Believe the Gospel

Well, we had a little more than just a few refreshments, and the fellowship's been good, and the food was very good. Appreciate those who brought food today.

So now we're going to begin the second part of today's seminar, entitled, Believe the Gospel.

Now, in the first segment of our seminar on entering the kingdom of God, we saw clearly from the Scriptures that salvation is a gift, but it is a gift that is conditional. We also came to understand that belief and faith are inextricably linked to obedience, and we discussed how faith without works is dead. Now, let's talk about the will of the Father.

Now note the words of Jesus Christ concerning who will be in the kingdom of God. In Matthew chapter 7, verse 21, Christ said, "...not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven." So there is an element of obedience. There's an element of keeping and doing. We have to do the Father's will if we want to enter the kingdom of God.

So calling on the name of Jesus is not going to get anyone into the kingdom of God. That's simply not enough. We must do God's will. And so we ask ourselves, what is the will of God? Well, certainly part of God's will is that we understand 2 Peter chapter 3, verse 9, where it says, "...the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long suffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." It is important that all of us come to repentance. God is not willing that any should perish.

It's not his desire that anyone perish. But God doesn't force people to obey him. It is a choice. We are free moral agents, and God allows us a choice. And everyone will make that choice eventually. So again, we see that repentance is a vital key. He wants all of us to come to repentance. If we're going to receive eternal life, then we must repent of our sins. And it is God's desire to give all of us the gift of eternal life. Again, God's not willing that any should perish. Now, the Scripture shows that some will refuse to repent, and they will be cast into the lake of fire. There are many Scriptures that bear that out, but hopefully there will be few that will ultimately end up in the lake of fire. Repentance is realizing how we have not lived God's way, and then making the changes.

Making the changes necessary to come into compliance with the Word of God. So again, it is important that we make changes in our lives, that we do a lot more than just talk about repentance, but that we actually do repent. Now, the Apostle Paul was struck down on his journey to Damascus. We know that Paul repented of his sins. When he was struck down, he had not accepted Christ as his Savior. In fact, he was killing Christians, and he was consenting to their death. He was on his way to have more killed. But God struck him down and God opened his mind. He opened his heart, and Paul did accept Christ as his Savior, and he repented of his sins. He repented of breaking the laws of God. And I'm sure it was a process for Paul as he came to understand fully what God expected of him. When he was struck down, he was also shortly baptized after that. After he repented, after he accepted Christ, he was baptized, and he received the gift of God's Spirit. Now, God called Paul out of darkness. And frankly, he's calling every one of us out of darkness. Spiritual darkness because at one point we were all blind to the truth of God. And God opens our minds and reveals the truth to us. And God is the one that calls us and brings us to his Son, Jesus Christ. And Jesus Christ reveals the Father. So it is important that we do understand that God and the Father are one in terms of the way they look at things, are completely unified in their goals, in their desires, in what they believe in, and what is right and good. There is no variance between God the Father and Jesus Christ. They're in complete unity, and they set the perfect example for us in striving to learn unity in our lives.

So in John 10, verse 10, as we consider God's purpose for our lives, we should understand that God wants every one of us to have eternal life. And in John 10, 10, Christ said, I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. You know, God wants us to have an abundant life. He wants us to enjoy our lives. He wants us to have good, clean fun, godly fun. He wants us to just really live it up in a sense, but in a right sense. So it is possible to certainly have fun and be a Christian and to enjoy our lives and to have life more abundantly. Now in Deuteronomy chapter 30, and unfortunately a lot of people don't even read the Old Testament because they believe the Old Testament was done away and it's not necessary to read the Old Testament. That's another lie. In fact, you know, the largest part of the Bible is the Old Testament. And there's tremendous truth revealed in the Old Testament. Now in Deuteronomy chapter 30, verses 19 and 20, God says, I call heaven and earth as witness today against you. He's talking to the children of Israel. Against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life. And that both you and your descendants may live. He's saying, you have a choice to make. I want you to choose life. I'm telling you to choose life, but it's your choice. You can choose life or you can choose death. So choose life that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey his voice. Again, Abraham obeyed my voice, my commandments, my statutes and my laws. And this was before the law was given on Sinai.

