Repentance, Regeneration & Hell
gtcotr/ss041303
Key Scripture: Romans 2:11
For there is no respect of persons with God.
This is the central theme of the book of Romans >
Romans 5:14-21
All are included in sin so that all can be included in salvation.
Do you remember:
Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle, separated unto the Gospel of God.
Gospel -
Greek: euaggelion (yoo-ang-ghel’-ee-on)
glad tidings
a proclamation of good things
good news
Our life should stand for something, not just against something.
Our church, our doctrine, our manner of life and conversation
A positive approach instead of just a negative commentary
The Good News - not - The Bad News
However, at times being for one thing demands that we also stand firmly against some other things.
3 John 1:9-10 Diotrephes
9 ¶ I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
Timothy 1:20 Hymenaeus & Alexander
Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme.
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the Coppersmith
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
2 Timothy 2:15-18 Hymenaeus & Philetus
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
18 Who concerning the truth (they) have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
There is fair precedent in scripture to support speaking out against error.
This is the case this morning.
I will endeavor to be more for right than against wrong.
This past week Pastor Lynne Parker, our women’s pastor, gave me a copy of an article from Charisma Magazine, April 2003, that our good friend and long time missions partner, David Shibley, wrote. David’s article was entitled ‘24 Reasons’. This article was a simple defense of biblical truth. Contained in the article was a quote David made taken from the words of William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army. We will get back to that in a moment.
Something else caught my eye as I was reading over David’s article. There on page 70 was a brief question and answer interview with Carlton Pearson, Senior Pastor of Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. My concerns:
The Doctrine of Universalism
‘Inclusionist’ Theology
Question:
Do you teach that Hindus, Buddhist and Muslims will go to heaven? What do you believe about other religions?
Response:
Second Corinthians 5:16 implies that the gospel is not biased and doesn’t judge people and/or god’s love for them based on religious or cultural outward appearances. Acts 17:26-29 indicated that we are all children of God and that He is not far from any of us.
Question:
What do you teach about hell?
Response:
I believe some will go to hell … but since the gates of hell will not prevail … the only people who will spend eternity there are those whom Jesus failed to redeem - those whom His blood was too weak to reach or wash
Shortly before his death in 1912, William Booth prophetically warned that he saw coming to the church:
“Forgiveness without Repentance”
“Salvation without Regeneration”
“Heaven without Hell”
My friend, these days are upon us!
We live in the days of the ‘Seeker Sensitive’ Church explosion.
Church Growth gurus give motivational seminars to professional preachers aimed at educating church leaders in the latest schemes and ploys which they can use to motivate, manipulate and move the unsuspecting souls to join their membership without ever running the risk of offending them with the old standard bible guidelines deemed too harsh for most modern day mega church members.
Gyms, games, clubs, trips, self awareness, self help programs and sermons which never pressure people or point out wrongs have become the tools of trade for those who hunger for success in 21st century Christianity.
* Allow me to borrow a quote from another pastor:
James 3:10b My brethern, these things ought not so to be.
Lets Take A Look At The Truth
I. Forgiveness Is God’s Promised & Predictable Response To Your Repentance (It is not a response to what Jesus did but rather what you do about what Jesus did!)
A. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
B. Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
C. Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
D. 5 out of the 7 churches in Revelation told to repent as a prelude to forgiveness or face judgment
E. Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
II. True Salvation Produces True Regeneration
A. 1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son of God hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
B. Mark 16
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
* Baptized - Greek: baptizo (allow me to read a commentary)
Not to be confused with bapto. The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then ‘baptised’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptising the vegetable, produces a permanent change. When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism. e.g. #Mr 16:16. ‘He that believes and is baptised shall be saved’. Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle! (Bible Study Magazine, James Montgomery Boice, May 1989).
C. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. That’s Regeneration! - A Changed Life
III. There Is A Heaven & There Is A Hell!
A. It’s lunacy to believe that God would send His Only Son to save mankind from something that did not exist.
B. Hell was originally prepared for the devil and his angels
* Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
C. Who will go to hell? (semantics)
* Revelation 20
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 ¶ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21
1 ¶ And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
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.
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Point # 200. Those who do not believe in hell may not be as harmful as those who do believe and hold no compelling urge to warn others.
