STILL BORN SPIRIT - NYOBS 91.30

STILL BORN SPIRIT

DOA DEAD ON ARRIVAL – DAYEAD – WOMB TO THE TOMB – NECESSARY CONDITION

First Word

·         When I attend the Men’s Bible study, I always take my BS with me; my Belief System and at this particular meeting the “PRESENTER” said that when we are born, our spirit is “STILL BORN”; it’s there, but it’s just DEAD. - We are not physical or morally lifelessly, we are still walking and following after the world with passions of the flesh and the desires of the body and mind.

·         My Belief System said our spirits are alive and kicking, but just separated from God until by our Free Will, we accepted the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then we would became “one” with God again.

·         God told Adam that if he ate of the TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL that he would surly die.  Well Adam, rebelled by eating of the tree, but he actually physically lived several hundred more years, but to the Lord, a day is like a thousand years, so he actually died physically before one of the Lord’s Days was completed.

·         But that very day Adam DID DIE spiritually; he became spiritually DEAD, unable to desire or seek the things of God. The condition of Adam’s heart as well as unredeemed man’s heart is that of spiritually depravity, devoid of the ability to make the choice that God commands us to make in order to be saved.  No matter how many times you command a dead body to respond, it will not respond because of its nature; it’s DEAD.

·         I have read “THE BONDAGE OF THE WILL” by Martin Luther who takes the position that Free Will is the dreams of men that are mad; it is a poison poured forth into the world by a wonderful malice of the Devil himself, the prince of demons. – Free Will under its own power can’t do anything but fail, nor avail unto anything but to sin. – By its nature it can only go downward, fall back and grow worse and worse. - Free Will is nothing but the servant of sin, of death and of Satan. (Martin Luther)

·         In my younger years I had always heard about the three “S’s”; the SIN SICK SOUL and I thought that my being saved was like I was gravely SICK and just needed to be made well again, or like if I was in the ocean drowning and there was a life preserver nearby; all I needed to do was reach out and grab it and I would be saved.

·         But it’s much WORSE than that; I am not on my sick bed, I am in the grave; DEAD, I am not bobbing in the ocean reaching for a life preserver; I don’t have the ability to reach out, I’m floating face down on the ocean DEAD. – We are ALL born spiritually DEAD and soon we will be physically DEAD. -  As they would say in the South; we are ‘DaYead”, that’s plumb dead, deader than a door nail. The word DIE is from the Hebrew word “MUT” which means to be executed; DEAD.

·         The KJV translation of the Bible changed one word from the original manuscripts; here it is; “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall NOT eat, for in the day that you eat of it YOU SHALL SURELY DIE. – NOPE, it actually reads you shall DIE DIE. – God said DIE twice. - Did you see it; you shall DIE TWICE, both Physically and Spiritually.

Genesis 2:17 You shall DIE DIE; Physically and Spiritually
¹⁷  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it YOU SHALL SURELY DIE."

DaYead

·         When we speak of Original Sin, it is not referring to the sin of Adam and Eve; but refers to the CONSEQUENCES of that sin, which corrupt nature was transmitted to the entire human race. - When Adam sinned, sin entered into the world and spread death to everyone.

·         By our very nature, our mind’s imagination is set on wickedness, things of the world and things of the flesh.  - We are born spiritually DaYead and being spiritually DaYead we cannot receive spiritual truths, we just simply cannot understand it. -  For that very reason we became subjects of God’s anger and wrath

·         Our hearts are desperately wicked and deceitful and cannot approach God, so He must give us a new heart.  Once we believe and accept Jesus Christ, our debt becomes paid; our sincere hearts and guilty consciences become sprinkled with His Blood that clears our conscience, and all our senses of guilt are removed.  Because of our new heart, Jesus as our High Priest confronts Satan’s accusations and defends us. – It’s in the Book –

Romans 5:12 – Adams sin brought DEATH into the World
¹² WHEN ADAM SINNED, SIN ENTERED THE WORLD.

