App
(Bible Study #2)
Fred R. Coulter | April 12, 2009
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Let's understand this: Keep our mind on the goal whenever something comes up, especially when it's not clear. Let's see where it tells us directly what is going to happen to our bodies.
And this is another very good example for us to understand. That if it were true that Satan was going to be made into a human being and then exterminated, we would find it in very clear Scriptures. [referring to Bible study on Will Satan be Destroyed?] …What we're going to read in Philip. 3 is a true salvational thing that's going to happen. If, after the study on the fate of Satan, you're still not entirely convinced of what we covered, ask yourself: Is it salvational for you? or not? If it isn't, put it on the side!
That's how we come to understand a lot of things in the Bible. If we come along to something we don't understand, then:
- you put it on the side
- keep it in the back of your mind
- pray about it
- ask God to show you what the Truth is
Over a period of time you'll come to understand it. But here is a clear verse; this is what's going to happen:
Philippians 3:20: "But for us, the commonwealth of God exists in the heavens, from where also we are waiting for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our vile bodies, that they may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the inner working of His own power, whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself" (vs 20-21). Clear!
1-John 3:2: "Beloved, now we are the children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be; but we know that when He is manifested, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him exactly as He is." Clear!
Let's just use the example of the Protestant and Catholic and also pagan doctrine of souls going to heaven, or the reincarnation of souls.
- there is not one Scripture that says souls go to heaven
- there is not one Scripture that says souls are immortal
The Bible says 'the soul that sins it shall die'! So, those are true dogmatic statements that we can look to and realize, yes, this is basic, this is true, we can hold onto it and it is right.
Other things may not be that clear and it may take some more study. But in studying them we have to follow, as we have in The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version, Appendix A: The 14 Rules of Bible Study. Make sure that when you're going through things you don't have a leap in logic. And always remember this. All of the Truth of God is logical, but all logic is not Truth.
Because men can follow along and make things sound logical, but that may not necessarily be the Truth of God's Word. Even though in some cases the Bible may be used. Because you have to put together everything else. That's important for us to understand and to realize where we are going and what we're doing.
How are we going to judge angels? That's something! This is important for us to understand today. Note sermon series: Judge Righteous Judgment. Remember that judgment without righteous judgment and without love can be cruel!
For example, our penal system and most penal systems in the world. If you get a chance to watch MSNBC or National Geographic specials on being in jail abroad. If you carefully read the Old Testament the way God judged things, there when people did crimes and so forth. There were crimes of restitution where the penalty was you had to pay for what you did. Like a thief was caught with something in his hands, he would restore fourfold. If he stole an animal and killed it, he would restore fivefold.
Now let's take and apply that to the modern sheep, called cars. Don't you think that you would really bring down the level of car theft if everyone knew the law was you would restore maybe not fourfold, but just double. So if you stole a $40,000 car, you're going to pay $80,000! If you didn't have the money to pay it, then you would be put into an enforced workforce, and so much of what you would make would go toward restitution. No jails!
The other half of the equation is that if you committed a crime worthy of death, you would die. No life sentences, because that judgment is cruel. Cruel and unusual punishment is not taking someone's life. Cruel and unusual punishment is putting them in jail, in a small little cubicle for life, and they must be in there 23 hours a day and cannot talk to anyone and cannot do anything, and no wonder they go insane. That's a matter of seeing the difference between God's righteous judgment and the judgment of the world: 'let's put them away forever.'
No, either commit a crime worthy of death and you lose your life, or commit a crime worthy of restitution and you have restitution. Ninety-nine percent of the crime would disappear, and no insanity pleas. The crime was done, whether you're insane or not, it is worthy of death; you lose your life. That's it!
1-Corinthians 6:1: "Does anyone among you who has a matter against another dare to go to a court of law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? Don't you know that the saints shall judge the world?…." (vs 1-2).
When are we going to judge the world? In the Millennium! Like Jesus told the 12 apostles, 'You're going to be sitting on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel.' When we reign as kings and priests, we're going to be judging; by what standard will we judge? God's Law! By what standard are the courts of the land governed by? The laws of the land or the judgment of the judge! Everybody who goes to court swears to tell the truth and then immediately proceeds to lie!
Verse 2: "Don't you know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you… [future date] …are you unworthy of the most trivial of judgments?"
Can't you make a judgment of something right or wrong yourself? This is why Jesus gave us Matt. 18. That was violated by the Church over and over and over again. If someone had a grievance against someone, and they go pitter-patter, pitter-patter to the minister, 'Did you know this?' Then a minister would go pitter-patter, pitter-patter to the person and say, 'You did this!' Or someone did something and you would hear it immediately in the from the pulpit.
