Understanding Faith: Life After Death and Truth
Summary
In this engaging session, we explored profound theological questions and their implications for our faith and understanding of God. We began by addressing the concept of the intermediate state, clarifying that upon death, Christians enter God's presence as disembodied souls, awaiting the final resurrection when they will be reunited with glorified bodies. This understanding reassures us of the continuity of our existence and consciousness in the presence of God after death.
We also delved into the mystery of Jesus' sinless nature despite being born of Mary. This discussion highlighted the theological debates of creationism versus traducianism and the significance of the virgin birth in bypassing the transmission of original sin. This underscores the miraculous nature of Jesus' birth and the divine intervention that ensured His sinlessness.
The conversation then shifted to the role of fear in evangelism, emphasizing that while fear can be a motivator, it should not be the sole basis for sharing the gospel. The ultimate goal is to convey the love and grace of God, encouraging genuine repentance and faith.
We also tackled the complex relationship between church and state, particularly in the context of moral issues like abortion. The church's prophetic role is to speak truth to power, ensuring that the state upholds the sanctity of life and aligns with God's moral order.
Finally, we discussed the importance of truth in the church, emphasizing that the church must be a bastion of truth, grounded in the Word of God. This commitment to truth is essential for nurturing believers and maintaining the integrity of the Christian faith.
Key Takeaways:
- Intermediate State and Resurrection: Upon death, Christians enter an intermediate state where their souls are in God's presence, awaiting the final resurrection when they will be reunited with glorified bodies. This assures us of our continued existence and consciousness with God after death. [02:29]
- Jesus' Sinless Nature: The virgin birth was a divine intervention to ensure Jesus' sinlessness, bypassing the transmission of original sin. This highlights the miraculous nature of His birth and the theological debates surrounding creationism and traducianism. [06:35]
- Fear in Evangelism: While fear can motivate individuals to consider their spiritual state, evangelism should primarily convey God's love and grace, encouraging genuine repentance and faith rather than relying solely on fear. [41:40]
- Church and State: The church has a prophetic role in speaking truth to power, particularly on moral issues like abortion. It must ensure that the state upholds the sanctity of life and aligns with God's moral order. [16:29]
- Importance of Truth in the Church: The church must be a bastion of truth, grounded in the Word of God. This commitment to truth is essential for nurturing believers and maintaining the integrity of the Christian faith. [49:28]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction and Greetings
- [00:56] - Question on the Intermediate State
- [03:03] - Jesus' Sinless Nature
- [09:06] - Speculative Theology
- [11:10] - Understanding Jesus as God
- [13:41] - Sanctity of Human Life
- [19:35] - Seeking God and Human Ability
- [27:38] - God's Knowledge of Sin
- [30:01] - Studying Philosophy as a Christian
- [38:27] - Fear in Evangelism
- [47:45] - Truth in the Local Church
- [56:13] - The Role of Prayer
- [01:02:03] - Obtaining Eternal Life
- [01:11:31] - The Holy Spirit in Old and New Testaments
- [01:26:05] - New Heaven and New Earth
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 2 Corinthians 5:8 - "We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
