Luke 9:57-62 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
The above has nothing to do with Salvation. It speaks of service…
No man is fit … for the kingdom of God (Heaven).
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Works won’t improve the situation either …
Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Not fit for the Kingdom (Heaven)
God called us to serve…He has given us Salvation.
Our Service here determines how we will fit into the Kingdom.
Our Salvation guarantees that we will be there.
Why or how does a person become unfit?
Remember the above text speaks of 3 who would follow…
Vs 58 Not willing to give up material things …
Vs 59 Not willing to forsake family …
Vs 61 Not willing to forsake his friends …
All three wanted to follow the Lord, to serve Him. The call had been given …
A glorious call, an exciting call, a challenging call …
Some reasons we become unfit to serve.
Miss familiar things …
The children of Israel when delivered out of Egypt kept wanting to go back.
Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
Loving this present life … 2 Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; …
The List continues… 2 Timothy 3 … covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
God has given us Salvation …
Where are you going to fit into His Kingdom????
The choice is yours… Show it by your service!
Category: DEATH
death, resurrection
Soul Sleep
Soul Sleep is a belief that when we die, the soul ceases to exist and believers are not conscious of anything until the resurrection. It is taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists, who also claim that the redeemed will be recreated at the resurrection.
The Bible puts to rest Soul Sleep.
The Lord Jesus shared a story of the Rich man and Lazarus. Luke 16:19-31
Both died and their bodies were buried. The rich man lifted his eyes in Hell.
Lazarus was in the bosom of Abraham (Paradise).
Both were well aware of their surroundings.
On the Cross, the Lord promised the thief
“Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43
When the Lord Jesus died, his body went to the tomb, He went to paradise Ephesians 4:8-10 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)
Also read 1 Peter 3:18-19 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
And to you who are saved (Romans 10:9-13)
The apostle Paul says it best:
2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Soul Sleep? NOT according to Scripture!
For more:
⇛ also see What Happens to us when We Die?
⇛ also see DEATH – What Saith the Scripture?
⇛ also see Death Appointed
Burial/Cremation
Burial:
Jacob’s Burial Genesis 50:1 Embalmed – Egyptian
Joseph’s Burial Genesis 50:26 Embalmed – Egyptian
David’s Burial 2 Kings 2:10
Laureus’ Burial John 11:34,41
Christ’s Burial John 19:38
Ananias/Sapphira Burial Acts 5:9-10
Stephen Act 8:2
Cremation: (Usually associated with the wicked)
Joshua 7:25 Achan and his family after they were stoned.
1 Samuel 31:12 Saul and his sons after they turned from God
2 Kings 23:20 Evil priests under Josiah the King
Amos 2:1 Fire associated with purifying the soul
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It is Appointed
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Romans 5:12
Adam disobeyed God (Sin) Genesis 3
Able was the first to die. (sin) Genesis 4
All mankind has died except two. Enos (Genesis 5) and Elijah (1 Samuel)
Some believe the two witnesses (Revelation 11) will be Enos and Elijah thus fulfilling Hebrews 9:27.
Only one man (the Lord Jesus) has died and then was raised from the dead with a new body. Victory over death. 1 Corinthians 15.
Yes, our end is physical death except for a group who should not die: A mystery the Apostle Paul explains. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
This event could occur today: Are you ready? Are you part of this group?
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What Happens to us When We Die? Part 3
LUKE 16:19-31 Need to read full text from the Bible. 22 Abraham’s Bosom, 23 Hell, afar off, 24 tormented 26 great gulf
Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
1 Peter 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
John 20:11-17But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Ephesians 4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?
2 Corinthians 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by
sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
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What Happens to us When We Die? Part 2
Paul’s Experience when he was stoned.
2 Corinthians 12:4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Since then, when an unbeliever dies, his body is buried, soul and spirit go to Sheol, Hades, Hell.
When a believer dies, his body is buried, soul & spirit go to heaven (Paradise)
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:… We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
And one day our bodies will join our S & S. That will happen at the rapture. BUT that’s another lesson.
Job 19:25-27 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Daniel 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Hosea 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
⇛ continue reading What Happens to us when we die? Part 3
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It’s Your Choice
How you live your life is YOUR choice. You can live a good life or an evil wicked life or anything in between. Denying what the scripture says insures that you will spend eternity separated from God.
Or you can believe God, His word (the Bible) and believe the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Believe in your heart that the Lord Jesus is God and confess with your mouth (Romans 10:9-13).
Then, how you live your life is YOUR choice. You can live a good life or an evil wicked life or anything in between. Just remember you will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give account of yourself (Romans 14:11-12).
Yes, you will go to Heaven and will spend eternity with God. But what will your rewards be?
As the Apostle Paul wrote: 1 Corinthians 3:9-15 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Think of it this way. All your works (the way you lived) will be used to build a building upon the Foundation (the Lord Jesus). And he will dump gasoline on it and then toss a match to it.
What will be left? That’s your reward for all eternity.
Your Cabin!
Remember IT’S YOUR CHOICE.
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Do Animals Have a Soul?
Genesis 1:30 – And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life, [I have given] every green herb for meat: and it was so.
Job 12:10 – In whose hand [is] the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Animals were created by God and they have a body, anyone can see that, BUT do they have a soul and spirit. No where in scripture does it say they have a spirit. What about a soul? There is something that exists within their body that gives it life. All animals have an awareness of man (Genesis 9:2), a consciousness (fear, dread) of man. For example, dogs are considered man’s best friend because it seems as though this type of animal knows what his human master is thinking. Dogs, like any animal, have a certain consciousness to man and that is why we have a particular heart for them. Most animals can be trained and obey commands. However, despite their consciousness, they do not have spirits. For this reason, when they die, they do not enter into an afterlife. In other words, they will not go into heaven with us.
The reason for this is because they were not created in the image and likeness of God. They do not have body, soul, and spirit — and for this reason, they do not go to heaven or hell like us. The Lord God created animals for the betterment of man. After the flood, animals became food for man (Genesis 9:3).
Was Adam and Eve able to communicate with animals while in the Garden?
It’s interesting that Eve had a conversation with an animal and did not seem concerned about it. Genesis 3.
It seems apparent that animals communicate with each other. How about Balaam when his ass spoke to him! Numbers 22:21-31
But are there Animals in Heaven? Horses are mentioned twice.
The bible says very little about the spiritual nature of animals, much less where they go when they die. There are a few scriptures from which we can glean information, but none that clearly tell us about the spiritual afterlife of animals.
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Death – Part 2
BUT what does God have to say …
Luke 20:34-38 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
John 11:11-26 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 14:1-4 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
John 14:27-28 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.
Romans 8:31-39 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:50-56 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1 John 4:7-21 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
⇛ continue reading Death – Part 3
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Death – Part 3
Didn’t Old Testament teach life after death? …
Job 14:12-15 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.
Job 19:25-27 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Psalm 17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
Psalm 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
Daniel 12:2-3 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Daniel 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
Hosea 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
We all face death. But for the Believer in Christ, there’s hope, knowledge of life after death. Reunited with God, and fellow believers who have gone before us.
It’s a paradox, we desire to die and go to heaven, but we have a strong desire to remain here as long as we can.