The Blood of Jesus [study guide]

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

The Blood of Jesus (PDF)

(Duplication encouraged. An open King James Bible should accompany your study of this topic. Carefully, prayerfully study each verse given in order to answer each question correctly. Print this document out and pencil in the answers in the blanks provided. It may be best to cut and paste it to your word processing software and then print it out. Your life in Christ will be enriched forever as you embrace and put into practice His Word.)

When the man and woman whom God had created chose to sin against Him, He separated them from His presence. They attempted to cover their nakedness by sewing fig leaves together and girding them around their waists (Genesis 3:7). This was man’s attempt to cover his own sin and shame.

“The aprons of fig leaves speak of man’s attempt to save himself by a bloodless religion of good works.” William MacDonald

God did not honor the fig leaves, so He shed the blood of animals to make them “coats of skins, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). Here He chose to depict the sacrifice of the coming Redeemer by the offering of innocent animals. The atonement for the man and woman by the sacrifice of these animals prophetically pointed to the Savior who would later come and personally shed His holy, sinless blood to redeem His creation which had been contaminated by sin.

From the cradle of creation through the dispensation of the Mosaic law, in Christ’s redemptive blood on Calvary’s cross, and throughout eternity future, we see that in the Creator’s economy, it is blood that quenches the fire of His holy vengeance.

It was out of the riches of God’s mercy and grace that our sins have been remitted by the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Let us now follow this blood line through the Bible.

1. Of Cain and Abel’s sacrifices, which one did God honor? Genesis 4:3-5

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Adam’s and Eve’s son Abel brought “the firstlings of his flock” at the time of sacrifice. Obviously, God instructed Adam and Eve to sacrifice animals to continue to cover their sin. God had already foretold that His Son would be sent to redeem the fallen race (Genesis 3:15). The blood of this animal that Abel offered prefigured the blood of the Messiah which would later be shed to redeem mankind. Abel pleased God because he displayed faith in His Word concerning the blood sacrifice that Jesus Christ would make. This is the beginning of the blood river of redemption which flows from Genesis to Revelation. Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because it did not align with God’s redemptive program. It was like much of the religious activity we have today, of self-will and man-made tradition, instead of that which God requires.

2. Complete the following statement made in Hebrews 11:4:

“By ________ Abel offered unto God a more ___________________

__________________ than Cain, by the which he obtained witness

that he was righteous, ______________________________________:

and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”

God honored the faith that Abel displayed in the coming Redeemer and declared him righteous thereby.

3. What is essential for the remission of sin? Hebrews 9:22

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“Remission” means a dismissal or release from a debt or penalty. In the New Testament, it is used concerning the forgiveness of sins. Remission of sins occurs when God applies the blood of Jesus to the life of the believer, thereby, canceling his sin debt.

4. Read Exodus 12:1-14. What kind of lamb did God instruct His people to sacrifice? Exodus 12:5

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5. What did the Lord command His people to do after they had killed the lamb? Exodus 12:6, 7

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6. What did God say that He was going to do to the Egyptians for their sin? Exodus 12:12

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The Egyptians would not let God’s people go; consequently, God was going to send a death angel through the land of Egypt (Egypt represents the sinners of the world) and kill the firstborn male child and beast of every family. This event is called the Passover which was to be God’s judgment upon the sin of the Egyptians.

7. What role did the blood play for God’s people who placed it on the door posts of their houses? Exodus 12:13

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While the nation of Israel was under Egyptian bondage, the Lord informed Israel that each family was to shed the blood of an unblemished lamb and place the blood upon their door posts before He delivered them from Egypt (Exodus 12). So, today, every disciple of Jesus should apply the blood of Christ’s redemption to his life daily in prayer and through a life of obedience to the Word (1 John 1:7; Revelation 12:11). The blood which initially cleanses one upon repentance and faith in the Son of God, is to continue to daily cleanse that person from his sins and iniquities (1 John 1:7).