Adam’s sin brought DEATH,

SO DEATH SPREAD TO EVERYONE, for everyone sinned.

(NLT)

Genesis 6:5 – The natural man’s mind is consistently evil
⁵ The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that EVERYTHING THEY THOUGHT OR IMAGINED WAS CONSISTENTLY AND TOTALLY EVIL.

(NLT)

Romans 8:5 – The flesh sets it mind on the things of the flesh
⁵  For those who LIVE ACCORDING TO THE FLESH set their MINDS ON THE THINGS OF THE FLESH, but those who

LIVE ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT set their

MINDS ON THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT.

(ESV)

Ephesians 2:1-3 – Spiritually dead are subject to God’s anger
¹ ONCE YOU WERE DEAD because of your disobedience and your many sins.
² You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world,

OBEYING THE DEVIL—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those

who refuse to obey God.
³ All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. BY OUR VERY NATURE

WE WERE SUBJECT TO GOD’S ANGER, just like everyone else.

(NLT)

1 Corinthians 2:14 – The natural man CAN’T understand
¹⁴ But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and

THEY CAN’T UNDERSTAND IT, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. (NLT)

John 3:3 – Your spirit must be reborn to see the kingdom of God
³ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, UNLESS YOU ARE BORN AGAIN,

YOU CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.” (NLT)

Still Born Signs

·         Signs of REMAINING spiritually dead

·         NO Aspiration for a better future; I’m good, you’re good.

·         NO Repentance for sins in your life. -  Repent is to turn and go in the other direction.

·         NO Desire to be fed on the Word of God. – No prayer life.

·         NO Desire for holiness and Godliness. - No spiritual hunger

·         NO Growth in their spiritual life – Unable to accept the deeper things of God.

·         NO Active involvement in the growth of the Church.

·         NO Compassion for others who are suffering or in need.

·         NO Sounds of thanksgiving and Praise.

·         Someone who is spiritually dead is incapable of seeing the kingdom of God because it is invisible to them, they are spiritually blind therefore the kingdom itself is invisible.  – There is therefore no thanksgiving, no desire for God, no growth and no good works; just DaYead.

James 2:26 – The Spirit is dead without good works
²⁶  Just as the body is dead without breath, so also

FAITH IS DEAD WITHOUT GOOD WORKS. (NLT)

Psalm 115:17 – The dead have no ability to praise God
¹⁷ THE DEAD CANNOT SING PRAISES TO THE LORD, for they have gone into the silence of the grave. (NLT)

New Birth Signs

• There are THREE virtues of those empowered by the Spirit – Prayer, Faith and Obedience. Through these virtues the Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ through us.
• There are NINE qualities that characterizes the person on whom the Holy Spirit rest: Wisdom – Understanding – Counsel – Power & Strength – Knowledge – Fear of the Lord – Righteousness – Justice & Fairness – Faithfulness. 

Isaiah 11:2-5 – Nine qualities of the Spirit

2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—

the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and of power,

the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD--

3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;

4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

NIV

1 Corinthians 12:4-7 – There are different ways to serve God

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. NIV

Romans 5:6-18 - Our Spirit was utterly helpless to save ourselves
⁶ When WE WERE UTTERLY HELPLESS, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS.
¹² WHEN ADAM SINNED, SIN ENTERED THE WORLD. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
¹⁴ Still, EVERYONE DIED—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did.

NOW ADAM IS A SYMBOL, A REPRESENTATION OF CHRIST, who was yet to come.
¹⁸ Yes, ADAM’S ONE SIN BRINGS CONDEMNATION for everyone, but CHRIST’S ONE ACT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.

