The Afterlife: Union with Christ at Death

With this post I am beginning a series entitled, "The Afterlife." What happens to a Christian when he or she dies? The Bible makes some amazing promises, and faithful Christians may find it challenging to put some of the pieces together. I'd like to open this series with what seems to me to be a black-and-white emphasis in scripture. That is, that a child of God is united with Jesus Christ in spirit at the point of death.

We will come to other matters in later posts. Yes, there will be a final resurrection and a final, universal Day of Judgment. However, note with me the biblical evidence indicating that we will be with the Lord in spirit during the intermediate period between our death and that last, great day.

Though he was in prison in Rome, the apostle Paul was inspired to write a joy-filled letter to the saints in Philippi. Whether he would he be released and live, or whether he would he be executed and die, he knew that all would be well. Therefore, he could write, “To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

GAIN? Really? That is so very opposite that is to the world’s dread, fear, and avoidance of death! Entire industries have been created in hopes of cheating death or postpone it for as long as possible at all costs. To many, death is absolutely terminal, the end of one’s existence. How could Paul dare to say such a thing? Not, “To die is inevitable.” Not, “To die is to cease to live.” But rather, “To die is gain.”

The first phrase, “To live is Christ,” is not hard to understand. Paul wrote, “If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me” (1:22). He added, “… to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account … for your progress and joy in the faith … because of my coming to you again” (1:24-26). He was excited about continuing to live here on earth, because of the ongoing impact he could have for the cause of Jesus Christ. That was true for him, even though he continually faced rejection, persecution, and affliction.

Because Paul lived for Christ, life was always worth living.

Yet Paul had an even greater “desire to depart [die] … for that is far better” (1:23). We may ask, “Why?” Well, obviously, at death he would be free from prison and pain. He would no longer suffer or be sick, hungry, or thirsty. He wouldn’t grow old or weak. All of that is true, but none of that was the reason Paul gave here. So, what was his reason?

Paul knew that at the point of death he would be with Christ.

The apostle wrote, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better (1:24). It was this confidence, Paul’s conviction that he would be united with Christ when he died, that caused him to write, “To die is gain” (1:21).

The New Testament overflows with this truth, that one who dies in the Lord goes immediately to be with the Lord. He or she is not apart from Christ, but with Christ, between his or her death and the Lord’s Second Coming. Let’s consider other scriptures that affirm this clear, compelling, and motivating truth.

2 Corinthians 5:6-10

2 Co 5:6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while 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 of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

This text speaks of what happens at death and where the dead go. It emphasizes that a child of God is either at home in the body and away from the Lord or away from the body and at home with the Lord. When is one at home with the Lord? When one is away from the body (at death). Which state is preferable? We know from the Philippians passage noted above. Here Paul writes, “… we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). Why? It is simply because to die is gain. It is because the Christian who departs this life will be with Christ.

Acts 7:54-60

Ac 7:54 Now when [the Jewish leaders] heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him. 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.” 57 But they cried out with a loud voice, and covered their ears and rushed at him with one impulse. 58 When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.

When Stephen was about to be martyred, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. As his accusers were stoning him, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (7:59). The text implies that the Lord granted Stephen’s request. For him, to die was gain, because Jesus received him into His presence.

Of course, Stephen here echoed the dying words of his Savior. Jesus had said, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit." See below for a further discussion of Jesus' words. We assume that both Jesus' prayer and Stephen's prayer were answered affirmatively. Jesus went in spirit to be with the Father. Stephen's spirit went to be with Jesus, who was at the right hand of God. To interpret otherwise is to do violence to the clear meaning of these texts. 

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13; 4:13-18

1 Th 3:11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.

1 Th 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

First-century Christians were uncertain regarding the status of their brothers and sisters who were “asleep,” that is, whose bodies had been laid to rest. Where had their spirits gone at death? And what would happen to their “sleeping” bodies when Christ returned?

The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write an amazing truth here in 1 Thessalonians 3. He noted “the coming of the Lord Jesus with all His saints” (3:13). Yes, the spirits of the departed saints, who have been with Christ since their bodies were laid to rest, are with Him now. When He returns, they will return with Him. Then, their bodies will rise and be transformed to be like His glorified body. Read also 1 Corinthians 15:50-58.

