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The Bible
is a very ominous book, especially for those who do not
avail themselves of God’s mercy and grace in Christ. God is
not pleased by man’s sin and rebellion against Him; and the
Bible has foretold of great judgments to come against the
wickedness of mankind.
Psa
7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the
wicked every day.
12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his
bow, and made it ready.
13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death;
he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
Rom
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the
truth in unrighteousness;
Rev
20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on
it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and
there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened: and another book was opened,
which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of
those things which were written in the books, according to
their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and
death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and
they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This
is the second death.
15 And whosoever was
not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake
of fire.
Although
it contains a message of hope for those in Christ, the Bible
is not without some very grave warnings to believers also.
While the Scriptures are plain about the security of those
in Christ, it does not mean that they may live with a
careless attitude about sin. What we have tried to show in
this book are some of the more direful warnings that should
strike a reverential fear in the hearts of God’s people. The
Bible is plain—God will deal with His children in ways that
are appropriate. “The
Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall
into the hands of the living God.” “For whom the Lord loveth
he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”
“Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of
entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short
of it.”
Heb
4:1 Let us therefore
fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his
rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Heb
10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under
two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be
thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God,
and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was
sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the
Spirit of grace?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto
me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The
Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful
thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Heb
12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with
sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are
partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which
corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not
much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and
live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their
own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be
partakers of his holiness.
The
Apostle Peter sums up for us what is to be the attitude for
those who are trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ—“Wherefore
gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the
end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not
fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your
ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye
holy in all manner of conversation;
1 Pet 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be
sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be
brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves
according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye
holy in all manner of conversation;
16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of
persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the
time of your sojourning here in fear:
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with
corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb
without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the
dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be
in God.
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