(NLT)

John 3:6-7 – The Holy Spirit gives birth to Spiritual Life
⁶ Humans can reproduce only HUMAN LIFE, but

the Holy Spirit gives birth to SPIRITUAL LIFE.
⁷ SO DON’T BE SURPRISED WHEN I SAY,

‘YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.’ (NLT)

John 1:12 – All who believe have the right to be His children
¹² But TO ALL WHO BELIEVED HIM AND ACCEPTED HIM,

HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD.

(NLT)

1 Corinthians 15:22 – Everyone who believes given new life
²² Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam,

EVERYONE WHO BELONGS TO CHRIST

WILL BE GIVEN NEW LIFE. (NLT)

Dead Dry Bones

·         God led Ezekiel into a valley of dry bones and asked him could these dry bones live again and Ezekiel said YOU alone know.  God told him to speak unto the bones and prophesy that God would make breath come into them with tendons, flesh and skin and they would live again.  He did and they did.

·         By their very nature these dry bones could not respond; there was no internal ability that would let them respond.  It required a NECESSARY CONDITION TO EXIST, an external force; a miracle of the Holy Spirit.

·         Notice the Book DOES NOT say that the unsaved, the un-regenerated man WILL NOT respond to spiritual things, it says he CANNOT respond because his spirit is DEAD.  Therefore if our spirit is DOA DEAD ON ARRIVAL, our spiritual nature must be changed like the bones in the valley of bones; our spirit must be born again.

·         Being Born Again is NOT something we do, it is something that happens TO us, not BECAUSE of us.  The Holy Spirit is the NECESSARY CONDITION that brings our STILL BORN spirit back to life again and changes our dead nature so that we CAN respond to spiritual things.

·         So in order for us to CHOOSE Jesus Christ, our still born dead spirit must be regenerated by the Holy Spirit so that we might have the ABILITY to respond to spiritual things.

Ezekiel 37:1-14 – Valley of dry dead bones; prophesy LIFE
¹ The LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to A VALLEY FILLED WITH BONES.
² He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out.
³ Then he asked me, “Son of man,

CAN THESE BONES BECOME LIVING PEOPLE AGAIN?” “O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “YOU alone know the answer to that.”
⁴ Then he said to me, “SPEAK A PROPHETIC MESSAGE to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD!
⁵ This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!
⁶ I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
⁷ So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons.
⁸ Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them.
⁹ then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds!

BREATHE INTO THESE DEAD BODIES SO THEY MAY LIVE AGAIN.’”
¹⁰ So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. THEY ALL CAME TO LIFE

AND STOOD UP ON THEIR FEET—a great army.
¹² Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel.
¹³ When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD.
¹⁴ I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT IN YOU, AND YOU WILL LIVE AGAIN and return home to your own land. (NLT)

Dead Lazarus

·         Lazarus was DEAD in the grave and could not do anything to obtain life, it was only when A NECESSARY CONDITION EXISTED that changed things; it was only when Jesus commanded him to come out of the grave did he receive that ability.

·         Picture yourself in the grave dead when you hear Jesus’ command; “COME FORTH” just like He called Lazarus and BAM you become born again as His adopted child into a new spiritual life.  Notice that Jesus was specific when he said “Lazarus” come forth, otherwise everyone in ALL the grave would have come forth.  The call to be born again from our Lord is specific, LIMITED to just those that go by “His name”, Christians that believe.

·         Our physical body is mortal, perishable; it will die, but we can rest assured that we have the hope of the promise that we will be raised immortal; imperishable; never to die again. When we are raised from the grave, death will finally be swallowed up in victory. – The Book says Death is just another name for Satan; Satan will be swallowed up in victory.

John 11:43-44 – Lazarus received his life at Jesus’ command
⁴³ Then Jesus shouted, “LAZARUS, COME OUT!”
⁴⁴ AND THE DEAD MAN CAME OUT, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

(NLT)

1 Corinthians 15:54 – Death is swallowed up in victory.
⁵⁴ Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled:

“DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY.

(NLT)

Holy Spirit

·         Because our spirit is STILL BORN, a NECESSARY CONDITION MUST EXIST to have the ability to seek spiritual things.  God knowing that, sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit to re-new our spirit so as to give us that ability.

