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Satan, the Super Creature |
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Satan, the Super Creature |
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Judas Iscariot
Sin That Leads to Death
Dying Grace
Losing Life
Dying Before Time
Judas, who was the treasurer of the group, was known to be a thief, who pilfered the money he was supposed to be keeping (Jn 12:4-5, 6). He lacked the strength to keep from stealing. He did not listen to Christ's teaching, and he did not obey the commandments. Consequently, he built up scar tissue of the soul from rejecting the Word as taught by Jesus Christ. His hardened heart and love of money made him especially vulnerable to Satanic influence.
Satan put the thoughts into Judas' heart to betray Jesus (Jn 13:2). Then Satan entered into Judas (Lk 22:3; Jn 13:27). Judas made a deal with the Jewish chief priests and elders to betray Jesus to them for 30 pieces of silver. Judas led the Temple Guard to Jesus and pointed Him out by kissing Him so He could be arrested (Lk 22:47, 48). After putting Jesus on trial, the chief priests and elders conspired to have Him put to death by the Romans (Matt 27:1, 2).
When Judas saw that Jesus was about to be condemned to death, he was overcome with remorse.
Matthew 27:3-4When Judas saw that they were going to put Jesus to death, he freaked out. He was overcome by remorse. Judas was a thief, but he was not a murderer. He didn't mind seeing Jesus punished, but he had no intention of being a part of murder.
3 Then when Judas, who betrayed Him, began to see that He (Jesus) had been condemned, he was filled with remorse and he returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? See to that yourself!"
Judas was in over his head. He was beside himself. He was full of guilt and remorse and regret. He was still under Satan's power. And the scar tissue of the soul opened the flood gates for Emotional Revolt of his Soul. He was overwhelmed and unable to face the crisis. He searched for a defense mechanism to get control of himself, but there was none.
Being under Satan's power and having rejected God, Judas never even thought about Rebound. He couldn't undo what he had done, but he made a futile attempt to relieve his criminal guilt by returning the money to the chief priests and elders.
Matthew 27:5Judas threw the 30 pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary. He was distraught. He was still under the power of Satan in the Cosmic System. Satan had no more use for him except to take him to Hell to claim him as a vote in his Appeal Trial. And God was punishing him. Judas was full of sin and guilt. He did not know how to Rebound.
And he (Judas) threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed; then he went away and he hanged himself.
Judas' life on the Earth had effectively ended. He had burned all of his bridges around him. Satan was about to destroy him. He had walked out on his friends. And God was punishing him. He was facing the Sin Leading to Death at the hands of Satan. In spiritual death he had run out of hope. The Sin Leading to Death is a hopeless situation. It is a time when no options are left in this life.
In his desperation, Judas went out and hanged himself. His problems were so bad that he couldn't face them. His suffering was unbearable. So, he took the cowardly way out and committed suicide.
After Pentecost Peter related more details about Judas' death. He pointed out that Judas "was numbered among us, and he received a share of this ministry" (Acts 1:17). Judas was one of the twelve disciples and had a share in the ministry of followers of Jesus Christ during the Gospel period. In other words, Judas was a believer and a disciple of Christ.
Acts 1:18Judas had purchased a field with money that he had obtained by wrongdoing. When he hanged himself, the rope broke and he fell headlong. He burst open in his middle (waist) and his guts gushed out. He had a very gory end. Because of the blood and guts in the field, it became known in Aramaic as am*D+ lq@j^, Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.
(Now this one acquired a piece of land from the purchase price obtained from wrongdoing, and having fallen headlong, he burst open in the middle (waist), and all of his entrails poured out.
Then the chief priests took the pieces of silver that Judas had thrown in the sanctuary and bought the potter's field, for burying strangers. That was the field where the potter got his clay, and that was the field that Judas had bought. They couldn't put the money in the treasury because it was blood money. Therefore, they called the field the Field of Blood (Matt 27:6, 7, 8). The field is located by tradition south of the Valley of Hinnom, which is south of Jerusalem. It is where the garbage pits are located and where children were sacrificed (Jer 7:31-32). It is called in the Greek Gehenna, which symbolizes Hell.
So, the Sin Leading to Death is like going to Hell. It is a hopeless situation with unbearable suffering. It is the end of life. It is death and destruction.
Galatians 5:19-21Those who habitually practice these sins will "not inherit the Kingdom of God." In the context of verses 19-21, this refers to unbelievers, who are habitually sinning. However, believers can commit the same sins. Sin does not cause loss of Salvation (Jn 10:28-29). "The Kingdom of God" refers to the Millennial Kingdom (Matt 25:34). Inheriting the "Kingdom of God" means going into the Millennial Kingdom, while inheriting Eternal Life refers to going to Heaven (Matt 19:29; Mk 10:17; Lk 10:25; 18:18).
