Six Persuasive Reasons Why a Person Should Invest Their Time to Use The Salvation Meter

Reason No.1: So Many People Go to Hell and So Few Go to Heaven. The original found on pages 25-27 of The Salvation Meter Book

INTRODUCTION

As is apparent from the below discussion, Americans hold to an unrealistic (and unbiblical) understanding of the population of heaven and hell. This misunderstanding about the future population of hell elevates the critical importance of proclaiming the truth Jesus taught as recorded in Matthew 7;13-14. More specifically, Jesus taught that so many people go to hell, and so few go to heaven.

On pages 25-27 of The Salvation Meter book, there is a discussion entitled “So Many People Go to Hell and So Few Go to Heaven,” one of the six persuasive reasons a person should use The Salvation Meter. The present article at the website connected with The Salvation Meter book (The Salvation Meter – Biblical Self-Diagnostic Tests to Examine Your Salvation and Spiritual Growth) is a revision of the above discussion and the related questions in the book. There are two basic reasons I wrote this revision.

First, a sermon is never finished, merely preached. In the same way, there will always be ways to revise and improve the discussion of this crucial reason why a person should use The Salvation Meter. Hopefully, this revision will give the book a “dynamic” rather than remain “static.”

Second, this revision contains more detailed information and discussion than in the book. Through these additional materials, I hope this revision will assist anyone who reads, teaches or preaches, or merely considers the substance of this test to appreciate better the importance of this reason to use The Salvation Meter book.

REVISED DISCUSSION

Americans Possess an Unbiblical Understanding about Heaven and Hell

One relevant takeaway from an article (link: https://www.billygraham.ca/stories/confronting-the-reality-of-hell/) by Dr. Greg Laurie entitled, “Confronting the Reality of Hell” in the October 2015 issue of Decision Magazine is how few people think they will go to hell. In the article, Dr. Laurie writes;

Most people think they are going to Heaven when they die. In fact, for every American who believes he’s going to Hell, 120 believe they’re going to Heaven.

A survey by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University issued on August 4, 2020 [link to a related article: AWVI 2020 Survey: 1 in 3 US Adults Embrace Salvation Through Jesus; More Believe It Can Be ‘Earned’ – Arizona Christian University] reads [in part]:

The survey also revealed that only half of Americans (54%) believer they will experience Heaven after they die, and just one-third of adults (33%) believe they will go to Heaven because of confessing their sins and embracing Jesus Christ as their savior. The other one in five who expect to experience Heaven are counting on earning their way in or being granted a place in Heaven because God will let all people in.

Among those with other views, 14% said they don’t know what will happen after they die; 13% said there is no life after death; 8% expect to be reincarnated; another 8% believe they will go to a place of purification prior to entering Heaven. Just 2% believe they will go to Hell.

A very recent (November 23, 2021) study by the Pew Research Center (“Few Americans Blame God or Say Faith Has Been Shaken Amid Pandemic, Other Tragedies” [link: How Americans Make Sense of Suffering | Pew Research Center (pewforum.org)) reveals the extent of Americans’ unbiblical thinking about heaven and hell. The report reads [in part]:

Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults say they believe in heaven. (The survey did not immediately offer a definition of heaven, though subsequent questions explored what respondents think heaven is like.)

Large majorities of all Christian subgroups say they believe in heaven, while belief is much less common among religiously unaffiliated Americans (37%). This unaffiliated group includes those who describe their religion as “nothing in particular” – half of whom believe in heaven – as well as agnostics (26% of whom believe in heaven) and atheists (3%).

While most U.S. adults also believe in hell, this belief is less widespread than belief in heaven. Roughly six-in-ten American adults (62%) say they believe in hell, though once again there are notable differences across subgroups of the population.

There is also a large percentage of Americans who have an unbiblical view of salvation. The report reads [in part]:

While most U.S. adults believe in heaven, there is disagreement about who can go there. Among all Americans, about four-in-ten (39%) say that people who do not believe in God can go to heaven, while roughly a third (32%) say that nonbelievers cannot enter heaven. (Again, 27% do not believe in heaven at all.)

Christians who believe that many religions can lead to eternal life in heaven were asked whether they believe that this privilege is reserved only for members of other Christian religions, or that some non-Christian religions can also lead to eternal life in heaven. Among all Christians, a majority (58%) say that many religions can lead to eternal life in heaven, and within this group, the prevailing view is that members of some non-Christian religions are able to attain eternal life in heaven (43% of all Christians express this view). Just 13% of U.S. Christians say that many religions can lead to eternal life in heaven, but that only Christian religions qualify.

Overall, people in America are more optimistic about eternal destinies than Jesus. The vast difference between Jesus’ teachings per Matthew 7:13-14, especially viewed through the lens of Matthew 7:21-23, and what Americans think ought to give any person an incentive to re-review their salvation experience. American’s current understanding of heaven and hell elevates the necessity to proclaim the biblical truth that so many people go to hell, and so few go to heaven.

Matthew 7:13-14

While it is a terrible reality, Scripture teaches that so many people end up in hell, and few go to heaven. Jesus made that point clear by His teaching recorded in Matthew 7:13–14 (ASV 1901):

¹³ Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. ¹⁴ For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.

The literary context sets the stage for the gigantic distinction Jesus draws between the path to hell and the way to Heaven. Matthew 7:13–14 is a part of what is called the Sermon on the Mount. It begins with Jesus going up on a mountain and addressing the assembled crowd. The Sermon on the Mount spans Matthew 5:1 through Matthew 7:29. Jesus’ listeners were astonished at His authoritative words per Matthew 7:28–29 (ASV 1901):

²⁸ And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were astonished at his teaching: ²⁹ for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

The ASV 1901 translates the Greek verb ekplēssō as “were astonished.” The Logos 9 sense is to be utterly amazed – to be or become astounded to such a degree as to nearly lose one’s mental composure. This verb means to be so amazed as to be practically overwhelmed—‘to be greatly astounded. See Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, pp. 311–312). United Bible Societies. The verb is in the imperfect verb tense, which is the verb tense where the writer portrays an action in process or a state of being that is occurring in the past with no assessment of the action’s completion. See Heiser, M. S., & Setterholm, V. M. (2013; 2013). Glossary of Morpho-Syntactic Database Terminology. Lexham Press.

The ASV 1901 translates the Greek noun exousia as “authority.” The Logos 9 sense is ruling authority – authority over a domain or sphere of influence; often pertaining to the political or religious sphere. It means the right to control or govern over—‘authority to rule, right to control. See Louw et al. supra at Vol. 1, p. 475. It is clear that Jesus’ teaching exhibited such power and authority that it overwhelmed his audience. One commentator (Weber, S. K. (2000). Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 104). Broadman & Holman Publishers) writes:

Both the content and manner of Jesus’ teaching were overwhelming. Unlike other teachers, he taught with authority (7:29). Unlike them, he did not cite other authorities—only his own and his Father’s. And it was he alone who decided who would enter the kingdom and on what basis they would do so—through a personal relationship with God.

Like Jesus’ original audience, we should also be overwhelmed continually with the power and authority of His teaching through the Sermon on the Mount. This is especially the case when it comes to the stark truth that so many people end up in hell, and few go to heaven. Let’s not hold back in the proclamation of this biblical truth.

In the comparison between “wide” [Greek platys] and “narrow” [Greek stenos] gates, platys means that the space or gateway extends to great extent from side to side so it is broad or wide. See Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., Bauer, W., & Gingrich, F. W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed., p. 823). Chicago: University of Chicago Press; Louw et al. supra at Vol. 1, p. 708. Stenos refers to the dimension being narrow or something restricted in dimension so that would be difficult for even a relatively small man to pass through without some distress. See Arndt et al. supra at 3rd ed., p. 942; Louw et al. supra at Vol. 1, p. 708.

A similar dramatic contrast exists between adjectives that modify the way to hell or the way to Heaven. The way to hell is “broad” [Greek eurychōros] wherein this Greek adjective pertains to having ample room, broad, spacious, roomy with the implication of being agreeable and pleasant. See Arndt et al. supra at 3rd ed., p. 412); Louw et al., supra at Vol. 1, p. 708. Eurychōros is very different from the “straitened” [Greek thlibō] way where thlibō means to cause something to be constricted or narrow, press together, compress, make narrow in that it is tight quarters or a narrow, confined road and therefore a source of trouble or difficulty to those using it so as to cause someone to suffer trouble or hardship (i.e., to cause trouble to, to persecute, to cause to suffer hardship wherein the chances of failure are greater than the chances of success). See Arndt et al. supra at 3rd ed., p. 457; Louw et al. supra at Vol. 1, p. 244.