• The activity of choosing Jesus Christ is always preceded by the previous activity of God through the Holy Spirit; no man comes to the Father unless He draws them. – On our own, we are incapable of doing anything to accept Christ – It is the seed of “truth” sown by the Holy Spirit that “enables us” to desire to receive Him.
• The Holy Spirit sows the seed of “truth” in man’s life - Some hearts are fertile ground for the seed to grow, other hearts are hard and full of thorns and the seed is choked out.
• The “Who-so-ever” that comes to God is included in The Elect and become predestined by God to receive the gift of eternal life with Him.

·         It is the internal calling that man becomes conscious that God is working a conversion in him, it happens through a work of God’s strength, NOT the works of the Believer’s own strength.  Where ever there is true faith there will be true repentance; a turning away from sin into the direction of God.  Strictly speaking, saving FAITH is not an act of man, but rather an act of God.

·          There are two kinds of grace that is dispensed by God. - NYOBS 82.02 - GRACE AND TRUTH

1.   Common Grace is “communal”; given by the Holy Spirit to ALL men, sufficient to ENABLE THEM to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus Christ, however this common grace is resistible and usually, IT IS more or less resisted. - This is because “Common Grace” leaves the heart unchanged. – It works only on the natural and not on the spiritual - Common Grace operates only in the moral and rational ways of men, making them RECEPTIVE to the truth.  Common Grace never removes the guilt and pollution of sin, nor does it renew the human nature, nor does it affect the salvation of the sinner; BUT if the human heart COOPERATES with the Holy Spirit they can be saved. - (I call this Free Will)

2.   Special Grace is given by the Holy Spirit to SOME; to the Elect and it cannot be resisted; although they are not compelled, it makes the desire so great that they want God.  It is a renewing of the whole nature of man, not only ENABLING THEM to repent of their sins, but causes them to be WILLING. - It is the operation of God to remove the guilt, penalty, condemnation and punishment of Sin, and gradually cleanses the person of the pollution of sin and ultimately provides the person Salvation through the operation of the Holy Spirit. - (I call this Pre-destination.)

·         The Book seems to bear out that Judas had (1) Common Grace (a Make Believer).  The other eleven Disciples had (2) Special Grace. (Believers) -  Ponder the difference between someone who is called a “Christian” and someone who is called a “FOLLOWER” of Jesus Christ

Revelation 22:17- The who-so-ever are the Elect.

17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" WHOEVER is thirsty, let him come; and WHOEVER wishes, let him take THE FREE GIFT of the water of life.

NIV

Deuteronomy 30:19 – We have a FREE WILL Choice
¹⁹ Today I have given you THE CHOICE between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to WITNESS THE CHOICE you make. Oh, that you would CHOOSE life, so that you and your descendants might live!

(NLT)

Half Lit

·         Picture the whole world as a Giant Electrical Sign with millions of light bulbs – None of them with a sign of life.

·         Picture the manufacturer; The HOLY SPIRIT showing up and repairing their filaments giving them THE “ABILITY” to light up.

·         Picture an electrician with his WORD glove on, screwing ALL the light bulbs in tighter – Some light up bright, some are half lit, some very dim and most others don’t light up at all. Why is that?  Ponder the results; ALL had encountered the Spirit and the Word, becoming repaired and connected; the ability to produce light was present; so what is the difference?

·         Jesus explains this with the parable of the sower; the farmer (the Holy Spirit) sows the word. - Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. – Others are like seed sown on rocky places, they hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. - Still others are like seed sown among thorns, they hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. - Others are like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and PRODUCE A CROP-THIRTY, SIXTY OR EVEN A HUNDRED TIMES what was sown."

·         The Holy Spirit is the NECESSARY CONDITION that gives man’s dead spirit the ability to become born again and live.

Mark 4:14-20 - Some hearts are fertile others rocky.

