Between Death and Eternity!
The intermediate state between death and resurrection. Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum, Ariel Ministries.” We are born and live our lives, pursue our dreams and spend the rest of our days in some activity until our physical bodies cease to work (die). Once our physical bodies become lifeless we leave our physical abode and wait for the resurrection.
From this resurrection position we await to enter into eternity. So what is this position when we leave our physical bodies and await eternity?
Ezekiel 18:4; “Behold, all souls are mine, as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul that sins, it shall die.” Death is not a cessation of existence, nor a cessation of consciousness, it is a separation. The best way of defining death, Biblically speaking, is the concept of separation. Anytime the word “death” is mentioned, separation is the best single meaning.
[Sound Doctrne,(1) J. Dwight Pentecost, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Mich. Copyright 1965, pg. 9.]
Depravity—or— (“Total depravity), as it is popularity referred to.
Total depravity does not mean that man is as bad as he can be. Rather the doctrine of depravity says that man is as bad off as he can be. ————————————————– There is a big difference between the two. One means how terribly bad, evil or mean a person can be, while the other means that we are in as much trouble as we can possible be.
The one is what man thinks about mankind, while the other deals with what God sees man as being. Part of this problem is the world view of most people today and in past generations. For the most part mankind believes the lie of evolution to be true. From this basis of evolution society is told and possibly believes that mankind is ever on the upward way, getting better and better. People say; “How could this have happened in this advanced age”, or something of the sort.
What is really being said and believed is, “now that we have evolved to this point, aren’t we better than that?” But you see mankind is the same as it has always been. The evils of the past, the depravity of the past is still with us today, and like it or not we are getting worse instead of better. So now we see that man’s depravity has to do with man’s state, what is our standing before God. For we see in Galatians 3:22 that God tells us; “…the scripture hath concluded all under sin…”, and Romans 3:23; “…all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” When God looks at us he sees all of mankind having sinned and cannot come to the glory of God, we are all guilty of our personal sin.
What characterizes unregenerate mankind.
Disobedience to God—It is a heart attitude in which the man refuses to listen to or be guided by God’s word or by His Spirit.
Lawlessness—is an open contempt towards the laws of God. A refusal to except, believe or listen to the laws of God.
Wickedness—From this comes the evil nature that is within man, and evil opposes and fights against the goodness and holiness of God.
Transgression—is used of our personal sin or stepping over the bounds of decency, forcing the boundaries which God has set in His laws.
Iniquity—That which is altogether wrong.
Error—Breaking with the normal moral behavior around them. It is pushing at what is right and decent.
Sin—That is our personal sins. For sin is missing the mark. Not living as the Lord desires us to.
Unbelief—This is a willful act of not believing God’s word or who God is
Ungodliness—It is a lack of respect, taking God’s name always in a dishonoring way, no reverent awe of God, no fear of God. A distaste for God and the things of God.
The above is all referring to the acts of mankind. The inner thoughts, attitudes and outward expression of this disregard, this disrespect of God. We all have a nature which produces these acts in our lives. This nature is our “old sin nature”, and if we are honest we cannot deny this fact. This nature resides in us, in every human being ever born, it entwines the DNA of our cells and only Christ has the power to overcome it. God came to the earth in human flesh, lived a perfect life and paid for the sins of the world. He paid it at the Cross of Calvary with His blood, giving His life that we may have eternal life and live a life pleasing to Him. He proved this by His bodily resurrection from the dead. John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Won’t you today accept the Christ as your Lord and Savior!