Discussion of Man Pt3

If you remember the last time we met, we've been talking about man and just basically a discussion about him and I said to you I was going to break it down in three really simple ways, but yet those simple ways are rather complex in that if a man could answer those three questions correctly, then we would have fairly good assurance that they belonged and had a relationship with God, but if he could not answer that or she could not answer that question correctly, then we would have to doubt whether they really know who God is, and those three simple questions were, where did we come from, why are we here, and what's next?

And if you remember, we talked about so many different things. We began with the fool has said in his heart that there is no God and of all we talked about all the foolishness of man about where we came from and evolution and descendants of aliens and really all manner of foolishness and that if you remember we talked about how God made man upright.

That was Ecclesiastes 7 .29. God made man upright and yet he has sought out many inventions. He has been the one who has caused the corruption of mind and everything else that's involved with it and that even in Romans how it talks about the foolishness of man and how he changed the glory of the invisible God into, of the incorruptible God into an image made like man and bird and four-footed beast and creeping things and so we realized that although it's a simple question, there are so many people that can't answer that question.

And that is, it's astounding when you think about how people will stick to a theory, a myth, a fable, a teaching that really has no basis in truth, right? And again, if you go outside the boundary of the Bible, then all manner of things are.

Open.

I mean, I know Gary had brought up the thought about how people believe in reincarnation and you're going to come back next time as a giraffe or this, that, the other thing. The foolishness of that. And then we moved the last time into that question of, okay, we established that God created us.

We established he is the originator, that he is the one who has made us, fashioned us and not only that, but he sustains us. And then we asked the question, well, why are we here? And again, the amount of answers that people have for that are as astounding as the answers that people have, well, how did we get here?

And that we talked about how many people just have so many varying philosophies of life of why we're here. Some people just believe we're here because we're just here. And we talked about that and how it's really just a matter of serendipity and it's just a matter of you do the best you can for as long as you can, as hard as you can, and then that's the end.

And then there's that fatalism that creeps in that people believe that you live, you suffer or you enjoy and then you die and it's all over. And then there's the group of people who believe that the reason why we're here is to be enriched, but it's not an enrichment from God, it's rather an enrichment from the things of this.

World.

And so many people enjoy the creation, many people enjoy the relationships in the creation, and yet for all of that, they still can't answer that question of why we're here. And we talked about why we're here, we're really here to glorify God, right?

We're really here to glorify Him, to know Him, to learn about Him, and again, to enjoy.

Creation.

And then this one also is so important that we're here not merely for self-existence, but we're here to serve God. And not only serve God, but serve one another in serving God in that so many people, even in that sense, see life as it's me against the world, right?

And as long as I'm okay, well, that's all that really matters, because it's every man for himself. And so we kind of talked about that for a while, but anyway. So I want to talk this morning about the third part of that question, or the third question, what's next?

If you can't understand why you're here, or how you got here, or why you're here, could you really ever answer what's next? I don't think so. I think that if you can't answer the first question, you're certainly not going to be able to answer what's next.

And again, the amount of philosophies and teachings and thoughts about what comes next is as amazing as the answer to how we got here. And does the Bible really tell us what's next? Does the Bible really answer that fact?

Somebody comes up to you and they ask, what's next? What would be your way of answering them as to what comes next?

So, I mean, what's next as far as what's after life? As a believer, well, we know that either you go into the presence of the Lord, or you don't.

Yeah, and I think that's the right way to answer that, as far as that big division, or dichotomy of it all, because it's either you know God and you return from whence you came, right? Almost as if what God said to Adam, from dust you came and dust you return, and yet there is that part of us, our souls, that will return to God, or be forever separated from God.

And again, that's a real struggle for a lot of people, as far as what awaits us on the other side. How many people have said that they don't believe that there is anything on the other.

Side?

And to me, it always troubled me, if you really believe there's nothing on the other side, then how do you explain all the things that we face and deal with in this life? Can you possibly have a correct answer, if there is, let's say there is no accounting, let's say there is no righteous judgment, let's say there is no reckoning of the things in this world.

I don't understand how people can understand life in light of that. Because there's so much diversity, there's so much, I'm going to use the word, and I'm going to try to use it in the right sense, inequality.