19 Now the works of the flesh (sin nature) are evident; they are: fornication, abnormal sexual sins, licentious debauchery, 20 idolatry, sorcery, antagonism, discord, jealousy, outbursts of anger, self-centeredness (selfishness), dissensions, heresies, 21 envious feelings, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you now as I ordered you before, that those who are habitually practicing such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Christians who execute the Spiritual life will receive their inheritance at the Evaluation Throne of Christ. Old Testament saints will receive their inheritance at the Second Advent. All believers in Resurrection Bodies will have their inheritance in the Millennial Kingdom of God. Unbelievers will not inherit the Kingdom of God because they have no Eternal Life or Righteousness (1 Cor 6:9-11; 1 Cor 15:50; Gal 5:21; Eph 5:5).
The Kingdom of God and Eternal Life are not the same. Seeking the Kingdom of God (Matt 6:33) refers to the inheritance which Old Testament saints receive at the Second Advent. The stern warning is that unbelievers will not inherit the Kingdom of God because their sins are not forgiven. They will not be allowed into the Millennial Kingdom.
Apostates
The churches are full of believers who will die the Sin Leading to Death because of their apostasy.
2 Corinthians 11:4 AntichristFalse teachers who pervert the Gospel are antichrists. They have the spirit of Satan, the master deceiver. Instead of being filled with the Holy Spirit, they are filled with the spirits of demons. Whether male or female, they have become the Prostitute of Babylon.
For you see, if a person who comes preaches a different Jesus whom we have not preached; or y'all receive a different spirit which y'all have not received; or a different gospel which y'all did not receive (common grace); y'all tolerate it beautifully.
2 Corinthians 11:13The gift of apostle was given by God to specific men at the beginning of the Church Age to administer the Church. Apostles had authority over local pastors and congregations. The Apostle Paul was followed by false teachers who claimed to be apostles. They were liars and apostates, who were empowered by Satan. There are no more Apostles today. Those who claim to be Apostles are antichrists.
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:14 Satan, Angel of LightSatan is a fallen angel. He is a counterfeit. He pretends to be an Elect Angel, an angel of Light.
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of Light.
2 Corinthians 11:15False apostles are just like Satan. They are frauds and deceivers. Their end will "be according to their deeds." Their end is the Sin Leading to Death. Their deeds are sin, evil, and dead works, which are characteristic of unbelievers, who will die in the Lake of Fire.
Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.
False teachers are easy to spot. They are not Grace oriented. They do not teach Salvation by Grace, i. e. Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone. And they do not teach living the Christian life by Grace, which requires the filling of the Holy Spirit by Rebound.
Philippians 3:18-19Apostate believers are the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are executing the Christian life in the energy of the flesh. They are full of human good and dead works. Their "end is destruction," where "destruction" is the Sin Leading to Death. Their Christian life is a trip down to the Sin Leading to Death. "End" is the Time-axis of the Spiritual life.
18 For many keep walking, concerning whom I have told you many times, and now even weeping I tell you, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction; whose god is their stomach and glory is in their shame; whose thinking is about earthly things.
Their "god is their stomach." Satan is their god. They pretend to worship God, but since they are not filled with the Holy Spirit, they are in communion with Satan and his Cosmic System (Z-axis). Satan answers their prayers, since they are not filled with the Holy Spirit. God is not worshipped in the apostate churches (Matt 7:21, 22).
"Stomach" is the Greek koiliva (koilia), meaning the thorax and abdomen, stomach, the body cavity containing the viscera and called the belly; appetite, emotion. "Whose god is their stomach (belly)" means they are living to fulfill their sensual desires and hunger (Ezek 16:49; 1 Cor 6:13; 15:32), not the Spiritual life. They have lusts of the flesh (1 Pet 2:11; 1 Jn 2:16), wanton pleasure (1 Tim 5:6; 2 Tim 3:4), luxuriousness (Jas 5:5; Rev 18:7, 9), including all manner of worldly pleasures and earthly delights (Isa 58:13), e.g. drunkenness, gluttony, licentiousness. This is characteristic of false teachers and contrary to the Spiritual life (2 Pet 2:18-19).
"Stomach" can be a metaphor for their emotion or Ecumenical Babylon. They live in fellowship with Ecumenical Babylon, enslaved to the Cosmic System. Their god (idol) is their stomach (Ecumenical Babylon). Jezebel is the power of Ecumenical Babylon in the Church (Rev 2:20). This includes all apostates and lawless ones (Matt 7:15; Rom 16:17-18; 1 Cor 6:13; Gal 1:8; 2 Thess 2:7; 3:14; 2 Ti 3:7; 2 Jn 10). They are in the Cosmic System enslaved to demons as the Prostitute of Babylon or antichrists.
Their "glory is in their shame." This refers to their light production, which is a Y-axis function (Matt 5:16; Jn 3:19). The production of the apostate is shameful with its sin, human good, and evil (1 Jn 2:28; Jude 1:13; Rev 3:18).
