A COWARDLY????

As I was studying the word of the God for my next blog entry.  I stumble on something that I thought was worth blogging as I considered myself. Revelation 21 talks about the New Heaven and New Earth and who will enter in.  Verse 7-8 says  Life in the Spirit NIV (Study Bible) "He who overcomes will inherit all this, (talking about heaven) and I will be his/her God and he/she will be my son/daughter. but the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars.  Their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur, which is the second death." (and another study) verse 7 Notes: "God himself declares who will inherit the blessing of the new heaven and the new earth.  Those who faithfully persevere as Christ's overcomers., but those who do not overcome Satan, sin and ungodliness will be thrown into the fiery lake.

Now, who are Christ overcomer? ( Rev. 2:7 notes) " An overcomer is one who, by God's grace received  through faith in Christ, has experienced the new birth and remains constant in victory over sin, the world's system and Satan.

• Surrounded by great opposition and rebellion, overcomers refuse to conform to the world and to any ungodliness within the visible church and its lukewarm culture (v-24)  They hear and respond to what the Spirit says to the churches, remain faithful to Christ to the very end (v-26) and accept only God's standard revealed in his holy Word (3:8).
• The promise to overcomers in God's churches, and only the overcomers, is that they will eat of the tree of life, will not be hurt by the second death (v.11), will receive hidden manna and be given a new name in heaven (v.17), will be given authority over the nations (v.26) (for me is another study), will not have their names removed from the book of life but will be honored by Christ before his Father and the angels (3:5). Will remain with God in his temple and will bear the name of God, Christ and the new Jerusalem (3:21), and will be forever God's children (21:7).  
• The secret of victory for overcomers is Christ atoning death, their own faithful testimony about Jesus, and their perseverance in love for Christ even to death (Chp. 12:11; cf. 1Jn 5:4). Note that we either overcome sin, the world and Satan, or we are overcome by them and are ultimately thrown into the lake of fire (v. 11; 3:5; 20:15; 21:8)  There is no intermediate group, (As some preach).

Now above is all about the overcomers that will enter in Heaven and God's Kingdom and given a new name. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, etc. will be thrown in the late of fire. OK, that word cowardly got my attention, because as being a believer I know sometimes I'm not an overcomer.  I've never been a fighter in the real world and in the spiritual world I just know that prayer gets me through and this too shall pass, even when I don't win my battles sometimes.  Like what I've been going through concerning my physical afflictions for some years now.  I do say though I'm much better then I use to be and like Joyce Meyer would always say "I'M NOT WHERE I USE TO BE AND I MAY NOT BE WHERE I WANT TO BE, BUT I'M OK AND I'M ON MY WAY!"  That's what I do know:).  This is what Life in the Spirit (Study Bible) notes says about the cowardly in verse 8.

"BUT THE COWARDLY, THE UNBELIEVING: God mentions several classes of people whose place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.

• The "cowardly" are those who fear the disapproval and threat of people more than they value loyalty to Christ and the truth of his Word.  Their personal safety and status on earth mean more to them than faithfulness to God.  "The cowardly" include the compromise'rs among God's people who give up the fight and do not conquer, (see cf Mrk. 8:35, Rom. 8:37 word study, 1Th 2:4, notes;  2Tim. 2:12-13, notes).
• The "unbelieving" include former believers in Christ who, because of unbelief and disobedience (cf. Heb. 3:12-19), were overcome by various sins, such as those listed in verse 8.  To profess Christ and then practice such evil is an abomination to God.
• Many churches today proclaim that it is possible for a person to be simultaneously a true child of God and an immoral person, liar, adulterer, homosexual or murderer.  Such people contradict God's clear words here and elsewhere (cf. 1Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5-7)

Now, after reading the above scriptures and study notes for clarification.  I now know that I too fall short of the glory of God.  Have a clear understanding that as long as we stay true and faithful to God even in our stumbling's, we will make it in.  If you ask, Why?  Then I'm force to tell you that we have a true High Priest sitting at the right hand of God interceding for those who believe and are true saints fighting this spiritual warfare and knowing who is his and who is not.  As long as we go to him in spirit and truth He is faithful and true to forgive us of our sins.  Remember, He knows that our hearts "is deceitful above all things and disparately wicked, What man knows it?  But God, who tries the reins of our heart. So don't think that we can come short knowing this.  We must work towards perfection, because faith without works is dead.  Remember, "HE SITS UP HIGH AND LOOK DOWN LOW AND SEE THE HEARTS OF EVERY MAN".

I pray this helps you as it did me and more.

Lord Help Us All,