The words Matthew wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to describe the number of people who enter into hell and those who find Heaven again highlight the following contrast. The English “many” [Greek polys] means a relatively large quantity of objects or events (i.e., many, a great deal of, a great number of). See Louw et al. supra at Vol. 1, p. 594). The English word “few” [Greek oligos] is the translation of oligos and it pertains to being relatively small in number or a relatively small quantity on any dimension. See Arndt et al. supra at , 3rd ed., p. 702); Louw et al. supra at , Vol. 1, p. 594.

Throughout Jesus’ sermon, He made contrasts between what God expected and what people usually did. For example, Jesus elevated the moral standard when He moved from murder to anger (Matthew 5:21-26) or from adultery to lust (Matthew 5:27-30). He preached against divorce (Matthew 5:31-32), taking oaths (Matthew 5:33-37), and retaliation (Matthew 5:37-42). He preached that one should love their enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). He taught about the merit of laying up treasure in heaven instead of storing up treasure on earth (Matthew 6:19-21) and not to be anxious about material things (Matthew 6:25-34).

It, therefore, was consistent for Jesus to have given a stern warning that few people will make it to heaven and many will wind up in hell. The word meanings demonstrate this contrast.

It is worth noting that after Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus made a clear distinction between the saved (healthy tree) and the lost (diseased tree) as reported in Matthew 7:15–20 (ASV 1901), which reads:

¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. ²⁰ Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Finally, Jesus ended His sermon by distinguishing between the wise man who builds on the rock and the foolish man who builds on sand. This account is in Matthew 7:24–27 (ASV 1901):

²⁴ Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock: ²⁵ and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon the rock. ²⁶ And every one that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand: ²⁷ and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and smote upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof.

Conclusion

There is an eternally infinite difference between what Jesus taught per Matthew 7:13-14 and what Americans believe overall about heaven and hell. This difference should be a compelling incentive for you to re-review your salvation experience. In writing The Salvation Meter I have had the privilege of revisiting my salvation, and I confirmed that I am saved. Praise God!!

QUESTIONS

Please answer the following questions that deal with Jesus’ teaching that so many more people will go to hell forever than go to heaven, as well as what Americans believe about heaven and hell. If you have the chance, you may want to review Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, especially His teachings that present contrasts.

Question 1-34: Do you agree that many people wind up in hell and few get into heaven? Please explain your answer and include your estimate in percentages, or relative terms of how many people will be in heaven and in hell.

Question 1-34A: Does Greg Laurie’s statement that out of 121 people, only 1 thinks they will go to hell and 120 think they will go to heaven surprise you? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-34B: The Arizona Christian University study reveals that about one in five people who think they are going to heaven base their entrance on their works. Why do you think that is the case? Is it biblical to say that a person can gain entrance into heaven based on their works? Does Ephesians 2:8-9 impact the validity of a works-based salvation theology? How so? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-34C: Why do more Americans believe in heaven than believe in hell? Is the existence of hell biblical? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-34D: Why would someone say that a person who does not believe in God can still get into heaven? Is there support in the Bible for such a mindset? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-34E: Matthew 7:28-29 teaches that Jesus’ audience was astonished by what He taught. Does the reaction of His audience to His teaching cause you to pay more attention to what Jesus taught per the Sermon on the Mount? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-35: Does what Jesus taught in Matthew 7:13-14 prompt you to make sure of your salvation? Do the definitions of the Greek words used in the original text increase the intensity of the contrasts between the ways to heaven and hell, and the number of people who will travel those ways? Please explain your answer and include your opinion about whether your using The Salvation Meter will assist you in making sure of your salvation.

Question 1-35A: Do you think that too many people wrongly believe they are going to get into heaven? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-36: Does Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7:13-14 cause you to want to invest the time and effort necessary to use The Salvation Meter effectively? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-37: Throughout the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasted God’s expectations with mankind’s actions. Are any of these contrasts especially persuasive to you? Do these contrasts cause you to want to spend the time and effort to use The Salvation Meter? Please explain your answer.

Reason No. 2 Hell is Unimaginably Too Awful in Which to Spend Eternity (revision of pages 27-31 of The Salvation Meter)

INTRODUCTION

Pages 27-31 of my book The Salvation Meter – Biblical Self-Diagnostic Test to Examine Your Salvation and Spiritual Growth present an article entitled, “Hell is Unimaginably Too Awful in Which to Spend Eternity,” which is one of the six persuasive reasons a person should use The Salvation Meter. This article is a revision of the above article. There are two basic reasons I revised the published article.

First, a sermon is never finished, merely preached. In the same way, there will always be ways and a need to revise and improve the discussion of this crucial reason why a person should use The Salvation Meter. Hopefully, this revision will give the book a “dynamic” aspect rather than remain “static.”

Second, this revision contains more detailed information and discussion than in the book. Through these additional materials, I hope this revision will assist anyone who reads, teaches, preaches, or merely considers the substance of this test to appreciate better the importance of this reason to use The Salvation Meter book.

REVISED DISCUSSION

In an article entitled “The Awful Reality of Hell” (see The Awful Reality of Hell | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at Ligonier.org), Ligonier Ministries presents a brief history of the “demise” of hell:

The doctrine of eternal punishment, though unpopular and frightening, is found as a part of the confession of every branch of the Christian church. It has only been in the last century that under the influence of liberalism some have denied the reality of hell. There was a time when preachers proclaimed that “man is very bad and God is really mad.” In those days there was revival, and the church was strong and influential. Then in the nineteenth century it was decided that “man is not so bad, and God surely is not mad.” We reap the rewards of this spineless “Christianity” in society today.

Even though many do not want to think much about hell or preachers do not want to preach often on hell, the fact is that hell is real! Jesus spoke a lot about the reality of hell. While some they may not think of it this way, a preacher who does not preach about hell and eternal punishment must hate the lost people within the sound of his voice.

What is incredibly terrifying about hell is that hell is forever without end. There is no chance for parole or pardon from the torment of hell. Once a person is there, they eternally exist without any hope of relief whatsoever.

There is no way to cross from hell to heaven. What Luke wrote in Luke 16:22–31 about Jesus’ description of the poor man, and Lazarus proves there is no bridge between hell and heaven. Verse 26 (ASV 1901) is the relevant part of this passage, and it reads:

²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that they that would pass from hence to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from thence to us.

The ASV 1901 translates the Greek words chasma mega as “a great gulf,” which conveys a vast gulf or chasm. Travel between heaven and hell does not exist because a chasma mega has firmly fixed in place. The fixing of this great gulf was completed in the past and still exists today and forever. No construction company in the world can build a bridge that spans the chasma mega. The separation between heaven and hell is permanent and forever.

The account of Lazarus and the rich man also shows that every person in Hell will possess cognitive thinking abilities. The word “cognitive” refers to the thought process (cognition) by which one is aware or by which one gains or applies knowledge. This includes intuition, perception, reasoning, and judgment. Everyone in hell will have a physical body. Note that the rich man has eyes with which he sees (v. 23) and a tongue (v. 24) with which he speaks (vv. 23, 27, 29). The following aspects of the account establish that every man and woman in Hell will have cognition:

· each one will sense he or she is in torment (v. 23) and agony (v.24) which causes them to cry out (v.23) for relief even in the form of a small amount of water (v. 24);

· each one will see (v. 23) as shown by the rich man recognizing Lazarus;

· each one will speak with reasoned speech (vv. 24, 27-28, 30) as shown by the rich man reasoning with and speaking to Abraham;

· each one will remember (v. 25, 27-28, 30) their life on earth before their physical death;

· each one will know what they should have done to have been saved (v. 30);

· each one will have concern for the lost still on earth (v. 27-28); and

· each one will understand the concept of mercy (v. 24), but they will not receive any mercy (v. 26).

You may be able to glean a few other evidences of cognitive thinking from the text, but these prove the point. Even if this passage describes the intermediate state for the lost, the same emotional and metal torment will exist in hell. Hell is an awful place. Let me further elaborate on one of the exceedingly awful attributes; namely, that those in Hell will know and remember what they could have done to have been saved. Verse 30 (ASV 1901) records the rich man’s cry:

³⁰ And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent.

