Sermon Title: Prepared for Christ’s Ultimate Victory
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
As His People, we must be fully committed to our King Jesus Christ’s victory over darkness and death; and live in His victory every day of our lives.
The PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truths 5.8.5 states:
THE FINAL JUDGMENT
There will be a final judgment in which the unbelieving dead will be raised and judged at the great white throne, according to their works.
The beast and false prophet, the devil and his angels, and whoever is not found in the Book of Life, shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to annihilation but to everlasting punishment, which is the second death.
We must be very clear about this ultimate eventuality.
The devil will be vanquished into the lake of fire; and along with him, all powers of darkness, death and hades, and including all whose names are not in the book of life. (Ref: Revelation 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 20:15, 21:27)
Is this a big deal?
Absolutely!
In the coming Kingdom of God, “nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,” (Revelation 21:27a) – “for the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.” (Revelation 21:8 – The second, final and eternal death) – “but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27b); because we believe in “ Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth… who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father” (Revelation 1:5-6)
Church, we must – each and corporately - desire for our names to be found in the book of life (Ref Revelation 3:5); by being daily prepared for King Jesus’ ultimate and final victory.
It is going to happen.
That is why to us: the events of the book of Revelation must be both present reality and coming eventuality.
An angel will come down out of heaven, seize the devil and throw him into the Abyss; locking him there for a thousand years. (Ref: Revelations 20:1-3)
Every faithful believer shares in the “first resurrection” – they are “blessed and holy”; given an eternal, imperishable New Creation body. Death has no power upon them; and “they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” (Ref: Revelations 20:4-6)
Every true believer is designed and destined to serve God now and forevermore.
This informs us that we must cultivate the desire daily to be priests of God and of Christ from this moment onward.
As a Church, we must strive to be like Jesus – ever-ready and ever-willing to serve by the Power of the Holy Spirit; fulfilling our eternal destiny in our present lives.
In the thousand year reign of King Jesus, every promise and covenant that God has ever made with Mankind will be fulfilled.
Only true believers will be resurrected unto eternal life in the Kingdom of God; everyone else whose names are not found in the book of life will be resurrected unto condemnation and death. (Ref: Revelations 20:5, 21:8, 21:27)
When the devil is set free after the thousand years, he would “go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle.
In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.
But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.
They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10)
The devil is set free to conclude the ultimate covenant that God has made with His faithful people – the final defeat of sin, darkness, and death – and the final inbreaking of His Kingdom.
It is hard not to realize that in spite of Christ’s Presence in the world during His millennium reign, there will still be people who would be deceived by the devil into rebellion and marching against His Holy People.
Holy fire from heaven would devour the human rebels; and the devil will be thrown forever into the lake of burning sulfur and tormented forever.
These are the events of the future; and it is supremely clear that believers and unbelievers do not share the same future.
While Revelation 20:4-6 speaks to the coming future faced by true believers of the Lord Jesus Christ, Revelation 20:5, 11-13 speaks to the reality faced by unbelievers.
“5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.)
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.
The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.
Another book was opened, which is the book of life.
The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”
When Christ ushers in the New Creation, even the very concept of earth and the heavens, whilst death and Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire – along with “anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life .”
But, for each unbelieving person, not before they stand before the throne of God to be “judged according to what they had done”.
That’s right. No one is left as a disembodied soul for long – not even unbelievers.
To be able to stand would presuppose the presence of legs; which will be part of the resurrected body given to every unbeliever.
So when the unbelieving dead stand before the throne of King Jesus – they would have received a resurrected body as well.
Even our Lord Jesus speaks to this eventuality where all dead will be bodily resurrected:
“28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28-29)
The Apostle Paul resonates as well, in Acts 24:14-15:
“I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.”
There is a difference between ‘heaven’ and the Kingdom of God
God’s Coming Kingdom is not the same as ‘heaven’, where the soul/spirit of the faithful believer passes from this world into the presence of Jesus; for those who have “fallen asleep” in Christ’ (Ref: 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17) - like us - are awaiting our Lord Jesus’ return to this world to begin the chain of events that would ultimately inbreak His eternal Kingdom.
Thus, in our eternal, Kingdom destiny, we do not float around as disembodied spirits but as New Creation ‘beings’ that have been given an imperishable, glorious, and eternal body just like Christ’s - to “be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father .” (Revelation 20:6)
For unbelievers, at the second death, with the resurrected body joined to the soul, they are forever separated from God in the flesh, condemned in absolute consciousness for all eternity in the lake of fire.
