SHARING BIBLE VERSES

[Joe Sperling]

Germany98----

The fearful listed in the group below are unbelievers. All Christians are fearful at times, and
display little faith at other times, and are weak and helpless too. That is why it is so blessed
that the New Covenant has nothing to do with what WE can do or accomplish!
It is truly ALL OF GRACE!! So much so that in Revelation it says that those who receive the crowns throw them at Jesus' feet, acknowledging that even their rewards are all of Him, and not of themselves!!

There is a teaching that "overcomers" are some group of elite Christians, who, through their faithfulness and hard work have "attained" victory.  When, in reality, an "overcomer" is someone who has realized that they are just a wayward sheep, desperately in need of a Shepherd.  Sheep are utterly helpless without their shepherd. And ALL true believers are just weak sheep---and Jesus says  "ALL that the Father has given Me SHALL come to Me". And everyone who comes to Him is an "overcomer"--because when you receive Christ you are baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ.  You are IN CHRIST for all of eternity!!  And because Jesus overcame, we have overcome also, because we are IN HIM!!  Praise God!!

We may be fearful, and weak, and of little faith at times, but we "are more than conquerors through Him that loved us"!!!  Germany--when you say "still it is God who helps me out, I can't help myself, praise HIM forever" you are speaking as one of those helpless sheep, like all of us are.  Praise the Lord He is such a faithful Shepherd!!

[Germany98]

Thanks for your reply, Joe. so if i get it rightly the fearful are those who remain in their fear, cause they don't want to accept help of Jesus.
How merciful to be able to come to him all the time. Even the disciples were fearful at times, yet they were taught not to fear, instead move on to obey God. That's a good perspective. And all good is of him, not of us and we are called to help the weak who are thirsty for God

[Joe Sperling]

Germany--

Yes--the "fearful" mentioned in the Lake of Fire are habitually fearful--and most likely labeled "fearful" because they knew what they were doing (while on earth) was WRONG, but continued doing what was evil anyway, refusing to accept the salvation God had for them in Jesus Christ. Fear became an ingrained part of their lives due to that.  Like a burglar inside an occupied house, fearful of being discovered, so these lived their entire lives!

They did not overcome, because they refused to accept Jesus Christ. Overcomer theology, however, can be summed up in these two verses:

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ". (1 Thess 5:23)

The Overcomer theologian (who believes some Christians will not overcome) stops right there at that verse, and says, "is there a chance you may not be blameless at Jesus' coming? Perhaps your Spirit may be sanctified, but your soul and body may not. Is there a chance due to disobedience that you may not be fully sanctified?"---I, personally, sat under such teaching. And that teaching fills one with fear and uncertainty--it calls out for "works" one may do to avoid that awful thought!! I've walked on that tightrope, always in fear of falling! 

However, there is a verse 24 that follows verse 23:

Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. (1 Thess 5:24)  Praise God!!!

The New Covenant, and my overcoming, is not dependent on me, but on what Jesus has already done!! The overcomer theologian is mixing grace with works---stopping short of declaring the real truth!! He is turning the New Covenant into Jesus plus something we need to do, rather than Jesus plus nothing at all. He is enough!

All heresy follows the same pattern---Jesus to them is not enough. They want to make the New Covenant part of the Old, where God said "I give you my law---now obey it", with the prospect of ALWAYS failing, because we cannot keep the law!!  In the New Covenant though, God says "I will put my laws into your hearts so you will not depart from me". The Old Testament DEMANDS obedience from hearts that cannot obey, while the New Testament opens the door for God Himself to live in our hearts and cause a DESIRE TO OBEY through love!!  If we mix the two Covenants together, as overcomer theologians do, we become as the Galatians were----bewitched and bewildered.

He also says:

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil 1:6)   What a blessed God!! Knowing we will always fail, and cannot make it in any way on our own, HE did it ALL for us Himself!! Jesus said 'IT IS FINISHED"----God's lovingkindness is infinite, and His words are faithful and true!  It makes you want to shout out loud with great joy!!

[Explorer]

Here is a question that I've always wondered about regarding this verse:

What exactly does the phrase "shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone" mean? Is it a temporary thing for some?

[Joe Sperling]

Explorer----

"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." (Rev. 21:8 NIT version)   note: "their place".

Many other versions say similar things--it is a permanent place that they are going to----as much as those who "inherit all things" in the verse before it (v.7) are permanently saved for eternity--they won't just temporarily inherit all things---it is forever---and so is the forever that those who have "their part" in the Lake of Fire will experience also.