It was before it was codified and written down. The law was still in effect before Moses.

In fact, it was in effect in the Garden of Eden. When God told them what to do and what not to do, and they disobeyed God, they transgressed, they sinned against God. So that they will obey his voice and that you may cling to him, for he is your life. And that's the way we should be. We should make God truly our Father whom we love. Sometimes our human fathers don't set the best example for us. And so sometimes that becomes a barrier in understanding our Heavenly Father. But our Heavenly Father is perfect, unlike our physical earthly fathers.

And we need to try to understand that. That God is perfect and God is love. And God does love us and he does care for his children. In fact, God is a concerned, patient Creator.

He's our parent. And he says in Ezekiel 33, verse 11, So God pleaded with the children of Israel. He wanted them to turn from their evil ways.

They refused to do so. And so they went into captivity. And thousands and thousands of them were killed. And they suffered greatly because they refused to choose life. Instead, they chose death. Now the Greek word for godly love is the word agape. And it is a selfless, outgoing concern for others. In fact, Christ said we must learn to love even our enemies. Now that's not so easy to do, to love your enemies. But that's what God said. That's what Christ said we must learn to do, to love our enemies and to pray for them, who spitefully use us and persecute us. But many times we want to cling to our own stubbornness and we refuse to forgive others. And we should realize that if we refuse to forgive others, God will refuse to forgive us. Because we are forgiven in the same manner that we are willing to forgive others. So it is very, very important that we learn that God is love and that we should follow His example. And God is forgiving, isn't He? He forgives sins. When we repent of our sins, it doesn't matter what the sin is. If we repent of it and if we turn away from it, then those sins can be forgiven. But human beings sometimes have a very difficult time forgiving certain sins. God's certainly more merciful than any human being. We are to become like God. And that doesn't mean that God isn't also going to burn some in the lake of fire. Because if they refuse to repent, then they will get what they deserve. And that's unfortunate that that's what the Bible teaches. Now in Genesis 1, verse 26 and 27, it says, God made man, or let us make man in our image. So here we see two beings. God says, let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.

So God created man in His own image, in the image of the Father and the Son, the One who became the Son. In fact, the Bible shows that it was Jesus Christ who created all things.

And yet Christ didn't live as a human being until, what, 4,000 years roughly after Adam and Eve. So it's very clear that Christ had a pre-existence. And He was the one that was actually the God of the Old Testament. In fact, most of the Old Testament refers to the One who became Christ. That's another subject, too. That's another subject to study at another time. So God said, let us make man in our image, in our likeness. So in the image of God, He created Him male and female. He created them. So God did create us in His image. We were made after the God-kind. We were not made after the cattle-kind. Mankind was made after the God-kind. Very unique relationship with God. We don't see any animals here today.

No dogs and cats have come in to worship God. We're not animals. No, we have a relationship with God that animals can't have because we are made in God's image. Now, in Genesis chapter 2, verse 7, here it says, "...the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." And this is the word nefesh, which basically is referring to a fleshly being or fleshly body. It even includes animals. It uses the same word. So we weren't created with an immortal soul. That's another lie that's been foisted upon most people. We were created with a mortal soul. It is possible to die, but of course we can also live forever. We'll talk about how that's possible.

"...So we became a living soul, and God made man fleshly and physical. He did not make man spirit." You're not spirit. I'm not spirit. That's not to say that we don't have the spirit in man in us because the Scripture says we do. That's what makes us different from the false. We have a spirit in us that's different. And we also have the capacity to receive the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit. The Bible discusses the Spirit in man. It also discusses the Holy Spirit. So there's a difference there, and most people again don't understand that either.

