Thank God for Forgiveness

 Temple Baptist Church - 6-22-2025

Psalm 32

 

Introduction:

 

A. King David wrote Psalm 32, which is penitential in nature. There were several times when David failed God and faced the consequences of his sinfulness. In each of these instances, David repented, picked up his life, and moved on. Two of the most notable examples are David’s sin concerning Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11 and the presumption of numbering the people in 2 Samuel 24.

 

1. David’s sin of numbering the people in 2 Samuel chapter 24 caused the death of seventy thousand men. Though not specified in the Book of Psalms, David’s confession is found in that chapter of the Bible. This failure does not fit the context of Psalm 32.

 

2 Samuel 24:10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

 

2. David’s sin with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah the Hittite and other men who perished with him are possibly the background of Psalm 32. In Psalm 51, we find David’s godly sorrow, repentance, and confession. David confessed, and God forgave the sin, as great as it was; however, the recompense for these egregious acts, adultery and murder, continued.

 

Psalms 51:1-4 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. (2) Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (3) For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. (4) Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

 

B. In the prelude of the Psalm, we find the word “Maschil.” The Psalm is didactic or instructional.

 

1. “Maschil” means to give instruction or to understand. The root word for “Maschil” is a primitive word שָׂכַל śâkal saw-kal', meaning to be or make circumspect or intelligent.

 

2. שָׂכַל śâkal saw-kal' is used 63 times in your Bible and four instances in the Book of Daniel, fully explain Maschil: I

 

a) t שָׂכַל śâkal saw-kal' is translated as “they that understand” in Daniel 11:33.

 

b) שָׂכַל śâkal saw-kal' is translated as “them of understanding” in Daniel 11:35.

 

c) שָׂכַל śâkal saw-kal' is translated as “they that be wise” in Daniel 12:3.

 

d) שָׂכַל śâkal saw-kal' is translated as “but the wise” shall understand in Daniel 12:10.

 

C. Psalm 32 is written for the individual about an individual’s failure and restoration. God wants each of us to understand our propensity in the same manner.

 

1. Verses 1-2. God’s mercy and forgiveness to the sinner. Here we find:

 

a. David has sinned.

 

1) Transgression – rebellion or revolt. To overstep a known boundary.

 

2) Sin – an offense, often habitual.

 

3) Iniquity – to pervert, perverse, immoral, wicked, or evil.

 

b. David has confessed.

 

c. God has forgiven.

 

d. It seems to me that it should be over.

 

e. There is mercy and forgiveness of the Lord. Forgiven, covered, imputeth not.

 

2. Verses 3-4. Before David’s forgiveness and restoration. Here we find that David did not get right with the Lord quickly.

 

a. David tried to hide his sin. “When I kept silence” We do not know how long David hid his sins from Israel, but it was long enough for the child to be born so I imagine it was at least a year after conception.

 

2 Samuel 11:25-26 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and overthrow it: and encourage thou him. (26) And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. (27) And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

 

b. David could not live with what he had done. Day and night, God’s hand was upon him in conviction and human sorrow. “thy hand was heavy upon me” In the day, “my bones waxed old,” it wore him down physically. At night, it wore him down spiritually, and he could not rest. “ For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me”

 

Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

 

c. God knew! 2 Samuel 11:27 “But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.”

 

d. God would not allow David to continue. God allowed David’s sin to finish, then confronted him. (James 1:15) “sin when it is finished.” God confronted David through Nathan.

2 Samuel 12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

 

3. Verses 5-7. David’s restoration.

 

a. David acknowledged his sin. People often tend to rationalize and then minimize their mistakes. “We all sin, don’t we. Everyone is a sinner, right? I have seen others do much worse than me, and things turned out alright. David could never get right with God until he realized just how wrong he had been with God.

 

b. David confessed his sin. A confession is an agreement with the law. It is honesty with God!

 

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.

 

c. God is faithful and just! God faithfully forgave David of his sins, though he had to live with the continued results of such sinfulness. The sword never left his house. There are sins with little recompense, while others are lasting ones. David’s sin was so great because of who he was and what he did, so that the payment was paid for the rest of his life. Forgiveness does not always remove the penalty.

