2 Pet 1:10            Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:11       For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

    False teaching can  rob us from this  prize! We could follow these teachers all the way into their damnation!

     2 Pet 2:1              But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.2     And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3                And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

    Know  that the Lord will surely punish rebellion!

    2 Peter 2:4          For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;5          And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;6             And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;7            And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:8           (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)9        The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:  10     But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.11           Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.12              But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;13     And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;14         Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:15       Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;16           But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.17               These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.18             For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.19           While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. 20      For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.21               For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.22     But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

    Scoffers: Beware of listening to them!  A scoffer is someone who jeers at and makes fun of God’s Word and promises!

    From Dictionary.com:  —Synonyms
    1. gibe. Scoff, jeer, sneer  imply behaving with scornful disapproval toward someone or about something. To scoff  is to express insolent doubt or derision, openly and emphatically: to scoff at a new invention. To jeer  suggests expressing disapproval and scorn more loudly, coarsely, and unintelligently than in scoffing: The crowd jeered when the batter struck out. To sneer  is to show by facial expression or tone of voice ill-natured contempt or disparagement: He sneered unpleasantly in referring to his opponent's misfortunes. —Antonyms
    3.  praise.

    Notice what the scoffer wants: “walking after their own lusts”.  Don’t tell me what to do is their attitude – I do not want to become as God wants me to be. I want to do my own thing.

    2 Pet 3:3               Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,4                And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for   the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:6          Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:7            But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8           But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.9               The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.10  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.11              Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,12        Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?13            Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14    Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

    Peter says, “I am warning you what to look out for, so BEWARE! Don’t be fooled by their false teachings!”

    2 Pet 3: 17           Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.18                But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

    If we don’t KNOW the Word and  are not in communion with the Spirit – if we do not grow in knowledge and in grace, we CAN be fooled!!!!

    2 Tim 2:15            Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.16               But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness……….19                Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

    We must diligently , as it says in the book of 2 Peter, make our calling and election SURE.   To fall away from God has dire consequences we need to avoid!!

    Heb 10: 26           For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,27          But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.28   He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:29          Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?30                For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.31    It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

    Some are teaching right now that God would not judge someone worthy of hell.

    Matt 13: 37         He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

    38           The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;39  The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40                As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.41         The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;42          And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43          Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.(KJV)

    Rev 20: 11            And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.12              And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.13        And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.14                And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15    And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

    Rev 3: 5                He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

     

    Rev. 22: 14          Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15            For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.16      I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.17   And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.18       For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:19              And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

    II Th 1: 7               And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,8                In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:9          Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;10     When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.(KJV)

    Rev 21: 6              And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.7        He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.8              But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

    Rev 21: 23            And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.24        And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.25     And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.26             And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.27            And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

    Some also say that being in Christ is “a way” to God , not the ONLY way – the Bible says He is the ONLY way to the Father!

    John 14:6             Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

    Mark 16: 16         He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

    Acts 4: 10             Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.11           This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.12              Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.(KJV)