At this point in the history of Creation, all sin has been judged; and all sinners – having chosen NOT to receive God’s gift of grace and eternal life through Christ’s Sacrifice (Ref: John 3:16-18) - have commenced their eternal punishment in the lake of fire along with the devil and his fallen angels.
The total and final victory over sin has been accomplished.
As the People of God, we must be part of Christ’s ultimate victory – from this moment on.
How do we prepare for Christ’s ultimate victory – today?
Jude 3-23 informs us.
“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.” (Jude 3)
Once and for all – be utterly certain and serious about your faith in Jesus Christ.
To truly contend for the faith that God has entrusted to you, your entire life must be lived entirely for Jesus Christ.
“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (Jude 4)
Know that godless people who lives for the sake of perverting God’s Grace – defilers of God’s love for their own selfish gain - are not only in the world, they have infiltrated the Church. They will preach an ungodly, worldly, relevant ‘gospel’; giving “license to immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”
Be alert and on your guard against such pawns of the evil one.
5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. (Jude 5)
Understand this well.
The knowledge of Christ is different from the saving knowledge of Christ.
Which do you have?
You are delivered by God; but if you do not believe in His Salvation through Christ, you will be destroyed – by God.
Everyone is given life; and given a chance to come to believe in the saving knowledge of God; and this belief comes from the simple acknowledgement that we are sinners in need of God’s Salvation – given to us through Christ’s finished work on the Cross at Calvary.
The very gospel message is under the threat of perversion – but we are assured that the fruit of true Christian ministry will bear testimony of those who stand with Christ, and the lack thereof, will testify to those who stand against Christ.
Do you bear the fruit of the Gospel? Do you lead people to Christ? Are you living out Christ’s Great Commission upon you to make disciples of all nations?
Do you stand with Christ? Or against Him?
To stand with Christ in eternal victory is to resolutely live for Him today in present victory.
To choose not to stand with Christ today is to choose to stand against Him.
No one escapes punishment for sin – not human, nor angel.
Jude 6 – 16 makes it very clear:
6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion.
They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.
9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.
11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.
14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them:
“See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
To prepare to be part of Christ’s ultimate victory over darkness, sin and death requires us to ensure that we have not given up our “proper dwelling” – to remain righteous through Christ; that we have not given “ourselves up to sexual immorality and perversion”; that we have not rejected the authority of God; that we do not become irrational; and that we do not follow our evil desires.
In short, to prepare to be part of Christ’s ultimate victory over darkness is to be radically holy – just as He is Holy. (Ref: Leviticus 11:44)
To be holy takes a fundamentalist perspective and a radical resolve.
Our Lord Jesus Christ makes this unequivocally clear more than once:
“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
“And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30)
“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” (Matthew 18:8-9)
To share in Christ’s present and coming, ultimate victory, there must be an extremely unreserved and passionate desire to thoroughly remove the parts our lives that belongs in hell.
In God’s eyes, there are only two kinds of people in the world.
Holy, and unholy.
Christ will come with “his holy ones” to judge and convict the unholy – the defiant and the godless. (Ref: Jude 14-15)
To which kind of people are you? To whom do you belong?
Jude continues:
“17But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.
18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.” (Jude 17-19)
To be holy is to follow – not mere natural instincts – but to die to self, pick up your Cross and follow the Lord Jesus Christ (Ref: Luke 9:23);
To be holy is consciously and conscientiously be filled with, and empowered by, the Holy Spirit.
We must not be found following “mere natural instincts” which will result in becoming “irrational animals” and ultimately be destroyed (Ref: Jude 10); instead, we must live in the supernatural paradigm that comes from being filled with, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. (Ref: Acts 1:8)
We must desire to be godly.
This desire to be godly must be consistent with our utter desire to be with Christ now and forevermore in the Kingdom of God.
Our desire to be godly in this godless world must be something that gets us out of bed in the morning; something that energizes us to excel and thrive; and something that motivates us to be constantly be empowered by the Holy Spirit – “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49) - to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission upon our lives.
To be godly is to bear both fruit of the Spirit (Ref: Galatians 5:22-23) and fruit of the Gospel (Ref: Matthew 28:19-20)
Utterly desire to be godly; and at the same time, watch out for scoffers.
Scoffers constantly feel very strongly about their views; and make their feelings known that people around them are not worthy of their respect, and thus, express contempt for them because of their opposing view.
