Welcome to the 3ABN Spring Camp Meeting: 00:00:41.87\00:00:44.84 The Three Angels' Messages. 00:00:45.04\00:00:47.34 Hello friends, and welcome to 3ABN Spring Camp Meeting! 00:00:49.94\00:00:53.42 We are so glad you've taken the time to tune in. 00:00:53.62\00:00:56.65 We're going to welcome you with a hearty "Amen. " 00:00:57.05\00:00:58.85 Amen! 00:00:59.05\00:01:00.39 We have been under the unction of the Holy Spirit 00:01:00.52\00:01:02.89 here at 3ABN Camp Meeting, and right now is no exception. 00:01:03.09\00:01:06.59 Shelley Quinn, who is so very much a part of our 3ABN family, 00:01:06.80\00:01:10.90 is going to present a message this morning: 00:01:11.10\00:01:13.03 God's Holy Wrath: Fire and Brimstone. 00:01:13.23\00:01:16.20 And I know that God is going to anoint her. 00:01:16.60\00:01:18.51 So if you're listening by radio or watching by television, 00:01:18.71\00:01:21.01 we'd like to encourage you 00:01:21.21\00:01:22.54 to pray for the Lord to speak to your heart. 00:01:22.68\00:01:24.31 But before she comes, I'm going to lay the foundation 00:01:24.51\00:01:27.18 by sharing a song that I know is important. 00:01:27.38\00:01:29.45 It's important that as you speak about that topic 00:01:29.65\00:01:32.75 that I Give You Jesus. 00:01:32.95\00:01:35.36 If the ship of your life 00:01:59.78\00:02:03.52 is tossing on the sea of strife, 00:02:03.72\00:02:07.72 you need someone. 00:02:08.22\00:02:12.29 If you feel so all alone 00:02:15.16\00:02:18.93 and your house is not a home, 00:02:19.13\00:02:23.24 you need someone. 00:02:23.44\00:02:28.61 If you feel life isn't fair 00:02:30.98\00:02:34.98 and there's no one left to share 00:02:35.38\00:02:38.25 all the lonely days and nights 00:02:38.45\00:02:43.02 when things just won't turn out right, 00:02:43.43\00:02:46.73 and you want someone to share 00:02:47.50\00:02:51.17 and someone to just be there 00:02:51.57\00:02:55.90 you need someone. 00:02:56.50\00:03:00.98 So I give you Jesus... 00:03:03.35\00:03:08.22 He's the peace 00:03:08.42\00:03:10.65 that passes all understanding. 00:03:10.85\00:03:16.49 I give you Jesus... 00:03:18.29\00:03:23.26 He's that perfect love 00:03:23.67\00:03:25.47 that casteth out all fear. 00:03:25.67\00:03:30.91 I give you Jesus... 00:03:33.48\00:03:38.38 He's the water that we'll drink 00:03:38.58\00:03:41.88 and never thirst again. 00:03:42.38\00:03:47.99 I give you Jesus... 00:03:48.82\00:03:53.96 my friend, 00:03:54.16\00:03:56.36 I give you Jesus. 00:03:57.07\00:04:02.67 If the pressures all around 00:04:06.61\00:04:09.71 keep your spirits to the ground, 00:04:09.91\00:04:14.32 you need someone. 00:04:14.52\00:04:18.89 If your body is in pain 00:04:20.59\00:04:24.59 and your health you can't regain, 00:04:24.79\00:04:28.66 you need someone. 00:04:29.16\00:04:34.37 If the times that you have tried 00:04:35.30\00:04:38.87 with all the strength you have inside 00:04:39.07\00:04:42.38 and it seems that you have failed 00:04:42.58\00:04:46.21 remember on the cross He's nailed 00:04:46.41\00:04:50.02 all that bitterness and grief 00:04:50.22\00:04:53.89 to give you peace and sweet relief 00:04:54.09\00:04:58.26 He is the Someone that we need. 00:04:58.66\00:05:04.13 So I give you Jesus... 00:05:04.63\00:05:09.64 He's the peace 00:05:10.14\00:05:11.91 that passes all 00:05:12.11\00:05:14.11 understanding. 00:05:14.31\00:05:19.21 I give you Jesus... 00:05:19.81\00:05:24.22 He's that perfect love 00:05:24.89\00:05:26.65 that casteth out all 00:05:26.86\00:05:31.33 fear. 00:05:31.83\00:05:34.90 I give you Jesus... 00:05:35.10\00:05:39.20 He's the water that you'll drink 00:05:39.60\00:05:42.50 and never thirst again. 00:05:43.04\00:05:48.61 I give you Jesus... 00:05:49.74\00:05:54.05 my friends, 00:05:54.25\00:05:56.25 yes, I give you Jesus... 00:05:56.45\00:06:00.16 He's everything; He's the One we need... 00:06:00.36\00:06:05.29 I give you Jesus... 00:06:05.49\00:06:09.70 my friend, 00:06:09.90\00:06:12.73 yes, I give you 00:06:13.84\00:06:17.41 Jesus. 00:06:18.94\00:06:24.91 Amen! Thank you John! 00:06:31.25\00:06:33.96 Amen! Oh, you look good today! 00:06:34.59\00:06:37.69 Everybody's smiling. 00:06:38.09\00:06:39.89 I have to tell you first of all 00:06:40.10\00:06:42.80 let's pray that my tongue will not be tangled. 00:06:43.00\00:06:46.43 I have been so excited about this Camp Meeting. 00:06:46.63\00:06:50.61 When I get really excited I don't sleep. 00:06:51.27\00:06:53.54 I woke up looking like Rocky Raccoon this morning. 00:06:53.74\00:06:56.38 And it's like: "Oh, Lord, You're going to have to 00:06:57.15\00:07:00.68 make up for the sleep deprivation. " 00:07:01.08\00:07:04.09 And we're going to pray about that. 00:07:04.49\00:07:05.82 But our focus for this hour is Revelation 14:10: 00:07:05.95\00:07:11.89 God's Holy Wrath. And let me put it this way: 00:07:12.09\00:07:15.56 the good news, the gospel of God's holy wrath 00:07:15.76\00:07:21.20 and fire and brimstone. And believe it or not, 00:07:21.40\00:07:24.17 it is good news. 00:07:24.37\00:07:25.71 So let's kind of re-cap for those who... We just want 00:07:25.74\00:07:28.94 to welcome everybody that's watching 00:07:29.14\00:07:31.28 whether you're TV, Internet, or listening on the radio. 00:07:31.48\00:07:34.38 Let's re-cap the three angels' messages. 00:07:34.58\00:07:37.95 The first angel is seen in the sky 00:07:38.35\00:07:41.22 and he has the everlasting gospel. 00:07:41.42\00:07:45.26 The gospel as Hebrews 13:20 talks about it 00:07:45.66\00:07:50.77 the blood of the everlasting covenant. 00:07:50.97\00:07:53.30 This is the gospel that was introduced in Genesis 3:15. 00:07:53.50\00:07:56.60 It is the gospel that was revealed to Abraham 00:07:56.81\00:07:59.47 when he saw the day of Jesus and he was glad. 00:07:59.67\00:08:03.55 It is the gospel that was depic- ted in the sanctuary system 00:08:03.75\00:08:07.18 and it is the gospel that was fulfilled in the death, burial, 00:08:07.38\00:08:11.49 and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:08:11.69\00:08:13.72 The gospel - the everlasting gospel - is the foundation 00:08:13.92\00:08:17.96 of the three angels' messages 00:08:18.16\00:08:19.76 and you cannot preach or teach the three angels' messages 00:08:19.96\00:08:24.20 unless you begin with the gospel. 