Are You Preparing for the Kingdom?
Soon life’s pilgrimage will end. All children of God will face Jesus at His Judgment Seat. Tradition says, “There’s nothing to worry about. Everyone will be rewarded to some degree.”
This podcast series will give biblical answers to numerous important questions, such as:
- How is the GIFT of eternal life different than the REWARD of eternal life?
- How is salvation of the SOUL distinguished from salvation of the SPIRIT?
- What are negative rewards? What does it mean to suffer loss?
- Will all believers have equal standing in the age to come?
- What is outer darkness and how does it apply to children of God?
- Are all children of God automatically included as part of Christ’s bride?
- Who will rule and reign with Christ?
- How do we prepare to meet Jesus and hear the words, “Well done”?
- In what sense are many called, but few chosen?
- What is the gospel of the kingdom and how does it differ from the gospel of grace by faith alone?
- Why were the Jews called to repent and be baptized? Is that the way to be saved from Hell?
- What is required for kingdom inheritance?
This podcast is for Christians who are seeking truth. Mere tradition is unacceptable. If you are tired of being told what to believe, but instead want to know why you should believe it, then you are at the right place. I share your passion for truth.
I have been searching the Scriptures for a couple of decades now, seeking to undo the traditional errors that were taught to me throughout twelve years of Christian schooling and four years of Christian university and several years of seminary. Not to mention all the years sitting in church, listening to sermons and Bible studies!
Yet I have come to realize that truth is readily available in God’s Word, like precious treasure ready to be mined. God promises in Jer. 29:13, “You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Are you ready to claim His promise?
Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” What do these words mean to you? For some, this is the way of salvation in Jesus Christ. Many others believe this is the ultimate goal of sanctification and discipleship which, they think, will be perfected for us when we meet Jesus. But they do not see it as the means to reaching the goal – the lifestyle choices we make on a daily basis – and they cannot imagine any serious consequences if they fail to deny self, take up their cross, and follow Jesus. “After all,” they think, “I am an eternally secure believer. I stand positionally (legally) righteous in Christ. Nothing of negative eternal consequence can happen to me.”
Virtually no thought is given to the account all believers must give at the coming Judgment Seat of Christ. Sanctification commands are largely ignored in the Scriptures, based on the faulty thinking that all saints will be rewarded and will rule with Jesus as His bride in the coming millennial age. The prospect of believers receiving a negative verdict at the Bema and, consequently, weeping and gnashing their teeth because they have been excluded from the privilege of ruling with Him is shocking to most Christians. Loss of reward is surely not a possibility, or so many would think. Yet, it is biblical.
Few children of God are preparing to be inheritors in the coming kingdom. And that is a terrible tragedy, for preparing to become inheritors in the kingdom – i.e., qualifying to co-rule with Jesus – is one of the primary purposes of the church age. Via the ministry of His Holy Spirit, throughout the entire church age, Jesus is seeking to bring many sons to glory (i.e., to co-glorification with Him, Heb. 2:10). That is the goal of denying self, taking up one’s cross, and following Jesus.
Walk into the typical conservative Christian church or Bible college and listen to the message being taught and preached. You will hear a great deal about the gospel and salvation and the importance of going to heaven instead of hell – and the urgency of telling others about their eternal destiny. You will hear virtually nothing about sanctification and the conditional reward that can be earned by believers for being faithful. You most certainly won’t hear about the negative reward for unfaithfulness. It’s time for the church of Jesus Christ to return to the truth of God’s Word and reject the erroneous traditions taught through centuries of Christianity.
To that end, this podcast is focused on matters of salvation, sanctification, reward, and future events. The listener will hear how biblical theology intersects with daily Christian living in a very practical way. Over time the podcast series will open a can of worms, as one issue leads to another, and numerous questions come to light about the traditions we have all been taught. I trust you will join with me in seeking truth from God’s Word!