It seems fair to say that he knew what he could have done to have been saved, but did not. One commentator writes:

The kingdom of God is now present in Jesus. If one does not follow Jesus, hope for eternity is gone, no matter how expert one is in the ancient authorities. Jesus has come calling people to repent, for the kingdom is here. The rich man then saw that people like him may appear to be blessed and perfect. They may be religious leaders. They may appear righteous. But they still need to repent and enter the kingdom.

Butler, T. C. (2000). Luke (Vol. 3, p. 267). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers. Emphasis added.

Another commentator writes:

5. Unconverted people discover the value of a soul—after death

We learn, fifth, from this parable that unconverted people find out the value of a soul—after death, when it is too late. We read how the rich man wanted Lazarus to be sent back to his five living brothers to warn them so they would not go to that “ ‘place of torment’ ” (verses 27–28). While he lived, he had never done anything to help them spiritually. They had probably been his companions in worldliness and, like him, had neglected their souls entirely. When he is dead, he finds out too late the folly they were guilty of and desires that, if possible, they might be called to repentance.

Ryle, J. C. (1997). Luke (Lk 16:19–31). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books. Emphasis added.

Below, I quote a portion of a message by Jimmy Chapman (link: Some Things Remembered In Hell – Luke 16_19_31.pdf (sermonoutlines.org)) from a church named Dayspring Baptist Chapel in Michigan (emphasis added) that addresses this point:

There is no torment like an accusing memory. In Hell you will forever remember the chances you had and let pass by. In Hell, you will forever remember the grace of God that you despised. In Hell, you will never be able to forget the gospel messages you have heard and refused. In Hell you will forever remember the invitations that you had to come to Jesus and refused. Eternity is an awful time to have and look back on what might have been!

In Hell you will forever remember the chances, opportunities, the privileges you had and let pass by. Eternity- it is awful thing to have to look back through all eternity on mercy rejected. In Hell a man is bound to his murdered past. . In hell you will forever remember the chances you had and let pass by. You will remember endlessly the opportunities you had to trust Christ. You will remember the services you attended where the gospel was preached, and you refused to accept it.

Not until my studying to write The Salvation Meter did I appreciate that an unbeliever’s torment in hell has a mental and emotional component. Please give this some deep thought! After a lost person dies, they will appreciate their mistake, but it will be too late because their eternal fate is sealed forever. Even though there is unspeakable physical torment, hell’s mental and emotional torment is beyond our present human comprehension.

Jesus taught that hell is real as recorded in Matthew 5:29–30 (ASV 1901):

²⁹ And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell. ³⁰ And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell.

The lost person will “be thrown into hell” or “go into hell.” In verse 29, the ASV1901 translates the Greek verb ballō as “cast, ” meaning to be moved from one location to another by force. In verse 30, the ASV1901 translates the Greek verb aperchomai as “go” and it means to move away from a reference with the emphasis on the departure. The clear implication from using these verbs is that hell is an actual destination into which a lost person will be forcibly tossed. When the reality of hell sets in, no one in their right mind wants to voluntarily go to hell.

In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant as recorded at Matthew 18:21–35, Jesus described hell to be like a prison. In his article A Description of Hell (link: https://harvest.org/know-god-article/description-of-hell/ ), Greg Laurie wrote:

Hell is like a prison

One of the clearest pictures Jesus gave of Hell was that of a prison. He told a parable of a king’s servant who was sent to jail for cruel and unforgiving behavior, then adding this warning, “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses” (Matthew 18:35).

Verse 34 (ASV 1901) described the final punishment of the unforgiving servant:

³⁴ And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due.

In his anger, the master delivered the unforgiving servant to “tormentors.” Typically, “tormentors” had the job of torturing inmates to get to the truth of a matter. The Greek word translated as “torturers” means:

37.126 βασανιστής, οῦ m: (derivative of βασανίζω ‘to torture,’ 38.13) a person serving as a guard in a prison, whose function was to torture prisoners as a phase of judicial examination—‘prison guard, torturer.

Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 486). New York: United Bible Societies.

In an article entitled “Doing Time in a First Century Prison” (Insight for Living; link: https://www.insight.org/resources/article-library/individual/doing-time-in-a-first-century-prison ), Derrick G. Jeter writes:

The Mamertine Prison in Rome could have been called the “House of Darkness.” Few prisons were as dim, dank, and dirty as the lower chamber Paul occupied. Known in earlier times as the Tullianum dungeon, its “neglect, darkness, and stench” gave it “a hideous and terrifying appearance,” according to Roman historian Sallust. See Sallust, The War with Catiline, 55.5, in The War with Catiline, The War with Jugurthine, trans. J. C. Rolfe, rev. John T. Ramsey (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2013), 133.

Another article entitled “Roman Prisons” from UNRV Roman History (link: Roman Prisons | UNRV.com Roman History ) describes a Roman prison:

Sallust described it as about twelve feet deep into the ground. “Its appearance is disgusting and vile by reason of the filth, the darkness and the stench.” It was into this room, 6 1/2 ft. high, thirty feet long and twenty-two feet wide, that prisoners who had been condemned to die either by strangulation or starvation were thrown. One attributes the phrase “to be cast into prison” had its origins here.

It will be an awful experience for a lost person to be in the hands of the “tormentors” forever. In this parable, the expression “all that was due” equates to forever because he could never make restitution in his circumstances. One translation handbook reads:

Till he should pay all his debt is almost word-for-word the same as the last part of verse 30, except for the inclusion of the modifier all. That is, the man’s own punishment is described in terms of the punishment which he inflicted on his fellow servant. Moreover, the man’s situation is helpless and his punishment is endless, because there is no opportunity for him to make restoration.

Newman, B. M., & Stine, P. C. (1992). A handbook on the Gospel of Matthew (p. 584). United Bible Societies.

Hell is “the darkness” (i.e., “the outer darkness”), which is worse than merely being “dark.” Jesus used the phrase “the outer darkness” in some passages, including Matthew 22:13 (ASV 1901), which reads:

¹³ Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

The idiom “outer darkness” suggests darkness along with separation where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Among many things, Hell will be a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. The above three passages from Matthew bear this out. Note that the Greek word brygmos is translated as “gnashing” and it means:

23.41 τρίζω τοὺς ὀδόντας; βρύχω τοὺς ὀδόντας^a; βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων: the grinding or the gnashing of the teeth, whether involuntary as in the case of certain illnesses, or as an expression of an emotion such as anger or of pain and suffering—‘to grind the teeth, to gnash the teeth, gnashing of teeth.’

Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, pp. 253). New York: United Bible Societies.

It is a tragic misconception to think that hell is one big party. Quite the opposite is true where the pain and remorse will be unbearable.

Hell is a place whose awfulness is beyond our ability to understand completely. Consider the description of Hell in Isaiah 66:22-24 (KJV 1900) [emphasis added]:

²² For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, Shall remain before me, saith the Lord, So shall your seed and your name remain. ²³ And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, And from one sabbath to another, Shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. ²⁴ And they shall go forth, and look Upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: For their worm shall not die, Neither shall their fire be quenched; And they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

Note that Mark 9:47-48 (NASB95) records Jesus quoting a part of this passage from Isaiah:

⁴⁷ “If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, ⁴⁸ where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

QUESTIONS

The above discussion generates the following questions for you to answer.

Question 1-38: Do you believe there is a place of eternal punishment, i.e., hell? Please explain your answer. If you do not believe there is a place of eternal punishment, how do you explain the many passages that support the existence of hell? In your explanation please include a discussion about how your view reflects your position about the overall authority of Scripture.

Question 1-38A: Do you agree with the description by the Bible about the awfulness and sheer terror of hell? Do you agree that the biblical description of hell makes you want to be sure of your eternal destiny? Do you agree that the biblical description of hell makes you want to be sure of the eternal destiny of others you know? Would you please explain your answers?

Question 1-38B: In the above text, I wrote:

While some they may not think of it this way, a preacher who does not preach about hell and eternal punishment must hate the lost people within the sound of his voice.

Do you believe this is a fair statement? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-39: What are your takeaways from the biblical texts that describe hell? Please explain your answer and include a description of how you feel about the mental and emotional torment an unbeliever will suffer in hell for eternity. Please keep in mind the points raised in the sermon “Some Things Remembered in Hell.”

Question 1-40: The account of Lazarus and the rich man describes the permanent fixing of the great chasm to prevent the passage of people from heaven to hell and from hell to heaven. Before now, did you appreciate that when in hell, a person experiences eternal separation from God? How does the condition of eternal separation from God make you feel? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-41: Does the nature of hell cause you to want to reach out to friends and relatives who may be lost? Does the existence of hell cause you to want to recommend The Salvation Meter to your lost friends and relatives? Please explain your answer and write down the names of people you think would benefit from using The Salvation Meter. Next, please contact those persons whose names you wrote down.

