Participants: John Lomacang (Host), John Stanton
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL120022
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00:01 Hello, friends, grab your Bible and a friend and sit back
00:03 as we explore God's word together 00:04 on this edition of "House Calls." 00:22 Welcome to a very special edition of "House Calls." 00:25 If you've been following along in our last special series, 00:28 this would be the second part 00:30 of what we call the "Two great errors." 00:33 And it's good to have my good friend with me John Stanton. 00:35 Good to see you, John. Good to be here, John. 00:37 You know, it's good to be in the saddle with you 00:38 because we are like a two-cylinder engine, you know? 00:41 We're firing on both cylinders, if I could use that. 00:44 But I more should say, the Holy Spirit has fired us up. 00:47 Yes. And He's ignited both of us like reformers championing 00:53 the truth of God as it is in Jesus. Amen. 00:55 And that's something we have wanted to do for years 00:58 and have been doing for the last several years 01:00 and we just praise the Lord 01:01 for the opportunity here again today. That's right. 01:03 And so if you have your Bibles, friends-- 01:05 we're not gonna do Bible questions today. 01:06 We're gonna resume that on a future program. 01:08 But we're gonna talk about the topic of "hell," "death." 01:12 What does the Bible teach about man's nature? 01:16 Does it say that man is naturally immortal? 01:19 Or do people die and go to heaven or hell right away? 01:21 Are people in hell burning now? 01:24 The Bible has a lot to say on that 01:25 and there are many sincere Christians 01:27 that have believed for so long 01:30 something that is not supported by scripture. 01:32 We're gonna talk about that today. 01:33 But before we do anything, 01:35 we always ask for the Lord to bless us through prayer. 01:37 So, John, would you pray for us? Let's do that. 01:39 Father in heaven, we thank you again today 01:40 for the breath of life because it continues 01:44 to remain in us and give us the strength 01:47 that we need day by day to live for you. 01:49 Lord, as we open your word, 01:51 may we understand what life means, 01:54 the deep meaning of life and where we're headed 01:57 and how we function as an individual. 02:01 All these things are relevant 02:02 to the topic that we're studying today 02:03 and we want to do justice according to your word. 02:06 So we pray for your wisdom, for your Spirit. 02:08 In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. 02:12 I've got to give our audience 02:14 a little bit of glimpse behind the scenes 02:17 because not everyone that works here 02:19 at 3ABN is an Adventist. Right. 02:21 People of different faiths work here and we had, 02:24 a few years ago, the guy that runs sound-- 02:27 we have different people but I won't mention his name, 02:29 but with the guy that runs sound for us, 02:32 when we started about 7 years ago, 02:34 he still being the sound person, 02:36 there used to be some very loud, 02:38 audible arguments that we couldn't hear 02:40 because the sound room is so far away. 02:42 But we'd always find out after the program 02:44 that he went home steaming. 02:46 He was upset. He went home hot today. 02:49 Well, he didn't like that topic at all. 02:52 And this went on for a number of years 02:53 without our understanding, 02:55 without us knowing at all until one day I was told, 02:57 "Man, you guys are really pounding him with these texts. 03:01 He's just--he's just upset. He just wants to quit. 03:03 He just doesn't like what he's hearing." And I thought, 03:06 "Well, all we're doing is sharing the Bible." 03:08 And then one day, he told me--he says-- 03:11 as he was gonna tell me the story, he says, 03:13 "well, you know, I decided instead of arguing 03:15 with you guys, go home and check it out in the Bible. 03:17 And I did and what you guys 03:18 have been saying over the years was true." 03:21 And so I got a call into the sound room one day 03:23 and he said to me, "Okay, all right, all right. 03:26 I'm done. I'm done. I-- I'm done fighting. 03:30 What do I need to do to join your church?" 03:33 And this had been a course of 4, 5 years. And-- 03:38 but God's word is true from the very beginning. 03:41 The Bible says, "Your word is true from the beginning." 03:43 So what we're talking about today is-- 03:45 we're not talking about-- 03:46 we're not talking against people at all. 03:48 So please don't receive the understanding 03:50 that we're trying to bash individuals 03:52 or beat up people that have certain beliefs. 03:55 We are champions of truth. That's exactly who we are. 03:59 And, John, I mean, God has called us to say, 04:03 "This is what God's word says. 04:05 This is not our opinion, 04:07 this is not what we came up with, 04:10 this is what God's word says." 04:12 And a few months ago, just another story-- 04:14 well, before I go to the second story, I mean, 04:16 what do you think about this? Well, you know, I just-- 04:17 I like this statement we heard not too long ago 04:20 that people are inclined to believe 04:23 what they already want to believe 04:25 or what they already feel they know. 04:28 So when it comes to truth, it is very uncomfortable for us 04:31 to hear something that is not according to what, 04:33 maybe, we've thought or the idea 04:35 we've held for sometimes many, many years or even all our life. 04:39 Right. And today is really one of those topics. 04:41 You're gonna hear some things from God's word 04:44 that you may not realize are there. 04:47 And also, we'll talk about some of the common misconceptions, 04:49 some of the texts we use to teach something 04:52 that really isn't taught in the Bible. 04:54 So just because something is uncomfortable to us, 04:58 that we just had not held as a view, 05:00 doesn't mean it's necessarily true. Right. 05:03 And we want to encourage you 05:04 to take a fresh look again at this topic 05:06 that we're talking about here today, which is-- 05:09 sometimes, talking about, you know, 05:11 as far as titles refer to the state of the dead, 05:15 immortality of the soul is the-- 05:18 is one of the common misconceptions 05:20 we relate to when we talk about the state of the dead. 05:22 The nature of man is another way of saying that. 05:24 But all these things are encompassed within the topic 05:27 that we're talking about today and really excited about it. 05:30 And so it's important that you just get your Bibles, 05:33 get your pens, you know, we have an email address 05:36 that we often give to you 05:37 if you want to send questions or comments. 05:39 Matter of fact, I think if we do have that, 05:40 it'd be good to give to our viewers and our listeners. 05:43 Just let them know what that is. 05:45 Because I know this is gonna awaken within them questions. 05:47 So if you're watching the program 05:49 and questions come up or you have things 05:50 that just don't jive with what you've heard, 05:53 you can send those questions here to us 05:54 at Housecalls@3ABN.org That's Housecalls@3ABN.org. 06:00 And whatever we say today 06:01 that may kinda ruffle your feathers, 06:04 that's our intention, to ruffle your feathers. 06:06 We want you to look at the Bible and not say, "My pastor said, 06:09 my church said, this is what I've been taught all my life." 06:11 That can't even buy you a can of gasoline. 06:13 What God's word says is really the only foundation 06:16 that matters, not how you feel. 06:17 Put aside your emotions. 06:19 Put aside your anger and listen with your heart and your ears 06:21 and pray for the Spirit of God to lead you and guide you. 06:24 So vitally important. 06:26 At our pastors meeting, here in Illinois, 06:27 we had a guest speaker that came. 06:29 His name is Edward Fudge. 