14 The farmer (the Holy Spirit) sows the word.

15 Some people are LIKE SEED ALONG THE PATH, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

16 Others, LIKE SEED SOWN ON ROCKY PLACES, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.

17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

18 Still others, LIKE SEED SOWN AMONG THORNS, hear the word;

19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

20 Others, LIKE SEED SOWN ON GOOD SOIL, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop-thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

John 3:16 – Whosoever believes will have eternal life –

16 "For God so loved the world (every kind of person) that he gave his one and only Son, that WHOEVER BELIEVES in him shall not perish but have eternal life. NIV

Romans 10:13 – Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.

13 EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD

WILL BE SAVED."

NIV

Necessary Condition

·         BORN in the Strong's Concordance (#1080) is the Greek term “gennao” meaning; to father - to beget - to bring forth - to procreate - to conceive -  to regenerate - to bear - to make - to be born.

·         There is something called a NECESSARY CONDITION that is an absolute prerequisite for a desired result to occur.  To start a fire we must have A NECESSARY CONDITION to exist; it needs oxygen to combust.

·         Jesus told Nicodemus, UNLESS he was born again he could not enter into the kingdom of God. – There was A NECESSARY CONDITION that was required for him to enter into the Kingdom of God, his DEAD spirit must be BORN AGAIN.

·         The Prodigal Son had reached A NECESSARY CONDITION of understanding that he was lost; his spirit was dead and in repentance he sought out his Father and was received back into the family; or to say it another way; he was symbolically Born Again.

·         The Blind Beggar was born blind at birth and could do NOTHING about it… But that all changed when A NECESSARY CONDITION happened, that condition was the Touch of the Master’s hands and the beggar said; all I know is, once I was blind and now I SEE.

John 6:65 – NECESSARY CONDITION

65 He went on to say, "This is why I told you that

NO ONE CAN COME TO ME UNLESS

THE FATHER HAS ENABLED HIM."

NIV

John 3:3-8 – Necessary Condition – The Kingdom – Must be born again
³ Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, UNLESS you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
⁴ What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus.

“HOW CAN AN OLD MAN GO BACK INTO

HIS MOTHER’S WOMB AND BE BORN AGAIN?”
⁵ Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.
⁶ Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.
⁷ So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’
⁸ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

(NLT)

Luke 15:32 – Necessary Condition repentance
³² We had to celebrate this happy day. FOR YOUR BROTHER

WAS DEAD and has COME BACK TO LIFE!

HE WAS LOST, but NOW HE IS FOUND!’” (NLT)

John 9:8-9 – Necessary Condition; A touch from the master

⁸ His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “ISN’T THIS THE MAN WHO USED TO SIT AND BEG?”
⁹ Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!” But the beggar kept saying, “YES, I AM THE SAME ONE!” (NLT)

John 9:25 – All I know is that I was once Blind and now I see
²⁵ I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I WAS BLIND, AND NOW I CAN SEE!” (NLT)

The Elect

• This will be hard to digest, but there seems to be two parallel lines of “The Elect” taught in scripture which both calumniate with God somewhere in eternity. – You cannot deny one or the other. – You cannot look at just one line, but the both of them at the same time.

1. There are those that God chose before the foundations of the earth; “The Elect” and then
2. Those who would be drawn by the Holy Spirit through the hearing of the word of God.

• So some folks are PREDESTINED to come to Christ while others come by FREE WILL; both PREDESTINATION and FREE WILL are taught in the Book, you don’t have to choose, they are both compatible with each other. (I am a COMPATIBILIST)
• If you can just grasp the fact that God CHOSE THE NATION OF ISRAEL to be His chosen people and then made a way for the Gentiles through “FREE WILL” to come to Him; to be grafted into the vine, then you can understand it. – Jesus flat out told His Disciples that He had other sheep that were not of this sheep pen. - Without this understanding, we are without reason to preach the Gospel if we are WITHOUT the FREEWILL to accept it, and just left to be PREDESTINED to either heaven or hell.