The ‘cancel’ or ‘woke’ culture of today is made up of scoffers.
Scoffers persecute anyone who does not think as they do; and worse, persecute even more viciously those who once had the same ideologies as they did, but have since changed their minds.
Recently, in light of the re-discovery of the remains of 215 First Nations residential school students and the many others that are being brought to public attention, it is expected that Canadian educator and Methodist minister - Egerton Ryerson - a prominent figure in the design of the modern Canadian public school system and the Canadian Indian residential school system - was going to be canceled. His statue was, of course, toppled, decapitated and thrown into the Toronto Harbour. Ryerson University publicly stated that the statue will not be restored or replaced. The head of the statue was subsequently placed on a pike at the Six Nations of the Grand River in Caledonia, Ontario. No charges have been laid despite the obvious crime of destruction of property.
In the eyes of the scoffers who see themselves doing only good for society with their self-serving views, there was no good that came out of Ryerson; his entire life was wicked.
For a society that boasts a ‘woke’ discrimination, Ryerson’s life have been indiscriminately judged and condemned.
And yet, historically, it was Sir John Alexander Macdonald, as Canada’s founding prime minister and father of the Confederation, who played the instrumental role of initiating, supporting, and defending the residential school system in the late 19th century; after the fact, that at the same time - he supported giving the people of the First Nations in 1885 “a footing of equality with the white brethren” and attempted to pass a bill to give them the right to vote more than 70 years before it actually happened to Canada in 1960; and also - in the 1880s - pushed to extend the vote to women in an age when no other country in the world had female suffrage.
Would he too, be cancelled? Would scoffers cancel all of Canada’s fathers of confederation, along with every aspect of the history of Canada, that does not agree with their current sentiments? Where does it end?
There’s more.
In a recent development, Catholics have been asked to miss Sunday Mass to purportedly strongarm the Pope into apologizing for the tragedy of the loss of the children’s life.
And in tragic reaction to the news of the discovery of the unmarked graves at the sites of the former residential schools, numerous churches across Canada have been burned down and other statues of colonial figures have been destroyed.
It is clear that those in supposed authority are deeply fearful of scoffers; perhaps even colluding with them – out of their need to hold on to power.
There is so much injustice; and worse, so much perpetuation of these injustices afflicted by the very people who have sworn to prosper and protect human society.
All that is being achieved – with Man’s intervention – is an ever-deepening of generational and historical wounds.
There is no one righteous; let anyone who is without sin cast the first stone (Ref: John 8:7).
When does this culture marked by irrationality, insanity and senseless violence end?
As Christians, we will be tempted – in ‘righteous’ indignation – to judge and hate anyone who stands against our God and His Gospel – those whom Jude helps us identify as godless people, perverters of His Grace and scoffers who divide the church.
The question is not about hating them (which we mustn’t), or even about our right to hate their sin (which we must); but rather, about - continuously and consistently, consciously and conscientiously - believing and living in the Victory of Jesus Christ in the reality of persecution, hate and violence against us.
To this, Jude exhorts us to live out Our Holy Call to Persevere Unto Christ’s Victory!
“20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” (Jude 20-21)
In divine revelation, we do know when this depraved and perverse culture and its persecutions against the ageless building blocks of society (marriage and family) and the church will definitely come to an end – it is when Christ returns and “bring us to eternal life.”
Today, we patiently “wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” for the eventuality of His Glorious and Victorious Return.
We must fight the temptation to judge any transgressions; especially those committed against us; as we fight the temptation to hate the godless perverters of God’s Grace, the scoffers and defiant.
Always bear our Lord Jesus Christ’s words in mind:
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone… …” (John 8:7)
We must recognize that we simply have no ability to judge; and thus must reserve judgement on anyone and everyone till Christ’s return and final judgement.
Only Christ has the final say, because only Christ knows every detail of every transgression – for in that final moment, He does judge both the living and the dead.
This is not to ignore the present reality of brokenness, grief and pain; but to exercise the Christian discipline of reserving judgement – in “building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” - keeping yourselves in God’s love.
In God’s infinite and unfathomable love, we beg Him “to forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
In order to live in God’s Gracious and Merciful Salvation through Christ – that is, to be forgiven of our sins – we must have first forgiven those who have sinned against us, and love them with the love of God; for that is what it means to “keep ourselves in God’s love” – which is, to be holy, as He is holy.
So, do not give up hope on yourself; and certainly, do not give up hope on anyone.