06:31 And he wrote a book entitled "The fire that consumes." 06:39 Tell me about that because you were telling-- 06:41 Yeah, this movie is called "Hell and Mr. Fudge." Okay. 06:44 I know it's coming out here fairly shortly 06:46 and so look forward-- it's supposed to release 06:49 toward the end of 2012, beginning of 2013 somewhere. 06:52 So--but it's a story of his life and the challenges he faced 06:55 as he found this incredible truth 06:58 and then the opposition that rose up against him for it. 07:01 Anyway, an exciting movie, a full-length feature. 07:04 but it's on the topic we're talking about today 07:06 which is why you mentioned it. Yeah. 07:07 And when he came, he talked about the fact 07:09 that he had believed hell was a burning forever place 07:12 and that people depart and go there and it was amazing 07:17 how these things had embraced his mind so much. 07:20 But then as he decided to go into an in-depth study 07:23 and put a book together, he said, 07:25 "Well, let me go through the whole Bible, 07:26 put all those verses together that talk about death, 07:29 what happens when a person dies, 07:32 man's natural state at death and before death, 07:36 and he came to realize that what he had believed 07:39 was completely opposite to what the Bible taught. 07:42 And then he began to write books and now the third edition 07:45 is entitled "The fire that consumes." 07:48 And it has really set fires in a lot of denominations. 07:53 This is becoming a bigger issue. Right. 07:55 A really hotly debated issue, here, out there. 07:57 No pun intended. Yeah, within Christianity itself. 08:01 So it's very relevant today, what we're talking about. 08:05 You know, because there was a time, John, 08:07 where the preaching of hell and brimstone, when, you know, 08:10 you're gonna go to hell and burn forever and ever has been 08:13 the catalyst to get people to give their lives to Christ. 08:15 It's a motivator. Yeah. 08:16 I mean, think about it. One of the greatest deterrents 08:18 for what we do is the punishment we receive, right? 08:21 I mean, isn't that the way-- kind of way we raise our kids? 08:23 If you do that-- You're gonna get a spanking. 08:26 You're gonna get a spanking. Yeah. 08:28 So you know if you do it, 08:29 then you get-- so the same motivator. 08:31 If you don't follow Jesus, you'll burn in hell forever. 08:34 The problem is, is that the motivator 08:36 always for our conversion and for following Christ 08:39 needs to be based on-- His love. 08:41 Love. That's right. Always love. 08:44 It's a much better motivator, 08:45 better than the other 4 letter word. 08:47 H-E-L-L. That's right. 08:48 And, you know, so we're gonna talk 08:50 about that today in a very significant way. 08:51 And we do believe in hell but I think the hell 08:54 we believe in is hotter 08:55 than the hell that most Christians believe in. 08:57 Because, you know, the common teaching 08:59 is people are gonna be continuing to burn. 09:01 We believe as the Bible teaches and you'll see this, 09:03 that people will burn up eventually. 09:06 There will be nothing remaining 09:07 and then there'll be a recreation of earth 09:10 and immortality for all of those 09:13 who accepted Christ without a big old hole 09:16 with people burning somewhere in the distance. 09:17 The difference is that, a single 2 letter word. 09:21 It's commonly believed that people burn. 09:23 We believe they burn up. Exactly. Very good point. 09:27 Well, John, now this topic is important because-- 09:29 before we talk about what happens after you die, 09:32 let's start at the very beginning. 09:34 How did God make man? 09:37 You know, in order to understand 09:38 whether or not something is fireproof, 09:41 you got to understand what it's made of. Yeah. 09:43 In order to understand whether or not something survives death, 09:47 you got to understand what is there to begin with. 09:49 That's right. All right? 09:51 You know, John, before-- and I know we're gonna go-- 09:52 We're gonna go to Genesis 2, but I found a couple of verses 09:56 that lay the foundation even for Genesis 2. 09:58 Okay, let's go there. I think they're really good. 10:00 Job 33:4, if you can read that one, 10:02 Job 33:4 and I'll pick up Psalm 33:6. 10:06 Okay, I'm on my way. 10:07 And then you read the one from Job 10:09 and then I'll share this. 10:11 And then we can just chat briefly about it 10:12 as we set the platform here 10:14 at this stage for Genesis chapter 2, 10:16 the actual creation of man on this world, Adam. Okay. 10:20 Job, I'm in Psalm, no wonder, it didn't look right. 10:23 Here's Job 33, right here. 10:24 You know, Job is a powerful book 10:26 when it comes to addressing 10:27 the issues of what happens when a person dies. 10:30 We could go back to that in just a moment. 10:31 Job 33:4. "The Spirit of God has made me 10:37 and the breath of the Almighty gives me life." 10:42 Spirit and breath. Okay, so you have a duplicity here. 10:47 He's basically saying the same thing in two ways. 10:50 The Spirit of God has made me, it's a fact. 10:52 God's spirit goes forth from Him and creates. 10:56 And specifically, the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 11:00 That's right. It's a repetition thing that he's saying here, 11:02 connecting the spirit of God which is God Himself 11:05 and the breath of the Almighty giving life. 11:09 Notice in Psalm 33, verse 6 what it says. 11:13 It says, "By the word of the Lord, 11:16 the heavens were made 11:18 and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." 11:21 Now the heavens were made. What are the heavens? 11:25 When you think about the heavens, what are those? 11:26 Stars, sun, moon, planets, all those things, 11:29 the galaxies, those were made by the word of the Lord. 11:33 He commanded it and it stood fast. 11:34 He spoke and it became 11:36 what it is today, that we see today. 11:39 But notice here, when it comes to the host, 11:41 what does the host refer to? 11:43 When you host something, what do you do? 11:46 You kind of--the one that does the hospitality, 11:52 the one that invites and that-- 11:53 You're kind of in charge at the moment. 11:54 Yeah, you kind of--you put it together and you're making sure 11:57 that people are welcome and comfortable. 11:59 The host of them are the ones that exist, 12:01 that live within the worlds that God created. 12:03 All right. Okay, I got it. 12:04 And it says, "The host were made 12:07 or the host of them were made by the breath of His mouth." 12:09 Okay. So here's the difference. 12:11 God spoke the world into existence but with His breath. 12:15 He became very close and intimate 12:17 to create life, the life of man. 12:20 That's right, the host. He didn't use that, necessarily, 12:23 to create everything but He creates mankind 12:26 with the breath of His mouth. 12:27 So with that thought, we go to Genesis chapter 2 12:30 and we see the formation of Adam 12:32 and how God put Adam together 12:35 to create life here on this earth. 12:38 That's right. Let's go to Genesis chapter 2. 12:40 And if you don't know where Genesis is, 12:44 just open your Bible to the very beginning. 12:49 First book. Okay, the first book, the second chapter. 12:52 Now the reason why we're going to read this passage 12:54 is because death and life are opposite. 12:59 We're gonna see how man was made 13:02 and what components man has. 13:05 And then we're gonna see the reverse of that. 13:06 What happens. What was put into man, 13:09 what leaves man at death. 13:11 Okay, this is very important. 13:12 Essentially death in is without any life. 13:14 It's absence of life. It's dead. 13:16 That's right. Okay. 13:17 A very good point because some people think 13:18 that death means the continuance of life somewhere else. 13:22 I heard that at a funeral yesterday 13:23 and I was like, "please tell the truth." 