As we look at John 3, let's ask ourselves, how is it that human beings can become spirit?

How can human beings become spirit? We are made of the flesh. We're earthy. How can we become spirit? Christ said in John 3, verse 5, "...I say to you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." So he's speaking about the waters of baptism. He's also speaking about the Holy Spirit of God. That we must receive the Spirit of God upon repentance of our sins, upon accepting Christ and being baptized. If one does not do this, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh.

And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again.

Now, obviously, we're not yet spirit. That doesn't mean we don't have a spiritual element, because God's Spirit does dwell in the true servants of God, who have repented. And God's Spirit certainly works with people. But we're still in the flesh. We grow old. We have more aches and pains as we grow older. Generally, unless you're like Mr. Barons, who's 80 years old and doesn't look it. But, you know, even he, I'm sure, has aches and pains. And as we grow older, we have more and more aches and pains. So, let's consider what Christ says about Christ in Hebrews 2. Here it says, For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, and bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Jesus Christ is the captain of our salvation. There's only one name given under heaven, whereby we may be saved. And that is through Jesus Christ. We must accept him as our Savior.

We must see him as he is. And God deeply desires that we share in his glory. He wants us to become like his son. He wants us to become like him. And he wants us to be in the kingdom of God for eternity. So man was created in the image of God with the faculty of mind that's akin to God. It's similar to God. We can think much differently than animals.

And yet the Bible says that God's thoughts are way above our thoughts. They're high above our thoughts. We don't profess to be like God. We still fall far short of God's glory.

But nevertheless, God has allowed us at certain intellects so that we can understand the things of God, the spiritual things of God, when he opens our minds to understand these things.

So humankind was created from the dust of the ground, and physical beings are subject to sin and death. We were created with the potential of living forever in God's kingdom.

We can become sons and daughters. We can become members of God's family. And we can rule and reign with Christ. And we can be saints forever in God's kingdom. And we see in the book of Romans here that we can become joint heirs with Christ. The Bible says that Christ is the firstborn among many brethren. God is calling people to salvation. We are to become like Christ at Christ's return.

Those who are called now who humble themselves and yield themselves and receive the Spirit of God. Scripture shows that they will be joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Notice Romans 8, verses 16 and 17. Paul says, you were created to be an heir of God. He's speaking to the church at Rome. You are created to be an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ. The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then we're heirs and we're heirs of God and we're joint heirs with Christ.

If so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. So there are sufferings that we go through in this present life, but they're not to be compared with the glory that will be ours at Christ's return. So hopefully you now understand that believing the Gospel encompasses the entirety or the totality of God's great plan of salvation. I mean, there's much more to learn about God's plan, but I hope we can see that the Bible is where we find the answers.

We go to the God's Word and we read and we study the Bible. Today we've been able to explain the essential elements of what it means to repent and to believe the Gospel, the good news of God's coming Kingdom. Now, we're living in a very critical time in human history. Prophecy is being fulfilled. In the book of Daniel it does speak of a time when knowledge will be increased and people will run to and fro on the earth.

Now, if that doesn't describe what's happening today, I don't know what does because we're jetting around the earth at an incredible speed. We've got billions of cars moving back and forth across the earth. We've got ships. We've got airplanes, jet planes, rocket ships. We are certainly going to and fro on the earth and we are definitely seeing an increase of knowledge.

A hundred years ago, I wouldn't be projecting this on a wall. It would not have been possible back then. People didn't understand it. When you think about it, things really didn't change all that much for almost 6,000 years. Then all of a sudden, things really began to change.

Knowledge is increasing exponentially. Time is speeding up. We don't know when Christ is returning. God hasn't revealed to us the exact time, the date. We don't profess to know that time or date. I can say with assurance that we're closer now than we've ever been. We're getting ever closer to the return of Christ. There's never been a time quite like this one. It's not to say that there hasn't always been sin, because there's always been sin.

