continued from (7) Now That I Believe...
"
What does the future hold for me now that I believe?
1. Death may usher you into The Presence of The Lord.
When we die, our body returns to the earth, but our soul and spirit depart
from our body (Genesis_35:18) and “return unto God” (Ecclesiastes_12:7).
Paul tells us that to be “absent from the body” is to be “Present With The Lord”
(II Corinthians 5:8). We needn’t fear death, for he also tells us that “to depart
and To Be With Christ” is “Far Better” than anything we have ever known
(Philippians_1:23).
But man was created to be a trinity of “spirit and soul and body”
(I Thessalonians 5:23). This is at least part of what Genesis_1:26
means when the members of The Holy Trinity said to one another,
Death separates our soul and spirit from our body, but God will not allow us to
continue forever in this divided state. And so we read that when the Lord returns
at the Rapture,
The Lord will return with the souls of those who died in Christ to be reunited with
their bodies. These dead and decaying bodies will of course have to be “changed”
(I Corinthians 15:52) and “fashioned like unto His glorious body” before they can
go to heaven (Philippians_3:20,21). This will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye” (I Corinthians 15:52).
2. You may live to see the Rapture.
While it is obvious that dead and decaying bodies must be changed before
entering heaven, those who are “alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord”
(I Thessalonians 4:15) must also be changed, for “flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 15:50).
Thus Paul says of all believers at the Rapture That The Lord Will “Change our vile
body, that it may be fashioned like unto His Glorious Body” (Philippians_3:20,21).
Our bodies will be fashioned like unto the body He lived in here on earth for the
forty days after His resurrection and before His ascension into heaven (Acts_1:1-3).
3. You must appear Before The Judgment Seat Of Christ.
After the Rapture, “we must all appear Before The Judgment Seat Of Christ”
(II Corinthians 5:10). This judgment seat will not determine whether we go
to heaven or hell—that is something that must be determined in this life by
trusting Christ.
No, the purpose of this judgment is to present rewards to believers for their
service for the Lord. This judgment is sometimes called the “Bema Seat”
Judgment, since the original New Testament was written in Greek, and the
Greek word for “judgment” in Romans_14:10 is “bema.” This word was used
for the judgment seat in the ancient athletic competitions, where the “judge”
determined 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, etc., not guilt or innocence.
These rewards (I Corinthians 3:8) are sometimes called crowns
(I Corinthians 9:25; II Timothy 4:8) because they will determine
the level at which we will rule and reign with the Lord Jesus Christ
in the heavenlies throughout eternity (II Timothy 2:12). Paul
encourages us to live our lives in such a way so as to “obtain”
these rewards (I Corinthians 9:24).
Conclusion
As you can see, now that you have believed, many wonderful things
have happened to you in the spiritual realm. It is our prayer that
these articles will help you make these spiritual realities actual,
substantive and operative in your life.
God Has Fully Equipped you to deal with sin and adversity in your
life, and you have a bright future ahead of you, eternally speaking.
May God bless you as you endeavor to “grow up into Him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians_4:15).
"
(R Kurth)
FULL Article:
Now That I Believe (Part 1)
Now That I Believe (Part 2)
Now That I Believe (Part 3)
GRACE And Peace
====================
Index "Now That I Believe":
(1) Introduction
(2) What Did I Believe
(3) What Happened When I Believed
(4) Why Should I Serve The LORD
(5a) How Should I Serve The LORD (5b)
(6a) How Should I Deal With sin (6b)
(7) How Should I Deal With Adversity
(8) What Is my Future / Conclusion
"
What does the future hold for me now that I believe?
1. Death may usher you into The Presence of The Lord.
When we die, our body returns to the earth, but our soul and spirit depart
from our body (Genesis_35:18) and “return unto God” (Ecclesiastes_12:7).
Paul tells us that to be “absent from the body” is to be “Present With The Lord”
(II Corinthians 5:8). We needn’t fear death, for he also tells us that “to depart
and To Be With Christ” is “Far Better” than anything we have ever known
(Philippians_1:23).