13:27 Anyway, verse 7 of Genesis chapter 2. 13:30 "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground 13:34 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life 13:38 and man became a living being." 13:41 If you're following the King James Version, 13:42 it says, "Man became a living soul." 13:45 Soul and being are the same word. 13:48 And, John, a lot of times, people say, "Ah, soul," 13:51 and they read, instead of man became a living soul, 13:54 they somehow-- they metamorphosize 13:58 this into their minds and even some churches 14:00 that "man has a living soul." 14:03 The difference is man "became" a living soul, 14:06 not man "has" a living soul. 14:10 The reality is man "is" a living soul. 14:12 That's right. Okay. 14:14 So what makes up a living soul? Two main components. 14:17 Yeah, the dust of the ground 14:18 which God used to form man, to form his body 14:21 and then you have the breath of life 14:22 which comes from God Himself breathing life into that dust. 14:26 And where did God breathe into the-- 14:28 where did God breathe life into? 14:29 Into his nostrils. Okay. 14:30 Now that was a very important point 14:32 because when you think about that, 14:33 the Lord God formed man 14:35 and I spoke to a pathologist, good friend of mine. 14:39 He's a pathologist and he says that verse, 14:41 he said that verse when we say 14:43 God formed man of the dust of the ground, 14:44 he says from a pathologist's perspective, 14:47 he said "that's heavy" because they understand 14:49 the cellular--the cellular structure of the human body 14:53 because they're pathologists. 14:55 You know, these guys do autopsies 14:57 and they go beyond the skin 14:58 and the epidermis and they do all that-- 15:00 I mean, if I start using the terminology, 15:02 I'm gonna sound like an idiot 15:03 because I don't know anything about science. 15:05 I'm not medical at all. 15:06 But they go through all the facets of the human body 15:09 which we never get a chance to see. 15:10 And so he says, "When God formed 15:12 man of the dust of the ground it was a fascinating process 15:15 because we see what's on the inside." Right, right. 15:17 However, what I wanna show you next, remember, 15:21 God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life. 15:25 Now He didn't blow air in his nostrils like we would do 15:28 but in that breath of life was the life that only God can give. 15:34 It was the breath of life, meaning life, 15:37 that God alone possesses, was in that breath. 15:41 And through a simple process of "whoo," only God can do that. 15:46 He awakened what was not life. He awakened life in Adam. 15:50 In Him was life. Yes. 15:52 And that life is the light of man. 15:53 So we can see that there was no existence of Adam 15:56 prior to God breathing into his body that dust, 16:00 the breath of life. I make that point 16:03 because there's a whole denomination, 16:04 there are several denominations 16:06 that actually believe that God puts souls within man 16:10 and every time man is created that a soul is put in him. 16:13 And that soul existed before without, of course, 16:16 any knowledge because we have no knowledge 16:18 as to where we would be if that truly was the case. 16:20 Yeah. But that's the teaching, is that a soul was put in him. 16:24 But the most simple way to dispel that notion 16:28 is just a quick text from Genesis 7:21 and 22. 16:32 Read that. Where it says, "All flesh died." 16:34 This is speaking of the flood now, what happened. 16:37 "All flesh died that moved on the earth, 16:39 birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing 16:41 that creeps on the earth and every man." 16:44 Notice he lumps both together. 16:45 "All flesh died," it says, "All in whose nostrils 16:49 was the breath of the spirit of life, 16:51 all that was on the dry land died." 16:53 That's right. So if that breath of life is a soul, 16:59 then every animal has a soul. 17:00 You've just expanded the doctrine 17:03 of the immortality of the soul to animals. 17:05 That's right. And we don't believe 17:07 in the immortality of the soul. 17:08 But what verse did you read so that the-- 17:10 Genesis 7:21 and 22. There you go. 17:13 Everybody that had the breath of life in his nostrils died. 17:17 Everyone. What I want to-- 17:20 there's a point you made a moment ago 17:21 that I want to expand on very quickly 17:23 because there's a denomination-- 17:25 I won't, okay, let me just say it 17:26 because I think it's important. 17:28 Mormonism. I was in Salt Lake City, Utah 17:32 and we went on the tour there at the Great Temple 17:34 and there's a mural on the wall. It's called "life" 17:38 and they showed man at the very beginning 17:40 and they showed man on earth, and they showed man 17:42 and then they showed man again in heaven. 17:43 And I asked the meaning of that and they said to me, 17:46 "Well, man pre-exists in a soul--in the form of a soul. 17:52 And then the babies that are created on the earth, 17:54 this soul comes from heaven, 17:56 goes into the body, learns the life's lessons 17:58 and then returns back to heaven." 18:01 And I was so very glad that you brought up the point. 18:03 Man does not have a pre-existence. 18:06 We don't exist somewhere, 18:07 come to earth and then go back there. 18:10 That's not how the Bible-- 18:12 we find our beginning on the earth. 18:14 God didn't bring Adam down from heaven and put him here. 18:18 God created Adam from the dust of the ground, 18:20 then put into his nostrils 18:22 the breath of life and Adam became a living soul. 18:24 Now Job 27, verse 3, 18:26 let's go back to the nostril point and the breath of life. 18:29 I'm reading this from the King James Version 18:32 because it jumps out so clearly. 18:36 I want you to read this and so the two words 18:40 that are actually the same 18:42 but the New King James uses breath and breath both places 18:46 because those words are actually interchangeable, 18:48 breath and spirit in the context of this passage. 18:52 But here's how the King James Version 18:54 reads in Job 27, verse 3. 18:56 Job says, "All the while my breath is in me 19:00 and the spirit of God is in my nostrils." 19:05 The word "breath of God" there 19:07 and the "breath of God is in my nostrils," 19:09 the spirit of God, he breathed into Adam's nostrils 19:13 the breath of life and man became a living soul. 19:16 Now the reason I read that text to you 19:19 because now we want to go to Ecclesiastes 19:22 and show what happens. 19:24 Keep in mind, the spirit of God is in the nostrils of Adam. 19:27 That's how Adam came to life. 19:29 Now go to Ecclesiastes Chapter 12 and verse 7. 19:34 And before we do that, we're going to Ecclesiastes, 19:36 let me read as you're going to 12, 19:37 let me read Ecclesiastes 3. okay. 19:40 because it will segue right to 12 where you're going. 19:42 All right. So I'm reading 3:18 through 20 19:46 'cause it really kind of gives us the conclusion 19:49 of what we're talking about on the point we just made. 19:50 Ecclesiastes 3, verse 18 to 20. 19:52 3, verse 18 to 20. "I said in my heart concerning 19:55 the condition of the sons of man, 19:56 God tests them that they might see that 19:59 they themselves are like animals." Okay? 20:03 "For what happens to the sons of man 20:05 also happens to the animal. 20:07 One thing befalls them, as one dies, so dies the other. 20:11 Surely they all have one breath. 20:13 Man has no advantage over animals for all his vanity. 20:16 All go to one place. 20:20 All are from the dust and all return to dust." 20:23 Okay, where do they go? Clear here. 20:25 Man, animals, we all have that same breath from God. 20:29 And when we die, we all go to the same place. 