What is often needed in every facet of life is EVALUATION and DIAGNOSIS. But what happens if, once evaluated, we come to the wrong conclusions?
My fiancé has had issues with her AC (air conditioning) on her car. My brother was kind enough to do much of the work FOR FREE…and that was a huge benefit. But, my brother was unable to evacuate the system and recharge it…that is something a mechanic/auto shop had to do. The mechanic could not get to the car until this past Monday. When we started the car to take it to the shop, it was suddenly making a noise that it had not made when we picked it up from my brother. When evaluated, the mechanic said the problem was with the Idler Pulley and that it would have to be replaced. It was then that I felt that the mechanic was not diagnosing the problem correctly. I told my fiancé that I disagreed with what she was told. Nonetheless, the mechanic performed the work, charging approximately 100 dollars more than was expected. Then…guess what? The next morning, Barb got in to her car to head to work…and…THERE WAS THE EXACT SAME NOISE! Although there was a new Idler Pulley…the noise was the SAME! The problem had been improperly evaluated and diagnosed! The mechanic now says the problem is the Alternator…it wasn’t the Idler Pulley at all.
When it comes to FIXING what is wrong…it does no good to replace something IF that SOMETHING is not at fault!
And…too often in life we improperly evaluate/diagnose a problem…thus making a change or “fixing” something when that SOMETHING is not the problem!
For the past few days, I have been watching much of the General Assembly Sessions of the Church of God which are taking place in Orlando, FL. In this day and age of technology, I am amazed at the number of TWEETS and BLOGS that have already been published. Yet, I find myself even MORE amazed at what I believe to be INACCURATE and ERRONEOUS evaluations/diagnoses.
One such blog said that the world has “moved on” and that the “wind of the spirit has left us”. One sentence says “The world has moved on, God has moved on, and we didn’t even notice.”
I have to state this: I do not believe that such a statement is true. I disagree. I actually believe the writer of the blog has wrongly evaluated and diagnosed the Church…in this instance, specifically the Church of God.
I do not believe that the older men…and women…of God are “out of touch” nor “out of tune”, as some people word it. At least I have to say that not ALL of them are. Sure….some may be, but no more than some of the YOUNGER men and women of God are “out of touch” and “out of tune.”
The Church HAS lost influence and numbers around the world. Now only 20% of people in the average community attend services in a Christian church. Our Nation and our world are in a spiritual mess. Society is increasingly becoming less moral and less Christian.
But…how do we evaluate these facts in light of Scripture and in light of truth?
We can blame those who came before us…we can even blame MY generation…or we can place the blame where it belongs (and this is TOTALLY Biblical): the blame is on a generation (ANY generation) that “will not endure sound doctrine.”
2 Timothy 4:2-4 (NKJV)
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove ,rebuke ,exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
We now live in a world…and now have raised up an entire generation…that focuses on, and demands, “getting what they want NOW”. No other generation has ever had so much available IMMEDIATELY. When I was young, we played with toy guns and home-made toys, all out in the yard and in the neighborhood. We CREATED things to do. But today, kids have every game and avenue available not only on their computer…but on their OWN PHONES! This generation has…and has been given…everything, it seems!
The present generation was raised with ENTERTAINMENT in mind. The rationale was “keep them entertained and keep them happy!” Somehow, HAPPINESS became the issue…outweighing what I call WELL-BEING. My parents realized that I SHOULDN’T have almost everything that I want….knowing that I should not grow up EXPECTING to be CATERED TO. Yet, this present generation has focused on HAPPINESS…living in a world where SELF is exalted over others. Even the Church is guilty here!
The Church created programs and “children’s church” that would ENTERTAIN the children…and that took kids away from parents, preventing families from growing TOGETHER in the sanctuary. While it SEEMED to be a good thing…what actually occurred was a gradual indoctrination into an ENTERTAINMENT “gospel”. And now…we are reaping the sowing of that philosophy!