Reason No. 3: Only During Your Earthly Life Can You Be Saved (Revision of pages 32-33 of The Salvation Meter)

INTRODUCTION

Pages 32-33 of The Salvation Meter book (The Salvation Meter – Biblical Self-Diagnostic Tests to Examine Your Salvation and Spiritual Growth) present an article entitled, “Only During Your Earthly Life Can You Be Saved,” which is one of the six persuasive reasons a person should use The Salvation Meter. The present article is a revision of the above article. There are two basic reasons I revised this article.

First, a sermon is never finished, merely preached. In the same way, there will always be ways, as well as a need, to revise and improve the discussion of this crucial reason why a person should use The Salvation Meter. Hopefully, this revision will give the book a “dynamic” aspect rather than remain “static.”

Second, this revision contains more detailed information and discussion than in the book. Through these additional materials, I hope this revision will assist anyone who reads, teaches, preaches, or merely considers the substance of this test to appreciate better the importance of this reason to use The Salvation Meter book.

REVISED DISCUSSION

Salvation is always available during one’s physical earthly life through repentance and trust in Christ’s finished work, but once physical death occurs, that’s it! After physical death, there are no more chances at eternal life in heaven. The Bible teaches this critical truth in Hebrews 9:27–28 (ASV 1901):

²⁷ And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment; ²⁸ so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.

The Bible does not teach that a lost person who has died in their sins will have a second chance at salvation through Jesus Christ. The doctrinal statement of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California addresses this point:

Death. We teach that physical death involves no loss of our immaterial consciousness (Revelation 6:9–11), that the soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presence of Christ (Luke 23:43; Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8), that there is a separation of soul and body (Philippians 1:21–24), and that, for the redeemed, such separation will continue until the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13–17), which initiates the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4–6), when our soul and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with our Lord (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:35–44, 50–54). Until that time, the souls of the redeemed in Christ remain in joyful fellowship with our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8).

We teach the bodily resurrection of all men, the saved to eternal life (John 6:39; Romans 8:10–11, 19–23; 2 Corinthians 4:14), and the unsaved to judgment and everlasting punishment (Daniel 12:2; John 5:29; Revelation 20:13–15).

We teach that the souls of the unsaved at death are kept under punishment until the second resurrection (Luke 16:19–26; Revelation 20:13–15), when the soul and the resurrection body will be united (John 5:28–29). They shall then appear at the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11–15) and shall be cast into hell, the lake of fire (Matthew 25:41–46), cut off from the life of God forever (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:41–46; 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9).

Eternity is too long for a person not to spend the necessary time here and now to make sure of salvation. Don’t be “penny wise and pound foolish.” John taught that the smoke of the torment of those in hell was of an unlimited duration of time when he wrote Revelation 14:11 (KJV 1900):

¹¹ And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Only during a person’s earthly life can they receive God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

It is never too late to accept God’s free gift of salvation. One compelling example is the thief on the cross as reported at Luke 23:39–43 (ASV 1901) [emphasis added]:

³⁹ And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us. ⁴⁰ But the other answered, and rebuking him said, Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? ⁴¹ And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. ⁴² And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom. ⁴³ And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.

Another example from Scripture is the Parable of Laborers in the Vineyard found in Matthew 20:1–16 (ASV 1901), which reads:

¹ For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that was a householder, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. ² And when he had agreed with the laborers for a shilling a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle; ⁴ and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. ⁵ Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. ⁶ And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? ⁷ They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard. ⁸ And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. ⁹ And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a shilling. ¹⁰ And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a shilling. ¹¹ And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, ¹² saying, These last have spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. ¹³ But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a shilling? ¹⁴ Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee. ¹⁵ Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good? ¹⁶ So the last shall be first, and the first last.

The gotuqestions.org website ends its discussion of the meaning of this parable (link: What is the meaning of the Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard? | GotQuestions.org ) by saying:

The message in verse 16, “the last will be first, and the first last,” is that no matter how long or how hard a believer works during his lifetime, the reward of eternal life will be the same given to all—an eternity of bliss in heaven in the presence of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43), whose life of service was limited to a moment of repentance and confession of faith in Christ, received the same reward of eternal life as the apostle Paul. Of course, Scripture also teaches that there are different rewards in heaven for different services, but the ultimate reward of eternal life will be achieved by all equally.

The Bible teaches that after physical death there is no second chance. The Bible also teaches that so long as a person is alive, it is never too late to exercise biblical saving faith.

QUESTIONS:

The above two biblical truths raise the following questions for you to answer.

Question 1-42: Do you agree that once a person physically dies, they have no more opportunities to trust in Christ for their salvation? If you question your salvation, have you ever made a personal application of this truth? Have you ever made an application of this truth to your friends and loved ones who you suspect are lost? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-42A: If you believe a person has an opportunity for salvation after their physical death, please explain your reasoning and include an exegesis of Scripture.

Question 1-43: How does the thought of the finality of your physical death make you feel? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-43A: How does the thought of the finality of your loved ones and friends make you feel? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-44: Spend some time contemplating your physical death and what impact it would have on your friends and loved ones. What takeaways do you extract from this exercise? Do any of these takeaways place your present life in a better perspective? Do any of these takeaways create an urgency to make sure of your salvation,? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-44A: Does your contemplation of the impact your physical would have on those you love and care about create an urgency to make sure of the salvation of those you care about and love? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-45: Does the finality of your physical death give you the motivation to use The Salvation Meter? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-45A: How does the biblical truth that so long as a person is alive, it is never too late for them to exercise biblical saving faith make you feel with respect to your salvation or lack thereof? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-45B: How does the biblical truth that so long as a person is alive, it is never too late for them to exercise biblical saving faith make you feel with respect to the salvation or lack thereof of those you love and care about? Please explain your answer.

Reason No. 4: A Lost Person’s Eternal Destiny Can Be Changed in an Instant (Revision of Pages 33-35 of The Salvation Meter Book)

INTRODUCTION

One of the six persuasive reasons a person should use The Salvation Meter is “A Lost Person’s Eternal Destiny Can Be Changed in an Instant.” See pages 33-35 of The Salvation Meter book (The Salvation Meter – Biblical Self-Diagnostic Tests to Examine Your Salvation and Spiritual Growth). This article is a revision of the above discussion and the related questions. There are two reasons I revised the discussion.

Second, this revision contains more detailed information and discussion than in the book. Through these additional materials, I hope this revision will assist anyone who reads, teaches, preaches, or merely considers the substance of this test to appreciate better the importance of this reason to use The Salvation Meter book.

REVISED DISCUSSION

No matter how entrenched a person is on the road to hell, God can change their eternal destination in an instant. A person can transform permanently from death to life in one irreversible moment.

God transformed early 1^st Century Jews, as shown by Peter’s Pentecost Sermon. Acts 2:38, 41 (ASV 1901) which reads:

³⁸ And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. … ⁴¹ They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls.

The ASV 1901 translates the Greek verb metanoeō as “repent ye,” meaning to change one’s way of life as the result of a complete change of thought and attitude regarding sin and righteousness—‘to repent, to change one’s way, repentance.’ See Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 509). United Bible Societies. The Logos 9 sense of the verb is to reconsider (repent) – to have a change of self (heart and mind) that abandons former dispositions and results in a new self, new behavior, and regret over former behavior and dispositions.

The verb is in the aorist tense, which means the writer intends to present the action of a verb as a “snapshot” event. The verb’s action is portrayed simply and in summary fashion without respect to any process. See Heiser, M. S., & Setterholm, V. M. (2013; 2013). Glossary of Morpho-Syntactic Database Terminology. Lexham Press. By using the aorist tense, Luke intended to convey to his audience that the salvation of the Jews at Pentecost was a one-time happening. Salvation is a one-time event that anyone can appropriate through repentance and trust in Christ’s finished work.

The ASV 1901 translates the Greek verb apodechomai as “They … that received.” It means to come to believe something to be true and to respond accordingly, with some emphasis upon the source—‘to accept, to receive, acceptance, reception.’ See Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 371). United Bible Societies. Like with the verb metanoeō, this verb is in the aorist tense, which shows that Luke intended to convey to his audience that the salvation of the Jews at Pentecost was a one-time happening.