00:08:24.40\00:08:26.94 Nothing else makes sense. 00:08:27.14\00:08:28.57 So he is then saying... He says: "I've got the everlasting gospel 00:08:29.07\00:08:35.04 for every nation, tongue, tribe, and people. " 00:08:35.24\00:08:37.45 We're to preach it, right? 00:08:37.65\00:08:39.25 And he says: "Fear God and give Him glory 00:08:39.45\00:08:42.08 for the hour of His judgment has come. 00:08:42.28\00:08:44.32 Worship Him who created heaven and earth 00:08:44.52\00:08:47.12 the sea, and the springs of water. " 00:08:47.32\00:08:49.46 Then the second angel comes along 00:08:49.86\00:08:52.23 and he says: "Babylon is fallen! Is fallen! " 00:08:52.43\00:08:56.70 Satan's errors are crumbling and Babylon has fallen. 00:08:56.90\00:09:01.90 Now the third angel comes along with a dire warning 00:09:02.10\00:09:05.81 and this warning is this: 00:09:06.21\00:09:08.01 "If anyone worships the beast 00:09:08.21\00:09:11.68 or receives his mark in his forehead or in his hand... " 00:09:11.88\00:09:17.02 their choice brings this consequence. 00:09:17.62\00:09:20.29 Revelation 14:10... Revelation 14:10 says: 00:09:20.49\00:09:24.76 You know, I grew up fearing God the Father. 00:09:44.15\00:09:47.62 All I ever heard about the Father was about His wrath. 00:09:47.82\00:09:51.39 And people twisted scriptures 00:09:51.89\00:09:55.26 to make Him seem demanding and severe. 00:09:55.46\00:09:59.69 And I hope in our short time today 00:09:59.89\00:10:02.26 that we are going to put that fallacy to rest. 00:10:02.46\00:10:05.00 So let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come before You 00:10:05.20\00:10:08.77 holy and righteous God in the name of Jesus Christ 00:10:08.97\00:10:12.27 thanking You for the gift of salvation, 00:10:12.47\00:10:14.61 thanking You for Your greatest gifts of grace: 00:10:14.81\00:10:18.15 Jesus Christ, Your Holy Spirit, and Your Word. 00:10:18.35\00:10:21.25 Oh Father, pour out Your Holy Spirit now on me. 00:10:21.45\00:10:24.25 Pour out Your Holy Spirit on the people... 00:10:24.65\00:10:27.12 on all who are hearing my voice. 00:10:27.32\00:10:29.32 And Father, may the Spirit be our teacher 00:10:29.52\00:10:32.43 and empower us to not only share this message 00:10:32.63\00:10:36.26 but to put it into practice. 00:10:36.46\00:10:38.37 We thank you, Father for the answer to the prayer of faith. 00:10:38.77\00:10:41.24 In Jesus' name, Amen. 00:10:41.44\00:10:43.54 Let me ask you a question: 00:10:43.74\00:10:45.31 what is the most important thing about you? 00:10:45.51\00:10:49.88 What matters most in your life? 00:10:51.08\00:10:55.05 The answer's going to surprise you. 00:10:55.95\00:10:58.22 What? That's a great answer, by the way. 00:10:59.12\00:11:01.49 But the most important thing in your life is what you believe 00:11:01.69\00:11:05.73 about the nature and character of God. 00:11:05.93\00:11:09.53 What you believe about the character of God is critical. 00:11:10.33\00:11:14.24 Do you see Him as a loving Father? 00:11:14.74\00:11:17.87 Or is He to you a stern and demanding taskmaster? 00:11:18.37\00:11:22.64 Do you see the God of the Old Testament 00:11:23.04\00:11:25.75 portrayed with different characteristics of the God of 00:11:25.95\00:11:29.72 the New Testament? 00:11:29.92\00:11:31.25 Do you realize that Jesus came 00:11:31.35\00:11:34.66 to reveal the Father? To show us the Father? 00:11:34.86\00:11:39.46 And Hebrews 1:3 says that He is the exact representation 00:11:39.96\00:11:44.00 of the Father's character, of His nature and His being. 00:11:44.40\00:11:48.07 So as loving and kind and gentle as Jesus was 00:11:48.47\00:11:51.87 that's the Father. 00:11:52.27\00:11:53.74 You know, it is sad but many religious denominations 00:11:54.34\00:11:58.58 view their picture of God as through a kaleidoscope. 00:11:59.08\00:12:03.28 Do you know what a kaleidoscope is? 00:12:03.49\00:12:04.85 That little cylinder thing that you twist the bottom. 00:12:05.25\00:12:07.92 It's got broken pieces of glass 00:12:08.12\00:12:10.13 and as you twist it makes different patterns. 00:12:10.33\00:12:12.33 Many religious denominations take Bible fragments; 00:12:13.06\00:12:18.10 they put them together to come up and reflect 00:12:18.30\00:12:23.20 a disjointed picture of God. 00:12:23.41\00:12:27.01 Many Christians base their beliefs on denominational creeds 00:12:27.51\00:12:33.08 and on traditions of men 00:12:33.28\00:12:35.88 rather than making the Bible their rule of faith. 00:12:36.08\00:12:39.25 And we have to remember God's thoughts are higher 00:12:39.75\00:12:43.49 than our thoughts, are they not? 00:12:43.69\00:12:45.93 His Word is settled; it stands firm forever. 00:12:46.33\00:12:50.57 And we have to put away preconceived opinions. 00:12:50.97\00:12:55.97 You know, the things that we thought were true about God 00:12:56.57\00:12:59.87 because they can insulate our mind against truth. 00:13:00.08\00:13:04.61 And we've got to put those away 00:13:05.01\00:13:06.45 and we've got to search the scriptures 00:13:06.65\00:13:09.15 to verify that what we believe is true. 00:13:09.35\00:13:11.65 Amen? Amen! All right. So this is the way much of the 00:13:11.85\00:13:15.09 religious world views God. But what about the secular world? 00:13:15.29\00:13:20.26 What is their picture of God? 00:13:20.76\00:13:23.23 I know intellectually honest atheists 00:13:23.73\00:13:26.77 who have come to scripture 00:13:26.97\00:13:29.24 to study with an admitted bias 00:13:29.44\00:13:32.94 that they wanted to prove that 00:13:33.14\00:13:34.48 God was nothing more than fiction. 00:13:34.51\00:13:36.41 And you know what has happened? 00:13:36.61\00:13:38.01 They have found proof of the existence of God. 00:13:38.51\00:13:44.19 The evidence of God. 00:13:44.39\00:13:45.92 They have seen in scripture the beauty of His love 00:13:46.12\00:13:49.66 and they've become Seventh- day Adventist Christians. 00:13:49.86\00:13:52.63 But now there are others in the secular world 00:13:53.26\00:13:56.56 who are atheists and agnostics 00:13:57.63\00:14:00.54 who actually started with a Christian background. 