Absolute Certainty 2

Absolutely Certain ...

Of course absolute certainty is desirable. The writer's conclusion in the photo quote above is wrong but he is right in one sense. It is impossible to be certain of anything when looking at things from a worldly point of view; but when considering the things of the Spirit ... Absolute Certainty is a promise that Jesus has given everyone who believes in Him.

The Bema judgment is for those who have already believed in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. This judgment happens at the moment we are caught up to be with the Lord.  This judgment is to determine the motives of our heart and provide rewards for any works that are deemed righteous by God. The believer's eternal life is already secure on the basis the our belief in Jesus and the Lord’s sacrificial death. The following verses explain further.

First read 2 Corinthians 5:7-10 as noted previously.

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Cor. 3:10-15

We will be separated from unbelievers at the second coming of Christ. The problem is that many confuse the consequences of God’s Bema judgment for believers with the Great White Throne Judgment. These are two different judgments. Believers are already born again and forgiven, and our Bema judgment before God will be for the purpose of receiving rewards after the believers have already been saved and united with Christ. If there are no good deeds in their life since believing in Christ, all of their works will be burned up; but they will be saved as a man running from a burning house.

On the other hand, unbelievers will be judged for their sins at the Great White Throne Judgment and without the free gift of Christ they will all perish. We all have already been judged, found guilty, and condemned for our sins. Only believing in Jesus Christ can save anyone from the consequences of this judgment.

Some people conclude that this makes no sense and that if true, this would allow people to say they believe and then do whatever they choose. But God is all knowing and has an answer to those who foolishly follow this self centered logic. Read 1 Cor. 3:16-17 Those who choose to pretend and play games with their spiritual life will suffer harsh consequences for their deception. Furthermore, God’s Truth does not need to make sense. It is the eternal Truth regardless of our feelings, thinking, and logic.

Here are three scriptures that make it clear that the names of believers in Jesus will be written in the book of life. And that God will not remove their name from the book of life. And lastly, that the judgment of non-believers has already been determined and will be rendered at the Great White Throne Judgment.

Phil 4:3 “Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.” Here the Apostle Paul makes it clear that the names of those who believe in Jesus have written in the book of Life.

In the verse below Jesus describes a church much like the churches in America today. One group of members is dead spiritually and are told to wake up and repent. Although calling themselves Christians, these people apparently do not even know Christ. If Jesus were to return at any moment they would be left behind. The second group are believers in Christ and are following the Spirit and Truth rather that the teachings and ways of the world and these will not have their name erased from the Lamb’s book of life. footnote: 1

Rev. 3:1-6 (first group - pretenders) "I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. 'So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.”

(second group) - true believers) “But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

  Rev. 13:6-8 “And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.  It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.

Here God explains that the devil has been given authority over all mankind. They are all worshippers of him and his evil ways. He is at war with all the saints … those who believe in Jesus. The unbelievers will worship him and follow his ways. Their names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life and will receive eternal punishment.

Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11-15

This judgment as described is for those who were not caught up with Jesus Christ earlier at His second coming. Believer’s sins were judged at Calvary and we were justified by Christ who paid our penalty on the cross, once for all. As explained earlier Believers in Jesus Christ will have a separate judgment which is for the purpose of rewards only. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 This judgment will occur after the believers are caught up to be with God for eternity.

We who believe in Him, stand upon the Absolute Certainty of His promises.

"And to wait for his SON from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."  1 Thessalonians 1:10
"For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?  Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?  For ye are our glory and joy."   1 Thessalonians 2:19-20
"To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before GOD, even our FATHER, at the coming of our LORD JESUS CHRIST 'with all' His saints."  1 Thessalonians3:13
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with the LORD."  1 Thessalonians 4:17.

Are You Absolutely Certain you will go to heaven for eternity when you die?

Having said all of this, I have some totally committed biblically-minded friends who do not agree on each point. I respect you greatly and pray you will read these words carefully, and please be a Berean ... correct me biblically if you believe I am misreading scripture.

God Bless you my Friends, Bob
Reference: Footsteps of the Messiah, Arnold Fruchtenbaum, pg. 61-63

Absolute Certainty

Absolutely Certain ...

Of course absolute certainty is desirable. The writer's conclusion in the photo quote above is wrong but he is right in one sense. It is impossible to be certain of anything when looking at things from a worldly point of view; but when considering the things of the Spirit ... Absolute Certainty is a promise that Jesus has given everyone who believes in Him.

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." John 5:24

"And I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”John 10:28

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16

"For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13       

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that 
you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13

And this is a most important question that every person needs to be able to answer ... 

If you died today, are you absolutely certain you will go to heaven? 
“Yes, I am Absolutely Certain.”

Without understanding and establishing God's Truth as the foundation of our beliefs ... 
a Christian is destined to a life of confusion that is lacking the assurance of salvation.