What should the answer be, that a minister should give someone who says, 'So and So did such and such to me?' Have you gone to him? 'No!' Well go! Matt. 18 says 'between you and him alone.' That's how to do it. Work it out. Are we not to have:
- the love of God?
- the judgment of God?
- the mercy of God?
- the kindness of God?
Can we not work it out? Of course! I don't know what the percentage would be, but I'm sure it's higher than 70%, many of the things are a misunderstanding.
Always remember that in any judgment that you have to be confronted with, you cannot read the other person's mind! So, you don't know what they thought when they were doing what you claimed was an offense to you. Were you really offended, or did you really have a chip on your shoulder toward that person, so when they did something you came into a 'snit' right away. All of these are part of growing into the mind of Christ!
Verse 3. Don't you know that we shall judge angels?…."
How are we going to judge them? At that time, as spirit beings we will know what the judgments of God are, and we will know more about angels and how to do it. However, if you cannot be prepared to judge even the most trivial matters, how are you going to be prepared spiritually so that when the time comes you can judge angels? Now exactly how that's going to be it doesn't tell us. But since God's Laws are eternal, there are similar laws that apply to angels.
- 1st commandment is obviously is true
- 2nd commandment is obviously true
- 3rd commandment is obviously true to them
- the 4th commandment, since they are spirit beings, they don't need to rest on the Sabbath
But what kind of meetings with angels would God have? You think they would have some? Of course!
"…How much more then the things of this life?…. [there many things we have to make judgments on] …So then, if you have judgments concerning the things of this life, why do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the Church?" (vs 3-4).
So look at all the difficulties here. They were going to the law; they weren't going to their brothers or sisters. They weren't developing the mind of Christ. If they did something and ask someone to help judge the church with it, what did they do? They got the ones who are the least capable of judging! Sounds like the federal court system today.
Verse 5: "Now I say this to your shame. Is it because there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who is able to decide between his brothers? Instead, brother goes to a court of law with brother, and this before unbelievers" (vs 5-6).
Not going to get justice there. You may, if you get a judge that has proper judgment. But you may not.
Verse 7: Now therefore, there is altogether an utter fault among you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? Instead, you are doing wrong and defrauding, and you are doing these things to your brethren. Don't you know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God?…." (vs 7-9).
He is also saying that if you have unrighteous judgments. Do you think you're going to be in the Kingdom of God?
{Transcriber's note: the follow is because there seems to be a back and forth between the on who wrote the paper for the first study on Will Satan Be Destroyed?}
Revelation 21:8: "…all liars, shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death." The question is: Does Satan die? If he died it would be his first death, would it not be? But it says he's going to be tormented. What are we talking about here?
Satan was removed (Rev.20:10). Then we have all of those in the second resurrection who did not repent and they are cast into the Lake of Fire.
Revelation 20:14: "And death and the grave were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And if anyone was not found written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire" (vs 14-15). So, there are no human beings in the flesh left.
Revelation 21:1: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice from heaven say, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men…'" (vs 1-3).
However, these have to be men made perfect. Men and women now as spirit beings!
"'…and He shall dwell with them, and they shall be His people; and God Himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall not be anymore death, or sorrow, or crying; neither shall there be any more pain, because the former things have passed away.' And He Who sits on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' Then He said to me, 'Write, for these words are true and faithful'" (vs 3-5). Whatever God says is true.
Verse 6: "And He said to me, 'It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the one who thirsts, I will give freely of the fountain of the water of life. The one who overcomes shall inherit all things...'" (vs 6-7).
So now this is going back as an exhortation to those of us who today are still in the flesh. Because when we are perfected, then we will have already accomplished this.
Verse 7: "The one who overcomes shall inherit all things and I will be his God, and he shall be My son. But the cowardly… [this is a warning] …and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and fornicators, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; which is the second death'" (vs 7-8).
This is talking about people who were cast into the Lake of Fire and are burned up. It says 'all liars' referring to people. Not necessarily referring to Satan because he has already been judged way previous to this point of chronology. But he being a liar, where was he cast? Into the Lake of Fire! Since it doesn't say that he's going to die—it says he's going to be tormented day and night forever—then the result of God's judgment against him is different than the result of God's judgment against human beings. Again, there is a difference!
If a spirit being cannot die, then the second death has no meaning. This is to human beings and doesn't apply. Satan has never had a first death, so how can he have a second one?
Several assumptions are made that the possessed king of Tyre, when he was burned up and came to ashes, that that also applied to Satan and he burned up and died. But that's not confirmed in the rest of the Bible. So, something like that, as I mentioned earlier, would have to be absolutely confirmed by other Scriptures.
In either case He destroys the works, He doesn't destroy Satan. The fire was for Satan and his angels, but that doesn't mean that they're going to die in it. People will die and it. Is it the same Lake of Fire into which unrepentant people are cast into? Yes! People die, but spirit beings don't!