Once again, Paul declared this promise in the following chapter. He explained that, when Christ returns, God will “bring with Him those who have fallen asleep” (4:15). They will be with Christ at the Second Coming! That is only possible, of course, because those who have physically died have gone to be with Christ and are with Him now.

Luke 23:39-46

Lk 23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” 44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. 46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.

Jesus Himself affirmed this to be the case. When Jesus was being crucified, one of the thieves asked the Savior to remember him when He would come into His kingdom. Jesus replied, “… today, you will be with Me in Paradise” (23:43). So, just where did Jesus – and that thief – go that day?

Jesus committed His spirit into His Father’s hands (23:46). Since His spirit went to the Father when He died, and since He told the thief, “You will be with Me,” the clear implication is that they both were together, with the Father, at the point of death.

So, the term “paradise” here must refer to the destination of both Jesus and the thief. Part of the “joy set before Him” when Jesus died (Hebrews 12:1-3) must have been the awareness of that reunion with the Father. In addition, one can hardly imagine the peace and relief that this thief experienced when he heard that he would be there, too.

No matter how the word “paradise” has been defined or employed outside of the Bible, it is the Bible’s use of the word that defines it for us. The idea that “paradise” refers to God’s dwelling place is not unique to the text in Luke 23. It is the confirmed in the only other places that the appears in the New Testament.

2 Corinthians 12:2-4

2 Co 12:2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— 4 was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak.

Here Paul mentions a man (perhaps Paul himself) who was caught up. Where was he taken? First, Paul refers to his destination as “the third heaven” (12:2). This would be not the sky (the first heaven) nor space (the second heaven) but rather God’s dwelling place, most often called just “heaven.”

Then, Paul says that this man was caught up to “Paradise” (12:4). This was not a separate journey to a different place. Rather, the apostle was specifying the same place (the third heaven) using an equivalent term (Paradise).

Revelation 2:7; 22:1-2, 14

Re 2:7 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

Re 22:1 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Re 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city.

Jesus told John to write a letter to the church in Ephesus. In it He promised that each one who overcame would eat of the tree of life. Where? In the “Paradise of God” (2:7). Of course, Revelation is an apocalypse, filled with vibrant colors and graphic images. The “tree of life” would call readers back to Eden and man’s loss of access to that tree (Genesis 2:9; 3:22-24).

As we read the end of Revelation, we see that the tree of life is described as being where God is. The tree is on either side of the river of the water of life, which flows from the throne of God and the Lamb (22:1-2). The tree is also granted to those who enter into God’s heavenly city (22:14).

Conclusion

And so Paul, sitting in a prison in Rome, was thankful to be alive, because “to live is Christ.” However, “to die is gain,” and for that reason he desired even more to “depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”

As you consider your own life and ultimate death, how would you fill in the blanks?

“To me, to live is ___________” (what you consider to be the source, center, and purpose of your life) “and to die is ____________” (gain or loss, better or worse?) What do you believe will happen to you, and where you believe you will be, when you die?

The next post in this series, "The Afterlife: Lazarus and 'Abraham's Bosom,'" will discuss what Jesus said about a rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus who both died (Luke 16:19-31). Where did Lazarus go? You may read that post here. https://coryhcollins.blogspot.com/2024/09/where-did-lazarus-go-when-he-died.html

The Afterlife - What About John 3:13?

 

As we have noted in previous posts, the scriptures clearly teach that, when a Christian dies, he or she will then be united with Jesus Christ. The Bible says that when we are absent from the body, we will be “at home with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:6-8). Paul was inspired to say that “to die is gain,” as he personally anticipated that he might “depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (Phil 1:21-24).

For further biblical support, please read, “The Afterlife: Union with Christ at Death.”  https://serving-and-sharing.blogspot.com/search?q=at+home+with+the+lord

But … is there biblical evidence to the contrary? Does the Bible anywhere teach that we will not be with the Lord when we die? What about Jesus’ own statement in John 3:13? In that passage, Jesus said, “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.”