Their "thinking is about earthly things." They do not have Spiritual thinking, but human viewpoint (2 Cor 4:18; 1 Jn 2:15) and produce human good and dead works (1 Cor 3:12; Heb 6:1; 9:14; Jas 2:17, 20, 26) rather than Divine Good (Eph 2:10; Col 1:10). They are slaves (Rom 6:6, 12; Gal 4:9; Titus 3:3) rather than free (Jn 8:32-36; Rom 6:22; Gal 4:7) and transformed (Rom 12:2).
Genesis 15:15 Death of AbrahamGod promised Abraham that he would die in peace. "Peace" is the Hebrew, shalom, meaning peace, welfare, health, prosperity. It refers to dying in blessing rather than suffering, e.g. from sickness, infirmity, disaster, or punishment.
As for you (Abraham), you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age.
Abraham lived to be 175 years old (Gen 25:7).
Genesis 25:8Abraham lived a long life. He died in a good old age as an old man, who was sated with years, or with life. Others who died in Dying Grace at a good old age included Isaac (Gen 35:29), Job (Job 42:17), and David (1 Chron 29:28).
Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and satisfied with life; and he was gathered to his people.
The description of Abraham's death does not refer to Sheol. It says, "He was gathered to his people." This is the same as going to the fathers (Gen 15:15; Judg 2:10). It refers to dying as reunion with the patriarchs of the family who have gone before. The Old Testament saints went to the compartment of Sheol called Abraham's Bosom (Luk 16:22, 23). In the Church Age believers go to Heaven, where they receive interim bodies and are reunited with loved ones who have gone before.
Job 5:26 Dying GraceThe one who dies under Dying Grace dies in "full age." "Full age" is the Hebrew jl^K#, (kelach), from Arabic, qahila, to be shriveled up, meaning very aged; it signifies the maturity of old age. The person dies when he has finished living his life completely. He dies at the right time "like a shock of grain coming in its season." This could also be translated, "like a shock of grain is brought (up for threshing) in its season." God determines the time of death, and His timing is perfect. In contrast, the life of the reversionist is shortened (Psa 55:23; Prov 10:27).
You will come to the grave in full age,
Like a shock of grain coming in its season.
Psalm 116:15The death of Grace-oriented believers is precious in the sight of the LORD. "Saints" is literally gracious ones, those who are Grace-oriented.
Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His saints (gracious ones).
Paul
Paul looked forward to Dying Grace when he was under house arrest in Rome. He would be released and go on his Fourth Missionary Journey.
Philippians 1:20Paul's earnest expectation is to overcome the challenges of the Spiritual life and not be put to shame in anything. Exalting, or glorifying, Christ in the body means overcoming the power of sin in the body and living in the power of the Holy Spirit in a Love relationship with Christ. "Whether by life" means life on the Earth. "Whether by death" means Dying Grace and living in the Interim Body in Heaven. Dying Grace glorifies Christ.
according to my earnest expectation and confidence, that I shall not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ shall even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
Philippians 1:21This phrase is dramatic ellipsis in the Greek. There are no verbs, just a couple of infinitives. It is high drama to express the dogmatic viewpoint of life and death.
As far as I am concerned, to continue living, Christ; and to die, profit.
The infinitives are the Greek zavw (zao), to live, and ajpoqnhv/skw, (apothnesko), to die. "To continue living" is summarized with one word, Christ. Paul's reason for living is to glorify Jesus Christ through executing the Spiritual life. He is living in a Love relationship with Christ. Looking forward to completing his mission and dying in Dying Grace, Paul summarizes death as "profit." After glorifying God to the maximum in this life, Paul can look forward to the future glory of rewards and decorations in his Resurrection Body. Dying Grace anticipates future rewards.
The winner believer looks forward to an honorable death in Dying Grace. His death glorifies God. In contrast, the loser believer fears the Sin Leading to Death, which is dishonorable. The winner looks forward to eternal rewards, while the loser must bear loss of rewards and being saved, yet so as through fire (1 Cor 3:15). At the Evaluation Throne of Christ the winner will be rewarded, while the loser will have his dead works burned and receive no rewards. So, the Sin Leading to Death has ramifications of loss of rewards in Eternity.
Just prior to his death under Dying Grace, Paul summarized his life.
2 Timothy 4:7 Completing the Spiritual LifeFighting the good fight means Spiritual Warfare (Eph 6:12; 1 Tim 6:12). "Good" refers to Divine Good production. Finishing the course refers to running the course of life (Acts 13:25; 20:24). It refers to the course of the New Life in Christ, the Heavenly calling. Paul completed the life that God called him to live. And keeping the faith means executing Bible Doctrine.
I have fought a good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith (doctrine).
Paul was looking forward to his Eternal rewards.
2 Timothy 4:8 Crown of RighteousnessPaul was looking forward to receiving a Crown of Righteousness. "Righteousness" is the Greek dikaiosuvnh (dikaiosune), which means the Righteousness of God that demands Justice. It is Righteousness raised to a higher power, or capacity for Righteousness. This Righteousness comes from metabolization of Bible Doctrine, erecting the ECS (Jas 1:21), obeying Bible Doctrine, and executing the Spiritual life.
In the future there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all those who have loved His appearing.
