Christian Hope - Part 2

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

Last month I began a two-part message on Christian hope. I want to continue with part two of that message. Now I would like to bring out some things about having this hope from Hebrews 6:11-20.

The background and historical context of the book of Hebrews is important. It was written to professing believers in Christ Jesus who were living in Jewish communities. They had professed to own Him as Messiah and Lord. Some were genuine and others were false professors and were not yet truly saved.

They were living as Jewish Christians before the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD. Therefore, they had been persecuted by their own religious and ethnic culture. Under that persecution many of them were being swayed back to the traditional Judaism of their time which included the Old Testament sacrificial system. That system rejected Jesus as the fulfillment and final sacrifice for sins. The fact that they re-converted to Judaism proves many of them were not truly saved.

In the last half of Chapter 6, the ones that were sincere believers were examples for the unsaved to follow or "imitate." Therefore the unsaved ones were (and by application, are) being called upon to make an all out commitment to faith in Christ alone. At the same time the truly saved were being called to persevere against their unsaved religious culture and keep on growing in their faith. This included the importance of not letting go OF THE HOPE SET BEFORE THEM as part of their faith.

There are many applications for 21st century believers here. In America today and more specifically in the correctional system, more and more of the prevailing culture is going to persecute true followers of Christ. Like the unsaved Jews that were being called to a genuine commitment to Jesus, there are many who are stuck in false religion today, and by application this passage also is calling out to them.

Last month I spoke of three truths true Christians have to look forward to in hope. They are: 1) the return of Christ in glory, 2) the glorification of their own body and 3) being with God in His presence, forever.

I explained that HOPE is faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of these promises of God that cannot fail, because He cannot lie. This hope always accompanies true saving faith in Christ.

In Hebrews 6:11-20 we see FOUR great encouragements that relate to the third aspect of Christian hope I just mentioned. It is TO BE WITH GOD IN HIS PRESENCE IN HEAVEN FOREVER. That’s what salvation is for. That’s what salvation looks forward to, being with God in His presence forever.

I believe that is the thrust of this passage, which guarantees the promises of God to a true follower of Jesus Christ. I believe this because verse 19 speaks of ENTERING THE Presence (a Hebraism, meaning the glory of God’s presence) BEYOND THE VEIL.

Of course, the writer is using Old Testament tabernacle and temple imagery in reference to "behind the veil," to speak of being in the very Presence of God. The first encouragement is to truly embrace Christian hope. It comes in verses 11 and 12. It is evangelistic. It is:

A Great Prompting – to Have a Saving Faith and Hope in Christ - that Perseveres

11 And we desire that each one of you (that are not yet saved) show the same diligence (as the true believers, referred to in verses 9 - 10) to the full assurance of hope until the end,
12 that you do not become sluggish, (slow, dull, lazy) but imitate those (the true believers) who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

In verse 11, the word "diligence" which gives the idea of an eager strong effort, is a very energetic term. In this verse, the writer and his true fellow believers are urging even prompting the unsaved professors of Christianity to truly embrace Christ with all haste. They were doing so with great desire.

This Christian writer and his fellow believers (the "we" of v. 11) wanted them to have the same FAITH EXHIBITED BY HOPE as they and others true believers do. That faith is characterized by an endurance that never gives up! Christian hope perseveres to the end. This hope, faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of the promises God has made, never quits or gives out. It remains firm until the end to inherit the promises.

It is interesting to compare the word "diligence" in verse 11, with the word "sluggish," in verse 12. They are opposites. Great effort and haste are included in the original word translated as "diligence" - whereas boredom, laziness and slowness to move, are part of the original word here translated "sluggish."

Those who truly embrace Christ and His gospel put forth effort to hold on to God’s promise in Christ to inherit the blessings of His presence. On the other hand those who repeatedly hear the gospel but still haven’t truly come to Christ are dull and sluggish about laying hold of that promise in true saving faith.

I think you need to press the point brought out here to the inmates that are the "fence sitters." They come to Christian Chapel services and your Bible studies for many reasons (some of which are not good) yet they fall short of truly grabbing hold of the gospel. You see this by their waffling back to false religion and by a lack of Christian fruit.

A great point here is that true Christian faith and hope PERSEVERES. It hangs on until the blessing is realized. It never gives up. Look at what Hebrews 10 :35-39 says:

35 ... do not cast away your confidence (this includes faith that embraces hope in the promises of God being fulfilled), which has great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:
37 " For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."
39 But we (true believers) are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

NEXT, in verses 13-15 we see the example of Abraham, a true believer. In faith he hoped and patiently waited for the promised child, who was the start of the nation through whom would come the Savior of the world. As such he is a great example of faith that hopes.

So in Abraham we see - A Great Pattern – to Pursue

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself,
14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you."
15 And so, after he (Abraham) had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

The fact that God made a promise was good enough. God cannot lie. But here, in verse 13, and 14 the text points back to Genesis 15, where God confirmed His prior promise to give Abraham a son who would become a nation and a land and eventually through his line the Blessing of a Savior for the whole world. Compare also Genesis 12:1-3.

God did not need to confirm His prior promise, but He did. Verse 13 makes the point, God made a promise TO Abraham BUT He made it WITH Himself. God’s covenant was really with His own perfect holy nature. I will explain this momentarily.

But first, the point I want to make here is in regard to Abraham. He believed and had a hope that endured patiently. Christian hope does that, and thank God He gives us many examples in His word of people like Abraham who "contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations," Romans 4:18

You need to be constantly giving inmates and residents GOOD EXAMPLES OF THOSE WHO NEVER LOST HOPE IN GOD’S PROMISES. Then you need to CHALLENGE THEM TO BE LIKE FORMER HEROS OF THE FAITH - LIKE ABRAHAM.

Give them illustrations of people whose faith endured. They are the good patterns to follow, to pursue. A great list of them is found in Hebrews 11, but that great Chapter is introduced by Hebrews 10:38,39.

38 Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."
39 But we (true believers) are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

The opposite of “drawing back” is persevering in faith believing in the hope God has set before us – just like Abraham who “patiently endured.”

As Hebrews 6 continues, it focuses the reader again on God’s gracious promises and an incredible confirmation through an oath pledged. Here in verses 16-18 note God’s Gracious Promise – that He Pledged

16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute.
17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel (the unchangeableness of what He said), confirmed it by an oath,
18 that by two immutable (unchangeable) things, (God’s promise and His oath) in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation (or, that we might be gripped tightly with encouragement), who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

Wow! What a great God! Let me explain my emotional response to what these verses are talking about. In Genesis 15, God reconfirmed the promise He made to Abraham by entering into a customary practice of his time. In Abraham’s day when two men made a covenant, which had binding obligations on both parties, they sealed it through a special ceremony.

It was done in this way - the two men would sacrifice an animal and split its carcass in two. Then, the two men that were making the covenant, would set the two parts of the carcass opposite each other and WALK TOGETHER THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO PARTS - TOGETHER. This signified it was a covenant made with blood. In effect the two men were saying if either one of them reneged on their responsibility to keep their part of the promise, they deserved to have their own life’s blood poured out, just like the animal sacrifice.

