1. WE MUST DIE WITH HIM
• To die in this context is not a physical death but we must be able to put to death the desires of this physical body
• “To become indifferent to, or to cease to be under the power of; as, to die to sin.”
• We must allow the Holy Spirit to set us free from the bond of sin
• John 8:36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
• It is the blood of Christ that sets us free and enables us to sacrifice the things of this world for the things of heaven
• Romans 6:4-8: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:”
• We must be willing to put Christ first and foremost in every aspect of our life and we therefore must be willing to ‘die’ for him in order to accomplish His will
• Christ’s sacrificial death becomes the persuasive appeal for the Christian’s sacrificial life, "Because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died; and he died for all, that they that live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who for their sakes died and rose again" (2Co 5:14-15). Because He died for us we should live for Him.
• 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2. WE MUST ENDURE
• Christians who persevere give evidence of the genuineness of their faith
• Matthew 10:22: “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”
• This ‘Endurance’ includes going through:
a. Persecution
b. Sorrow
c. Suffering
• We are lifted up when we stay in the battle
• John 8:31: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;”
• Endurance does not only include going to the death with Christ, it also means that we follow through with the commandments of Jesus no matter what the cost
• When we endure with Him, we will reign with Him
• We will reign with Him in the future Kingdom
• Revelation 1:6: “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
• Revelation 5:10: “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”
3. WE MUST NOT DENY HIM
• In acknowledging God, he will acknowledge us; if, however, we deny him, he will deny us
• Matthew 10:33: “But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
• Jesus makes intercessory prayer for us to the Father and we must therefore meet the requirements of the one making intercession
• Isaiah 53:12: “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
• Romans 8:27: “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”
• Intercession is made according to the will of God not our own
• DENIAL COMES THROUGH:
a. Disobedience
b. Ungodliness
c. Sin
• We must openly confess Jesus to the world
• Romans 10:9-11: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”
4. EVEN IN FAITHLESSNESS GOD IS FAITHFUL
• This is a reference to a lack of saving faith, not to weak or struggling faith
• Unbelievers will ultimately deny Christ because their faith was not genuine
• JAMES 2:14-26
• 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
• The conditions of salvation:
a. Understand the Need
b. Repent of our Sin
c. Request Jesus Christ to be Lord of our Life
• God is faithful that all people become his children through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ
• 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
• God has arranged for the eternal peace of all people; the decision, however, is up to the individual as to whether or not they take advantage of the opportunity
• Romans 10:13: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
• As faithful as Jesus is to save those who believe in Him (John 3:16), He is equally faithful to judge those who do not (John 3:18).
• THE TWO JUDGMENTS:
a. Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11)
b. Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10)
• In other words; the judgment of the unbeliever and the judgment of the believer
• Matthew 7:23: “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
• God will judge as justly on both the just and the unjust
• This must happen because for God to act in any other way would be inconsistent with His holy, unchangeable nature
• Hebrews 10:23: “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”
• Titus 1:2: “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;”
• God cannot lie and therefore he must act upon the rejection of the unbeliever