Where does it say they are made mortal? It is talking about Satan, but it starts out the prince of Tyre the king of Tyre, and then it gets back down to the individual again. So that is not absolute proof! That is not thus saith the Lord, 'I am making Satan the devil a human being so I can destroy him.'
They are spirit immortal beings and the wages of their sin is eternal torment. The wages of human sin is death. That much we can see is clear.
Rom. 6:23 starts out with those who are baptized. When was Satan ever baptized? Of course, he wasn't, so you can't apply it! You have to apply things in a proper way, letting the Scriptures interpret the Scriptures and put it together. For something as serious as you are saying, you need a clear Scripture. I've said before, the Lord didn't say. 'I'm going to reduce you to a human being and kill you.'
This is where you need to make a differentiation when you're studying. What is the context? Who is it talking about?
Romans 6:1: "What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? MAY IT NEVER BE! We who died to sin, how shall we live any longer therein?" (vs 1-2). Then he goes through showing the purpose of baptism, how sin shall not rule over you.
Verse 20: "For when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness. Therefore, what fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end result of those things is death. But now that you have been delivered from sin…" (vs 20-22).
He is talking to human beings all along here. There is no conversation at all about angels, no hint of it.
Verse 22: "But now that you have been delivered from sin and have become servants of God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord" (vs 22-23).
You can't apply that to Satan the devil. First of all, you have to prove your supposition. If perhaps maybe it's speculation you wrote in your paper, then you have to prove it dogmatically that he could become a human being. Granted, there is an allusion to it there in Ezek. 28. But that is not definite proof.
I mean here what we're discussing concerning human beings is definite proof out of the Scriptures. Now, since angels are higher than human beings, would there not then be definite proof for us to know that they would be made human beings for the purpose of dying? You would have to say that would have to be!
In this discussion, since it cannot be dogmatically proved that what you have proposed to happen to Satan can be done, then you have to say that we cannot treat that as a salvational issue.
So, the thing to do is then put it up on the shelf let it sit there and don't let it become a fixation that takes you away from the other important things that God wants us to learn.
Here is a good example in Jude's writing of what he is talking about concerning sin. Sin of men and then of angels. Let's read it here. Just a short one, so let's go through the whole thing beginning here:
Jude 3: "Beloved, when personally exerting all my diligence to write to you concerning the common salvation, I was compelled to write to you, exhorting you to ferventlyfight for the faith, which once for all time has been delivered to the saints." That's what we need to be doing, the faith, the rock solid faith based on Christ!
Verse 4: "For certain men have stealthily crept in, those who long ago have been written about, condemning them to thisjudgment…. [he is going to explain what the judgment will be]: …They are ungodly men who are perverting the grace of our God, turning it into licentiousness, and are personally denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ."
Now that covers an awful lot. That covers a multitude of those in the Church, out of the Church, especially religionists who profess to be Christian.
Verse 5: "But I myself want to remind you, though you once understood this, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, the second time destroyed those who did not believe."
Look at all the accounts of they didn't believe. Look at the first major rebellion when He said to go into the land and 'I will fight all these giants and there will be nothing before you.' They boo-hooed and said, 'We can't go in.' Then God said, 'Moses, you tell the people, because you won't go in your going to wander a year for day. You're going to be out here 40 years. They said, 'Oh no, not 40 years, we'll go. we'll go!'
What happened? They went up, and they were destroyed! Read all those who are destroyed because they rebelled.
Verse 6[transcriber's correction]: "And the angels who did not keep their own original domain, but deserted their habitation, He is holding in eternal bonds under darkness unto the judgment of the Great Day."
So you combine that with what we read in 1-Cor. 6, that they are going to have a judgment against them, and we're going to be part of that judgment. They are angels; not angels turned into men.
Verse 7: "Just as Sodom and Gomorrah—and the cities surrounding them..." Now what does he do? He gets into human sin again inspired of Satan!
"…in the same manner as them—having given themselves over to sexual debaucheries, and having gone after different flesh… [you wait and see bestiality will be legalized] are themselves exhibited as a perpetual example of undergoing the punishment of eternal fire" (v 7).
That's what Matt. 25 says; 'but a fire prepared for Satan and his demons who are going to be tormented.'
Jude 8: "In the same way also, these dreamers of filthy dreams are defiling the flesh, and are declaring as invalid the Lordship of God, and are blaspheming the Divine powers."
Now notice how he goes between sins of men, now sins of angels, back to sins of men.
Back to angels again; v 9: "But Michael the archangel, when he was personally taking issue with the devil, disputing about the body of Moses, did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment against him…" Why? Because the time of judgment of the angels had not come!
