Before we start, it’s important to understand the two aspects of death. The first aspect of death is spiritual death. This death is when a person has no desire for God’s holiness because they are spiritually dead in their sin.
Ephesians 2:1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
Spiritual death is what happened to Adam and Eve when they sinned in the garden. It’s important to see that spiritual death is the byproduct of sin, it’s not a punishment from God. God did not say, “The day you eat of the tree, I will kill you.”
Genesis 2:8-9 The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 2:16-17 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree they died spiritually, in other words, they became separated from God. The end result of living a life separated from God is physical death. Adam’s spiritual death happened the moment he ate of the tree, but his physical death took place 930 years later.
Genesis 5:5 Adam lived 930 years, and then he died.
The reason why Adam physically died, and so does everyone else in the world, is because of God’s mercy and love.
Let me explain…
When Adam sinned, he died spiritually, if God allowed Adam to eat from the Tree of Life, Adam would live forever and there would be nothing God could do to save him. Because of this, God removed Adam and Eve from the garden to prevent them from eating from the Tree of Life.
Genesis 3:22-23 Then the Lord God said, “Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!” So, the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made.
Because God protected Adam and Eve from the Tree of Life, physical death becomes like a state of sleep. There is no life in the grave so there is no punishment in the grave. The grave is a time of waiting for the resurrection.
Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered. Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth.
Daniel 12:2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace.
Did you notice who the dead must wake up from sleeping in the dust before they can experience the judgement?
Acts 24:14-15 I admit that I worship the God of our ancestors as a follower of the Way, which they call a cult. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Torah and that is written in the Prophets, and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.
Eternal life is now being offered, through the Gospel, to every spiritually dead sinner.
2 Timothy 1:10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.
The message that brings eternal life is the Gospel.
John 5:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
When a sinner believes in the Son of God and acts on the Son’s message they become born again, born of God’s Spirit. Those who are born of God’s Spirit, through faith in Christ, have eternal life.
John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are Spirit and life.
John 6:47 "Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life."
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life."
Receiving the Spirit and eternal life is a free gift, the only requirement is that you need to understand your need for salvation and turn to the Son and receive it.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 2:1-5 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!
Now, here is what Christians are NOT being taught. Just because you have eternal life does not mean you will be in the Kingdom, it just means you’ll live forever.
A sinner does not need to be worthy of eternal life, as a matter of fact, the Son died for sinners.
Romans 5:6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.
A sinner needs nothing to receive the gift of eternal life but only to know he is a sinner in need of salvation and turns to the one who offers it. But the converted sinner, who has been born again, most defiantly needs to be worthy of the Kingdom.
Luke 9:62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”
Matthew 10:38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.
Salvation, eternal life and God’s calling are gift that cannot be withdrawn.
Romans 11:29 For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.
This is both a blessing and a curse. For those who walk worthy of the Kingdom, it’s a blessing to know that He will not cast us out because of our short falls and times of weakness, but to those who walk unworthy, they will inherit their eternal place but it won’t be the Kingdom of God, it will actually be in the place that God created for the Devil and his angels.
Matthew 25:31-46 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The false prophet will be cast into the same place as the Devil and his angels.
Revelation 20:10 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The sheep and the goats are just like the wheat and the tares. They both dwell together and look alike. Both have the Spirit and call Jesus, Lord. Both have the Spirit’s power to cast out demons, prophecy in Jesus’ name and do many signs and wonders, but only the sheep do the will of the Father, as defined by His Law and taught by Christ.
John 10:27-28 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Matthew 13:40-43 Therefore, as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
Daniel 12:2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace.
These people, who are being cast out of the Kingdom, had the Spirit because they were casting out demons and calling Jesus, Lord. You can’t do either of those things without the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
Mattew 12:28 But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Matthew 12:26 If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
Mark 3:23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan?
Luke 11:18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub.
It is possible to become a partaker of the Holy Spirit and have the power of the age to come and then turn away from living a life worthy of the Kingdom.
Hebrews 6:4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
It doesn’t say God removes the Spirit from them or that they lose their eternal life. Salvation, Eternal life and God’s calling are all free and irrevocable gifts, but we must walk worthy of them.
Ephesians 4:1-4 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Colossians 1:9-12 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.
Notice how if a believer continues to live a lifestyle of sin, they will not inherit the Kingdom.
Galatians 5:13-21 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. So, I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Matthew 22:11-14 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So, he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
The wedding garment is the righteous lifestyle manifest by the believer who is walking worthy of the Kingdom. By walking worthy, they are preparing themselves for their Wedding Day.
Revelation 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
Those who continue practicing lawlessness, as a way of life, will not inherit the Kingdom, but they still have eternal life, so they need to go somewhere.
Matthew 25:41, 46 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.…And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
To live a sinful life without Christ is better than receiving Christ and then walk unworthy of Him. This is why it would be better not to know the way of righteousness than to know it and turn away from it.
2 Peter 2:20-21 People can be made free from the evil in the world. They can be made free by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. But if they go back into those evil things and are controlled by them, then it is worse for them than it was before. Yes, it would be better for them to have never known the right way. That would be better than to know the right way and then to turn away from the holy teaching that was given to them.
Why would it have been better not to know and receive Christ if you’re just going to continue to live a lawless life? Because those who don’t know and receive Him don’t have eternal life so they will just perish in the end, never to live again.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Psalm 37:20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
Malachi 4:1 For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.
The wicked who do not know God, or refuse to obey the Gospel, will be consumed to nothing, which is better than living forever in a place that was created for the Devil and his angels. For example, Judas. Judas was one of the 12 inner circle Apostles. He did the miracles, preached the Gospel and yet, Messiah said it would have been better for him if he had never been born.
Matthew 26:23-24 He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
According to the Bible, it’s better to live a temporary life of sin without Christ then to receive eternal life and suffer eternal punishment for not living worthy of the Kingdom.
My conclusion:
Being saved from the penalty of eternal death for our past sin and receiving the Spirit unto eternal life is a free gift, but we must walk worthy of the free gift so that we can inherit the Kingdom. If we don’t walk worthy of the free gift, the Spirit will not be taken from us nor will we lose eternal life, but instead of inheriting the Kingdom, we inherit what was created for the Devil and his angels. This is why it would have better to live and never hear or receive the Gospel then to believe and receive it but walk unworthy of it.
I beseech you, if you’ve been called and have received the free gift of eternal life, walk worthy of it because many are called and receive the gift, but few are chosen.
Matthew 10:38-39 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.
Galatians 5:16-21 I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. The Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under the law. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Remember, if we don’t inherit the Kingdom of God, we will need to go somewhere to spend eternity.
Daniel 12:2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace.
Matthew 25:41, 46 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.…And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
Walking worthy of the Kingdom is not hard, it’s just different.