8. For what reason did God say that He would pass over – not allow harm to come upon His people? Exodus 12:13

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Judgment was averted by the presence of the blood. Where the blood was applied, God’s wrath was appeased. Is the cleansing blood applied to every area of your life?

9. What did the Lord state that He would do when He saw the blood? Exodus 12:13

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Here we see that the atoning blood appeased the wrath of God. He said that this blood would save the people from His justified wrath. The unblemished lamb was a type of the spotless Lamb of God which was yet to be slain (1 Peter 1:19), saving those who would receive Him, from the holy wrath of God (Romans 5:9). The Israelites openly expressed their faith in the coming Savior by placing the blood of the unblemished lamb on their door posts in the sign of a cross (up and down and across). This blood had to be personally appropriated/applied by each Israelite family (Exodus 12:3-4).

10. Who is our Passover Lamb? 1 Corinthians 5:7b

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11. Under the Old Covenant, what did God require to make atonement for the souls/sins of His people? Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 17:11

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Under the law God instructed the nation of Israel to approach Him by the sacrifice of animals. The sins of the people were atoned for by the blood of animals (Leviticus 16:34; 17:11). This prophetic pattern of God continued to cover the sins of His people from the time of the fall until the One whom these sacrifices foreshadowed appeared. Those in Israel who genuinely loved the God of all truth, fervently anticipated the arrival of this repeatedly prophesied Redeemer. About 4,000 years after man had fallen, a prophet sent from God, John the Baptist, saw Jesus Christ the Reconciler approaching, and declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). It was “the fulness of time” and the Father had sent the promised Redeemer into the earth to take “away the sin of the world” (Galatians 4:4; John 1:29). The sacrifices that previously atoned for Israel would now be superceded by the one sacrifice of “the Lamb,“ God’s only begotten Son (Hebrews10:1-23).

These blood sacrifices of the Old Testament were instituted by God to point to the One who would pay the ultimate sacrifice for the sin-debt of the world. Jesus was the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament blood sacrifices. His pure and spotless blood was about to be shed to pay fully for the sins of the world. The Lamb which was slain before the foundation of the world (in the mind of God) was now manifest on earth to redeem mankind from his sinful and separated state (Rev. 13:8; Jn 1:14).

12. What did Jesus say just before He offered Himself on His altar, the cross? Matthew 26:28

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13. For what purpose was Jesus going to offer His blood? Matthew 26:28

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14. How was the Church purchased? Acts 20:28; Revelation 5:9

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15. How did our God make peace and reconcile mankind to Himself? Colossians 1:20

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16. In light of the truth that Jesus made peace between God and man through the blood He shed, wherein should we glory? Galatians 6:14

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And what should we preach? 1 Corinthians 2:2

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17. According to Ephesians 1:7, what two blessings does the believer receive through the blood of Jesus?

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As is clearly announced in the God-breathed New Testament records, redemption and the remission/forgiveness of sins only comes by the blood of Jesus, and is a gift granted by the Father out of the abundance of His grace. To redeem (as in redemption) is to buy back. We had been sold out to sins by the first man and our own rebellion, yet, God, in His great mercy, came in the person of Jesus Christ to buy us back to the Father. The blood of Christ is God’s agent for removing man’s sin. All of the baptismal water in the world cannot wash away one sin. The blood of the Son of God is the divine detergent that cleanses man from sins and the guilt that it brings. To receive the person of Jesus Christ is to partake of the unspeakable benefits of His blood.

18. How are men not redeemed? 1 Peter 1:18

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19. How are men redeemed? 1 Peter 1:19

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God the Father honors the blood of Jesus as full payment for sins. It was the divine price paid for man’s redemption. His blood alone satisfied the claims of the Father’s justice to redeem mankind. Man was bought back and therefore can be brought back to peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1).