 

4. Verses 8-9. David’s Instruction.

 

a. Verse 8. Life’s lessons are, for the most part, experiential. Hard lessons teach great truth to be passed on to the generations to come. If sin did not work out well for us, it will not work out for others. I try to learn two ways from other people’s experiences. What works and what does not!

 

b. Verse 9. Do not be stubborn and require a “bit and bridle”. I have known of some horses who needed a “cutting bit” to cure their headiness. Mules can be extremely stubborn.

 

This reminds me of a story about a man who took his mule to a trainer. The trainer said, “You can come back and pick up the mule in a few days.” The owner replied, “Great! But please don’t hurt my mule.” The trainer assured him, “I won’t hurt your mule.”

 

However, as the owner was leaving and looking in the rearview mirror, he saw the trainer pick up a hammer and hit the mule between the eyes, causing it to drop to the ground. The owner quickly backed up, jumped out of his vehicle, and shouted, “I told you not to hurt my mule!”

 

The trainer calmly responded, “I did not hurt your mule. First, I had to get his attention.”

 

5. Verses 10-11. David’s Conclusion.

 

a. Verse 10. Sin causes sorrow and robs us of joy and peace. But trust in the Lord, and get it right! We will find that where “sin abounds,” grace that “more abounds,” and the “goodness and mercy” that follows.

 

Psalms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

 

b. Verse 11. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. When reconciliation takes place, fellowship is restored. Paul said to forget those things that are behind and press forward.

 

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

 

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Theology: The Doctrine of The Holy Spirit - Pneumatology - Part 2 - Divine in His Performance

 Temple Baptist Church - 6-22-2025

John 14:15-18; John 16:7-15

 

Introduction:

 

A. Once again, let me reiterate that this will not be a Systematic Theology study of Pneumatology.

 

1. However, in the context of John 14-16, we discover some important aspects about the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit.

 

2. The Person is the Holy Spirit, and when speaking of the work of the Holy Spirit, the name the Holy Ghost is used.

 

B. Last week, I “scratched the surface” on the Person of the Holy Spirit. He is God; He is ALL God! Not your conscience, not an influence, God residing within the believer.

 

C. In John 14:16a, our Lord said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter.”

 

1. Not a similar one, but “another,” one just like Jesus Christ, with all power and attributes. This statement is a declaration of the Comforter’s Person.

 

2. Today, God the Father sits on His throne, Jesus Christ sits at His right hand as our High Priest, Intercessor, and Advocate. The Holy Spirit is active on this earth, doing the will of the Father.

D. John 14:16b -18 is a declaration of the Comforter’s Presence and Performance. “That he may abide with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. (18) I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

 

1. He will come to you. “He shall give you … I will”

 

2. He will abide with you. “That He may abide with you”

 

3. He will remain with you forever. “for ever”

 

4. He will lead you into all truth. “Even the Spirit of truth”

 

5. He will indwell you. “And shall be in you”

 

6. He will comfort you. “I will not leave you comfortless”

 

7. He will be the Spirit of Christ, working hand-in-hand with Jesus Christ. “I will come to you”

 

E. Now, our text. In verse 7, we find that it was “expedient” for Christ to go away.

 

1. “Expedient” – beneficial, necessary, advantageous, to be better for, the best thing.

 

a) None of this did the disciples understand in their grief and sense of loss, but they fully understood it in Acts, chapter 2, when the Holy Spirit came upon them, empowering them to preach the gospel in other languages boldly.

 

b) Notice I did not say unknown tongues, as the word “unknown” is always an italicized word when speaking of tongues in the Bible. Italicized words are those that were inserted, not translated, into a text for clarification by the translators. They can confuse.

 

c) It is good to learn to also read a text omitting the italicized words. You will find that they are not needed for our understanding of what God said.

