The Gospel Light

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV)
 “13But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.  15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

 As I stand in the midst of the commotion and confusion that is all around, that final and dreadful day has come.  That day which has been prophesied through the countless ages.  There is a loud trumpet, a shout as of the archangel, everyone is looking all around to see what is happening.  The earth begins to move and those that are asleep in their graves begin to come forth.

 Oh!  What a sight to behold.   Oh!  What a fearful sight as those that were dead now begin to rise from the grave.  Not in that decomposed state of those that have been in their graves for a long period of time.  I turn and look about, looking for a place that I might hide myself from sight.  But, there is no place for me to hide, I would that the rocks would fall upon me and hide me.  There are in the mass confusion those who are crying out.  All around there are those who are wailing and I hear those cries of the lost.

 The moon turns to a bloody red, what is this that is happening?  What could be going on, and then I remember the scriptures that say the moon would turn as blood.  The stars fall from their resting places in the heavens, and the mass destruction is every place that I look.  I see things happening that are unimaginable.  The mountains and the isles they seem to just flee from sight.  I think to myself that this is day time, where is the sun, why isn’t the sun shining, but the sun refuses to shine.  All of a sudden my eyes behold a great light in the clouds that is far greater than the light the sun gives off.  And then, and then my eyes beheld the most wonderful sight that human eyes could behold, Jesus coming in the clouds of glory with His mighty angels with Him.

 My thoughts go back to the teachings I had received in church, every eye would behold Him and every knee would bow before Him.  He was coming in all of His glory and He would judge mankind by the works they had done.  Again I look for a place to hide, but there was none.  Just a short time back I had been concerned about what the others that were round about me would think of me if I did not do as they were doing.  What would they think if I went to church, or prayed, or read the Bible, or even worse, what would they think if I were to go to an altar to accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior.  All of those things that I held so dear to me are now gone.  No more money, no more earthly possessions none of those things that I once counted to be real pleasures.

 As I look again to the east and see Jesus once more, I immediately fall to my knees and cry out for mercy.  I cry out saying that Jesus is Lord of all, by now I no longer have any prideful thoughts, I have given up my stubborn ideas; I no longer have a proud heart.  I cry out, yes I cry out, but too late it is now, too late to pray.  All of my sins I see before me and I know that the sins that are trailing my poor soul are haunting me as I cry out.  As this old world is consumed in fire and melts with fervent heat, I, along with all the others, are carried up to stand before the judgment bar of God.

 Those sins I could not shake or get away from even as I come to the throne of God.  Why do they hang on, why can I not get away from them?  As I try to escape them it comes to me that in my life I had my opportunity to escape those sins and escape the eternal punishment that goes along with them.  As I come to the throne of God, He looks upon the book that has the names written in it.  He looks and none of my sins go unnoticed.  His piercing eyes see them all, as He views my works.  I try my best to hide some of the sins and even try to explain away some of them.  But He sees them all just the way that they are.

 I look around, is there not a friend that will or can come and stand by me?   Where have all of my friends gone, don’t they realize what is going on here and that I need some help?  No, at this point I stand alone to answer for my life.  Answer for those things that I did in my life on earth.

 Then comes the time that pierced my heart, He said to me “your name is not here, depart from me.”  I immediately dropped into that pit, that lake of fire reserved for the devil and his angels.  Not for a day, not for a week, not even for a month or year, but for all eternity.  I cry out with one last plea, “oh! God give me one last chance, yes, give me that one more opportunity.”  As I dropped into that eternal punishment, a thought came to me, it was of my own choosing to go into that   place called the second death.  No hope, all hope had vanished away.   I now had gone into that place of eternal destruction of my own doing.  God had not sent me here, it was of my own choosing and doing that brought me into this place.

 A thousand tongues could not describe the anguish that I felt.  The total despair because it was now too late to repent.  That hell fire is so real and it leaped up around me as I fell down, down, down into that lake of fire, to be there forever and ever and ever.  My soul shall scream and burn while in that torment and separation from God.  Forever doomed, doomed, yes doomed.

 My mind is clear and I know what it would be like if I had made it to heaven.  Just as the rich man died and went to hell and Lazarus died and was carried to the bosom of Abraham.  Yes if only some one could come and dip their fingertips in some water and cool my tongue.  But there is no water here, there is no light, and there is no rest.  There is no love, nor joy, no not even a friend to share my distress with.  There is nothing to cheer me up.  There is no hope, my fate is sealed; it is too late for repentance here.

 Writhing in flames, pain racks my soul and all around I hear the piercing cries of other lost souls.  God does not see my wretched soul, oh the pain of knowing I will be separated from that loving, gracious, tender, forgiving God.  Forgotten for all eternity.

 Today a loving Lord would save you from this fate.  Come humbly now and accept His grace before it is too late.  God extends His love and mercy for all that will come.  But, we have to make the move and come to Him in humble submission.  Asking Him for the forgiveness of our sins and repenting of our sins.
 
 I hope that today you got a picture of what it is going to be like for that lost soul on judgment morning.  I feel God is trying to speak to hearts today and you may be the one He is speaking to, don’t let the opportunity pass you by.  God is tenderly calling to you today, He is saying come home, come home.  Yes, He is tenderly calling you home; He stands waiting with open arms inviting you to come to Him.