20. Read Romans 3:21-26. Complete the following found in Romans 3:24, 25:

“Being justified freely by his ___________ through the

____________________ that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set

forth to be a _____________________ (the atoning sacrifice) through

______________________________, to declare

___________________________ for the remission of sins that are

past, through the forbearance of God.”

21. How are sinners “made nigh (close)” to God? Ephesians 2:13

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22. What agent of God justifies the person who receives Jesus Christ? Romans 5:9

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23. What is the believer saved from because of the blood of Jesus? Romans 5:9

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God is holy and demands holiness of the human race that He created. His wrath on sin and all who partake of it is appeased only by the blood of the Lamb Jesus.

24. Refer to Revelation 1:5 and complete the following:

“And from_____________________ , who is the faithful witness, and

the first-begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth.

Unto _____________________________, and __________________

_______________________________________________________.”

25. What is purged when the blood of Jesus is applied? Hebrews 9:14

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Not only does the blood of Christ take away the sins of the one who personally receives Him, but also the guilt that is always coupled with sin. The shame of sin is removed when the blood of Jesus is applied (Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:9). If there is a shortcoming, the repentant believer can always find forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Jesus. God’s part is the blood, our part is repentance. Repentance on the part of the transgressor is a must for the removal of sin (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:7-9).

26. Why can every single disciple of Jesus enter into the holy throne of God with great boldness/confidence? Hebrews 10:19

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Under the Old Covenant, only the high priest could enter behind the veil into the holy of holies to meet with God (Hebrews 9:7). Because of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus paid, every believer can approach God in the holy of holies. In the same hour that Jesus died, the thick veil that separated the Old Testament saints from the presence of God was ripped open (Mark 15:38). This marked the hour that God came out from behind the veil to meet man on a personal basis – All this because of the blood of Christ that was poured out for mankind. Personal access into the very presence of God has been granted to all who truly trust in the precious and cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Each disciple of Christ now has entrance into the very throne of the Father where Jesus is seated on His right hand, making intercession (Hebrews 7:25; 10:19-22).

27. As the child of God walks in the light, what is it that continues to cleanse his sins? 1 John 1:7

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It is the blood of Christ that continues to make the disciple of Jesus holy before the Father as he continues to walk in obedience. It is the blood of Jesus that sustains the people of God in holiness before Him.

28. What two weapons recorded in Revelation 12:11 has God given to the Body of Christ to overcome Satan and his angels? Read Revelation 12:7-11.

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Overcoming the enemy comes from being washed by the blood of Jesus and upholding the standard of His holy Word as a weapon of spiritual warfare. Jesus supplied His blood, you are to supply the testimony of its power to redeem (Psalms 107:2).

29. What is the agent that will cleanse the Great Tribulation saints? Revelation 7:14

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30. In the ordinance of communion, what is symbolized by the drink? 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

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The drink is to bring us into fresh remembrance of the blood sacrifice of our Lord Jesus. He has purchased us with His own blood.

31. What does “the cup” of “the fruit of the vine” represent as instituted by the Lord? Matthew 26:26-30

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His body was broken and His blood flowed to the earth. When we break bread and drink wine/grape juice, we are to do it in remembrance of His sacrifice for us, without which we would have no hope of redemption whatsoever.

THE WORK OF REDEMPTION IS COMPLETE IN JESUS CHRIST. HIS BLOOD FLOWS JUST AS FRESH AND POWERFUL THIS INSTANT AS THE MOMENT IT WAS SHED. TAKE A MOMENT TO EXAMINE YOUR HEART. THE LORD JESUS INVITES YOU TO COME TO HIM FOR THE CLEANSING OF ALL SIN AND THE SHAME THEREOF. AS YOU REPENT OF ALL SINS BEFORE GOD, ASK HIM TO TAKE AWAY YOUR SIN AND GUILT THROUGH CHRIST’S PERFECT BLOOD. THANK HIM FOR HIS BLOOD.

