The horror of Hell and the Healing of Heaven

"...he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night..."


"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”"

The book of Revelation

Men and women-what the bible says

A biblical basis for understanding male and female: Looking at the texts

Text 1: Genesis 1:26-27

Then God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

What do I draw from this text

1) God made man.

When dealing with men and women, the bible wastes no time in slamming up against the worldview of naturalistic evolution (not explicitly theistic evolution). The very basis of the biblical understanding assumes design, purpose, and ultimately, ownership of man. God made man, therefore man belongs to God. He may do as he pleases for man is his invention.

2) God made man in his triune image.

This jumps out at us from the text where it says “Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness”. God is either talking to the angels or he is talking to another person/s within himself. This is clarified a few verses later were the text says, “ in the image of God he created him”. In light of the whole tenor of scripture, we can know that this is referring not just to the Son and the Father, but also to the person of the Spirit. Man is therefore made in the image of all three.

What we can safely deduce is that man, both male and female (as we will see later), reveal, like a rippled reflection, something of the trinity. This is truly an incredible statement. God does not refer in this way to anything else in all creation. Man is made from the dust of the earth, yet at the same time, in the image of God. It's not surprising that man is so different to all other creation in so many ways (creativity, moral awareness, consciousness etc,etc). While man's body is made from that which already existed (the dust of the earth), there appears in man something totally original and reflective of eternity, his spirit. Unlike all other things, he bears a likeness to the Creator!

3) God gave man dominion over all the earth.

God gave man (male and female) authority over the earth and all its organisms. This is also a reflection of what God is like for He, ultimately, has dominion of all creation.

4) Male and female are together a reflection of the of the image of God.

Man, as it is used in this passage, refers to mankind which included male and female. Male alone is an incomplete image of God as God intended. In the same way, female alone is an incomplete image of God as God intended. Both together are required to bear the image of God as He intended. Even though sin had not entered into man, it was “not good” for him to be alone. Only after the women was created could it be said that the work of creation was “very good”.

5) Equal in value.

If the idea that mankind has distinct value (greater than the rest of creation) because he is created in the image of God, then this has massive implications. In many cultures, men are seen to be superior in value to women. The implication from this passage, however, is that men and women are equal in value. The reason being is that the very thing that gives man value, namely being made in God's image, is present in male and female. This may not seem very relevant in western culture where equality in value between male and female is a given; but this biblical truth is precious and needed in cultures where women are viewed as lesser beings. Emphasizing this truth from the outset is vital when looking at this issue of male and female. To God, we are equal in value. The same should be amongst his people.

Meditations in Ephesians on the Spirit of God

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19

1) In the book of Ephesians, we see Paul praying for the church, that they may be "strengthened with power through the Spirit in their inner being, so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith." They need this strengthing for the dwelling of Christ more richly in their hearts!

2) The Spirit is God's Spirit. Desiring the Spirit is not just a hunger for spiritual experiences. Rather, it is a hungar for God himself!

3) This indwelling Spirit gives them strength to comprehend the dimensions of Jesus love, a knowledge of the love that surpasses knowledge. Help me have a massive view of the magnetude of your love!

4) The indwelling of the Spirit brings power and strength, but also relationship and intimacy with God and Jesus. Oh, Lord, this is what I crave. Relationship and closeness to you my Father, and strength to fulfil all that you have given me to do. I need your Spirit more than I have at the moment!

For this reason because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit (The Spirit-Holy Spirit) of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe...

Ephesians 1:15-19

5) The spirit referred to here is the Spirit of God, the Spirit who gives us wisdom about God and revelation of who he is. Lord, I want to know you more. As Paul prayed for the church, so I pray for myself. Give me the fullness of your Spirit more so that I may understand and know you more!

6) Paul also makes the point that the Spirit not only enables us to know God himself more, but that he also enables us to know the hope to which we are called. Oh, how we need to know the hope to which we are called. Hope deferred makes the heart sick! I want to know the hope which I have. This is a work of the Spirit of God in our souls.

7) Not only do we know the hope to which we are called, but we know that tidal wave of power that is for us who believe. Knowledge of this power is a massive boost of confidence for the mission. There is "immeasurable greatness" saving us and surging us forward!


Lord, my desire is know know you, love you, delight in you. I see scripture teaching that these longings are created and fulfilled by God the Spirit in our hearts. Father, you say that none of your children who ask for a gift will be given a curse (Luke 11:11-13). Your greatest gift is yourself. Pour out your Spirit!

Baptism in the Spirit, signs and wonders-Piper’s passionate defence

You Will Be Baptized with the Holy Spirit

How Signs and Wonders Helped Add Multitudes to the Lord

Another example of the bible’s teaching not fitting into the stereotyped reformed/charismatic boxes. I was really stirred by these sermons-not for the debate points but rather for the mission potential. The church was designed to operate through this power-we need more of His Spirit! Its well worth downloading the audio (from www.desiringgod.org) to get the sermon preached-can’t compare it to the reading.

