The Human Condition Without God
The material that you will be reading herein is a study in contrasts. The contrast is the distinction between the person that serves the one true God and the person that refuses to serve the one true God. This study might be consider an exercise in theology relating the distinction and ultimate end of the saint and the sinner based upon their reaction to the Divine instruction available to them via the Written Word (i.e., the 66 books of the Bible).
CONSIDER THIS: It is never acceptable to study the condition of the sinner and the saint from the human perspective without Divine input via the Written Word of God. The reason the writer insist upon this point is simple, there is no Divine truth except that found within the Book of God. Since this is evident to the simple as well as to the scholar, we might now proceed to examine the evidence found in the Book of God.
THE ACCOUNTABLE PERSON MUST BE A CHRISTIAN AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH TO GO TO HEAVEN
Revelation 14:13, “And I heard the voice from heaven saying, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them”
Luke 11:28, “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (ASV).
The accountable person is a person that has the ability to make an intelligent choice about his/her relationship to God. If a person does not have the ability to make a choice because of age (i.e., infant) or mental handicap, that person is not amenable to the law of Christ. Only those persons that reject the gospel of Christ personally may be referred to as those without God — 2 Thessalonians 1:8, “rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (ASV). — Romans 2:8, “but unto them that are factious, and obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, (shall be) wrath and indignation,” — 1 Peter 4:17, “For the time (is come) for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if (it begin) first at us, what (shall be) the end of them that obey not the gospel of God”(ASV), to follow another religion is unacceptable to God — for there is but one God, His name is Jehovah. Based upon this line of argument it is clear that only men and women capable of choosing to serve the one true God (i.e., revealed via the 66 books of the Bible) are acceptable to Him. Since this is factual, we must not accept other god’s as equal to the God of the Bible they are not equals but are inferior as were the god’s of the Canaanites of the Old Testament era, cf.,
2 Kings 19:17-18, “> Of a truth, Jehovah, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, > and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they have destroyed them”
2 Chronicles 13:9-10, “> Have ye not driven out the priests of Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and made you priests after the manner of the peoples of (other) lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of (them that are) no gods. > But as for us, Jehovah is our God, and we have not forsaken him; and (we have) priests ministering unto Jehovah, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites in their work: (ASV).
NOTE: These facts are not presented for the purpose of embarrassing anyone or of creating enmity against any person or religion but these facts are presented in the hope of converting some of these people to the true God. The process of conversion is outlined in the New Testament and cannot be found in any other book of religious authority. Consequently, it is this writer’s contention that everyone that pleases God will have become acceptable to Him by following the same procedure. The same procedure that I refer to is found only in the New Testament and contains the following items; Belief (Mark 16:15-16), repentance (Acts 2:38), confession (Romans 10:9-10), and baptism for the remission of sin (Acts 2:38). According to the teaching of the Bible we find that the first converts from the Law of Moses did these very things, things, which constituted the first congregation of disciples (i.e., Christians – Acts 11:26). This first congregation of disciples was formed in Jerusalem of converted Jews according to Acts 2:1-47.
As we conclude this part of our study, we are made aware of the great gap that divides religious people throughout the world today. Indeed, there are millions of people who are without God in their lives. Those who are without God in their lives are without hope as were the Gentile nations before the advent of Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:11-12, >”Wherefore remember, that once ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands; > that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world” (ASV).
We have a great responsibility to the masses of humanity that are scattered throughout the world, we must do our very best to inform them of the doom that awaits those that are without God, cf., Luke 12:4-5, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. > But I will warn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, who after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” — 2 Thessalonians 1:8, “rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (ASV). This is a great and difficult task for most religious people throughout the world are satisfied with the religion that they currently serve. Not only are most religious people in the world satisfied, they are dull of hearing and blind guides of the blind, unwilling to examine other religious alternatives. The same might be said of the masses of people that have no religion at all, many of them have no interest in religion for one reason or another, often reasons without creditability. Yet, regardless of the objections, and difficulties connected to evangelizing others, we must surely do the works of God which encourage us to teach others of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, cf.,
Matthew 28:18-20, And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” ASV
THE HUMAN CONDITION WITH GOD
According to the teaching of the Bible, our proposition, “THE HUMAN CONDITION WITH GOD” simply means, man’s condition with God as a faithful disciple.
