Ephesians 4: What Does the Lord Think Is Conduct Becoming of a Christian?

Class Outline:

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Grace is only amazing when we pass it on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in the resident congregation turn off your electronic devices and put them away. Let this be a place where you aren’t distracted by the world.

 

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

What Does the Lord Think Is Conduct Becoming of a Christian?

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

The military expression “conduct unbecoming” refers to behavior that violates expected standards, ethics, or professionalism.  It is used to describe actions considered inappropriate or dishonorablethat discredit an individual or their organization. The term addresses a wide range of misconduct.

 

As we return to our study of Ephesians, Chapter 4after the brief detour to First Timothy and to the Coeur d’Alene Conference lesson, we conclude our study of Ephesians, Chapter 4with some of the Lord’s do’s and don’ts for Christian conduct.And as we do regularly, honoring the Lord’s command, we’ll celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  Get your bread and your wine ready…settle in…and join us.

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father…thank you for creating a code of conduct for Your believers…and thank you for the Word of God which teaches us what You want for us.  As we study Your lesson today, let Your wishes for us sink deeply into our consciousness so that the conduct You prefer for us, conduct becoming of a Christian, becomes second nature…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

What Does the Lord Think Is Conduct Becoming of a Christian?

 

You'll remember in Ephesians, Chapters 1 to 3 you learned the Lord Jesus Christ did something for you at the moment of salvation.  He gifted you with a position in union with Him forever, called IN CHRIST.  He placed you into this union through the Baptism of God the Holy Spirit.  It’s a union you can never get out of, and it never can be taken away from you.

 

Your salvation is a one-time thing.  As an unbeliever, you become a believer in Christ instantly when you placed your faith in Christ alone to be saved.  The Lord (who is God the Son…100% God) … Jesus (who is 100% human) … the Christ (who is the Messiah) is responsible for your salvation.

 

After your salvation it was time for your sanctification.  You are commanded to grow…from being an immature believer to becoming a mature believer.  Sanctification is a process, and God the Holy Spirit is responsible for it.  He matures you as you study the Word of God.  Fortunately, you are NOT responsible for your own sanctification. 😊

 

Today, we study the conclusion of Ephesians, Chapter 4.  Since it’s been a while, let’s remember what we have learned so far in our study of this amazing chapter.

 

After you learn of your position IN CHRIST, Paul makes a recommendation in Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verse 1…

 

EPHESIANS 4:1

As a prisoner for the Lord, I (Paul) implore you believers in Christ to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…

 

In the Bible, to “walk” means to create a lifestyle.  The Lord wants you to build a

lifestyle that shows you are on His team.  At the moment of your salvation, you

transition from being a citizen of the world to being a citizen of heaven.

 

We learned that our Almighty God works in ONES…Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 4 to 6…

 

EPHESIANS 4:4

There is ONE body…and ONE God the Holy Spirit…just as you believers in Christ were called in ONE hope of your calling…

 

EPHESIANS 4:5

…there is ONE Lord (God the Son who took on human form as Jesus…the Christ…the Messiah) …there is ONE faith…there is ONE baptism…

 

EPHESIANS 4:6

…and there is ONE God and Father of all…who is over all…and who is living through all…and who is indwelling all (believers).

 

By working in ONES, the Lord Jesus Christ eliminates confusion because the Lord is not a God of confusion.

 

In Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verse 7, you learned that each believer in Christ has a gift from God provided so you edify other believers with it…

 

EPHESIANS 4:7

But to EACH ONE OF US believers in Christ, a supernatural grace gift was given to us by God…a spiritual gift…according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

 

As hard as it may be to believe, you have charisma!

 

We learned that God provides spiritual leadership gifts to men who help you grow up if are willing to put yourself in front of these men…Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 11 and 12…

 

EPHESIANS 4:11

And the Lord Jesus Christ…through the enabling power of God the Holy Spirit…

gave some men as apostles…and some as prophets…and some as evangelists…and someas Pastors and teachers…

 

 

EPHESIANS 4:12

…for the purpose of equipping the saints…to edify believers in Christ for the work of service…for building up believers in Christ as is fitting for those who are members of the Body of Christ (The Church) …

 

As you receive spiritual nourishment through the men using their leadership spiritual gifts, and as you share your own spiritual gift with other believers, you live out the unity that God the Holy Spirit placed you into at the moment of salvation.  Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verse 13…

 

EPHESIANS 4:13

…and one day all of uswill experience the standard of unity that is part of the faith…and all believers in Christ really will know the Son of Godas is fitting of someone who is mature in the faith…someone who demonstrates the stature which belongs to those with the fullness of Christ.

