Eternal Destiny – Part 2

How will you spend it?

  22 April 2007

1. Introduction:

· Two most important things to do:

i) Secure your Eternal Destiny.

ii) Discover and Fulfill God’s purpose in your life.

· Ephesians 2:8-10  -  “For by grace have you been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God not our works”.

· Note:

i) Saved by faith alone – No Works         

verse 8-9  -  Belief determines where eternity

ii) Called – to works God purposed for your life

verse 10  -  Behaviour determines how eternity will be spend.

2. Two Eternal Destinations:

i) Jesus’ Teaching:  Two Destinations:

· Matthew 25:46  -  Everlasting punishment – eternal life.

· Jesus has given clear teaching that there are 2 eternal destinies – all will know this.

· Within 5 minutes of death all will be clear!

· Atheist will know there is a God.

· Money can buy you nothing.

· Jesus is the way – the Only way.

· Too late to make a decision.

· Discover sprit guides are rally deceiving demons.

· Going to church, being “good” doesn’t save.

· Believed would get another chance – now none.

· Loved life without God – spend eternity without Him.

ii) The Unbeliever will be in torment:

· Luke 16:19-31  “…the rich man died and was buried and being in torment in Hades…”

· Verse 24  -  “I am tormented in this flame”  -  he is totally aware of his existence and pain.

· Verse 28  -  “This place of torment”  -  he is in a specific place – Hades.

· The Rich man         -  was aware that he had not repented.

-  had no argument about why he was in that place of torment.

- made no attempt to request getting out of that place.

- must have faced judgment immediately after death – Hebrews 9:27.

iii) The Believer will be in Heaven:

· Luke 16:22  -  “…the beggar died and was carried by angels into ‘Abraham’s bosom’...”

· Abraham is the Father of all believers – Galatians 3:6-9  -  only those of faith are sons of Abraham.

· Abraham’s bosom – term used by Jews to describe paradise.

· Hades – divided into 2 parts: Paradise and Place of torment.

· Matthew 23:43  -  After Jesus’ death he went to Hades to Paradise – place of believers.

· Ephesians 4:8-9  - Jesus descended into the lower regions – Hades and emptied paradise.

· 2 Corinthians 12:2-4  -  Paradise now is Heaven, 3^rd Heaven where God dwells.

· Matthew 27:52-53  -  After Jesus’ resurrection many of the saint seen – now in heaven.

iv) The Believer is carried by Angels:

· Luke 26:22  -  “…the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.

· Lazarus did not have an elaborate funeral but had a great reception.

· Carried by angels – ministering spirits – Hebrews 1:4.

· As he exited his body angels escorted him into paradise.

· Genesis 25:8,17  -  Abraham died …and was gathered to his people.

· Job 27:19-22  -  The rich man will be down but not be gathered up.

· Both Lazarus and the rich man must have faced a point of judgment.

v) Why Lazarus was in Paradise:

· Not because he was poor.

· Exodus 30:14-15  -  The atonement money for the rich and the poor was exactly the same.

· Ephesians 2:8-9  -  By grace – through faith – nothing to do with riches.

· Lazarus = 2976 = God is my helper.

· Bible names are prophetic of  peoples life, walk with God.

· Jesus knew Lazarus by name – Lazarus not known on earth but known in heaven.

· Can only claim to know someone if that person also knows you, acknowledges you.

· Luke 13:22-28  -  He will answer and say to you, “I do not know you”.

· Must know God personally – not just know about Him.

· 2 Timothy 2:19  -  “…the Lord knows those who are his and let everyone who names the Name of Christ depart from iniquity”.

· Lazarus must have repented and believed.

vi) Repentance and faith are essential for Salvation:

· Luke 16:30  -  The rich man was aware in Hades of the need to repent!

· Repent = Change in mind and heart and life towards sin.

· There can be no reconciliation with God without repentance.

· Luke 17:1-4  -  Forgiveness is conditional….IF you repent.

· “Cheap grace”    => forgiven without repentance.

=> violates the justice of God.

=> pretends the offence is unimportant.

· God does not separate the sin from the sinner – he holds the sinner responsible for his sin.

· Acts 2:30  -  “…God …now commands all men everywhere to repent!”.

· Acts 2:38  -  By grace (the power of God)  are you saved (from eternal torment) by faith (believing and entrusting your life to Jesus Christ).

3.  Not all will be the same in Heaven:

i)  God is a Just God:

· Genesis 18:25  -  “…Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?”

· God is a right and just Judge – he acknowledges what we have done.

· God acknowledges not just that we know Him but how we have served Him!

ii)  All of us must give account to Christ:

· Romans 14:10-12  -  So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

· All believers must stand before Christ – how have we served Christ on earth?

· What Christ will examine is our works – have we fulfilled his purpose?

iii)  There are degrees of a Reward in Heaven:

· Matthew 16:27  -  “…then he will reward each according to his works”.

· Reward = misthos = wages, a recompense for work that has been done.

· ‘Each’ – every person who has acknowledged Christ.

· Eternal destruction – result of believing in Christ – there because of grace alone.

· Eternal reward – result of how we served Christ – works we did!

· There is a direct connection between how we will be in heaven and what we did on earth.

· “What we do in time – echoes throughout eternity”.

iv) Reward or Loss – For Eternity:

· 1 Corinthians 3:8-15  -  Each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

· Every believer is called for a purpose – God has works for us to accomplish.

· Jesus will evaluate our works – what sort they are, what value?

· Consequence:  Reward – eternal compensation, abundant entrance!

        Loss – of opportunity and compensation – just made it!