Made In The Image Of God - Frank Brancato 4/24/11

The question. What is man?

Has been a question that has baffled man throughout the ages.

By experience and observation, we may learn many practical

lessons about our physical organism and the working of our

intellect and emotions. But in itself such does not

answer the question. What is, man?

The Bible is the revelation of God to man and man to himself

that being said by experiment. We may learn the mode of

operation of the seat of a life but that gives us no clue at all

as to what that life truly is. We may learn the method of the

operation of electricity without learning one thing as to what

electricity is psychology in the much talked about psychoanalysis

May teach us much about the methods of the in of man's

Spirit but they cannot reveal to us what it is or from whence it

came. And so we ask ourselves the

question this morning. What is man we answer first by

looking at man's beginning. A very familiar passage is found

in the second chapter of the Book of Genesis and the 7th

verse where the Bible says, and the Lord God formed Man Out of

the Dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils, the

breath of life and Man became Name a living soul in this great

work. God.

Did not merely speak man into existence as he did all other

works in creation but he honored The Man by forming him with his

own personal act, you know, the Bible says, when God and in all

of his infinite, wisdom and power and might as the great

architect of this universe, when he spoke all the other things

into existence, he said, let there be light in the Bible

says, and there was light and so forth and so on, All other

aspects of creation. But not when it came to man, he

did. So, with his own personal act,

the Bible says from the dust of the ground, he created, man.

And he breathed into his nostrils, the breath of life and

Man became a living Soul. Now, this verse needs to be

studied in connection with other passages in the Bible.

You know, that's one of the greatest things that's found in

the scriptures or the greatest thing about the hers is it never

contradicts itself, it all works together.

So when we look at Genesis chapter 2 and verse 7, what does

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

it say? It lists two aspects of man man

in bodily form and a man having a soul.

That's only two. We look at that in connection

with other passages in the Bible.

Like, for example, in the New Testament in 1st Thessalonians

chapter 5 and verse 23. Because the Bible says that man

does not have two parts, but man has three parts.

And in 1st Thessalonians, 5:23 the Apostle, Paul, he said, and

the Very God of Peace sanctify, you wholly and I pray God.

That's your spirit soul. And body.

Be preserved blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No contradiction. Just an addition where we find

that man has 3 parks. In Genesis 2 and 7.

It mentions only two body and soul, but then as much as body

and soul was created immediately and simultaneously, God, created

the spirit in Zechariah, Chapter 12 and verse 1.

Zechariah 12 · chapter mention

The Bible says, the burden of the word of the Lord for Israel.

Saith the Lord. Which stretcheth forth the

heavens and lay at the foundation of the earth and

formed with the spirit of man within him.

Now, Going back to our passage in Genesis chapter 2 and verse

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

7. And the Lord God formed man of

the Dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils.

The breath of life and Man became a living soul.

And to notice a very interesting word here and that is the word

breathe, or breath. It comes from a Hebrew word

which is called shama or shama. However it is that you pronounce

that word. Interesting word because the

Bible says that, whatever, God did he did that, when Man became

a living Soul, God, did that he breathed into his nostrils?

The breath of life that word Breathe by definition.

According to mr. Strong is a puff.

Wind angry or vital breath? Divine inspiration,

intellectually or concrete an animal.

Well, since the breath that's introduced into the nostrils of

this, man is the same that makes other animals alive it,

required. That man made in the image of

his creator, should have something else added to it, to

lift him above all order of living beings and that was the

spirit. It created within him.

We're going to get to this later.

But man has something that's eternal.

And all other forms of creation do not have that.

That's what makes man different from everything else that God

has created keeping this in mind.

What else do we know about the nature of man?

In Genesis chapter 2 and verse 26.

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

We find that the body without the spirit is dead for.

The scripture says, for as the body without the spirit is dead.

So faith without works is dead. Also you know we look at this

passage so many times from the aspect of faith And we draw the

connection because we understand that the body without the spirit

is dead. If the life force is removed

from the body of the bided body, does not continue to live.

So we look at that in connection with faith and works.