At first glance, perhaps one might conclude, “No one goes to be with the Lord when they die, because Jesus said that he was the only one who ever ascended into heaven.” That would be an honest mistake. We can see that mistake by considering the very words of this verse themselves.

In John 3:13, Jesus was only speaking of the time up until he spoke these words. He said, “No one has ascended (as of now) …” He did not speak of the future as to what would happen to his disciples when they would die. He did not say, “No one will ever go to be with the Lord at the point of death.” He simply said that, at the point at which he spoke these words, no one other than he had ascended to heaven. He could not have meant “never in the future,” because all the saved will at some point “ascend” (go up) to be with the Lord (1 Thess 4:16-17).

When Jesus on the cross committed his spirit into the Father’s hands, we assume that the Father received him. He took the thief with him. On that occasion, he promised the thief, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” We conclude that Jesus took the thief with him when he went to be with the Father that day. To see that Paradise is in the presence of God, compare Revelation 2:7 with Revelation 22:2, 14. The tree of life, said to be in Paradise (Rev 2:7), is also said to be beside the river that flows from the throne of God (Rev 22:2, 14). To be in Paradise was to have access to that tree, which is in the presence of God.

Therefore, there is no contradiction between Jesus words in John 3:13 and the rest of the New Testament. In light of the clear promises made to Christians after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return to heaven, we may have confidence. In death, we like Paul can expect to “depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.”

So, what was Jesus saying in John 3:13? When we look at the context of Jesus’ words in John 3:13, he was explaining a simple but powerful truth to Nicodemus. He had been where Nicodemus and others had not. Though Nicodemus was a teacher in Israel, he was merely an earthly man. He had not been where Jesus had been. Therefore, Jesus, not Nicodemus or others, was the only one who could reveal heavenly truth.

John 3:11 “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.”

Here’s a further note. When Jesus spoke of having ascended into heaven, he was not referring to what we typically call the “ascension,” his return to heaven forty days after his resurrection. That had not yet happened. He was talking instead about the fact that he had been in the presence of God. He was intimately aware of his omniscient wisdom and knowledge.

What about Enoch and Elijah?

Had no one gone to be with God previously? Well, God had taken Enoch to be with him (Gen 5:24), and Elijah had been taken up into heaven in a whirlwind (2 Kgs 2:11). There is no need to question those scriptures. At the same time, neither they nor anyone else had been up in heaven in the sense that Jesus had. No one but he had had access to such perfect intimacy with the Father and such infinite, eternal wisdom.

In the context, that was Jesus’ point with Nicodemus. That conversation has no bearing on the fact that, when Christians are “absent from the body,” we will be “at home with the Lord.”

 

 

Fathers of MIGHTY Children - Psalm 112

“The Western world stands at a great crossroads in its history. It is my opinion that our very survival as a people will depend upon the presence or absence of masculine leadership in millions of homes. I believe, with everything within me, that husbands hold the keys to the preservation of the family.” – James Dobson, way back in 1980. How accurate and prophetic!

“His children shall be mighty in the land.” Ps 112:2

What a promise! Think about it!

The Lord offers this promise to every father among us: “His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed” (Ps 112:2). More than ever our world needs – our homes need – the church needs! – real men, strong men, solid men. These God can use to develop mighty children, an upright generation, that receives His blessing.

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These are lesson notes, not written in a polished or finished manuscript form.  To see the video of this and other sermons:

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For the other lessons in this series, click on the "Winning the War Within" link.

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Reading: Ps 112

His Children Shall Be MIGHTY!

Pr 20:7 A righteous man who walks in his integrity — How blessed are his sons after him!

Ps 37:18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever.

Ps 37:26 All day long [the righteous man] is gracious and lends, and his descendants are a blessing.

Fathers of MIGHTY Children

Begin with themselves.

(Read and underline each trait of a righteous man noted in these passages.)