Whenever one walks with God one must be in step with God, before one can walk with God he must have complied with whatever conditions that God has stipulated. On the one hand, if God has not made stipulations for man to follow, man may walk with God predicated on any or no qualifying conditions but if God has provided qualifications for man to meet before walking with him, man must meet these qualifications.
GOD REQUIRED CONDITIONS FOR FAVOR UNDER THE “Patriarchal Dispensation”
Abel and Cain
Genesis 4:4-9, > “And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had respect unto Abel and to his offering: > but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. > And Jehovah said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? > If thou doest well, shall it not be lifted up? and if thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door: and unto thee shall be its desire, but do thou rule over it. > And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. > And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother’s keeper” (ASV)?
Enoch
Genesis 5:24, “and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him” (ASV).
Hebrews 11:5, “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God” (ASV):
GOD REQUIRED CONDITIONS FOR FAVOR UNDER “The Law of Moses”
Exodus 16:4, “Then said Jehovah unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not”
Exodus 18:20, “and thou shalt teach them the statutes and the laws, and shalt show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.”
Leviticus 26:3, “If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them” (ASV);
1 Kings 6:12-13, > “Concerning this house which thou art building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute mine ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I establish my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father. > And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel”
GOD REQUIRES CONDITIONS FOR FAVOR UNDER THE “Christian Dispensation”
The Christian Dispensation is no different from the other two that men have lived under in the past. God expects mankind to conform to His instructions (i.e., commands) under the last dispensation too. Please notice the following teaching from the New Testament that relates to this proposition:
Christ died on the cross for the sins of humanity; this is an act of grace. Even though that is true, Christ has stipulated conditions for benefiting from that grace He has provided, please note, cf., Hebrews 5:8-9 — “> though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered; > and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation” (ASV).
Has Christ provided conditions that man is to obey before he can be saved from sin? Yes, He has, please note the following Biblical references:
Hebrews 1:1-2, “God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, > hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in (his) Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds” (ASV);
How has Jesus Christ communicated these conditions (i.e., commands) to humankind? He has communicated them via the Written Word (i.e., the Bible), please note the following references:
Jesus is talking to His Father on behalf of His apostles and those that will believe on Him through their teaching. The teaching of the apostles is contained in the New Testament today. Since the New Testament contains the teaching of the apostles (i.e., the teaching that Christ authorized them to present), we can know what to do in obedience to Christ by reading the New Testament. The New Testament tells us that we “ought to rightly divide the truth” cf., 2 Timothy 2:15 — (i.e. the teaching of Christ and the apostles).
John 17:17-23: Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth. As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, (art) in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me. And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we (are) one; I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me. ASV
The teaching of Christ and the apostles presents a plan for the salvation of men’s souls, it follows — Jesus Christ told the apostles that their mission would be to preach and teach the whole creation, Matthew 28:18-20. — The New Testament (i.e. the teaching of the apostles) reveals to us the gospel plan of salvation.
1. Hear the gospel, Romans 10:17
2. Believe the gospel, Mark 16:15-16
3. Repent of sins, Acts 2:38
4. Confess Christ as the Son of God, Romans 10:9-10
5. Be baptized, Acts 2:38
Indeed, Jesus Christ will save everyone that will follow His instruction, look again at Hebrews 5:8-9 listed above.
CONCLUSION: Finally, look at the apostle Paul’s instruction to Timothy in, cf., 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (ASV). Consequently, whenever we preach the apostles doctrine today we tell people that they are saved by grace through faith and obedience. Why do we teach that? Because the Bible teaches that and we are bound to teach whatever the Bible authorizes.