Now, we understand that the kind of faith that we need to have,

is not a dead faith. Not a faith, that substitutes

words for deeds and all of that, but we need to have a working

Faith. The way we do that is we

demonstrate our Five are obedient works.

We understand that, for example, you should be able to look at my

life, I'll just use me as an example and you should be able

to look at my life and understand that I'm a Christian

and understand that I am a child of God.

Without me saying one word about what I believe you ought to be

able to do that. You, I ought to be living my

life in such a way that I am demonstrating my faith by my not

Merit. Oriole works, but my obedient

works. You know, the Bible says that

we're not we're saved by grace. We are we're saved by grace.

That's true. And the Bible says not works.

Lest any man should boast. All that means is that's a

passage. That's misinterpreted so much

today. Those were the word works,

there's talking about works of Merit.

In other words, there is no list in the world that I can create

and I can say I've done all of these wonderful things.

Therefore I've earned my salvation.

But we are saved by works. Obedient Works demonstrating our

faith, in our life. All that being said, that's the

connection or the comparison between the body and the spirit

as the body. Without the spirit is dead.

So faith without works is dead. Also death is predicated of the

body and the separation of the spirit from the body results in

death of the body. Now, we find a characteristic of

man. That's different from all

others. In creation is as we have on the

board we were made or created in the image of our creator or God

as we've already read Genesis 1:26, let us make man in our

Genesis 1:26

image, after our likeness and so forth and so on.

And the Bible says, in verse 27, that God created Man In His

Image. Now here's a point that we need

to make here. We have the question, what's it

talking about when it says that we were made in the image of

God? Let me just make a statement

here being made in the image of God has absolutely nothing to do

with our physical appearance or our physical bodies.

It doesn't mean that at all. You know, I'm going to make a

statement here when it says, let us make man in our image.

After our likeness, I want to make a point about likeness

Tanner my son. Let us song earlier.

Looks like me. And his whole life people have

said, Tanner is in my likeness sometimes even called him my

little mini me. I have to tell you, I kind of

like that. I like it that we wear our hair

of the same. I like it that my son resembles

me or looks like me Taylor is, in the likeness of Tina, she

bears that likeness and so we use that word likeness when we

talk about that today, when somebody looks like someone

physically, but when the Bible says, let us make man in our

image, after our likeness, it has nothing to do with physical

appearance at all. Now, if the view that

entertained by materialist be true, then man is no more than

an image shaped out of clay with air, breathed into him, acts 17

and 29 says for as much. Then as we are The Offspring of

God. We ought not to think of the

godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone Graven by Art

and man's device. So the word image does carry the

idea of likeness But here's my question, what's the point of

like this? What's the points of likeness we

are in the image of God? Well, there are three things,

three points of likeness that make us in God's image.

Number one is intellect. Intellect man, is different from

all other forms of creation because of intellect, the spirit

knows in First Corinthians chapter 2 and verse 11.

1 Corinthians 2 · chapter mention

The Bible says, for what man knoweth the things of a man,

save the spirit of a man, which is in him for Sulphur, even so

the things of God knoweth no man.

Man, but the spirit of God, what's that saying to me, that's

saying that I have a likeness or similarity to God in that.

I have a spirit that knows my thoughts, just as the spirit of

God knows his thoughts. That is a point of likeness.

Now, it's a very interesting concept about having intellect

and understanding things that other forms of creation.

Do not understand in Romans chapter 8 and I realized as Sean

Romans 8 · chapter mention

McAllister was preaching, when he was here over at Brundage, he

mentioned in a sermon about Romans chapter 8 and be careful

Romans 8 · chapter mention

about when it has a capital S is talking about the holy spirit so

forth. And so on I'll just make this

point here, there's something about me and you That's

different from all other forms of creation by way of intellect.

That is very important. And that is this in Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8. I believe when the Bible says

that the spirit, that's the Holy Spirit, the spirit, testifies,

with our spirit that we are, the sons of God.

How does that work? Now, it doesn't say that the

spirit, the Holy Spirit, testifies to our spirit, that

would been miraculous and direct.