Ps 112:1-10

Psalms 111 and 112 are alike in that 1) they both begin with, “Praise the Lord!” (as does Ps 113), and 2) they both are acrostics with 22 lines corresponding to the 22 letters of the Heb. alphabet. Psalm 111 exalts the works of God, while Ps 112 extols the man who fears God.

Ps 112:1 Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. 5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. 7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. 9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor. 10 The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!

Ps 15:1-5

Ps 15:1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? 2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; 3 who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised, but who honors those who fear the Lord; who swears to his own hurt and does not change; 5 who does not put out his money at interest and does not take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved.

Ps 24:1-6

Ps 24:1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, 2 for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. 3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

Isa 33:13-16

Context: When the LORD disciplines Assyria, it will be so severe that many even of the Jews in Zion will be alarmed because they are not right with God. Who will be able to stand the fire of His judgment?

Is 33:13 Hear, you who are far off, what I have done; and you who are near, acknowledge my might. 14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: “Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?” 15 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil, 16 he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure.

Fathers of MIGHTY Children

Step up and become strong in Him.

Ex 3:10-4:17 – Moses

Judg 6:11-16 – Gideon

Jdg 6:11 Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. 12 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” 13 And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” 14 And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” 15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” 16 And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

Jer 4:1-10 – Jeremiah

Eph 6:10-20

Acts 20:32

Fathers of MIGHTY Children

Engage them mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially.

Luke 2:52

Deut 6:4-9

Deut 6:20-25

Dt 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Dt 6:20 “When your son asks you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the Lord our God has commanded you?’ 21 then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 22 And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. 23 And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. 24 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. 25 And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us.’

Fathers of MIGHTY Children

Train them in truth and practice.

Eph 6:4

Proverbs

Fathers of MIGHTY Children

Leave an indelible impression.

Prov 4:3-9

Fathers of MIGHTY Children

Seize God’s promise today.

Some will say, “But my children are grown! I failed to be the father of mighty children when they were young! It’s too late for me!”

It’s not necessarily too late.

Though I do not recommend everything in the movie, “I Can Only Imagine,” let me tell you about the reconciliation that takes place between the dying father and the son he had terribly abused in years past.

Growing up in Greenville, Texas, Bart Millard suffers physical and emotional abuse at the hands of his father, Arthur. When Arthur becomes terminally ill, he finds redemption by embracing his faith and rediscovering his love for his son. Years later, Bart's troubled childhood and mended relationship with his dad inspires him to write the hit song "I Can Only Imagine."

Fathers of MIGHTY Children

Impact those who lack such fathers.

1 Tim – all

2 Tim – all

1 Tim 5

1 Cor 4:14-17

Many of our sisters in Christ are trying to raise mighty children without a faithful, involved, husband as the male spiritual leader in their home. What Paul did for Timothy and for the church in Corinth, strong men among us must do to help mentor, teach, and train these children.

The God of heaven is the ultimate

Father of MIGHTY Children.

Are you one of them?

Possible hymns:

Rise Up O Men of God

Faith of Our Fathers

None of Self, and All of Thee

Seek Ye First

Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

What about the Gateway Church?

Ac 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Recently several people in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have asked about the teachings and practices of the Gateway Church. Such questions are important, and they deserve accurate answers. As Christians we must examine current religious teachings in the light of Scripture. By doing so we reaffirm God’s authority, learn and correct our own beliefs where needed, and speak the truth in love regarding error. We are accountable to God to stay in the Word and to challenge the church, our youth, and the religious community to do the same. 2 Tim 4:1-5

The best way to know for sure what other people think, believe, and teach is to have them speak for themselves. Without judging or questioning anyone’s heart or sincerity, we must look objectively at specific teachings and compare them to those of the Bible.

Thanks to the Internet these materials are often publicly accessible. Churches of various types publish doctrinal statements for the express purpose of making others aware of them. It is important that we reference these sources, as we have done below, for the sake of accuracy.

Remember: not every person who attends services at a particular church necessarily agrees with that group’s published beliefs. Many who attend may not even be aware of all the group’s beliefs. Be careful not to assume. Let each person speak for himself or herself.