00:14:00.74\00:14:05.44 But what happened is they had erroneous teachings 00:14:05.84\00:14:09.24 that painted God as a reprehensible being 00:14:09.44\00:14:13.78 and they turned their back on God 00:14:14.18\00:14:17.19 concluding that the Bible was nothing more than fiction. 00:14:17.39\00:14:20.89 Are you familiar with 00:14:21.29\00:14:22.62 the militant atheist Richard Dawkins? 00:14:22.66\00:14:25.29 Not Stephen... Oh boy, I always get them confused... 00:14:25.56\00:14:30.07 Richard Dawkins not Stephen Hawking 00:14:30.27\00:14:32.80 who was the theoretical physicist that just died. 00:14:33.00\00:14:35.67 But Richard Dawkins embraced Christianity 00:14:35.87\00:14:40.38 till half-way through his teenage years. 00:14:40.78\00:14:44.25 And then guess what happened? He turned his back on God; 00:14:44.45\00:14:47.88 he turned his back on the Bible; 00:14:48.28\00:14:49.98 he said "It's just fiction. " 00:14:50.19\00:14:51.59 He doesn't believe in creationism; 00:14:51.79\00:14:53.89 he doesn't believe in intelligent design. 00:14:54.29\00:14:56.16 He has become a full-fledged supporter of Darwin's theory 00:14:56.36\00:15:01.16 of evolution. 00:15:01.36\00:15:02.70 Now let's look in his book The God Delusion. 00:15:02.76\00:15:07.50 This is what Richard Hawkins - Dawkins - 00:15:07.70\00:15:11.21 I'm going to confuse this... what Richard Dawkins says. 00:15:11.41\00:15:14.84 And I'll tell you: for a tired tongue this is a tongue twister. 00:15:15.04\00:15:18.81 But in his book The God Delusion Dawkins says: 00:15:19.91\00:15:22.98 Let me ask you: what lens is he looking through? 00:15:57.75\00:16:02.82 Have you ever seen a more disjointed picture of God? 00:16:03.43\00:16:08.00 But there are people who believe this. 00:16:08.93\00:16:11.70 Now let's consider one other 00:16:11.90\00:16:13.50 who embraced Christianity and his name is Chas. Templeton. 00:16:14.24\00:16:19.31 He's now deceased, but he was a pretty famous Canadian. 00:16:19.51\00:16:22.54 Charles Templeton converted to Christianity; 00:16:22.94\00:16:26.31 he became a very popular evangelist. 00:16:26.51\00:16:30.52 But along the way he began to settle into 00:16:30.72\00:16:34.42 a theologically and socially 00:16:34.62\00:16:38.26 more liberal stream. 00:16:38.46\00:16:41.40 And as he did he began to doubt 00:16:42.00\00:16:46.37 and he lost his faith. 00:16:46.57\00:16:48.64 And he declared himself to be an agnostic. 00:16:49.24\00:16:53.88 And agnostic is one who doesn't claim either 00:16:54.08\00:16:57.88 disbelief or faith in God. 00:16:58.08\00:17:00.65 But they think nothing can be known about God. 00:17:00.85\00:17:03.62 Now listen to this man who was an evangelist 00:17:04.29\00:17:07.82 at one time. In his book Farewell To God 00:17:08.02\00:17:10.83 Charles Templeton writes: 00:17:11.03\00:17:12.76 I wonder what half-baked distorted doctrines 00:17:30.18\00:17:35.68 these men were exposed to. 00:17:35.88\00:17:38.02 Think about this! 00:17:38.52\00:17:39.85 It is, I know... I mean I just know that I know... 00:17:40.06\00:17:44.33 that the fallacy of the immortal soul 00:17:44.49\00:17:48.40 and unceasing torture in hell 00:17:48.80\00:17:51.47 was right at the top of the error that they were taught. 00:17:51.97\00:17:55.97 You see, that fallacy infiltrated the church 00:17:56.37\00:18:01.81 by pagan philosophy. 00:18:02.01\00:18:05.45 And this erroneous teaching 00:18:05.88\00:18:09.48 has disfigured God's image 00:18:09.68\00:18:13.02 turning many away from Him completely while keeping 00:18:13.22\00:18:17.43 countless Christians at arms' distance from Him. 00:18:17.63\00:18:21.13 Ooh! That was me! 00:18:21.63\00:18:23.23 I loved Jesus but I feared the Father 00:18:23.43\00:18:26.27 and I kept Him at a distance. 00:18:26.47\00:18:29.00 A complete misunderstanding of God's wrath 00:18:29.97\00:18:34.38 leaves people trembling in doubt and despair. 00:18:34.58\00:18:38.91 And I just have to say it is a travesty 00:18:39.41\00:18:43.49 to portray God as stern and unyielding 00:18:43.69\00:18:46.79 in the Old Testament 00:18:46.99\00:18:48.52 and God of love in the New Testament. 00:18:48.72\00:18:51.39 Because a careful examination, 00:18:51.59\00:18:54.20 a thoughtful study of both Testaments, 00:18:54.40\00:18:56.40 will reveal He's the same in both Testaments. 00:18:56.60\00:19:00.57 The Old Testament is this grand story 00:19:00.77\00:19:04.51 of God's covenant love, redemption, and grace. 00:19:04.71\00:19:08.51 He shows Himself to be a righteous God 00:19:08.91\00:19:11.81 of truth and justice. A Creator who is filled 00:19:12.01\00:19:15.68 with wisdom and goodness. But more than anything 00:19:15.88\00:19:18.85 a Father who is slow to anger and abounding in love. 00:19:19.05\00:19:24.56 While it is true... 00:19:24.96\00:19:27.16 Yes, the Old Testament does emphasize 00:19:27.36\00:19:33.13 more the wrath of God. 00:19:33.34\00:19:36.44 Because the New Testament is magnifying His mercy, 00:19:37.34\00:19:42.64 love, and grace to us in Jesus Christ, right? 00:19:42.84\00:19:47.78 But let me tell you something: the New Testament 00:19:47.98\00:19:50.25 does not lose the emphasis on God's righteousness 00:19:50.45\00:19:55.49 or His severity of punishment on sin. 00:19:55.69\00:19:59.16 In fact, the New Testament... 00:19:59.66\00:20:02.20 the element of wrath is not overlooked, 00:20:02.70\00:20:05.53 it is intensified because God has sent His Son 00:20:05.73\00:20:09.80 to die for us. God is unchanging. 00:20:10.01\00:20:12.74 He is perfect in character. 00:20:12.94\00:20:14.78 He is the same in both Testaments. 00:20:14.98\00:20:17.71 The Old Testament He says: I am the Lord; I change not. " 00:20:18.11\00:20:21.42 And the New Testament says Jesus Christ is "the same 00:20:22.02\00:20:25.59 yesterday, today, and forever. " 00:20:25.79\00:20:29.22 I'll tell you what: our language, our understanding 00:20:29.92\00:20:35.33 is so limited. God is so much bigger - 00:20:35.53\00:20:39.30 so much grander - than any human language 00:20:39.50\00:20:43.54 can describe. And do you realize 00:20:43.74\00:20:46.37 we only have seen a glimpse of His grace. 00:20:46.57\00:20:50.51 We don't understand the depth of His love. 00:20:51.11\00:20:54.05 But God longs to be understood. 