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Our Enemies in Heaven Part 1

V

Vince

Member
Our Enemies in Heaven

What happens when born-again Christians become enemies, and then they meet in Heaven? We are usually taught that they will become reconciled, but we are not taught how. Since God never changes, we can look at a Biblical story of how the Lord reconciled his hostile people, and it's not a pretty story.

A word of advice: it's better to obey God's commands to get reconciled NOW than it is to wait until God does it in Heaven.
 
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Vince said:
What happens when born-again Christians become enemies, and then they meet in Heaven?
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Your question assumes that people who've undergone the second birth about which the Lord spoke at John 3:3-8 will arrive in heaven still attached to the sinful human nature that so readily instigates conflict, ill will, resentment, grudges, and bad feelings down here on the planet. They won't.

†. Col 2:11 . . In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ

Being free of that sinful nature, they will have no trouble whatsoever burying the hatchet; nor will there ever again be any more hatchets to bury.

†. 1John 3:9 . .Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

One morning in Sunday school, a man asked the question: What about un-confessed sin? When the Lord's people die, do those un-confessed sins follow them to heaven?

Answer: No; un-confessed sins do not follow the Lord's people to heaven and the reason is very simple. It was their corruptible identity born of Adam via their first birth that committed those sins; not their incorruptible identity born of God via their second birth: which is an identity that not only doesn't sin; but cannot sin. Since their corruptible identity does not remain attached to the Lord's people when they leave the earth, then there is nothing for them to confess when they get to heaven. This is one of the supernatural aspects of Christianity that doesn't get much press these days.

Cliff
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Folks, I am amazed at how many people have written into different forums to say that Christians who live ungodly lives will arrive in Heaven equal to Christians who live Godly lives.
In Matthew 5:15-26, Jesus warns "Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."
I have met fighting Christians who believe that God has authorized them to disobey the many commands to love one another, because it was so important that they harm another Christians. Jesus warns them to make peace with their adversary BEFORE the judge settles it. Christians who like to fight the saints could be very surprised when they learn their enemies' side of the story.
 
Have you ever read The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis? Its about a bus ride from Hell to Heaven. I won't ruin it for you, but in this book, a big part of entering Heaven involves becoming "real"--more solidly, strongly real than one ever was on Earth. The old is stripped away; the new takes its place.

I just mention this because I imagine that part of the process of becoming "real" would involve losing attachment to petty, sinful disputes. Even more serious earthly problems--and we all have them, since life on earth is tragic--are replaced by the solid Heavenly reality of who we become after a life committed to Christ.
 
How important is it to God that His people be reconciled? If you take every verse in Scripture that tells you how to be saved, add every verse that tells you that you cannot lose your salvation, add every verse that tells you that you need to be baptized by immersion, and then add every verse that tells you that you need to read the Bible, all of this combined is shorter than the story of how Joseph got reconciled to his brothers.
 
Earthly enemies
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Though grudgingly, will unite in heaven
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maybe play some games,
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and be at peace with each other.
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oh the torture but its the get the point across. ever thought of kids ministry with that talent?

hmm you might want to say where you get that from as legal action(not from the site) but from the owners of them clip-art migh sue.
 
(Relax, Jace, they're all vectors. Meaning the owners put them up on Deviantart, and are OK with them being linked to)
 
ok, for years(oh the horror of admitting that i know about this) the ponies were used on old school clip-art and coloring books. hey i have a sister and watched cartoons on saturday mornings for years.

with glitter even! glitter makes it fun.:toofunny j/k. sorry i had to poke myself in allowing this admission. yes i used to watch when i was absolutely bored my little pony or when i was waiting for robotech or transformers to come on.
 
Unforgiveness and corruption can not inherit eternal life with the Father

Mar 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
Mar 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
 
In wronging their brother, Joseph's ten brothers took advantage of failed leadership.

Jacob (Israel) was the head of the family. But Jacob had unfairly favored Joseph, and besides, he wasn't around.

Reuben, a man who excelled in strength and dignity, was unstable as water. Despite being the oldest brother, despite having enough responsibility to try to rescue Joseph, and despite being Godly enough to know that this was wrong, Reuben did not command enough respect to accomplish what was right.

Judah, a strong, courageous leader, rallied his brothers to do wrong, and he got away with it... for a long time.
 
In understanding the story of Joseph and his brothers, it helps to remember a key point: the brothers were not seeking a reconciliation. Joseph's own behavior in the matter is difficult to understand, but it helps if you remember that NOBODY was seeking a reconciliation.
 
Standing before the ruler of Egypt, Joseph's ten brothers were surprised when he asked diligently about their father and their brother. Later, the ruler would have them seated correctly according to their ages. How could they not even suspect that the ruler was their brother?

Psalm 119:74 tells us: "Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, Because I have hoped in Your word."

Christians who are hateful to other Christians don't fear the Lord, and none of Joseph's ten brothers feared the Lord. The Bible abounds in blessings for those who fear the Lord, and recognizing that none of these blessings applied to his brothers might have influenced Joseph's own behavior.

Part 2 tomorrow.
 
Joseph's brothers did not fear the Lord, and, although it was obvious that the ruler of Egypt knew about the wrong they had done, they did not even suspect that he was their brother Joseph. What's the connection?

Psalm 111:10 tells us that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."

Proverbs 1:7 tells us that "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge."

Christians who harm other Christians lack both wisdom and knowledge. They are not the type of Christian that we should be following or even listening to.
 
We had already explained that Joseph's brothers had taken advantage of failed leadership. Now, Joseph uses the same method.

Although Jacob is the leader of Israel, the brothers are in Egypt, where Joseph is the ruler. When seating the brothers according to age, Joseph had recognized Reuben as their leader, but he did not consult with Reuben about what to do. Judah, recognized by his brothers as their leader, was left out of the process.

Christians can wrongly become leaders through bullying, money, church politics, causing division, etc., and this allows them to attack other Christians successfully. But their leadership power wil disappear when they get to Heaven.
 
Huh?

When they get to heaven? Where do you find they get to heaven?

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 KJV)
 
You're making a valid point that would help many Christians who are being victimized. Most Christians reject Galatians 5:19-21, and Paul indicates that the Galatian Christians didn't believe it either. But in this thread, I am dealing with people who really were the people of God.
 
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