• NOTE:  Did you see it; most of God’s “CHOSEN PEOPLE”, Israel; THE JEWS DID NOT “choose” to accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah and  most of the Gentiles (the Greeks; everybody else) DID NOT choose Him either.   Life is choice driven  

Matt 16:17 – The Holy Spirit reveals

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: FOR FLESH AND BLOOD HATH NOT REVEALED IT unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven KJV

Luke 24:45 – HOLY SPIRIT opens our mind to understanding
⁴⁵ Then HE OPENED THEIR MINDS

TO UNDERSTAND THE SCRIPTURES.

(NLT)

Acts 16:14 – The Holy Spirit opens the heart.

14 One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. THE LORD OPENED HER HEART TO RESPOND to Paul's message. NIV

John 6:44 – The Holy Spirit draws men unto God
⁴⁴ For NO ONE CAN COME TO ME unless

THE FATHER who sent me DRAWS THEM to me,

and at the last day I will raise them up. (NLT)

Mark 16:15 – Go into ALL the world and preach the Gospel
¹⁵ And then he told them, “GO INTO ALL THE WORLD

and PREACH THE GOOD NEWS to everyone.

(NLT)

John 10:16 – I have other sheep that are not of this pen.

16 And OTHER SHEEP I HAVE, WHICH ARE NOT OF THIS FOLD: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there SHALL BE ONE FOLD, and one shepherd.

KJV

John 1:12-13 – Believe and become a child of God
¹² But to all WHO BELIEVED HIM and ACCEPTED HIM,

HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD.
¹³ THEY ARE REBORN—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but A BIRTH THAT COMES FROM GOD. (NLT)

Here come da Judge

·         We certainly look to our Judges to judge us rightly; we wouldn’t want the wicked to be judged the same as the righteous.  The Book says the Judge of the earth will do what is right.  God has overlooked our ignorance of sin in the past, but now COMMANDS everyone to repent. 

·         God has been holding back His anger, and when He returns, it will be in full force, He will separate the Goats from the Sheep, the Evil from the Good. - To the Un-Believer and the Make Believer he will say; away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons

Genesis 18:24-25 – The judge of the earth will do what is right
²⁴ Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes?
²⁵ Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, YOU WOULD BE TREATING THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED EXACTLY THE SAME!

SURELY YOU WOULDN’T DO THAT!

SHOULD NOT THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH DO WHAT IS RIGHT?” (NLT)

Acts 17:30-31 – God commands everyone to repent; turn to Him

³⁰ GOD OVERLOOKED PEOPLE’S IGNORANCE ABOUT THESE THINGS in earlier times, BUT NOW HE COMMANDS EVERYONE EVERYWHERE TO REPENT OF THEIR SINS AND TURN TO HIM.
³¹  For HE HAS SET A DAY FOR JUDGING THE WORLD with justice by the man (Jesus) he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising Him from the dead.” (NLT)

Isaiah 48:9 – God is giving mankind TIME to repent; no excuses
⁹ Yet for my own sake and for the honor of my name,

I WILL HOLD BACK MY ANGER and NOT WIPE YOU OUT.

(NLT)

Matthew 25:31-46 – God will separate the sheep from the Goats
³¹ But WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne.
³² All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and

HE WILL SEPARATE THE PEOPLE as a shepherd

SEPARATES the SHEEP from the GOATS.
³³ He will place the sheep at his right hand

and the goats at his left.
³⁴ then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
³⁵ For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.
³⁶ I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
³⁷ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?
³⁸ Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?
³⁹ When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
⁴⁰ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
⁴¹ Then the King will turn to those on the left and say,

AWAY WITH YOU, YOU CURSED ONES, INTO THE ETERNAL FIRE PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS DEMONS.
⁴² For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and

you didn’t give me a drink.
⁴³ I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’
⁴⁴  “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’
⁴⁵  “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, WHEN YOU REFUSED TO HELP THE LEAST OF THESE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOU WERE REFUSING TO HELP ME.’
⁴⁶  “AND THEY WILL GO AWAY INTO ETERNAL PUNISHMENT, BUT THE RIGHTEOUS WILL GO INTO ETERNAL LIFE.”