God saved 1^st Century Greeks as shown by Paul’s Sermon in Athens reported at Acts 17:31, 34 (ASV 1901), which read:

³¹ inasmuch as he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. … ³⁴ But certain men clave unto him, and believed: among whom also was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

The ASV 1901 translates the Greek verb pisteuō as “believed,” and it means to believe in the good news about Jesus Christ and to become a follower—‘to be a believer, to be a Christian, Christian faith.’ See Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 378). United Bible Societies. The Greek verb pisteuō is in the aorist tense and indicative mood. By verse 34, Luke intended to convey to his audience that “certain men” ‘s saving belief was a one-time “snapshot” event that took place in the past.

Peter’s Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:38, 41) and Paul’s sermon in Athens (Acts 17:31, 34) teach that salvation is a one-time event that anyone can appropriate through exercising biblical saving faith.

QUESTIONS

Salvation is a one-time event that anyone can appropriate by exercising biblical saving faith. Please answer the following questions that arise from this fundamental truth.

Question 1-46: Before now, have you ever given it much thought that the 1^st Century Jews and Gentiles who responded to the saving gospel of Jesus Christ did so in a fashion like what you did or can do today? In other words, it was a one-time event that took place in response to hearing the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. Please explain your answer.

Question 1-46A: Peter’s Pentecost sermon was addressed to Jews who had acquiesced to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ only about 50 days earlier. Yet, many were saved in response to the proclamation of the gospel. How does this make you feel about the potential for the salvation of lost people no matter the extent of their depravity?

Question 1-46B: Paul’s sermon in Athens was addressed to pagan idolatrous people. Yet, some were saved in response to the proclamation of the gospel. How does this make you feel about the potential for the salvation of lost people no matter the extent of their depravity?

Reason No. 5 Heaven is Too Unimaginably Wonderful to Miss (Revision of Pages 35-37 of The Salvation Meter Book)

INTRODUCTION

This article is a revision of the section entitled “Heaven is Too Unimaginably Wonderful to Miss” at pages 35-37 of The Salvation Meter book. There are two basic reasons I revised this section.

First, a sermon is never finished, merely preached. In the same way, there will always be ways, as well as a need, to revise and improve the discussion of this crucial reason why a person should use The Salvation Meter. My hope is this revision will give the book a “dynamic” aspect.

Second, this revision contains much more detailed information and discussion than in The Salvation Meter book. Through these additional materials, I hope this revision assists anyone who reads, teaches, preaches, or merely considers the substance of this test. I sincerely hope these revisions increase your excitement about one day making your eternal abode in Heaven.

REVISED DISCUSSION

Background

Sometimes song titles say it so short and to the point, like Loretta Lynn’s song title “If you miss heaven (You’ll miss it all).” Heaven is so wonderful that no one wants to be shut out for eternity. This would be true even if hell did not exist. But, since hell is a terrifying reality and the only other eternal destination is heaven, heaven is the only sane choice!

The splendor of heaven came home for me when I took the time to read and study about the realities of eternal life in the context of the New Heavens, the New Earth, and the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-2). While I always knew heaven would be terrific, I did not appreciate just how marvelous my, as well as every believer’s, future will be.

To better appreciate the beauty of heaven, I looked for pertinent Scripture via the relevant topical indices (1356-1367) in the Thompson Chain-Reference Bible. I supplemented my findings with excerpts from The Glory of Heaven by John MacArthur (published in 1996 by Crossway Books, Wheaton, Illinois), and Heaven by Randy Alcorn (published in 2004 by Tyndale House in Wheaton, Illinois).

God is the Builder of a Believer’s Eternal Abode in the New Heavens

Heaven possesses many wonderful attributes. That makes sense because Almighty God is the architect and builder of Heaven. Referring to Abraham, Hebrews 11:9–10 (NASB95) reads:

⁹ By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

Abraham was looking for the heavenly city – the city of the living God. Abraham’s vision was of the eternal and not of the earthly. He was a nomad in this life as he sought the only real permanent dwelling which is God’s eternal city. See MacArthur at p.p. 89-90. It seems this could be the yet to be “new Jerusalem.” One commentary reads:

VER. 10. The city that hath foundations.—This is not the earthly Jerusalem (Grot., etc.), but the heavenly (Gal. 4:28), which (ch. 12:22) is called the city of the living God, and (13:14) the city that is to be, whose foundations also are mentioned (Rev. 21:14). In so far as God projected the plan of this city, He is called its τεχνίτης, and as the one who executes this plan, its δημιουργός.

Lange, J. P., Schaff, P., Moll, C. B., & Kendrick, A. C. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Hebrews (p. 186). Logos Bible Software.

The NASB95 translates the Greek noun technitēs as “architect” and it means one who customarily engages in a particular craft or occupation—‘craftsman. See Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 515). United Bible Societies. The NASB95 translates the Greek noun dēmlourgos as “builder” and it means one who creates a construction, involving both design and building (often used in reference to divine activity). See Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 519. It is exciting to realize that the one true living God is the craftsman and builder of a believer’s heaven abode. Nothing will be lacking in a believer’s heavenly home that displays the stamp “designed and built by God – the Creator of the universe.” Whatever God builds will last. See Alcorn at p. 245.

Just think! According to John 14:2–4 (NASB95), Jesus Christ, a believer’s Lord and Savior, made a dwelling place [monē] for every believer:

² “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. ³ “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴ “And you know the way where I am going.”

The NASB95 translates the Greek adjective monē as “dwelling places” and it means:

a place where one may remain or dwell—‘place, dwelling place.’ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ πατρός μου μοναὶ πολλαί εἰσιν ‘in my Father’s house are many dwelling places’ Jn 14:2; ἐλευσόμεθα καὶ μονὴν παῤ αὐτῷ ποιησόμεθα ‘I will come and live with him’ (literally ‘… and make my dwelling place with him’) Jn 14:23.

Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 731.

Monē is used only one other time in the New Testament; namely, in John 14:23 (NASB95), which reads:

²³ Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

Here, monē is a noun the NASB95 translates as “our abode.” For a believer to die means they will be present with the Lord Jesus Christ per 2 Corinthians 5:8 (NASB95), which reads:

⁸ we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Randy Alcorn writes at page 182 [italics in original]:

Jesus indwells us now, and perhaps he will then, but he will also physically reside on the earth with us. Have you ever imagined what it would be like to walk the earth with Jesus, as the disciples did? Have you ever wished you had that opportunity? You will – on the New Earth.

Jesus comforts His disciples, as well as every believer, that He goes “to prepare a place” for them. The NASB95 translates the Greek verb hetoimazō as “to prepare” and it means to cause to be ready—‘to make ready, to prepare. See Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 682. The NASB95 translates the Greek noun topos as “a place,” and it means an area of any size, regarded in certain contexts as a point in space—‘space, place, room.’ See Louw et al. supra, at Vol. 1, p. 706.

Whatever space or area a believer’s Lord and Savior Jesus Christ causes to be ready in which they will abide forever with God the Father and God the Son has to be so awesome it is beyond our earthly comprehension. John MacArthur writes at p. 143:

He [Jesus] is personally preparing rooms in the Father’s own house for each one of the elect! That promises us the most intimate fellowship imaginable with the living God.

We cannot lose sight of the fact that a believer’s future topos is real and a part of God the Father’s own house (Psalm 23:6). See MacArthur at p. 107. It is an actual place. See Alcorn at p. 80. There will plenty of room. Randy Alcorn quotes D. A. Carson at page 321:

The point is not the lavishness of each apartment, but the fact that such ample provision has been made that there is more than enough space for every one of Jesus’ disciples to join him in his Father’s home.

Finally, God will provide a lot of “new” things per Revelation 21:1–2 (NASB95):

¹ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. ² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

The NASB95 translates the Greek adjective kainos as “new.” Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 593, defines kainos as follows:

pertaining to that which is new or recent and hence superior to that which is old—‘new.

MacArthur points out that kainos means the “new” will be different.

Kainos has theological significance per the “Little Kittel:”

2. Theological Data. kainós denotes the new and miraculous thing that the age of salvation brings. It is thus a key teleological term in eschatological promise: the new heaven and earth in Rev. 21:1; 2 Pet. 3:13, the new Jerusalem in Rev. 3:12; 21:2, the new wine in Mk. 14:25, the new name in Rev. 2:17; 3:12, the new song in Rev. 5:9, the new creation in Rev. 21:5.

Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). In Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume (p. 388). W.B. Eerdmans.

What a thrill to know that something brand new awaits a believer! One translation handbook stresses the newness:

A new heaven and a new earth: the words emphasize the fact that the old universe has not been renewed but has been replaced. A new creation has taken place (see Isa 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13).