So in Genesis 15, God graciously answered Abraham’s question, "Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?” “IT” is a reference to the land for the nation that would bring the Savior of the world. God then answered Abraham IN this way -

9 ... "Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."

What an act of condescension on God’s part to Abraham – and by extension to us!

10 Then he (Abraham) brought all these to Him (the Lord GOD) and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other;

Then, in Genesis 15:17 we read: "And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a SMOKING OVEN and a BURNING TORCH that passed between those pieces." The “smoking oven” and the “burning torch” were manifestations of the Presence of God! This means, contrary to custom - God did not walk through the carcass pieces with Abraham, BUT WITH HIMSELF! Ultimately, God’s promise to keep His covenant with believers (like Abraham and all his spiritual descendants) DOES NOT DEPEND ON THEM KEEPING THEIR PART OF THE BARGIN. Rather, it depends on God’s faithfulness with Himself! WOW!

Lastly, our Hebrews 6 passage ends with A Great Illustration – Pictured in verses 19,20.

19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil,
20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Our hope as true believers is the truth Jesus’ gospel. To be saved we have had to "lay hold" of it. We have had to believe the gospel facts as true, and believe in Jesus. He is even described in another verse, as our very hope. Note 1 Timothy 1:1, "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,"

But here, in Hebrews 6:19 the anchor is our faith and hope in Him and in His gospel. Then there is a beautiful word picture of Jesus in verse 20. He is called "the forerunner" and in the NASB, "a forerunner for us."

In the ancient Roman world a FORERUNNER was actually a little boat. When a ship was in troubled waters, and hidden reefs or rocks made navigation into the harbor of safety very dangerous, this boat – the forerunner, would be sent ahead WITH THE ANCHOR INTO THE HARBOR OF SAFETY.

Once safely there, the sailors would drop and fix the anchor. So, even though the ship and cargo and the mariners were being battered by the waves outside the safe harbor, they knew they were safe BECAUSE THE FORERUNNER HAD GONE AHEAD AND SECURED THEM!

The Amplified Version brings this out as it renders verses 19 and 20 this way:
"(Now) we have this (hope) as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul (it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it – a hope) that reaches farther and enters into (the very certainty of the Presence) within the veil, where Jesus has entered in for us (in advance) a Forerunner having become a High Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek."

Wow! What a picture of the security of the believer’s future hope! In conclusion, we have four encouragements to continue to believe in the Christian hope of being with God eternally. From Hebrews 6:11-20 they are:

1. Our true saving faith is proven by our PERSEVERANCE IN HOPE.
2. We have some great examples of people like Abraham, whose faith ENDURED PATIENTLY IN HOPE.
3. God has graciously PLEDGED to keep His promise to save believers. He did this by taking part in a confirmation of a human oath. That ought to give us great hope!
And finally -
4. Jesus has securely fixed BELIEVERS HOPE AS AN anchor in the inner sanctum of God’s PRESENCE.

Rich Hines - Aurora Ministries – Chaplain Help Ministry

Christian Hope - Part 1

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

When outsiders visit a jail or prison, or even a rescue mission, often their initial impression is that this is a gloomy, sad, place. They see the results of what sin does in a life still being lived out on earth. BUT, by contrast, if they see residents that are true believers and followers of Christ, they should be stunned by their overall attitude of joy.

Biblical Christianity produces real, lasting joy - even in the midst of suffering and hardship. That is a reality because true believers have HOPE. This month I want to begin to speak about Christian hope. I think ministers of the gospel should teach this hope to all those who are seeking Christ - even in jails, prisons and rescue missions.

Throughout the Bible, hope always looks forward to the promises of God being fulfilled IN THE FUTURE.

Psalm 43:5 says:
"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall YET praise Him (note the future tense there) the help of my countenance and my God."

Proverbs 14:23 likewise looks forward when it says in the King James version: "The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath HOPE IN HIS DEATH."

Then Jeremiah, who was in the midst of suffering, had this to say in Lam. 3:21-24,

"This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’S mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’"

When the New Testament speaks about the Christian’s hope it is talking about the sure future awaiting all true believers. As a verb in relationship to believers, hope never means something they wish for - that might not come true. Rather, it means their confident expectation of the fulfillment of the promises of God, who CANNOT lie.

Romans 5:1-5 says:
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and REJOICE IN HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD.
3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5 Now HOPE does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

The Amplified Versions renders the first part of verse 5 this way: "Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us." Furthermore, most of the verses in the New Testament about the believer’s hope refer to one of three things which are really connected to each other. They are:

1. The return of Christ in the clouds in glory - e.g. Titus 2:13, or 1 Peter 1:13.

2. The glorified body that all true believers will have someday - e.g. 1 Thess. 4:13-17 with 1 Cor. 15:50-52.

and
3. To be with God in heaven for the rest of eternity e. g. Rom. 5:2 and 1 Thess. 4:17

There then is a sense in which Christian hope looks to the final stage of salvation that cannot fail to come to pass for the believer in the future. Even though according to verses like John 5:24, a believer HAS ETERNAL LIFE FROM THE MOMENT OF THEIR TRUE FAITH IN CHRIST, there is yet a greater sense of enjoying that eternal life IN THE FUTURE. This is why verses like Titus 1:2 say:

"In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began."

The Apostle Peter meant the same thing when by the Holy Spirit he wrote in 1 Pet.1:3-5 .
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith FOR SALVATION READY TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST TIME."

Paul echoed the same thought in Romans 13:11 when he said: "For now our salvation is nearer than when we believed." This is why believers, even though incarcerated, have a joy that cannot be explained naturally. Through the hope given them by God, they KNOW FOR SURE THEY HAVE A BETTER FUTURE.

The same Apostle, speaking for true Christians said: "... I consider (meaning, I have weighed it all together and calculated everything and come to the conclusion) that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)

That adequately describes the Christian’s future outlook and hope. Note the certainty in those words - "which SHALL BE revealed in us." That’s in their better future. To help you teach inmates and residents about the Christian’s hope, I want to show you two passages.

I will only deal with the first passage in this Chaplain’s Corner, and then next month, Lord willing, I will unpack the other. So, you can hope to hear more of what God’s word teaches on hope! The first passage is Romans 8:16-25. The context in that chapter of Romans is about the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. Picking up in verse 16, we read:

16 the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

The Holy Spirit produces results in the lives of those He indwells. So much so that they can objectively point to them and then know for sure they have been brought into God’s family. The idea in verse 16 from the two preceding verses is that they can be assured that God has "ADOPTED" them. That means God has PLACED THEM as sons or daughters into His eternal family. Verse 17 then continues:

17 and if children (meaning children of God), then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.