 

What is the lifestyle the Lord Jesus Christ wants for you as a believer?  He wants you to put off the Old Man…the unbeliever way of being and thinking…and to put on the New Man…the believer in Christ, new creation way of being and thinking.

Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 17 to 19…

 

EPHESIANS 4:17

So this I (Paul) say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you believers in Christ walk no longer just as the Gentiles walk (as unbelievers walk)…in the futility of their mind…

 

EPHESIANS 4:18

…being darkened in their understanding and excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them and because of the hardness of their hearts…

 

EPHESIANS 4:19

…having become callous, they have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

 

One Pastor puts it this way…the Lord wants you to move from wearing grave clothes to wearing grace clothes!

 

Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 22 to 24…

 

EPHESIANS 4:22

…in reference to your former manner of life…lay aside the old self which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit…

 

EPHESIANS 4:23

…and keep on being renewed in the spirit of your mind…

 

EPHESIANS 4:24

…then put on the new self…which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and in the holiness of the truth.

 

In Romans, Chapter 6, Verse 4 the Lord says He wants you to…

 

ROMANS 6:4c

…walk in the newness of spiritual life (in the resurrection life).

 

As a believer in Christ, you are not to imitate the lifestyle of unbelievers who are in the dark.  They can’t think straight about spiritual matters.  As a believer in Christ, you are NOT in the dark according to Colossians, Chapter 1, Verse 13…

 

COLOSSIANS 1:13

For God the Father rescued us believers in Christ from the domain of darkness, and transferred us into the kingdom of Light…the kingdom of His beloved Son…the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

As a believer in Christ, you are what you think, and the Lord wants you to think with the mind of Christ from the Word of God, the Bible.

 

Now let’s hear the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD TRANSLATION of the passage we study today…Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 25 to 32…

 

EPHESIANS 4:25

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH…EACH ONE of you…WITH HIS NEIGHBOR…for we are members of one another.

 

EPHESIANS 4:26

BE ANGRY…YET DO NOT SIN…and do not let the sun go down on your anger…

 

 

EPHESIANS 4:27

…and do not give the devil an opportunity.

 

EPHESIANS 4:28

He who steals must steal no longer…rather, he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good…so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

 

EPHESIANS 4:29

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

 

EPHESIANS 4:30

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

 

EPHESIANS 4:31

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

 

EPHESIANS 4:32

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

 

Let’s study the passage verse-by-verse.The passage has a simple structure.  In it, the Lord communicates three things in each of five commands:

 

THE STRUCTURE OF THE PASSAGE

 

Don’t Do This

Do This Instead

Here’s Why

 

Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verse 25…

 

EPHESIANS 4:25

Therefore, laying aside falsehood, SPEAK TRUTH…EACH ONE OF YOU…WITH HIS NEIGHBOR…for we are members of one another.

 

The absolute truth of the Word of God guides the Christian’s life.  Satan is a liar according to John, Chapter 8, Verse 44 where the Lord says to unbelieving Jews…

 

JOHN 8:44

You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father (Satan). He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his very nature, for he is a liar and he is the one who keeps on fathering lies.

 

So the Lord is telling us…

 

Don’t lie

Do tell the truth

Because telling the truth is what we do in relationships we value

 

Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 26 and 27…

 

EPHESIANS 4:26

BE ANGRY, YET DO NOT SIN…and do not let the sun go down on your anger…

 

EPHESIANS 4:27

…so you do not give the devil an opportunity.

 

In itself, anger is not a sin.  There is a righteous anger and the Lord displayed it many times.  When we direct our anger at people it can be a sin.  When our anger is a sin, the Lord wants us to settle it quickly rather than letting it fester.

