AndreaLudwig’s Weblog
Glorifying God by Proclaiming His TruthsDegrees of Punishment
Do you feel like some people get away with extremely awful behavior?
Are all sins equal? And, are all sins equally punished? Let’s see what the Bible says about this.
~ Luke 12:47-52 ~
{Jesus speaking} “That servant who knows his master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
~ Ezekiel 16:47-
You not only walked in their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they. As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.
” ‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
QUIZ:
1. Does God punish all sins equally? Cite verses to support your answer.
2. Are some sins worse than others? Cite verses.
3. How do your answers differ from what many people think?
4. In what ways, if any, has your thinking changed after reading the above verses?
5. Which other verses can you think of which tell us how God deals with the unrighteous and their sins?
Rewards in Heaven
What do we know about rewards in heaven? Will every saved person have the same experience there? Or will there be a tiered system? Let’s see what the Bible says about this:
~ Revelation 22:12-13 ~
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
~ Revelation 20:11-12 ~
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
~ Revelation 2:7b ~
To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
~ Revelation 2:10 ~
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
~ Revelation 2:17b ~
To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
~ Revelation 2:26-28 ~
To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
‘He will rule them with an iron scepter;
he will dash them to pieces like pottery’— just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star.
It is clear that not everyone will receive the same rewards in heaven. Instead, we will be judged and rewarded according to our deeds.
Our rank and experiences in heaven will be dependent upon what we did on earth. God will judge fairly and equitably.
But it is important to note that no one will gain entrance into heaven based on his or her deeds. In order to get to heaven, we must have Jesus in our hearts. He alone saves us and allows us to enter into God’s presence. We all need forgiveness for what we do wrong. For what Chrsitians do right, there are rewards.
What about those who are not saved, those who are not Christians? For them, none of their “good deeds” will recevie any eternal reward, tragically. Tomorrow I will post a similar topic, Degrees of Punishment in Hell for the Unsaved.
So, what do you think? Did you know all of this already? Are you surprised that the good unsaved people do will not be rewarded nor remembered? Are you surprised that Christians will not all be equal in heaven?
End Times - Am I Scared?
I have a very strong feeling we are living in the end times. What about you?
Here’s why I think so:
1. The Economy
2. The Increasing Pressure to Accept the Gay Lifestyle as Legitimate and “Okay”
3. The Increase of Evil and Crimes in General
4. The Nonchalance Concerning This Evil
5. The Flourishing of Pornography
6. The Increase in Natural Disasters
7. The Overcrowding of our Jails
8. The Focus on Self Fulfillment and Selfishness/ Love of Self
9. Hatred Toward Christians Worldwide
10. Intolerance of Anything True and Godly
11. Hatred Towards God Himself
12. Materialism/Love of Luxury/ the Feeling of Entitlement
13. The Upcoming Election and a Dangerous Candidate Who Seems Innocuous But is Not
14. The Prevalence of Islam and Terrorism
So, am I scared? Well, my {fleshly} tendency is toward fear, but my spirit knows better! I am currently in BSF and I am grateful for the many verses in Exodus which remind me that God will take care of me and my family, and fear and worry are unecessary and even harmful. We will do whatever is necessary to cut back financially and hold on to God tightly in every aspect of our lives. He will take care of us! And, if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that! {1 Timothy 6:8} All I can say is… Hold on tight, the Rapture is coming!!
Off Balance
Everything seems disastrous today. Do you ever have those days?
Three things are tormenting me:
1. My son is sick and has missed ten days of school since August. Every year the school attendance office hassles me. Okay, he is healthy enough to make it through a day of school. But not completely healthy. It’s a cold. It could become a sinus infection, but it hasn’t yet. This morning he seemed ten times worse. After three or four hours of rest he is energetic and bored. I should have sent him to school, I suppose. Tomorrow I will.
2. Yesterday our Cocker Spaniel, Logan, re-injured his cruciate ligament. And I just cancelled his $40/month insurance. He needs surgery. We’ve known that since March. The upfront costs are $2,000. We have no credit cards. We have no way to pay for his surgery. He’s on pain meds I had leftover from the original injury in March. I am praying for him. He is limping around the house and can put no weight on his hind right leg. I hate to see him suffering. I am ready to put him to sleep rather than see him decline.
3. Sometimes, I am the shyest, most nervous, and uncomfortable business person I know. It is embarrassing. My “boss” is amazing. She knows just what to say to people. She is coaching me. Right now, I am a miserable failure. I will get better. I will know what to say and be comfortable at it. It is all just so new to me. If my business is successful, it will be God’s doing, not my own, believe me! Every order I get, I am amazed. I expected to get about ten times more business than I am getting, though.
Lord, I desperately need you! I need a verse.
Here is what I found. I searched ”need you” and came up with this passage, which we happen to be currently studying in Bible Study Fellowship. Perfect! {Oh, please, pray for me!!}
~ Exodus 14:10-14 ~
As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”
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. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Thank you, Lord, that you fight for me when I am sad and tormented.
This Year’s Voting - A Sticky Mess!
Who are you going to vote for and why? There is certainly no ideal candidate, is there? “The lesser of two evils,” my friend Rebeca said of her choice. What do you say about your choice?
Here is a seven-year-old’s perspective on some aspects of voting:
I was filling out my mail-in-ballot when my husband stated his preference to actually go in person to vote.
Our son Tristan excitedly inquired, “Can I go with you, Dad?”
“Sure,” Garrett replied, “you can come.”
“To the White House?” Tristan asked.