The logic here is inescapable, and wonderful. IF you are a son or a daughter of God, THEN you are also an HEIR of God. An HEIR HAS A FUTURE INHERITANCE to look forward to. True Christians will one day inherit Christ’s inheritance - which is GLORY. Note it at the end of verse 17, and in verse 18.

... if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together (with Him).
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

And the point is - IN HOPE, believers should long for the day of their glorification and the reception of their inheritance. To stress that point, God reveals something wonderful to think about in verses 19-22. The earth itself will be delivered from the curse He placed on it - in the future, when the saved enjoy their eternal glorified state.

In this part of our passage, creation, or what is called "nature" today, is given personality. The first century readers would be used to this rhetorical device, especially those with an Old Testament background. Here are a few examples:

Isaiah 55 looks forward prophetically to the time of Messiah’s reign, and says in 55:12,
12 The mountains and the hills SHALL BRAK FORTH INTO SINGING before you, and all the trees of the field SHALL CLAP THEIR HANDS.

Similarly, Isaiah 35:1,2 says:
1 The wilderness and the wasteland SHALL BE GLAD for them, and the desert SHALL REJOICE and blossom as a rose;
2 It shall blossom abundantly AND REJOICE, EVEN WITH JOY AND SINGING.

With that understanding, look at the text in Romans 8:19-22 -
19 For the earnest expectation (ardent desire) of the creation (here a reference to the inanimate earth and the plants and animal life) eagerly waits for the revealing (the unveiling) of the sons of God.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility (this word means that it could not be what it was supposed to be, or it has not been successful), not willingly, but because of Him (God) who subjected it in hope;
21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption (due to the curse God brought on it because of mankind’s sin, see Genesis 3:17) into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

From this thought of creation having emotion and hoping for deliverance from its curse the passage turns back to true believers in verses 23-25.

23 Not only that (or, ‘it’ meaning the creation), but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, EVEN WE OURSELVES GROAN WITHIN OURSELVES, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Just like possessing eternal life and true salvation, adoption into God’s family has a FUTURE AND FULLER ASPECT TO IT. Believers are right now God’s adopted children, BUT in the future they’ll look like it - even physically - in their new glorified bodies. This is what 1 John 3:2 is talking about. Note it:

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that WHEN He is revealed, (at His appearing) WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM, for we shall see Him as He is.

Now our passage in Romans 8 continues in verses 24 and 25:
24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees?
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.

The act of faith includes the idea of hope. Hope is faith that looks forward. Our believing God means we trust Him for the present AND FOR THE FUTURE.

John MacArthur had this to say about verse 24 in his excellent commentary: "HOPE is inseparable from salvation. Our salvation was planned by God in ages past, bestowed in the present, and is now characterized by HOPE for its future completion. ... The believers HOPE is not based on wishful thinking or probability, but on the integrity of the clear promises of the Lord. ... Our HOPE is not that we might not lose our salvation but that, by our Lord’s own guarantee, we CANNOT and WILL NOT lose it."

Teach the believers you are discipling that they need to EAGERLY WAIT and long for their GLORIFIED BODY. That’s Christian hope. Verse 25 teaches believers are to wait for it with PERSEVERANCE.

That means to wait for their glorification with patient longsuffering, with endurance through the tough times here below. Remind them that Jesus told His disciples in John 16:33, "In the world you will* have tribulation; BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD." (* the earliest manuscripts simply read: ‘in the world you have tribulation.’)

May we who truly know and trust Christ, REJOICE in the SURE HOPE He has given each one of us. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Rich Hines
Minister To Chaplains – Aurora Ministries

Christian Character Matters – Confront Lying and Teach Truthfulness

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

ll Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

Being a Christian Chaplain or a Christian Prison/Jail minister means a lot. Among other things, it means representing a God of all truth and taking a stand against every form of lying. The greatest truth and most important eternal reality is Jesus Christ and His program.

Our society seems to be given over to lying. I have noticed it a lot recently, and I sense it is increasing. Just think about the everyday slang terms which normalize lying that have surfaced in recent years. Phrases like “spin doctoring,” “cover up” and “damage control.”

And then there’s the old phrase that we hear with ever increasing commonality: “It was just a white lie.” Before God, there is no such thing. I am sure the economic stress of our times adds to this. Under that category there seems to be a sense that it is all right to mislead and misrepresent, just to make a sale.

The inmate culture goes even farther. I just bring up the fact of our society normalizing lying because it makes teaching inmates to be truthful that much more challenging. But this is part of your ministry - to help establish the gospel in their hearts.

The gospel that centers on Christ’s substitutionary death and resurrection must also make men holy. It must make us that truly believe it – different. You must tell professing believers that their Christian character is important. It should matter a great deal to them. Therefore, I offer this study to help you get started teaching truthfulness to inmates and residents. Remember, telling the truth is totally counter-culture to the normal culture inside the walls of incarceration.

To begin, it is important to see that lying is part of fallen human nature. It gets its source from every human’s original spiritual father, the devil.

Jesus said of him, “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44 (NIV).

The devil is also the main influencer of unsaved society. 1 John 5:19 says: “the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.”

The term “the world” as used in many texts like the one above, means unsaved human society – and the way it thinks. With that in mind, before we get to some specific texts to teach your Bible students, look at the Scripture in 1 John 2:15-17. It says:

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

This is a strong statement! The Spirit through the Apostle was speaking to those that professed to be Christians, literally “born ones” (1 John 2:1). Verse 15 begins with a command to NOT do something – do NOT BE LOVING THE WORLD OR ITS THINGS.

The second sentence in the verse is also very strong, and fits with the Apostles' overall theme, which is how to know for sure you have eternal life.

“If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

This teaches us if anybody continually loves the world they do not posses God’s love. This is another way of saying they do not have eternal life or true salvation. Compare the thought of not having God the Father’s love to 1 John 4:8 which says -

“He who does not love DOES NOT KNOW GOD (another way to say they are not saved), for God is love.”

Upon closer examination of the original language, we discover something amazing in verse 15. Without looking at the Greek text I always assumed the word for love here would be in the “phile” family of Koine Greek words for “love.” “Phile” is the love of attraction, of fondness for or liking something or someone because of perceived beauty or value. It is aesthetic love.

At first reading, I expected the original word to be a reference to THIS kind of love. If that were the case, God would be saying in 1 John 2:15, something like do no be fond of worldly things, let them lose their attraction for you.

But, upon inspection of the original truly God-breathed-out (inspired) word I was shocked to see that every word for “love” in 1 John 2:15 is a form of “agape” love. It's there three times as a verb and once as a noun.

That fact broadens the command. “Agape” love is the love of ALL OUT COMMITMENT! It sacrifices for the thing so loved. Whereas “phile” love may be conditional, “agape” love is always UNCONDITIONAL. “Phile” is based more upon the thing loved, whereas “agape” is based on the nature of the one who so loves. “Agape” love is total devotion to something, even if the thing or person (humanly speaking) is not worth the love poured on it.