The King James is using old English.  To have a "part" in something is literally to be "part of it"---like having a "part in a play or movie"-----if it's a bad movie or a good movie, the actor still has his "part" in it---it cannot be erased, it is not a temporary thing----the actor is "part" of it.  Rev. 21:7,8 and Rev 22:14,15 are contrasting (2) groups of people in eternal states---one group tormented in the Lake of Fire, and another group who has "inherited all things" for eternity. Neither of these is in a  "temporary" state.

It is final----it says that their torment is "forever and ever". The other state is final also--they have "inherited all things", and God will be there God, and they shall be his sons and daughters-----forever!

For anyone to imply that either is a "temporary" state would be to imply that "purgatory" is real, or that God on the other hand, might revoke his promise to those who have "inherited all things" and are His children for ever by His own promise. I sat under ministry (overcomer theology) which implied that there might be some Christians who suffer in the Lake of Fire for "a time"---this is a terrible teaching---and it is absolutely unscriptural!  Those who are saved are "saved to the uttermost" (Hebrews)---and are the children of God forever--no one can pluck them out of the Father's hand!!  "He that comes to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37)  When Jesus says "no wise" (or to paraphrase "there is nothing they can do to cause me to cast them out"), he means it! His words are faithful and true!  I am not saying you believe that Explorer---I know you are simply asking a question---I just wanted to explain what I have learned through really searching the Scriptures on the subject.

[Germany98]

Thanks Joe... in this light it is also a joy to serve God with good works, cause they come out of gratefulness. God loves a cheerful giver. It is the same you are in love, want to marry the person, so you don't just sit around thinking of her and nothing else , but you buy flowers, write textmessage,make calls, invite her to a restaurant . and all of a sudden have many ideas how to make the relationship beautiful
may God also be honored how we make the relationship with him a beauty 

[Joe Sperling]

Germany---

Great way of putting it!

--Joe

[Joe Sperling]

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. (Acts 20: 7-12)

I hadn't read this in a long time. For some reason I thought of Paul where he said:
"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven".(2 Cor. 12:2)

Not to get too "mystical" about the whole thing, but it is interesting that it says Eutychus fell from "the third story" to the ground and was "picked up dead".  He literally fell deeply asleep, and his fall was great. But it is very encouraging to know that no matter how far any may have fallen, Jesus still says "He's alive!"  One may have fallen a great way---their past experience being one of close fellowship with the Lord--but then they were distracted--like Eutychus was, perhaps looking out of the window he was sitting next to, and beginning to daydream.  Soon, he fell totally asleep and fell three stories to the ground! That can happen to us too. We are distracted by the world, begin to stray, fall asleep to the things that were formerly so important to us regarding the Lord, and then we can take a great fall if we are not careful.

But even though the fall may have been great, and it appears there is no life left in us, the Lord is there to revive us! Perhaps we may feel the fall has been so great that the Lord could not even revive us, or not want to for that matter!! Our sins are just too great--our fall has been too far!! But the very desire to repent iself comes from the Lord! "Or do you not know that it is the goodness of God that leads you to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4)  No matter how far anyone may have gotten from the Lord, he is always calling to return----ready to revive, ready to break bread with us!! Perhaps someone reading this may have strayed far away---but the Lord is calling for you to return--He loves you with an everlasting love!!

[outdeep]

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. (Acts 20: 7-12)

I hadn't read this in a long time. For some reason I thought of Paul where he said:
"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven".(2 Cor. 12:2)

Not to get too "mystical" about the whole thing, but it is interesting that it says Eutychus fell from "the third story" to the ground and was "picked up dead".  He literally fell deeply asleep, and his fall was great. But it is very encouraging to know that no matter how far any may have fallen, Jesus still says "He's alive!"  One may have fallen a great way---their past experience being one of close fellowship with the Lord--but then they were distracted--like Eutychus was, perhaps looking out of the window he was sitting next to, and beginning to daydream.  Soon, he fell totally asleep and fell three stories to the ground! That can happen to us too. We are distracted by the world, begin to stray, fall asleep to the things that were formerly so important to us regarding the Lord, and then we can take a great fall if we are not careful.

But even though the fall may have been great, and it appears there is no life left in us, the Lord is there to revive us! Perhaps we may feel the fall has been so great that the Lord could not even revive us, or not want to for that matter!! Our sins are just too great--our fall has been too far!! But the very desire to repent iself comes from the Lord! "Or do you not know that it is the goodness of God that leads you to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4)  No matter how far anyone may have gotten from the Lord, he is always calling to return----ready to revive, ready to break bread with us!! Perhaps someone reading this may have strayed far away---but the Lord is calling for you to return--He loves you with an everlasting love!!