It doesn't say that it says with She know what that means to me.

I respectfully submit to you. Is what I believe that's talking

about when I open up this book and the Holy Spirit reveals

himself to me about all the things that I must do in order

to be saved my intellectual. Mind, the mind of my spirit can

understand what it is that I must do in order to be saved.

When I compare that with what the book says, with what I have

done, I can know and I can determine whether I'm a Child of

God. That's wonderful.

There's nothing miraculous. That means I can understand.

You know why? Because I have a point of

likeness with God and that is intellect.

Bible says that nobody knows my thoughts.

Except the spirit of me that I have.

Nobody knows my thoughts. Like that.

Just like nobody knows the thoughts of God.

Save the spirit of God. Now.

In Romans 8, also. It talks about the spirit with

groanings that cannot be uttered.

I believe that's talking about the human Spirit, the spirit of

man. I want to illustrate it to you

like this. This has happened to me twice in

my life. Just twice.

And I've never told anybody this until just now. but it happened

to me not long ago last summer, It happened when the death of

our first born, son. And it happened when I got a

phone call from the doctor saying that I had throat cancer.

The Bible says in Romans chapter 8, It's sometimes, I do not know

Romans 8 · chapter mention

as I paraphrase what to pray for.

But my spirit, I believe that's what that's talking about with

groanings. That cannot be uttered

understands what I feel. When I got that phone call, I

want to tell you something. I was by myself.

And I wasn't afraid for me, but I fell to my knees and I started

to pray and I started to cry and I'm going to tell you something

right now. I did not know what to say.

I had no clue as to what to say. I knew how I felt.

I knew that I was I was torn inside, not for me, but for my

family, And the only thing that I could think of is my family or

the possibility of how awful it would be if my family had to go

on without me they need me. And I'm going to tell you

something, I absolutely. Now you may not think that I've

ever been at a loss for words, but I'm going to tell you, I had

a loss for words. I was over whelmed.

Folks, I believe that's exactly what that's talking about.

I knew what I knew how I felt. I couldn't form the words.

Here's the blessing. God heard those groanings.

As if I would have spoke them myself from my own lips.

I'm going to tell you something folks, that is a blessing.

You know why? Intellect.

It makes me different. Makes you different from all

other forms of creation. I'll just go to another passage

to though, in Ephesians, chapter 4 and verse 23.

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

Here's more about intellect and be renewed in the spirit of what

of your mind. Be renewed in the spirit of your

mind. How is it that your renewed in

the spirit of your mind? I think that's exactly what

Romans chapter 12 is talking about verses one and two about

Romans 12 · chapter mention

being transformed. Don't be conformed to the world

but be transformed by how by the renewing of your mind.

There's only one way, you can renew your mind and that is to

look to the word of God and have your mind, renewed, day by day.

Intellect a point of lightness but secondly, there's something

else that we have as a point of likeness with our creator and

that is emotion. Emotion.

The Bible says, for example, that the spirit Grieves in

Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 30, it says grieve, not the Holy

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

Spirit. You know that work.

Grieve means I'm going to give you the exact definition of this

word grief. It's great because it really it

really brings it home and let me ask you have you ever had this

feeling? Have you ever had this?

It says grieve not the Holy Spirit.

What did I say? I'm talking about a point of

likeness emotion grieve, not the Holy Spirit, the word grieve,

their means get this to cause distress.

Sorrow or sadness. Point of likeness emotion, the

spirit. Grieves, I'm gonna tell you

something, I've had sorrow, have you?

I've been sad. I have been forlorn, I have had

all that same idea, I guess what your creator understands every

bit of that, too. Because that's a point of

likeness he has with his creation In Daniel chapter 7 and

Daniel 7 · chapter mention

verse 15. The Bible says, I Daniel was

grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body and the, and

the visions of my head, troubled me, you know, there is even a

grief process today, isn't there?

Sometimes people go through, shock in the process and then

sadness or tears and sometimes anger kicks in You're sometimes

angers first but there is a process.

We feel things that handles don't feel and that's a point of

likeness we have with our great creator.