So God is saying in 1 John as a test of true spirituality, Christians cannot be those continually devoted and committed to the world or any of its things - including its VALUES. The world of lost society loves lying, that is one of its VALUES

The system at work all around the earth in the hearts and minds of natural unspiritual people is totally committed to self and therefore it follows, totally committed to telling untruths. Lying is popular. In the culture of prison thinking, it is even seen as an art form to be further developed!

In 1 John 2, verses 16 and 17 go on to clarify the matter.

16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

17 And the world is passing away (the passive voice of the verb “passing away” makes this is a veiled reference to its judgment), and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

So why be constantly committed and devoted to sin? To the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes and the boastful pride of the self-life? It's all sin that is about to be judged by God!

According to verse 17, the ones who don't love the world or its ways - including lying, will not be judged with the world, they will turn from loving sin and will inherit an eternal home with God.

Before we move on, I want to point out two other things from verse 16.

1. Greed and covetousness are evidenced by lying to try to satisfy “the lust of the eyes.”

2. Covering sin by lying about it really comes under the category of “the pride of life.”

The world of lost sinners is committed to those things, but saints of God cannot be like them. They are to be committed to telling the truth.

Now more directly on the subject of being transformed from being a liar to being an honest person who tells the truth, I want to consider FOUR passages.

First look at Revelation 22:14-15. The context all the way forward from Rev. 21:1 is talking about the new heaven also called “the New Jerusalem” or the “city.”

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments* (*the earliest manuscripts read ‘wash their robes’), that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city (heaven, the New Jerusalem).

15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

The word for “loves” in verse 15, is a present tense verb form of “phile” therefore, this refers to being continually attracted to the practice of lying.

Next, compare this to Revelation 21:27 (in the NASB translation)

27 and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it (the ‘city’ of heaven), but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's (or Jesus’) book of life.

From these verses in Revelation, show those who listen to your Bible teaching that the issue of telling the truth, and turning away from lying is very serious.

Their relationship to habitual lying shows where they’re headed for all eternity! Those who die in their sin of unbelief, rejecting Jesus as Savior from sin and Lord over their life - evidenced by continual lying, will not go to heaven.

The final two passages I want to go over this month, to help you teach inmates that THEY MUST TELL THE TRUTH, are related. They are both addressed to born again Christians.

Colossians 3:9 – the context from Col. 3:1 is talking about living the heavenly life even now on earth. This is part of the realization and evidence of what the Spirit through the Apostle calls “the new man.”

9 Do not lie to one another (this could be translated ‘stop lying to one another’), since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

Putting off the old man is in this verse – a done deal. The old self or old man DIED at conversion. Therefore, to practice lying is to resurrect the old worldly life and its ways.

A true Christian would never WANT to do that. They might struggle with worldly temptation and their yet unredeemed flesh that tells them it’s OK to tell a lie, but they cannot continue practicing any sin habitually, non-stop. Therefore, they do not want to tell lies.

Verse 9 actually is at the end of a long list of sins that are to be completely stripped off, like polluted clothing.

Verse 7 states that before the believers’ new birth they lived in these sins, then verse 8 says “BUT NOW,” in other words - after your true conversion to Christ, these sins are to not be practiced any more.

Lastly, look at Ephesians 4:20-25, which contains the key to stopping the practice of telling lies. After a few verses (4:17-19) describing the thinking and lifestyle of the unsaved idol worshipers, the text turns and states a contrast to their way of living. It says:

20 BUT (that’s a hinge word) you (plural) have not so learned Christ,

21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him,

These phrases – to “learn Christ,” to “have heard Him,” and to “have been taught by Him,” are all references to dying to self and coming to life IN CHRIST, through the new birth. They refer to a proper response to His gospel.

Now, note something special at the end of verse 21, where it says -

21 … as the truth is in Jesus:

The believer’s Lord and Savior is the God of all truth. He is the God who according to Titus 1:2, “cannot lie.” Hebrews 6:18 says “it is impossible for God to lie.”

So, just like the truth is always in Jesus it is fitting for the believers –

22 that you (plural) put off, concerning your former conduct (way of life), the old man which grows corrupt (or, is always being corrupted) according to the deceitful lusts,

23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

That’s the KEY TO CHANGING FROM BEING A HABITUAL LIAR TO BEING A HABITUAL TRUTH TELLER – BE BEING RENEWED IN YOUR MIND!

How does an inmate or any former lifestyle sinner do that? They stay in God’s written word. The Psalmist questioned and answered this way, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” Psalm 119:9.

As the mind, the way of thinking, is RENEWED BY GOD’S WORD, the change takes place. Note it in verse 24 -

24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

So, just like in Colossians, the Spirit inspired Apostle draws the mental picture of stripping off infected clothing and then putting on fresh new clean clothes. In verse 25, he begins a detailed list of the old infectious lifestyle, that must be stripped off right away! Heading the list is the sin of lying.

25 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.

This fits with the presentation of the King of kings and the believer’s Master, Jesus, in verse 21 as the source of truth. It also contrasts with the end of verse 22 which stated that the old man was continually corrupted by the DECEITFUL (or LYING) LUSTS.

Those lusts are part of the world that died for the Christian at the point of His true birth from above!

These teachings are counter-culture to inmate life. That’s a good thing. Though this is hard for inmates and others to hear, remember, the Lord by His Spirit is able to do what from a totally human viewpoint, is impossible.

The Holy Spirit can turn habitual criminal liars (or any other liars) into consistently honest truth tellers! He will do it to the glory of His grace and mercy and for a testimony to the watching but still lost world.

Rich Hines

Minister To Chaplains – Aurora Ministries

Despite Having More Enemies Than Friends, Jesus Shall Reign! - Psalm 2

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

We live in a political society. If what the news media and other “polls” say is anywhere close to accurate, Jesus Christ has many more enemies than He has friends in America today. Along with a growing hatred of Jesus is a growing hatred of the Bible in America.

I was recently talking with a relative and she told me the printed form she was asked to fill out in order to be hired by a municipality, actually had a place on the form where she was told to “check one.” The area of the form was for “gender,” and it had printed on it, “male,” “female” and - “OTHER!” In an effort to be politically correct, the city in question opted to reject the Bible and God’s created order.

God’s word is very forthright as it records the following words: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27. “He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created.” Genesis 5:2. With human beings, as with animals, there is ONLY “male and female” there is no “OTHER.”

I am sure you run into similar agnostic or atheistic thinking as you attempt to give sound Bible teaching as part and parcel of your gospel ministry in public, government controlled places like jails and prisons. Well, this month I want to encourage you. I want to remind you from Psalm 2 that Jesus Christ, the True God, is going to win.

Despite having more enemies than friends today, JESUS WILL ONE DAY REIGN. HE WILL PUT DOWN ALL HUMAN REBELLION AGAINST THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD! When He does, He will be more than popular, He’ll be worshiped.

I am reminded of a story of a liberal church pastor encountering a janitor on his lunch break, who he was studying the book of Revelation. The pastor said something like “Oh, I see you’re studying Revelation. No one knows what it means, but I suppose you’re going to tell me you do.”

