October 19, 2009

• Worship, our views of death, spiritual maturity by Pastor Don

  This is from Pastor Don’s Friday Bible study 10/2/09

  Romans 6:18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

  This is the last phase of spiritual growth. God changes the way we worship.  Our outlook, purpose and will can get in the way of our worship.  As we grow in Christ our view of sin and death change, and our purpose of life changes.  We begin to see death as but a doorway to eternal life.  Finally we will get to see Jesus face to face.  Our view of death changes, and also our way of looking at sin changes. 
  
  Jesus conquered sin and death.  Therefore, sin which leads to physical death isn’t leading to physical death but to spiritual death.  If we sin there is a penalty and a price to pay. 

  Physical death leads to spiritual life.  We are a spirit that lives in a body, but when we face physical death we are moving into spiritual eternal life. 

  Life itself changes.  What you used to fear, now you no longer fear.  Things that used to seem important are not so important.  Pastor Don told us that if we do not believe in eternal life, then we might want to consider doing the bucket list.

  God has programmed us so that we believe in the hope of life after death, and we want to try and make our lives count for something.  The more mature you are in the spirit, the more you see death as a doorway.  Jesus did not get moved by the opinions of people, for Jesus knew that the worst thing they would do is kill Him, and he had no fear of death.  Jesus also knew that people would not be able to kill Him until His time had come.  They did not kill Him until He was ready to die, and even on the cross He died when “it was finished.”  Not a moment before or a moment later.  The timing of His death was Jesus’ choice. Because Jesus was not a sinner, death had no authority over Him. Death only has authority over us if we are afraid.  The Romans expected that Jesus would be on the cross 2-3 days dying a slow death and were surprised at how quickly he died.  Death didn’t kill Him, He gave up the ghost.

  You are the final authority over the moment of your expiration.  Our physical body is programmed to keep us alive.  The physical body is programmed to exist.  Crucifixion is a horrible way to die- and those on the cross would painfully lift their bodies up to gasp in a breath, it was involuntary – they struggled to breathe even when the pain to do so was horrific. What kills us is disease, death, or lack of will to live.  It is not the point of death, but the cessation of life.

  Revelation 20:13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

  The death spirit and hades had possession of the people.

  Revelation 20:14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.^{YehwehPaladin}