So…does the problem lie with the older generation…a generation that doesn’t realize that “the world has moved on” or that the “wind of the spirit has left us”?
Again…I say NO.
Is there fault in the older generation? Yes…for following the path of ENTERTAINMENT that I mentioned above. The fault IS NOT that the Church or the older generation has NOT CHANGED…the fault is that the Church DID CHANGE…sacrificing the teaching and instruction of THE WORD on the altar of ENTERTAINMENT…under the premise that people will not “enjoy” a service and a sermon WITHOUT being ENTERTAINED.
Somehow…the Church bought the LIES that it must ATTRACT followers…and the way to do that is with SENSATIONALISM and ENTERTAINMENT. Actually…it is much like an AMUSEMENT PARK…where there are choices to be made as to what each person wants to spend their time with…what they want to AMUSE themselves with!
The Church sold out truth…and bought in to ENTERTAINMENT and AMUSEMENT and ATTRACTION!
But notice this: during the time that the Church focused on THE WORD OF GOD and SERMONS and TEACHING, the Church grew EXPONENTIALLY! But…as the Church has increasingly focused on ENTERTAINMENT and ATTRACTING people, the Church has lost influence and members by the droves!
Why?
I have said this before: the Church has used the ideas and methods of the WORLD. Therefore, the WORLD sees the Church as JUST LIKE THE WORLD! And…if the Church is offering NOTHING which is any different from what the WORLD already has…then the WORLD sees that the Church is NOT NEEDED!
In other words…the Church is offering nothing beyond what the WORLD already has…so the WORLD is not interested!
You see….it is NOT a problem of the older generation “losing touch” or that the “wind of the spirit has left us”…it is a problem of 2 Timothy 4:2-4...where the Church has sought the desires of the PEOPLE above seeking the desires of GOD! The Church is giving the WORLD what it wants…not realizing that the driving force behind the desires of the WORLD is SATAN! By giving the WORLD what they want…in Church, nonetheless!…the Church has actually been giving the WORLD what SATAN wants for them!
Satan has simply wanted TRUTH to be SILENCED! And Satan has been successful in doing that!
How?
By selling LIES to the Church! By making the Church believe that PREACHING and TEACHING and SERMONS are “out of date” and that these methods do not work. Yet, the TRUTH is…it is SATAN’S methods that have been proven to NOT WORK!
ENTERTAINMENT and CATERING TO THIS GENERATION is NOT WORKING!
ENTERTAINMENT will not set anyone free….only TRUTH will set people free!
So…before anyone gets mad at me…remember it is SCRIPTURE that says that it is an “adulterous” and “evil” generation that seeks for signs and wonders…and ENTERTAINMENT!
The mistake of the older generation: giving this generation what they have wanted! (This is Scripture…read it again…and notice WHAT and HOW things are preached are being determined by the YOUNGER, NEW GENERATION…their own “lusts” fueling WHAT they will hear and HOW they will accept it!)
As a Worship Leader, I learned that there are GOOD songs and there are BAD songs. Regardless of the age of the song, the question is always this, in my opinion: does this “worship” song focus on GOD/JESUS…or does it focus on ME. Worship is from ME to GOD…nothing else! Old songs are not BAD…and neither is a NEW song GOOD simply because it is NEW!
There is NOTHING wrong with OLD and/or NEW…unless it takes the focus OFF of GOD and it then places the focus on ME or US!
And that is the problem: the Church has become so ME and US and WE focused that it lost the focus on GOD! Pleasing MAN…pleasing the MASSES…pleasing the CROWD has become the god of the Church in many cases!
Is their a spiritual problem in the Church? YES! And Jesus appeared to John and commanded Him to write the letters to the 7 Churches in the book of Revelation for that very reason!
But…that spiritual problem is being evaluated and diagnosed by many…with many supposing the problem is that the older generation has lost touch. I believe that is a LIE!