(NLT)

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 – Judgment those who do not KNOW God
⁷ And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire,
⁸ BRINGING JUDGMENT ON THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW GOD and on THOSE WHO REFUSE TO OBEY THE GOOD NEWS of our Lord Jesus.
⁹ They will BE PUNISHED WITH ETERNAL DESTRUCTION, FOREVER SEPARATED FROM THE LORD and from his glorious power.  
¹⁰ When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him. (NLT)

The Take Away

·         The Latin words sola scriptura means “SCRIPTURE ALONE” and sola fide “FAITH ALONE”, the phrase sola gratia means our salvation rests on the GRACE OF GOD ALONE.

·         I don’t think our trouble with the Bible is its lack of clarity; our trouble is our lack of understanding what the Bible teaches. – A NECESSARY CONDITION must exist in order for us to understand spiritual things.  Our STILL BORN SPIRIT must be BORN AGAIN to gain this understanding. -  A relationship is established to whom we willing give our obedience. - The FATHER we serve will be the one that we have a relationship and OBEY

·         The Holy Spirit has made it possible for a STILL BORN spirit that was DEAD ON ARRIVAL to be REBORN.  However it is THE HEART of man; it is what’s in his soul that will determine if he lights up bright, half lit, DIM or dark; a Believer, Make-Believer or Un-Believer.

·         The Book says that all our flesh can yield is more flesh, it does not have the ability to yield an ounce of Spirit. - Unless regeneration takes place first, there is no possibility of faith. 

·         Angels were created with Free Will, immortal and with much power, but they do not possess a soul and CANNOT be redeemed if they fall into sin. – Some have already fallen.

·         Man was created with Free Will, but mortal and with little power. – All men when they are born are “STILL BORN”, they are spiritually dead on arrival, however they DO possess a soul and CAN be redeemed.

·         Both Angels and man, will live somewhere for eternity. – Fallen Angels and un-regenerated man’s spirit will be separated from God for eternity.  The faithful angels and the regenerated man’s spirit will be in the presence of God and Jesus Christ the Son for eternity.

• The Holy Spirit was present and working in the life of Jesus Christ; how much more do we also need the Spirit in our lives, from “the Womb to the Tomb”. – The Spirit works differently in each one of us; not all are called to be out front preaching or teaching, some serve un-noticed in the background parking cars, cooking, serving, cleaning and “pointing”.

·         The Apostle Andrew was noticeably quiet and in the background as; Peter, James and John seem to dominate the inner circle, however he is credited for bringing many to meet Christ.

·         Andrew’s heart did not resent being a supporting actor, living in the shadow of Peter his brother. - He saw great value in serving quietly in the background. - Andrew delighted in pointing everyone and anyone to Jesus. - Because of the fact that he brought his brother Peter to Christ, another 3000 received eternal life.  Andrew just “pointed” people to Jesus.

·         Such is the Holy Spirit, rarely taking center stage, but pointing us to the other members of the Trinity. – He is like the wind, invisible, powerful, uncontrollable and unpredictable, you cannot see Him nor tell where He comes or goes, but you can hear and feel His presence.

·         The Spirit’s work will always point to our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. - He alone is the source of empowerment that God uses to accomplish His will. - WE raise the sails of our boat; the breath of THE HOLY SPIRIT powers our sails and GOD steers. – Raise your sails. -

·         All your still born spirit needs to be made alive again is for a NECESSARY CONDITION to exist and God has already sent the Holy Spirit to you.  Seek and you will find.