Crowns are the highest rewards. They will be given to believers who are faithful in executing the Spiritual life until the day they die in Dying Grace. The Crown of Righteousness is one of three crowns that will be awarded for faithful service in the Church. The Crown of Righteousness will be given to believers who faithfully execute Bible Doctrine until the day they die (2 Tim 4:7-8; Rev 2:10).
The Crown of Righteousness will be given to "those who have loved His appearing." This refers to those believers who loved the Lord Jesus Christ and were waiting for the opportunity to meet Him at the Rapture, i. e. those who were applying Rev 22:12. These are the ones who believed that the Rapture was a time when they would be evaluated, and therefore, they have been faithful in order not to be embarrassed on that day.
Nero had Paul executed because he considered him a threat. Paul was executed as a Roman citizen by beheading. He leaned over and had his head chopped off with an ax. He never felt a thing. He died as a martyr in Dying Grace after his work was finished. The highest rewards for Christian service awaited him.
Jesus said:
Matthew 10:38The strategic path of Life begins with Salvation based upon the Cross of Christ and continues by bearing one's own cross (orientation to Salvation) and following the Lord Jesus Christ.
And the one who does not take up his cross and follow after Me, is not worthy of Me.
Matthew 10:39 Saving or Losing Soul-Life"Soul-life" is the Greek yuchv (psuche), which means soul or soul-life. It differs from the Greek zwhv (zoe), which means life in the physical sense, such as the life that one lives (1 Cor 15:19) or the Spirit of Life (Rom 8:2). "Soul-life" calls attention to the soul, which is either saved or lost.
The one who finds his soul-life will lose it, and the one who loses his soul-life because of Me, will find it.
"The one who finds his soul-life" refers to an unbeliever who has soul-life but not Spiritual life. He is the soulish man (1 Cor 2:14). He will lose his soul-life at physical death, and he will go to Hell. In contrast, "the one who loses his soul-life" refers to the believer who is identified with the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. It refers to Retroactive Positional Truth, which means the believer died when Christ died (Rom 6:6; Gal 2:20; 5:24; 6:14). His sins were Judged on the Cross. Thus, he lost his former soul-life at Salvation when he was Spiritually regenerated and given a New Life. He lost his former soul-life because of the work of Christ on the Cross, and he found a New Life in Christ Jesus.
The parallel passage in Luke can be translated:
Luke 9:24Here, the same word, psuche, means soul or soul-life, but the verb is the Greek swv/zw (sozo), meaning to save. The unbeliever, who saves his soul, will lose it when he dies. But the believer, who loses his soul because of Christ's work on the Cross, will save his soul and have Eternal Life.
For whoever wishes to save his soul will lose it, but whoever loses his soul because of Me, this one will save it.
Luke 9:25"Man" is the Greek a[nqrwpo" (anthropos), for an unbeliever. The unbeliever may gain the whole world, but when he dies he will lose or forfeit himself. He will lose his soul and go to Hell. All his riches will be left behind.
For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself?
These verses about losing and saving
the soul occur in all the Gospels (Matt 10:39; 16:25; Mk 8:35; Lk 9:24;
17:33; Jn 12:25). Every person must choose Life or death regarding
the Cross of Christ. The default, for those who do not make a decision,
is death. Those who believe in Jesus Christ have a New Life, including
Eternal Life (Rom 6:4). Those who reject Salvation have, in effect,
made their own decision to die the Sin Leading to Death.
After Salvation, believers who
choose to live the New Life every day will stay on the road to blessing,
including Dying Grace. Those who reject the New Life will be on the
road to the Sin Leading to Death. So, we all choose every day to
Live or to die. The road of Life leads to Dying Grace and Eternal
rewards, while the road of death leads to the Sin Leading to Death and
loss of rewards.
Philippians 3:7-8This is how Paul compared the old life with the New Life in fellowship with Christ. The old life is worthless compared to the New Life. Thus, Paul lost his old life. He willingly gave it up to live the New Life in Christ. Every day he had to make the decision to leave the old life behind and press on with the New Life.
7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I now consider as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I conclude all things to be loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, because of whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and conclude them excrement that I may gain Christ,
Paul's New Life may be summarized as His relationship with Christ. In his New Life (Greek zoe) he is spiritually alive with human soul-life. His soul is saved, and it will live forever with the Lord.
Galatians 2:20 Crucified with Christ
I have been crucified with Christ. Now I no longer live, but Christ lives within me; and the life which I now live in the body, I live by means of doctrine with reference to the Son of God who loved me and delivered Himself up on behalf of me.
The
old life was crucified on the Cross, and the New Life is lived by executing
Bible Doctrine. "Christ lives in me" refers to Christ being at home
in the soul of the believer (Eph 3:17). It refers to reciprocal Love
for Christ (Eph 3:19) and fellowship with Him (Jn 15:4-15; 1 Jn 3:24).
The New Life is lived in reference to Salvation.
In contrast, the Reversionistic believer turns away from the New Life after Salvation and returns to the old life.