According to Wikipedia, “Gateway Church is a non-denominational charismatic* Christian church located in Southlake, Texas. In 2013, Outreach magazine named Gateway as the 8th largest church in the US. In 2013, the church averaged 23,831 in weekly attendance, with 39,513 attending over Easter weekend, saw 4,775 salvations, and 1,428 baptisms**. The church currently conducts 22 weekend services at 5 locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. An affiliated church plant called Gateway Scottsdale opened in Scottsdale, AZ, in August, 2012 … The church is home to the Christian recording artist and Dove Award winner Kari Jobe, who works as a worship pastor.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_Church_(Texas)

*Charismatic - supporting modern-day tongues-speaking, faith healing, and other miracles.

**See below for an explanation as to why there are more “salvations” than baptisms.

Salvation

According to Gateway, “Because salvation is afforded through Christ’s work on the cross, water baptism isn’t necessary for a person to be saved*. However, water baptism is an association with Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. It symbolizes the death of the old man and the resurrection of the new man in Christ. Baptism is a command for believers modeled by Jesus through His own baptism and is a necessary step of obedience for continued growth in Christ. It is not necessary for church membership, but we encourage all believers to be water baptized after salvation.”

*Gateway does teach that faith, repentance, and confession via the “Sinner’s Prayer” are necessary for salvation, but not baptism. See below.

Apparently water baptisms take place once a month at each campus for those previously “saved.” Those requesting baptism are to pre-register online. http://gatewaypeople.com/ministries/water-baptism/celebrate-baptism

Gateway describes baptism as an outward sign, like circumcision, of a pre-existing covenant relationship with the Lord. Many important Scriptures are quoted, but no connection between baptism and the forgiveness of sins is stated. http://gatewaypeople.com/ministries/water-baptism/what-does-bible-say

According to Gateway, “You receive Jesus Christ by believing in your heart that He is the Son of God and the Redeemer of mankind and by confessing with your mouth your love and commitment to Him. These two responses constitute the act of receiving faith (Romans 10:10).”

“By responding to God from their heart with words similar to those below, one can be saved. “Oh, God, I acknowledge that I am a sinner and I have fallen short of what You expect. I ask You to forgive me of my sins. I receive Jesus Christ, Your Son, as my Savior and Lord. Thank You, God for saving me from eternity without You. Amen.”

“Romans 10:10 tells us that by believing in our heart and confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, we are saved. We encourage every believer to give open testimony of their love for God and their faith in Jesus Christ, His Son.”

The Bible says,

Mk 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Ac 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Ac 22:16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.

1 Pe 3:21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Can I Lose My Salvation?

According to Gateway, “No believer can presume on God’s grace or His goodness by choosing to live after himself or his own desires. After all Christ did for us, we are encouraged and admonished to passionately pursue Him and to bear much fruit (John 15:8). For those who have received Christ and who evidence the Holy Spirit’s fruit in their life, we affirm that their salvation is eternally secure.”

The Bible says,

1 Co 10:12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

Heb 3:12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

Worship

Gateway streams its weekend worship services live. Instrumental musical performances are common, and it is not unusual for women to lead in various aspects of the assembly. To see Gateway’s services online, follow this link to watch.

http://gatewaypeople.com/live

According to Gateway, “To get involved [in worship], you must go through a video evaluation if you’re interested in ministering by singing in the choir (GWC), singing as a background vocalist (BGV) or being an instrumentalist for one of our platform ministry teams.”

http://gatewaypeople.com/ministries/worship/about

The Bible says,

Eph 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Organization

Gateway has eleven “Senior Pastors,” including “Founding Senior Pastor” Robert Morris*. Another key leader is the “Lead Executive Senior Pastor.” All “Pastors” are men; this group is different from the church’s “Elders.” Gateway Church believes “the Senior Pastor should be the leader of the Eldership and should set the agenda for each meeting. In the event that the Elders of Gateway Church reach an impasse with a decision, the Elders will appeal to the full Eldership of Trinity Fellowship Church in Amarillo, Texas.”