- It’s in the Book -

Psalm 51:5 – We are ALL born sinners
⁵ FOR I WAS BORN A SINNER—

YES, FROM THE MOMENT MY MOTHER CONCEIVED ME.

(NLT)

Deuteronomy 4:29 – Seek God and you will find Hiim
²⁹ But from there you will

SEEK THE LORD YOUR GOD AND YOU WILL FIND HIM, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.

(ESV)

Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is desperately Wicked
⁹ THE HUMAN HEART is the most DECEITFUL of all things, and DESPERATELY WICKED. Who really knows how bad it is? (NLT)

Ezekiel 36:26 – God will give us a new heart
²⁶ And I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW HEART, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.

(NLT)

John 8:44 – Your father is the one you follow and DO his will
⁴⁴  For YOU ARE THE CHILDREN OF YOUR FATHER THE DEVIL, and YOU LOVE TO DO THE EVIL THINGS he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

(NLT)

Ephesians 2:5 – While we were DEAD He raise us to LIFE
⁵ that EVEN THOUGH WE WERE DEAD because of our sins,

HE GAVE US LIFE WHEN HE RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD.

(It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

(NLT)

Ephesians 2:8-9 – Salvation; a gift of His Grace to the Believer
⁸ GOD SAVED YOU BY HIS GRACE WHEN YOU BELIEVED. And YOU CAN’T TAKE CREDIT for this; IT IS A GIFT FROM GOD.
⁹ SALVATION IS NOT A REWARD for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

(NLT)

John 3:5-6 Natural and Supernatural Birth
⁵  Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without BEING BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT.
⁶ HUMANS CAN REPRODUCE ONLY HUMAN LIFE,

 BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES BIRTH TO SPIRITUAL LIFE. (NLT)

John 3:16 – Everyone who BELIEVES ACCEPTS have eternal life
¹⁶ For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES in him

WILL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

(NLT)

Joshua 24:15 – LIFE IS CHOICE DRIVEN -

15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then

CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.

BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSEHOLD, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD."

NIV

In the multitude of counselors,

there is wisdom.

Proverbs 11:14

I am grateful to those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical

information, and scripture verses.  Because of them I can stand on their shoulders

                         and see further that I otherwise ever could have.              

                                                                                                                                     

Antiquity of the Jews – Flavius Josephus Matthias

Apocrypha – Goodspeed

Baker Commentary on the Bible – Elwell

Bible Almanac; The – Packer-Tenney-White

Bible Commentary – F.B. Meyer

Bible Dictionary – Harper and Row

Bible Dictionary – Nelson’s

Dake’s Annotated Bible – Dake

Don’t know much about the Bible – Kenneth C. Davis

English Standard Version Bible – ESV

Expositor’s Bible Commentary – Frank E. Gaebelein

Forgotten Books of Eden; The – World

Gospels Interwoven; The – Karmit Zarley

Illustrated Bible Dictionary; The – Tyndale

Interlinear Greek-English New Testament – Baker

Invisible War; The – Donald Grey Barnhouse

King James Version Bible – KJV

Lost Books of the Bible; The - World

Lost Books of the Bible; The - Bell

Matthew Henry’s Commentary - Zondervan

Meredith’s Book of List; 1&2 –Bethany House Publishers

Missing Books of the Bible; The – Halo Press

Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest

Nag Hammadi Library; The – James M. Robinson

Nave’s Topical Bible - Zondervan

New International Dictionary of the Bible; The – Douglas - Tenney

New International Version Bible (2011) – NIV

New Living Translation Bible - NLT

Other side of the Good News; The – Larry Dixon

Secrets of the Dead Sea Scrolls – Hugh J. Schonfield

Systematic Theology – Wayne Grudem

Thru the Bible – J. Vernon McGee

Unseen Realm; The – Michael S. Heiser

Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament – Mac Donald

Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner

Wycliffe Bible Commentary; The – Pfeiffer & Harrison

Wikipedia –

Zondervan Pic