Why is it that some people live a life that is absolutely, it's just almost like a gentle.

River?

And then there's other people that live a life that seems like every single thing is.

A storm.

If you can't understand what comes next, then really what is the purpose of being here? Because, again, there's so many things that seem out of whack, for lack of a better term, so many things that seem good is called evil and evil is called good and people pursue this and people pursue that if there's not a true accounting of what's next.

So, and you know what I thought is interesting or what I think is interesting? You ask people those three questions and it is, it's a stumbling block to many because they can't answer those three questions.

And so certainly as we think about what comes next, well, let's just look at a couple of scriptures that tell us what comes next. So go to Hebrews 9 for a minute, I just want to clear these verses out because they're important for us to know.

In Hebrews chapter 9, we have a definitive, clear, vivid answer and it's in Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 27. So, it says, and as it is appointed for men to die once, and if you stop there, it would leave us still kind of open-ended as far as what comes next, but then it answers it.

After this, the judgment. After this, the judgment. After this, there is an accounting. After this, there is a reckoning. After this, there is a, if you will, there is to be someone, and that is through Christ, or if you want to use it in a larger term, God is going to bring what?

He says that every word that a man shall speak, he'll give account thereof in the day of judgment. That in and of itself is mind-boggling, at least to me it is. And if God knows every thought that I ever thought, if God has taken my tears, like he says in the Psalms, he says he's put our tears in a bottle, and if you think about that,.

Why?

That there would be an accounting, and so this thought of after death, the judgment, I don't think anybody will argue that what's next is death, right? I mean, the cemeteries are such a living witness to that fact that it's beyond dispute.

It's where, you know how many people have said they've died, come back, seen things and then decided it was better for them to come back? All the foolishness of thought, the Bible says really it's appointed for man once to die, and after that is the judgment.

Now, you could say what about the people in the Gospels, and even in the Old Testament who died and came back? I just want to leave that alone for now, because again, those who are, I think some of them can be answered in a number of different ways.

But, here's the reality, after death will be the judgment. Alright, let's look at another one in Revelation, and certainly Revelation speaks so much about it, but again, I am just trying to get us to be able to understand how there is something.

After this.

In Revelation 14, and I'll just pick it up in verse 6, and we could spend time on context,.

But,.

Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heavens and earth, the seas and the springs of water.

Again, there's that thought that judgment is coming, there is a reckoning to be had, there is an accounting to be done, and no one can escape it, and guess what, no one can alter it. So, when you think about that, of all the people who have ever lived, the only one who has ever rose again is Christ.

Some were translated, Enoch was translated, Elijah was translated, but nevertheless, they still went from this world to the next world. They still had to pass through the valley of the shadow of death.

That is, you bring up rightly, every single person goes through that valley of the shadow.

Of death.

The difference is, to the Christian, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, what? I will fear no evil, because we belong to him. Alright, look in Jude, just in the book before Revelation, in Jude, we read this, and this one I want to pick up as he talks about those that have rebelled against God.

Verse 11, Woe to them, for they have gone the way of Cain, having run greedily in the era of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are spots in your love feasts, and while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves, they are clouds without water, carried about by winds, late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming up their shame, wandering stars, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with 10 ,000 of his saints, and here it is in verse 15, to execute judgment on all, to convict all of their ungodly, all who are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against them.

That's a huge indictment. Yeah, isn't it? I mean, you just think, and again I'll go back to what I said, if every idle word that a man shall think he is given account of in a day of judgment, you think of all the ungodliness that has been, if you will, unleashed in this world, and yet, I've always said it this way, that most people, apart from Christ, believe either God doesn't see them, or God sees them and He can't do anything about it.

Right?

Which both are absolute false. God not only sees, but God will, and again, I think it's Ecclesiastes 8, I always get mixed up, but, because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, the hearts of the sons of men are fully set to do evil.

Right?

And so when you think about it, sin becomes easier as you have a hardened heart to it, and that people grow callous, people grow, what does Paul say to Timothy? He says their conscience becomes seared as with a hot iron.

So many men, you and I have talked to people, I've heard of people who say, I don't fear.

Death.