ENRICHING ASSIGNMENT:

In 250 words or more, detail the ways that the Word of God should be incorporated into the daily life of the believer. (Tips for your essay’s content: study, performance, prayer, warfare, proclaiming, meditating upon, memorizing, etc). Search the Scriptures as your source for this essay and use Scripture and references to validate your statements. Begin with deep and prayerful meditation on God’s Word. Write your essay neatly and in an organized manner.

SCRIPTURE MEMORIZATION: Ephesians 1:7; 1 Corinthians 5:7b

It would be very advantageous for you to cross reference all of the Scriptures in this study. For example, pencil in each topically similar verse into the margin next to the corresponding verses on this same subject. Write out these verses with references on index cards – make it a priority to carry and post them where you will study and meditate upon them. These two measures will build in you a wealth of truth on each topic. This will help you to retain and become resourceful in the Word of God – ready to be used of Him. Capture the knowledge that you have learned, don’t let it slip away from you.

Capitalize on your efforts. This is preparation in earnest (2 Timothy 2:21).

Sign up for free email devotional HERE… The Moments with My Master email devotional is sent out for the edification of the body of Christ.

How We Know the Bible is the only Holy Book on Planet Earth [podcast]

The Gospel Centers Upon Christ’s Blood

The Remission of Sins

Abiding

“Rend Your Heart, and Not Your Garments” [podcast]

Who Does God Look to? Who Does God Dwell in?

Beware of any man pretending to represent Christ who isn’t praying and preaching for you to be possessed by a humble and contrite heart.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3

“‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 5:3). A low condition. ‘Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted’ (Matthew 5:4). To mourn over our sin and our utter wickedness before a holy and righteous God. Those are the ones who will receive the comfort and ‘joy in the Holy Ghost’ (Romans 14:17).” Karen Cochran

Abandoning Our Own Sin, Our Own Way, for God and His Better Way!

To “rend your heart” is a biblical phrase meaning to tear open your heart in radical sincerity, true humility, and genuine repentance.

The phrase comes from Joel 2:13 in the Bible: “Rend your heart and not your garments and return to the Lord your God.”

One source notes the following:

“Context and Deeper Meaning:

Cultural Background: In ancient times, the Jewish people would tear (rend) their clothes as a public, highly visible display of grief or repentance.
The Spiritual Message: God is warning that outward rituals (like ripping clothing) are meaningless if the heart remains unchanged. Rending your heart implies breaking through your pride, letting go of excuses, and being completely vulnerable and authentic before God.
The Reward: The verse goes on to say that God is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.” Tearing open your heart allows you to experience His forgiveness and restore your relationship with Him.”

To see an example of rending one’s physical garment in representation of rending their heart, see Acts 14:11-18.

Where is the LORD Looking?

“But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

“Therefore also now, saith the Lord, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the Lord your God” Joel 2:12-14

“What a gracious invitation is contained in these words. How tenderly the Lord reasons with his people. And what an encouraging assurance it folds up with. Reader! do not fail to observe that this call of the Lord, the accompanying grace to incline the heart to the observance of it is implied. It is most blessed ever to remember that when the Lord thus comes forth in his endearing invitations, he is secretly inclining the heart to accept them. Grace must first enter the heart, or there will be no inclination to obey.” Robert Hawker

“Jeremiah’s message was never meant to leave the heart in despair. Every warning from God carried an invitation to return. The Lord does not expose empty religion to shame His people, but to heal them. Repentance is not the loss of hope, it is the beginning of hope. Christ still receives every soul that comes with humility, and He gives living faith where there was only habit, peace where there was only fear, and joy where there was only emptiness. The call remains the same today, to draw near to Him with a sincere heart, trusting that His mercy is always greater than our weakness.” Dan Blincoe

A Fresh Start with God Always Begins with Humility and True Repentance

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Acts 3:19

Concerning rending our hearts before the LORD, one source notes:

The classic Bible passage on this concept is Joel 2:13, where God commands: “Rend your heart and not your garments”. In ancient biblical culture, tearing (or “rending”) one’s physical clothing was a customary, visible display of extreme grief, despair, or repentance. Through the prophet Joel, God is essentially telling His people: Stop doing the empty, outward religious ritual of tearing your clothes to show everyone how sorry you are. Instead, let me see true, inward brokenness over your sins.