20:32 The breath or the life-giving power of God 20:34 is retained by God Himself and we die. 20:37 We don't exist any longer. And-- 20:39 Read this one. Yeah, go ahead. 20:41 Verse 21, I don't want to miss that one. 20:43 "Who knows the spirit of the sons of man 20:46 which goes upward and the spirit of the animal 20:48 which goes down to the earth." 20:49 Okay. And we're gonna see this now. 20:52 I want to catch again because Job said the spirit of God 20:55 is in Adam's nostril, all of humanity. 20:58 The difference between the animal-- 21:00 God called them into existence but God formed Adam. 21:03 So God breathed into Adam but the breath of life 21:06 that keeps animal and Adam alive are the same. 21:10 We all are breathing the same atmospheric pressure. 21:13 We're all breathing the same elements 21:15 that are in the natural air around us. 21:17 But now let's look at Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 7. 21:20 And this is where you're gonna get 21:21 that word to jump out at you again. 21:23 Okay, because this is opposite, this is opposite. 21:28 And if you fail to understand the build up to this, 21:32 you could think, "ah, I found my verse." 21:35 And this is where he was talking earlier 21:38 in regard to the spirit of man going up. 21:42 Exactly. Okay? 21:43 Because God retains the ability to raise him again. 21:48 That's right. Okay? 21:49 And that's what you're gonna talk about here just now. 21:50 Okay. So go ahead and read that text. 21:53 Ecclesiastes 12 and verse 7. Now this is death. 21:57 "Then the dust will return to the earth as it was." 22:02 Get it, as it was. 22:03 When was it that way? When God formed Adam. 22:06 That's how it was. Dust to dust. 22:09 You've heard the preacher say that. 22:11 "Then the dust will return to the earth 22:14 as it was and the spirit will return to God who gave it." 22:20 Now where does the spirit return? 22:22 To God. Why? Because God gave it. 22:25 He breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life. 22:28 Job 27, verse 3, all the while my breath is in me 22:32 and the spirit of God is in my nostrils. 22:35 Now what I want you to get here 22:37 is this breath of life that God gave Adam, 22:40 belongs to God and it goes back to God 22:43 because God is the source of all life. 22:45 Yeah, it doesn't say it goes to heaven. 22:47 It says it goes back to God Himself. 22:50 He retains the authority and the ability. 22:53 He's the only one as God to initiate life. 22:56 To resurrect us. Yes. 22:58 And now-- now when it says that, 23:01 what in essence means, why does it go back to Him? 23:04 John chapter 1, verse 4, "In Him was life." 23:08 There we go. "In Him was life. 23:11 And the life was the light of men." 23:14 So speaking of Christ, in Him was life. 23:17 How did Adam get life? 23:19 Because in God is life and that life was passed into humanity. 23:23 So when the breath of life leaves us-- 23:26 that's why paramedics and physicians work so hard, 23:30 you know, intubate-- 23:31 what's, is that the right word? 23:33 Probably C.P.R. C.P.R. 23:34 and they--Resuscitate-- Resuscitate-- 23:36 they try to keep that process going because they know 23:38 the moment that that heart stops 23:41 and that breath of God is no longer in us, 23:44 man cannot restore that. 23:46 We can only keep it going but man cannot restore that. 23:49 And so once the process of life ends 23:53 then death now takes over. 23:55 And in this very same book Ecclesiastes, 23:57 it's gonna outline exactly 23:59 what the condition is when a man dies. 24:02 All right? Do you wanna go there? 24:03 To that one next? Ecclesiastes 9? 24:06 Yeah, go ahead. 24:08 I was gonna make the point though. 24:09 Sure, go for it. Because the thought came to me. 24:13 It is commonly done here, where this verse is made to 24:17 or is interpreted in a way where there is a consciousness, 24:22 an awareness that it goes to heaven, 24:25 it goes upward. Right. 24:26 And they refer to that as the soul. 24:28 There's a conscious soul that is apart from the body 24:30 that goes to heaven. One of the issues is that-- 24:33 And that's what you're saying the common belief is. 24:35 That's the common belief is. Okay. 24:36 And it is taught that way. We do not believe that, 24:38 that's not what the Bible is saying but here's the thing. 24:42 This just doesn't make sense to any form of science 24:46 because we think with our brain. 24:50 The neurons, the axioms are the highways 24:53 that go through the memory banks, 24:55 the different perspectives, the brain causes us to think. 25:00 And if it was the soul that caused us to think, 25:03 why would we need a brain? Very good point. 25:07 When the brain dies as dust, 25:08 how can it continue to function apart from its body 25:11 which had all the memory retention ability 25:14 while it was alive? It can't. 25:17 The brain is what gives us the ability to think. 25:19 You can't have a conscious element outside the body. 25:22 So even scientifically, it makes Christians 25:25 look foolish to scientists because-- 25:28 and not that we need to cater to scientists 'cause 25:30 we don't believe what they believe about evolution. 25:32 We are creationists but at the same time, 25:34 this seems silly. And that's not, 25:39 in fact, what the Bible is saying. 25:40 Now, John, the reason I brought this up 25:43 is because I know you had an experience in your past 25:46 with a sister-in-law that died. That's right. 25:51 And she was dead for a little period of time and came back. 25:55 That's right. How many minutes was that? 25:58 Fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes. 26:01 All right, so his sister-in-law passed away, 26:03 then came back to share a last word, 26:06 so to speak, with the family. 26:08 And the amazing thing is, is that she had nothing 26:11 to say about where she went. 26:14 You know, the reason why she didn't have anything 26:15 to say is clearly pointed out in the Bible 26:19 because when a person dies, whatever they had to say, 26:22 if they didn't say it yet, it's not gonna be said. 26:25 God actually performed a great miracle 26:27 in that operating room but what the Bible says 26:30 happens when a person dies is what we need to trust. 26:34 Ecclesiastes 9 beginning with verse 5, 26:39 matter of fact, verse 3. 26:41 I wanna start there. I wanna start there. 26:46 And then we could go down to verse 10. 26:49 "This is an evil," and the wise man is talking 26:54 about all those things that are pertaining 26:56 to wicked activities of humanity. 26:58 "This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, 27:02 that one thing happens to all. 27:05 Truly the hearts of the son of men are full of evil, 27:10 madness is in their hearts while they live, 27:13 and after that, " what does it say, John? 27:16 "They go to the dead." "They go to the dead." 27:18 They don't go to heaven. Right. Or hell. 27:20 They go to the dead. They don't go to hell. 27:24 They don't go to heaven. They go to the dead. 27:26 Now verse 4, "But for him 27:29 who is joined to all the living there is hope, 27:32 for a living dog is better than a dead lion." 27:37 That's right. And here's the reason why. 27:40 Verse 5 and 6, let's change the voices. 27:42 Read those two verses, John. 27:44 "For the living know that they will die 27:46 but the dead know nothing and they have no more reward 27:50 for the memory of them is forgotten. 27:52 Also their love, their hatred and their envy 27:55 have now perished, never more will they have 27:58 a share in anything done under the sun." 28:00 Okay, that's right. Now verse 10. 28:04 "Whatever your hand finds to do, 28:06 do it with your might for there is no work 28:09 nor device nor knowledge 28:11 or wisdom in the grave where you are going." 