Living With Eternity In Perspective by Dr David Ogbueli: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

The Foundational Doctrines of Christianity

In Hebrews 6:1-2, the writer lists the foundational teachings of Christ — the elementary principles upon which maturity is built. Among them: repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. These are the ancient landmarks.

The church has abandoned them. No building can stand if the foundation is broken. Repentance has disappeared from preaching. Faith has been distorted. And most critically, the doctrine of eternal judgment — the issue of heaven and hell — has been removed from our vocabulary.

This is the most dangerous removal. Because it was the first warning Jesus himself gave to his own disciples.

What Jesus Warned Before Leaving

At the close of his greatest sermon — the Sermon on the Mount — Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23:

"Not everyone who says to me, Lord Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who do the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out devils in your name, and done many wonderful works in your name? And then I will profess to them: I never knew you. Depart from me, you who practice iniquity."

Who are the people who call Jesus Lord? Who prophesy in his name? Cast out devils in his name? Not the Muslims, the Hindus, or the idol worshipers. These are believers. Ministers. People who have done deliverances and healings. And Jesus says they are in danger of hell — not because of their works, but because of iniquity running alongside those works.

The Glorified Christ Repeated the Warning

So that no one can say Jesus' earthly words were overridden after the resurrection — having risen and ascended, Jesus appeared again to John in glorified form and wrote seven letters to the churches. In Revelation 2:11: "He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." Do you know what the second death is? Hell.

Why would Jesus send this warning to the church if believers could never be hurt by the second death? There are only overcomers who can enter heaven.

In Revelation 3:5, he says to the overcomer: "I will not blot out his name from the book of life." Your name was entered the day you gave your life to Christ. Jesus is warning that it can be removed. Even America revokes citizenship. Citizenship is not an authorisation to commit crime.

The Lists — Who Cannot Inherit the Kingdom

In Revelation 21:8, the list includes: the cowardly (believers who will not stand for their conviction under pressure — they are listed before even the unbelievers), the unbelieving, the abominable (those who practice sexual perversion), murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars. They shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone — which is the second death.

In Galatians 5:19-21, Paul — the apostle of grace — writes to the church in Galatia: "The works of the flesh are manifest: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strife, emulations, wrath, seditions, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revellings, and such like." Then he adds: "I warn you as I did before: those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Why is an apostle using a warning to those who are already born again — if there is no danger?

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul repeats: "Know you not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived." He is writing to the church. He then lists fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, the covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners. Then he adds: "And such were some of you. But you are washed, you are sanctified, you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." This should be our past — not our present.

The Weightier Matters

In Matthew 23:23, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees: "You pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin but have omitted the weightier matters of the law — judgment, mercy, and faithfulness." Not all things carry the same weight. Moral issues send people to death.

God does not reward position. God does not reward visibility or anointing. He rewards service, sacrifice, and faithfulness. Can you be trusted? Are you loyal? Are you dependable?

The church has robbed itself of the truth. People who should have been redeemed from hell are going back through the other way — not because they were never saved, but because nobody told them the truth while there was still time.

In Romans 8:12-13

Paul writes: "We are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if we live after the flesh, we shall die. But if we through the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body, we shall live."

These are believers. Paul warns them: you can die again. There is an inner working power of the Holy Spirit that helps us overcome the lusts of the flesh and put them to death. The key is in Galatians 5:16: "Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh."

Being filled with the Spirit is one level. Walking in the Spirit is another — and that is what produces a life of victory. The Holy Spirit did not come only to anoint us for miracles. He came to empower us to live the Christian life.

The fruit of the Spirit is the evidence: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there is no law. And those that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts.

Anything on the list of the works of the flesh — stay away from it. Repent today and stop. Don't let any preacher of grace deceive you. Grace does not authorise lawlessness. Jesus does not save you in your sin. He saves you from it. There is no genuine salvation without repentance.