2 Peter 2:20 The ReversionistThe Reversionist turns back after having Salvation, which includes epignosis-knowledge of Christ. The Greek epignosis means spiritual understanding in the Right Lobe, or complete knowledge. At Salvation, the believer has spiritual understanding of Christ, but the Reversionist forgets that when he loses the filling of the Holy Spirit. The Reversionist is going down to the Sin Leading to Death. In effect, he has chosen death rather than Life. Rejecting the New Life leads to slavery to the Cosmic System (the world). This is spiritual death that will lead to physical death.
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the epignosis-knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
The New Life of the Christian includes Spiritual Warfare. Therefore, the Christian life is like the life of a soldier. Paul wrote Timothy to keep his priorities straight.
2 Timothy 2:3The New Life is a life of hardship like the life of a soldier in war.
Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:4No soldier on active duty gets entangled in the affairs of civilian life. The word, "life," is the Greek bivo" (bios), which refers to earthly life in its functions and its duration. It refers to a person's life on this Earth with its functions, details, and relationships. It includes mode of life and manner of living. Here it refers to the affairs of civilian life apart from military life. The Christian life is like being in the military with the Lord Jesus Christ as the Commanding Officer. Just as the soldier must give up civilian life, the Christian must give up his old life.
No soldier in military service becomes entangled in the affairs of civilian life in order that he may please the one who enlisted him.
The Sentence of Death
The Christian who refuses to give up the old life and choose the New Life in Christ is on the road to the Sin Leading to Death. He is, in effect, under a death sentence due to his bad decisions, even though he has not yet reached Dying Discipline. Which is worse, living a lifetime in spiritual death or suffering the last few years or months of Dying Discipline? It is obvious long before physical death that the Sin Leading to Death is coming. Strategic decisions can set a person on course for the Sin Leading to Death. Bad choices can be a death sentence.
The Right Man – Right Woman relationship is eagerly anticipated by everyone. And Marriage is viewed as an opportunity to live happily ever after. Yet, after the Right Man – Right Woman relationship led to the perfect Marriage in the Garden, the man and woman sinned, which ruined their relationship and their Marriage. Spiritual death left the Right Man and Right Woman at each other's throats and the Marriage in shambles. Although they were still physically alive after sinning, the lives that Adam and his wife had been living abruptly ended. This loss of their former life from sin was effectively the Sin Leading to Death, even though physical death was perhaps 900 years away.
The Right Man – Right Woman relationship is a spiritual relationship designed by God and provided in Grace. The relationship must be executed in the New Spiritual life. The two parties must choose to live their New Lives as Right Man and Right Woman. But each one has a choice. Rejecting the New Life results in choosing death and being unable to advance in the Right Man – Right Woman relationship.
Since two people are involved, either one can torpedo fulfillment of the Right Man – Right Woman relationship. If one rejects the New Life, that one is headed toward death. But that also deprives the other one of fulfilling the relationship. Thus, one person's decision to disregard the will of God, destroys the other person's opportunity to fulfill that part of the New Life.
So, the innocent party can receive the sentence of death due to the sin of the guilty party. This amounts to the Sin Leading to Death in the Right Man – Right Woman relationship. It doesn't end Divine Design, but it destroys the relationship, just like what happened to Adam and the woman in the Garden. The Right Man – Right Woman relationship still lasts until death, but it cannot be fulfilled. So, those people who reject the New Life, also disrupt the fulfillment of the Right Man – Right Woman relationship.
Similarly, Marriage is a relationship until death parts. If one person torpedoes the Marriage by rejecting the New Life, both parties suffer until death parts. And if the Marriage did not include Right Man and Right Woman, it is doomed anyway. Those who choose to marry the wrong man or wrong woman will thus be under double cursing. They will be guilty of rejecting their own Right Man – Right Woman relationship as well as making a bad marriage that will bring suffering until death parts. They will be under two death sentences, plus the death sentence for rejecting the New Life.
Thus, the world is in a mess. What can a person do who is in such circumstances? The answer is Rebound and execute the New Life. The suffering will be great, but the Christian can still advance to Spiritual Maturity and Spiritual Rapport and have a Love relationship with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though the temporal life is doomed, it is possible to salvage the Spiritual life.
Symbolic Sin Unto Death
The Sin Leading to Death is not a sin, but the result of living in sin without Rebound. Thus, the person who rejects the New Life is on the road to the Sin Leading to Death. The person who rejects the New Life in regard to Right Man – Right Woman or Marriage is on the road to the Sin Leading to Death. Such people are spiritually dead and headed for Dying Discipline. Being under the death sentence is not much different from the final death sentence. Spiritual death prevails all along the way through Warning, Intensified, and Dying Discipline.
