Summary of Dr. Peter Hack’s sermon on may 21, 2023

According to the Bible, preserving the soul also means preserving salvation. We should never lose hope but approach the Lord with unwavering trust, even excluding the possibility of failure. Unfortunately, trust can be lost, but we should strive to prevent this from happening. Christianity focuses on the future, not dwelling on the past. Therefore, we should not seek solutions to present problems by looking backward.

JESUS CHRIST CONCLUDED HIS EARTHLY MINISTRY BY DISCUSSING PROPHECIES REGARDING THE FUTURE. He will demand an account of how we used our talents and served those around us. Our faith has a future goal, and this is what Jesus wanted to emphasize.

People filled with the Holy Spirit have the opportunity to discern the future. Jesus Christ’s return is not delayed but is patient for the sake of those who have not yet chosen Him. According to the Bible, there are two possibilities for individuals in the future: either salvation or perdition. People often find themselves in a bad state due to their own poor decisions. Although God always shows us the possibility of making the right decision, we do not always accept it. Jesus told His disciples that He would not leave them alone but would send the Holy Spirit as their counselor.

It is possible to seek advice from other people in certain life situations, but this should not involve the advisor making the decision instead of the one seeking guidance. The advisor should help the person receive their own revelation regarding God’s will in the matter.

The Bible is full of information about the future, and prophecies should be understood literally, not symbolically. The world tries to persuade believers not to trust in these promises. Those whose faith is based on biblical principles have an attractive lifestyle for others, but those who want to bring Christianity back to the distant past are not true to this.

Jesus occasionally referred to the past, but only to help us understand the future.

He often criticized the Pharisees, but it is a fact that they actively awaited the fulfillment of prophecies. Jesus said that people should accept what they say but not follow their actions. Regarding the restoration of the kingdom, He did not say to disregard it, but that it would happen, although the timing is unknown to us.

People who take prophecies seriously are often despised, but those who receive revelation about the future must keep it in their hearts and live their lives accordingly. This was evident in the lives of Noah and his family. In the case of Lot’s family, powerful divine intervention was necessary. The angels pulled Lot into the house and struck the men who were about to commit violence with blindness. There were also members of Lot’s family who were unable to escape because they did not provide a “handle” for the angels, and thus they perished.

WHERE THERE IS A LOSER, THERE IS ALSO A WINNER. THE VICTORIOUS ONES ARE THOSE WHO PERSIST UNTIL THE END, AND JESUS CHRIST HAS PROMISED REWARDS TO THEM. THE LORD PROMISES ROOTING IN GOODNESS TO THOSE WHO RECEIVE SPIRITUAL STRENGTH AND PREPARE FOR THE FUTURE.

In both Noah’s time and Lot’s era, the world was filled with lust of the flesh and eyes, boasting of life, and occult practices were prevalent, along with sexual perversions. The world would steer humanity back in the direction of those eras. Spiritual power has two sources: one is God, and the other is evil, which ensnares people like seaweed. Once entangled, one is no longer able to overcome. In Noah’s time, occult practices led people to have constant evil thoughts. Giants walked the earth, born from the union of human women and fallen angels. Even today, movies are filled with occult content, promoting superhuman heroes and monsters.

THE WORLD IS EVIL, BUT BELIEVERS SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID BECAUSE THE ONE WITHIN US IS GREATER THAN THE ONE IN THE WORLD. LET US HAVE STRENGTH FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THEN HE CAN FREE US FROM THE PULL OF THE WEEDS.

Let the desire directed towards the future remain in us! The pursuit of salvation should be our ultimate goal in life! We must know that the Lord is not delaying His coming but is patient for the sake of those who will be saved. Let us be co-workers with God in this work!

THE SCRIPTURE READINGS:

• Hebrews 10:35-39
• Revelation 1:4, 2:7, 11, 17, 26, 3:5, 12, 21, 6:2, 21:7
• Luke 17:20-30
• 1 John 2:15-17