Later, I told Tristan I was going to go to the library to drop off my ballot. I asked if he wanted to come along.
“No,” he said, “but, do you get to SEE the Presidents?”
“No…,” I answered, “Why? Did you think everyone who votes gets to see the presidents {candidates} first?”
“Yeah, and see how nice they are,” he explained.
The Antichrist
Suddenly it seems like a vital time to revisit what the Bible has to say about the Antichrist. I feel that the time is close at hand. Here are some verses which seem most relevant. It is good for us to be fully aware of his character and agenda, even though we Christians will be in heaven when he is revealed! I have added the bold type to those words which stand out to me the most.
~ Daniel 7:24b-25~
After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
~ Daniel 8:23b-25 ~
When rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.
~ Daniel 8:23 KJV ~
And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
~ Daniel 11:21-45 ~
He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.
With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.
At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.
His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all. Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.
At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
~ Revelation 6:2 ~
I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
~ Revelation 13:1-8~
And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.
And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?”
The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.
~ Revelation 13:11-18 ~
Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.
This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666.
~ Revelation 14:9-12 ~
A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.” This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.
Dreams from God
Lately God has been using dreams to comfort the people I love and get them on the right track. When my grandma was dying of pancreatic cancer, she was uncertain about her salvation. I prayed that God would give her a dream that would reasssure her that she was saved.
A week later, I got a phone call from my aunt, who was taking care of Grandma every day. She was unaware of my specific prayer.
“Do you want to know what just happened?” she asked me.
“Yeah. What?” I responded.
“Grandma had this really cool dream about God reaching out his hand to her. She grabbed onto his hand and he said, ‘Come up here with me.’”
“That is really amazing,” I said.
“She was afraid before about whether she was going to get into heaven or not,” my aunt explained. “But now she says,
’I guess it is not that hard.’”
“That’s really good,” I told her. “I had been praying about that.”
I had talked to my grandma a few times before about salvation, but she couldn’t grasp how it could be as easy as confessing your sins and asking forgiveness, and accepting Jesus’ payment for your sins. She said she did that, but she was still unsure. The dream God gave her set her mind at ease and made her sure when I could not. =) Thanks, God.
My husband had a memorable dream about three nights ago. Apparently, in the dream, I came home sobbing. Our daughter Hillary was also sobbing.
“What happened?” Garrett asked us.
“We got into an accident,” I replied.
At that point in the dream, my husband went ballistic. He was furious. I guess I totaled the minivan, and he was upset.
But, during this dream Garrett was struck by the fact that he should be concerned about his loved one’s welfare rather than the material possession. He was so disturbed by his reaction to the accident in the dream, that he has been especially kind and loving ever since.
I like those kinds of dreams. Dreams that reassure us of God’s salvation. Dreams that create a soft heart. So often, dreams are nothing but nonsense. So it means a lot when we can see that God is trying to reach us, trying to tell us something important. Have you had any significant dreams lately?
~ Joel 2:28-32 ~
The Day of the LORD
”And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
I will show wonders in the heavens
and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the LORD will be saved;
for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be deliverance,
as the LORD has said,
among the survivors
whom the LORD calls.
Light and Darkness
I know how Sarah Palin feels.
Recently, I experienced once again what it is like to just not click with certain people.
I prayed. I tried to play it cool. I tried to make things lighthearted.
{just like Sarah Plain does - like on Saturday Night Live=) }
Still the tension was there, though we all tried to ignore it.
Have you ever experienced a similar scenario?
I recognize that I am irritating to some people, usually non-Christians. It rarely happens to me, but it happened today. I can tell when people cannot stand me. Often, they try not to show it, but they just don’t like me. It’s a spiritual issue. I remember Jesus promised that since he was hated, we will be also.
One the other hand, nearly always, Christians love me. I don’t understand exactly why, but they do! Defintely it is a spiritual issue. A closeness that goes beyond even family ties.
I can often tell when people aren’t saved. They seem to be pretending. Like they are trying too hard to make life seem happy. Without the indwelling Holy Spirit, there is no spiritual life, no power. They are lost. They will mention “karma,” or say that they think things happen because of something someone said. Often I can detect an underlying anger towards God. {Sometimes it’s not underlying, it’s obvious!}
When I come across people who can’t stand me, I first ask God to reveal if I am being annoying in some way!
Then I pray that these people can see their need for Jesus. Their need for forgiveness. I pray that they receive the Holy Spirit’s power to be saved and to live a life that pleases God. I pray for a different focus {putting God first}. I pray for a changed heart, a softened heart.
When non-Christians hate me, I don’t really mind. I know I just rub them the wrong way. Like salt in a wound. Like light in the darkness, I hope.
{About Sarah: It’s not that she is doing anything wrong. They just hate her. Like they hated Jesus.}
~ 2 Corinthians 2:14-16a ~
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.
~ 2 Corinthians 6:14b-16 ~
…What do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God.
New Ventures
I am starting my own business, and I am very wary of one thing: I want to be sure not to love money. After years of not working, I feel uncomfortable trying to make money at all. Every step of the way I am going to be sure to ask God to guide me and help me put him first.
I just looked up many verses about loving money, and the danger of it. What do you think?
1. What is it about money that tempts us to love it?
2. How can I prevent myself from falling into the materialism trap?
3. How do you personally put God first in your life, and money last?
Here are some verses, to give us God’s perspective:
~ Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 ~
Whoever loves money never has money enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.
This too is meaningless.
As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?
~ Luke 16:13-15 ~
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.
~ 1 Timothy 6:6-12, 17-19 ~
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.