The humble janitor looked up and said, “Yes sir, I do understand it and I think I do know what it all means.” The pastor retorted, “OK, tell me, what does it all mean?” The janitor, with a smile simply said, “IT MEANS JESUS CHRIST IS GOING TO WIN!”

The great hymn by Isaac Watts, written in 1719 – “Jesus Shall Reign” puts it this way:
“Jesus shall reign where'er the sun does its successive journeys run; His kingdom spread from shore to shore, till moons shall wax and wane no more.

This even speaks of the eternal Kingdom.

With that background, look at Psalm 2 with me. The first six verses read:

1 Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.”

This Psalm is a song that has four stanzas of three verses each (verses 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12). In verses 1-6, the first two stanzas, the psalmist speaks first about the rebellion of men and then about God’s response to men in regard to their rebellion.

Verse 1 is a commentary on the useless revolt of mankind. It puts forth a rhetorical question to show the utter foolishness of the creatures’ rebellion against their Creator.

1 Why do the nations rage (or, from the idea of snorting in anger, “make a commotion”), and (why do, implied) the people plot (or, devise) a vain (useless) thing?

Note that their rage leads to the strategizing and plotting. Nations and people first rage, then they plot. But all of their plotting is vain, useless and empty in its effect. At the same time, when verse 1 is put together with verse 2, it states the fact that mankind’s hateful rebellion is AGAINST God and especially against Jesus, the Messiah-Christ.

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His Anointed, (His Christ).

In verse 1, we have nations, literally ‘ethnic groups,’ and then individual people plotting. Now verse 2, widens the rebels description to include the kings or rulers of the earth, meaning the heads of human governments.

It clearly states that they oppose God and His program. The concept of “set themselves” means they prepare for battle. In ancient times, armies were set up in battle array.

So the earth’s politicians take counsel together. This corresponds to the plotting and planning mentioned in verse 1. Verse 3 gives us a glimpse at the tenor of their attitude as these politicians confer on how best to resist Jesus and His Father.

… saying,
3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.”

They will say “Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.” This is a poetic way of saying “WE DON’T WANT GOD CONTROLLING US, WE WANT TO BE OUR OWN CONTROLLERS! This is the very manifestation of sin.

The plural “Their” used twice in verse 3, is important. It speaks of the LORD and of the Christ, distinguishing them as separate Persons. Though mankind, since his fall into sin in Adam has resisted God, and even in 1,000 BC when this Psalm was written, men resisted and opposed God’s control. Most of them at that time did not understand the triune nature of God. Yet it is here.

Even though it is taught in the Old Testament, they did not know that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit make up one God. Even so, they opposed Them, even then. The fact of this allusion to a plurality of Persons in the Godhead in Psalm 2:2-3, SPEAKS OF A GREATER AND FUTURE FULFILLMENT. Ultimately, this is prophetic about the way it will be in this world, just before Jesus returns.

I must mention that Acts 4:23-28 is a partial fulfillment of the prophecy of Psalm 2 - but the final fulfillment is yet future. In Acts 4, the Holy Spirit through Peter said the rulers of both of the Jews and Gentiles in his time were united in rejecting Christ – so they crucified Him and opposed those who proclaimed His resurrection.

The long war against God has continued through the centuries even to our time. As it continues, men’s hatred grows worse. Is it not amazing how opposed not just to the idea of God, but especially to the Christian God and the God-Man Jesus our society has become today? Even so, come Lord Jesus!

The second stanza of the Psalm in verses 4-6, tells of God’s reaction to the rebellion of mankind.

4 He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; the Lord shall hold them in derision.
5 Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, and distress them (“terrify them” is a better translation) in His deep displeasure:
6 “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.”

“He who sits (on His throne) in the heavens” is here a reference to God, the Father. His reaction to mankind’s rebellion is threefold. In the order of the verses, it is -

EMOTIONAL in verse 4,
JUDICIAL in verse 5,
and PURPOSEFUL and SOVEREIGN in verse 6.

Verse 4 says God laughs at His enemies. It is the height of foolishness to fight against God. It is absolutely preposterous to plot against Him. Who do men think they are to try to resist His eternal plan? The pride of mankind is laughed at by God because it is so out of place for the created thing to fight against the Creator. Man’s best is a zero with God. God is God and man is not God! God is in control, man is not in control.

Verse 5 is the reaction of God’s justice – He must judge sin. The verb tense is important here. “Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,” this refers to a definite time in the future. This is talking about the time of God’s wrath just before Jesus returns to Earth. When His judicial wrath comes, the human rebels will be terrified. Note this in Revelation 6:12-17 where John recorded his vision of the future.

12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.
13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late (over ripened) figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

Wow! Now note the terror -
15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Back to Psalm 2. I love the message of verse 6! “Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.” Try as they have and will, rebels against God’s sovereign plan and purpose are going to lose. Apart from a right relationship with God men are losers! God is the winner. He is Sovereign.

We know from inspired Scripture that David was the human writer through whom the Holy Spirit gave us Psalm 2 (See Acts 4:24-26). I wonder if David wrote these words before or after he was installed as Israel’s temporary (not Eternal) king? Either way, he knew by personal experience that all the plans and plots against who God wants as king are vain and useless. God will have His way, He’s Sovereign.

In verses 7-9 God the Son speaks about God the Father, speaking to Him. It all relates to Jesus, the Messiah-Christ being installed to reign on earth from Jerusalem for a literal 1,000 years. This will happen when He returns - in the judgment alluded to in verse 5.

7 “I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.
8 Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.
9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”

We need to point out how this all echoes what was said in verse 6, where God, the Father said ““Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.”

This statement is His DECREE. When a totally Sovereign God decrees something, it happens! Nothing can prevent it from happening. Verse 8 again emphasizes that Jesus shall reign over all the earth. Verse 9 relates back to the promised judgment of God in verse 5, “Then He shall speak to them in His wrath…”

Compare this verse, Psalm 2:9, with Revelation 19:11-15

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

He is called “Faithful and True,” His eyes are “like a flame of fire” … and finally, “His name is called The Word of God.” If you have difficulty at first identifying WHO this is, the last phrase erases all doubt. This is the glorified Jesus, the Christ, the same one spoken about in Revelation 1:12-18. Continuing the passage says:

14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.

That’s an image of the power of his judgment through a single spoken word of judgment. The word translated “SWORD” here is not like the word translated sword in reference to the written scripture as applied by the Holy Spirit, in Ephesians 6:18. There, the sword refers to a short dagger, HERE THE WORD REFERS TO A HUGE BROADSWORD. This then is the picture of sudden, huge, devastating judgment coming from the mouth of Jesus Christ.

15 … And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

So, three thousand years ago it was prophesied, in Psalm 2:5 and 2:9, that He would speak to the rebels in His wrath, and rule them with a rod of iron.