*Robert Morris is also an Overseer of New Life Church in Colorado Springs and an Apostolic Elder of Trinity Fellowship Church in Amarillo, Texas.

There was no reference in the online documents to any deacons, ministers per se, preachers, or evangelists at Gateway.

http://gatewaypeople.com/sites/all/files/pdf/position_papers/Church%20Government.pdf

The Bible says,

Ac 14:23 And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

Php 1:1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons …

Role of Women

According to Gateway, “We believe in the value of women in all aspects of ministry with the exception of those areas that exercise governmental authority within the church … We believe a woman can teach and lead within any of the vast array of ministry roles and positions as long as she demonstrates a biblically-qualifying lifestyle. She must also submit herself, along with other servant-leaders, to those leaders God has placed in positions of governing authority, specifically, the Senior Pastor or the Elders of the church. We believe that the positions of Senior Pastor and Elder are (because of their governmental responsibility) reserved only for men. With the exception of these two positions, we consider all ministry positions and opportunities to be open to women.”

http://gatewaypeople.com/sites/all/files/pdf/position_papers/Role%20of%20Women%20in%20Ministry.pdf

The Bible says,

1 Ti 2:11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Tongues, Miraculous Healings, and Other Miraculous Gifts

According to Gateway, “The gifts of the Holy Spirit are divided into three categories (1 Corinthians 12:7–11): Vocal Gifts—tongues, prophecy and the interpretation of tongues; Knowledge Gifts—word of knowledge, word of wisdom and the discerning of spirits; Power Gifts—healing, faith and miracles.”

“The Apostle Paul encouraged us to earnestly desire spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 14:1. Although the gifts of the Holy Spirit are available to every person who receives the Holy Spirit, they are only activated by faith. If you do not want to demonstrate a gift, God will not make you. If you desire His gifts but don’t understand them completely, He may bypass your mind and give you a gift, but it will always be based on your desire.”

“We believe the gift of tongues has a dual purpose as outlined in the Scriptures. When coupled with the gift of interpretation, it provides encouragement, comfort and exhortation to the congregation of believers. When used in prayer, it also provides personal edification for the believer and heavenly unction for prayer concerns that we lack words to adequately express (1 Corinthians 14). As a prayer force, it adds a new dimension to our partnership with God.”

“God’s purpose is for every one of His children to be filled with the same Holy Spirit that empowered Jesus’ own life. We cannot reduce this experience to a simple formula. In fact, we are talking about the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. To receive, we simply go to our heavenly Father in an attitude of faith and ask.”

“Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, and He wants to fill His children. Through experiencing the nine gifts and the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, we can effectively share the love and power of Jesus Christ to many people. We can also find the power to overcome many temptations, trials and tests in this life.”

http://gatewaypeople.com/sites/all/files/pdf/position_papers/Baptism%20in%20the%20Holy%20Spirit.pdf

The Bible says,

1 Co 13:8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know clearly, even as I have been clearly known. 13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Eschatology (the Last Things)

According to Gateway, “We believe Jesus Christ will return to earth personally and visibly according to the promises in Scripture. His return will be for the purpose of establishing His absolute governmental rule and authority on the earth. Christians are exhorted to be watchful and obedient until His return. While there are many viewpoints concerning His second coming, we believe Christians should look for His return with great anticipation while obediently pursuing the mandate of the Great Commission. At His second coming, the righteous who have died and are now with Him will be resurrected and rule with Him.”

http://gatewaypeople.com/sites/all/files/pdf/position_papers/Eschatology.pdf

The Bible says,

1 Th 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Additional Sources:

http://gatewaypeople.com/aboutus/statement-faith

http://gatewaypeople.com/aboutus/position-papers

Cory Collins

God Says, "Do Not Be Afraid!"

Here is a list of Scriptures dealing with fear. As you study, ask yourself these questions. Why did each person fear? Was their fear justified? How did they react? Who told them not to fear? What can you apply to your own life as you deal with fear?

 Genesis 15:1

1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

 Genesis 21:17

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.

 Genesis 26:24

24 That night the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”

 Genesis 35:17

17 And as she was having great difficulty in childbirth, the midwife said to her, “Don’t be afraid, for you have another son.”