28:14 "In the grave where you are going." 28:19 "All go to the dead," verse 3, "they know nothing, 28:23 they have no more activity in anything done under the sun," 28:26 verse 5 and 6, "the memory of them is forgotten," 28:30 that means--it doesn't mean we forget them. 28:31 It means their memory has ceased to function. 28:34 That's what it says. The memory of them, 28:36 it ceases to function. 28:38 And then, it says clearly in verse 10, 28:41 "Whatever you do, do it with all your might 28:42 because there's no work nor knowledge nor wisdom 28:44 in the grave where you are going." 28:47 So when we ask the question, 28:48 "where are you going?" "To the grave." 28:51 On what authority do you say that? 28:52 On the authority of the Bible. 28:54 That's a clear-- that's the clear authority. 28:56 Now Ecclesiastes 6. Let's look at Ecclesiastes 6. 29:01 By the way, if you're wondering 29:02 why we're sticking with Ecclesiastes here for a while, 29:04 it's because there's a lot to say in regard 29:08 to the vanity of man in our life. 29:11 And the point is being made throughout 29:13 the book of Ecclesiastes in regard to where we're going, 29:17 that when you die, life is over. 29:19 It ceases. There's nothing more to happen. 29:22 And so the reason it baffles us a bit to think 29:25 that we have so ingrained within Christianity itself 29:29 this concept that life continues on after we die 29:32 yet the Bible is so clear that it does not. 29:34 It does not. And so we wanna make-- 29:36 we wanna clearly let you see 29:38 that the scriptures do not suggest 29:40 by even the slightest means 29:44 that there is life that continues once you die. 29:47 That is until the resurrection. But we're not there yet. 29:50 So we're not gonna cover that point. 29:51 All right, it says in chapter 6 and verse 6--Go ahead. 29:55 I want to start verse 5 of Ecclesiastes chapter 6, 29:59 "Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, 30:04 this has more rest than that man. 30:07 Even if he lives a thousand years twice over 30:11 but has not seen goodness, do not all go to one place?" 30:17 We all go to one place. 30:18 What is that one place? 30:20 We've found that very clearly in Ecclesiastes 9. 30:23 We go to the dead. 30:24 We go to the grave and there's nothing to do 30:28 in the grave where you are going. 30:30 Ecclesiastes 9 and verse 10. 30:32 Now Psalms 146, John, verse 3 and 4 30:36 and I'm going to read that in the King James Version. 30:38 It just jumps out very clearly. 30:40 Could I do that? Yeah. Go ahead. 30:42 Psalms 146 and verse 3 and 4, the Bible says 30:46 "Put not your trust in princes nor in the son of man 30:51 in whom there is no help." 30:53 Here's what verse 4 says "His breath goeth forth, 30:56 he returneth to his earth, 31:00 in that very day his thoughts perish." 31:04 Over and over, we've read in a series of text thus far, 31:07 when a person dies where do they go? 31:09 To the grave. To the earth. 31:11 To the dust. He returns. 31:13 And that's a very significant point. 31:15 The reason why we mentioned earlier in the program, 31:18 we all return to heaven because we didn't start in heaven. 31:20 We started from the dust. 31:22 We will go to heaven one day 31:23 but we don't go to heaven when we die. 31:25 We go back to the dust. That's exactly right. 31:28 In fact, he emphasizes this again, 31:30 the psalmist in Psalms 6 verse 5. Okay. 31:35 "For in death there is no remembrance of you, 31:38 in the grave who will give you thanks?" 31:41 Okay. And there is no remember-- 31:43 I don't remember God. 31:45 There's no praising the Lord beyond this life. 31:47 When we are dead, we're dead. 31:49 And we all wait for that Resurrection 31:51 which I know Job speak a lot about. 31:54 Resting or waiting until His change comes. That's right. 31:57 We'll get to that here in just a moment. 31:59 Matter of fact, let's go now to Job Chapter 14. 32:02 Somebody may say as they are listening to the program 32:04 but they haven't gone to the New Testament yet. 32:08 I want to point out something 32:09 before we go to the New Testament. 32:11 The New Testament is gonna really blow this, 32:14 break this egg wide open and show you clearly 32:17 that what was taught in the Old Testament is taught 32:19 in the New Testament because man's nature 32:21 hasn't changed between the two. 32:22 It hasn't changed. All right. 32:24 We're now in Job Chapter 14. 32:26 Job Chapter 14. All right. 32:31 And after we go to from Job Chapter 14, 32:33 we're gonna go to Job Chapter 17 and then we're gonna really 32:39 go through all of these wonderful passages. 32:41 But we're establishing the foundation 32:43 where God gives it very clearly. All right? 32:45 Job Chapter 14 and start with verse 7 32:51 "For there is hope for a tree, 32:57 if it is cut down that it will sprout again 32:59 and that its tender shoots will not cease. 33:04 Though its root may grow old in the ground 33:10 and its stump may die in the ground, 33:12 yet at the scent of water it will bud 33:15 and bring forth branches like a plant." 33:18 Now verse 10, John. "But" I like that. 33:23 It's an important word. There's a shift. 33:25 "But man dies and is laid away. 33:29 Indeed he breathes his last and where is he?" 33:33 Big question, where is he? 33:36 Right. Okay. 33:38 "As water disappears from the sea and a river 33:40 becomes parched and dries up, so man dies or lies down 33:45 and does not rise till the heavens are no more, 33:49 they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep." 33:53 Just stop right there because we're gonna go on further. 33:55 Now you notice what's happening here. 33:56 It says man lies down and does not rise. 34:01 What's another big word for rise? 34:03 Resurrection. Right. 34:06 There is no Resurrection, yet. 34:07 And they're gonna be lying in that grave for how long? 34:11 Verse 12 "Till the heavens are no more, 34:15 they will not awake nor be roused from their sleep." 34:19 It is not a time that heaven will be no more, 34:22 but the heavens, all that is created there, 34:24 that will recreate are no more. 34:26 Exactly. We're talking about all the planets, 34:28 the moon, till that is no more. 34:32 Men will be in that grave till the heavens are no more. 34:35 And the reason why it says this is because the Bible says 34:37 in Psalms "At the coming of the Lord, 34:40 the heavens will pass away with the great noise. 34:43 And the elements will melt with fervent heat." 34:46 So until that happens man is going to be in that grave. 34:48 They're not gonna awake. 34:50 They're not gonna come out of their sleep. 34:52 Now verse 13, John. 34:54 "Oh, that You would hide me in the grave, 34:57 that You would conceal me until Your wrath is passed, 35:01 that You would appoint me a set time," and do what? 35:05 "Remember me." "Remember me." 35:07 If a man dies, shall he live again? 35:10 All the days of my hard service 35:12 I will wait till my change comes." 35:15 Okay. What change? 35:17 Jump with me to 1 Corinthians. 35:20 I was gonna say, you know, John, 35:22 we're on the same wavelength. Oh, man. 35:23 We're doing this for so many years. 35:25 One of the things that I think is really important here 35:27 if you have three texts and I know that we talked 35:29 about the other two texts that are really good, John 3:16, 35:32 and what's the other one that we mentioned earlier? 35:36 Romans 6:23. Romans 6:23. 35:38 But there are three texts that I typically use. 35:40 This one, Job 14, 1 Corinthians 15 35:43 and 1 Thessalonians 4. Okay. Beautiful. 35:45 All these three are speaking about this change 35:49 that happens and what happens, 35:51 what other events happen at the time of this change. 35:54 It is all the same event. That is right. 35:56 And so anyway, let's go to that passage 1 Corinthians 15. 