Another form of emotion is to rejoice.

You know, when the Bible talks about rejoicing, even the angels

in heaven Rejoice, these are beings that are in heaven and

even they rejoice. When what when even one sinner

comes to repentance, I Rejoice to it great when we can Rejoice

together about things when someone obeys the gospel and we

all Rejoice together we might have one might have planted a

seed. One might have watered, God gave

the increase and when that soul is saved, what do we do?

We all Rejoice death. What Jesus said?

We all Rejoice together. That's a form of the motion in

Luke 147. The Bible says and my spirit

hath rejoiced in God, my savior, two forms of emotion, breathing

and rejoicing. But the third part or the third

thing, that is a point of likeness between us and our

creator and this really separates us.

This really separates us and that is this both our creator

and our self have a determined. Will.

That's what makes us really different.

You might think that an animal has emotions and you might argue

that point not higher forms of or higher degrees of but I'm

going to tell you when you get down to a determined will you

start separating us from everything for a grand a great

degree. A determined will the Bible says

the spirit wills and Matthew 26 and 41, the Bible says watch and

pray that ye enter not into temptation the spirit.

Indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

What about God? How do we know that God Wills?

Because the scripture says so first John five, Fourteen and

fifteen. If we ask anything according to

what according to his will, He heareth us.

And God always hears his children.

He always hears the audible words of his children, but he

answers those prayers favorably in our favor as we ask if we

pray according to his will, and if it is his, will he grants

those things? And that's what that passage is

talking about. Now, intelligence is not an

attribute of the body if it were the body would be just as

intelligent after the separation of the Hear it from the body, as

before the image consists, not in physical likeness, but an

intellectual or spiritual likeness.

Now, what I'm saying here in summary of this part is this God

possesses these things in an infinite degree.

And before I start, I don't want to leave the impression that

we're just like God because we are not.

He is great. We are not God.

Possesses these things in an infinite degree.

And I got them in a finite degree, but I have them.

It's a point of likeness a point of likeness with my creative

Paul declares that we ought not to think that God is like a

material image in Acts 17 and 29.

In fact, Paul declared the ignorance cause men to think

that God was like material images.

Notice the passage is found in the book of Acts really quickly.

Acts chapter 17 and beginning in verse 29, forasmuch, then as we

Acts 17 · chapter mention

are The Offspring. Spring of God, we ought not to

think that the godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone

Graven by Art and man's device. Look at verse 30 and the times

of ignorance, God winked at That was a time of ignorance when man

thought, God could be worshipped as a Graven image and there was

a time of ignorance God winked at that not anymore but now

commandeth all men everywhere to repent.

A continuation of that passage. And so it is now, folks, someone

that believes that, man, that God can be worshipped in a

Graven image. It's still just ignorance.

Because God is not that material image.

You know we've talked about what is man.

Now let's ask ourselves the question.

What is God? In John chapter 4, a very

John 4 · chapter mention

familiar narrative and I'll just paraphrase through that rather

quickly. But you remember the incident

when Jesus was with his disciples and Jesus was passing

through Samaria. Now, many times, especially in

the last week of the life of Jesus.

You remember that as they were going to Jerusalem for the

Passover, they went through Jericho.

Why avoid Samaria? You know why?

Because the Samaritans and the Jews hated each And they worship

even in different places. They couldn't stand each other.

But Jesus, on purpose, goes through Samaria.

And what does he find as he's walking along?

He comes to the woman at the well, and he says, woman, draw

me to drink and she says, how is it that a Jew and a man be

asking of me, a woman of Samaria for a drink.

And Jesus said, if you knew who I was, you be asking for a drink

that I can give you and if you had that water that I have,

you'll never thirst. She had no idea none at all.

What he was talking about. So you know she says, let's have

it. I'll take it.

It's have some of that water. They start talking about places

of worship and Jesus responds like this, he says wait a minute

he says God is a spirit. and they that worship Him must

worship Him in both spirit and in truth, John Chapter 4 verses

John 4 · chapter mention

and verse 24, finally along this line.

