Episode #22: You and Eternity The Eternal Reality of Christ's Lordship 1. The Contrast Between Eternity with Christ and Without Him

• If Jesus is your Lord, this world is the worst it will ever be for you.
• If Jesus is not your Lord, this world is the best it will ever be for you.
  • For believers, the pain and suffering of this world will end in eternity with Christ (Revelation 21:4).
  • For those who reject Christ, this world is the closest to heaven they will ever experience.

2. The Restraining Power of the Holy Spirit – 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8

• 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8
  • "Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season." (v. 6)
  • "For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way." (v. 7)
  • "Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of His mouth, and destroy by the manifestation of His coming." (v. 8)
• The Holy Spirit is currently restraining the full force of evil on earth.
• Once the Holy Spirit's restraining influence is removed, the lawless one (Antichrist) will be revealed.
• This passage emphasizes the urgency of salvation—now is the time to respond to the Gospel.

3. The Eternal Consequence of Ignoring the Gospel

• The moment you hear the Gospel and ignore it, that decision will remain with you for eternity in hell.
• Rejecting Christ is not just a temporary choice—it has eternal consequences.
• Hebrews 9:27 – "It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."

4. The Holy Spirit: Old Covenant vs. New Covenant

• In the Old Covenant, the Holy Spirit came upon people temporarily.
  • Examples:
    • Samson (Judges 14:6) – The Spirit came upon him to give him strength.
    • David (1 Samuel 16:13) – The Spirit came upon him when he was anointed king.
  • The Holy Spirit's presence was conditional and temporary.
• In the New Covenant, the Holy Spirit dwells within believers.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:19 – "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you?"
  • The Spirit now abides permanently in those who have accepted Christ.

5. The Consequences of Sin Entering the World

• Sin cannot exist in God's presence.
  • Habakkuk 1:13 – "Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; You cannot tolerate wrongdoing."
• When sin entered the Garden, humanity's blood was tainted.
  • The effects of sin included:
    • Sickness
    • Iniquity (bent toward sin)
    • Transgression (acts of rebellion)
• Through the cross, we are cleansed from all of these.
  • Isaiah 53:5 – "By His stripes, we are healed."
  • The blood of Jesus restored our ability to enter God's presence.

6. Jesus' Bloodline – The Spiritual Connection

• In Jewish tradition, genealogy is followed through the father.
  • Matthew 1 records Jesus' legal lineage through Joseph.
  • Luke 3 records Jesus' biological lineage through Mary.
• Bloodlines are always traced through the father.
  • Jesus, born of the Holy Spirit, had a pure, untainted bloodline.
  • His divine nature made Him the perfect sacrifice to cleanse humanity.

7. Worship and Operating in the Spirit

• John 4:24 – "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth."
• Because of Jesus, we can now operate in the spiritual realm.
  • The separation between heaven and earth was removed through Christ.
  • We have access to the Father's presence in a way that was impossible before.
• We can operate as the Father operates because we are of the Spirit.
  • Romans 8:14 – "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
  • Walking in the Spirit allows us to live in faith, power, and authority.

Final Thoughts

• Your eternity is determined by whether Jesus is Lord of your life.
• The Holy Spirit is currently restraining evil, but one day, that restraint will be lifted.
• Rejecting the Gospel has eternal consequences.
• The cross cleanses us from sin, restoring us to God's presence.
• Through Christ, we can now operate in the Spirit and walk in God's authority.