But man was created to be a trinity of “spirit and soul and body”
(I Thessalonians 5:23). This is at least part of what Genesis_1:26
means when the members of The Holy Trinity said to one another,
“Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness.”
Death separates our soul and spirit from our body, but God will not allow us to
continue forever in this divided state. And so we read that when the Lord returns
at the Rapture,
“even so them also which sleep in Jesus Will God Bring With Him”
(I Thessalonians 4:14).
(I Thessalonians 4:14).
The Lord will return with the souls of those who died in Christ to be reunited with
their bodies. These dead and decaying bodies will of course have to be “changed”
(I Corinthians 15:52) and “fashioned like unto His glorious body” before they can
go to heaven (Philippians_3:20,21). This will happen “in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye” (I Corinthians 15:52).
2. You may live to see the Rapture.
When “The Lord Himself Shall Descend from heaven with a shout”
(I Thessalonians 4:16) “the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord” (v. 16,17).
(I Thessalonians 4:16) “the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with
the Lord” (v. 16,17).
While it is obvious that dead and decaying bodies must be changed before
entering heaven, those who are “alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord”
(I Thessalonians 4:15) must also be changed, for “flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 15:50).
Thus Paul says of all believers at the Rapture That The Lord Will “Change our vile
body, that it may be fashioned like unto His Glorious Body” (Philippians_3:20,21).
Our bodies will be fashioned like unto the body He lived in here on earth for the
forty days after His resurrection and before His ascension into heaven (Acts_1:1-3).
This body was blessedly recognizable to His friends and loved ones
(I Corinthians 15:3-7), and was even hug-able (Matthew_28:9), yet it
could also rise through a solid rock tomb and walk through shut doors
(John_20:19). Such is the changed body that awaits every believer.
(I Corinthians 15:3-7), and was even hug-able (Matthew_28:9), yet it
could also rise through a solid rock tomb and walk through shut doors
(John_20:19). Such is the changed body that awaits every believer.
3. You must appear Before The Judgment Seat Of Christ.
After the Rapture, “we must all appear Before The Judgment Seat Of Christ”
(II Corinthians 5:10). This judgment seat will not determine whether we go
to heaven or hell—that is something that must be determined in this life by
trusting Christ.
No, the purpose of this judgment is to present rewards to believers for their
service for the Lord. This judgment is sometimes called the “Bema Seat”
Judgment, since the original New Testament was written in Greek, and the
Greek word for “judgment” in Romans_14:10 is “bema.” This word was used
for the judgment seat in the ancient athletic competitions, where the “judge”
determined 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, etc., not guilt or innocence.
These rewards (I Corinthians 3:8) are sometimes called crowns
(I Corinthians 9:25; II Timothy 4:8) because they will determine
the level at which we will rule and reign with the Lord Jesus Christ
in the heavenlies throughout eternity (II Timothy 2:12). Paul
encourages us to live our lives in such a way so as to “obtain”
these rewards (I Corinthians 9:24).
Conclusion
As you can see, now that you have believed, many wonderful things
have happened to you in the spiritual realm. It is our prayer that
these articles will help you make these spiritual realities actual,
substantive and operative in your life.
God Has Fully Equipped you to deal with sin and adversity in your
life, and you have a bright future ahead of you, eternally speaking.
May God bless you as you endeavor to “grow up into Him in all things,
which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians_4:15).
"
(R Kurth)
FULL Article:
Now That I Believe (Part 1)
Now That I Believe (Part 2)
Now That I Believe (Part 3)
GRACE And Peace
====================
Index "Now That I Believe":
(1) Introduction
(2) What Did I Believe
(3) What Happened When I Believed
(4) Why Should I Serve The LORD
(5a) How Should I Serve The LORD (5b)
(6a) How Should I Deal With sin (6b)
(7) How Should I Deal With Adversity
(8) What Is my Future / Conclusion
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