Obstacles To Eternity

TOPIC: OBSTACLES TO ETERNITY

There are obstacles of Satan, sin, self, and the world that we must overcome, if the vision of making heaven wouldn't be a miracle. Are you ready?

MEMORY SCRIPTURE:
But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexual immoral and murderer and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie (Revelation 22:15).

BRIEF COMMENT
The use of 'but' in the opening of this verse suggests relationship between the preceding verse and this, but the relationship is converse. 'But' emphasises sharp contrast or opposition between two propositions. While verse 14 clarifies the criteria, condition and the fate of those who would enter into God's Kingdom, verse 15 sharply states the condition and characteristics of those who would not make it to the Kingdom of God. According to the passage, who would not enter into the kingdom of God? The dogs, sorcerers, sexually immoral, murderers, idolaters, lovers of lies and those that practice it.

Comparing this with verse 8 and 27 of the preceding chapter (21), we can see similarities: but there shall by no means enter it anything that defile, or cause ms an abomination or a lie. They also begin with but, differently. They all show us obstacles that heaven-bound pilgrims must watch out for, very closely, and jump pass, if they must realise their vision of heaven.

Dog, here, should not be interpreted literally. This signifies certain character flaws or practices that are similar symbolically to the characteristics of dogs, e.g. eaten faeces (immorality/corruption), barking unnecessarily (violence), u protected or immoral sexual activities, going back to eat own vomits, etc. Sins not confessed are defilement that are capable of hindering anyone from entering Christ's Kingdom. Be watchful as a believer and stay uncorrupted to enter into life eternal.


DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
1.   The door of God's Kingdom is open to all. Sin debars the recalcitrant from entering.
2.   Nothing except un-confessed sins and immoral practices can stop Christian from entering God's Kingdom. Unwholesome and ungodly attitudes are obstacles to the eternity of God. Beware.

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Isaiah 35:8-10

AIM AND OBJECTIVES
AIM: To let us know that there are some hurdles we must cross if we actually want to make eternity with God.

OBJECTIVES: At the time this lesson is concluded, the learners should be able to:
i.   defend the fact that only true believers who are sinless would be in eternity with God`
ii.  show that that only true believers who are sinless would be in eternity with God;
iii. discuss the fact that the obstacles are Satan, sin (defilement, uncleanness, impurity, etc), the world, and self, etc.; and
iv. discuss how to overcome these obstacles to enter eternity.

INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: MATTHEW 7:18-23; ACTS 4:12;1 CORINTHIANS 6:9-10; EPHESIANS 4:22-32; REVELATION 22:1-5
The previous lesson kick-started the series of Sunday School discussions for January-June, this glorious year 2019. We examined the concept of the rapture, the major end-time event we are expecting, according to the Scriptures, to put an end to this age of grace. In the lesson, we were able to discuss the concept of rapture itself before delving into the divine purpose for it as well as the qualifications that one needs to partake of the expected glorious event that would emancipate saints from the wickedness of this present world.

Here comes the second lesson in this series that is titled OBSTACLES TO ETERNITY. Obstacles are those things that hinder, block impede, or prevent the possibility, or progress of another thing. Meanwhile, eternity is the condition, quality, or fact of being without beginning or end, a timeless state believed to be experienced after death, whether with God in heaven, or with the devil in hell.

It is in the eternal plan of God for man that we observe that God desires us to be with Him in eternity. In the words of Jesus to His disciples, towards the end of His earthly ministry, when He was about to surrender His life, as sacrifice for the sins of human race, He publicly declared, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (Jn. 14:2b-3). However, there are some hindrances that would not allow many people, some believers inclusive, to get to eternity with God in Christ. In this lesson, God is helping us to discuss those this gs that can hinder one from enjoying eternal bliss with God on the last day. May God help us. Amen.

INTRODUCTION TO EACH DIVISION
This lesson is divided into two sections, I and II. Each of the sections is further divided into A and B.

DIVISION I: GOD'S ETERNITY
This section dwells on God's eternity. It clarifies the issue of eternity in part one and the pathway to God's eternity in the second part. Revelation 22:1-5 is considered on the issue of eternity with God, while the pathway to kinds of eternity: Eternity with God; and eternity in the lake of fire where the devil will be the chief host. It is the best to crave eternity with God in His Paradise, and that is only possible through the holiness and righteousness provided for in Christ Jesus.

DIVISION II: TO GOD'S ETERNITY
This division, as usual, is broken into two. Part A talks about the obstacles, that is those hindrances to eternity with God. It is taken from 1 Corinthians. 6:9-10. The B part dwells on the way out. 1 Corinthians 6:11 and Ephesians 4:22-32 are the two passages for study. Without mincing words, the obstacles to the Kingdom of God are well spelt out for anyone who cares to know. Moreover, because our God is a God of solution, He has equally given us the way out of being hindered from entering into eternity, in this section.