Examples of Rending Physical Garments

In the Bible, the physical act of tearing clothes was used as a dramatic expression of deep emotion in several well-known narratives:

Joseph’s Brothers (Genesis 37:29, 34): When Reuben realized Joseph was not in the pit, and later when the brothers brought Joseph’s blood-stained coat to Jacob, they tore their clothes in grief and despair.
Job (Job 1:20): After hearing that he had lost all his wealth and his children, Job stood up and tore his robe as an outward sign of his overwhelming sorrow.
King David (2 Samuel 1:11-12): When David received news of the deaths of King Saul and Jonathan, he and his men tore their clothes to mourn.
The High Priest (Matthew 26:65): In a dramatic display of hypocritical outrage, the high priest tore his own garments when Jesus declared He was the Son of God, falsely accusing Him of blasphemy.

The Spiritual Meaning of “Rending the Heart”

The concept of “rending the heart” contrasts an outward show with inward reality.

Genuine Repentance: Tearing your heart means being vulnerable, acknowledging your brokenness, and deeply repenting of sin before God.
Prioritizing Relationships over Rituals: God desires a sincere heart—true sorrow and a desire to change—more than he desires traditional religious pageantry or dramatic, public displays of grief.
The Promise of Forgiveness: In Joel 2:13, the command to rend the heart is immediately followed by the promise of grace: “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love”.

God sees beyond our external habits and religious actions, requiring instead a humble, contrite heart to fully experience His mercy.”

God’s Mercy

“Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: 13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?” Joel 2:12-14

In God’s Word, where we see men who tear open their garments…. This holds the illustration of rending our hearts before the LORD.

Don’t render outward tearing, no, rather, tear open your inner man, your heart—be honest, sincere, exposed, and vulnerable to the LORD whom you trust.

Let’s attempt to get at, to ascertain what God is commanding of His beloved people to do in this “rend your heart” passage.

“Joel 2:13: Rend your heart—Let it not be merely a rending of your garments, but let your hearts be truly contrite. Merely external worship and hypocritical pretensions will only increase the evil, and cause God to meet you with heavier judgments.

For he is gracious—Good and benevolent in his own nature.

Merciful—Pitying and forgiving, as the effect of goodness and benevolence.

Slow to anger —He is not easily provoked to punish, because he is gracious and merciful.

Of great kindness—Exuberant goodness to all them that return to him.

And repenteth him of the evil—Is ever ready to change his purpose to destroy, when he finds the culprit willing to be saved. See the notes on Exo_34:6, Exo_34:7.” Adam Clarke

“Joel 2:12-14: III. DIVINE APPEAL TO JUDAH TO REPENT (2:12-14)
Even now, the LORD calls the people to repentance. It is not too late to return to Him. But it must be more than outward ritual. Their turning was to be with all their heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

To rend our hearts is the consistent message, mandate of God to His people of all ages and eras.

“The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 34:18

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalms 51:17

In Joel 2 the LORD reminds those who are backslidden that He “is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. 14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God? …”

They must meet His stated conditions to receive His blessings ….

He promises that He will forgive them as they…..