00:20:54.25\00:20:57.05 He wants to be known and understood by His creatures 00:20:57.25\00:21:00.72 so that He can strike a responsive chord 00:21:01.22\00:21:06.59 of love in us. 00:21:06.80\00:21:09.23 The apostle John sums up the essence of God's character 00:21:09.73\00:21:14.47 in I John 4 and verse 8. 00:21:14.67\00:21:17.21 I John 4 and verse 8 he says: 00:21:18.11\00:21:21.01 The inherent essential essence 00:21:31.35\00:21:36.02 of God's nature is love. 00:21:36.22\00:21:39.49 Love... that's who He is! 00:21:40.23\00:21:42.76 He IS love. 00:21:43.30\00:21:45.13 And if that is His nature, 00:21:45.33\00:21:47.67 all character attributes have to be derived 00:21:47.87\00:21:53.68 from nature, right? 00:21:54.08\00:21:55.98 So we've got God with this nature of love. 00:21:56.48\00:22:00.42 That means all of the attributes of His character 00:22:00.62\00:22:03.82 must be compatible with love. 00:22:04.22\00:22:07.59 God - when we think of His character - 00:22:07.99\00:22:11.23 God is holy. He is righteous; He is morally pure. 00:22:11.43\00:22:15.86 He is just. And what does it mean to be holy? 00:22:16.06\00:22:19.93 Holy means to be separated from sin. 00:22:20.87\00:22:23.64 So God is totally separated from sin. 00:22:24.34\00:22:29.81 His nature of love... and let me explain why. 00:22:30.51\00:22:33.62 Love and sin are polar opposites. 00:22:34.12\00:22:39.02 They are irreconcilably incompatible. 00:22:39.52\00:22:43.79 So it is God's nature of love 00:22:44.59\00:22:47.50 that establishes His perfect holiness. 00:22:48.00\00:22:53.20 Did you know it is God's nature of love... 00:22:53.40\00:22:56.10 When He pours His love into us by the power of the Holy Spirit 00:22:56.30\00:22:59.27 did you know that's what establishes our holiness? 00:22:59.47\00:23:02.64 Look at I Thessalonians 3:12-13. 00:23:02.94\00:23:05.88 Paul is writing. He says: 00:23:07.12\00:23:09.78 OK... who is doing the work? 00:23:21.33\00:23:22.96 The Lord. 00:23:23.97\00:23:25.30 He's the One that's going to cause you to increase 00:23:25.33\00:23:27.64 and abound in love. 00:23:27.84\00:23:29.17 He says: "Just as we do to you so that... " 00:23:29.50\00:23:32.64 Any time you see so or so that 00:23:32.84\00:23:35.64 this is a purpose statement. 00:23:36.04\00:23:38.35 Do you see what that's saying? 00:23:54.06\00:23:55.43 As we grow in divine love - 00:23:55.63\00:23:57.97 we open up our heart and let God pour His love into us - 00:23:58.17\00:24:00.94 we grow in holiness... we become more like God. 00:24:01.14\00:24:05.74 We are separated from sin. 00:24:05.94\00:24:08.34 Hebrews 12:29 is a scripture that makes many tremble. 00:24:09.14\00:24:13.58 And Hebrews 12:29 says this: 00:24:13.98\00:24:16.72 "Our God is a consuming fire. " 00:24:25.06\00:24:29.90 If I've got gold ore here and I put it through the fire, 00:24:30.33\00:24:34.40 what happens? 00:24:34.60\00:24:35.94 The dross is burned off and it is purified. 00:24:36.24\00:24:40.08 Fire purifies. 00:24:40.88\00:24:42.84 Let me tell you: this is what this scripture means. 00:24:43.04\00:24:47.62 When it says "Our God is a consuming fire" 00:24:47.82\00:24:50.32 love consumes sin. 00:24:50.82\00:24:54.22 Love consumes sin. 00:24:55.36\00:24:58.19 That's why you and I cannot stand in the presence 00:24:58.39\00:25:02.10 of a holy God... a God of love. 00:25:02.30\00:25:05.33 If He were to embrace us as we are, 00:25:05.53\00:25:08.24 if we didn't have the robe of Christ's righteousness, 00:25:08.94\00:25:12.24 if God put His arms around us 00:25:12.44\00:25:14.51 we'd be gone... we'd be obliterated, incinerated. 00:25:15.61\00:25:18.65 We would be gone! 00:25:19.28\00:25:20.85 So love consumes sin. 00:25:21.05\00:25:23.59 How do we then reconcile 00:25:24.22\00:25:26.82 the love of God and the wrath of God? 00:25:27.02\00:25:30.23 The juxtaposition of these two ideas... 00:25:30.73\00:25:33.76 putting them side by side... 00:25:33.96\00:25:35.70 has caused much angst in the Christian community. 00:25:35.90\00:25:39.43 But they are compatible... totally compatible. 00:25:39.63\00:25:42.57 Let's look at His anger. God has a visceral response to sin. 00:25:42.77\00:25:48.71 It is deep-seated, deep-rooted. 00:25:49.01\00:25:51.75 He finds sin absolutely reprehensible. 00:25:51.95\00:25:56.12 It is disgusting... it is repulsive to Him. 00:25:56.32\00:25:59.55 And He gave us the gift of free will. 00:26:00.36\00:26:04.69 But what man has done is we have misused 00:26:05.43\00:26:09.90 that freedom. Man has taken the gift of free will 00:26:10.30\00:26:14.54 to do wrong instead of right. 00:26:14.74\00:26:17.77 And when you think about this 00:26:18.44\00:26:20.68 God's government operates by the power of love. 00:26:20.88\00:26:26.55 But the sin-sick world operates by the love of power 00:26:27.05\00:26:32.85 where the strong exploit the weak. 00:26:33.56\00:26:36.99 And man is angered... Don't you get angry 00:26:37.19\00:26:41.43 at man's inhumanity against man when we see it? 00:26:41.63\00:26:45.47 Why do we think God would not be angered? 00:26:45.67\00:26:48.37 Of course He's angry. It is unthinkable 00:26:48.57\00:26:52.34 to see sin ruining lives and not be angry at it. 00:26:52.54\00:26:57.18 But thankfully God is slow to anger. 00:26:57.38\00:27:01.08 He is very patient and longsuffering. 00:27:01.48\00:27:04.09 And that is repeated throughout the Old Testament 00:27:04.29\00:27:07.06 but let me say... we're going to quote Nahum 1:3. 00:27:07.26\00:27:11.26 Nahum 1:3 says: 00:27:11.46\00:27:12.86 Those who are unrepentant aren't going to be excused. 00:27:25.54\00:27:29.54 God loves the sinner and hates the sin. 00:27:29.74\00:27:34.48 Amen! His love is not sentimental. 00:27:34.68\00:27:37.25 He does not blindly ignore our sin. 00:27:37.89\00:27:41.72 The idea that God is not angry with sinners 00:27:42.32\00:27:45.86 is not found in the Old Testament or the New. 00:27:46.06\00:27:48.76 God is... What we find is that 00:27:49.50\00:27:53.44 only sincere repentance - which is a gift by the way - 00:27:53.64\00:27:58.57 but as we come before Him in repentance 00:27:58.77\00:28:01.54 then God forgives us and His anger is remitted. 