What happens to the spirit at death?

"There is a particular judgment
which is immediately after death;
by virtue of which,
the souls of men are condemned
 to their proper state of happiness or woe."

November 10, 2023 

What happens to the spirit at death?

Hebrews 9 KJT
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Ecclesiastes 12 KJT
7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

I was musing on these well-known passages, and some questions came to mind.

i. Does the statement in verse 27 include all men, including God's redeemed people? Do God's redeemed people face a judgement before God after death?

ii. Is the judgment spoken of a judgment immediately after each man's death or the final judgment at the distant end of the gospel age?
- Hardly any believe or preach the former anymore though most believe the latter.

iii. Is there a judgment at the end of a man's life on earth?
- I believe that Heb 9:27 declares this obvious truth. At death, the spirit of each man shall return to God for judgment.

iv. What is the basis of this judgment?
- The basis is every man according to their works.
- The basis of the final judgment is according to whether a man's name was written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

v. Who is the judge in this judgement?
- God Himself. The spirit shall return to God who gave it to face the said judgement in Heb 9:27.
- Christ shall be the judge during the final judgment. "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." It shall be a judgment WITHOUT reference to sin for the redeemed but unto glorification. Heb 9:28

This judgment determines where the man's spirit goes during the intermediate state between his physical death and the resurrection on the last day: either paradise or hell.

When was the last time you heard a sermon that there shall be a judgment for God's children immediately after their death and that this judgement shall determine where their spirits shall be during the intermediate state - either in paradise or in hell, awaiting their resurrection unto eternal glory.

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I checked John Gill's commentary on the second half of verse 27; he said thus:

"but after this the judgment"
- the last and general judgment, which will reach to all men, quick and dead, righteous and wicked, and in which Christ will be Judge. There is a particular judgment which is immediately after death; by virtue of which, the souls of men are condemned to their proper state of happiness or woe; and there is an universal judgment, which will be after the resurrection of the dead, and is called eternal judgment, and to come; this is appointed by God, though the time when is unknown to men; yet nothing is more certain, and it will be a righteous one."

Note his words, "There is a particular judgment which is immediately after death; by virtue of which, the souls of men are condemned to their proper state of happiness or woe."

During the intermediate state, the state of happiness is in paradise and the place of woe is in hell.

During the eternal state, the state of happiness is in heaven and the place of woe is in the lake of fire.

Protestant Man-made Doctrine - sola fidei

 

#protestant_traditions

Even so, many Protestants preach MAN-MADE DOCTRINES that say that so soon as an unjustified man believes, he is justified by his faith - the popular sola fidei, justification by faith alone.

It is obvious that this is a fable. An unjustified man is a man STILL in his native state of sin and condemnation of death; in such a state he is simply incapable of faith.

Only a man freely justified by the grace of God, i.e. only one to whom God HAS FREELY accounted the righteousness of Christ is capable of believing. The accounting of the righteousness of Christ to a condemned man in the justification of life gives divine warrant for the Spirit of God in regenerating the justified. Regeneration is logically followed by the adoption into the family of God accompanied the bestowal of the Spirit of adoption. This indwelling Spirit works in the justified fruit of the Spirit, of which faith is one.

Faith is an effect of justification by the free grace of God.

Romans 5:18 KJT
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Faith is the means/instrument to manifest the justification by the free grace of God. This has been twisted and perverted into faith as the means/instrument to obtain justification from God.

Dr John Gill on faith and justification:
"Faith is not the cause, but an effect of justification; it is not the cause of it in any sense; it is not the moving cause, that is the free grace of God... nor even the instrumental cause... it is not in any class of causes whatever, but it is the effect of justification... Now if faith is not the cause, but the effect of justification; then as every cause is before its effect, and every effect follows its cause, justification must be before faith, and faith must follow justification."

~~ A Body of Doctrinal Divinity Book II, Chapter V, section II. (1769)

Can the matter be stated any clearer?

An effect manifests, declares, demonstrates, and vindicates the cause of that effect.

Since "any teaching in the Church must be based on the Scriptures Alone," let's have it then:

Rom 3:24 "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

The BASIS of God justifying the justly condemned:
- it's "through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

The MANNER of God justifying the justly condemned:
- IT IS "freely by his grace."
- IT IS NOT by faith, much less by faith alone.

Faith manifests the justified state by the free grace of God JUST AS breath demonstrates life.

Stop being deceived!

Choose the Good Part

November 9, 2023

#prayingmantis

#choosethegoodpart

After our midweek Wednesday Bible study last night, while I was closing the roller
shutter (we meet in a 20' x52' shop lot on the first floor), this praying mantis landed on my left shoulder. It whispered into my ear, "Choose the Good Part"

Brief notes for the Bible study are pasted below.