Before I get to the final stanza in verses 10-12, (a gospel stanza) I don’t want to just skip over a difficult part of the text in verse 7. “…the LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’“ Most commentators say these words are here to stress the filial relationship between the LORD and His Christ, between God the Father and the Son. In effect, they say since the Christ is the Son, the following statements of the decree that He should judge and reign, are established by the fact of the Father-Son relationship. That may be true.

But I believe there is more to it than that. I believe the “Today… begotten” statement must somehow relate to the time of Jesus’ triumphal return. Now I’ll tell you why.

This verse (Psalm 2:7) is quoted three times in the New Testament. It’s found in Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5 and Hebrews 5:5. Each time it is quoted, it’s applied to something DIFFERENT. In Paul’s sermon in Acts 13, it’s applied to Jesus’ resurrection. In Hebrews 1:5, the writer applies this statement to Jesus’ deity and superiority over angelic beings. Then, in Hebrews 5:5 it is applied to Jesus’ appointment as High Priest as opposed to a self-centered seeking of office. In Psalm 2, it is applied to the decree that He should reign.

Each time the phrase “Today I have begotten You.” is used it signifies something very important. I believe it is used in the sense of God manifesting, exhibiting or declaring something. Jesus is King, Jesus is the Resurrected Savior, Jesus is God, Jesus is High Priest! The Father has declared it!

Finally the gospel part, in verses 10-12 the psalmist speaks to men. This message through the prophet-psalmist exposes the grace and mercy of the Just Judge of all the earth. Though judgment is promised in verses 5 and 9, an invitation to escape it is offered to the very leaders of rebellious mankind in verses 10-12. It says:

10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

This is a call to repentance and faith in the Christ who is the Son of God. The phrase “Kiss the Son” in verse 12 needs to be explained. This is not a romantic or filial thing, this is worship. In the ancient cultures, one form of worship was to fall at the feet of the one or thing worshiped and kiss the ground before them or else kiss his feet. Hence, the NASB translates this part of the verse 12, “Do homage to the Son.”

In closing, I want to draw your attention to the words of a great new missionary hymn. I think they fit together with the inspired words of the invitation to repent in Psalm 2:10-12. This new hymn by Keith and Kristyn Getty, copyright 2003, ThankYou Music, is titled, “Across The Lands.” It’s about Jesus Christ, and therefore sung to Him.

Verse 1 -
You're the Word of God the Father from before the world began. Ev'ry star and ev'ry planet has been fashioned by Your hand. All creation holds together by the power of Your voice. Let the skies declare Your glory; let the land and seas rejoice!
THIS VERSE SPEAKS OF HIS DEITY.

Verse 2 -
Yet You left the gaze of angels, came to seek and save the lost, and exchanged the joy of heaven for the anguish of a cross. With a prayer You fed the hungry; with a word You calmed the sea; yet how silently You suffered that the guilty may go free!
THIS VERSE SPEAKS OF HIS DEITY AND HIS SUBSTITUIONARY SACRIFICE AS HIGH PRIEST.

Verse 3 -
With a shout You rose victorious, wresting vict'ry from the grave, and ascended into heaven, leading captives in Your way. Now You stand before the Father, interceding for Your own; from each tribe and tongue and nation, You are leading sinners home!
THIS VERSE SPEAKS OF HIS RESURRECTION AND HIS CURRENT HIGH PRIESTLY WORK FOR HIS OWN.

The CHORUS after each verse – has these words -
You're the Author of creation; You're the Lord of ev'ry man; and Your cry of love rings out across the lands.

ULTIMATELY, Jesus is the Lord of EVERY MAN AND WOMAN! The chorus like Psalm 2, says He is Lord or Sovereign over every human. Ultimately, all shall answer to Him. BUT NOW, His cry of love counsels sinners to repent and trust in Him alone, owning Him as Savior and King-Lord. When we consider Psalm 2, it is a wonderful thing to know we’re on the winning side, no matter what public opinion says.

Rich Hines -Aurora Ministries, Minister to Chaplains

Heaven: Too Often Forgotten

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

Dr. Howard Hendricks said of the true followers of Christ – “We are not those who are in the land of the living headed to the land of the dead, we are those who are in the land of the dead headed for the land of the living!” Of course, he was talking about heaven.

That said, why is it that the one thing next to hell most Pastors and Bible teachers DON’T talk about and teach from the word of God is heaven?

I know the pastors that are more concerned with pleasing people than they are with pleasing God, don’t want to teach about hell, because that would offend their crowd. But WHY is it that they also don’t talk much about heaven?

I think it’s because in our contemporary world in America, professing believers - just like the unsaved in society are all caught up in the here and now.

Statements like "Don’t give me that pie in the sky when I die stuff, I need REAL answers to help me make it through today!" and "Don’t be so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good." are submitted to. Accordingly, heaven is sometimes also put in the "DON’T TALK ABOUT IT" category.

Since ministry to jails, prisons and rescue missions are heavily influenced by what is happening in churches all over our country, I assume visiting ministers follow the trends set by their local church agendas. Rather, the word of God should set all agenda for Christian ministry anywhere, especially in your facility.

I believe any jail or prison or rescue mission teaching should give light from God’s word on BOTH subjects. If you haven’t heard the following remark or something like it from an inmate, trust me - you will. They often say "heaven and hell are right here on earth and this place (the facility) is hell." That is categorically, WRONG.

When the Bible speaks of heaven or hell in the ultimate sense, God is talking to us about an everlasting place He has created, where human beings in the final state will consciously exist forever and ever.

So to begin, I want to remind you about some of what the Bible teaches about heaven and urge you to teach the same thing to your inmates or residents. I am going to briefly mention four things about heaven, and then make the main biblical application to every true believer in Jesus Christ.

First, heaven is presented as the eternal abode of God in all His manifested glory. It is the place of His throne. God reigns from heaven over His entire creation!

Isaiah 6:1-4

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.
2 Above it stood seraphim (bright burning holy angels); each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. (they are using 2/3 of their wings to hide from God’s holiness)
3 And one cried to another and said: “ Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!”
4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.

Revelation 4:8-11 (the context from verses 1-2 is a vision of heaven)

8 The four living creatures (holy angels, probably real Cherubim), each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 “ You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

The SECOND IMPORTANT FEATURE of heaven is HOLINESS, which means among other things that there is NO SIN in heaven. Isaiah 6:3 “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts” and Revelation 4:8 “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” stress that fact.

Then, Revelation 21:24-27, speaks of heaven as the city called the New Jerusalem (compare 21:1,2).

24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.
27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie (no sin!), but only those who are written in the Lamb’s (Christ’s) Book of Life.

Those who are by God’s grace in Christ are made worthy to be in heaven, will not sin there. Those who are there, will not sin but enjoy everlasting holiness with God.

THIS IS IMPORTANT TO STRESS FOR TWO REASONS.

1. The most common thoughts of heaven, sadly even among some professing Christians, is that it is THEIR worldly DREAMS COME TRUE. In other words, it is a place where the things they appreciated most doing and seeing on earth are forever granted to them. Whether described as the “happy hunting grounds” or “a place of carnal delights” (as is taught by Islam - to young men willing to be suicide bombers, where hundreds of virgins will be there for their carnal pleasure), or any other dreamed up thing.