 

Anger is the first step in a murder.  Anger is temporary insanity.  Anger defiles and destroys.  If anger is a spark, it gives the devil a chance to fan the spark to turn the spark into a flame.  The antidote to anger is forgiveness.

So the Lord is telling us…

 

Don’t be angry

If you do get angry, get over your anger quickly

Anger gives the devil an opportunity to ruin you

 

Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verse 28…

 

EPHESIANS 4:28

He who steals must steal no longer…rather he must labor…performing with his own hands what is good so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

 

Stealing is taking something that is not rightfully yours.  It is a property violation.

As we know, Satan is a thief according to John, Chapter 10, Verse 10.  He is the one who comes to steal and kill and destroy.  You are God’s property and Satan wants to steal you away.  Since he can’t, he settles for stealing our mental serenity.

 

By the way, there were thieves on the Cross being crucified next to Jesus.  One of them is in heaven today.

 

So the Lord is telling us…

 

Don’t steal

Do work

So you’ll have something to give to those who have nothing

 

Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verse 29…

 

EPHESIANS 4:29

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

 

According to the Lord in Romans, Chapter 3, Verse 13…

 

ROMANS 3:13ab

“THE THROAT OF UNBELIEVERS IS AN OPEN GRAVE…WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP ON DECEIVING…”

So the Lord is telling us…

 

Don’t injure others with your words

Do edify others with your words

So you are graceful to others like He is

 

A brief detour of thought in the command of Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verse 30…

 

EPHESIANS 4:30

Do not grieve God the Holy Spirit by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

 

God the Holy Spirit’s signature…His sealing ministry…is our guarantee that we cannot lose our salvation.

 

So the Lord is telling us…

 

Don’t make God the Holy Spirit sad

Do remember that He guarantees that your salvation cannot be lost

So you remember you have eternal security in Him

 

In Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 31 and 32, the Lord tells us to avoid attitudinal sins…

 

EPHESIANS 4:31

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

 

EPHESIANS 4:32

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

 

Allow God the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of the Spirit in you.

 

So the Lord is telling us…

 

Don’t be mean

Do be kind

Remember to forgive as you have been forgiven

To conclude, here is the NEW LIVING TRANSLATION of the passage…Ephesians, Chapter 4, Verses 25 to 32…

 

EPHESIANS 4:25

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body (The Body of Christ).

 

EPHESIANS 4:26

And don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry…

 

EPHESIANS 4:27

…for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

 

EPHESIANS 4:28

If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

 

EPHESIANS 4:29

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

 

EPHESIANS 4:30

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

 

EPHESIANS 4:31

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior.

 

EPHESIANS 4:32

Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God the Father…through the Christ…has forgiven you.

 

When you master these things in the power of God the Holy Spirit, you will have a lifestyle worthy of the calling to which you have been called, demonstrating conduct becoming of a Christian.

 

When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering, and then we’ll celebrate the Lord's Supper.

 

FIVE-MINUTE BREAK

NOBODY

Casting Crowns

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

What Does the Lord Think Is Conduct Becoming of a Christian?

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who became famous for her diary of thoughts as she hid from Hitler’s men during the Holocaust.  In a famous quote from her diary, Anne said, “No one has become poor by giving.”  Heed her advice!

 

Let's welcome Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always awesome messages that encourage us to give.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is IN CHRIST…and all believers in Christ are…there is a new creation…the old things passed away…behold…new things have come.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

THE LORD’S SUPPER CELEBRATION (A)

At the Cross, the Lord Jesus ChristTaught Us with His Words

 

Welcome to The Lord’s Supper Celebration, the most intimate expression of our deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

In this celebration, the Lord reminds us of the unity all believers in Christ possess by sharing His body and His blood with us.  In First Corinthians, Chapter 11, Verse 26, the apostle Paul says, on behalf of the Lord…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:26a

…as often as you eat this bread (representing His body)…and as often as

you drink this cup (representing His blood)…as part of the Lord’s Supper Celebration…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:26b

…you proclaim as a reality and you announce the significance of the Lord Jesus Christ's death on the Cross…and His resurrection from the dead…until He comes again at the second coming.

 

Every month, we celebrate The Lord’s Supper to REMEMBER…that we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, dependent on Him for our so great salvation;that we are in union with Christ and nothing can separate us from our union with Him; that the Lord loves us unconditionally; that we are forgiven for every sin past, present, and future; and that we have the Lord’s grace to help in times of need, especially when we make mistakes.