00:28:01.74\00:28:06.92 Psalm 30 and verse 5 says this: 00:28:07.32\00:28:09.48 When we repent God cleanses us. 00:28:20.33\00:28:24.47 He forgives us and cleanses us of all unrighteousness. 00:28:24.67\00:28:28.27 You know, He remembers that He formed us from the dirt. 00:28:28.67\00:28:31.81 He remembers that we are but dust. 00:28:32.21\00:28:35.78 Psalm 103:11-14 says: 00:28:35.98\00:28:39.75 Hallelujah! Aren't you glad? Amen! 00:29:06.74\00:29:09.51 God's anger is always morally right and justifiable. 00:29:09.88\00:29:15.12 It is not easily aroused 00:29:15.32\00:29:17.79 but it should be dreaded. 00:29:17.99\00:29:19.95 When human iniquity runs over 00:29:20.56\00:29:24.26 God's anger is aroused to wrath. 00:29:24.46\00:29:27.76 And the way I would explain the difference between anger 00:29:27.96\00:29:30.37 and wrath is wrath is anger on steroids. 00:29:30.57\00:29:33.67 So God's anger and wrath is aroused 00:29:34.37\00:29:38.67 and to express His grief and His unrighteous... 00:29:38.87\00:29:44.45 Let me say that again: 00:29:45.41\00:29:46.78 His righteous indignation 00:29:46.98\00:29:49.08 He pours out His wrath to restrain evil, 00:29:49.28\00:29:54.12 to correct sinners, 00:29:54.32\00:29:56.62 and to punish the stiff-necked rebel. 00:29:56.83\00:30:00.46 Now sometimes God's wrath is active intervention. 00:30:01.00\00:30:06.33 Can you think of a time when He actively intervened 00:30:06.53\00:30:10.41 to destroy evil? 00:30:10.81\00:30:13.51 How about the flood 00:30:13.71\00:30:15.24 when He turned the world into a lake of water? 00:30:15.44\00:30:20.08 Sometimes God's wrath is passive. 00:30:20.82\00:30:24.29 He steps back and He lets sinners suffer the consequences 00:30:24.79\00:30:30.73 of their own choice. 00:30:30.93\00:30:32.46 But you know what? It wounds God... it hurts Him. 00:30:32.86\00:30:37.93 He doesn't want to let people go. 00:30:38.43\00:30:41.50 And when they reject His love and He just steps back 00:30:42.24\00:30:46.21 from them He is bleeding. 00:30:46.41\00:30:50.71 His heart is bleeding over those He loves. 00:30:50.91\00:30:52.91 God wants all to be saved. 00:30:53.11\00:30:55.18 In I Timothy 2:4 00:30:55.38\00:30:57.59 Paul expresses this. He says: "God desires 00:30:57.79\00:31:01.49 all men to be saved 00:31:01.69\00:31:03.96 and to come to the knowledge of the truth. " 00:31:04.16\00:31:08.33 So let's further analyze the wrath of God. 00:31:08.93\00:31:11.67 Both God and humans express wrath 00:31:12.57\00:31:15.80 but there can be no comparison between the two. 00:31:16.20\00:31:19.51 None whatsoever. 00:31:19.91\00:31:21.24 We are warned against human wrath 00:31:21.38\00:31:24.21 because it is usually an emotional response 00:31:24.41\00:31:27.72 to a perceived wrong or injustice. 00:31:27.92\00:31:31.12 And we have to recognize our nature is stained by sin 00:31:31.62\00:31:37.16 so our wrath is usually uncontrolled unrighteous anger 00:31:37.36\00:31:42.16 and it is an evil to be avoided. 00:31:42.56\00:31:45.17 But God's wrath is rooted in His love. 00:31:45.37\00:31:50.87 All right! Let me repeat that 00:31:51.07\00:31:52.67 'cause you don't want to miss that one. 00:31:53.17\00:31:54.74 God's wrath is rooted in His love. 00:31:55.34\00:32:00.42 His wrath is a response to something outside His nature 00:32:00.92\00:32:05.45 against ungodliness and wickedness. 00:32:05.95\00:32:08.72 And it is aroused to protect the objects of His love 00:32:08.92\00:32:12.33 from the situations and elements that are not of His creation. 00:32:12.53\00:32:17.77 God is a moral, personal being 00:32:18.73\00:32:22.34 who is unalterably opposed to evil. 00:32:22.54\00:32:27.28 And when He makes a righteous decision of justice 00:32:27.48\00:32:30.68 and He takes personal actions against evil 00:32:31.08\00:32:35.25 He confronts sin in holy love, 00:32:35.45\00:32:38.62 holy anger, and holy judgment. 00:32:38.82\00:32:41.76 And most often His wrath is tempered by His mercy. 00:32:42.32\00:32:47.66 Aren't we glad for that? Amen! 00:32:47.86\00:32:50.03 Because He wants to bring about repentance. 00:32:50.73\00:32:54.97 BUT the day will come 00:32:55.37\00:32:58.24 when He does His strange act and He will pour out His wrath 00:32:58.44\00:33:03.35 full strength, not mingled with mercy 00:33:03.55\00:33:07.35 to annihilate sin and by association 00:33:07.55\00:33:12.82 sinners will share in its fate. 00:33:13.02\00:33:16.02 What we see is that as we study scripture 00:33:16.62\00:33:22.33 God's wrath is not a permanent attribute. 00:33:23.26\00:33:27.40 No sin... no wrath... 00:33:27.97\00:33:30.47 but it is an ever-present potential 00:33:30.87\00:33:34.84 to carry out the sentence of sin. 00:33:35.04\00:33:37.88 And what is the sentence of sin? Death. 00:33:38.08\00:33:41.28 Both the Old Testament and the New Testament agree on that. 00:33:41.48\00:33:44.02 Ezekiel 18:20 says: 00:33:44.22\00:33:46.45 "The soul who sins shall die. " 00:33:46.65\00:33:49.96 And in Romans 6:23 Paul writes: "The wages of sin 00:33:50.16\00:33:54.20 is death but the gift of God 00:33:54.60\00:33:59.07 is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. " 00:33:59.27\00:34:02.07 Again, God is love, but He doesn't blindly ignore our sin. 00:34:02.84\00:34:08.78 Rather, the extreme depth of His love for us 00:34:09.18\00:34:13.42 we're shown when He sent His Son an offering for our sin. 00:34:13.62\00:34:19.02 When Jesus came and drank the cup - 00:34:19.22\00:34:23.53 the bitter cup - of God's wrath and His fury against sin 00:34:23.73\00:34:28.86 to satisfy the demands of love's justice. 00:34:29.06\00:34:32.87 Let's look at Romans 5:8-9. 00:34:33.07\00:34:36.77 Romans 5:8-9. I love this passage! 00:34:36.97\00:34:40.88 It says: 00:34:41.08\00:34:42.41 You see, humanity had just sunk into the depths of depravity 00:35:13.24\00:35:19.18 and we were utterly unable to fulfill the righteous demands 00:35:19.38\00:35:24.75 of our Creator God. We deserve nothing more... 00:35:24.95\00:35:27.82 we deserve nothing more than His wrath against sin. 00:35:28.22\00:35:31.76 But God did not spare His own Son. 00:35:31.96\00:35:36.97 Isn't that amazing? 