Here is another example of the same kind of thing. I remember when I served as Chaplain a group that was known as a Christian Motorcycle Fellowship wanted to come to our facility and do a service and show off their “bikes.”

They had a tract with Harley-Davidson eagle wings that had circling the wings the words “Born Again” … “Ride Forever.” After their presentation of what they though was the gospel, their tract ended with these words “That’s why we’re born again, SO WE CAN RIDE FOREVER.” As if the streets of gold were some sort of motorcycle drag strip. This is both unbiblical and man-centered.

2. Those who love their self-centered sinful life-style wouldn’t be happy in the real heaven. They can’t party hearty there. Those who love sin do not want to worship God, they want to worship self and the things that self enjoys. As we’ve already seen from Revelation 4:10-11, the saved in heaven represented by the 24 elders, only WORSHIP GOD.

The saved in heaven will be made completely holy. God will do this to them and for them. Note Jude 24,25 –

24 Now to Him who is able (He has the power) to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Also teach this from 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24,

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

The truth of ongoing holy worship is connected to the THIRD important thing about heaven. Namely that Jesus Christ is the main feature there. The FOCAL POINT OF HEAVEN is the LORD JESUS CHRIST in all His glory

Revelation 21:22,23 say -
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. (In an ancient world whether a pagan city or Jerusalem, the focal point of the city was it’s temple or temples)
23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

Revelation 15:2-4 again speaks of heaven and the everlasting activity of worship that will go on there. Worship is the constant activity in heaven.

1 Then I saw … in heaven …
2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “ Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!
4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.”

FOURTH we should stress that heaven is the everlasting abode of those whom God through Jesus Christ has saved. Note it in Revelation 21:1-5.

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

So, having been told by God’s word that heaven is:
1. The place of His throne
2. A holy place where there is no sin
3. The focal point there is the Lord Jesus Christ in all His glory
And -
4. It is the everlasting abode of those He has saved.

What must believers be told to do? They are to be more heavenly minded. After all, as we think so we act. For application of the four heavenly truths we looked at see Colossians 3:1-4. In this passage, the words "above" refer to heaven.

1 If then (or ‘since’) you were raised with Christ, SEEK THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
2 SET YOUR MIND on things above, not on things on the earth.

The context of this passage going back to Chapter 2 is what being united to Christ includes. In 2:11-13 God through the Apostle tells true believers: “… you were ... buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,”

So God now says since the believer was “raised with Christ” they must do two things. They MUST SEEK the things of heaven and they MUST SET THEIR MIND ON the things of heaven. Both verbs “seek” in verse 1, and “Set your mind on” in verse 2 are in the imperative mood. That means they are commands from God. They are also both present tense verbs which means they are to be ongoing activities.

“Seek” means to seek in order to find something and also includes the idea of CRAVING something! “Set your mind on” means to think on the things of the object the verb points to, in this sentence, HEAVEN!

In his excellent commentary, John MacArthur says seeking the things of heaven involves being preoccupied with them. “To be preoccupied with heaven is to be preoccupied with the One who reigns there and His purposes, plans, provision and power. It is also to view the things, people, and events of this world through His eyes and with an eternal perspective.”

The second command here goes a bit further. One paraphrase reads “You must not only seek heaven, you must also think heaven.” MacArthur says: “The believers whole disposition should orient itself toward heaven, where Christ is, just as a compass needle orients itself toward the north.”

The conclusion of this short paragraph in Colossians stresses why believers are to seek and think heaven -

3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

This echoes Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

When a believer was united to Christ (which happened when God converted their soul and made them a believer), they died to sin. When Christ appears FOR THEM to take them to heaven, they will never ever sin again. That is what it means to have a glorified body fit for a sinless holy heaven.

In the time between the start of our salvation granted through God’s grace through believing in Christ and our final completely sinless union with Him in heaven, we should strive to be as sinless as possible. We should strive to live here and now just like we are going to live in heaven forever, worshiping God in perfect sinlessness.

Teach this heaven, and this application of it, to those He has sent you to - for the proclamation of His gospel truth.

Rich Hines
Aurora Ministries, Minister To Chaplains

Denying Sin is Another Form of Unbelief

This message is primarily for those who call on the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve as a Chaplain or a gospel minister in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue mission – in the United States.

All Scripture quotes are usually taken from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any deviation from the NKJV text is placed within parenthesis signs (). These usually occur as direct translations from the original languages, or as notes from the original setting to help apply the text to today’s culture.

ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize words in a text, or to make a comment about a biblical text, or emphasize a statement.

Dear gospel ministers, I hope you are in the habit of listening to good Bible teachers on the radio. I can highly recommend at least five daily programs, which you can look up on the internet. The web sites should give you local stations and broadcast times. In alphabetical order they are:

1. “Grace To You” with Dr. John MacArthur “
2. “In Context” with Dr. Michael Easley
3. “Running To Win” with Dr. Erwin Lutzer
4. “Truth For Life” with Pastor Alistair Begg
5. “Verse By Verse” with Pastor Steve Kreloff (in the Tampa Bay, FL, area only)

I say this now because I was recently listening to one of Dr. Easley’s broadcasts. He was speaking about the uniqueness of Jesus and the seriousness of rejecting Him in unbelief. At the end of the teaching time a discussion with the program’s host, Bob Lepine, ensued.

They were discussing the most serious of all sins, the refusal to believe in Jesus Christ, which as I have pointed out many times, is disobedience to God. This is so because 1 John 3:23 says it is God’s command to believe on His Son Jesus Christ.

During the discussion, Bob Lepine raised an important issue by saying something like, "As I think about it, it occurs to me that a denial of sin is also unbelief."

This comment set off a round of discussion about our society today, and how just about everybody tries to blame somebody else, and give an excuse for doing wrong. This habit of giving excuses when caught in sin and wrongdoing is connected to human pride.

My experience in correctional chaplaincy ended over 15 years ago. When I started that ministry and throughout the 20 years of chaplaincy that began for me in 1973, I sensed the average inmate was more accepting of the fact that they had sinned against God than were people in the general populace, in "free society."

I am not sure if that still holds true in 2009. I say that - because the thinking of the majority of Americans has changed for the worse. Societal morays and values also have an influence on inmates. Today, it is A VERY RARE THING to find anybody who fully admits to doing wrong, without an excuse or a defense for it.

That being the case, maybe it’s time for you to raise the issue with your inmates or residents. Do they really see themselves as guilty sinners? Do they honestly admit they have offended God and man by their specific actions? Or, do they sort of admit it when caught and immediately offer up excuses and shift the blame to others, or even to "society."

The practice of blame shifting instead of taking full responsibility for sin, really began with our first parents in the Garden of Eden. Adam blamed Eve and ultimately even God Himself, because He had created her for him (Genesis 3:12). Then of course, Eve in Genesis 3:13, blamed the serpent (Satan).

