An unbeliever is someone who lacks or loses faith but also refuses to have faith in God. Not merely with doubt, but also by rejection. Basically, they are the ones who refused to trust in Christ because they were in love with sin. As a result, those who do not believe will not be allowed to enter the place set aside for believers, the new Jerusalem.
Unbeliever, You Are Forever Excluded From The New Jerusalem!
STM Bible Lesson
Lesson focus: Revelation 21:6-8. Bible lesson background, Revelation 21:1-8: “The new Jerusalem,” as it is called by John, comes down from the heavens. This is also where God will reside among His followers. In fact, we won’t have to deal with things from the past that saddened us. Additionally, all things are new and finished according to the Alpha and Omega. Finally, for those who kept the faith, this is the reward. On the other hand, people who reject Him (an unbeliever), those who choose sin, will end up in the lake of fire, the second death.
Every Unbelieve is Treated the Same
- Gentiles will be “cut off” in the same way that a Jewish unbeliever [referred to as “branches”] was if they do not believe.
- Romans 11:19-21 [read Romans 11:11-36 (19-21)]
- Then you {Gentiles} will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 True enough; they were broken off by unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either. (HCSB)
- KJV: Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.
Be Careful You Could Stop Believing
- Hebrews 3:12 [read Hebrews 3: (12); Psalms 95:6-11 (7b-11)]
- Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. (CSB)
- KJV: Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeliefG570, in departing from the living God.
The Israelites Are An Example
- After God made promises, the Israelites lost faith in him. Notwithstanding the fact that they had plenty of grounds to believe in Him, they stopped.
- Hebrews 3:18-19 [read 16-19 (18-19)]
- And which people was God talking to when he promised that they would never enter his place of rest? He was talking to those who did not obey him. 19 So we see that they were not allowed to enter and have God’s rest, because they did not believe. (ERV)
- KJV: And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Don’t Miss God’s Rest
- Guzik’s Commentary: unbelief kept the generation that escaped Egypt from entering Canaan. The promise remains of entering His rest, and we can enter into that rest by faith. Unbelief will make us fall short of the rest God has for us.
- Hebrews 4:6 [read Hebrews 4:1-10 (6); see 3:18]
- Those who first heard the Good News did not receive that rest, because they did not believe. There are, then, others who are allowed to receive it. (GNT)
- KJV: Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
- Anyone who enters God’s rest will rest [or has also rested] from his work as God did.
- Hebrews 4:11 [read Hebrews 4:11-13 (11)]
- Let us try as hard as we can [strive; make every effort] to enter God’s [that] rest so that no one will fail [be lost; fall] by following the example of those who refused to obey [or did not believe; were unfaithful]. (EXB)
- KJV: Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Baptized Believers Will Be Saved
There is a solution for those who refuse to believe. You can choose to trust the Lord and do as the Gospel says;
- Mark 16:16 [read Mark 16:14-18 (16)]
- Those who believe [i.e., the Gospel] and are baptized will be saved [i.e., from doom]. But those who refuse to believeG569 will be condemned [punished; doomed]. (TLB)
- KJV: He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not [the unbeliever] shall be damned.
Three Greek Words For Unbelief
FYI, 40 scriptures in the New Testament contain these Greek terms.
Apisteo – ‘believe not’
- G569 ἀπιστέω apisteo (a-piy-ste’-ō) v.
1. to be unbelieving.
2. (transitively) disbelieve.
3. (by implication) disobey.
[from G571]
KJV: believe not.
Found in These Scriptures
Mark 16:11, 16; Luke 24:11, 41; Acts 28:24; Romans 3:3; 2 Timothy 2:13; and 1 Peter 2:7.
Apistia – unbelief
- G570 ἀπιστία apistia (a-piy-stiy’-a) n.
1. faithlessness.
2. (negatively) disbelief (lack of Christian faith).
3. (positively) unfaithfulness (disobedience).
[from G571]
KJV: unbelief.
Found in These Scriptures
Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:6, 9:24, and 16:14; Romans 3:3, 4:20; and 11:20, 23; 1 Timothy 1:13; Hebrews 3:12, 19.
Apistos – unbeliever; unbelievers
- G571 ἄπιστος apistos (a’-piy-stos) adj.
1. (actively) disbelieving, i.e. without Christian faith or without trust (in God).
2. (especially) a heathen.
[from G1 (as a negative particle) and G4103]
KJV: that believeth not, faithless, incredible thing, infidel, unbeliever(-ing).
Found in These Scriptures
Matthew 17:17; Mark 9:19; Luke 9:41, 12:46; and John 20:27.
Acts 26:8; 1 Corinthians 6:6, 7:12-15, 10:27, 14:22-24; 2 Corinthians 4:4, 6:14-15; 1 Timothy 5:8; Titus 1:15; Revelation 21:8.
A Plea to Every Unbeliever
If you have not done so, give the Lord a try, He is alive. You will see that He is solid and trustworthy. Most of all, He wants you to be saved! However, I do caution you and this is not a threat, if you go against Him you will lose. And the same as it was for the Jews, the outcome will not be good for you!
- 1 Timothy 2:4 [read 1 Timothy 2:1-7 (4)]
- God wants all men to be saved and to begin understanding the truth. (HNC)
- KJV: Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Jesus is the Rejected Stone
- 1 Peter 2:4-5 [read 1 Peter 2:4-10 (4-5)]
- You are coming to Christ, the living stone who was rejected by humans but was chosen as precious by God. 5 You come to him as living stones, a spiritual house that is being built into a holy priesthood. So offer spiritual sacrifices that God accepts through Jesus Christ. (GW)
- KJV: To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Do Not Reject Him
- 1 Peter 2:6-7 [read 1 Peter 2:4-10 (6-7)]
- As the Scriptures say,
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
7 Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him [Psalms 118:22 says],
“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” (NLT) - KJV: Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
Forever Excluded From The New Jerusalem!
- The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Because of sin, all disobedient unbelievers are destined for a “stumbling,” which will lead to eternal condemnation.
- 1 Peter 2:8 [read 1 Peter 2:4-10 (8)]
- And,
“It is a stone that causes people to trip. It is a rock that makes them fall. (Isaiah 8:14)”
They trip and fall because they do not obey [believe] the message. That is also what God planned for them. (NIRV) - KJV: And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
Every Unbeliever Will Burn
- Revelation 21:6-8 [read Revelation 21:1-8 (6-8)]
- He also said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water free of charge from the spring of the water of life. 7 The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.” (NET)
- KJV: And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Don’t be left out of the new city
If you have ever desired anything, this is worth hoping for. That is citizenship in the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. Life Application Bible Commentary – “The new Jerusalem is the future dwelling of the people of God (Revelation 21:2). They will be citizens in God’s future kingdom. Everything will be new, pure, and secure.“
The final plea is that you, unbeliever, reconsider how you feel about God. The fact is, if you are reading this, there is hope for you because it shows that you were at least curious. So trust God and be allowed to enter the place set aside for believers, the new Jerusalem. Thank you for taking the time to read this Bible lesson. I urge you to make full use of it. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺
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