Today we have come to the real issue, not that it has not been resolved in past time by outstanding saints. The issue is that of our will.

We can be forgiven through the blood atonement. Fine!

We can receive the Holy Spirit and be born again. Fine!

But do you know we can have these experiences and still not be changed in our will to serve God?

How many Pentecostal people of today, forgiven through the blood atonement, born again of the incorruptible Seed of God, able to speak in tongues, live according to their own will?

When you talk to God's people about doing God's will faithfully, fully, and consistently, about presenting their body a living sacrifice, about denying themselves, taking up their cross, and following the Lord, they turn away from you. They are interested in grace-rapture-heaven, not in suffering patiently the death that results from their personal cross. They never have heard such preaching, and because of the soft teaching they have had they resist the idea of suffering and bearing their cross.

I have no doubt the same is true in the spirit realm when sharing in the sufferings of Christ, such as being brought low in humility, is preached to those believers who are deceased. Why should it be any different? The will is the will!

Satan fell from his position of guarding the Throne of God because he set his will against the Father. Satan, although existing in the spirit realm, would certainly reject and rebel against the idea of being brought low in humility, of taking the lowliest place among the angels.

On what basis do we present the idea that life will be so much different after we die or during the ages to come? Pride will still be pride. Covetousness will still be covetousness. Faith in God will still be faith in God. Obedience to God will still be obedience to God. What will change?

Why would your will change because you died?

Ah, but when I enter the spirit realm I will realize Christ is important and I will serve Him. No you won't. Satan and his angels were in the spirit realm and they rebelled against God. Why would it be different with you? If you are going to give your will to Christ you will do it now. It will not be easier in the spirit realm. Perhaps it will be even more difficult.

But won't I realize after I die that I would be miserable apart from Christ? No more so than today. People can be in horrible circumstances, knowing they are fighting against God, and still persist in going their own way. Have you found this to be true? Even if they were made aware of the spirit realm they would not change. It is a matter of the will coming from the heart.

Isn't this what Abraham said to the rich man?

"No, father Abraham," he said, "but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent." He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead." (Luke 16:30,31 NIV)

So dying or having someone return from the dead will not help us.

To be continued.