36:00 And remember 1 Corinthians 15, by the way, friends, 36:02 is the chapter that makes it so abundantly clear 36:08 that there are two natures. 36:11 There is the celestial and the terrestrial. 36:15 There is the natural body and there is the spiritual body. 36:20 There is the mortal body. There is the immortal body. 36:23 And Paul makes it very, very clear 36:25 when he says to be absent from the body 36:27 is to be present with the Lord. 36:29 Paul, the apostle, was talking about the fact 36:31 that right now we are not absent from the body 36:34 because we are locked into this mortal flesh 36:36 but one day we will be absent from this body. 36:39 When we are absent from this body, 36:41 that event will be, we will be present with the Lord 36:44 and that's what we're gonna talk about right here 36:46 in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15, the absence and the presence. 36:50 Yes. And you know what, 36:51 it's tense at the stage here because sometimes it's-- 36:55 we got to get the context right. 36:56 That is right. We talked about-- 36:58 you know, we've heard before. 37:00 It said well, that's the natural man, the mortal man. 37:04 There's a spiritual man. Okay? 37:06 Well, this is the introduction 37:08 that Paul's making in 1 Corinthians 15. 37:10 By the way read the whole chapter. 37:11 Oh, yes. Read the whole chapter. 37:13 But notice this. I'm gonna pick it up in verse 44. 37:16 Okay. And speaking about our body, 37:19 it says "It is sown in natural body 37:21 and it is raised a spiritual body." 37:23 That is right. Raised, it is what? 37:25 Raised a spiritual body. That's correct. 37:28 So what's born initially through sin is mortal. 37:32 There's a resurrection. 37:33 It's raised in a spiritual form. 37:35 And before you go further, John-- 37:37 Now both our bodies, natural and spiritual are both bodies. 37:42 Spiritual does not mean spirit. 37:45 Right. Okay? 37:46 By Paul's own definition spiritual does not mean spirit. 37:50 Spiritual body as opposed to natural body. 37:53 Could I shake your hand? 37:54 I'm close enough to do that. 37:56 That's exactly what I was gonna say. 37:57 See, how God has connected our minds together. 37:59 What is being said here and this is so beautiful. 38:02 He is saying natural body, spiritual body. 38:09 In the same way, when Jesus went into the grave 38:12 natural body, when He came out of the grave, 38:15 glorious and immortal spiritual body. 38:19 That is the exact comparison. 38:23 Not spirit body. Right. 38:26 Not this ethereal mist that's floating around the earth, 38:28 hovering around your bedroom and living room. 38:30 Without a body, somehow. 38:32 That's not it. It is a body. 38:33 And then he'll go on to define now, what that body is? 38:36 Or another way to say it, 38:39 is not talking about disembodied but bodied. 38:43 Yes. Okay. Go for that. 38:44 It also plays a part with 2 Corinthians Chapter 7. 38:49 Okay. Or 5. Excuse me. 38:51 We're going to go to it at some point. 38:52 We're gonna go to that. Exactly. 38:54 But anyway so-- Paul wrote both 38:55 so we'll continue on the same thing. 38:57 But notice this, how he's defining now 38:59 this transition from the natural body to the spiritual body. 39:04 And when that will happen-- okay, so go with me to verse 50 39:08 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood 39:11 cannot inherit the kingdom of God 39:13 nor does corruption inherit incorruption." 39:15 If he were to use the terms of natural and spiritual body, 39:18 he would say the natural body cannot inherit 39:21 the kingdom of God nor does the natural body or corruption, 39:26 the natural body inherit incorruption, a spiritual body. 39:29 It doesn't happen naturally. 39:30 God has to generate, has to resurrect, 39:33 has to change that condition of our body 39:38 which is what Job was referring to. 39:41 He says, remember, until I will rest in the grave until my... 39:44 Changes comes. Changes comes. 39:47 So now keep that thought, the change. 39:48 Here's the change. We're in verse 51. 39:50 "Behold, I tell you a mystery. 39:52 We shall not all sleep," which a word also 39:56 that Job used "but we shall all be changed." 39:59 That's the change Job talked about. 40:02 I would even suggest that Paul was thinking about 40:04 Job's words as he's writing this. 40:05 It is almost too close of a connection here 40:09 to miss that direct illusion, too. 40:12 And you know why? Because the same spirit 40:14 that inspired Job inspired Paul, the continuance. 40:19 And he says then in 52 "in a moment, 40:22 in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. 40:26 For the trumpet will sound and the dead 40:27 will be raised incorruptible and we shall be" what? 40:31 "Changed." "Changed. 40:33 For this corruptible" it is that natural body 40:37 "must put on incorruption," 40:39 which is that spiritual body, right? That's right. 40:42 "And this mortal" that is part of the natural body 40:44 "must put on immortality." 40:46 which is part of the spiritual body. 40:47 Now notice, the immortal is a body. That's right. 40:53 If you continue the same line of reasoning, 40:55 natural body, spiritual body. 40:56 That immortality is a sign to a body, 40:59 never to a spirit form. That's right. 41:01 Understand the context of what this is saying. 41:04 So many times we're seeing 41:06 injustice done on scriptures like this. 41:08 A little isolated text, a little piece completely taken 41:12 out of context and misused to teach a teaching that-- 41:15 to teach something that's not there. 41:17 Anyway, I digress, verse 54 41:20 "So when this corruptible has put on incorruption 41:23 and when this mortal has put on immortality 41:26 then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 41:29 "Death is swallowed up in victory. 41:33 O, Death, where is your sting? 41:34 O, Hades, where is your victory?" 41:37 That's right. And that's all the resurrection now. 41:40 So you are not conquering anything by dying on this earth. 41:43 You await the time where God resurrects 41:46 you if you are a believer in Christ and at that point 41:48 you will see that death is conquered. 41:50 Matter of fact, when you go to Philippians Chapter 3, 41:55 let's see this spiritual body talked about here. 41:57 John, I'm so glad you brought that up because a lot of times 42:00 this--we use the phrase a lot of times. 42:03 We're just--right now our mind's are in six different directions. 42:08 A lot of times, we think about this topic 42:12 in the injustice, in the misconceptions, 42:17 and the lies that have been infused. 42:20 And God has been identified as partnering 42:24 with people that'll say these things. 42:26 God is being misrepresented. 42:28 The very plan of His salvation, 42:31 the very thing that He has planned to do 42:33 when He returns to resurrect us is being short circuited 42:36 by this idea that you die and go to heaven. 42:39 You've been at funerals were people say 42:41 Momma's in heaven now or Papa's in heaven now 42:44 or they are in a better place. They are in the grave. 42:48 They are either in an urn in ashes 42:52 where the bible makes it clear they return to dust. 42:55 There it is, right there. Ashes. 42:56 Or they are in the grave where you just placed 42:58 them in the ground and they will come 43:00 out of that grave one day. 43:02 And every one of us that are laid to rest in Christ 43:06 will come forth and come back to life in the resurrection. 43:09 And as we just read in this passage, 43:12 mortality will be swallowed up by immortality. 43:17 We will be changed and then we go to heaven. 43:20 In a moment, not over a long period of time. Exactly. 