 

2. Another Comforter and Comfortless. Two words need to be explained: Comforter and comfortless.

 

a) Comforter (παράκλητος paraklētos par-ak'-lay-tos) in the Greek means to be summoned to the side of or to come to the aid of the comfortless. Our Lord said that it was “expedient” that He went away but would pray the Father to send the Comforter in Christ’s stead. While Christ comforted the disciples for 3 ½ years, the Comforter would abide with them forever.

 

John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

 

b) Comfortless in Greek comes from the Greek word ὀρφανός orphanos or-fan-os', from which we derive our English word "orphan." Orphans have no families and need to be adopted into good homes where they will be loved and cared for . Because of their adoption into the family of God by the Comforter, the child of God has a spiritual family: our Father who is in heaven, our Saviour and Friend who loves us, and the Holy Spirit that indwells us. Aren’t you glad that you are not an orphan

 

In all of our sorrows, come what may! Death, sickness, persecution, trials and tribulations, personal failure, discouragement, disappointment, defilement, both real and imagined. Our Lord will not leave us comfortless, orphaned!

 

F. The work of the Holy Spirit. He is the Agent, the Activity of God on Earth! In the First and Last Mentions of the Holy Spirit, we find His activity.

 

1. The Spirit Moved. God spoke, but the Spirit Moved!

 

Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

 

2. The Spirit Spoke. The Spirit will always be Drawing men.

 

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

 

G. The Work of the Holy Spirit would take a lot of time, as there is so much that He does, but I will stay within the context of our Scripture. Here are five things that the Holy Spirit will do in our text:

 

1. He will reprove the world of sin. “Of sin, because they believe not on me;”

 

a. The word “reprove” means “to convict.” “Reprove” is a legal term in the way a judge or a prosecuting attorney presents evidence to bring a conviction.

 

b. The Holy Spirit of God presents evidence in the heart that brings us to a place of conviction, requiring a decision to be made.

 

c. The greatest of all sins is stated here. It is the sin of rejection! Rejecting Christ is the sin that damns the unrepentant and unbelieving to a devil’s hell for all eternity.

 

d. There must be a conviction before we can turn in faith and trust to Jesus Christ.

 

2. He will reprove the world of righteousness. “Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;”

 

Romans 4:24-25 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; (25) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

 

a. Jesus Christ was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification. Christ took our guilt upon Himself, dying in our place on that cross. Salvation is far more than just forgiveness of sin and going to heaven. Salvation is about the righteousness of Christ being imputed to us so that we stand before God clothed in absolute purity that only God has. This one verse says it all.

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

 

Philippians 3:8-9 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, (9) And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

 

b. Our lack of righteousness. I say this so often because religious people always mix personal merit to some degree with what Christ did for us and what He was made unto us.

 

Isaiah 64:6-7 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (7) And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

 

Titus 3:5-6 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

 

Romans 4:4-5 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

 

c. The song “The Solid Rock” says, “Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.”

 

Jude 24-25 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (25) To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

 

3. He will reprove the world of judgment. “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

 

a. Satan has already been judged!

 

Ezekiel 28:16-18 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. (17) Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. (18) Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

 

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

 

b. The unbeliever has already been judged.

 

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 

c. The unbeliever will be judged.

 

Revelation 20:12-13 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

 

4. He will guide the believer into all truth. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth”

 

a. Through the gift of the Scriptures.

 

2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

 

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

b. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit

 

John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

 

5. He will glorify Jesus Christ. “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you” The religious world makes much of the Holy Ghost and attributes unbiblical work to Him that He does not do. We find here that the Holy Ghost will ALWAYS point us to Christ, not to His work. The Spirit of God never speaks of Himself; He points man to Christ.

The Judgment Seat of Christ

 Temple Baptist Church - 6-18-2025

1 Corinthians 3:9-15

 

Introduction:

 

A.  In this portion of 1 Corinthians, we have seen that Paul, the masterbuilder, has laid the “Foundation” upon which every child of God builds their lives.  I cannot emphasize enough the importance of living a consistent life for Christ, as He is the Foundation on which we must build, good or bad. 