In the Jewish thinking of the time (or so says D. A. Carson) the first heaven is immediate sky with the clouds, birds, etc.  The second heaven is the planets and the solar system.  The third heaven is the seat of God.  That was the idea.  As for falling from the third story, falling from the fourth was too many; falling from the second was not enough, but falling from the third was just right.

-Dave

[Joe Sperling]

LOL Dave.

[moonflower2]

On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. "Don't be alarmed," he said. "He's alive!" Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. The people took the young man home alive and were greatly comforted. (Acts 20: 7-12)

I hadn't read this in a long time. For some reason I thought of Paul where he said:
"I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven".(2 Cor. 12:2)

Not to get too "mystical" about the whole thing, but it is interesting that it says Eutychus fell from "the third story" to the ground and was "picked up dead".  He literally fell deeply asleep, and his fall was great. But it is very encouraging to know that no matter how far any may have fallen, Jesus still says "He's alive!"  One may have fallen a great way---their past experience being one of close fellowship with the Lord--but then they were distracted--like Eutychus was, perhaps looking out of the window he was sitting next to, and beginning to daydream.  Soon, he fell totally asleep and fell three stories to the ground! That can happen to us too. We are distracted by the world, begin to stray, fall asleep to the things that were formerly so important to us regarding the Lord, and then we can take a great fall if we are not careful.

But even though the fall may have been great, and it appears there is no life left in us, the Lord is there to revive us! Perhaps we may feel the fall has been so great that the Lord could not even revive us, or not want to for that matter!! Our sins are just too great--our fall has been too far!! But the very desire to repent iself comes from the Lord! "Or do you not know that it is the goodness of God that leads you to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4)  No matter how far anyone may have gotten from the Lord, he is always calling to return----ready to revive, ready to break bread with us!! Perhaps someone reading this may have strayed far away---but the Lord is calling for you to return--He loves you with an everlasting love!!

I like this.........thanks.
Moonflower

[Joe Sperling]

Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: [are they] not in thy book?
When I cry [unto thee], then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God [is] for me.(Ps. 56:8,9)

Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard [it], and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. (Mal. 3:16)

The Lord remembers our tears and our prayers--He remembers all.

[Joe Sperling]

"He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37)

I was reading a very encouraging book called "Heaven on Earth" by Thomas Brooks, an old Puritan
writer, just last night. He wrote these words concerning those who would try to bring doubt and fear into the minds of God's dear childern concerning their eternal state:

"This precious truth thus proved, looks sourly upon all those who affirm that believers cannot in this life attain unto a certain well-grounded assurance of their everlasting happiness and blessedness—as papists and Arminians: all know that their writings and teachings, are in arms against this Christ-exalting, and soul-cheering doctrine of assurance. "I know no such thing as assurance of heaven in this life," says Grevinchovius the Arminian. Assurance is a pearl that they trample under feet; it is a beam of heaven that has so much light, brightness, and shining glory in it, that their bleary eyes cannot behold it.
Assurance is glory in the bud, it is the suburbs of paradise, it is a cluster of the land of promise, it is a spark of God, it is the joy and crown of a Christian; the greater is their impiety and folly who deny assurance, who cry down assurance under any names or notions whatever. They are rather tormenters than comforters who say, 'poor souls may know that there is a crown of righteousness—but they must not presume to know that they themselves shall have the honor to wear that crown; and that makes God like King Xerxes, who crowned his helmsman in the morning, and beheaded him in the evening of the same day.
Arminians are not ashamed to say, that God may crown a man one hour, and uncrown him in the next; they blush not to say that a man may be happy and miserable, under love and under wrath, an heir of heaven and a firebrand of hell, a child of light and a child of darkness—and all in an hour. Oh what miserable comforters are these! What is this but to torment the weary soul? to dispirit the wounded spirit, and to make them most sad whom God would have most glad? Ah! how sad is it for men to affirm, that wounded spirits may know "that the Sun of righteousness has healing in his wings," Mal 4:2; but they cannot be assured that they shall be healed. The hungry soul may know that there is bread enough in his Father's house—but cannot know that he shall taste of that bread, Luke 15:17. The naked soul may know that Christ has robes of righteousness to cover all spots, sores, defects, and deformities of it—but may not presume to know that Christ will put these royal robes upon it, Rev 3:18. The impoverished soul may know that there be unsearchable riches in Christ—but cannot be assured that ever it shall partake of those riches, Eph 3:8. All that these men allow poor souls, is guesses and conjectures that it may be well with them. They will not allow souls to say with Thomas, "My Lord, and my God," John 20:18; nor with Job to say, "My Redeemer lives," Job 19:25; nor with the church, "I am my beloved's, and his desire is towards me," Song 7:10. And so they leave souls in a cloudy, questioning, doubting, hovering condition, hanging, like Mahomet's tomb at Mecca, between two loadstones; or like Erasmus, as the papists paint him, hanging between heaven and hell. They make the poor soul a terror to itself.