43:23 In a moment and what you got to get 43:25 in this particular passage is this, 43:26 this is the most important part, catch this. 43:29 How can people go to heaven 43:31 that have not yet been changed from mortal to immortal? 43:34 They'll be consumed. 43:36 And then the other question you made earlier, 43:37 the other statement you pointed out earlier, John, 43:40 is there is no disembodied, there is no such thing 43:44 as intellect outside of the body 43:45 because the brain is where the intellectual bank is. 43:49 So the brain is not being sent to heaven in a spirit form. 43:52 There is no interaction in heaven 43:54 going on now because there is no souls, 43:56 as people believe, up in heaven. 43:58 There are no spirits up in heaven wallowing around 44:00 and having conversations and hey, good to see you, Marty. 44:03 You know, we don't want to belittle this 44:04 but that's what's actually being taught. 44:05 Momma's in a better place. Momma's with grandma now. 44:09 You know, mom and dad are reunited again in heaven. 44:11 We'll talk about the danger of that in our next program. 44:14 Yes. Because that's where spiritualism comes into-- 44:16 we'll get to that but yes, 44:18 that's what's being taught today. 44:20 So this change that must take place 44:23 is in Philippians Chapter 3 verse 20 and 21. 44:26 Philippians Chapter 3 verse 20 and 21. 44:29 Notice what the Bible says 44:30 "For our citizenship is in heaven," 44:35 New King James Version 44:37 "from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior," 44:42 We wait. Like Job says I will wait till my change comes. 44:47 The Bible's consistent on this. 44:49 To God be the glory. To God be the glory. 44:51 "For which we eagerly wait for the Savior, 44:54 the Lord Jesus Christ," and get this now 44:57 "who will transform." 45:01 Another word for transform mean 45:03 put on incorruption, put on immortality. 45:06 "Who will transform our lowly body 45:10 that it may be conformed to His glorious body." 45:15 Notice, body. You got two aspects again. 45:17 You got spiritual, now lowly and glorious. 45:21 You have corruptible and incorruptible. 45:24 Paul uses this dichotomy of both, 45:29 speaking of mortal and immortal and he uses it in 45:32 so many different words but he's consistent. 45:35 It's either one or the other. There's no middle state. 45:38 And somebody listening to this will say 45:40 so then what's in heaven right now? 45:42 Nothing. N-U-T-H-I-N. 45:46 Well, Moses, Elijah, and Enoch. That's right. 45:50 We didn't see nobody. We said nothing. 45:52 Nothing from grandma, nothing from uncle, 45:55 nothing from the guy that just died in a car accident, 45:57 nothing from the guy who's just got hit by a motorcycle. 45:59 Nothings there. It's in the grave. 46:01 It's either in the morgue. 46:03 It's on the way to the grave 46:04 or it's going to be in the urn on your shelf. 46:06 When the Lord comes back then we go to heaven. 46:09 John 14 verse 1 to 3, "I will come again 46:13 and receive you to myself that where I am," present tense, 46:17 "there you will maybe also." 46:19 John, I wanna go back real quickly 46:21 to 1 Corinthians 15, but you're in a passage. 46:23 You wanna read something for us? 46:24 No, no, I was waiting to shift to our next, so... 46:27 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 46:28 because we mentioned a moment ago, 46:30 we'd like you to read the whole chapter. 46:31 When you read the whole chapter you begin to see 46:33 that the issue of the resurrection 46:34 is the main focus of this chapter. 46:36 There was an argument. 46:38 There was a dispute as to whether or not 46:39 the resurrection had already passed. 46:41 Some said it already had. Some said it didn't. 46:43 And the Lord Jesus through Paul, the apostle, 46:46 had put this issue to rest. Okay. 46:49 And then he says now-- let's look at this, verse 14. 46:53 No, let's look at verse 12. 46:55 1 Corinthians Chapter 15 verse 12, 46:58 "Now if Christ is preached that he was-- 47:01 that he has been raised from the dead, 47:03 how do say some among you say 47:05 that there is no resurrection of the dead?" 47:07 That's why I'm coming back to this point right here 47:08 because lot of churches are not teaching the resurrection. 47:12 They are falling into the same pit. 47:14 They are not telling people about the resurrection. 47:15 Because resurrection is problematic 47:17 as soon as you start saying that they are already there. 47:19 It's immediately-- there's a contradiction there. 47:22 Right. And they can't preach the resurrection 47:24 because it becomes confusing. They're already previously-- 47:30 previously established doctrine of-- 47:33 immediate ascending to heaven. Right. 47:35 And yesterday I was at a funeral 47:36 that was the big confusion. 47:38 You know, they are in a better place now. 47:39 We know that, that place that Jesus went to prepare. 47:42 He's in a better place now. 47:43 Further down, fast forward to the rest of the funeral service. 47:46 Well, you know that great getting in the morning 47:48 when the graves open, our dear brother's gonna rise. 47:51 And my dog also went off and said, uh? 47:56 And I'm thinking Lord have mercy. 47:58 This guy has a doctorate degree, in what? In deception. 48:03 And they say it so sincerely. 48:06 God bless your soul but it's wrong. 48:08 And we cannot tip toe through the tulips on this one, 48:11 so let's go to the next one. 48:13 Verse 13 and I'm gonna get down and jump to verse, 48:15 a couple of verses but let's go ahead and see this. 48:18 1 Corinthians 15 verse 13 now 48:20 "But if there is no resurrection of the dead 48:22 then Christ is not risen." 48:24 So here's my point, Christ is risen 48:26 so there is going to be a resurrection. Okay? 48:29 Now let's go to verse 20 48:32 and you can read the rest of it as you go on. 48:35 "But now Christ is risen from the dead 48:37 and has become the first fruits 48:40 of those who have fallen asleep." 48:43 If you look at your side margin, 48:45 fallen asleep is the word dead or died. 48:49 Lot of people think that we believe in the soul sleep. 48:52 No, we do believe that men are resting when they die. 48:56 The Bible says it over and over we shall-- 48:58 and we're gonna go to 1 Thessalonians. 48:59 I want you to go there next, okay? 49:01 Now get this, verse 21 49:03 "For since by man came death, by Man" that is Christ 49:08 "also came the resurrection of the dead." 49:12 Verse 22 "For as in Adam all die, 49:15 even so in Christ all shall be made alive." 49:20 We're not made alive yet. 49:22 No, not yet. And here is the reason. 49:24 Here is the order, verse 23 "But each one in his own order, 49:31 Christ the first fruits," He was the first one 49:35 from the resurrection then it says, 49:38 "afterwards those who are Christ's," when? 49:42 "At His coming." They are the next one. 49:45 That's when the next coming forth is going to be, 49:47 at His coming and the Bible makes it very, very clear. 49:50 So there's no coming forth. 49:51 There's no going anywhere at death because this resurrection, 49:54 Christ was the first one who conquered death. 49:58 Conquered death, victory over the grave. 50:02 How will the next victory play itself out 50:04 at the coming of Christ? 50:06 Verse 23 again "But each one in his own order, 50:09 Christ the first fruits, afterward 50:11 those who are Christ's at His coming." 50:13 And then verse 24 "Then comes the end when He delivers 50:17 the kingdom to God the Father, 50:19 when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power 50:23 for He must reign till He puts all enemies under His feet. 50:27 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death." 50:30 Why is the last enemy? 50:32 Because the last thing that we're gonna experience 50:33 is victory over the grave. 50:35 That's right. But in the form of the resurrection. 