00:35:37.17\00:35:38.93 If we had time, I could talk about that for an hour. 00:35:39.33\00:35:42.80 But John wrote in I John 4:10... he said: 00:35:43.30\00:35:47.44 "In this is love 00:35:47.64\00:35:48.98 not that we loved God but that He loved us 00:35:49.18\00:35:53.25 and sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins. " 00:35:53.45\00:35:59.05 The good news of the gospel - 00:35:59.25\00:36:02.56 the good news of Revelation 14- 00:36:02.76\00:36:06.16 the good news of the gospel is that sinners who justly deserve 00:36:06.36\00:36:11.73 the wrath of God may be delivered from it 00:36:11.93\00:36:15.57 through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! 00:36:15.77\00:36:21.54 Amen! He came to be our substitute. 00:36:22.04\00:36:26.82 At the cross Jesus satisfied the penalty for sin. 00:36:27.48\00:36:32.42 He satisfied God's wrath against sin and sinners. 00:36:32.62\00:36:36.29 Mercy, lovingkindness, and truth met at the cross. 00:36:36.79\00:36:42.43 Righteousness and peace kissed at the cross. 00:36:43.26\00:36:48.20 Hallelujah! Aren't we glad 00:36:48.90\00:36:52.84 for a loving Father who put such value on us? 00:36:53.04\00:36:58.41 You are worth nothing less than the price that He paid 00:36:58.61\00:37:01.58 for you with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. 00:37:01.78\00:37:05.15 Now according to Paul the gospel reveals the righteousness 00:37:05.85\00:37:10.13 of God but it also reveals His righteous wrath. 00:37:10.33\00:37:13.60 Let's look on the screen at Romans 1:16-19. 00:37:13.80\00:37:18.57 Paul writes: 00:37:19.07\00:37:20.70 God's holiness demands justice 00:37:58.21\00:38:02.61 but His love demands grace. 00:38:02.81\00:38:05.88 Justice is to get what we deserve. 00:38:06.51\00:38:11.05 Mercy is to not get what we deserve. 00:38:11.85\00:38:17.09 But grace is to get what we don't deserve. 00:38:18.03\00:38:23.70 And God's grace will chase us down. 00:38:24.10\00:38:27.04 He does not want to condemn us. 00:38:27.64\00:38:29.74 He wants to save us for eternity. 00:38:29.94\00:38:32.14 That's why He created us. 00:38:32.34\00:38:34.04 And He revealed in humanity His saving love through Christ. 00:38:34.44\00:38:38.81 And when we are united with Jesus by faith 00:38:39.01\00:38:42.12 we're at peace with God. 00:38:42.32\00:38:43.75 Let's look at what Paul said in I Thessalonians 1:10. 00:38:43.95\00:38:48.89 I Thessalonians 1:10 Paul says: 00:38:49.29\00:38:51.76 Now look at John 3:36. 00:39:07.04\00:39:10.61 John writes, John 3:36: 00:39:11.01\00:39:13.15 We're going to come back to that idea in just a moment. 00:39:24.16\00:39:26.36 Everlasting life is only given to the righteous. 00:39:27.50\00:39:31.07 Those who do not believe in the Son don't get eternal life. 00:39:31.47\00:39:36.57 So can you see how important it is to believe in Jesus? 00:39:44.95\00:39:48.42 How do we know if we're believing in Jesus? 00:39:49.12\00:39:51.95 Believing in Jesus goes hand in hand 00:39:53.29\00:39:56.49 with obeying His commandments. 00:39:56.69\00:39:59.59 I John 2:3-4... this will be on the screen... 00:39:59.79\00:40:03.53 I John 2:3-4 says this: 00:40:03.73\00:40:06.13 Whew! Whoo! 00:40:22.88\00:40:26.52 Whoo! You know, John says in the next chapter 00:40:27.96\00:40:31.83 I John 3:24 00:40:32.03\00:40:33.73 What must we do to remain? 00:40:44.71\00:40:47.78 I believe that we can have total assurance of salvation 00:40:47.98\00:40:51.98 as long as we are abiding in Christ. 00:40:52.38\00:40:55.28 It is not once saved, always saved. 00:40:55.78\00:40:59.22 But as long as we remain in Christ... 00:40:59.82\00:41:03.53 See, He doesn't take free will away from us. 00:41:03.73\00:41:06.13 Some people may accept Christ as their Savior. 00:41:06.76\00:41:09.56 Something happens. They turn their back and they walk away. 00:41:09.76\00:41:12.47 And if they do, they are not remaining in Christ. 00:41:13.23\00:41:17.47 But to remain in Jesus we've got to obey His commandments. 00:41:17.67\00:41:21.08 Believing in Him means to be living in Him. 00:41:21.48\00:41:26.55 And breaking His commandment is a sin. 00:41:26.95\00:41:29.12 Sin is an offense against the Creator. 00:41:29.52\00:41:33.15 Against our personal loving Lawgiver. 00:41:33.36\00:41:36.76 The moral governor of the world 00:41:36.96\00:41:39.53 who vindicates His law of love through penalty. 00:41:40.03\00:41:44.93 Just think about this for a minute. 00:41:45.33\00:41:47.00 The finger that wrote this law of love - 00:41:47.20\00:41:50.31 those ten commandments on those two tablets of stone - 00:41:50.51\00:41:53.51 was nailed to the cross. 00:41:53.71\00:41:56.31 Can you imagine that? 00:41:57.31\00:41:58.78 No wonder God's wrath abides on those who reject His love... 00:41:59.18\00:42:03.82 on those who are ungodly and unrighteous. 00:42:04.32\00:42:07.99 They're living under a death sentence 00:42:08.19\00:42:10.76 awaiting God's coming judgment. 00:42:10.96\00:42:12.89 Those who cling to sin and refuse to honor His authority 00:42:13.09\00:42:16.56 are treasuring up wrath for the day of God's final judgment. 00:42:16.77\00:42:21.27 Romans 2:5-9 will be on the screen, and it says this: 00:42:21.47\00:42:25.47 Will God allow such rebellion to go unpunished? No! 00:43:02.74\00:43:06.85 He will obliterate sin in holy love and holy judgment. 00:43:07.05\00:43:12.69 You know, the Hebrew prophets warned 00:43:13.46\00:43:16.56 that the world was "kindling" the wrath of God 00:43:16.76\00:43:22.10 against unrighteousness. 00:43:22.30\00:43:24.27 They saw a cataclysmic day of judgment 00:43:24.47\00:43:27.94 when God will wipe out all sin. 00:43:28.14\00:43:32.01 Judgment against rebellion and sin is coming, 00:43:32.21\00:43:35.44 and unrepentant sinners will not be able to stand 00:43:35.64\00:43:39.91 when God's tribunal... He's sitting on His throne 00:43:40.12\00:43:43.02 and all the secrets of their heart are exposed... 00:43:43.22\00:43:46.39 they won't be able to stand before Him. 00:43:46.59\00:43:50.53 The wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience. 00:43:50.73\00:43:54.96 And the Hebrew prophets call this "His strange act. " 00:43:55.36\00:44:00.90 Look at Isaiah 28 and verse 21. 