To be holy through Christ is to be hopeful in Christ.
Keep yourself in God’s love as you wait for Christ to bring you to His Eternal Kingdom; for this divine hope will help you carry your pain, grief and sufferings for the sake of the Gospel; perceiving all of life fully in view of His eternal Kingdom.
“Be merciful to those who doubt.”
You know what the ultimate future and destiny holds for the world; you are fully confident of your identity, relationship and destiny in Christ; therefore, be merciful to those who doubt, forgive those who have yet to receive the saving Grace of God through Christ – even if they are actively defiant against Him today.
Even as God’s people, we are not without sin.
Do not cast any stone. We have no right to do so.
In His example of holiness, love and grace, and by the Power of His Holy Spirit (Ref: Acts 1:8), never stop sharing His Gospel of Salvation in a world doomed to a fiery end.
Show God’s mercy – mixed with the Spirit’s gift of wisdom to be cautious – to those who continue to doubt and defy God; but hate not only their sin, but “even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” – which represents the world’s definition of an acceptable and good life.
A good life according to this world is not a holy life according to God.
Prepare to be part of Christ’s ultimate victory over darkness; commit to being radically holy – just as God is Holy.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Grant me holy resolve, O Holy Spirit, to be fully committed to King Jesus’ victory over darkness and death; and fill me with Your Holy Power to live in His victory every day of my life.
Thank you for the divine clarity and revelation that during Christ’s final judgement, “the unbelieving dead will be raised and judged at the great white throne”; along with the “beast and false prophet, the devil and his angels, and whoever is not found in the Book of Life, shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to annihilation but to everlasting punishment, which is the second death.”
Lord Jesus Christ, I acknowledge and believe with all my heart that You are “the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth”.
Lord, You love me, and have freed me from the wages of my sin – which is, death - by Your blood shed on the Cross, and have made me part of Your Kingdom as Your priest to serve Your God and Father. (Ref: Revelation 1:5-6)
Indeed, I am designed and destined to serve God now and forevermore.
Cultivate in my heart, Holy Spirit, the daily desire to be a priest of God and of Christ – in the firm knowledge that when Christ returns, I will be given an imperishable, glorious, and eternal body just like Christ’s.
Holy Spirit, help me daily prepare for Christ’s ultimate victory today!
Lord Jesus, I surrender my life utterly to You; increase my faith in You, Lord – that I would be radically serious about my relationship with You.
May my entire life be lived entirely for You, Lord!
In spite of godless people who defiantly pervert Your Grace, and the scoffers whose aim in life is to divide Your Church, I ask that Your Holy Spirit’s Power be upon me to always be alert and on guard against such pawns of darkness.
And yet, in bearing the fruit of the Spirit and of the Gospel, grant me courage, strength, resolve and wisdom to lead the world to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
That as I stand with Christ in eternal victory in resolutely living for Him today in present victory, I will remain in His righteousness – in being radically holy and acceptable to God – in thoroughly and unreservedly cutting off the parts my life that belongs in hell; and in manifesting God’s mercy to those who are seeking the truth, those who doubt, and even those who remain defiant against You.
Grant me Power that I would remain holy in Your sight – daily dying to self, picking up my Cross and following Jesus!
Grant me the holy desire to be consciously and conscientiously be filled with, and empowered by, Your Holy Spirit.
Help me daily prepare for Your imminent Return, Lord Jesus, by being continuously and consistently, consciously and conscientiously believing and living in Your Victory, Lord Jesus - in the present reality of persecution, hate and violence against Your Church.
I embrace Your Holy Call to persevere in, and unto, Your Ultimate Victory!
I yearn daily for Your Return when You bring Your Holy People to eternal life.
Help me fight the temptation to judge any transgressions; especially those committed against Your People; and help Your Church fight the temptation to hate the godless perverters of God’s Grace, the scoffers and defiant – by diligently exercising the Christian discipline of being compassionate, loving and merciful to the world, reserving judgement, and keeping ourselves wholly in God’s love.
Indeed, forgive us our sin, just as we have first forgiven those who have sinned against us.
Lord, may I be holy through You; and may I be hopeful in You; that I would never stop sharing Your Gospel to a world doomed to a fiery end.
Prepare me to be part of Your ultimate victory over darkness and death!
I commit to being radically holy – just as You are Holy.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dearly Beloved,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
As His People, we must be fully committed to our King Jesus Christ’s victory over darkness and death; and live in His victory every day of our lives.