50:38 That's right. Praise God for that. 50:39 Yeah, as we go to the resurrection, 50:42 in actual description of that resurrection 50:44 in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4, you're gonna see a discussion, 50:47 a continual returning to those who are asleep. Okay? 50:52 And we don't have all the time to get to every text 50:54 but if you just look up the word sleep, 50:57 you'll find that Jesus uses it 50:58 over and over in regard to death. 51:01 What we call death, Jesus calls asleep. 51:04 And in fact, the amazing thing, John, 51:07 here is that in every case that Jesus speaks of death-- 51:12 the first death, I'm talking 51:13 about the death that we experience now. 51:14 Not the second death which is the lake of fire 51:16 but the first death. 51:17 He calls it asleep until the disciples forced His hand. 51:21 They said we don't understand 51:23 if Lazarus is sleeping or if he's sick, 51:26 he's going to get well. That's right. 51:27 Finally, he said, friends, Lazarus is dead. 51:31 And that's in their vernacular so He could explain it to them, 51:34 the extent of what has happened to Lazarus 51:36 but that was only because He had to. 51:39 Every time He said the boy is sleeping, 51:41 the girl is sleeping, Lazarus sleeps. 51:44 It is asleep. That's right. 51:46 And so Paul is consistent 51:48 in taking up that, that teaching of Christ. 51:51 Now since you made a reference to it, John, 51:53 I'm gonna give those texts so that people could say 51:54 where's that written 'cause 51:56 I know that's what we're gonna do in this program. 51:57 We're gonna make sure you have all the Bible texts. 51:59 51:58], we're on five minutes. Here it is. 52:00 It's in John Chapter 11. 52:01 These are the two verses, verse 11 and verse 14 52:06 "Then He said, after that, He said to them, 52:09 these things He said after that "Our friend Lazarus sleeps 52:13 but I go that I may awake him-- that I may wake him up." 52:17 And then verse 14 "Then Jesus said to them plainly, 52:20 Lazarus is dead." That's John 11 verse 11 and 14. 52:23 And the only occasion-- I've studied it-- 52:25 that you look up, where Jesus finally 52:27 breaks down and says in their terms. 52:29 Okay, he's dead. Right. 52:31 But to Him, to Jesus he's asleep 'cause 52:33 He knows the resurrection is coming. That's the key. 52:36 All those who die in Christ are sleeping until Jesus comes. 52:40 That's why they use the phrase "awake," 52:45 arising from the dust. Go ahead now. 52:48 Here we go, from 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4, 52:50 we'll start with verse 13 52:53 "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, 52:55 concerning those who have fallen asleep, 52:58 lest you sorrow as others who have no hope." 53:00 Now that's a key text. That's right. 53:01 Because Paul is saying he doesn't want 53:03 anyone of us to be ignorant on this issue. That's right. 53:07 I want you to know the reality of what Jesus 53:09 is saying when He says people are sleeping, 53:13 I will wake them up. 53:15 And they have a hope, the hope in the resurrection 53:17 not the hope of going to heaven immediately. 53:19 That's right. Verse 14 "For if we believe 53:21 that Jesus died and rose again, 53:23 even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus." 53:27 Now we got to spend just a moment on that text 53:29 because it is taught by most that Jesus 53:32 is bringing with Him from heaven the saints. Right. 53:36 But that makes no sense because what we are talking 53:39 about here is the fulfillment of the words of Jesus 53:41 from John 14:1-3 "I will come again 53:45 and receive you to myself." 53:47 In other words, when I come, when I arrive, 53:49 I'll receive you not I'm bringing you with me 53:52 to put then souls back in your body to raise you up, 53:55 'cause that's the cop-out teaching. 53:58 And so let's go on, I guess we don't have a lot of time 54:01 but verse 15 "For this we say to you by the word of the Lord 54:04 that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord 54:07 will by no means precede those who are asleep. 54:10 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven 54:12 with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, 54:15 with the trumpet of God." 54:16 A connection directly to 1 Corinthians 15. 54:18 That's right. "And the dead in Christ will rise" 54:21 what will they do? "They will rise first. 54:25 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together 54:28 with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 54:30 And thus we shall always be with the Lord." 54:35 What you ran through very fast which I want to hit. 54:37 We shall be caught up together. Together. 54:42 If you don't die before Jesus comes 54:45 and your grandfather did die before Jesus comes, 54:48 your grandfather will come forth from the grave. 54:50 The dead in Christ will rise first. 54:52 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up 54:56 together with them in the clouds. 55:00 And get this point, to meet the Lord, 55:03 to meet the Lord, to meet the Lord. 55:08 They didn't meet Him yet. That's right. 55:09 I wanna make that point clear. 55:11 They're not up in heaven talking to God. 55:13 They didn't meet him yet. 55:15 We shall be caught up together to meet the Lord. 55:18 Where are we gonna meet him? 55:19 In the air and then we're gonna begin that journey, 55:22 that ascension to heaven. 55:23 So where is everybody that died right now? 55:26 I'm gonna just give you this last text 55:28 'cause, John, this text, you got to get this, 55:31 this is the resurrection morning. 55:32 The trumpet hasn't sounded yet. 55:34 When the trumpets sounds 55:35 the dead in Christ will rise first. 55:37 Rise from what? From the grave. 55:39 Then we who are alive will be caught up together with them 55:42 so they haven't gone anywhere yet. 55:43 So the question is, as we get ready 55:45 for the transition in the next program, 55:48 John 5 verse 28 and 29, we put both together. 55:53 John 5 verse 28 "Do not marvel at this, 55:57 for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves 56:04 will hear His voice and come forth." All. 56:09 Here are the two categories. We've discussed one today. 56:12 We're gonna discuss the next one in another program. 56:15 "Those who have done good to the resurrection of life, 56:19 those who have done evil 56:20 to the resurrection of condemnation." 56:24 Two resurrections, the resurrection of life 56:27 for the saints when the Lord comes and the trumpet blows. 56:30 Which Paul says happens first. First. 56:33 Then there's a resurrection of the unrighteous, 56:37 the resurrection of condemnation 56:39 or damnation as the King James Version says. 56:41 We're gonna talk about that on the next program. 56:44 And we're gonna talk about that on the context 56:46 of when does hell begin? 56:48 How long does hell last? When does hell end? 56:52 And why is it that hell does not go on forever? 56:55 Yeah. I love the plan that God 56:56 has because it's a great reunion in the sky. 56:59 And the writer of Hebrews says 57:01 that God had provided something better for us, 57:04 that is this resurrection. That's right. 57:06 And he says that they should not be 57:08 made perfect apart from us. 57:10 Who is the "they"? 57:11 Hebrews 11 are all the matriarchs 57:13 and the patriarchs of the past. 57:14 We're all gonna be made perfect together. 57:17 And, John, when they died, the Bible says in Hebrews 11, 57:20 they looked for a better resurrection. 57:22 That's right. So God bless you as you continue studying. 57:25 We want you to share this series. 57:27 Share it, share it, share it, 57:28 because we believe that Christ is coming soon. 57:31 So have a great day in Christ and trust His word. 57:34 God Bless You. |
Revised 2014-12-17