“Joel 2:12-27: THE AVERTING OF JUDGMENT
To rend the garment is easy, but a broken and contrite heart can be imparted only by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The love of God should bring us to repentance. He takes no pleasure in our miseries and if men repent and turn from their sin they find an immediate and loving welcome to the Father’s heart and home. Joel had called for the trumpet to announce war; he now directs the trumpet blast to summon the people, from the highest to the lowest, to plead for help. Prayer and true repentance and faith bring an immediate answer. As the husband yearns over his erring but repentant wife, and is indignant with those who have maltreated her, so will Jehovah remove from us, when we turn to Him, those who have cruelly oppressed us.
The great things Jehovah did against Egypt and Babylon are an earnest of what He will do again. The earth (and all the creation of God) … have good reason to rejoice in what awaits them. God promises not only to forgive sin, but to make us happy and well provided as if the locust and cankerworm had never settled upon our lives.” FB Meyer

Religious hypocrites, counterfeits, emphasize the outward to cover their inner darkness, rebellion.

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Matthew 23:23-25

“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” Mark 7:6

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Jesus’ longest recorded message to His people stands on the foundation of the very first words our Savior uttered in this sermon on the mount. The foundational truth of the entire sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) is found in the very first words of our LORD when unveiling this elaborate, far-reaching, and profound message to His disciples of all ages. Here are His first words: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 Note, “poor in spirit.” Not poor financially or religiously. The two should be mutually exclusive. The Greek word translated into English as “poor” is PTOCHOS. It […]

"I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice": What does this really Mean? [podcast]

“But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Matthew 9:13 Jesus specifically instructs us to “go ye and learn what that meaneth.” UNTIL, as an individual, you begin to realize just how wicked you really are, you will never begin to appreciate what our KING and Savior did on that cross! Matthew 9:9-13 – Jesus calls Matthew 9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith […]

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The Importance of Pureness of Heart [podcast]

“He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend.” Proverbs 22:11 With pureness of heart, our words shall issue forth with grace and seasoning and be more readily received by those who hear. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:6 David’s Prayer “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they […]

Articles

God and His Word are Unchanging [podcast]

Because God is Unchanging, So is His Word

“For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6

“Which keepeth truth for ever” – Is the Bible “Archaic”? No. Divine truth is everlasting. Has no expiration date. You cannot escape accountability to it, to Him. It’s an open book test. The Savior says “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Mark 13:31). Divine truth is eternal, unchanging, and binding upon all men (Psalms 146:6; Malachi 3:6, etc.).

Every time you open God’s Word and begin reading, you are hearing the voice of God.

“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:17

“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1 (the devil questions God’s Word, questions what God says in His Word.)

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall NOT surely die.” Genesis 3:4

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2

“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:17

“Ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God.” Jeremiah 23:36

“all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:” Jeremiah 26:2

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Soul Sleep Exposed: Where Do We Go When We Die? When do we Go there? [podcast]

Do you realize that upon death, immediately, each soul is instantly translated, transported to their new and eternal place of existence – comfort and joy or hell fire? Instantly each soul is already judged upon death and literally in hell or Heaven now (Luke 16:19-31; 2 Corinthians 5:6, 8; Philippians 1:21-23; Hebrews 9:27).

When the Bible speaks of “slept” or “sleep”, it’s speaking of the body, not the eternal soul. For example, the soul sleep cults use verses like 1 Kings 2:10 to attempt to “prove” soul sleep.

“So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.” 1 Kings 2:10

“For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,” Acts 2:34

Notice here in Acts 2:34 that it says “David is not ascended into the heavens.”

Primarily this is speaking of Jesus, the son of David and the prophecies Peter is speaking of in this message He’s preaching.

“Act_2:34: Ascended not for is not ascended, A.V. For David, etc. The ascension of Christ is inferred from the previous prophecy, “Thou wilt show me the path of life,” etc.; and is there distinctly proved from Psa_110:1, which Peter (remembering, probably, our Lord’s application of it as recorded in Mat_22:42-45, which he had doubtless heard) shows could not apply to David himself, but only to David’s Lord.” Pulpit

David’s eternal soul is in Heaven now.