2. Luke 1:34-35 - "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."
3. Romans 13:1 - "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God."
Observation Questions:
1. What does the sermon say about the state of Christians' souls immediately after death? How does this relate to the concept of the intermediate state? [02:29]
2. How does the sermon explain the sinless nature of Jesus despite being born of Mary? What theological debates are mentioned in this context? [06:35]
3. According to the sermon, what role should fear play in evangelism, and what is the ultimate goal of sharing the gospel? [41:40]
4. How does the sermon describe the church's role in relation to the state, especially concerning moral issues like abortion? [16:29]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the understanding of the intermediate state provide comfort to believers about life after death? What implications does this have for our faith? [02:29]
2. In what ways does the virgin birth of Jesus highlight the miraculous nature of His existence and the divine intervention involved? How does this affect our understanding of Jesus' sinlessness? [06:35]
3. Why is it important to balance the use of fear in evangelism with the message of God's love and grace? How can this balance impact the effectiveness of evangelism? [41:40]
4. What are the potential consequences for the church if it fails to speak truth to power on moral issues? How does this align with the church's prophetic role? [16:29]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your understanding of the intermediate state. How does this belief influence your perspective on death and the afterlife? [02:29]
2. Consider the significance of the virgin birth in your faith journey. How does this miracle shape your view of Jesus' nature and mission? [06:35]
3. Think about a time when fear played a role in your spiritual journey. How can you ensure that your evangelism efforts are rooted in love and grace rather than fear? [41:40]
4. Identify a moral issue where you feel the church should take a stronger stand. How can you contribute to the church's prophetic voice in addressing this issue? [16:29]
5. How can you actively participate in ensuring that your church remains a bastion of truth? What steps can you take to nurture this commitment within your community? [49:28]
6. Reflect on your interactions with governing authorities. How can you align your actions and beliefs with the biblical understanding of the relationship between church and state? [16:29]
7. Consider a specific area in your life where you need to rely more on God's truth. What practical steps can you take this week to immerse yourself in the Word of God? [49:28]
Devotional
Day 1: Continuity of Existence in God's Presence
Upon death, Christians enter an intermediate state where their souls are in the presence of God, awaiting the final resurrection. This understanding provides comfort and assurance that our existence and consciousness continue with God after death. The intermediate state is a period of waiting, where believers are disembodied but fully aware and in communion with God. This belief underscores the hope of resurrection, where we will be reunited with glorified bodies, reflecting the fullness of God's redemptive plan. The continuity of our existence in God's presence assures us that death is not the end but a transition into a deeper relationship with Him. [02:29]
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (ESV): "So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
Reflection: How does the assurance of being in God's presence after death influence your perspective on life and death today?
Day 2: Divine Intervention in Jesus' Birth
The virgin birth of Jesus is a profound demonstration of divine intervention, ensuring His sinlessness by bypassing the transmission of original sin. This miraculous event highlights the theological debates of creationism versus traducianism, emphasizing the unique nature of Jesus' conception. The virgin birth is not just a miraculous occurrence but a pivotal moment in salvation history, affirming Jesus' divine nature and His role as the sinless Savior. Understanding this aspect of Jesus' birth deepens our appreciation of God's plan for redemption and the lengths He went to ensure the purity and holiness of His Son. [06:35]
Hebrews 4:15 (ESV): "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."
Reflection: In what ways does the sinless nature of Jesus inspire you to pursue holiness in your own life?
Day 3: Love and Grace in Evangelism
While fear can be a motivator in evangelism, it should not be the sole basis for sharing the gospel. The ultimate goal is to convey the love and grace of God, encouraging genuine repentance and faith. Evangelism rooted in love seeks to draw people to God through the demonstration of His kindness and mercy, rather than relying solely on fear of judgment. This approach fosters a deeper, more authentic relationship with God, as individuals are drawn to Him by His love and grace. By focusing on God's love, we can inspire others to experience the transformative power of the gospel in their lives. [41:40]
1 John 4:18-19 (ESV): "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us."
Reflection: How can you share the message of God's love and grace with someone in your life today, rather than focusing on fear?
Day 4: The Church's Prophetic Role in Society
The church has a prophetic role in speaking truth to power, particularly on moral issues like abortion. It must ensure that the state upholds the sanctity of life and aligns with God's moral order. This responsibility involves advocating for justice and righteousness, challenging societal norms that contradict biblical principles. The church's voice is crucial in guiding the state towards policies that reflect God's values, serving as a moral compass in a world often swayed by secular ideologies. By fulfilling its prophetic role, the church can influence society for the better, promoting a culture that honors God and values human life. [16:29]
Micah 6:8 (ESV): "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Reflection: What is one specific way you can support your church's efforts to speak truth to power on moral issues in your community?
Day 5: Commitment to Truth in the Church
The church must be a bastion of truth, grounded in the Word of God. This commitment to truth is essential for nurturing believers and maintaining the integrity of the Christian faith. In a world where truth is often subjective and relative, the church's unwavering dedication to biblical truth provides a solid foundation for believers to grow in their faith. By upholding the truth, the church can effectively disciple its members, equipping them to navigate the complexities of life with wisdom and discernment. This commitment also ensures that the church remains a credible witness to the world, reflecting the character and teachings of Christ. [49:28]
Ephesians 4:14-15 (ESV): "So that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ."