 

1.  In the Second Corinthian Epistle, the Holy Ghost clarifies this judgment.  The best commentary on the Scriptures is the Scriptures! It is here that we find the phrase “the judgment seat of Christ.”

 

2 Corinthians 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

 

B.  Many preachers and teachers refer to the Judgment Seat as the Bema Seat.  Bema is the Greek word for “judgment seat.”  One word in the Greek but two words in English. 

 

1.  Bema - a step, that is, foot breath; by implication a rostrum, that is, tribunal (a place of judgment): - judgment-seat, set [foot] on, throne.

 

2.  Millions of viewers watched this year’s Olympics and were amazed at the feats achieved by the bronze, silver, and most notably gold medal winners. The medal ceremony models a practice begun by the ancient Greeks, who instituted the Olympics in the eighth century B.C. A judge sat at what they called the Bema Seat at a respective race’s finish line. It was that judge who determined the winner and gave him an award immediately after the completion of the race.

 

3.  The Judgment Seat Is: 

 

a)  A place of elevation – in a large Olympic arena, there was an elevated seat on which the judge of the contest sat.

 

b)  A place of reward – the bema seat was not a judicial bench where someone was condemned; it was a reward seat.

 

C.  There has been much confusion concerning this judgment because of careless preaching on the subject.  Many, though not specifying it as a judgment for sin, leave hearers not fully informed on the subject.  Therefore: What The Judgment Seat Is Not:

 

1.  The purpose of the Judgment Seat is not to determine whether a particular individual enters Heaven or not.

 

Ephesians 2:8-9  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

Galatians 3:11-14  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of od, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.  And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

 

2.  The purpose of the Judgment Seat is not to punish believers for their sins committed before or after their salvation.

 

Psalms 103:10-12  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

 

Isaiah 38:17  Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

 

Isaiah 44:22  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

 

Micah 7:19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

 

Hebrews 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

 

D.  The Fact Of The Judgment Seat:  Every believer will stand before the Lord at the Judgment Seat.  As one old preacher once said,  “There’s gonna be a great recompensing day!”

 

Romans 14:10-12  But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.  For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.  So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

 

1 Corinthians 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.

 

2 Corinthians 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

 

E.  The Purpose Of The Judgment Seat:

 

          1.  In the past, God dealt with us as sinners.

 

Ephesians 2:1-3  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

 

Romans 5:6   For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

 

          2.  In the present, God deals with us as sons.

 

Romans 8:14-15  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

 

Hebrews 12:5-8  And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

 

1 John 3:1-2  Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

 

          3.  In the future, God deals with us (at the Judgment Seat) as stewards.

 

F.  The Material To Be Tested At The Judgment Seat

 

          1.  Those that are indestructible – gold, silver, and precious stones.

 

          2.  Those that are destructible – wood, hay, and stubble.

 

G.  The Works To Be Judged:

 

          1.  How we treat other believers.

 

Hebrews 6:10  For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

 

Matthew 10:41-42  He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

 

          2.  How we employ our God-given abilities.

 

1 Peter 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

 

Matthew 15:14-29 – The parable of the Talents.

 

Luke 19:11-26 – The parable of the Pounds.

 

          3.  How we use our money.

 

2 Corinthians 9:6-10  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.  Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.  Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)

 

4.  How we suffer for Jesus.

 

Matthew 5:11-12  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

 

1 Peter 4:12-13  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

 

          5.  How we spend our time.

 

1 Peter 1:17  And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:

 

          6.  How we run that particular race which God has chosen for us.

 

1 Corinthians 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

 

Philippians 3:13-14  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 

          7.  How we control the old nature.

 

1 Corinthians 9:25-27  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

 

8.  How we witness to and help bring souls to Christ, either by planting or watering.

 

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20  For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?  For ye are our glory and joy.

 

Daniel 12:3  And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

 

Proverbs 11:30  The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.   

 

9.  How we continue to be faithful to Christ.

 

Revelation 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

 

          10.  How we look forward to His glorious appearing.

 

2 Timothy 4:8  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.