Bible Doctrine Part 3

LED BY A CHILD

WHEN WILLIE STRUHAR was a child, her father spent his time and money in gambling halls and saloons. It seemed divorce was imminent, but one day, an Apostolic Faith paper came into their home. She read of the wonderful change God could make in a person’s life, poured her heart out to Him and felt His peace sweep through her soul. Upon going to sleep that night, she had a wonderful dream. She had never read the Scriptures which tell of eternal judgment, but she recounted:

“I saw the Lord in the midst of a throng. There were people of all ages and nationalities. As far as I could see there was just a great sea of humanity. The Lord stood there with white and fl owing robes. His countenance was sweet to those who could look upon Him, but some were hiding their faces because the brightness was too great.

“There was a huge crack in the earth, like a gulf, and smoke was ascending from this great hole in the ground. On the other side was the devil and he seemed to be waiting for those whom the Lord would reject. A transparent stairway led up into Heaven, and on this stairway angels were hovering. As the people came up before the Lord, each one was either accepted or rejected. It just seemed to be a nod of the Lord’s head or a smile that told. When my turn came, the Lord smiled and motioned for me to go with the angels, but I didn’t go. I hid by His side in the folds of His garment, and waited until my father came before the Lord. He was rejected! I began to pull on the garments of the Lord and beg Him to please save my father. Up to that time, the Lord had not seemed to notice me, but He turned and smiled at me and said, ‘Tell your father to get ready!’ That was the end of my dream.”

The next day Willie’s father came home drunk, after spending sixteen hours at the gambling table. Willie’s face shone as she told him her dream. Her father realized that God was speaking through his little daughter, and fell on his knees in repentance. God saved his soul, and from then on, their home was completely transformed.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The Bible doctrines of Christ's Second Coming, the Tribulation, Christ's Millennial Reign, the Great White Throne Judgment, the New Heaven and Earth, and Eternal Heaven and Eternal Hell were established in Scripture, and upheld in the preaching and publications of the Apostolic Faith organization from its inception.

A CLOSER LOOK

1. Define the word rapture. What is the sequence of events when the Rapture of the saints takes place?

2. What will happen on earth during the Great Tribulation?

3. Name at least four aspects of life during the Millennial Reign that will be different from life as we know it now.

4. What aspects of Heaven are you most looking forward to enjoying?

Counted the Cost

“AFTER MY MOTHER was saved, she began to teach us of a Heaven to gain, of a Hell to shun, and of the great eternal Judgment. She told us that we had never-dying souls that were going to live on throughout all eternity.

“I ran around with a preacher’s son. He said if he went to Hell, he would have plenty of company. I couldn’t console myself with the thought of having company in that lake of fi re where everyone would be weeping and wailing.

“I began to count the cost. I said to myself, ‘If I should gain the whole world, live to be a ripe one hundred years of age without an ache or a pain, and then spend all eternity in that lake of fire and brimstone where the worm dieth not, and the fi re is not quenched, I would still be the loser.’ I looked at the other side of the picture and thought how much better it would be to have salvation even if I had barely enough worldly possessions to get by. I decided Heaven was cheap at any price.

“I left my home and came to Portland, Oregon, for one reason—to get saved. At the altar of prayer, I asked God to have mercy on me. After praying a while, I looked up and said, ‘I feel free!’ That night I went home singing, ‘There’s a new name written down in Glory, and it’s mine!’

“Today, my determination is to make Heaven my eternal home.” – Bill Cripps.