The PAOC Statement of Fundamental and Essential Truths 5.8.5 states:
THE FINAL JUDGMENT
There will be a final judgment in which the unbelieving dead will be raised and judged at the great white throne, according to their works.
The beast and false prophet, the devil and his angels, and whoever is not found in the Book of Life, shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to annihilation but to everlasting punishment, which is the second death.
We must be very clear about this ultimate eventuality.
The devil will be vanquished into the lake of fire; and along with him, all powers of darkness, death and hades, and including all whose names are not in the book of life. (Ref: Revelation 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 20:15, 21:27)
Is this a big deal?
Absolutely!
In the coming Kingdom of God, “nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful,” (Revelation 21:27a) – “for the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars — they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur.” (Revelation 21:8 – The second, final and eternal death) – “but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27b); because we believe in “ Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth… who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father” (Revelation 1:5-6)
Church, we must – each and corporately - desire for our names to be found in the book of life (Ref Revelation 3:5); by being daily prepared for King Jesus’ ultimate and final victory.
It is going to happen.
That is why to us: the events of the book of Revelation must be both present reality and coming eventuality.
An angel will come down out of heaven, seize the devil and throw him into the Abyss; locking him there for a thousand years. (Ref: Revelations 20:1-3)
Every faithful believer shares in the “first resurrection” – they are “blessed and holy”; given an eternal, imperishable New Creation body. Death has no power upon them; and “they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” (Ref: Revelations 20:4-6)
Every true believer is designed and destined to serve God now and forevermore.
This informs us that we must cultivate the desire daily to be priests of God and of Christ from this moment onward.
As a Church, we must strive to be like Jesus – ever-ready and ever-willing to serve by the Power of the Holy Spirit; fulfilling our eternal destiny in our present lives.
In the thousand year reign of King Jesus, every promise and covenant that God has ever made with Mankind will be fulfilled.
Only true believers will be resurrected unto eternal life in the Kingdom of God; everyone else whose names are not found in the book of life will be resurrected unto condemnation and death. (Ref: Revelations 20:5, 21:8, 21:27)
When the devil is set free after the thousand years, he would “go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle.
In number they are like the sand on the seashore.
They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.
But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown.
They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:7-10)
The devil is set free to conclude the ultimate covenant that God has made with His faithful people – the final defeat of sin, darkness, and death – and the final inbreaking of His Kingdom.
It is hard not to realize that in spite of Christ’s Presence in the world during His millennium reign, there will still be people who would be deceived by the devil into rebellion and marching against His Holy People.
Holy fire from heaven would devour the human rebels; and the devil will be thrown forever into the lake of burning sulfur and tormented forever.
These are the events of the future; and it is supremely clear that believers and unbelievers do not share the same future.
While Revelation 20:4-6 speaks to the coming future faced by true believers of the Lord Jesus Christ, Revelation 20:5, 11-13 speaks to the reality faced by unbelievers.
“5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.)
11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.
The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened.
Another book was opened, which is the book of life.
The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.
14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”
When Christ ushers in the New Creation, even the very concept of earth and the heavens, whilst death and Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire – along with “anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life .”
But, for each unbelieving person, not before they stand before the throne of God to be “judged according to what they had done”.
That’s right. No one is left as a disembodied soul for long – not even unbelievers.
To be able to stand would presuppose the presence of legs; which will be part of the resurrected body given to every unbeliever.
So when the unbelieving dead stand before the throne of King Jesus – they would have received a resurrected body as well.
Even our Lord Jesus speaks to this eventuality where all dead will be bodily resurrected:
“28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28-29)
The Apostle Paul resonates as well, in Acts 24:14-15:
“I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.”
There is a difference between ‘heaven’ and the Kingdom of God
God’s Coming Kingdom is not the same as ‘heaven’, where the soul/spirit of the faithful believer passes from this world into the presence of Jesus; for those who have “fallen asleep” in Christ’ (Ref: 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17) - like us - are awaiting our Lord Jesus’ return to this world to begin the chain of events that would ultimately inbreak His eternal Kingdom.
Thus, in our eternal, Kingdom destiny, we do not float around as disembodied spirits but as New Creation ‘beings’ that have been given an imperishable, glorious, and eternal body just like Christ’s - to “be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father .” (Revelation 20:6)
For unbelievers, at the second death, with the resurrected body joined to the soul, they are forever separated from God in the flesh, condemned in absolute consciousness for all eternity in the lake of fire.