You remember that? Jesus, when he went to go got

this, brow and he hung on calvary's Cross.

He hung there for about six hours, Jesus dies, on the cross,

Jesus is taken down from the cross.

He is buried. The Bible says, and we find in

Luke chapter 24, that account that early on that Sunday

Luke 24 · chapter mention

morning when those women had gone out to spy the Sepulchre.

Only to find that the stone was rolled away and the D of Jesus

was gone. Remember that?

Remember, when two disciples were walking along that seven

and three-quarter mile journey to a little village called

Emmaus? And as they're walking along,

they get a visitor, remember who he is?

It's Jesus, but they don't recognize who he is, and Jesus

preaches himself to them by beginning, with Moses and all

the prophets and revealed himself through God's word to

them. Jesus was resurrected from the

dead on that day. Day now.

When Jesus spent those 40 days with his disciples, one of the

things that he said, is a spirit hath, not Flesh and Bones.

So if God is a spirit, he has no Flesh and Bones and there's no

image that can be ever put together, no statue, nothing.

Back in a simulate, what God is? Because God is a spirit.

Well, we find it death, the spirit returns to God, not

talking about this, this part of, man.

I'm going to make this point because sometimes people say

this, sometimes people say that when you use the word spirit in

the Bible in the New Testament, you are saying that

interchangeably that spirit and soul could be used, just

equally. So you might be able to say that

spirit in a general sense, includes the soul or you can be

speaking of something called The Soul by mentioning it in a

general sense as the spirit. But you can't always look at

these interchangeably because these These are three specific

separate parts of, man. How do I know that Ecclesiastes?

Chapter 12 and verse 7? The bible tells me that the

spirit at death goes where it goes to God.

Then shall the dust return to the Earth as it was.

What's the dust? That's the body.

And what happens to the spirit that life force in, man, the

spirit goes back to God who gave it?

That's two parts but there's more.

There's more. When Jesus was crucified on the

cross, the Bible says, he hung between those two mouths

factors. And one said, if you are, who

you say, you are save thyself and us the other one says, Lord.

Remember me, when you come into your kingdom, and Jesus turned

to this man, and Jesus said today, today, Thou shalt be with

me in Paradise. In Paradise.

The soul went to Paradise, the spirit went back to God who gave

it, and the body went to the tomb back to the dust of the

ground when Jesus was on the cross.

He says, finally to his father, father into thy hands, I do what

I commend my spirit this part, right then and there The soul

went somewhere else, the land of departed, righteous Souls Hades,

the hadean realm, the place, the Abode of the righteous Souls

death. But the spirit goes back to God,

who gave it. When Jesus was buried though,

there was another part of him and that was his body.

And the Bible says, according to the 16th Psalm, and the tenth

verse that, his body would not be left in Hell or Hades.

Neither will his holy one God's, holy one, see corruption.

Another translation says that that word corruption is Decay.

It was prophesied that Jesus went buried would not be buried.

So long that his body Would Decay and decompose three parts.

That's the body. So went to Paradise with the

thief, the spirit though, father into thy hands, I commend my

spirit, the spirit went back to God, who gave it, another

example, ax7 and 59. When Stephen was giving his

defense, he was giving his great defense.

He was preaching, he was giving his defense and the Bible says

that they were absolutely infuriated.

They take him outside to Stone him to death.

Do you remember what happened? He says he looks up and he saw

Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and that was all she

wrote. That's all they needed to hear.

And the Bible says that they ran upon him and they stoned him to

death, and before he died. What did he say?

Lord, Jesus receive my spirit. Receive my spirit, but Stephen

Soul The Immortal part, the part that will live on forever.

He's in Paradise. With all the other redeemed and

saved in the body of Christ, awaiting the resurrection.

We learned from these passages in summary, thus far that the

spirit of death returns to God, when the Lord Jesus Christ comes

again, he will bring with him. Those that have died in the

faith 1st Thessalonians 4. And 14 says, for, if we believe

that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also, which sleep

in Jesus, will God bring with him now.