Reflection: How can you contribute to your church's commitment to truth, ensuring it remains a place where God's Word is faithfully taught and lived out?
Quotes
"Historically classical Christian theology speaks of what we call the status intermediates or the intermediate State and that has to do with where we go immediately upon death as distinguished from our state after the final resurrection that is to say as the New Testament would indicate Paul says the depart is uh better than to stay he was more needful to stay here for us but to depart and be with Christ was far better and he certainly indicates that as soon as we die our souls go immediately into the presence of God and into the presence of Christ but in that particular intermediate State we're disembodied souls and we won't have our glorified bodies until after the coming of Christ and the great Resurrection where our souls will then at that point be reunited with our body so first Souls continued consciousness of our personal existence the instant we die we go into heaven in our soul State and then we await the final consummation of the resurrection of our bodies." [00:01:31]
"Well when we talk about the separation of church and state you know you know all the historical questions that came from Jefferson a letter wasn't in the Constitution or Declaration or anything but it was accurate in so far as there's a division of labor that the Bible makes clear that God ordains the church governs the church God also ordains the state and he governs the state a few years ago I was invited to speak at the inaugural prayer breakfast of the governor of Florida and on that occasion I said to the governor I said today is your ordination day that you've been ordained by God for this position of political Authority and you will be answerable to God for how you carry out this Mission so we distinguish between the Spheres of activity it's not the responsibility of the church to Bear the sword it's not the responsibility of the state to be giving the sacraments and all of that so there are different duties and tasks that are assigned between the church and the state." [00:15:00]
"Unfortunately in our culture today the Mantra of separ separation of state and church has come to mean something quite different namely the separation of state from God it's one thing to separate the church from the state it's something else to separate the state from God the state has declared its independence from God and wants to have its own authority rather than to be accountable to the things of God now you get a question like abortion and uh and the church speaks out against it and a lot of people scream about that saying this is a violation of church and state and so on and it's an un an unjust intrusion of the church into the political realm however when we speak to an issue like abortion which is the most significant ethical issue I believe this nation has ever had to deal with far more uh serious than even the Diabolical problem of slavery y but in this case we're not asking the state to be the church we're asking the state to be the state because the state's primary raise on debt it's primary reason for existence in its original creation by God primarily is to maintain protect and honor the sanctity of human life and when the state fails to do that it fails to do its task before God." [00:15:57]
"Now God commands us to seek after him God commands us to be perfect God commands us to be obedient in all things now the assumption is that that if God commands you to do something you must have the ability to do it this is what created the biggest theological issue in the the first four centuries of Christendom the issue between the monk Pelagius and Augustine over the question of whether we as Fallen human beings have the ability the moral ability to lead perfect lives Augustine had made a prayer where he said words that this effect o Lord command what thou wouldst and Grant what thou dust command and Pelagius took umbrage at that when he's saing why would you ask God to give you the ability to do something that he commands you to do obviously if he commands you to do it you can do it and aasa said no no no no no no before the fall we could do it but after the fall we don't have the moral capacity or the immoral ability to do what God commands now and even though we have fallen into that state of corruption and lost our moral ability to obey the command of God that doesn't excuse us that the command is still there." [00:20:35]
"Well Grace I don't believe in Soul sleep either but I think I think the tension that you've already indicated is resolved in this way historically classical Christian theology speaks of what we call the status intermediates or the intermediate State and that has to do with where we go immediately upon death as distinguished from our state after the final resurrection that is to say as the New Testament would indicate Paul says the depart is uh better than to stay he was more needful to stay here for us but to depart and be with Christ was far better and he certainly indicates that as soon as we die our souls go immediately into the presence of God and into the presence of Christ but in that particular intermediate State we're disembodied souls and we won't have our glorified bodies until after the coming of Christ and the great Resurrection where our souls will then at that point be reunited with our body so first Souls continued consciousness of our personal existence the instant we die we go into heaven in our soul State and then we await the final consummation of the resurrection of our bodies." [00:01:31]