Well, just because you don't fear death, doesn't mean you ought not to fear death. You ought to, because it's a fearful thing, right? That's what it says in Hebrews. It's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

And again, this scripture in Jude is really just full of thought. He executes on all to convict all, and he stresses that, who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which godly sinners, I mean, which ungodly sinners are spoken against.

Not much lead way. Matter of fact, there is no lead way. How many people will try to suppress that and just think, have nice thoughts? And again, that whole portrayal that's out there of Peter sitting at the gate of heaven, and how you kind of have to step on the scale when you get there, and everything gets, your good gets weighed against your bad.

Well, I don't see anywhere in this scripture, nor any of the other scriptures, where there is this, if you will, check and balance, right? And yet, how many people believe that? How many people believe that they have done more good than bad, and therefore, when it's all said and done, they will be allowed to enter into the presence of God?

Or, as the Catholics think, right? Well, no, you just have to go to purgatory because you still got to pay for all those things, and, you know, after a couple million years, you get to come out.

Work your way out.

Yeah, you work your way out, or you could buy your way out, basically. And that was the great issue during the Reformation, right? Was they were selling, they were basically selling forgiveness. They were assuring people that what came next wouldn't have an effect on them as long as they put silver in the box, or gold in the box.

Crazy stuff.

All right.

Let's look at another one. And it's in 1 John, 1 John chapter 4. Again, these are important scriptures for us to be able to hang on to. Okay, and I'm going to pick it up in verse 12 because I just think it's better to do this one in a little bit of a context.

It says, in 1 John chapter 4, verse 12, it says, No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love has been perfected in us. And by this we know that we abide in him and he in us because he has given us of his spirit.

And as we have seen and testified, that the Father has sent his Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.

God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world.

Do you think that how many people will have the ability to answer the question of what's next with boldness? How many people have the ability to answer what's next with comfort? How many people can answer that question without having a sense of, again, fear and intrepidation of what comes next?

Only the Christian, as you said, that dichotomy is so vast. And not only is it so vast, it's for eternity. And so, again, what does our assurance tell us? I don't know what tomorrow brings, but I know who brings tomorrow, right?

I have no real understanding of what lies on the other side of the veil, but I know God is there. And that is my assurance, and it's a, as we sing, blessed assurance that we know that whatever is there will be there for our comfort because that's where God is and that's where Christ is and therefore wherever he is, it can be nothing but comfort and joy and understanding.

Okay, I want to go to 1 Timothy. We're going to just get through the rest of these and close this out as far as just answering that question, what's next. 1 Timothy chapter 5, and I just picked up a little smathering of things.

1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse 24. Look what it says. Some men's sins are clearly evident preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later. And I think that goes along with what I said because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set to do evil.

Some men understand and they're fearful of judgment. Other men think that neither God sees nor can do anything about it, and they have no real concern about what lies across the veil. And yet, we're given this word that sometimes that's the way God works, is that some men's judgment is clearly seen.

And again, what we sow we reap, right? We're going to give an account of ourselves whether people think or not think that's true. Alright, one more and then I just want to kind of try to draw this through a little bit of a conclusion.

And it's in Romans chapter 2. In Romans chapter 2. And again, I'm going to read this from verse 1 of Romans chapter 2. It'll help us see the setting for it. As Paul's talking, he's been talking to the Jews and telling them they were as guilty as the Gentiles.

And he says, Are you practicing such things and doing the same that you will escape the judgment of God? Would you despise the riches of His goodness and His forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish on every soul of man who does evil to the Jew first and also to the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to everyone who works what is good to the Jew first and also to the Greek, for there is no partiality with God.

You talk to a person about that and again, they will either be able to say amen or they will not be able to say anything, again because it's a fearful thing. Would you not say that even the Christian has some anxiety about crossing the veil?

I do, not from the sense that I don't know whom I believed in and I'm persuaded that he's able to keep what I've committed unto him against that day, but in a sense it's still an unknown. It's still something that is radically different than everything that I've experienced.

So I do think there is some anxiety and again I'll go back to Psalm 23, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I'm going to say there's some anxiety going through that veil, through that dimension.

There is a dimension, right? There is another dimension that just like there's another dimension of things in this world that we can't see, we can't comprehend. So I do think there's some anxiety, but for us who know not only who made us, why we're here, but where we're going, there's a comfort, there's an assurance.

