Revelation 20:14a
"And death and hell (the abiding place of all unbelievers since Cain) were cast into the lake of fire."
We admit many don’t like to read that. I know we don’t. It’s awful. But it’s the Word of God. This is the second death. Their first death was when they died physically or when we first receive the inspiration of revelation of the secret things hidden within scripture. When we learn the meaning of Jeremiah 31:33..."saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." and the secret as found in 1 Corinthians 2 and 2 Corinthians 3, the required dependency on the working of the Holy Spirit within each of us. For when we've learned that we're not to walk or exhibit the self-confidency of spirit of flesh as Israel did, which as we've learned is nothing short of the spirit of the world. This is to remain in spiritual death and you can remember way back when I first started this blog. What is death? Well, it’s separation from God. Death is a separation. Physical death is the separation of the soul and spirit from the physical body. Spiritual death is the separation of the soul and spirit, the eternal make up of mankind, that is separated from God for all eternity. That’s the second death. A separation.
Revelation 20:15
"And whosoever (none excepted, good or bad) was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
Listen, do you realize that Jesus spoke far more on the doom of the wicked, the lawless than He did of Heaven. Far more. How many times did He refer, for example, to, "and in that day they’ll come before me and they’ll say, but Lord, didn’t we cast out demons?" Didn’t we do this and didn’t we do that? And what will His answer be? "Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you."
That’s just one example and He gives them over and over. This is serious business. Now on the one hand I can talk about the joy of you and I as believers, the hope of glory! I’m going to really hammer it home. Oh, the glory that we’re going to experience! But the other side of the coin, the devastation, the horror of lost mankind is lawlessness which equates to unbelieving. Let’s come back to Hebrews chapter 9, and verse 27 again.
Hebrews 9:27-28b
"And it is appointed unto men once to die (unless they become receptive which leads to being a believer and they live to see the departure. But otherwise – death hits every human being sooner or later.) but after this the judgment: (in the Great White Throne) So Christ was once (once, contrary to what so many people think, they want to keep Him on the cross, by their rites and ceremonies, feast days and holidays) offered to bear the sins of many;…"
Paul's Epistle to the Galatians in chapter 4 reveals that Christ came in the fulness of God's predetermined time period (until the time appointed of the father) as Psalm 2 reveals and agrees with. Jesus Himself said so much as this as recorded in Mark chapter 1 verse 15 (“And saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.' ”).
And who are the many? The whole human race. You remember way back, when we were in Romans, maybe Corinthians. I know I probably shook a few people up. When Christ died and finished the work of the Cross, how many sins of the world did He forgive? Everybody’s! Yes, I even made the analogy of Adolph Hitler – yes, his sins were paid for. The Atoning Blood had covered his sin. The people that were part of the Holocaust their sin was also forgiven them, but did they know it? NO! Why didn’t they get to cash in? Because they never believed it as far as was known.
And it’s the same way with wicked people today. Their sins are forgiven. That’s what makes it so horrible. They’ve already been pardoned. They’ve already been reconciled to God. God has done everything that He can do. And all they have to do is to cash in and receive it and BELIEVE IT. Now, I’m not talking about ‘easy-beliefism.’ I’m talking about genuine, saving trust. Trusting it. Receiving it. Believing it. And when we do then the Lord can say, "Oh, you’re already forgiven. I’ve already pardoned you. Yes, I’ve chosen you before the foundation of the world." That’s how all-inclusive the work of the Cross is.
Hebrews 9:28a
"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;…"
Come back with me to II Corinthians chapter 5, and let’s drop in at verse 14:
II Corinthians 5:14
"For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, (or conclude) that if one died for (how many?) all, (not just the few. He died for the whole human race) then were all dead."
Do you see that from God's perspective we're all dead in Christ, the moment we enter into redemption and this great salvation. Or had a necessity of salvation. Those who by way of personal revelation receive the Truth. Now the next verse,
2Corinthians 5:15
"And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again."
No comments:
Post a Comment