Bible Studies

Are You Passing The Torch?

by Doug Laird 
06/16/23
Free to Share

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

 In a torch-relay race, each member of the team takes possession of the torch from the previous runner. The runner taking possession, runs his or her leg, and then passes the torch on to the next runner in line. This process continues until the last runner completes the course, crossing the finish line.

The torch has changed hands throughout the course of the race, but remains the same. The moments of transfer from one runner to the next are critical, if the torch is to remain intact, and be preserved until it is passed along to the next runner in line.

This scenario provides a good visual-aid when teaching how the Great Commission (1) is to be carried out throughout the course of the Church Age.

The Church Age began at the Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem, Israel, shortly after our Lord’s Ascension. Before ascending, the Lord commissioned His Church and gave it its marching orders.

The “torch” is the unadulterated Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16, 18, for salvation, along with the post salvation doctrines for discipleship to be found in New Testament Scripture.

Just as a torch-relay runner must establish and maintain a firm grip on the torch, the advancing disciples of the Church Age must establish and maintain a clear and firm understanding of the unadulterated Gospel Message and post salvation doctrine that he or she should have received from the previous generation, and pass it along, to the next generation.

The perceived need to add ANYTHING beyond faith (trust/confidence) in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to be saved, is not merely inaccurate, but amounts to a blasphemous insult, as if what He finished (John 19: 30) on the cross was not enough.

From the very beginning of the Church Age (e.g., Gal. 3: 1), “religious” authorities and their followers, from outside and from within the Christian Community-at-large, have adulterated the Gospel Message by adding to it, religious activities, promoting them as necessities in order to obtain, and then to retain, salvation (eternal life).

There is a place and purpose for post (after) salvation activities, such as celebrating the Lord’s Supper (Communion), prayer, confession, self-examination, worship, Bible Study, etc., but such things have nothing to do with either obtaining or retaining salvation.

Post salvation sin does not void the atoning (2) Work of God the Son that He finished (3) on the cross. Post salvation sin does not undo the sealing (4) and regenerating (5) Work that God the Holy Spirit performed at the moment one was born-again (6). That being said, eternal security (7) is not a license to sin. Although loss of salvation (eternal life) has been “taken off the table,” there ARE earthly (8) and heavenly (9) consequences for post (after) salvation sins of omission and commission.

Advancing disciples do not obey God because of their fear of divine retribution, but because of their developing love for God.

” If you love Me, you will keep My commandments… (John 14: 15 NASB).”

Establishing and maintaining a firm grip on (understanding of) the unadulterated Gospel Message and post (after) salvation doctrines has been, is now, and will continue to be, at the center of spiritual combat (10), throughout the course of the Church Age.

Satan attacks the truth while promoting his counterfeit alternatives, all in the name of religion. As Eph. 6: 12 teaches, our spiritual battle is NOT with people who follow the apostate teachings and guidance found in the various denominations that have evolved WITHIN the Christian Community at large.

Nor is our battle with the atheists, agnostics, immorally-behaved people, or the followers of the numerous non-Christian religions of the world.

Such persons are prisoners of war, having been deceived and taken captive by the Eph. 6: 12 forces of evil. Advancing disciples will have a 2Pet. 3: 9 desire to participate in the John 8: 32 liberations of these POW'S. POW camps in the spiritual realm are not made of bricks and bars, but can only be escaped by learning and applying the John 8:32 truth.

Satan has his own torch (false doctrine and accompanying practices) that he desires to be received and passed along to the next generation. The longer falsehood is passed along, the deeper the roots grow. False doctrine and accompanying practices have been around throughout the course of the Church Age, and will only increase during the “later times (1Tim. 4: 1 NASB)” of the Church Age.

Satan is well aware of the outcome (11) that is awaiting unbelievers who choose to reject the unadulterated Gospel Message, and the outcome (12) that is awaiting born-again believers who do not identify and or embrace the post salvation spiritual life of discipleship.

All unbelievers will spend Eternity in what the Bible calls the lake of fire. All born-again believers, who do not advance in discipleship, will spend Eternity enjoying the general environment of Heaven (13), but will forfeit the 1Cor.3: 14 reward and or the Rev. 2 and the Rev. 3 privileges that are reserved for those who became advancing disciples while here on Earth.

pMatt. 7: 13-14 concedes that only a minority of each generation will be born again, and (I believe) that only a minority of those born again will become advancing disciples. Not only do unbelievers or back-sliding believers bring upon themselves the negative Rev. 20:15/1Cor. 3: 15 outcomes, they pass on a torch of destruction to others who choose to follow their influence and example.

Jesus provided the means of salvation for every soul of the human race (14). But rather or not any individual soul will benefit from what He accomplished on the cross depends on the choice they make (15). IF one has been born-again (16), it’s because he or she chose to believe in the unadulterated Gospel Message whe

n he or she had it presented to him or her. IF one is an advancing disciple, it’s because, after having been born again, he or she chose to learn (17) and to apply (18) the principles of New Testament doctrine to his or her daily life.

Being the recipient (runner) of the unadulterated Gospel Message and or accurate post (after) salvation doctrine, one inherits the opportunity (19) and the responsibility (20) of passing along the torch to others, by our words and actions.

“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons (Deut. 4: 9 NASB).”

__________

(1) Matt. 28: 19, 20 (2) 1John 2: 2 (3) John 19: 30 (4) Eph. 4: 30 (5) Titus 3: 5 (6) John 3: 5: 7 (7) Romans 8: 1 (8) Heb. 12: 6 (9) 1Cor. 3: 15 (10) Eph. 6: 12 (11 )Rev. 20: 15 (12) 1Cor. 3: 15 (13) Rom. 8: 1 (14) 1John 2: 2 (15) John 3: 16, 18 (16) John 3: 5, 7 (17) 2Pet. 3: 18 (18) James 1: 22 (19) 1Pet. 3: 15 (20) Ezek. 33