Thus, being under the death sentence is a preliminary sentence of the Sin Leading to Death. This might also be called a symbolic Sin Leading to Death. The number, 39, symbolizes the Sin Leading to Death. It may be associated with street numbers, addresses, or a person's age. Most people live through age 39 without actually dying, but they will not live through age 39 without experiencing the death sentence in some area of life. Satan was allowed to destroy all areas of Job's life except his Spiritual and soul life and physical life. Job certainly received a form of Sin Leading to Death in these areas of his life. His family life ended when his children were killed, and his marriage ended when his wife sinned and left. Even though Job was still alive afterward, these parts of his life had ended in the equivalent of the Sin Leading to Death.
Ecclesiastes 7:17The "wicked" person is the Reversionist, who does not Rebound and lives in sin. The "fool" is a person who rejects Bible Doctrine (Prov 10:21). Reversionists and fools will die before their time. The Sin Leading to Death cuts their life short.
Do not be excessively wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time?
Job 22:15-16"Evil men," literally men of iniquity, are Reversionists. They are going down the ancient path that Adam followed to the Sin Leading to Death. They are following the path from Adam's Original Sin. They will die suddenly before their time. Their body will be washed away like the foundation of a building in a flood.
15 Will you keep to the ancient path,
Which evil men have trod?
16 Who were snatched away before their time?
Whose foundation was washed away by a stream?
Psalm 55:23God will cast "men of bloodshed and deceit" into Sheol, or Hell, "the abyss of the pit." They "will not live out half of their days." They will die from the Sin Leading to Death.
But You, O God, will cast them down into the abyss of the pit,
Men of bloodshed and deceit will not live out half their days;
But I will trust in You.
Proverbs 10:27Those who respect and reverence the Lord will have their lives prolonged. But the years of the Reversionist (wicked) will be shortened. The Reversionist will have his life span shortened by the Sin Leading to Death.
The fear of the LORD prolongs life,
But the years of the wicked will be shortened.
Temptation and Snares
The Serpent in the Garden
Temptation of Jesus Christ
Sexual Temptation
Pride
Opposition to Bible Doctrine
Love of Money
Testing vs. Temptation
Satan is the tempter. He tempts mankind to sin. He began in the Garden, and he was even allowed to tempt Jesus Christ on Earth. He is the master of lies and duplicity. He arouses lust and arrogant ambition. He promises the world and springs the trap to take mankind to death and destruction. He lures the unbeliever to Hell and distracts believers from Bible Doctrine. He doesn't have to make people submit. He convinces them though their assumptions, presumptions, and wild imagination, and they fall all over themselves to follow him without ever seeing a speck of his dust. He is faster than greased lightning and a master of craft and deception. He hides his tyranny in beauty like the dawn.
Satan indwelled the serpent and asked the woman, "Is it really true that God has said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the Garden?'" (Gen 3:1).
Genesis 3:2-3The woman's reply indicated that she was careless about Bible Doctrine because she added that they should not touch the fruit. Satan responded with a lie.
2 Then the woman replied to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it. Neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'"
Genesis 3:4This is the Qal infinite absolute plus the Qal imperfect of the Hebrew muth, which means to die. This was Satan's misrepresentation of what God had said, "Dying (spiritually), you will die (physically)" (Gen. 2:17). Satan's answer was "Not dying (spiritually) you will die (physically). So, in effect, Satan's half-truth denied spiritual death as a result of eating the forbidden fruit. Satan knows scripture, and he is a master of lies, innuendo, and half-truths.
The serpent said to the woman, "Not-dying you will die!"
Then Satan added another lie to appeal to the woman's pride and ambition.
Genesis 3:5Here Satan pretended to be speaking for God. When he tells people what God says, he lies. He implied that if the woman ate the fruit, she would be as smart as God and know good and evil. This was double-talk. She would be smarter, and she would know good from evil because she would have sin and a conscience. However, the price of knowing evil is that she would be evil.
"For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Genesis 3:6After Satan talked to the woman, he backed off and continued to tempt her spiritually. He wasn't saying anything, but he was putting pressure on her. She was tempted from the X, Y, and Z axes of the Cosmic System:
When 'Ishah saw that the tree was good for food, that it was a delight to the eyes, and (the tree) to be desired to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband by her, and he ate.
In sin and spiritual death, the woman acted as Satan's agent and gave the fruit to Adam and he ate. The woman had been deceived, as she later admitted (Gen 3:13), but Adam was not deceived (1 Tim 2:14). He knew what he was doing, but he ate the fruit anyway and died spiritually. Thus, Satan took over the world, and Adam and his wife were now his slaves.
Matthew 4:3 Ecumenical Babylon CounterattackRealizing that Jesus was very hungry, Satan tempted Him to make some stones into bread. He was tempting Jesus to eat what the Father had not provided in Logistical Grace.
And the tempter came and said to Him, "Since you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread."
Matthew 4:4Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. Food must come from Logistical Grace provision and be received by execution of Bible Doctrine. Jesus Christ was sustained in His humanity by God the Father, and He was not about to deviate from that.
But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' "
Matthew 4:5-6 Cosmic Babylon CounterattackSatan tempted Jesus to jump off the wing of the Temple overlooking the Kidron Valley. Satan quoted Psalm 91:11-12 implying that the angels would bear Jesus up.