At this point in the history of Creation, all sin has been judged; and all sinners – having chosen NOT to receive God’s gift of grace and eternal life through Christ’s Sacrifice (Ref: John 3:16-18) - have commenced their eternal punishment in the lake of fire along with the devil and his fallen angels.
The total and final victory over sin has been accomplished.
As the People of God, we must be part of Christ’s ultimate victory – from this moment on.
How do we prepare for Christ’s ultimate victory – today?
Jude 3-23 informs us.
“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.” (Jude 3)
Once and for all – be utterly certain and serious about your faith in Jesus Christ.
To truly contend for the faith that God has entrusted to you, your entire life must be lived entirely for Jesus Christ.
“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (Jude 4)
Know that godless people who lives for the sake of perverting God’s Grace – defilers of God’s love for their own selfish gain - are not only in the world, they have infiltrated the Church. They will preach an ungodly, worldly, relevant ‘gospel’; giving “license to immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”
Be alert and on your guard against such pawns of the evil one.
5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. (Jude 5)
Understand this well.
The knowledge of Christ is different from the saving knowledge of Christ.
Which do you have?
You are delivered by God; but if you do not believe in His Salvation through Christ, you will be destroyed – by God.
Everyone is given life; and given a chance to come to believe in the saving knowledge of God; and this belief comes from the simple acknowledgement that we are sinners in need of God’s Salvation – given to us through Christ’s finished work on the Cross at Calvary.
The very gospel message is under the threat of perversion – but we are assured that the fruit of true Christian ministry will bear testimony of those who stand with Christ, and the lack thereof, will testify to those who stand against Christ.
Do you bear the fruit of the Gospel? Do you lead people to Christ? Are you living out Christ’s Great Commission upon you to make disciples of all nations?
Do you stand with Christ? Or against Him?
To stand with Christ in eternal victory is to resolutely live for Him today in present victory.
To choose not to stand with Christ today is to choose to stand against Him.
No one escapes punishment for sin – not human, nor angel.
Jude 6 – 16 makes it very clear:
6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion.
They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings.
9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.
11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.
12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.
14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them:
“See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
To prepare to be part of Christ’s ultimate victory over darkness, sin and death requires us to ensure that we have not given up our “proper dwelling” – to remain righteous through Christ; that we have not given “ourselves up to sexual immorality and perversion”; that we have not rejected the authority of God; that we do not become irrational; and that we do not follow our evil desires.
In short, to prepare to be part of Christ’s ultimate victory over darkness is to be radically holy – just as He is Holy. (Ref: Leviticus 11:44)
To be holy takes a fundamentalist perspective and a radical resolve.
Our Lord Jesus Christ makes this unequivocally clear more than once:
“If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
“And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away.
It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30)
“If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away.
It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.” (Matthew 18:8-9)
To share in Christ’s present and coming, ultimate victory, there must be an extremely unreserved and passionate desire to thoroughly remove the parts our lives that belongs in hell.
In God’s eyes, there are only two kinds of people in the world.
Holy, and unholy.
Christ will come with “his holy ones” to judge and convict the unholy – the defiant and the godless. (Ref: Jude 14-15)
To which kind of people are you? To whom do you belong?
Jude continues:
“17But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.
18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”
19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.” (Jude 17-19)
To be holy is to follow – not mere natural instincts – but to die to self, pick up your Cross and follow the Lord Jesus Christ (Ref: Luke 9:23);
To be holy is consciously and conscientiously be filled with, and empowered by, the Holy Spirit.
We must not be found following “mere natural instincts” which will result in becoming “irrational animals” and ultimately be destroyed (Ref: Jude 10); instead, we must live in the supernatural paradigm that comes from being filled with, and empowered by the Holy Spirit. (Ref: Acts 1:8)
We must desire to be godly.
This desire to be godly must be consistent with our utter desire to be with Christ now and forevermore in the Kingdom of God.
Our desire to be godly in this godless world must be something that gets us out of bed in the morning; something that energizes us to excel and thrive; and something that motivates us to be constantly be empowered by the Holy Spirit – “clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49) - to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission upon our lives.
To be godly is to bear both fruit of the Spirit (Ref: Galatians 5:22-23) and fruit of the Gospel (Ref: Matthew 28:19-20)
Utterly desire to be godly; and at the same time, watch out for scoffers.
Scoffers constantly feel very strongly about their views; and make their feelings known that people around them are not worthy of their respect, and thus, express contempt for them because of their opposing view.
