Nowhere in the Bible do we find God granting salvation and rebirth to anyone before the return of His Son.  Nowhere do we find Him guaranteeing that church members will enter His Kingdom before Christ’s advent.  That no saint is guaranteed entrance into Paradise is perhaps best expressed in 1 Peter 4:17,18: “For the time has come for judgment to begin in the House of God (His true church); and if it begins with US (Peter and the church) first, what will be the end of those (in the church) who do not obey the gospel of God? … If the righteous scarcely (barely) be saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”  Note that judgement is ongoing in God’s church (not to be confused with the Institutional Church–Catholicism/Protestantism)–which included the apostles.  Due to becoming lax in character, conduct, etc. some in His church will be deceived by Satan and captured by him in the last days–Matthew 24:24: “… there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”  Notice that the words “if possible” are in italics, meaning that they were not in Christ’s original statement.  Peter made it clear that no one, not even the apostles, were immune to backsliding and rejection by the Lord.  Paul also states this in 1 Corinthians 9:27 where he tells the church that should he fail in the conduct of his life and duties he would become a castaway (Gr-adokimos-reprobate, reject).  When Jesus returns, ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS IN THE CHURCH WILL BE SAVED, AND THEY JUST BARELY.  All others in the Church/House of God will be dealt with in the same way as those outside the church.  Therefore we must diligently exhibit righteousness in word, thought and deed until either death or the Lord’s return in order to qualify for salvation/rebirth.

One of the major problems for those who do not diligently study the Scriptures is the lack of understanding of SYMBOLISM which has resulted in numerous errors and false beliefs.  In order to fully understand God’s Word we must be intimately acquainted with His frequent use of symbols in their various forms.  For example, Romans 8:17 calls the church “… heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,” prompting those unfamiliar with Biblical symbolism to assume that salvation is assured them.  Notice, however, the following words: “… IF …” certain conditions are met.  Note that both Jesus the man and human saints have been promised the same inheritance by God–we are JOINT HEIRS with Jesus, but only IF we qualify for the inheritance as did Jesus.  He has already qualified for His reward; we are in the process of doing so in the same way He did–through total obedience to the Father, the giver of Salvation.  Saints are still in their flesh bodies, hand to the plow, struggling against the wiles of Satan exactly as did the Messiah.  He overcame Satan and qualified to assume His throne at the right side of the Father.  He tells us in Revelation 3:21 that we must “… overcome even as I overcame” in order to qualify to sit beside Him in His Father’s Kingdom.  However, this will happen only “… IF WE (PAUL INCLUDED) SUFFER WITH HIM” for our obedience to God until His return (Rom. 8:17).  We are appointed to suffer persecution at the hands of those who reject God, just as did Jesus.  And that rejection will come most vehemently from the super religious, whose darkness we illuminate by “… walk(ing) as He (Jesus) walked” (1 Jn. 2:6).  Those who walk in Satan’s darkness reject those who walk in God’s light.  The unchurched do not care what we say, do or think.  It is the religious who reject the Word of God in that it–his sword–opens them up to the Truth and corrects their error, which they hate, causing them to come against those who bear His corrective Words.  Numerous Scriptures prove that saints are appointed to suffer for obedience to God.  This subject will be covered extensively in a future posting, as will many other subjects.

Satan makes devastating use of the church’s ignorance of God’s Word by convincing people that, because they are supposedly already saved, there is no need to know and obey “… all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).  Man’s religion has replaced God’s Word in the hearts of professing Christendom.  God’s saints welcome His correction.  These are the “few” who “find” God’s strait gate and walk His narrow way that LEADS TO life.  The “many” (Christendom) who “enter therein” the wide gate and walk the broad way of Satan will be rejected by the One who will judge them by His Words (Jn. 12:48).

In 1 Corinthians 1:18 Paul states that people in the church “are saved,” leading some to assume that they have already received eternal life.  But notice that Paul also says in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ,” and in 1 Corinthians 15:31, “I die daily.”  Obviously, Paul was not physically crucified, nor did he die every day.  At the Last Supper Jesus referred to the bread and wine as His “body” and  His “blood” which we are to consume.  But He tells us that we are not to consume human flesh and and blood.  Symbolism is obviously in play here.  It is known that the people of the Middle East are expert in the art of “play(ing) on words.”  One will notice in the Scriptures that  the word “and” often separates two seemingly different statements which are in fact simply the restating of something, only using other words.  One needs to understand that “and” can also mean “even,” depending on the context of the statements.  Play on words and symbolism have caused casual readers of the Bible to fall into error.  This is the reason God requires us to “STUDY” to show ourselves approved of Him.

In summary: Salvation/rebirth are not acquired in this life.  Until the return of Jesus Christ we have the HOPE of salvation, as the Scriptures clearly attest.  That HOPE will see us through only if we believe what He said and obey it UNTO THE END.  Only those who do so will inherit the Kingdom of God and rule and reign with Jesus forever.  As Paul said, those who believe and obey God grow closer to salvation each day.  The popular belief that one can perform a prescribed ritual, say the prescribed words and be instantaneously saved is of Satanic origin.  God nowhere makes that claim.  Indeed, Satan has deceived the whole world (Rev. 12:6).                            ““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““““