Luke 10 KJT
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

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We were looking at Luke 10: 38-42

a. Jesus and His disciples are travelling to Jerusalem and arriving at Bethany, a village several km east of Jerusalem.
- In Bethany, they entered the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. It is in the context of this humble home of some of His dearest disciples that the narrative in this paragraph took place.
- There is a close connection between the previous parable and the present narrative. Be a loving neighbour is wonderful; but active love for the Lord is better, see v27. And the most basic expression of the love for the Lord our God is to be attentive to Him and His words.
- Yet this is one thing most commonly forgotten or neglected by many believers, you and me.

b. Well, Martha did a very commendable thing - she gladly received the Lord into her home, something commendable.
- But after she has welcomed the Lord into her home, what did she do? She gets busy preparing a meal for the Lord and His company. No doubt she does it all with a genuine desire to please the Lord, as an expression of her love and devotion to Him. But does the Lord approve of what she does?
- The spiritual malady brought to our attention by the Lord Jesus Christ is obvious; we are often sincerely distracted by many things which are unnecessary distractions.
- Let us consider our subject under three headings. The Lord has these to say to us…

1. Beware of Many Distractionz
a. The reality and constant danger distractions.

 b. The meaning of 'distracted':
- 'peris-taoo', in the passive, is 'letting yourself drawn or pulled in every direction...' a mind preoccupied with many things, a mind distracted with many cares, a mind drawn away from the chief object or purpose or duty.

 c. The manifestation of being distracted:
- Distractions usually lead to the neglect of our spiritual duties and privileges.

 d. The consequences of these distractions are dreadful: 'you are worried and troubled...'
- these distractions shall burden a child of God with worries and troubles. The word 'worried' - 'merimnaoo' literally means breaking into pieces. Martha was 'going to pieces' over all the things she is distracted with.
- 'troubled' means to be disturbed or upset... emotionally in turmoil, agitated. The heart and mind are unsettled and ravaged with so many unnecessary cares...

2. Choose the One Good and Needful Thing
a. 'But one thing is needful"'
- A few things are necessary in life... but only one is good & needful.

 b. 'Mary has chosen that good part.' In contrast to His gentle rebuke to Martha, the Lord Jesus commended Mary for her choice - Mary has chosen to act differently from her sister Martha.
- what Mary did was a deliberate choice... an intelligent choice informed by the will of God... she did not just get carried along like Martha did... being distracted by the many unnecessary things in life.
- She consciously chose to do what is needed and what is good. By a deliberate choice, she chooses to sit at the Lord's feet.

 c. In what sense is Mary's choice the 'good' part? We can think of several reasons readily...
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What Constitutes Acceptable Worship

November 7, 2019
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid033C8yNJJZWv3NJRZf6RMfNYRTJHgSmrrn4uz3aNTDmDbM3cHCsF9MEdde7sNmot3Fl

What Constitutes Acceptable Worship

In our midweek meeting, we looked at chapter 22 of the 1689 CoF; there are 8 paragraphs, and we covered the first two. Some notes of the study:

1689.22. OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP AND THE LORD'S DAY

Introduction

a. The immediate historical context of this chapter was the controversy concerning "What constitutes acceptable worship?"
- Some insisted, "What is commanded is right, anything not expressly forbidden is permissible." Thus the church is free to innovate what is not expressly forbidden.
- Others insisted that the biblical doctrine is that in the worship of God, the church has NO authority to practice anything except what is expressly or by necessary inference enjoined by the word of God, i.e. "What is commanded is right, anything not commanded is wrong."
- This is known as the Regulative Principle of Worship; acceptable worship is strictly regulated by God Himself through His inspired Holy Scriptures.

b. The biblical argument for the Regulative Principle of Worship:
- It is the sole prerogative of God alone to determine the terms on which His creatures may approach Him in worship.  The Scriptures show that God exercises this prerogative, eg. Gen 4:1-5, Ex 20:4-6.
- When a man is conscious of the sovereignty of God and his salvation by free grace alone he will worship God in His terms. What a blasphemy for a man to think that he has any business in deciding how God is to be worshipped!
- The wisdom of Christ and the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures are denied by the addition of anything not expressly commanded into worship. Christ does not leave His redeemed people - with all their weakness, fickleness, ignorance and folly - without an adequate guide in the most important matter of worship.
- Since acceptable worship for the glory of God is a good work that a man of God is especially required to perform, then surely the Scriptures are adequate and able to equip the man of God for this blessed task. see Mt 28:20, 2Tim 3:16-17.
- The Scriptures explicitly condemns all worship that is not commanded by God (eg Gen 4:3-7; Lev 10:1-3;  Deut 12:29-32, 17:3; Josh 1:7; 23:6-8; Mt 15:13; Col 2:20-23). They are the sacrifice of fools, Ec 5:1.
- The introduction of extra-biblical practices into worship inevitably tends to nullify and undermine God's appointed worship (2Kg 16:10-18; Mt 15:3,8-9).
- 'O Lord, teach thy children to worship Thee acceptably.' Amen.*

