The Daily Word of Righteousness

To Perish or To Live, continued

From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another, all mankind will come and bow down before me, says the LORD. And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind. (Isaiah 66:23,24—NIV)

We see from the above that the body enters Hell or the Lake of Fire, and we know of no Scripture guaranteeing the spirit and soul are not included with the body. These individuals are lost and will be viewed with contempt by the saved nations of the earth. They could have gained eternal life through Jesus Christ but now they have perished in the flames, although they have not ceased to exist.

We can understand from the above that the argument we will be saved no matter how we behave is based on an incorrect view of salvation. Would we say that the sinning believer, all accomplishments having been burned away by a very painful fire, will enter the Kingdom of God as a naked spirit, and this is desirable?—that we can go blithely on our way because we have been saved as by fire?

And what would be true of the body of the spirit that has been saved as by fire? We do not think such a personality will be entrusted with a body like that of the Lord Jesus. This does not seem reasonable.

Is this a destiny we can contemplate with confidence and joy?

How would you like to enter the Kingdom of God as a naked spirit while all around you are great mountains of fire and glory—your fellow believers who kept the commandments of Christ and His Apostles?

Instead of hearing, "Well done, good and faithful servant," Christ said to you, "I am ashamed of you. I gave you so many chances to press into the Kingdom and you insisted on living in your fleshly desires."

This is what it may mean to be saved as by fire. Is this what you want?

However, God finally will wipe away all the tears of those in His Kingdom.

But suppose Christ not only rebuked you but cast you from His Presence? "Get away from Me you worker of wickedness. You may have performed miracles in My name but I never knew you."

It is important that you know Christ. It is more important that He knows you!

I suppose there will be those who will knock down my arguments, claiming we all will go to Heaven to live in a mansion by grace. Don't you be one of them. I do not believe such teachers are speaking from the Lord. They are not scriptural in this. Their end will be according to their works for they will deceive many.

Those who learn to live by the body and blood of Jesus Christ will be raised up to meet Him when He appears. The eagles who live by feeding on the slain Lamb will be caught up to the Source of their life.

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. (John 6:54,55)

To be continued.