 Won’t you accept Him as Lord and Savior of your life?  Don’t be like the person described in the message today, cry out to God while you still have a chance.  He is waiting, won’t you come?

 Go into the Bible and read Romans 10:9-13, it tells you what it takes to be saved.
 
 

What Is Sanctification?

 In recent years there has been quite a lot of discussion about holiness, or sanctification, or the baptism of the Holy Spirit – all meaning the same thing.  There has been a lot of different kinds of experiences labeled “this is it,” but many of them have missed the mark.  It is impossible in one article to explain all about sanctification, but we are going to consider part of the subject in this one.
 
In Ephesians 5:25-27 we read: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
 Sanctification is a Bible doctrine.  It is an experience that any person can have if he will but pay the price.  Webster says it means the act of consecration, or of setting apart for a sacred purpose; the act of sanctifying, or making holy.  First we shall consider why we need it.  The first reason is because of sin inherent, and actual repentance can apply only to our own individual sin, or acts of wrong.  Therefore forgiveness is limited to that ground.  We are not responsible for possessing the evil nature that we inherited by the transgression of Adam our forefather, but we must get rid of that old nature of sin before God can use us as he wants to.

 In Psalm 51:5 we read: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”  This scripture shows that an evil disposition is a part of man from the moment of his existence.
 In Ephesians 2:3 we read that we “were by nature the children of wrath.”  It was not always so.  Before Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden, man was holy and pure in God’s sight, but by one act of disobedience sin came upon all men everywhere, and all became sinners.  Let me illustrate what I mean.

 Here in Pennsylvania there is a river called the Clarion River.  It is one of the most beautiful in the state.  But there is one thing wrong with it: it is polluted; the water is black, and at certain times of the year an unpleasant odor comes from the water.  Now it was not always this way.  There was a time when it was pure and clean, but certain factors have entered into making it a polluted stream.  Now the only way to make this river clean and pure is to go to the source of the pollution and take it away.  Then the stream will be pure and clean once more.

 The same is true of the spiritual life of man.  Before Adam sinned it was pure and holy, but sin came and polluted the life.  Now to make the life holy and clean, sin must be taken out.  God is more willing to cleanse the life than we are to have it cleansed, and the only way that it can be done is by a complete consecration and dedication to the things of God.

 Faith calmly rests on the promises of God and appropriates the blessing.  The Holy Ghost comes in as an abiding Comforter, and he will guide us into all truth.  The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts and gives us power over all the power of the devil.  When a man is Holy Spirit filled, or sanctified, service to God is easier, and man is able to conquer.  It makes the person master of every situation.  Someone has asked, “Will I never make any more mistakes?”  Yes, as long as we are in this world we will make mistakes, but there is a vast difference between a mistake and a sin.  Sin is a willful transgression of God’s law, but a mistake is something we do unknowingly.
 Let me illustrate.  Suppose I were to come to your home, and you had just finished painting the porch.  I know nothing about it and walk on the porch and spoil the paint job.  You would say, “Oh, that’s all right.  We will just fix it up.  Think nothing of it.”  That would be a mistake on my part.  But say I knew you had just painted it, and I deliberately walked on the paint.  Well, that’s a different story.  The results are the same, but the motive back of it is different.  The will enters into the latter, and it does not in the first case.

 Someone says, “Will I be tempted after I am sanctified?”  Yes, temptations will come to each of us; God has a definite purpose in permitting us to be tempted.  It is for our own good.  During the fire of temptation the pure gold of our lives is brought out, and every time we win a battle over the devil we are just that much stronger and better able to fight the next one.  “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him” (James 1:12).

 How will I feel when I receive it?  That depends entirely upon you and your particular make-up.  Some people shout, others weep, others just have a sweet peace and a calm stealing into their hearts, and others have very little feeling of any kind.  It isn’t a question of feeling; it’s a question of faith.  As your faith is, so be it unto you, says the Scripture.

 Well, you say, what will it do for me?  It will give you power over self and the devil, help you control yourself in all cases, give you that inward peace and poise that are so essential in making a success of life.  It won’t make you wishy-washy individual, because Jesus was not that kind of  person.  You will still have your own ideas, but you will see that they conform to God’s will; or you will have power that will enable you to forget them and go God’s way.
 It won’t stop you from criticizing, but it will stop destructive criticism.  It will cause you to speak kindly of others instead of being a talebearer and a gossip and a babbler.  The Holy Spirit in your life and mine will cause us to mind our own business, and not try to control all around about us.  It will save us from littleness of character – make us big men and women, fit for the Master’s use.  It will cause us to love one another with an holy love; cause us to be spiritually minded instead of carnally minded, give us power with men and with God, give us a ringing testimony to what God can do for humanity, make us humble in heart and attitude.

 You say, How can I get an experience like that?  Any person who has been born again and has had his sins forgiven is a subject for the holy spirit.  Ask, and ye shall receive; believe in the promise of Jesus when he said that he would send the Holy Spirit after he ascended into heaven.  It comes by simple faith in God.  Ask him for the Holy Spirit, and then accept him by faith in Jesus Christ.
 