LESSON OUTLINE
I.   GOD'S ETERNITY
     A.   THE ISSUE OF ETERNITY
     B.   THE PATHWAY TO GOD'S ETERNITY
II.  OBSTACLES TO GOD'S ETERNITY
     A.  THE OBSTACLES
     B.  THE WAY OUT

LESSON EXPOSITION
I.   GOD'S ETERNITY (Matthew 7:18-23; Acts 4:12; Revelation 22:1-5)
What is eternity? Eternity connotes time without end. It refers to a time that that has neither beginning nor ending. It is a time that lasts forever. Eternity is a state of being eternal, i.e. lasting forever. Eternity is a time infinite. God's eternity simply says the believers shall be with God forever in His Kingdom, after this worldly sojourn. The question is, 'will you be there?'

A.   THE ISSUE OF ETERNITY (Rev. 22:1-5)
There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever (v. 5).
i.   There are two kinds of eternity. The first is the eternity that would be spent with God (I Thess. 4:17), while the second is the one with Satan (Matt. 25:41). Eternity with God is a place of joy and peace of mind (Rev. 22:1-5), while eternity with Satan is a place of sorrow, affliction, weeping and everlasting suffering (Rev. 20:10).
ii. Although this place of eternal damnation and affliction was not made for man, unrepentant sinners would have their portions in Satan's eternity (Matt. 25:41).
iii.We live on the world where Satan resides, deceives people and accuses the brethren. Even though God doesn't want anyone to perish (2 Pet. 3:9; Matt. 18:14), Satan, the enemy of our souls, doesn't want anyone to be liberated (1 Pet. 5:8; cf. Job 1:7; 2:2; Matt. 4:1).
iv. Other synonyms for eternity are everlasting/endless, something or time that has no end; it exists forever. God the Creator is eternal (Psa. 93:2; Isa. 40:28; Hab. 1:12).
v.  Jesus Christ is eternal (cf. Isa. 9:6); God's kingdom is eternal (Psa.145:13),God's salvation is eternal (Isa. 45:17), God's love is eternal Jer. 31:3, hell fire (damnation) is eternal (Matt. 18%8,25; 2 Thess. 1:9).
vi. We are eternal beings. Only our physical bodies will decay and return to dust. Our souls shall go to God for judgment. Consequentially, anyone who is guilty will be cast into the lake of fire, to suffer eternally. Whereas, the saints shall be at home in the kingdom of God and live eternally, that is, forever and ever. You can't afford to miss this eternal bliss.

B.   THE PATHWAY TO GOD'S ETERNITY (Matt. 7:18-23; Acts 4:12)
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).
i.  The only pathway to God's eternal is to accept Jesus Christ as one's personal Lord and Saviour (Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12).
ii. Jesus' statement in His sermon on the mount shows that God is expecting a particular lifestyle from us, after accepting Him (Matt. 5:13-16,43-48).
iii.Only total obedience to God in Christ Jesus and by His Holy Spirit would take us into the eternal bliss of Christ (Matt. 7:18-23).
iv. God's eternal Kingdom is not what anyone should miss, because it is full of joy and enjoyment forever (Matt. 18:7-9).
v. It is better for you to avoid whatever would make you miss/lose God's imminent Kingdom.
vi. Isaiah makes it clear on what the way leading to eternity looks like. He says a highway shall be there and a road, called the highway of Holiness, the unclean shall not pass over it... (35:8 paraphrased)

LESSON DERIVED
1.   Hell is real; Heaven is sure. Don't joke with your life. Don't join the mockers/scoffers.
2.   Jesus is the ONLY antidote to leading in hell; the ONLY way to eternal bliss in the heaven of God.

WORK TO DO
Some people are claiming that man has one life to live after which he dies once and for all. They play down the concept of life after death. Are they right? What can be done to help them?

SUGGESTED ANSWER TO WORK TO DO
i.  Those who play down the concept of life after death are either ignorant of the fact that believers shall be at home with God, after this world, or are heretical teachers who are mainly agents of the devil.
ii. Of a truth, there is life after death. This lends credence to the doctrine of eternity or eternal life. God is eternal and He wants believers to be with Him eternally.
iii.The only thing that could hinder that, are the obstacles, which we have discussed so far in this lesson.
iv. The Bible, in several ways, has revealed to us, the fact that we shall live forever with God (Revelation 21:1-4). To dispute that is to claim that the Bible or God is false.
v. Jesus consoled His disciples with the assurance of living eternally with Himself and His Father, when He told them of going to prepare a place in His Father's house (Jh. 14:1-6).
vi. Actually, everyone who has come to this world is an eternal being. We shall all live eternally. Our souls shall not die, only our bodies shall be back to the dust. The only difference is that, our disposition here, determine the kind of eternity we shall experience.
vii.Some shall be in everlasting punishment (Revelation 20:10, 11-14), while other in everlasting bliss (Revelation 21:3-7).
viii.It is glaring that those who claim there is no life after death are not right. And the only way to help them is to show them they are wrong, and they should be ready to accept the fact that they are totally wrong.
ix. If not, they are working against God and bringing the curse of the Bible upon themselves.