1689.22.1
The light of nature shows that there is a God, who has lordship and sovereignty over all; is just, good and does good to all; and is therefore to be feared, loved, praised, called upon, trusted in, and served, with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might.(1)  But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God, is instituted by himself,(2) and so limited by his own revealed will, that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men, nor the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations, or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures.(3)            1 Jer. 10:7; Mark 12:33  2 Deut. 12:32   3 Exod. 20:4-6

1. The Regulative Principle of Worship Stated (22:1)
a. The general duty revealed by nature:
- "The light of nature shows that there is a God..."
    : "... Who has lordship and sovereignty over all, is just and good, and who does good to all…"
    : "… and is, therefore, to be feared, loved and praised, called upon, trusted in, and  served..."
    : “… with all the heart and all the soul, and with all the might.”

- Worship is justly OWED to the Creator by the creatures made in His image for all these natural reasons.
- Man is left without excuse for not doing his just and reasonable duty.

b. The specific rules divinely revealed by the Holy Scriptures:
- Positively "But the acceptable way of worshipping the true God has been instituted by Himself…"
- Negatively: “… and so limited by his own revealed will…”
- Therefore:
    : "that he may not be worshipped according to the imagination and devices of men...'
    : "... nor the suggestions of Satan.
    : He may not be worshipped “under any visible representations..."
    : "... or by any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scriptures."

Q. How does this paragraph explain John 4:23-24
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

1689.22.2
Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to him alone;4 not to angels, saints, or any other creatures;5 and since the fall, not without a mediator,6 nor in the mediation of any other but Christ alone.7     4 Matt. 4:9,10; John 6:23; Matt. 28:19.   5 Rom. 1:25; Col. 2:18; Rev. 19:10.   6 John 14:6.    7 1 Tim. 2:5.

2. The Divinely Imposed Limits of Worship (22:2)
a. With respect to its object:
- Positively: "Religious worship is to be given to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and to Him (the Triune God) alone...'
- Negatively: "... not to angels, saints, or any other creatures."

b. With respect to the absolute necessity of a mediator
- "And since the fall, not without a mediator,” i.e. worship without a mediator is unacceptable.
- "... nor in the mediation of any other but of Christ alone".

Q. Why is worship to be given to God alone?
Q. Why the necessity of a mediator?
Q. Why is Christ alone the acceptable mediator?

John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Q. On what ground did Christ make such an exclusive claim?

3. The NT Components of Worship (22:3-5a)

- to be continued

Faith is an evidence of justification by grace

Even so, it is supposed that God justifies only those who believe.
But this is to put the cart before the horse.
Faith is not the instrument of justification, but
the consequence of justification freely by God's grace.

November 7, 2023
https://www.facebook.com/sing.f.lau/posts/pfbid025XEPvzAqW93X9rJja8bFfPZaj9mXmYwvnbyEG5eaDCF7pJn3RynpVQkAV9kV9YwRl

#justification_regeneration_adoption_faith

#justification_manifested_by_faith

EVEN SO, faith is the consequence of justification by God's free grace.

Why? An unjustified man is still in his native state of condemnation and death, incapable of faith. Elementary. Period.

With the accounting of the righteousness of Christ in justification, freely by God's grace, IT IS UNTO justification of LIFE. LIFE enables faith.

Romans 5:18 KJV — Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Justification by God's free grace based on the righteousness of Christ alone is logically followed by the regeneration by the Holy Spirit; regeneration is accompanied by the adoption by the Father and the bestowal of the Spirit of adoption to dwell in the justified; the indwelling Spirit works the grace of faith in the child of God, enabling him to believe.

Romans 8:15 KJT
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Please note: eternal salvation is the gift,  not faith; faith is a saving grace, among all others, worked in a child of God by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Eph 2:8; Gal 5:22.

"The reason why any are justified IS NOT because they have faith; but the reason why they have faith IS because they are justified." Dr John Gill and ALL his old-school Baptist contemporaries.

The new school Baptists - whether the Calvinistic or  the Arminian  variety - believe the reverse, i.e.  "The reason why any are justified IS because they have faith." That's ALSO putting the cart before the horse but they are oblivious of their folly.

O LORD, open Thou their eyes to see the error of their ways and convert them to the gospel truth.

James 5 - KJT
19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.