 

 A blessing comes in many forms but God doesn’t always just hand them out.  Blessings can be prayed for, however, the answer can catch us off guard.  Many times the blessing will be deliverance from oppression even though the blessing was asked for before the oppression began.

 When I started my first semester, I prayed God would reveal the truth of His Word to me.  It didn’t take long for me to alter God’s plan.  Studying for the first test took a long time.  There was a lot of Scripture to read. My time-line for finishing my courses before the deadline was going to be tough but I was in search of knowledge not credits.  The results of my first test were discouraging, a mere 81%.

 If I had stepped back to look at the big picture, I would have seen my goals were being accomplished.  I was starting to learn God’s Word and I passed the exam.  But I was determined to do exceptionally well and I thought that meant scoring high on the test.  I knew the test questions came from material in the book provided by the school not from the Bible.  However, the school’s book gives multiple theories for the same Scripture and does not state which is true and which is false.  At this point I decided to solely study their book and not God’s Book in an effort to get a higher test score.  The next test I did score higher, an 88%, but did I learn more?

 God will always step in at our weakest point.  He will not test us beyond what we can handle.  God intervened to let me know He was only answering previous prayer.  We learn more when we question what we are told.  When we study the Truth, the truth will be revealed. Blindly accepting information passed can lead to spiritual blindness.  God revealed to me, my knowledge would increase as I study His Word to validate material presented and true knowledge will not be reflected in a test score.

 Through continual prayer, I know I will need to limit the courses I take to one at a time but I will be able to take the time to study God’s Word. I will be able to find the truth when various theories are presented.  Removing God’s Word from the equation to learn God’s Word must have been disappointing to God. Thankfully, He had a plan and He would not give up on me.  He had to lead me through an oppression to deliver a blessing.

 Where are you at in your spiritual journey?  As Christians, we have to study God’s Word. When is the last time you read the Bible?  If you answered today, great!  If it’s been a while, you may be asking yourself where to start.  Start by spending time in prayer, asking God to lead you.  A daily devotional booklet can help you get started.  Join a Bible study.  If there is not one in your area or your local church, start one.  Just because you organize or lead the study does not mean you have all the answers.  Let the Word provide the answers, that is the purpose of the study.

 The message presented by spiritual leaders during a worship service will provide a greater understanding when the hearer validates the message with Scripture.  When Scripture is given, ensure it has not been taken out of context.  If you disagree, discuss it using the Bible.  The Bible cannot contradict itself.  If the Bible appears to make a contradiction, ensure you see the big picture.  Who wrote the Scripture in question, who were they writing to, and what message was being conveyed?  Answer these questions and the door of Truth will be opened up to you.
 

From the Editors Desk

 We tend to drill it into the children that they are to be silent in the church.  How do you teach someone that silence in “church” shows reverence to God and then teach them that they should praise God in the services?  There is a great benefit to the verbal testimony of the great goodness of God.  Simple shouting and praising when blessed can do wonders for the people of the congregation.

  There is also a great danger of elevating the building to a level of a god.  The chapel is not the church.  The very word church means “assembly”.  No building can qualify.  The people are the church and only the saved are God’s church.  If it isn’t okay for us to do something in “church” then it is wrong to do it anywhere.  For we are the church.  If one must be quiet in church then we must be quiet all the time, for we are the church.  (1 Corinthians 3:16)  “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”  (Hebrews 12:22-23)  “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”

 Now to have one code of conduct in one building more then another is to elevate that building above other buildings.  To be blunt to have a church service in a modern church building and having one in a barn.  Both are buildings, both can being used to worship God.  But the way people will conduct themselves will be quite a different code of conduct.  Why? Because we teach that one is more sacred then the other.  The problem is that one is not more sacred then the other.  For it is not the building that is sacred,  it is  God that is worshiped, that is sacred.

 So, is there a special code of conduct for the church?  Yes, but that is not saying the building.  The conduct is in every point of our lives not just for a set number of hours a week at a certain building.  (1 John 2:3-4)  “3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”  We as the Church must be obedient to God at all times.  It is nice to have a nice building but don’t worship the building-worship God.  There is nothing special about any building but there is something special about praising and worshiping God.
 

 This publication is by the First Church of God, 2311 Dawson Cabin Rd., Jacksonville, NC 28540.  Chief Editor Pastor Stanley Farrar II, Editor Michelle Farrar. The Gospel Light is published to spread the true light of God's word to all men.  We are dedicated to the truths of the word of God.  Such as salvation, holiness, sanctification, the unity of all believers, etc...It is also online at:  http://geocities.datacellar.net/gospel_light.geo.

 We are not responsible for returning any articles submitted to The Gospel Light.  We reserve the right to hold the articles for future printing, and possible reprinting.  All articles submitted should be submitted to the First Church of God, 2311 Dawson Cabin Rd., Jacksonville, NC 28540.  We can also be faxed at (775)854-4092, or we can be e-mailed at srfarrar@earthlink.net.  I hope that the Gospel Light paper is a blessing to you, and may God bless those who read this paper.