00:44:01.30\00:44:05.44 Isaiah 28:21: 00:44:05.64\00:44:07.51 God's mercy will have reached as far as it can ever reach 00:44:23.56\00:44:28.46 and uncharacteristically God, the Creator, 00:44:28.66\00:44:33.54 will have to become the destroyer. 00:44:33.74\00:44:35.74 He will destroy what He did not create. 00:44:35.94\00:44:38.84 So now let's get back 'cause my time is just going away. 00:44:39.34\00:44:42.58 Let's go back to Revelation 14:10. 00:44:42.98\00:44:45.61 Do you remember in Revelation 13:5 00:44:46.82\00:44:49.42 Babylon proclaims and demands that anyone who doesn't worship 00:44:49.92\00:44:55.26 the beast is going to be what? They're going to be killed. 00:44:55.46\00:44:59.36 But now the third angel comes along 00:44:59.93\00:45:02.13 and in a loud voice he says: "No! No! No! 00:45:02.53\00:45:06.27 That's not true. If anyone does 00:45:06.67\00:45:11.17 worship the beast, he is going to have to drink 00:45:11.37\00:45:15.74 from... " Let's look at this: Revelation 14:10. 00:45:15.94\00:45:19.41 "Anyone who worships the beast and his image 00:45:19.61\00:45:22.62 receives the mark on his head or his hand... " 00:45:22.82\00:45:26.86 this is what their choice brings. 00:45:27.16\00:45:30.66 This consequence: Revelation 14:10: 00:45:30.86\00:45:33.26 The third angel is warning to anyone who shows allegiance 00:45:47.34\00:45:51.15 to the beast is standing at enmity to God's purpose. 00:45:51.35\00:45:55.58 And if they drink the intoxicating wine of idolatry 00:45:55.78\00:46:00.76 and spiritual adultery, 00:46:00.96\00:46:03.26 then they're going to have to drink the bitter cup 00:46:03.46\00:46:05.56 of God's indignation. The seven last plagues 00:46:05.76\00:46:08.96 will be poured out on them without mercy. 00:46:09.16\00:46:12.93 And you know what? There's no need to feel sorry 00:46:13.34\00:46:16.57 for them. They will have been warned 00:46:16.77\00:46:19.67 about worshiping the beast 00:46:19.87\00:46:22.04 before the visitation of God's judgment. 00:46:22.24\00:46:25.15 And earth's inhabitants are going to be without excuse. 00:46:25.35\00:46:29.32 It's too late to repent. 00:46:29.52\00:46:31.25 In fact, if God gave them more time they wouldn't repent. 00:46:31.45\00:46:34.69 That's why He's determined to come. 00:46:35.09\00:46:37.13 So they're going to receive the reward of their actions 00:46:37.33\00:46:40.10 and "the wages of sin is death. " 00:46:40.30\00:46:42.33 So the worshipers of the beast are tormented in fire and 00:46:42.73\00:46:45.83 brimstone. What is fire and brimstone? 00:46:46.03\00:46:48.74 This is an allusion to Sodom and Gomorrah. 00:46:49.14\00:46:51.47 In the science of hermeneutics - 00:46:51.87\00:46:54.08 Bible interpretation - there is a very useful principle 00:46:54.28\00:46:58.35 called "the rule of first mention. " 00:46:58.75\00:47:01.12 So when you see a term in the Bible 00:47:01.52\00:47:03.69 and you don't understand it, look up the first time 00:47:03.89\00:47:06.29 it was mentioned in the Bible 00:47:06.49\00:47:08.62 and in context it will help you understand 00:47:08.82\00:47:11.56 what that term means. First time fire and brimstone 00:47:11.76\00:47:14.33 is mentioned in the Bible is Genesis 19:24-25. 00:47:14.53\00:47:19.10 It will be on the screen. 00:47:19.30\00:47:20.64 God had revealed to Abraham 00:47:34.15\00:47:36.18 that He was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah 00:47:36.58\00:47:38.75 and Abraham said: "Would You also destroy the righteous 00:47:38.95\00:47:42.29 with the wicked? " So Abraham began negotiating 00:47:42.49\00:47:45.13 with God. They finally settled. Abraham said: 00:47:45.33\00:47:47.80 "If You find just ten righteous 00:47:48.00\00:47:50.23 in the cities, will You spare them? " 00:47:50.43\00:47:52.37 God said: "Sure. " But there weren't ten righteous. 00:47:52.57\00:47:55.27 God sent angels, and the only ones who came out 00:47:55.67\00:47:58.91 were Lot, his wife, and two daughters. 00:47:59.11\00:48:01.51 And then He rained the fire of His fury 00:48:01.71\00:48:04.15 down on Sodom and Gomorrah and destroyed them. 00:48:04.35\00:48:07.15 Did God hate the people of Sodom and Gomorrah? 00:48:07.88\00:48:10.82 No... they hated Him. 00:48:11.22\00:48:13.32 And let me tell you something: 00:48:13.72\00:48:15.26 we've got 4,000 years of history in the Old Testament. 00:48:15.66\00:48:21.60 In that... just those few books. That's 4,000 years of history. 00:48:22.63\00:48:25.73 Don't think you're getting the entire story. 00:48:25.93\00:48:28.00 If God sent Jonah to wicked Nineveh, 00:48:28.20\00:48:30.47 I'm sure God had been trying to save these people 00:48:30.67\00:48:33.34 in Sodom and Gomorrah. 00:48:33.54\00:48:34.88 That's who He is. 00:48:34.91\00:48:36.24 Now in the New Testament Jude says this: 00:48:36.28\00:48:38.41 "As Sodom and Gomorrah... " Jude 1:7... 00:48:38.61\00:48:41.22 It'll be on the screen. 00:48:41.52\00:48:42.85 The vengeance of eternal fire. 00:49:03.07\00:49:04.87 Are they still on fire today? 00:49:05.27\00:49:06.68 No. No... they were reduced to ashes. 00:49:06.88\00:49:09.74 Yet many sincere-hearted Christians 00:49:10.15\00:49:13.01 have been taught that eternal fire means unceasing torment. 00:49:13.21\00:49:16.95 And this is untrue. 00:49:17.35\00:49:19.05 It is an unjust characterization of God. 00:49:19.25\00:49:22.19 In fact, that would make God worse than Mussolini, 00:49:22.39\00:49:24.73 Pol Pot, and Hitler all rolled into one. 00:49:24.93\00:49:27.03 Is any being who would torment another being 00:49:27.76\00:49:32.47 without end worthy of worship? 00:49:32.67\00:49:35.84 No! The apostolic church fathers 00:49:36.24\00:49:39.51 in the first century... You know, the apostolic church 00:49:39.71\00:49:43.35 fathers were the early Christian leaders 00:49:43.55\00:49:46.01 whose lives overlapped the times of the apostles. 00:49:46.21\00:49:48.65 So they knew the apostles. 00:49:48.85\00:49:50.29 And they taught... After Christ died in the first century 00:49:50.69\00:49:54.32 and 3/4 of the second century they taught 00:49:54.52\00:49:57.93 that there were only 2 options: the way of eternal life 00:49:58.33\00:50:01.40 or the way of eternal death. 