Bratcher, R. G., & Hatton, H. (1993). A handbook on the Revelation to John (p. 296). United Bible Societies.

The newness is in a physical sense per one commentary, which reads:

Newness here carries with it the idea, not of a spiritual existence, but of a new creation of the material world (Gen 1:1; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10; 4:24). Indeed, salvation includes the entire universe because all of creation must be renewed to serve as an appropriate abode for the faithful saints. Thus, the Bible places humanity in a restored heaven and earth from which evil is banished and the righteous reign supreme, rather than in a spiritual realm separate from the physical (Dan. 12:3–4).

Yeatts, J. R. (2003). Revelation (p. 399). Herald Press.

Truly, “something better is a coming!” And, the “better” is beyond what we can imagine.

A Believer Will See and Experience the Glorified Jesus Christ is in Heaven

There are many verses that teach the presence in Heaven of the risen glorified Lord Jesus Christ. One particularly riveting passage reports Stephen’s vision just before he was to physically die. Acts 7:55–56 (NASB95) reads:

⁵⁵ But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God; ⁵⁶ and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Just imagine the comfort Stephen experienced! He was about to pass from this earthly life and he saw where he was heading. What Stephen saw was real! His eyes were opened to reveal a heretofore hidden dimension of spiritual reality. Even though it is hidden, it still exists in space and time. See Alcorn at p. 48. Stephen’s vision of the reality of heaven should give us goose bumps. One commentary reads::

This vision positively culminates the climactic thesis of Stephen’s sermon: God dwells in heaven, not in temples made with hands (7:48–50). The Son of Man standing at the right hand of God is at the center of Stephen’s attention and the heart of his confession. Son of Man, a phrase otherwise present primarily on the lips of Jesus during his earthly ministry, points at once to Jesus’ incarnation, saving death and resurrection, and heavenly exaltation, universal dominion, and glorious future reign (Mt 8:20; Lk 9:22, 44; 18:31; 19:10; 21:27, 36; 22:69/Dan 7:13; Ps 110:1). When we think of the title against its background (Dan 7), the divine nature of this figure comes to the fore.

By this confession Stephen and Luke invite us to see Jesus for who he really is, and in that vision to recognize him as worthy of worship, of complete devotion and obedience even to death.

Larkin, W. J., Jr. (1995). Acts (Vol. 5, Ac 7:55–58). IVP Academic.

Some day every believer will see Jesus Christ in His physical resurrected, glorified body and in all His glory!!!

A Believer Will Reign Forever and Ever with God

A believer’s future is too wonderful for words. For example, a believer will reign forever with God per Revelation 22:3–5 (NASB95):

³ There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; ⁴ they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.

The meek shall inherit the earth per Matthew 5:5. To reign forever and forever with God is beyond human comprehension. One commentator writes:

The concluding promise is that the city’s citizens will reign for ever and ever. Exactly what this means is not clear, but it is evidently part of their service to God. One of the promises Christ made to the overcomers early in Revelation was that they will share his rule (2:27; 5:10). In Revelation 11:15, “The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.’ ” The final words of the last vision of Revelation show this as fully accomplished—but he fulfills it by sharing his rule with his servants.

Easley, K. H. (1998). Revelation (Vol. 12, pp. 416–417). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

It should be no surprise that a believer will rule forever over lands, cities, and nations. See Alcorn at p. 208. Heaven will be much too good to miss.

Our future fellowship with God can be enjoyed today! MacArthur writes at p. 116:

Unfortunately, many Christians think that fellowship with God and enjoyment of heaven is impossible until we actually arrive there. But the real truth is that for Christians, eternal life is a present possession, not merely a future hope. We’re supposed to live as if our hearts are in heaven already. We can commune and fellowship with God even now – not face to face, but through prayer and the study of His Word.

What MacArthur writes should encourage us to increase and intensify our prayer life and our Bible engagement.

A Believer will have a Glorified Body in Heaven

One super exciting future condition is a believer will have a glorified body in Heaven. Philippians 3:20–21 (NASB95) reads:

²⁰ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

A believer can look forward to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ transforming their body into a glorified body!!! No more aches and pains and all of the physical ailments that go along with the aging process.

The NASB95 translates the Greek verb metaschēmatizo, which is in the future tense, as “will transform.” This verb means to cause a change in the form of something—‘to change, to change from one form into another. See Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 587. “Little Kitel” discusses it as follows:

Paul uses the verb in Phil. 3:21. Believers have the Spirit as an earnest of the consummation, but when Christ comes he will transfigure their present bodies of humiliation into bodies of glory.

Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). In Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Abridged in One Volume (p. 1130). W.B. Eerdmans.

The NASB95 translates the Greek adjective symmorphos as “into conformity” and it means pertaining to that which has a similar form or nature—‘similar in form, of the same form. See Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 584. The expression “the body of His glory” refers to a believer’s future perfect body:

Our bodies get sick, hurt, desire sinful pleasures, grow old, and eventually die. Followers of Christ have the hope that life in this world is not the end. Someday, we will have a perfect body that will never die, a body like the one the Savior now has (1 John 3:2).

Anders, M. (1999). Galatians-Colossians (Vol. 8, p. 247). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Wow! I can only imagine what it will be like to someday have my personal glorified body. One commentator writes:

“Like his glorious body,” though an expression incapable of exact definition, sets the mind stretching to exalted heights, and raises hope to the boiling point.

Ash, A. L. (1994). Philippians, Colossians & Philemon (Php 3:21). College Press.

A Believer will be a Citizen of Heaven

Again, Philippians 3:20–21 (NASB95) reads:

John MacArthur points out that a believer has full rights of citizenship now. At p. 60, he writes:

There is another important sense in which heaven transcends normal time-space dimensions. According to Scripture, a mystery form of the kingdom of God – incorporating all of elements of heaven itself – is the spiritual sphere in which all true Christians live even now. The kingdom of heaven invades and begins to govern the life of every believer in Christ. Spiritually, the Christian becomes a part of heaven with full rights of citizenship here and now in this life.

Assuming you are a believer, take some time to ponder your present citizenship in Heaven. If you aren’t a believer, then I strongly refer you to pages 77-82 of The Salvation Meter where you take the necessary action to change your eternal status.

A Believer will have a Multitude of Holy Company in Heaven

A believer will have a multitude of holy company in Heaven. Revelation 7:9 (NASB95) reads:

⁹ After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

Note that Heaven’s inhabitants will be from “every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues.” The diversity of the peoples in Heaven will beyond our human comprehension. As Randy Alcorn suggests (see p. 369), you may want to use your imagination about Heaven’s future citizens:

I believe we have more than just biblical permission to imagine resurrected races, tribes, and nations living together on the New Earth, we have a biblical mandate to do so. So close your eyes and imagine those ancient civilizations. Not just what they were, but what they yet will be.

It will be more exciting than people-watching in the International Terminal of Kennedy International Airport in New York City.

Death is Nonexistent in Heaven

A believer has nothing to fear about death. Randy Alcorn writes at pp. 450-451:

But it will be a wonderful, big adventure only for those who are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. Those who die without Jesus will experience a horrifying tragedy. Of course, dying is not the real adventure. Death is merely the doorway to eternal life. The adventure is what comes after death – being in the presence of Christ.

Death is nonexistent in Heaven per 1 Corinthians 15:54–55 (NASB95), which reads:

⁵⁴ But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵ “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

A believer should not look at physical death as the end. But, instead, they should view physical death as the beginning of their final and never-ending adventure.

A Believer will not have to Worry about Losing Anything

A believer will not have to worry about losing anything as taught by Matthew 6:20 (NASB95), which reads:

²⁰ “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

Heaven will be the place we cash in our true investment. Randy Alcorn writes at p. 357:

He [Jesus] suggested that by parting with treasures now, we invest them in Heaven, where they’ll be waiting for us when we arrive.

A believer will have a new store house in heaven. See MacArthur at p. 64. At p. 209, John MacArthur describes the extreme value of a believer’s treasure in heaven:

They shall have royal treasures, sufficient to support the dignity to which they are advanced. Since the street of the royal city is pure gold, and the twelve gates thereof are twelve pearls, their treasure must be of that which is better than gold or pearl. It is “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).

A Believer will Receive Rewards for Enduring Suffering on Earth

There is much suffering and turmoil on earth. Yet, a believer will receive rewards for their suffering on earth. Matthew 5:11–12 (NASB95) reads:

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹² “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

One of these rewards will be ruling with Christ per Revelation 20:4 (NASB95):

⁴ Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Randy Alcorn writes (p. 226), “Should we be excited that God will reward us by making us rulers in his Kingdom?” The answer is “YES!”