“[David is not ascended into the heavens] This refers to David’s body in resurrection, not to his soul and spirit which are in heaven (Heb_12:23; Eph_4:8-10; 2Co_5:8; Php_1:21-24).” Dake

Hebrews 9:27; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 and Philippians 1:21-23; Revelation 22:11 make it clear that when one dies he goes straight to his eternal destination. Any compromise on this doctrine is evil and constitutes that which seduces the believer towards lasciviousness Jude 3-4. There will be no second chance to repent. Death is final and as one dies so shall he be forever (Luke 16:19-31; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 22:11).

Fact: Only cults teach soul sleep.

Praying for someone who’s already dead is futile. At death, the soul goes to Heaven if the person is a born again Christ or eternally, irrevocably to hell. Read Luke 16:19-31 in the King James Bible. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27)

The Word of God tells us that anyone living in sin, upon death, is going to hell, immediately upon death. Luke 16:19-31; Hebrews 9:27; Ezekiel 33:12-13, etc Those who are born again and abiding in Christ will be with Him immediately upon death (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:21-23). You have to be born again to be in Christ.

“To Day Shalt Thou be with Me in Paradise”

“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43

“To day” this repentant former thief who hung next to Jesus was going to be “in paradise” and not asleep in the grave.

The doctrine of soul sleep is taught by many cults including the Seventh Day Adventists and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Roman Catholic version of this antichrist, diabolical lie is their teaching on purgatory (an in-between state where average Catholics supposedly get their sins burned off by fire because the blood of Christ was not good enough to cleanse away those sins). This false teaching (soul sleep) supposes that when people die they go into a state of sleep or nothingness. Yet, the Bible reveals something very different. These false teachings are a diabolical attempt to remove the severe reality of conscious, eternal torment (Mark 9:43-49).

The flames of eternal damnation shall forever feed upon the conscious souls of all rebels. Mark 9:43-49 KJB Are you born again? Go here now and make peace with God before its too late.

Recently I replied to a post that was pushing the soul sleep heresy. Here it is….

REPLY:

Soul sleep is another false teaching taught only by the cults. Beware of those peddling this lie. Luke 16:19-31 makes it more than clear that upon death, the eternal soul of the individual goes to Heaven or hell based upon the spiritual state at the moment of death. Upon death the soul goes straight to Heaven or hell. Heb 9:27; 2 Cor 5:6-8; Philippians 1:21-23

The righteous who have died, are “under the altar” in Heaven, right now.

“And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw UNDER THE ALTAR the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:” Revelation 6:9

No Sleep, Just Judgment at the Moment of Death

The grave is the “final resting place” of no one. Heaven or hell await – immediately upon drawing one’s last breath on earth. Read Luke 16:19-31 and Hebrews 9:27.

QUESTION RECEIVED:

“Todd where do you believe we go when we die? Why do some preach we go to the grave until Christ returns?”

REPLY:

The Bible tells us we go directly to glory or hell (2 Cor 5:6-8; Phil 1:21-23; Luke 16:19-31; 23:43). It’s false to teach we go to the grave only. Cults teach that. That’s a false teaching that gives us a clue that we are dealing with a cult.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27

According to the full-counsel of God’s Word, when a person dies, that soul goes directly, immediately to the destination God has judged them to go.

When someone dies, they are immediately in the place they have merited with God – Heaven or hell. Then, the wicked will be dredged up and will be formerly sentenced. Those not found written in the book of life will be brought before the Throne of God to be terminated or “cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)

As a person dies – that is, in the spiritual state they die in – so shall they be for all eternity. There are no second chances.