The ‘cancel’ or ‘woke’ culture of today is made up of scoffers.
Scoffers persecute anyone who does not think as they do; and worse, persecute even more viciously those who once had the same ideologies as they did, but have since changed their minds.
Recently, in light of the re-discovery of the remains of 215 First Nations residential school students and the many others that are being brought to public attention, it is expected that Canadian educator and Methodist minister - Egerton Ryerson - a prominent figure in the design of the modern Canadian public school system and the Canadian Indian residential school system - was going to be canceled. His statue was, of course, toppled, decapitated and thrown into the Toronto Harbour. Ryerson University publicly stated that the statue will not be restored or replaced. The head of the statue was subsequently placed on a pike at the Six Nations of the Grand River in Caledonia, Ontario. No charges have been laid despite the obvious crime of destruction of property.
In the eyes of the scoffers who see themselves doing only good for society with their self-serving views, there was no good that came out of Ryerson; his entire life was wicked.
For a society that boasts a ‘woke’ discrimination, Ryerson’s life have been indiscriminately judged and condemned.
And yet, historically, it was Sir John Alexander Macdonald, as Canada’s founding prime minister and father of the Confederation, who played the instrumental role of initiating, supporting, and defending the residential school system in the late 19th century; after the fact, that at the same time - he supported giving the people of the First Nations in 1885 “a footing of equality with the white brethren” and attempted to pass a bill to give them the right to vote more than 70 years before it actually happened to Canada in 1960; and also - in the 1880s - pushed to extend the vote to women in an age when no other country in the world had female suffrage.
Would he too, be cancelled? Would scoffers cancel all of Canada’s fathers of confederation, along with every aspect of the history of Canada, that does not agree with their current sentiments? Where does it end?
There’s more.
In a recent development, Catholics have been asked to miss Sunday Mass to purportedly strongarm the Pope into apologizing for the tragedy of the loss of the children’s life.
And in tragic reaction to the news of the discovery of the unmarked graves at the sites of the former residential schools, numerous churches across Canada have been burned down and other statues of colonial figures have been destroyed.
It is clear that those in supposed authority are deeply fearful of scoffers; perhaps even colluding with them – out of their need to hold on to power.
There is so much injustice; and worse, so much perpetuation of these injustices afflicted by the very people who have sworn to prosper and protect human society.
All that is being achieved – with Man’s intervention – is an ever-deepening of generational and historical wounds.
There is no one righteous; let anyone who is without sin cast the first stone (Ref: John 8:7).
When does this culture marked by irrationality, insanity and senseless violence end?
As Christians, we will be tempted – in ‘righteous’ indignation – to judge and hate anyone who stands against our God and His Gospel – those whom Jude helps us identify as godless people, perverters of His Grace and scoffers who divide the church.
The question is not about hating them (which we mustn’t), or even about our right to hate their sin (which we must); but rather, about - continuously and consistently, consciously and conscientiously - believing and living in the Victory of Jesus Christ in the reality of persecution, hate and violence against us.
To this, Jude exhorts us to live out Our Holy Call to Persevere Unto Christ’s Victory!
“20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” (Jude 20-21)
In divine revelation, we do know when this depraved and perverse culture and its persecutions against the ageless building blocks of society (marriage and family) and the church will definitely come to an end – it is when Christ returns and “bring us to eternal life.”
Today, we patiently “wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” for the eventuality of His Glorious and Victorious Return.
We must fight the temptation to judge any transgressions; especially those committed against us; as we fight the temptation to hate the godless perverters of God’s Grace, the scoffers and defiant.
Always bear our Lord Jesus Christ’s words in mind:
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone… …” (John 8:7)
We must recognize that we simply have no ability to judge; and thus must reserve judgement on anyone and everyone till Christ’s return and final judgement.
Only Christ has the final say, because only Christ knows every detail of every transgression – for in that final moment, He does judge both the living and the dead.
This is not to ignore the present reality of brokenness, grief and pain; but to exercise the Christian discipline of reserving judgement – in “building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” - keeping yourselves in God’s love.
In God’s infinite and unfathomable love, we beg Him “to forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
In order to live in God’s Gracious and Merciful Salvation through Christ – that is, to be forgiven of our sins – we must have first forgiven those who have sinned against us, and love them with the love of God; for that is what it means to “keep ourselves in God’s love” – which is, to be holy, as He is holy.
So, do not give up hope on yourself; and certainly, do not give up hope on anyone.