A Believer will Receive Rest from Their Labors

A beliver will receive rest from their labors. Revelation 14:13 (NASB95) reads:

¹³ And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them.”

A believer will want to rest per Hebrews 4:10–11 (NASB95):

¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. ¹¹ Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

Randy Alcorn discusses (p. 317) rest in Heaven:

Eden is a picture of rest – work that’s meaningful and enjoyable, abundant food, a beautiful environment, unhindered friendship with God and other people and animals. Even with Eden’s restful perfection, one day was set aside for special rest and worship. Work will be refreshing on the New Earth, yet regular rest will be built into our lives.

At p. 258, MacArthur quotes a sermon by J. C. Ryle entitled “Home At Last!”:

Then we shall sit down at ease, for the Canaanite shall be expelled forever from the land. Now we are tossed upon a stormy sea, then we shall be safe in harbor. Now we have to plough and sow, then we shall reap the harvest; now we have the labor, but then the wages; now we have the battle, but then the victory and reward. Now we must needs bear the cross. But then we shall receive the crown. Now we are journeying through the wilderness, but then we shall be at home.

The prospect of heavenly rest should cause every believer to look forward to an eternity in Heaven.

A Believer will Not Experience Mourning, Crying or Pain

A believer will not experience mounring, crying or pain in Heaven. Revelation 21:4 (NASB95) paints an inviting picture of heaven:

⁴ and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Randy Alcorn writes (p. 456) about life in Heaven:

With no fear that life will ever end or that tragedy will descend like a dark cloud. With no fear that dreams will be shattered or relationships broken.

What a joy to know that “the other shoe” will never fall.

A Believer will Receive Spiritual Crowns

The rewards a believer receives will be eternal. Paul stressed the difference between temporal and eternal when he wrote 1 Corinthians 9:25 (NASB95), which reads:

²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

The NASB95 translates the Greek adjective phthartos as “perishable” and it means pertaining to that which is bound to disintegrate and die—‘perishable, mortal. See Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 266. The NASB95 translates the Greek adjective aphthartos as “imperishable” and it means to being not subject to decay and death—‘imperishable, immortal. See Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 267. One commentator (Pratt, R. L., Jr. (2000). I & II Corinthians (Vol. 7, p. 152). Broadman & Holman Publishers) writes:

Third, unlike athletes who work hard to get a crown that will not last, a ceremonial wreath, Christians will receive a crown that will last forever (cf. 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 5:4). By this latter crown Paul referred to eternal rewards such as everlasting life, not to temporal blessings. Christians endure for eternal glory (Rom. 2:7; 2 Tim. 2:10).

The kind of crown a believer receives is a crown of righteousness. 2 Timothy 4:8 (NASB95) reads:

⁸ in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

Larson (Larson, K. (2000). I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon (Vol. 9, p. 322). Broadman & Holman Publishers) writes:

Biblical writers often used the metaphor of a crown to describe the conferring of honor or reward. Paul used this metaphor in reference to the reward of righteousness that believers will receive when Christ returns. Though an individual receives the righteousness of Christ when he trusts in him as Savior, this righteousness is not fully realized until the day of his appearing. Legally, before the holy God, we are righteous. Practically, we await Christ’s return when we will experience the reward of his total righteousness.

A believer receives the “crown of life” per James 1:12 (NASB95), which reads:

¹² Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

The crown of life is salvation itself per Davids (Davids, P. H. (1982). The Epistle of James: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 80). Eerdmans):

Such a tested person will receive a crown of life as his reward. The future tense in λήμψεται reminds one that the author has his focus on the consummation of the age (as does the author in 1 Pet. 5:4, who promises τὸν ἀμαράντινον τῆς δόξης στέφανον when “the chief shepherd appears”). The actual reward is salvation itself, for (eternal) life is certainly the content of the crown (so Laws, Mussner, Mitton, Schrage).

The Apostle John also recorded Jesus’ promise of “the crown of life” when he wrote Revelation 2:10 (NASB95):

¹⁰ ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

The Apostle Peter referred to “the unfading crown of glory” when he wrote 1 Peter 5:4 (NASB95):

⁴ And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Wuest (Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 11, pp. 125–126). Eerdmans) discusses the “unfading crown of glory:”

The Greek word translated “crown” referred to a crown of victory in the Greek athletic games, a crown given for military valor, or a festal garland worn at marriage feasts. Here it is the reward given to faithful shepherds of the flock of God. “Fadeth” is a participle in the Greek describing this crown. The word in its noun form was the name of a flower that did not wither or fade, and which when picked, revived in water. The crown given to victors in either athletics or war was made of oak or ivy leaves, the festal garlands of the marriage feast, of flowers. These would wither and fade. But the victor’s crown which the Lord Jesus will give His faithful under-shepherds will never wither or fade. What form this reward will take, is not stated. Paul says that his crown of rejoicing at the coming of the Lord Jesus for His Church will be made of the souls he won (I Thess. 2:19).

I can’t wait to receive my crowns! How about you?

QUESTIONS

The description of a believer’s future home mandates you make certain of your salvation. The New Heavens, the New Earth, and the New Jerusalem are too glorious for words to describe accurately. Because “something better is coming” for a believer, please answer the following questions.

Question 1-47: What are some attributes of your eternal life in the New Heavens, the New Earth, and the New Jerusalem to which you look forward? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-47A: Does the truth that God is the builder of a believer’s eternal abode in the New Heavens cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47B: Does the truth that a believer will see and experience the glorified Jesus Christ who is in Heaven cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47C: Does the truth that a believer will reign forever and ever with God cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47D: Does the truth that a believer will have a glorified body in Heaven cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47E: Does the truth that a believer will be a citizen of Heaven cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47F: Does the truth that a believer will have a multitude of holy company in Heaven cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47G: Does the truth that death is nonexistent in Heaven cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47H: Does the truth that a believer will not have to worry about losing anything cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47I: Does the truth that a believer will receive rewards for enduring suffering on earth cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47J: Does the truth that a believer will receive rest from their labors cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47K: Does the truth that a believer will not experience mourning, crying or pain cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-47L: Does the truth that a believer will receive spiritual crowns cause you to look forward to heaven? Do you believe that is a sufficient enough reason to use The Salvation Meter to evaluate your salvation and spiritual condition? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-48: Does the expectation of spending eternity in the New Heavens, the New Earth, and the New Jerusalem provide you with an incentive to make sure you are saved? Please explain your answer.

Question 1-48A: Does the prospect of spending eternity in the presence of God, as well as with other believers, furnish the impetus for you to invest the time and effort to use The Salvation Meter? Please explain your answer.

Reason No. 6; Assurance of Your Salvation is Possible (Revision of pages 37-38 of The Salvation Meter Book

INTRODUCTION

This article is a revision of the section entitled “Assurance of Your Salvation is Possible” at pages 37-38 of The Salvation Meter book. There are two basic reasons I revised this section.

First, a sermon is never finished, merely preached. In the same way, there will always be ways, as well as a need, to revise and improve the discussion of this crucial reason why a person should use The Salvation Meter. My hope is this revision will give the book a “dynamic” aspect.

REVISED DISCUSSION

Introduction

As stated above, a second motivation for writing this book is I want to see every believer live the victorious abundant Christian life. Many saved people in church live a less than victorious life because they are constantly questioning their salvation. The result is that they live their lives on a spiritual wobble board continually impairing their ability to live the victorious Christian life. These believers do not ever seem to gain an assurance through continually questioning if they are saved. John MacArthur described these folks when he wrote at page 7 in his Foreword to Dr. Donald S. Whitney’s book How Can I Be Sure I’m a Christian? (How Can I Be Sure I’m a Christian? – What the Bible Says About Assurance of Salvation, (1994) NavPress Publishing Group, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80935):

At the other extreme is a chronic uncertainty that leads to a preoccupation with oneself, one’s fears, and one’s failings. It results in a vacillating, feeble faith. That tendency plagued the church in earlier ages, and sadly there are still whole denominations today where true, settled assurance is almost unheard of.

An article entitled “Assurance of Salvation” from the bible.org website (link: 1.3. Assurance of Salvation | Bible.org ) identifies five reasons people lack assurance. First, some people have “a doctrinal misunderstanding and the consequent lack of faith in the finished work of Christ.” The Bible teaches that a person can have assurance of their salvation. The below discussion of certain Scriptures establishes that the Bible teaches assurance is possible.