5 Then the devil took Him along with him to the Holy City (Jerusalem) and had Him stand on the wing of the Temple (overlooking the Kidron Valley) 6 And said to him, "Since you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for you see, it is written, 'He will give His angels direction concerning you, and upon their hands they will lift you up, lest You strike Your foot against a stone.' "
Matthew 4:7
Jesus said to him, "On the other hand, it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.' "
Jesus
answered by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16 that you should not put God to the
test. Telling the Lord what to do would have been a violation of
Divine authority.
Matthew 4:8-9 Political Babylon CounterattackSatan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He would fall down and worship him. As world ruler, Satan could make such an offer. If Jesus had accepted, Satan would still have been ruler over Jesus, and Jesus would have fallen into sin. In sin, Jesus would have not been qualified to bear the sins of the world. The offer of all the kingdoms of the world was a Satanic counterattack from Political Babylon.
8 Again the devil took Him along with him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, "All these I will give to You if You will fall down and worship me."
Matthew 4:10Jesus told Satan to go away and quoted Deuteronomy that you should worship the Lord God and serve Him only (Deut 6:13, 10:20).
Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve."
Thus, Jesus Christ was tempted by the devil from Cosmic, Political, and Ecumenical Babylon. Satan quoted scripture to justify himself. But he misrepresented and misapplied scripture to gain his objective. Jesus Christ relied on Bible Doctrine to withstand Satan's temptation. Satan was probing for a weakness in the Edification Complex of the Soul of Jesus Christ, but the integrity of the ECS of Jesus remained intact and there were no flaws in His armor.
Married people are warned about Satan's sexual temptation.
1 Corinthians 7:5Married people should stop depriving their partners of their conjugal rights (1 Cor 7:4) except by mutual consent to concentrate on the Spiritual life. Otherwise, those who desire sex may be tempted by Satan because of their lack of sexual self-control. Satan may tempt them by offering them a substitute to their mate in order to lure them into sin.
Stop depriving each other, except by mutual consent for a time in order that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and may be united again in order that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
If the husband and wife are not in Spiritual Maturity, they are vulnerable to Satan. They are even vulnerable after Spiritual Maturity. The only protection against Satan is the completed Edification Complex of the Soul, the Filling of the Holy Spirit, and the Grace of God. Paul was assaulted by a demon after he reached Spiritual Maturity, although there is nothing to indicate that it was a sexual temptation (2 Cor 12:7).
If a husband and wife are not Spiritually mature and Filled with the Holy Spirit, one of them can very easily come under demon power. The one under demon power then becomes the Prostitute of Babylon. So, the Marriage and the marriage bed is defiled. This is why the emphasis in the Christian life should be getting to Spiritual Maturity before getting married (1 Cor 7:25-29).
Satan reveals himself as Baal to attack Marriage. Satan has no use for Marriage. It is a Divine Institution, which Satan opposes. As Baal, Satan and his demons empower the Prostitute of Babylon. Anyone, male or female, under such a demon attack can become the Prostitute of Babylon. When one of the marriage partners becomes the Prostitute of Babylon, the Marriage relationship is no longer sanctified. It is no longer Holy matrimony. The husband and wife are living in sin, even though they are believers.
Other than coming from Satan, sexual temptation can come from the Old Sin Nature. Those who give in to the lusts of the OSN are their own enemy. They will bring their own suffering. Those who engage in illicit sex will immediately fall into Intensified Disciple. This will leave scar tissue of the soul and the desire to engage in even more illicit sex. In other words, it is habit forming. The solution is to Rebound and recover through metabolization of Bible Doctrine.
Satan and his demons tempt people to commit sexual sins in order to trap them. They bait the trap to provide an opportunity to fulfill illicit desires. The victim of the attack can apply Bible Doctrine and say no to the temptation, but this isn't a matter of just saying no. Satan will persist until there is enough faith to block him and convince him to move on.
Ecclesiastes 7:26Satan uses the Prostitute of Babylon or the adulteress as bait for the trap. Once the man bites, the trap springs and the man is ensnared by Satan, who seeks to destroy him. Satan, as Baal, lurks behind the bait.
And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God will escape from her, but the sinner will be snared by her.
Proverbs 5:3The strange woman is one who is not the Right Woman. Honey symbolizes the female sexual response. Lips dripping honey is a metaphor for the sexuality of the seductress.
For the lips of the strange woman distill (drip) honey,
And smoother than oil is her tongue;
Proverbs 5:4 Intensified DisciplineThe result of illicit sex will be Divine punishment which is as bitter as wormwood. Wormwood is known for being very bitter.1 The Divine punishment will be sharp as a two-edged sword. This is Intensified Discipline.
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
Proverbs 5:5 Sin Leading to DeathThe adulteress is on the road that goes down to the Sin Leading to Death. And she is going into Sheol, which means the grave and Hell. In dying, she will be identified with Satan and Hell.
Her feet go down to death,
Her steps take hold of Sheol.