 

The Lord’s Supper Celebration is often called communion.  It’s our chance to commune with the Lord.

 

The Lord’s Supper Celebration is sacred, so it’s not something we take for granted.  It’s not something we do “on the fly.”  So have bread and wine in front of you, and as we enjoy the elements, let’s remember our dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ, both for our physical and our spiritual sustenance.

 

As we celebrate The Lord’s Supper, we ask ourselves in reflection, “What did the Lord Jesus Christ do for us at the Cross?”This month we acknowledge that at the Cross, the Lord Jesus Christ instructed us with His words.

 

Perfection.

 

That’s what we experience every time we think of Christ and His Cross.  He is the perfect Teacherwith perfect Teaching…He is the perfect Witness, and the perfect example.  His words, spoken from the Cross, instruct us on conduct becoming of a Christian.

 

Luke, Chapter 23, Verse 34…

 

LUKE 23:34

“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

 

Jesus’ forgiveness towards those who crucified Him teaches us to be forgiving.

 

Luke, Chapter 23, Verse 43…

 

LUKE 23:43

“Truly, I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you (a thief on his own cross), today you will be with me in Paradise.”

 

This assurance of salvation Jesus gave to a thief crucified alongside Him teaches us to have compassion for others.

 

In John, Chapter 19, Verse 26, Jesus says to His mother Mary…

 

JOHN 19:26

“Woman, behold your son.”

 

He is speaking of the apostle John.  Then in John, Chapter 19, Verse 27 the Lord says to John…

 

JOHN 19:27

“John…behold your mother.”

 

Jesus entrusts his mother to the care of his discipleJohn, showing His concern for her well-being.  He teaches us always to be concerned for others, even in the midst of our own suffering.

 

Matthew, Chapter 27, Verse 46…

 

MATTHEW 27:46

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

 

This expresses a moment of intense suffering and spiritual anguish, as the Lord quotes Psalm 22.  He is expressing agony.  It is agonizing to endure the wrath of God the Father.

 

Absolutely we know that Jesus knows that His Father did not forsake Him.Jesus had to endure the Cross alone.  It must have been tremendously painful to be separated for three hours from the Father whom Jesus loved so much.  I’m convinced that Jesus is saying what unbelievers will say when they find out they were wrong not to accept a relationship with Christ.  They will blame.  They will not take responsibility for their own poor choice.

 

In John, Chapter 19, Verse 28 the Lord said…

 

JOHN 19:28

“I’m thirsty.”

 

This highlights both physical suffering and the fulfillment of Scripture.  More than that, it is Jesus being human.  He is teaching us that it is okay to be human.

 

John, Chapter 19, Verse 30…

 

JOHN 19:30

“It is finished.”

 

Delightful words!  The Lord declares that the work of redemption is complete.  As a result, salvation is open to “whosoever.”

 

Finally, Luke, Chapter 23, Verse 46…

 

LUKE 23:46

“Father…into your hands I commend my spirit.”

 

This expresses the Lord’s complete trust in God the Father as He ends His life on earth.  The wrath of God the Father is satisfied.

 

THE LORD’S SUPPER CELEBRATION

Enjoying the Elements

 

Bread and wine.

The Lord gave us these things to remember Him.  We will enjoy the elements together in a few moments.

 

Matthew, Chapter 26, Verses 26 to 28 tells us the reason the Lord wants us to celebrate this meal together…

 

MATTHEW 26:26

While the apostles were eating, Jesus took some bread…and after a blessing…He

broke the bread, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take…eat…this is My body which is being broken for you.”

 

MATTHEW 26:27

And when Jesus had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it…all of you…”

 

MATTHEW 26:28

“…for this is My blood…the blood of a new covenant…My blood…poured out for WHOSOEVER…for the forgiveness of sins.”

 

We celebrate to REMEMBER…that Jesus Christ’s BLOOD paid for our sins…that Jesus Christ died as our sin substitute…that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead to prove His Deity…that Jesus Christ saved us from the wrath of God the Father… and that Jesus Christ will come again to gather us unto Himself.