Some would say that nobody can be absolutely certain. That view would reveal a lack of faith and understanding. According to Jesus, we can know the truth and be absolutely certain about the things of the Spirit. When we believe that Jesus is God, we are saved at that moment spiritually for eternity. My confidence is not because I have somehow qualified as a result of my good deeds, but rather as a result of the fact that Jesus died as the penalty for my sins and failures … past, present, and future. 

My certainty is in Him that died for my sins ... NOT ME.

The foundation of our beliefs must be Jesus Christ who is the eternal Truth. When our worldview is measured up against His eternal Truth … only then can we know spiritual Truth and the Truth will set us free for eternity. This is what it means to live by faith in Him.

 “for we walk by faith, not by sight - we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Cor. 5:7-10

I know that when I say that we can have absolute certainty, or absolute truth ... this sounds like a "know it all" who fell and hit his head. So let's clarify what I'm saying. When considering spiritual things ... when we stand upon the Truth and promises of the all knowing Creator, then and only then, we can have absolute certainty about those things which He has made clear. 

Now could I be wrong?  Yes, there are a number of ways we can be wrong. We could misunderstand what Jesus is saying, or cloud our thinking by opinions, feelings, logic, experiences, false religion, or the false teachings of the world. So we can only have absolute certainty when we are standing on the absolute Truth of the Creator in regards to spiritual things. 

We must continually test our beliefs up against the absolute Truth ...
of the all knowing omniscient Creator of all things.

"Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "[He is] THE ONE WHO CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS"; and again, "THE LORD KNOWS THE REASONINGS of the wise, THAT THEY ARE USELESS." 1 Cor. 3:18-20

As Christians, we are to no longer follow our feelings, human understanding, and the teachings of men; but rather we test all things up against the eternal Truth of God and then faithfully follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Therefore for example, I can know with absolute certainty that there is a Creator, and that Darwin’s Theory of Evolution is a false theory based upon the reasonings and conclusions of men and their worldly logic.

True arrogance is rejecting God and assuming that the truth about the miracles and mysteries of life are learned or determined by men through experiences, training, and feelings; and rejecting that which has been revealed by the all knowing God.

 The fact is that our personal opinion is not what’s important … do you believe that Jesus is God?” If yes … then don’t you think that what we need to know is: how would Jesus answer this question, and what are His promises for us as Christians?” The answer is clear in the five verses above and many more. You must only believe in Jesus. And at that moment you will be born again and you pass out of death and into eternal life. John 3:1-18

When we believe in Him, there is no judgment for our sins ... past, present and future; because Jesus already paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. 1 John 2:2  John 3:16 We are forgiven. Quite Often, a person’s church doctrine is wrong ... or some other false teaching comes between the person and this eternal truth. We are called to test our views and the teachings of our church by the truth of God’s word.

The words of Jesus are the eternal Truth and are perfectly clear.

"But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." John 10:26-30

 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” John 14:6

So do you believe in Jesus and that the words of Jesus are true or not?

Some believe that you must change and live a godly life in order to receive eternal life, but they have God’s Truth backwards. The love of Christ controls and guides us only after we believe and are born again into eternal life. 2 Cor. 5:14 Apart from Him we can do no good thing. Good deeds come by the leading of His Holy Spirit who guides us in His truth and His righteousness. His eternal salvation is a free gift by His grace so that no man can think he qualifies and be arrogant. Ephesians 2:8-9

Salvation is by grace. When we believe in Jesus, He has given each of us his blessed gift and his gift is free. We do not need to earn eternal Life. “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” Romans 11:6

What about when we stand before God at the Judgment seat of Christ?

There are a number of different judgments described in the bible.

The first judgment is in Genesis 3 at the fall of man. From the point of the fall, we are all judged by God and born with a sin nature and guilty of lust and pride. God requires payment for the penalty of our sins. The purpose of God's free gift is so that we can be made right with God. God loves us and wants for no man to perish. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross. We must only believe in Him to receive forgiveness and His free gift of eternal life.

A most important judgment is the judgment of mankind’s sins on the cross at Calvary. When Jesus Christ bore our sins in His own body on the cross, the result was death for Christ and justification for those who choose to believe in Him. We are now free from condemnation and our eternal life can never again be put in jeopardy. When we believed in Christ as our God and Savior … at that instant, we pass from death to eternal life.

The Bema judgment is for those who have already believed in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. This judgment happens at the moment we are caught up to be with the Lord.  This judgment is to determine the motives of our heart and provide spiritual gifts for any works that are deemed righteous by God. The believer's eternal life is already secure on the basis of our belief in Jesus and the Lord’s sacrificial death. The following verses explain further.

To be continued Read  Absolute Certainty 2

God Bless you Friends, Bob