“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11

The apostle Paul taught us that immediately upon death he was going to “be with Christ”:

“For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.” Philippians 1:23

“Philippians 1:23: To depart – Out of bonds, flesh, the world. And to be with Christ – In a nearer and fuller union. It is better to depart; it is far better to be with Christ.” John Wesley

“Notice that Paul did not believe in any theory of soul-sleep. He believed that the Christian goes to be with Christ at the time of death and that he is in the conscious enjoyment of the presence of the Lord. How ridiculous it would be for him to say, as some do today: “To live is Christ; to sleep is gain.” Or, “To depart and to sleep is far better.” “Sleep” is used in the NT of the believer’s body at the time of death (1Th_4:14), never of his soul. Soul-sleep is a myth. Notice, too, that death is not to be confused with the coming of the Savior. At the time of death, we go to be with Him. At the time of the Rapture, He comes to us.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

Remember how the rich man in Luke 16 died and immediately he was in hell?

“the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” Luke 16:22-23

Read Luke 16:19-31 and you will see that immediately upon death, the wicked and the righteous go to their separate places and are fully conscious. No such thing as soul sleep.

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.” 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

We are fully confident that the moment we pass, we breathe our last, we shall “be present with the Lord.”

“2 Corinthians 5:8: Present with the Lord – This demonstrates that the happiness of the saints is not deferred till the resurrection.” John Wesley

“2 Corinthians 5:8: [to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord] To die and be absent from the body means we go to heaven to be with the Lord (Php_1:21-24; Heb_12:23; Jas_2:26; Rev_6:9-11). This is proof that the inner man does not go to the grave at death, but to heaven if one is righteous. If one is wicked he goes to hell awaiting the resurrection of his body (Luk_16:19-31, notes; Rev_20:11-15).” Dake

On this matter of where the human soul goes immediately upon death, refuting soul sleep, Donald Stamps wrote:

“Psalms 16:10 THOU WILL NOT LEAVE MY SOUL IN HELL. ‘Hell’ (Heb. Sheol) here means the grave. A personal relationship with God will give believers confidence in a future life with God and certainty that He will not abandon them to the grave (cf. 73:24-26). The apostles Peter and Paul both applied this verse to Christ and His resurrection (Acts 2:25-31; 13:34-37).

(1) Sheol, found sixty-five times in the O.T., is translated thirty-one times as ‘the grave,’ thirty-one times as ‘hell,’ and three times as ‘the pit.’ When the N.T. quotes these passages, it generally translates it with the Greek word Hades. Some scholars believe Sheol always means the grave, while others think it never has that meaning alone.

(2) In general, the O.T. views Sheol as a place associated with some sort of punishment. (a) When Jacob indicated that he would go to Sheol because of the loss of his son Joseph (Gen. 37:25), he felt he must be under the judgment of God; thus he refused to be comforted. There is no evidence that he sought God further until after he heard Joseph was still alive. (b) David clearly indicated that Sheol was the place where ‘the heathen’ would go (9:17), and Isaiah said that the heathen king Tiglath-Pileser of Assyria, upon his death, would meet in Sheol the kings he conquered (Is. 14:9-10). (c) There are several passages that indicate the Israelites did not expect to go to Sheol at all at death, but would instead go where they would enjoy the blessings of God’s presence. When David died, for example, he anticipated dwelling in the house of the Lord forever (23:6). Another psalmist believed that God would redeem him from the hand of Sheol and receive him to Himself in heaven (49:15; cf. 73:24-25). And Solomon testified that the wise, God-fearing man goes to the place above, ‘that he may depart from hell beneath’ (Prov. 15:24).” Donald Stamps, Life in the Spirit Study Bible, p. 820

Of this biblical doctrine, brother Charlie Anthony writes:

“Concerning the time between the believer’s death and his or her bodily resurrection, Scripture teaches the following. (a) At the time of death believers are brought into Christ’s presence. (2 Cor. 5:8 – Phil. 1:23). (b) Believers exist in full consciousness ( Luke 16:19-31) and experience joy at the kindness and love shown by God (Eph. 2:7). Amen!”

But the wicked go straight to the conscious torment of hell immediately upon death (Luke 16:19-31).

Soul sleep is a lie that only cults teach (Philippians 1:21-23; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Revelation 6:9).

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