What's the body for then? Seems to me that there's a

couple very important parts of man in the spirit and the Soul,

especially the soul. So what's the body for and does

it matter what we do in the body?

Well, the body is the house that houses?

All of that second, Peter 1, beginning in verse 13, the Bible

says ye and I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle

to stir you up by putting you in remembrance knowing that

shortly. I'm Put off this Tabernacle even

as the Lord Jesus Christ has showed me.

Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease

to have these things. Always in remembrance one more

passage police, second Corinthians 5.

Beginning in verse 14, we know that if our Earthly House of

this Tabernacle were dissolved, what do we have?

Paul says, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands

Eternal in the heavens. 84 in this weak groan earnestly

Desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven.

If so be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked for.

We that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened, not for

that, which would be, we'd be unclothed but clothed upon that.

Mortality might be swallowed up of Life.

The fleshly body is the Tabernacle where, or the house

in which the real man lives. Paul shows that it death, we put

this This Tabernacle off and the spirit, leaves the body and

that's exactly what the psalmist.

David said in Psalms, 91 verse 10, when it says, the days of

Psalms 91:10

our years are threescore years and ten.

If by reason of strength, they be fourscore Years yet is their

strength in labor and sorrow for it is soon.

Cut off and we would and we fly away.

What's flying away? Not the body.

I'm going to tell you something, wouldn't be something that body

started flying around. you know, I got to tell you something as a

preacher and a painting contractor, I've spent a lot of

time in mortuaries, I spent a lot of time in that with

preaching funerals and painting mortuaries You know, I always

had all these thoughts and all these people in rumors and

stuff. When people talk about what

happens and, and, and bodies that are dead and so forth in

the mortuary and raising up and doing all manner of things, that

kind of give you the creeps, And you know what?

He said to me, I asked a mortician that one time, you

know, he said, he said, man, I am a third-generation mortician,

I have seen it all, and if a body raises up, I'm hitting the

door. It's not possible.

The physical body is dead. What flies away?

It's the spirit, it's the spirit that leaves the body.

Now. So it death body goes to the

ground, Spirit goes back to God, who gave it.

But now the third part and that's the most important part

That's the soul. Because the soul never dies.

There will never be a time when the soul is no longer.

In fact, whether you're saved or whether you're lost, there will

never be a time when the soul is no longer.

It goes on for eternity. And you cannot kill the soul.

Jesus said in Matthew 10:28 and fear, not them which kill the

Matthew 10:28

body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him

which is able to destroy both what soul and Body in hell now.

In Philippians chapter 1. The Bible says that the Apostle

Philippians 1 · chapter mention

Paul had a straight. The King James version says, he

had a straight. That passage says for me to live

is Christ. And to die is gain.

But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor.

Yet, when I shall choose, I know not for I am in a strait betwixt

or between two having a desire to depart and be with Christ,

Which is far better, nevertheless to abide in the

flesh. Listen is more needful for you.

He knew that the be with the Lord was far greater for

himself, but he also knew that that's not the best thing for

for the cause of Christ. And let me just say this.

It didn't mean, he had a death wish, it didn't mean, he wanted

to do himself, some kind of harm, it didn't mean that at

all. You know, what's really sad to

me? What's really sad to me is when

people think that there's no other way, if there's no other

way out, except to take their own life.

Having a death wish, and removing themselves from this

life. I've never understood that.

I've spent the better part of a year being treated.

I'm going to tell you something about some people that I saw I

saw some little old ladies that were fighting for their life.

I saw people that were fighting with every fiber of their being

to live. I talk to people and they would

tell me that the reason that they wanted to live is because

of their family and they were going to do every single thing

that they possibly could to live.

You know why folks because it doesn't make any difference,

whatever we're in or whatever state wherein it is never ever,

ever, okay to quit. It is never okay to end it ever

and nowhere in the Bible. Does it say that?

That's okay. Nowhere.

I don't understand some of the things.

About that. There was a song written about

that very thing. And it says, it was just another

story printed on the second page underneath the Tigers football

score. It said he was only 18 a boy

about my age. They found him face down on his

bedroom floor. They'll be services on Friday at

the Lawrence Funeral Home than out on Mooresville Highway.