"Well when we talk about the separation of church and state you know you know all the historical questions that came from Jefferson a letter wasn't in the Constitution or Declaration or anything but it was accurate in so far as there's a division of labor that the Bible makes clear that God ordains the church governs the church God also ordains the state and he governs the state a few years ago I was invited to speak at the inaugural prayer breakfast of the governor of Florida and on that occasion I said to the governor I said today is your ordination day that you've been ordained by God for this position of political Authority and you will be answerable to God for how you carry out this Mission so we distinguish between the Spheres of activity it's not the responsibility of the church to Bear the sword it's not the responsibility of the state to be giving the sacraments and all of that so there are different duties and tasks that are assigned between the church and the state." [00:15:00]
"Unfortunately in our culture today the Mantra of separ separation of state and church has come to mean something quite different namely the separation of state from God it's one thing to separate the church from the state it's something else to separate the state from God the state has declared its independence from God and wants to have its own authority rather than to be accountable to the things of God now you get a question like abortion and uh and the church speaks out against it and a lot of people scream about that saying this is a violation of church and state and so on and it's an un an unjust intrusion of the church into the political realm however when we speak to an issue like abortion which is the most significant ethical issue I believe this nation has ever had to deal with far more uh serious than even the Diabolical problem of slavery y but in this case we're not asking the state to be the church we're asking the state to be the state because the state's primary raise on debt it's primary reason for existence in its original creation by God primarily is to maintain protect and honor the sanctity of human life and when the state fails to do that it fails to do its task before God." [00:15:57]
"Now God commands us to seek after him God commands us to be perfect God commands us to be obedient in all things now the assumption is that that if God commands you to do something you must have the ability to do it this is what created the biggest theological issue in the the first four centuries of Christendom the issue between the monk Pelagius and Augustine over the question of whether we as Fallen human beings have the ability the moral ability to lead perfect lives Augustine had made a prayer where he said words that this effect o Lord command what thou wouldst and Grant what thou dust command and Pelagius took umbrage at that when he's saing why would you ask God to give you the ability to do something that he commands you to do obviously if he commands you to do it you can do it and aasa said no no no no no no before the fall we could do it but after the fall we don't have the moral capacity or the immoral ability to do what God commands now and even though we have fallen into that state of corruption and lost our moral ability to obey the command of God that doesn't excuse us that the command is still there." [00:20:35]
"Well Grace I don't believe in Soul sleep either but I think I think the tension that you've already indicated is resolved in this way historically classical Christian theology speaks of what we call the status intermediates or the intermediate State and that has to do with where we go immediately upon death as distinguished from our state after the final resurrection that is to say as the New Testament would indicate Paul says the depart is uh better than to stay he was more needful to stay here for us but to depart and be with Christ was far better and he certainly indicates that as soon as we die our souls go immediately into the presence of God and into the presence of Christ but in that particular intermediate State we're disembodied souls and we won't have our glorified bodies until after the coming of Christ and the great Resurrection where our souls will then at that point be reunited with our body so first Souls continued consciousness of our personal existence the instant we die we go into heaven in our soul State and then we await the final consummation of the resurrection of our bodies." [00:01:31]
"Well when we talk about the separation of church and state you know you know all the historical questions that came from Jefferson a letter wasn't in the Constitution or Declaration or anything but it was accurate in so far as there's a division of labor that the Bible makes clear that God ordains the church governs the church God also ordains the state and he governs the state a few years ago I was invited to speak at the inaugural prayer breakfast of the governor of Florida and on that occasion I said to the governor I said today is your ordination day that you've been ordained by God for this position of political Authority and you will be answerable to God for how you carry out this Mission so we distinguish between the Spheres of activity it's not the responsibility of the church to Bear the sword it's not the responsibility of the state to be giving the sacraments and all of that so there are different duties and tasks that are assigned between the church and the state." [00:15:00]
"Unfortunately in our culture today the Mantra of separ separation of state and church has come to mean something quite different namely the separation of state from God it's one thing to separate the church from the state it's something else to separate the state from God the state has declared its independence from God and wants to have its own authority rather than to be accountable to the things of God now you get a question like abortion and uh and the church speaks out against it and a lot of people scream about that saying this is a violation of church and state and so on and it's an un an unjust intrusion of the church into the political realm however when we speak to an issue like abortion which is the most significant ethical issue I believe this nation has ever had to deal with far more uh serious than even the Diabolical problem of slavery y but in this case we're not asking the state to be the church we're asking the state to be the state because the state's primary raise on debt it's primary reason for existence in its original creation by God primarily is to maintain protect and honor the sanctity of human life and when the state fails to do that it fails to do its task before God." [00:15:57]