Sodom and Gomorrah, that was a long time ago. We see Sodom and Gomorrah today. When God looks down, He sees Sodom and Gomorrah. He sees tremendous evil on the earth. God, frankly, is coming to the end of His patience. He's going to send His Son back before long.

I don't know exactly what that means, but I believe it's before long. Every facet of the structure of this world is in trouble. Ours is truly a world of suffering. Of course, the world suffered a long time. I know that. It's been a world of suffering for a long time, since Adam and Eve decided to disobey God. Suffering entered into the world. These are the beginning of sorrows that we're in now, how soon they will escalate and become the critical time just before Christ's return. That remains to be seen, but we cannot deny that this is a world that is suffering.

There is drought in many places on the earth. In fact, in Oklahoma, where I live, we had a pretty dry summer.

In fact, the driest on record. We're getting some rain now, so everything's okay. Everything goes back to normal. God said that that would happen. It will be like the days of Noah.

These days will be like the days of Noah, when they didn't expect it to rain and keep raining until they were all drowned, except just a few in an ark. We really don't know when times are really going to change for us. Again, the key is to be ready right now for the return of Christ. We don't know when we'll die. We don't know when Christ is going to return. We don't know how much time we have. If we want to enter God's kingdom, if we want to live forever, then we have to consider this element, because we're fleshly beings and we're growing older day by day.

We can see that there have been diseases, there's been war and famine and drought, and the world continues to suffer in great ways. At the same time, the world's major religions are looking for a Messiah to come on the scene and to save mankind. People are looking for the fifth Buddha if they're Buddhists, if they're Hindus, they're looking for Krishna, if they're Muslims or of the Islamic faith, they're looking for the Grand Mahdi, the New Agers are looking for Maitreya, the Jews are looking for a Messiah to come the first time.

They missed him when he came the first time, but they're looking for him to come. We know he's going to be coming a second time. We who are Christians wait for the return of Christ. So make no mistake about it, and do not be deceived, Jesus Christ is coming back to this earth to establish God's kingdom. Those who believe the totality of the Gospel, God's Gospel message about the kingdom of God, and if they do the will of God, they will be changed into glorious, radiant, spiritual beings in God's kingdom. Notice in 1 Corinthians 15 what the Apostle Paul says regarding the resurrection.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither does corruption inherit incorruption. He's talking about this human flesh that's corrupt.

We're not going to enter God's kingdom in the flesh, not in the fullest sense. Now there will be human beings who will live into the millennial reign of Christ, which is the beginning of the establishment of the government of God on the earth. There will be human beings, but in the fullest sense, no one enters fully into the kingdom until they're spiritual beings, until they become spirit themselves. And that is clear in this scripture. Now this I say, brethren, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery, a hidden truth. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. He's saying that there will come a time, Christ will return, and there will be people alive on the earth. They will not sleep. They will not die prior to Christ's return. Some will be alive. Some will be living at the time of Christ. Now those who are God's children, who have the spirit of God dwelling in them, it says they will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible, this flesh, must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. There will come a time when there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more crying. We'll see that in a moment. But at Christ's return, those who are the firstfruits, those who are being called now at this time, they will be changed into glorious, radiant spirit beings.

They will become like Christ. They will see Christ as He is, as it says in the book of Revelation, and they will be like Him. So they will have a glorified body. As Christ, when He came out of the grave, after three days and three nights in the heart of the earth, He was raised a glorious body. A spiritual body will have the same type of body. And when we are resurrected, or if we are alive, we will be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye. The Bible says that those who have died will rise first, and then we who are alive shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye.

Now let's note the words of the Apostle Paul as we consider that in God's kingdom, we'll have a new life and we're going to have a new job. There will be 1,000 years of peace to start off the government of God from that point forward. 1,000 years of peace here on the earth. And the Apostle John is writing down something that he heard in a song from the four living creatures and the 24 elders at the throne of God. And the elders and the four living creatures were talking about the saints of God. They were talking about human beings who would accept Christ in this life and how they would rule and reign with Christ.