Second, “people people often lack assurance because they cannot remember or point to a specific time when they received Christ.” No doubt, it is reassuring to have a recollection of the specific circumstances. However, consistent with the basic thrust of The Salvation Meter book, what transpired years or even decades ago is not nearly as important as answering the critical question is what does my life today show about my spiritual condition?

Third, people often lack assurance because they question the “procedure” of their salvation. There is no “magic” prayer or certain set of actions or words that result in salvation. Salvation is a spiritual condition that results from a person’s conversion event. There are many specific “procedures” through and different circumstances under which God saves a person.

Fourth, because of their struggle with certain sins, people lack assurance that their conversion was real. A saved person still has a sin nature, and therefore, will struggle with sin. Even the Apostle Paul struggled with sin per Romans 7:24 (NASB95), which reads:

²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?

Fifth, lack of assurance can emanate from being involved in a church that teaches works-based salvation or security. Ephesians 2:8–9 (NASB95) makes it clear that works do not save a person or “keep” a person:

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; ⁹ not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

If you are in a works-based church, you need to run for the door as fast as you can.

2 Timothy 1:12 Teaches Assurance Is Possible

The Bible teaches that a believer ought to live a victorious confident abundant life. The Apostle Paul demonstrated his confidence even in the face of very difficult times when he wrote 2 Timothy 1:12 (NASB95), which reads:

¹² For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

The NASB95 translates the Greek verb peithō as “I am convinced,” and it means to convince someone to believe something and to act on the basis of what is recommended—‘to persuade, to convince. See Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 422). United Bible Societies. In this passage, Paul presented the reality that in the past he had been convinced of his assurance and that his assurance remained as his present “state of affairs.”

The Wuest translation (see Wuest, K. S. (1997). Wuest’s word studies from the Greek New Testament: for the English reader (Vol. 8, p. 124). Grand Rapids: Eerdmans) of 2 Timothy 1:12 reads:

On which account I am also suffering these things. But I am not ashamed, for I know with an absolute knowledge the One in whom I have permanently placed my trust, and have come to a settled persuasion that He is of power to guard that which has been committed as a trust to me with reference to that day.

Although other interpretations of what Christ guards are possible, the most likely reference is to Paul’s life. In reference to verse 12, Lea et al. (see Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, pp. 194–195). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers) write [emphasis added]:

The phrase “for that day” expresses the duration of the time in which God can guard this deposit. God will guard it until the return of Christ. Paul was affirming that God can keep a life or ministry committed to him in a position of perfect safety. God will keep the recipients of his promises safe to the end. Paul’s more hesitant but promising friend Timothy could find strength in such truth to propel him to bold witness for Jesus.

Another commentator (see Arichea, D. C., & Hatton, H. (1995). A handbook on Paul’s letters to Timothy and to Titus (p. 183). New York: United Bible Societies) agrees that Paul entrusted Christ with his own life:

As for the second alternative, what Paul is entrusting to Christ would probably be his own life, with the assurance that Christ can guard his life even to the end of the age. The eschatological tone of the verse, as shown by the mention of Day, favors this interpretation.

Paul taught that a believer can have assurance of their salvation. Saved people who lack assurance of their salvation must take hold of Paul’s teaching. They must settle the issue once-and-for-all so that they know that they know that they know they are saved. Then, they can live the confident victorious abundant Christian life with complete assurance that their heavenly home awaits them! One cannot imagine a more rock-solid foundation than Jesus Christ!

1 John 3:10 and Teaches Assurance is Possible

1 John 3:10 (ESV) establishes that assurance of your salvation is possible:

¹⁰ By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

The ESV translates the Greek adjective phaneros as “evident,” and it means pertaining to being clearly and easily able to be known—‘clearly known, easily known, evident, plain, clear.’ See Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 341. One commentator (see Akin, D. L. (2001). 1, 2, 3 John (Vol. 38, p. 150). Broadman & Holman Publishers) makes it clear that John considers there to be two kinds of people who can be known by their actions:

This verse brings to a conclusion John’s discussion in vv. 4–10 concerning the identifiable nature of the child of God. John reaffirms that both the child of God and the child of the devil can be identified by what they do. There are only two classes of people in John’s diagnosis—those who are children of God and those who are children of the devil. John knows of no intermediate group. Sharp lines are drawn between those who practice sin and those who practice righteousness. One is fathered by the devil, and the other is fathered by God.

Another commentator (Womack, M. M. (1998). 1, 2 & 3 John (1 Jn 3:10). College Press) emphasizes that knowledge of salvation, which results in assurance, is available:

How do we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are? Very simply: by their fruits.

The fact that a person’s spiritual condition can be known by their actions ought to give them assurance. In other words, the Apostle John told his audience that assurance of salvation was evident because a person’s life presented evidence of whether they had a relationship with God or Satan.

Saved people who lack assurance must grab hold of John’ teaching that assurance is possible.

1 John 5:13 Teaches Assurance is Possible

The Apostle John reinforced his teaching that assurance was possible when he wrote 1 John 5:13 (ESV), which reads:

¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.

The ESV translates the Greek verb oida as “you may know.” It means to possess information about—‘to know, to know about, to have knowledge of, to be acquainted with, acquaintance.’ See Louw et al., supra, at Vol. 1, p. 333. This verb is in the perfect verb tense which means John described a completed verbal action that occurred in the past, but which produced a state of being or a result that exists in the present (in relation to the writer). The emphasis of the perfect was not on the past action so much as it was on the present “state of affairs” resulting from the past action. See Heiser, M. S., & Setterholm, V. M. (2013; 2013). Glossary of Morpho-Syntactic Database Terminology. Lexham Press.

By 1 John 5:13, John intended to tell his audience that they could know for certain if they were saved. The “default condition” for a believer is complete and full assurance of their salvation.

Other resources that pertain to assurance of salvation are a publication entitled “How Can I have Assurance of My Salvation?” at the Gotquestions.org website (https://www.gotquestions.org/assurance-salvation.html and a publication from CRU at assuranceofsalvation.pdf (cru.org).

QUESTIONS

The above discussion about assurance of salvation raises some questions for you to answer. Please answer the following questions about the biblical truth that you can have assurance of your salvation.

Question 1-49: Do you agree that that full assurance of your salvation is possible? Please explain your answers keeping in mind the teachings of 2 Timothy 1:12, 1 John 3:10 and 1 John 5:13.

Question 1-49A: In an effort to expand your answer to Question 1-49, please keep in mind that 2 Timothy 2:12 teaches that Christ guards Paul’s salvation. If Christ does that for Paul, then He does it for every believer. Does this teaching help you better appreciate that you can have full assurance of your salvation?

Question 1-49B: In an effort to expand your answer to Question 1-49, please keep in mind that 1 John 3:10 teaches that actions or behavior (e.g., fruits) can provide assurance of salvation. Does this teaching help you better appreciate that you can have full assurance of your salvation?

Question 1-49C: In an effort to expand your answer to Question 1-49, please keep in mind that 1 John 5:13 teaches that Scripture says a believer can possess assurance of their salvation. Does this teaching help you better appreciate that you can have full assurance of your salvation?

Question 1-49D: If you lack assurance of your salvation, could it be due to a doctrinal misunderstanding about the finished work of Christ? Please explain your answer and include a description of any church teaching that may influence your thinking.

Question 1-49E: If you lack assurance of your salvation, could it be due to the fact that you cannot remember or point to a specific time when you received Christ? Please explain your answer and include a description of any church teaching that may influence your thinking.

Question 1-49F: If you lack assurance of your salvation, could it be due the specific “procedure” connected with your conversion event? Please explain your answer and include a description of any church teaching that may influence your thinking.

Question 1-49G: If you lack assurance of your salvation, could it be because of your struggle with sin in your life? Please explain your answer and include a description of any church teaching that may influence your thinking.

Question 1-49H: If you lack assurance of your salvation, could it be due your involvement with a church that teaches works-based salvation or security? Please explain your answer and include a description of any church teaching that may influence your thinking.

Question 1-50: If you do not believe that full assurance of your salvation is possible, what would persuade you that full assurance is possible? If you remain steadfast in your belief that assurance is not possible, are you still willing to spend the time and effort to use The Salvation Meter? Please explain your answers.

Question 1-51: Do you strongly agree, moderately agree, moderately disagree, strongly disagree or are neutral about you having complete assurance of your salvation? Please explain your answer. Please record your answer at Indicator 1-G of your Personal Salvation Assessment in the Appendix.