"…but said, 'The Lord Himself rebuke you!' As for these… [the men who had crept in] …whatever things they do not understand, they blaspheme; but whatever things they understand by instinct, as irrational brute beasts, they are corrupting themselves in these things. Woe to them! For they have walked in the way of Cain…" (vs 9-11).
What is the way of Cain? Adding to the commandments of God! All human beings want to improve upon God.
- look at the world
- look at the traditions
- look at the doctrines
- Is God perfect? Yes!
- Is Jesus Christ perfect? Yes!
- Is Their Word Truth? Yes!
- Do we understand all of it? No!
- Is it still perfect? Yes!
How can we, as imperfect human beings, do anything to improve on what a perfect God has done? We cannot do that! That's the way of Cain! God said to bring an offering and you bring it this way. Cain said, 'I'm going to bring it the way I want it.' And God said, 'Sin lies at the door, because you didn't do what you were told. Now if you do right'—God gave him a chance to repent—'you will be accepted. If not, sin lies at the door.' The way of Cain!
"…and for gain, they have wholly given themselves up to Balaam's delusion…" (v 11). I think it's interesting with Balaam, if anyone disputes the inspiration of the Word of God, tell them about Balaam. Someone dedicated to cursing the children of Israel, dedicated to serving Satan the devil, and he just had to have that money. 'I've got to have that gold. I've got to have that silver.' God gave him permission to go along. He didn't give him permission to do anymore than that; you have to read it carefully.
When he got up there to curse what happened? He was dedicated to curse, he was paid to curse, and what did God make him do? Prophesy the Truth! He made a jackass speak, but the jackass didn't prophesy.
"…and haveperished in the rebellion of Korah" (v 11).
This puts together a category of three major events that lead to rebelling against God and going against God in the human realm. But it also connects that with the angelic realm, because the demonic angelic realm was the realm that was inspiring and causing this. That's why he wrote it this way.
Verse 12: "These are subversive stains in your love feasts, feasting in person together with you; fearlessly they are feeding themselves. They are clouds without water, being driven by the winds; trees of late autumn, without any fruit, uprooted, twice dead… [that's referring to the human beings] …raging waves of the sea, casting up like foam their own ignominious shame… [referring to men; it could also be blending in to be referring to angels] …wandering stars…" (vs 12-13).
What are wandering stars? Those stars that are not in the place that they should be, and stars in Revelation are equated to angels. So, these are wandering or demonic angels.
"…for whom has been reserved the blackest darkness forever!" (v 13).
So, you see how he wove all of this together. What we need to do is to be able like Ezekiel and how that was woven together, put together, and what the final end was. If we are dealing with something that it looks like it could happen, but other places in the Bible tell us that it cannot happen, then it cannot be referring to Satan, rather it has to be referring to the king of Tyre.
Comment was made that Rom. 6:23—two options of life-and-death, blessing and cursing—is the same thing Deut. 30:15, only with higher spiritual consequences in the book of Romans. But that is true, we all have choices set before us all the time. Everything you do is a judgment and a choice. Everything you do comes from the mind first. When you get really tired and kind of slow down, what you have to do? You have to really think what you are going to do!
If you had an operation, and your being rehabilitated, you have to think and concentrate. Like when I had my hips operated on, I had to think and concentrate how to use my legs and make them go. After I reprogram my brain again, then I was able to do so.
But everything you do you think of first. This is where sin is. There are works of the mind that are sin or righteousness which are expressed inwardly before the outward act. Didn't Jesus tell us about that in Matt. 5? Yes, He did! If you look upon a woman to lust after her—an inward thought, an inward act, before committing adultery physically—you have already committed adultery with her in your heart!
Just think about what the world would be like, and how much better off the whole world would be—men and women—if men didn't lust after women, and women didn't produce pornography. Ninety-nine percent of all pornography are women cavorting around their bodies in various degrees of licentiousness. So, there you have the result of the carnal mind!
- Jesus said, 'Don't think it, because that's a sin.'
- Job said, 'I made a covenant with my eyes,' in relationship to beautiful women.
In other words, it's a choice! You have to make up your mind what you're going to do!
Scriptural References:
- Philippians 3:20-21
- 1 John 3:2
- 1 Corinthians 6:1-9
- Revelation 21:8
- Revelation 20:14-15
- Revelation 21:1-8
- Romans 6:1-2, 20-23
- Jude 3-13
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Matthew 18
- Revelation 20:10
- Ezekiel 28
- Deuteronomy 30:15
- Matthew 5
Also referenced:
- The 14 Rules of Bible Study,Appendix A: The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version
- Sermon Series: Judge Righteous Judgment
FRC: po/bo
Transcribed: 11/1/17