To be holy through Christ is to be hopeful in Christ.
Keep yourself in God’s love as you wait for Christ to bring you to His Eternal Kingdom; for this divine hope will help you carry your pain, grief and sufferings for the sake of the Gospel; perceiving all of life fully in view of His eternal Kingdom.
“Be merciful to those who doubt.”
You know what the ultimate future and destiny holds for the world; you are fully confident of your identity, relationship and destiny in Christ; therefore, be merciful to those who doubt, forgive those who have yet to receive the saving Grace of God through Christ – even if they are actively defiant against Him today.
Even as God’s people, we are not without sin.
Do not cast any stone. We have no right to do so.
In His example of holiness, love and grace, and by the Power of His Holy Spirit (Ref: Acts 1:8), never stop sharing His Gospel of Salvation in a world doomed to a fiery end.
Show God’s mercy – mixed with the Spirit’s gift of wisdom to be cautious – to those who continue to doubt and defy God; but hate not only their sin, but “even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh” – which represents the world’s definition of an acceptable and good life.
A good life according to this world is not a holy life according to God.
Prepare to be part of Christ’s ultimate victory over darkness; commit to being radically holy – just as God is Holy.
Shalom.
Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven,
Hallowed be Your Name.
Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done; on earth, as it is in heaven.
Grant me holy resolve, O Holy Spirit, to be fully committed to King Jesus’ victory over darkness and death; and fill me with Your Holy Power to live in His victory every day of my life.
Thank you for the divine clarity and revelation that during Christ’s final judgement, “the unbelieving dead will be raised and judged at the great white throne”; along with the “beast and false prophet, the devil and his angels, and whoever is not found in the Book of Life, shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to annihilation but to everlasting punishment, which is the second death.”
Lord Jesus Christ, I acknowledge and believe with all my heart that You are “the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth”.
Lord, You love me, and have freed me from the wages of my sin – which is, death - by Your blood shed on the Cross, and have made me part of Your Kingdom as Your priest to serve Your God and Father. (Ref: Revelation 1:5-6)
Indeed, I am designed and destined to serve God now and forevermore.
Cultivate in my heart, Holy Spirit, the daily desire to be a priest of God and of Christ – in the firm knowledge that when Christ returns, I will be given an imperishable, glorious, and eternal body just like Christ’s.
Holy Spirit, help me daily prepare for Christ’s ultimate victory today!
Lord Jesus, I surrender my life utterly to You; increase my faith in You, Lord – that I would be radically serious about my relationship with You.
May my entire life be lived entirely for You, Lord!
In spite of godless people who defiantly pervert Your Grace, and the scoffers whose aim in life is to divide Your Church, I ask that Your Holy Spirit’s Power be upon me to always be alert and on guard against such pawns of darkness.
And yet, in bearing the fruit of the Spirit and of the Gospel, grant me courage, strength, resolve and wisdom to lead the world to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
That as I stand with Christ in eternal victory in resolutely living for Him today in present victory, I will remain in His righteousness – in being radically holy and acceptable to God – in thoroughly and unreservedly cutting off the parts my life that belongs in hell; and in manifesting God’s mercy to those who are seeking the truth, those who doubt, and even those who remain defiant against You.
Grant me Power that I would remain holy in Your sight – daily dying to self, picking up my Cross and following Jesus!
Grant me the holy desire to be consciously and conscientiously be filled with, and empowered by, Your Holy Spirit.
Help me daily prepare for Your imminent Return, Lord Jesus, by being continuously and consistently, consciously and conscientiously believing and living in Your Victory, Lord Jesus - in the present reality of persecution, hate and violence against Your Church.
I embrace Your Holy Call to persevere in, and unto, Your Ultimate Victory!
I yearn daily for Your Return when You bring Your Holy People to eternal life.
Help me fight the temptation to judge any transgressions; especially those committed against Your People; and help Your Church fight the temptation to hate the godless perverters of God’s Grace, the scoffers and defiant – by diligently exercising the Christian discipline of being compassionate, loving and merciful to the world, reserving judgement, and keeping ourselves wholly in God’s love.
Indeed, forgive us our sin, just as we have first forgiven those who have sinned against us.
Lord, may I be holy through You; and may I be hopeful in You; that I would never stop sharing Your Gospel to a world doomed to a fiery end.
Prepare me to be part of Your ultimate victory over darkness and death!
I commit to being radically holy – just as You are Holy.
I thank You and pray all these in the Name of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.