 Genesis 43:23

23 “It’s all right,” he said. “Don’t be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver.” Then he brought Simeon out to them.

 Genesis 46:3

3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.

 Genesis 50:19

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

 Genesis 50:21

21 So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

 Exodus 14:13

13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.

 Exodus 20:20

20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.”

 Deuteronomy 1:21

21 See, the LORD your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

 Deuteronomy 20:3

3 He shall say: “Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them.

 Deuteronomy 25:18

18 When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God.

 Deuteronomy 31:6

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

 Deuteronomy 31:8

8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

 Deuteronomy 32:17

17 They sacrificed to demons, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear.

 Joshua 8:1

1 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.

 Joshua 10:25

25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”

 Judges 4:18

18 Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Come, my lord, come right in. Don’t be afraid.” So he entered her tent, and she put a covering over him.

 Judges 6:10

10 I said to you, ‘I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.’ But you have not listened to me.”

 Judges 6:23

23 But the LORD said to him, “Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die.”

 Ruth 3:11

11 And now, my daughter, don’t be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character.

 1 Samuel 4:20

20 As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.

 1 Samuel 12:20

20 “Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

 1 Samuel 22:23

23 Stay with me; don’t be afraid; the man who is seeking your life is seeking mine also. You will be safe with me.”

 1 Samuel 23:17

17 “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.”

 2 Samuel 9:7

7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table.”

 2 Samuel 13:28

28 Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Have not I given you this order? Be strong and brave.”

 1 Kings 17:13

13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.

 2 Kings 6:16

16 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

 2 Kings 17:25

25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people.

 2 Kings 17:34

34 To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.

 2 Kings 25:24

24 Gedaliah took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid of the Babylonian officials,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.”

 1 Chronicles 28:20

20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.

 2 Chronicles 20:17

17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”

 Psalm 55:19

19 God, who is enthroned forever, will hear them and afflict them— Selah men who never change their ways and have no fear of God.

 Psalm 64:4

4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent man; they shoot at him suddenly, without fear.

 Psalm 78:53

53 He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; but the sea engulfed their enemies.

 Isaiah 7:4

4 Say to him, ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart because of these two smoldering stubs of firewood—because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and of the son of Remaliah.

 Isaiah 35:4

4 say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”

 Isaiah 41:13

13 For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

 Isaiah 41:14

14 Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

 Isaiah 43:1

1 But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

 Isaiah 43:5

5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.

 Isaiah 44:2

2 This is what the LORD says— he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.

 Isaiah 44:8

8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”

 Isaiah 51:7

7 “Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.

 Isaiah 54:4

4 “Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.

 Jeremiah 2:19

19 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

 Jeremiah 3:8

8 I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.

 Jeremiah 5:22

22 Should you not fear me?” declares the LORD. “Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.

 Jeremiah 40:9

9 Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians,” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.

 Jeremiah 46:27

27 “Do not fear, O Jacob my servant; do not be dismayed, O Israel. I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their exile. Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will make him afraid.

 Lamentations 3:57

57 You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.”

 Daniel 10:12

12 Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.

 Daniel 10:19

19 “Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”

 Hosea 10:3

3 Then they will say, “We have no king because we did not revere the LORD. But even if we had a king, what could he do for us?”

 Joel 2:21

21 Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things.

 Haggai 2:5

5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’

 Zechariah 8:13

13 As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.”

 Zechariah 8:15

15 “so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid.

 Malachi 3:5

5 “So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,” says the LORD Almighty.

 Matthew 1:20

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

 Matthew 10:28

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

 Matthew 10:31

31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

 Matthew 28:5

5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

 Luke 1:13

13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

 Luke 1:30

30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.

 Luke 2:10

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

 Luke 5:10

10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”

 Luke 8:50

50 Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

 Luke 12:7

7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

 Luke 12:32

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

 Luke 18:2

2 He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men.

 Luke 18:4

4 “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men,

 John 12:15

15 “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”

 Acts 27:24

24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’

 1 Peter 2:18

18 Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.

 Revelation 1:17

17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.