I wanted to read one more passage because I wanted to show you how foolish men are in thinking about so many things. So with that, if you would go back to the book of Isaiah and I'm going to read this and this will certainly take us to the end of our time.

I wanted to read Isaiah 44 because I think it puts things straight in our mind. So let me read to you Isaiah 44. Yet hear now, O Jacob, my servant, and Israel, whom I have chosen. Thus says the Lord who made you, formed you from the womb, who will help you.

Fear not, O Jacob, my servant, and to you, Jeshuron, whom I have chosen, for I will pour water on him who is thirsty and floods on the dry ground. And I will put my spirit on your descendants and my blessing on your offspring, and they shall spring up among the grass like willows by the water courses.

One will say, I am the Lord's. Another will call himself by the name of Jacob. Another will write with his hand the Lord and name himself by the name of Israel. Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts.

I am the first and I am the last. Beside me there is no God, and who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people and the things that are coming and shall come.

Let them show these to them. Do not fear. Do not be afraid. Have I not told you from that time and declared it? You are my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? Indeed, there is no other rock. I know not one.

Now he says this. Those who make a graven image, all of them are useless. Their precious things shall not profit. They are their own witnesses. They neither see nor know that they may be ashamed. Who would form a God or cast a graven image that profits him nothing?

Surely all his companions would be ashamed. And the workmen, they are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. Yet they shall fear, they shall be ashamed. The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, and he fashions it with hammers, and he works it with the strength of his arm.

And even so he is hungry, and his strength fails, and he drinks no water, and he is faint. And the craftsman stretches out the rule, and he makes one out with chalk, and he fashions it with a plane, and he marks it out with a compass, and he makes it like the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man, that it might remain in his house.

And he cuts down cedars for himself, takes the cypress and the oak, and he secures it for himself among the trees of the forest, and he plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it. That it shall be for man to burn, for he takes some of it and warms himself.

Yes, he kindles and makes bread. Indeed, he makes a god and worships it. He makes a carved image and falls down to it, he burns half of it in the fire, with this half he eats meat, he roasts a roast and is satisfied, he even warms himself and says, I am warm, I have seen the fire, and the rest of it he makes into a god.

His carved image, he falls down before it and worships it, he prays to it and says, deliver me, for you are my god. They do not understand, but he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts so that they cannot understand.

And no one considers in his heart, nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned half of it in the fire, yes, I have baked bread on the coals, I have roasted meat and eaten it, and shall I make the rest of it an abomination?

Shall I fall down before a block of wood? He feeds on ashes, his deceived heart has turned him aside, and he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, is there not a lie in my right hand? Remember this, O Jacob, in Israel, for you are my servant, I formed you, you are my servant, O Israel, and will not be forgotten to me.

I have blotted out like a thick cloud your transgressions, and like a cloud your sins return unto me, for I have redeemed you. Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it. Shout, you lower parts of the earth, break forth into singing, you mountains, O forests, and every tree in it, for the Lord has redeemed Jacob and has glorified himself in Israel.

Thus says the Lord, you redeemer, and he who formed you from the womb, I am the Lord who makes all things, who stretches out the heavens all alone, who spreads abroad the earth by myself, who frustrates the signs of the babblers, and turns the wise backwards, and makes their knowledge foolishness, who confirms the word to his servants, he performs the counsel of his messengers, who says to Jerusalem, you shall be inhabited, to the cities of Judah, you shall be built, and I will raise up her waste places, who says to the deep, be dry, and I will dry up the rivers, who says to Cyrus, he is my shepherd, who has performed all my pleasure, even saying to Jerusalem, you shall be built, and to the temple your foundation shall be laid.

My whole point in reading that was how foolish man is, even to the point where he cannot even begin to realize that he cut a tree down, used it to warm, used it to cook, and then turned it into a god.

If we can answer those three questions, whether we're theologians, whether we're Baptists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, I don't care where you fall in, if you can honestly and truthfully, biblically answer those three questions, then you can be assured that you have eternal life.

Where I am, Jesus said, there you shall be also. Alright, that pretty much concludes the conversation I wanted to have.