"Now God commands us to seek after him God commands us to be perfect God commands us to be obedient in all things now the assumption is that that if God commands you to do something you must have the ability to do it this is what created the biggest theological issue in the the first four centuries of Christendom the issue between the monk Pelagius and Augustine over the question of whether we as Fallen human beings have the ability the moral ability to lead perfect lives Augustine had made a prayer where he said words that this effect o Lord command what thou wouldst and Grant what thou dust command and Pelagius took umbrage at that when he's saing why would you ask God to give you the ability to do something that he commands you to do obviously if he commands you to do it you can do it and aasa said no no no no no no before the fall we could do it but after the fall we don't have the moral capacity or the immoral ability to do what God commands now and even though we have fallen into that state of corruption and lost our moral ability to obey the command of God that doesn't excuse us that the command is still there." [00:20:35]
"Well Grace I don't believe in Soul sleep either but I think I think the tension that you've already indicated is resolved in this way historically classical Christian theology speaks of what we call the status intermediates or the intermediate State and that has to do with where we go immediately upon death as distinguished from our state after the final resurrection that is to say as the New Testament would indicate Paul says the depart is uh better than to stay he was more needful to stay here for us but to depart and be with Christ was far better and he certainly indicates that as soon as we die our souls go immediately into the presence of God and into the presence of Christ but in that particular intermediate State we're disembodied souls and we won't have our glorified bodies until after the coming of Christ and the great Resurrection where our souls will then at that point be reunited with our body so first Souls continued consciousness of our personal existence the instant we die we go into heaven in our soul State and then we await the final consummation of the resurrection of our bodies." [00:01:31]
"Well when we talk about the separation of church and state you know you know all the historical questions that came from Jefferson a letter wasn't in the Constitution or Declaration or anything but it was accurate in so far as there's a division of labor that the Bible makes clear that God ordains the church governs the church God also ordains the state and he governs the state a few years ago I was invited to speak at the inaugural prayer breakfast of the governor of Florida and on that occasion I said to the governor I said today is your ordination day that you've been ordained by God for this position of political Authority and you will be answerable to God for how you carry out this Mission so we distinguish between the Spheres of activity it's not the responsibility of the church to Bear the sword it's not the responsibility of the state to be giving the sacraments and all of that so there are different duties and tasks that are assigned between the church and the state." [00:15:00]
"Unfortunately in our culture today the Mantra of separ separation of state and church has come to mean something quite different namely the separation of state from God it's one thing to separate the church from the state it's something else to separate the state from God the state has declared its independence from God and wants to have its own authority rather than to be accountable to the things of God now you get a question like abortion and uh and the church speaks out against it and a lot of people scream about that saying this is a violation of church and state and so on and it's an un an unjust intrusion of the church into the political realm however when we speak to an issue like abortion which is the most significant ethical issue I believe this nation has ever had to deal with far more uh serious than even the Diabolical problem of slavery y but in this case we're not asking the state to be the church we're asking the state to be the state because the state's primary raise on debt it's primary reason for existence in its original creation by God primarily is to maintain protect and honor the sanctity of human life and when the state fails to do that it fails to do its task before God." [00:15:57]
"Now God commands us to seek after him God commands us to be perfect God commands us to be obedient in all things now the assumption is that that if God commands you to do something you must have the ability to do it this is what created the biggest theological issue in the the first four centuries of Christendom the issue between the monk Pelagius and Augustine over the question of whether we as Fallen human beings have the ability the moral ability to lead perfect lives Augustine had made a prayer where he said words that this effect o Lord command what thou wouldst and Grant what thou dust command and Pelagius took umbrage at that when he's saing why would you ask God to give you the ability to do something that he commands you to do obviously if he commands you to do it you can do it and aasa said no no no no no no before the fall we could do it but after the fall we don't have the moral capacity or the immoral ability to do what God commands now and even though we have fallen into that state of corruption and lost our moral ability to obey the command of God that doesn't excuse us that the command is still there." [00:20:35]
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