Bible Study: The Splendor & Bliss of Heaven

King James Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: The Splendor & Bliss of Heaven
For: Saturday November 20, 2010
Chapters: Romans 4-7
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Details of Today's Chapters: Salvation, grace, circumcision, justified by faith, how sin entered the world, the likeness of Jesus, baptism, and the wages of sin.

Hello My Friend/Guest,


We learned in yesterday's reading that the Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” - Romans 3:23. The word glory means the splendor and bliss of heaven, God is telling us that we are all sinners and come short or lost the privilege of enjoying the splendor and bliss of heaven because of our sin. A lot of people will not accept Christ because they believe that they are not sinners, the most common reply a person gives when asked if they know for sure they are going to heaven is, “Well, I try to be good.” This is something we have been taught, that we must be good in order to get to heaven. I spent years of my life afraid to make a wrong move because it meant I would go to hell. But the reality of it is, while we do want to do good, it is not what gets us in heaven, only by admitting that we are a sinner, believing in Jesus, and asking Him to save us are we able to enjoy the splendor and bliss of heaven. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” -I John 1:8,9.

Paul explains this further, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness...And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.” - Romans 4:4-9,12.

To be circumcised means to be purified spiritually, this means no amount of work (goodness) that we do can purify us spiritually. The reason being is stated in verse 4, if we try to work to enjoy the splendor and bliss of heaven than we are not putting our faith in God, but trying to work for a debt we owe ourselves. Remember, we are not saved by works, but by our faith in Jesus Christ, so unless we believe in Jesus nothing we do counts as righteousness. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us...Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” - Romans 5:1-5,9.

So, how is it that we are all sinners? Paul explains this as well, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:.Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 5:12, 18-21.

Paul explains that by one man's sin, being Adam, death and hell (condemnation) passed upon all of us. To explain this further we have to look at where sin began with Adam and Eve. God gave them one command, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 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 2:16,17. God was not referring to a physical death, but a spiritual death. First, Eve was tempted by Satan and ate of the tree, then she gave some to Adam, hence, by one man sin and death entered the world and was passed on to all of us.

How was it passed on to us? God said, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” - Genesis 3:15. The word enmity means hostility, God is declaring war with Satan and since Eve was deceived by him first and she convinced Adam to sin the sin nature got passed down to all of us. However within this verse contains the promise of God's seed. Satan, by whose action and deceit as a serpent deceived the woman. Satan shall bruise Christ and his members, but not overcome them. This being Christ death and resurrection. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” - Romans 5:8

Because Jesus died for us, we no longer have to work to pay those wages, that is why salvation is a gift and not something we work for. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” - Romans 6:23. If we want to see the splendor and bliss of heaven nothing we do in the flesh will get us there, but by accepting God's gift we can, and to accept it you just have to ask Him for it. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:13. Praise God!

Have you accepted God's gift? If you have, you can say I know that I am going to enjoy the splendor and bliss of heaven. If you have not, the time to receive it is now, so you too can say, I am going to enjoy the splendor and bliss of heaven.

Be blessed, enjoy the rest of your day/night, weekend and God Bless You.
I am praying for you,
Christina

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