In Revelation 5, verse 10, and has made us, speaking of us, human beings have made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth. So we will rule and reign with Christ for 1,000 years on the earth. You can go to Revelation 20 some other time and you can look that scripture up where it says that very clearly. Now, in 1 Corinthians 2.9, we see that, I has not seen nor ear heard neither has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love him. There is a great deal in store for those who love God and are called according to His purpose and who have yielded themselves to God's will and want to keep the Father's will. The Bible reveals some of the wonderful things that God has prepared for those who love Him. And in Revelation 21, it shows there will come a time after the 1,000 year reign of Christ that there will be no more death, there will be no more sorrow, and there will be no more crying. Revelation 21, verse 4, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away. So, brethren, we can be on the ground floor of God's coming Kingdom. We are being, perhaps, called now. Maybe God is calling you to accept His truth at this time, to embrace His truth. Perhaps He's opening your mind to see the truth and what's being said today.

You can be in on the ground floor of God's coming Kingdom if you will repent and believe the Gospel of God's Kingdom. Those God are calling now are to be kings and priests, and they will reign with Christ on the earth. Notice in Isaiah 9, verse 7, it says, there will be no end of the increase of His government. God's government will last for eternity. It will go on forever and ever and ever, and there will be no end of the increase of His government. So there are exciting times ahead. Times that we have no idea. We have no idea what they will be like. We can speculate. We can wonder about it. Will God's government spread out to the entire universe? Will it go to all the countless star systems and planets?

Frankly, man is learning more every day about the vastness of the universe. Things are being opened up, and knowledge is being increased. And yet, there seems to be no end to what we are discovering and what we are seeing. Even from a scientific standpoint, God is so great and awesome that we do not fathom all that God has in store for us.

If you want to be among those who will hear these words in Matthew 25, where God is going to be a good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter you into the joy of your Lord. It's talking about entering into the family of God and entering into the kingdom of God. Jesus preached the good news of the coming kingdom of God. The Bible is replete with references to God's coming kingdom.

We should hear a lot more about it in the churches of the world, but we frankly don't because Satan has deceived the whole world. It's not surprising that the Gospel of the kingdom is not being preached, except among God's true and faithful ones who are preaching the Gospel of the kingdom. Jesus preached this message, and he wants us to be in his kingdom with him. So today, if you will hear his voice, if you've heard his voice, if it makes sense to you, if it's speaking to your heart and to your mind, then don't harden your heart. Don't harden your mind to what you've heard today. Consider it. Pray about it. Think about it. Go to God with it sincerely. Ask him to help you understand, because I've covered a lot of ground today, and some of this is pretty new. For some of you, you haven't really heard this same message ever. So it's different, and it takes a while to digest it, and God does have to work with you, and God has to call you and bring you to him if you are to understand it. So it's been a great pleasure to have you join us for today's seminar.

Please help yourself to the booklets and the literature that we have available today.

We basically only have one stipulation. You need to read whatever you take. You can take them all. You can take all of our booklets, but eventually you have to read them. That's the only thing, because freely we have received and freely we give these things that God has given to us. We don't charge for our literature. We don't take up offerings at our services.

We don't pass the hat. God calls people to give as He convicts them and shows them how to give. So again, if you'd like, please help yourself to any of our booklets. We want you to take as many as you'd like. Don't hesitate to speak to me if you have questions about what I've said today regarding God's truth, regarding the United Church of God, or anything else you'd like to discuss. I'll be around here for quite a while. We do meet here, by the way, every Saturday. Normally we meet at 1.30 in this particular building, so certainly anyone that would want to join in with us is certainly welcome to do so. Again, it's been a great pleasure, and I appreciate all of you coming.