00:50:01.60\00:50:03.23 And what happened is this pagan philosopher 00:50:03.80\00:50:08.00 by the name of Tertullian comes along. 00:50:08.20\00:50:09.84 He'd been a pupil of Plato. 00:50:10.04\00:50:13.21 Plato was a pupil of Socrates. 00:50:13.41\00:50:15.51 And they had put forth this pagan philosophy 00:50:15.71\00:50:19.08 of immortal life for the soul. 00:50:19.28\00:50:22.78 The Bible says only God has immortality right now. 00:50:23.18\00:50:26.96 We find that in I Timothy 6:16. 00:50:27.16\00:50:29.46 But what happened is Tertullian comes along, 00:50:29.76\00:50:32.26 he converts to Christianity, becomes an ecclesiastical 00:50:32.46\00:50:35.93 writer and then guess what he does? 00:50:36.13\00:50:38.10 He introduces his pagan philosophy to the church. 00:50:38.30\00:50:40.84 Said: "Oh well, if man's soul is immortal, he must have to burn 00:50:41.24\00:50:45.24 for eternity. " But in the Greek 00:50:45.44\00:50:49.31 the word for eternal and everlasting is aionios. 00:50:49.51\00:50:54.02 And that is a term that derives its meaning 00:50:54.52\00:50:58.92 from the thing with which it is associated. 00:50:59.12\00:51:01.72 So when you use aionios - eternal and everlasting - 00:51:02.12\00:51:05.39 associated with God it does mean an infinite 00:51:05.59\00:51:10.10 existence because God is immortal. 00:51:10.30\00:51:13.20 But when you use aionios - eternal or everlasting - 00:51:13.70\00:51:17.74 with mankind or perishable things 00:51:17.94\00:51:20.71 it means only as long as that person or thing exists. 00:51:21.01\00:51:26.95 Eternal redemption Hebrews talks about. 00:51:27.35\00:51:30.99 It's not an endless process of redemption 00:51:31.15\00:51:33.25 but its results are eternal. 00:51:33.46\00:51:35.36 Eternal judgment: it's not an endless process of judgment 00:51:35.76\00:51:40.56 but its results are eternal. 00:51:40.76\00:51:43.93 Eternal fire 00:51:44.13\00:51:46.13 consumed Sodom and Gomorrah 00:51:46.33\00:51:50.41 and the results are eternal. 00:51:50.71\00:51:53.84 II Peter 2:6 says this. 00:51:54.34\00:51:56.44 Whew! We're going to have to go from here... 00:51:56.64\00:52:00.02 II Peter says: 00:52:00.22\00:52:01.55 So eternal fire for humans 00:52:13.09\00:52:17.07 results in total everlasting destruction. 00:52:17.27\00:52:22.20 The lake of fire is the second death. 00:52:22.60\00:52:25.51 Revelation 21:8 says: 00:52:25.91\00:52:27.88 It mentions the second death four times. 00:52:44.09\00:52:46.80 Our God is a consuming fire, 00:52:47.00\00:52:49.26 and in His final embrace of love 00:52:49.46\00:52:52.23 for the whole world He is going to consume all sin 00:52:52.43\00:52:58.37 because love consumes sin. 00:52:58.64\00:53:01.51 Let's look at quickly Isaiah 66:22 and 24 00:53:01.71\00:53:06.85 in the context Isaiah's speaking of the new heavens 00:53:07.05\00:53:09.62 and the new earth. 00:53:09.82\00:53:11.15 Huh? See, unquenchable fire 00:53:32.01\00:53:34.64 means it's not quenched before it achieves its result. 00:53:34.84\00:53:38.65 And then he says: "They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. " 00:53:39.28\00:53:42.52 And Malachi 4:1 says: 00:53:43.15\00:53:46.39 They'll be totally annihilated. 00:53:56.87\00:53:59.27 God says that it will leave them "neither root nor branch. " 00:53:59.67\00:54:03.97 Now Revelation 6:16-17... 00:54:04.17\00:54:09.04 and I'm skipping two pages of notes... 00:54:09.24\00:54:11.01 says that at His coming 00:54:11.51\00:54:14.88 those who rejected Christ's love, 00:54:15.08\00:54:20.32 His salvation... 00:54:20.72\00:54:22.86 Here's what it says. Revelation 6:16-17. 00:54:23.26\00:54:26.80 The wrath of God the Father and the wrath of Jesus Christ 00:54:45.28\00:54:49.78 are of equal intensity. 00:54:49.98\00:54:52.29 So let's summarize real quick. 00:54:52.49\00:54:53.92 God is love; that's His essence of His nature. 00:54:54.12\00:54:57.59 Unconditional, unselfish, other-centered love. 00:54:57.79\00:55:00.70 All attributes of God's character 00:55:01.06\00:55:02.86 are derived from that love. 00:55:03.06\00:55:04.40 So God's wrath against sin is rooted 00:55:04.77\00:55:09.40 in His nature of love. 00:55:09.80\00:55:11.57 God's judgment is absolutely necessary 00:55:11.97\00:55:15.64 to accomplish the redemptive purposes of man. 00:55:15.84\00:55:20.92 He promised us a place where righteousness dwells, right? 00:55:21.08\00:55:25.12 So there's no way to purge evil 00:55:25.32\00:55:27.56 except through the destruction of those who have set themselves 00:55:27.76\00:55:31.79 in irreversible hostility against God. 00:55:31.99\00:55:36.03 So there's a mutual relationship 00:55:36.23\00:55:38.33 between God's wrath and His love. 00:55:38.53\00:55:42.44 It is not unreasonable. 00:55:42.64\00:55:43.97 What's unreasonable - beyond our reason - is that God 00:55:44.14\00:55:47.38 would become a human being and die as our substitute. 00:55:47.58\00:55:51.31 But He's more than that. Hebrews 7:22. 00:55:51.51\00:55:54.38 My favorite scripture in the Bible: Hebrews 7:22 says: 00:55:54.58\00:55:58.95 See, He is our surety. 00:56:07.60\00:56:10.27 He's the surety from God to us 00:56:10.47\00:56:12.80 because II Corinthians 1:20 says 00:56:13.30\00:56:15.17 "All of God's promises are yes and amen in Him. " 00:56:15.37\00:56:18.87 But He is the surety from us to God that we'll walk 00:56:19.07\00:56:22.88 in covenant loyalty because 00:56:23.18\00:56:26.08 Philippians 2:13 says that He's going to work in us 00:56:28.08\00:56:32.75 both too will and to do His good pleasure. 00:56:32.95\00:56:35.46 And Philippians 1:6 promises 00:56:35.66\00:56:38.09 that He will complete the good work He has begun in us. 00:56:38.29\00:56:41.76 Isn't that exciting? 00:56:42.26\00:56:44.13 Amen! Isn't that exciting? 00:56:44.33\00:56:46.47 Whatever you believe 00:56:47.47\00:56:50.14 about the nature and the character of God 00:56:50.64\00:56:56.51 is the most important thing about you. 00:56:57.28\00:57:03.15 Why? Because what you believe 00:57:04.35\00:57:07.46 about the nature and the character of God 00:57:07.82\00:57:11.19 will determine your eternal destination. 00:57:12.26\00:57:16.70