What more uncomfortable doctrine than this? What more soul-disquieting, and soul-unsettling doctrine than this? You are this moment in a state of spiritual life—you may the next moment be in a state of spiritual death; you are now gracious—you may the next hour be graceless; you are now in the promised land—yet you may die in the wilderness; you are today a habitation for God—you may tomorrow be a synagogue of Satan; you have today received the white stone of absolution—you may tomorrow receive the black stone of condemnation; you are now in your Savior's arms—you may tomorrow be in Satan's paws; you are now Christ's freeman—you may tomorrow be Satan's bondman; you are now a vessel of honor—you may suddenly become a vessel of wrath; you are now greatly beloved, you may soon be as greatly loathed; this day your name is fairly written in the book of life—tomorrow the book may be crossed out, and your name blotted out forever. This is the Arminians' doctrine, and if this be not to keep souls in a doubting and trembling, and shivering condition, what is it?

Well, Christians, remember this is your happiness and blessedness, that "none can pluck you out of your Father's hand," John 10:29; that you are "kept," as in a garrison, or as with a guard, "by the power of God through faith unto salvation," 1 Pet 1:5. "That the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but the kindness of the Lord shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord that has mercy on you," Isa 54:10. "That Christ ever lives to make intercession for you," Heb 7:25; and that men and devils are as able, and shall as soon, make a world, dethrone God, pluck the sun out of the firmament, and Christ out of the bosom of the Father—as they shall pluck a believer out of the everlasting arms of Christ, or rob him of one of his precious jewels! Deut 33:26-27."

---Thomas Brooks, 1654


If you get a chance to read the book mentioned above you will be greatly encouraged.  Though written over 350 years ago, his words of encouragement are so refreshing, and his thoughts so precious, it is as though they were spoken a moment ago.

[Joe Sperling]

My soul, wait thou only upon God;
for my expectation is from him. 
He only is my rock and my salvation:
he is my defense; I shall not be moved. 
In God is my salvation and my glory:
the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. 
Trust in him at all times;
ye people, pour out your heart before him:
God is a refuge for us. (Ps. 62:4-8)

I don't know about you, but I often have to remind myself to cast my cares
upon the Lord. Perhaps through fear of offending the Lord, or feeling he really
doesn't care, or that I am complaining about my life, I hold back from "pouring
out my heart" to Him. Perhaps that's why David has to remind the people to
pour out their hearts to God, for God is their refuge alone. We have a ten-
dency to want to "stand afar off" for we feel so unworthy before God. And we are
unworthy!  But God himself has justified us, and wants us to come to him as his own
dear children. We need to remember how the Lord sees us, despite the corruption we
find within ourselves, that makes us want to cower and hold back.

Much of our grief comes from not coming to the Lord, and telling him everything. And
He truly longs for us to do so. "Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you".

Jesus calls to the lost to come to Him---how much more his own people whom he loves so dearly?

 
"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." (Matt. 11:28,29 NAB)

 
 

[Joe Sperling]

I wanted to share a link to an article that I recently read in booklet form by Arthur
Pink concerning Romans 7.  If you have ever struggled with trying to "get out of Romans
7 and into Romans 8" due to "victorious life" teachings, this should be of great comfort to you.

Please do not confuse Mr. Pink's article as inferring we should all be walking around with a "woe is
me!" attitude--for what he is stating is that the closer we walk with Christ, the more joy, but also, sorrow
we will have.  Joy, because of the gloriousness of knowing Christ, but godly sorrow due to the corruptions we
daily see in ourselves, and for which, we realize Christ suffered. But believing that we can somehow "escape" this sinful nature within us by some"mystical victory" is false teaching, and truly unscriptural--it can only lead one to "give up" in despair, or become a Pharisee, who thinks he has "attained", and is walking in some elite status which others have not realized.

Also, there is a very good article by Lee Irons on the Assembly Reflections website under "What's
new?" that deals with the same subject also.

http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Miscellaneous/romans_7.htm