Proverbs 6:26A prostitute may be the Prostitute of Babylon, who fornicates under the power of Satan, or a woman who fornicates for money. Satan is behind both. The punishment for the man who engages a prostitute will reduce him to a piece of bread, or a roll. Also, women who are on the prowl to commit adultery are stalking precious souls. They are the bait for Satan's snare. Men who commit adultery will not go unpunished (Prov 6:29). God personally handles the punishment for all violations of Marriage (Heb 13:4).
For because of a prostitute one is brought down to a bread roll,
But another man's wife lies in wait (stalks) a precious soul.
1 Timothy 3:6A new convert is a pushover for Satan, who can easily ensnare him by appealing to his pride. A pastor caught in Satan's snare will also face the punishment of God. Thus, the pastor under double punishment will be put out of commission.
Not a neophyte, lest having become puffed up with arrogance, he might fall into the condemnation of the devil.
1 Timothy 3:7The pastor must have a good reputation with those outside the church to avoid falling into the snare of the devil. The devil will stir up opposition to the pastor among unbelievers to destroy him.
And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Those who fall for false doctrines are puffed up with arrogance and easily ensnared by the devil.
1 Timothy 6:3-5Pastors who are arrogant fall into Satan's trap of false doctrine. They do not stick to accurate theology but go off into evil speculations and have constant friction with others with inaccurate viewpoints. Further, they presume that the Spiritual life is a means of monetary gain. They are not Grace-oriented.
3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not concur with sound doctrine, those doctrines of our Lord Jesus Christ, even the doctrine pertaining to the Spiritual life, 4 he has become puffed up with arrogance, understanding nothing; but he has a morbid obsession about controversies and disputes about words, from which come jealousy, discord, abusive speech, evil speculations, 5 and constant friction between men of corrupted thinking and deprived of the Truth, who presume the Spiritual life to be a means of gain.
2 Timothy 2:24-25"Change of mind" is the Greek metavnoia, (metanoia). It does not mean to repent because there is no penance in Grace. It refers to Rebound, by which a person receives the filling of the Holy Spirit in order to learn Bible Doctrine.
24 Now the Lord's bondslave must not be contentious, but he must be gracious to all, skilled in teaching, forbearing, 25 With humility disciplining those in opposition, so that God may grant them a change of mind for understanding Bible Doctrine (Truth),
2 Timothy 2:26Those who are opposing Bible Doctrine are in the snare of the devil and are being held captive by him to do his will. Satan opposes the teaching of Bible Doctrine through the Prostitute of Babylon. This is the counterattack of Ecumenical Babylon. Those who fall for Satan's bait will become his slave.
and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.
Churches that are not Grace-oriented are under the power of Satan. They are synagogues of Satan (Rev 2:9). They use worldly gimmicks to attract business. They are enslaved to the world, which is Satan's Cosmic System. They hustle, cajole, and pester to stay ahead of the competition and measure their success by numbers and money.
1 Timothy 6:9 Monetary ReversionismSatan tempts people with the desire to become rich. Those who take the bait will fall into his trap. In the end they will fall into ruin and destruction, the Sin Leading to Death.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, the trap, and many foolish and harmful lusts which plunge people into ruin and destruction.
1 Timothy 6:10 Love of MoneyThe love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. Evil is the policy of Satan. The love of money stems from bad values in the soul associated with a hardened heart. Those who strive for money are following the devil and going astray from Bible Doctrine and falling into Monetary Reversionism. Their punishment from God will be severe.
For you see, the root of all sorts of evil is the love of money, which some by striving after have gone astray from doctrine and have pierced themselves with many pangs.
Ecclesiastes 5:10The one who loves money has bad values in the soul, and he will not be satisfied no matter how much money he gets. And the one who loves abundance will not be satisfied with its produce or income. Possessions will not satisfy. Abundance creates more headaches in managing and keeping it.
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its produce. This also is vanity.
The Love of Money is idolized as a god, Mammon (Matt 6:24; Luk 16:13).
Matthew 6:24"Mammon" is wealth (personified), as an object of worship and therefore a god, or idol; from Aramaic ÷/omm* (mamon). The Latin translation doubled the "m" erroneously. The contrast of God and mammon implies that mammon is in the Cosmic System. Whether it is or whether it is the devil's lie makes no difference. Regardless, it lures into the Cosmic System.
Absolutely no one is able to serve two masters; for you see, either he will hate the one and love the other, or cling to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon!
1 Corinthians 10:13 TestingWhen God provides testing, there will be a way of escape. The Greek peirasmov", (peirasmos) may be translated testing or temptation. Here it means testing. Temptation comes from the Old Sin Nature and from Satan. In such cases, there is no way of escape. Testing comes from God, and there will be a way of escape to pass the test.
Testing has not overtaken you except such as is common to mankind; moreover, God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tested beyond what you are able, but will with the testing also provide a way of escape that you may be able to endure it.
Author: Larry Wood, Released - Feb. 25, 2013 - Revised Apr. 21, 2017
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