 

As believers in Christ, we are grateful that His work on the Cross gives us hope...the assurance of an amazing future.

 

Please enjoy the elements.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

The closing moments of this lesson could be the ten most important minutes of your life.  You’ll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  We want you to know that…

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

He Wants You to Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

…and what He wants for you is that you make the most important decision of your life.

 

God wants a RELATIONSHIP with you!  The Lord’s half-brother says in James, Chapter 4, Verse 8…

 

JAMES 4:8

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

 

The enemy of God, Satan wants you to be part of a RELIGION.  Religion is Satan’s strategy against the human race and it is designed to make you indifferent or antagonistic to God…and it works!  The Bible describes religion in Second Timothy, Chapter 3, Verse 5 as…

 

SECOND TIMOTHY 3:5

…a superficial form of godliness (a counterfeit to Christianity)… that denies godliness’ divine power…

 

You have a choice…RELATIONSHIP or religion…what’s your choice?

 

Religion can’t get you to heaven!  Religions propose that if you don’t do everything their “god” expects, their god will be disappointed.  Regardless of your best efforts to follow religious rituals, which CAN’T and DON’T get you a relationship with God, even IF you do them, the religion does not GUARANTEE you will get to heaven.

 

Ouch!

 

Every time a Pope of the Roman Catholic church dies, as happened recently, the whole world turns in fascination to a false church that sells a counterfeit to Christianity.  Romans Catholicism is one of the many religions, and it is bought “hook, line, and sinker” by a million and a half people, nearly 20% of the world’s population.

 

Roman Catholicism is a COMPLETE DECEPTION.  In Matthew, Chapter 23, Verse 27 and 28, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself excoriates religion…

 

 

MATTHEW 23:27

“Woe to you religiousscribes and Pharisees…you hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs…which on the outside appear beautiful…but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.”

 

MATTHEW 23:28

“Outwardly youappear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness (you are unrighteous unbelievers).”

 

Ouch!

 

Without following the guidance of the Bible, it is almost impossible to know how to have a relationship with the Lord.  The Bible is a gift from God that introduces you to the possibility of a relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Hebrews, Chapter 4, Verse 12 describes the power of Scripture…

 

HEBREWS 4:12

For the word of God is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword…and it’s piercing…even as far as the division of soul and spirit…of both joints and marrow…and it is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

God’s plan is to teach you the truth about how to have a relationship with Him in the Bible.  Satan’s plan is to teach you lies that obscure the truth of the Bible.

 

One day, each one of us will die.  What happens to each of us when we close our eyes in this life?  If you have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, counting on Him to save you, good things happen.  If are counting on religion to save you, bad things happen.  Let’s examine Luke, Chapter 16, Verses 19 to 31 to see the difference between relationship and religion.

 

LUKE 16:19

“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple (the color of royalty) and in fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.”

 

LUKE 16:20

“And a poor man named Lazarus laid at his gate every day, covered with sores…”

 

 

LUKE 16:21

“…longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table…and besides, even the dogs were coming and licking the poor man’s sores.”

 

LUKE 16:22

“Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom (a compartment of Hades called Paradise)…and the rich man also died and was buried.”

 

LUKE 16:23

“In Hades the rich man lifted up his eyes, being in Torments (a compartment of Hades reserved for dead unbelievers)…and the rich man saw Abraham far away…and he saw Lazarus, the poor man, in Abraham’s bosom (a place of comfort).”

 

LUKE 16:24

“And the rich man cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’”

 

LUKE 16:25

“But Abraham said to the rich man, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things (you had wealth) … and likewise Lazarus had bad things (he was poor)…but now Lazarus is being comforted here in Paradise, and you are in agony (in Torments).”

 

LUKE 16:26

“And besides all this, between us and you there is a GREAT CHASM FIXED, so that those who wish to come from over here to you will not be able…and none may cross over from there to us.’’

 

LUKE 16:27

“And the rich man said, ‘Then I beg you, father Abraham, that you send Lazarus to my father’s house—"

 

LUKE 16:28

“…for I have five brothers—in order that Lazarus may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of Torment.’”

 

 

LUKE 16:29

“But Abraham said, ‘Your brothers have Moses and the Prophets…let your brothers listen to them.’”