TRUST, WRESTLE, THINK, FIGHT, BELIEVE!

How do we overcome sin? will-power? discipline? "just say No". Romans, especially chapter 6, gives us a battle plan. Here are 5 strategies:

1) Trust the truth of Romans 1-5!

Romans 1-5 teaches us that we are JUSTIFIED! We stand without guilt before God, despite our regular mess-ups. Knowing that you wear a righteousness not of your own, the perfect righteousness of Jesus, means you know you are no longer in God's bad books. On the cross, Jesus exchanged his perfection for your sin. He was punished for that sin, and you were accepted for his perfection. You are now viewed as guiltless before God. With the crippling power of guilt broken, you can know that you are, and will be (on judgement day), accepted by God!


2) Wrestle with the complexity of Romans 6!

We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

Romans 6:1-10

Easy? No! Quick fix? Seems tough! Meaty? You bet! Solid? Like a Rock! The reality is that not all things in the bible are simple to understand. Many of the greatest, most powerful truths require thought, meditation, prayer and effort. This passage is one of them. It requires wrestling!

If you want to be a shrub, then glaze over Romans 6, leave it to the theologians and stop reading this article right now! If you want to be a baobab however, then wrestle with the truths of this passage.

This is what I see:

You died to sin!
When? When Jesus died on Golgotha!
Who died? Who you where in Adam. Basically, the old you that was a servant of slavemaster Sin!
Why? To be free from slavemaster Sin
Strange? Yes!
True? Yes!

You were resurrected!
When? When Christ was resurrected!
Who rose? The new you, created in Christ to do good works prepared beforehand (Eph 2:10)
Why? To to share in Christ's life which he lives to the glory of God
Strange? Yes!
True? Yes!

How did you die and rise? God viewed you as UNITED with Christ! Your "old man", to his death; your "new man", to his resurrection.

Why does Paul mention baptism? It is a physical demonstration of the reality of your death, burial and resurrection. In essence, a drama of your spiritual reality!

3) Think in sync with the truth!

In the same way, count (also: reckon or consider) yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:11

Because you are united to Christ, you need to think in a certain way if you want to fight sin. Count yourself, consider yourself, reckon yourself...dead to Sin. This is what happened. Your "old man" was crucified with Jesus so that you are free from Sin! Therefore don't think like you're not free! So many Christians refer to themselves as nothing but filthy rotten sinners. RUBBISH! If you think like that you're whacked and not in line with truth. Sure, you sin, but that's not your fundamental identity. Don't think like it is. Don't use the "I'm nothing but a sinner" excuse to carry on serving your old slave master, Sin. You no longer belong to him because that old self, which did belong to him, died! That's not you any more. Your new identity is now free to say NO to Sin and follow your new Master, God.

4) Fight the rebels!

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.

Romans 6:12-13

Slavemaster Sin won't give up his old throne (your body) without a fight! He knows that ultimately you follow your deepest desires. Therefore, he takes desires (which are neutral), twists them to be wicked, and uses them to control your body in a way that mocks God and is self destructive! DO NOT LET HIM REIGN!!!! He doesn't belong on the throne, God does. Let God, who has taken you from death to life, take your desires and direct them to what is truly most desirable: Himself. Then, those God-targeted desires will control your mortal body so that you glorify God and build yourself.

Don't fight your desire for pleasure with will-power; you'll lose! Don't fight it with self denial of pleasure; you'll give in! Rather, fight pleasure with pleasure; desire with desire. The pleasures of all that God has to offer (solid, healthy, eternally satisfying!) with the pleasures Sin has to offer (empty, destructive, fleeting).

Trust, wrestle, think...and on the basis of those, FIGHT! Say NO! pleasure vs pleasure. Don't believe the lie that sin is better. Prefer the pleasures/desires/passions of God!

5) Finally, Believe the promise!

For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Romans 6:14

This verse is not a command...it's a promise. It's a promise that if you are UNITED to Jesus, you are under his favour and Sin shall not, no matter how hard he tries, be your master. God makes sure of that. Ultimately, that's where our confidence for winning the fight lies-the promise of God!

TRUST, WRESTLE, THINK, FIGHT, BELIEVE! Not for wimps...

I need your opinion/help!

We are currently in the process of designing a website for the new church plant from Jubilee into Port Elizabeth. The name of the church is New Nation. Below are two possible options for the front page (often called the splash page) of the website.

This is where I need your help. Could you let me know which of the two designs you feel is better. By better, I mean more attractive to new comers to the "digital front door" of the church. If you came accross these two "doors", which one would you feel more compelled to knock (actually, click) on?


Let me know and add some reasons if you have time. (Do this by posting a comment at the bottom of this post)

Thanks!
Jon