They'll lay him need the stone. But how do you get that lonely?

How do you hurt that bad? To make you make the call that

have a no life at all. Is better than the life that you

had. How do you feel so empty that

you want to let it all go? How do you get that lonely?

And nobody know. Did his girlfriend break up with

him? Did he buy or steal that gun?

Did he lose a fight with drugs or alcohol?

did his mom and daddy, forget to say, I love you, son.

Did no one. See the writing on the wall?

I'm not blaming anybody. We all do the best we can.

I know hindsight's 20/20. but I still don't understand one

little example. Elijah, we all know the story he

was depressed, he was down. He wanted to die.

But let's always use him as an example and look at the whole

story. Went to a funeral not long ago.

When the preacher use, that story be at a funeral funeral

home of the fellow that took his own life but there's a second

part to that you know what, the angel lord said to him, oh he

was down. He wanted to end it.

He wanted to die Angel lord said, you know, he said he says

you're wrong, get up and go back.

What else? There's work to be done, what

else? It's not time for you to die.

And by the way, your entire thinking is wrong.

Because it's not hopeless. There are still 7000 that have

not bowed the knee to Baal. It's never okay to quit in this

life. It is never okay to quit.

Paul had a struggle to know that to be with the Lord would have

been wonderful and great but he knew that the cause of Christ

needed him in this life and folks that needs to be every

Christians desire. Let's leave this world better

than we found it. You know.

Anybody can do that. Anybody can you might say?

Well not me. Yeah, you yes, you everybody in

their own, even small center of influence can make the world

better than they found it. Can make the world better for

the cause of Christ than once. It was then what it once was.

Because not tell you something, folks, the soul is eternal and

will be judged by the things that we did when all these

things were together in the body.

Outer man, perishes Inner Man, renewed, day by day second,

Corinthians 4, and I'm almost finished 2nd Corinthians 4

beginning in verse 16 for which cause we faint not.

But through our outward man perish though.

Our outward man perish. Yet the inward man is renewed

day by day. Today for our light Affliction,

which is, but for a moment worketh for us a far more

exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.

While we look not at the things which are seen.

But the things that are not seen for the things which are seen

are temporal, but the things which are not seen are Eternal.

That's an amazing passage. You know what he says he's

talking about the outer man and it's going to perish and I tell

you this, If I live long enough and the Lord doesn't come back,

this outer man, this body is going to Decay Parish where out.

I may be an old old man that can't even move.

And at the very same time, my inner man can be still renewed,

day by day. Member be renewed, Ephesians

Ephesians 4:23

4:23 in the spirit of your mind. Romans 12 verses 1 and 2 are

Romans 12:1

concerned today. Folks is our Eternal Soul that

being said, I want to ask you how it is with you today.

How is it with you today in this life?

Have you been living? As you should have?

You understood what the Bible teaches that you must do in

order to be saved? And have you follow that?

Are you on the path? Are you on the straight and

narrow way? First of all, the Bible is very

clear on what a person must do to be saved.

The Bible, says in, Romans 1 and 17.

So faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Jesus said, in Mark, 16 15 and 16, he that believeth and is

baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be

damned Jesus said in Luke 13 and 3.

And it also verse 5, I tell you nay, but except you repent, you

shall all likewise perish. Then Jesus said, if you'll

confess me before, Man, I will confess you before my Father,

which is in heaven. That confession is simply.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

These are steps that are unto they are up to, or they Point

toward the point of Salvation, which is in water, baptism where

we go down into the Waters of baptism contact.

The blood of Jesus have our sins washed away and the Lord Jesus

Christ adds us to his church, right then and there we thank

you for listening to our podcast, put on by the church.

Of Christ at 22:15 plans, Road in Bakersfield.

If you would like any additional information or you would like to

receive a free Bible correspondence, course by mail.

Please email us at info at True Church of Christ

Bakersfield.com. Our service times are on Sundays

at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. please

make plans to join us. We would love for you to be our

Honored guest.