Moving forward in biblical history, we see Aaron, the first high priest of Israel. He led the Israelites into idolatry. When confronted by Moses, he blamed the people and even Moses’ delay in returning to him, for his leadership into that idolatry. He did that in Exodus 32:22,23.

Yet another prime example of this bad habit of blame shifting is the first king of ancient Israel, Saul. This man repeatedly received God's instructions and commands from Samuel, God's prophet, yet he disobeyed them and ended up rejecting God as His true Master.

When caught in sin, Saul shifted the blame to others.

If you study this tragic person Saul in 1 Samuel, you will see his biggest problem was his pride and insecurity. He wanted to be top dog, so he was willing to disobey the LORD if he thought doing so would make him look better in men's eyes. When he did what he did to save face, or to enhance his reputation with men, he willfully forgot God.

When he was confronted with his sins of disobedience, the pride within him prompted the excuses and his blaming of others for his wrongdoing. Here are two examples -

1. He had clearly been commanded by God in 1 Samuel 10:8, to wait for His prophet Samuel to come and oversee sacrifice to the LORD at a place called Gilgal.

Then, in 1 Samuel 13:8-14 – he blamed Samuel’s delay and the pressure of the moment, for his disobedience and intrusion into the priestly work of making sacrifice. He did what he did by sight rather than by faith. Get this down and communicate it to those you teach – biblical faith always believes and acts in obedience to what God says.

2. In 1 Samuel 15:3 God explicitly told Saul to totally wipe out everything of the grossly idolatrous Amalekites. God said, "Now go and attack Amalek, and UTTERLY DESTROY ALL that they have, and DO NOT SPARE THEM. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey."

Saul did not do it. He spared Agag the king of Amalek, and many animals, probably the best animals. Then, in 1 Samuel 15:10-26 - he blamed the people (while the real culprit was his own desire to be admired, which is pride) for his disobedience.

Saul even used a religious excuse for his disobedience, saying the animals he was sent by the LORD to destroy were spared “to sacrifice to the LORD." (1 Samuel 15:21). In other words, "I disobeyed so that I might worship God!" In today’s vernacular, "How lame!"

Here’s a key principle - WHEN WE DISOBEY GOD, WE ARE NOT ACTIVELY BELIEVING HIM. God’s response to such a lame thing was and still is classic. Note it in 1 Samuel 15:22,23

22 …"Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices (an outward display of worship) as in OBEYING THE VOICE OF THE LORD? Behold, to obey is BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, and TO HEED (‘is better’ implied) than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as (just like) the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected (this word can also be translated ‘refused’ or ‘despised’) the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king."

So let me restate what Bob Lepine said on the "In Context’ radio program. A resistance to admit full guilt for our sin by blaming others amounts to unbelief. That is true BECAUSE GOD CLEARLY SAYS WE ALL HAVE SINNED. If we reject what He says in His word, we are unbelievers. If we refuse to agree with God we don’t believe Him.

There are many ways you ministers of the gospel could introduce the subject of denying sin or not taking full responsibility for it, but instead offering excuses for it. You really should introduce and talk about this subject with the inmates or residents.

I believe it is always best on any subject to start with God. We need His perspective rather than mankind’s view. He is the standard of reality and truth. He knows what is right and he knows the truth about every human being. He has said each one of us has sinned. He has said each one of us is guilty without an excuse.

As you teach, show your inmates the verses where God says they have sinned against Him. They are not hard to understand or interpret.

2 Chronicles 6:36 “When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin) …”

Romans 3:10 “…There is none righteous, no, not one;”

Said another way – if among humans there are none righteous, then ALL OF THEM ARE UNRIGHTEOUS.

Romans 3:12 “They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NO, NOT ONE.”

Romans 3:23 “…all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 5:12 “… THUS DEATH SPREAD TO ALL MEN, because all sinned –“

Then show them 1 John 1:8-10. It says:

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned, (point blank or by blame shifting) we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

Compare verse 8 with verse 10. Verse 8 focuses on the self-deception of not accepting personal responsibility for sinning. Verse 10 goes further and focuses on rejecting what God clearly has said, which is a form of unbelief.

But, verse 9 is the solution for those that admit and agree with God about the truth about their sinning against Him. That is what confession means, agreeing with God about the sinfulness of our sin.

Look in our Chaplain’s Corner archives for the message given for April 2005, "Inmates Need To Take Full Responsibility For Their Sins." That message examines true confession of sin as seen in king David in Psalm 51.

Quite the opposite of his predecessor Saul, David fully admitted his sin and sought the all holy God’s mercy and forgiveness. He did not come up with lame excuses, but fully admitted his culpability in his specific acts of sinful disobedience to God.

That is what we need to do. That is what you need to urge the inmates and residents to do also.

Show them from God’s word that the difference between Saul and David was not that one sinned and the other did not. They both disobeyed God in sinful acts of unbelief.

The difference was that when Saul didn’t obey - he persisted and continued to disobey in unbelief, whereas David’s disobedience was followed by true believing and obedience to what God said to do about personal sin. That is to repent and believe, trusting completely in what He said He did to take away any truly repentant sinner’s sin.

God’s solution was to pay for it by the substitutionary sacrifice of the Sinless One who became sin judged for the true believer’s sin. Therefore again, 1 John 3:23 commands-

23 ...this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ ...

To "believe on" His "name" means to fully trust in who He really is and what He has done to take away our sin. He died on the cross fully paying for every sin of every true believer.

Another difference to point out between David and Saul was that David did not really WANT to sin, whereas Saul DID WANT to continue to sin by putting his selfish desires above God’s directions. We need to teach on that. Sin puts our selfish desires above God’s commands.

That brings me back to where this message started. We should ask, why would anybody want to deny what God says, specifically, that they are a sinner? The answer is - because they want to pursue their sinful lifestyle without guilt or correction. That is plainly taught in John 3:18-20, which says:

18 “He who believes in Him (the reference is to Jesus Christ) is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world (in Jesus Christ), and men loved darkness (this means their sin) rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds (his sinful deeds) should be exposed.”

Dear Chaplains and gospel ministers, implore unsaved sinners to agree with God that they have in deed, sinned against Him. Tell them: God in His incredible love now commands you as sinners to stop making excuses and to obey His command to commit yourself whole-heartedly to follow Christ.

Also, teach believers in Christ to repent of the bad habit of blaming others for their sin. Certainly, almost everyone they see around them in jail is in the habit of doing that. Teach them to repent of that, because when they do that, they are not believing God. Remind them of what the Holy Spirit said through a repentant king David, ”Behold, You (God) desire truth in the inward parts,” (Psalm 51:6).

Tell them this means God wants us to be HONEST with Him about our sin. He wants us to believe everything He says about it! He wants them and us to believe what He says about our guilt, and His provision for its forgiveness. Think about these things and teach them.

Rich Hines

Minister To Chaplains, Aurora Ministries