The believers of today are looking to be with Jesus in Heaven. Many of them would not be happy at all with Jesus in Heaven. They love the world. They love to indulge the passions of their flesh. They love to exercise their self-will without hindrance. Why would they be happy in Heaven with Jesus and other people who have turned away from the world, the flesh, and their self-will? Again, this is ridiculous.

The truth is, they do not really desire to be among the saints in Heaven. What they want is to continue their fleshly way of life as long as possible and not be sent to Hell or the Lake of Fire. This is unscriptural and unrealistic. If what we desire is found in Hell then God in His goodness will send us there. Hell and Heaven are real places, not some sort of fantasy land where people become something they have not been in the world.

Let's consider another verse.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7,8—NIV)

From the context of the Book of Galatians we understand the above passage to be addressed to Christians. I think it is saying the same thing as Romans 8:13, which we discussed previously.

Paul had said previously in Galatians:

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:24—NIV)

Today we would say that the person who places his faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, but who does not crucify his sinful nature with its passions and desires, (and this certainly is true of numerous Christians who have been taught it is not critically important how they behave because they have been saved by grace) will go to Heaven anyway. He has been "saved" by an unconditional grace, by a sovereign action of God who has chosen him for salvation.

But Paul says if we do not crucify our sinful nature with its passions and desires, choosing instead to live so as to please our sinful nature, from that very same sinful nature we will reap destruction. The question is, what does it mean to "reap destruction"?

We are suggesting in this present essay that reaping destruction means in the Day of Resurrection the Christian will not receive the blessings of life and glory we normally associate with salvation. How could it mean anything else? He has lived to please his sinful nature. From that same nature he will reap destruction. In the Day of Christ what he has done shall be given to him even though he names the name of Christ.

Conversely, if the Christian seeks to please the Spirit of God, from that same Spirit He will reap eternal life. This is strongly suggestive of what Paul said in Romans:

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:11—NIV)

To be continued.