 

LUKE 16:30

“But the rich man said, ‘No, father Abraham…if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent (they’ll change their minds about having a relationship with Christ)!’”

 

LUKE 16:31

“But Abraham said to the rich man, ‘If your brothers do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’”

 

When we die it is heaven or the Lake of Fire for all eternity.  We get to make the choice where we spend eternity.  The determining factor is RELATIONSHIP or religion.

 

God wants a RELATIONSHIP with you because He doesn’t want ANYONE to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire.  Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9 says…

 

SECOND PETER 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise of salvationas some accuse Him of…instead, He is patient toward unbelievers…not wishing for any of you to perish (in the Lake of Fire) … but for all of you to come to repentance (a change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

Believe the Bible.  Don’t believe the doctrines of your religion.  In fact, compare them!  For example:

 

The Bible says you are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone.  Galatians Chapter 2, Verse 16…

 

 

GALATIANS 2:16

…nevertheless, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Mosaic Law but through faith in Christ Jesus…since by the works of the Law no flesh (no creature) will be justified.

 

Roman Catholicism says justification is conferred by the sacrament of water baptism (CCC, 1992).

 

“If anyone says that the sinner is justified by faith alone…let him be anathema (accursed).” (Council of Trent, Canon 9).

 

Justification is an instantaneous change to your legal status before God whereby as a condemned sinner you are acquitted and declared righteous…Romans, Chapter 4, Verse 3…

 

ROMANS 4:3

For what does the Old Testament Scripture say (in Genesis, Chapter 15, Verse 6)? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED IN GOD THE SON...JEHOVAH ELOHIM...THE LORD…AND ABRAHAM’S FAITH WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

 

Roman Catholicism says justification is a process that renews the inner man, and not his legal status before God.  (CCC, 2019).

 

Justification is permanent and is never lost by sin. The legal status of a justified man is as unchangeable as the righteousness of Christ.  Hebrews, Chapter 10, Verse 14…

 

HEBREWS 10:14

For by ONE OFFERING the Lord Jesus Christ has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

 

Roman Catholicism says justification is temporary…it can be lost by sin and regained…through the sacrament of penance (confessing your sins to a priest)… and through good works (CCC 1446 and 1861).

 

The Bible and the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church are saying opposite things.  Romans Catholics call themselves Christians, yet their religion is not selling a relationship with the Lord.

 

If religion can’t save you, can a relationship with the Lord save you?  The Bible says yes in Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God…you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said to the doubting apostleThomas, “I am the way (to salvation) … and I am the truth (through the gospel message in the Word of God) … and I am the resurrection life (eternal life) …and no one comes to God the Father in heaven but through believing in Me.”

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (the apostle Paul) delivered to all of you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

So, accept the invitation and heed the warning in John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

For those who embrace a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, an eternity in heaven is their eternal future…Second Corinthians, Chapter 5, Verse 8…

 

SECOND CORINTHIANS 5:8

…we believers in Christ are of good courage, I say, and prefer to be absent from the body and to be at home face-to-face with the Lord.

 

For those who embrace religion, Torments to the Lake of Fire is their destiny at the end of this life.  Matthew, Chapter 13, Verses 40 to 42…

 

MATTHEW 13:40

…just as tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.

 

MATTHEW 13:41

The Son of Man (the Lord Jesus Christ) will send forth His elect angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks (unbelievers)…and those who practice lawlessness (unbelievers)…

 

MATTHEW 13:42

…and the elect angels will throw unbelievers into the furnace of fire (The Lake of Fire)…and in that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (for all eternity).

 

RELATIONSHIP or religion?

 

It’s your choice.

 

Make the right choice RIGHT NOW…RIGHT WHERE YOU SIT…RIGHT THIS MOMENT!

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

Thank you for outlining the conduct You want for us…give us the power to execute what You suggest and the courage to keep on doing it in the face of unbearable resistance in Satan’s kingdom…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

 

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Please make it a habit to listen to the announcements.  They are posted separately.  Keep current on the things going on and coming up in Barah Ministries.

 

DISCUSSING THE LESSON AND PRAYER CIRCLE

 

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KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

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