The TRUE spiritual problem is that the older generation allowed the younger generation to SET THE AGENDA…and the younger generation decided that it does not want to “endure sound doctrine”!
God wants to use EVERY generation…but the older generation is to MENTOR and LEAD the younger generation!
Keep this in mind (anyone that is old enough to do so): we only realize at the age of 40 that we DID NOT know everything at the age of 25!
Even the WISEST 25 year old still has A LOT to learn! Even the WISEST 25 year old is not NEARLY so wise as he will be at the age of 40!
And…in every case, a 25 year old cannot see that fact!
Far from the Church needing to get MORE into the ways and methods of the younger generation…the Church needs to return to its ways and methods that have been PROVEN to be successful: PREACH THE WORD OF GOD…PREACH THE TRUTH…LET THE WORD OF GOD AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD HAVE CONTROL!
When the Church STOPS trying to MARKET itself and when it STOPS trying to ENTERTAIN people…and when it returns to its ROOTS…THEN…
THEN….
THEN…
…the Church will again began to plant, sow, and reap a HARVEST of newly SAVED SOULS for the KINGDOM OF GOD!
I BELIEVE THAT!
God bless!
Ron
Monday, July 30, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Defending the Faith: The Wonder...and Truth...of GRACE
As the Satanic attack on TRUTH and THE WORD OF GOD intensifies, so too must the Army of God continue to rise up in defense of God’s Word. Make no mistake: Satan IS out to DESTROY the TRUTH…whether by creating the illusion that the Bible is in error or by distorting the truths which are taught within its pages. And…we must recognize this truth: if it is not GOD revealing and speaking through men, then it is, instead, SATAN who is “revealing” and speaking through men. Of course, Satan’s “revelation” is simply LIE!
Many in the Church believe speaking out against false doctrine is “negative”. Many in the Church believe that God did not EVER tell ANYONE to speak out AGAINST anything…that we are NOT to point out doctrinal error, false prophets, false teaching, etc. In truth, that is the “revelation” of Satan…the LIE of Satan. Can I truly make such a bold statement?
(Note: all Scriptures are in the NKJV)
2 Peter 2 (Paul speaks extensively regarding false prophets)
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)-- 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
Jeremiah 14:14 (Jeremiah speaks against false prophets who promised good things while God was speaking the opposite.)
And the Lord said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.
Lamentations 2:14 (It is believed to be authored by Jeremiah. The author speaks out against false prophets who speak lies in opposition to the truth of God. The prophets are speaking good things to the people, which is actually contrary to the truth. Again, almost EVERY example of false teaching hinges on speaking GOOD THINGS to the people…saying things that they want to hear.)
“Your prophets have seen for you False and deceptive visions; They have not uncovered your iniquity, To bring back your captives, But have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions.”
Ezekiel 22:28 (Ezekiel speaks out against those who prophecy falsely in God’s name, saying, again, GOOD THINGS that God had not spoken.)
“Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord God,' when the Lord had not spoken.”
Matthew 7:15 (Jesus speaks here, warning that false prophets will appear GOOD…yet they are EVIL.)
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 24 11, 24 (Jesus warns His Disciples about the rise of false prophets and their deceptive signs and wonders.)
“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
1 John 4:1-6 (John speaks out regarding false prophets and notes from where they derive their “prophecies”: from the world. John points out that the impetus for their words is the desires of the world, and he states that the “world hears them”. He also notes that the world does NOT hear the words of TRUE prophets…their minds are too carnal to accept the hard truth of the Spirit of God.)
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Revelation 3:14-22 The Lukewarm Church (Jesus appears to John on the Isle of Patmos and speaks, telling him to write to the 7 Churches. Here, Jesus tells Laodicea that they are deceived into believing that their wealth and riches are a sign that God’s blessing is on them. Instead, God says that they are spiritually blind and wretched and miserable and naked and poor! And this belief in false doctrines, teachings and theologies has caused them to be “neither hot nor cold”…and it makes God sick!)
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ' "
If I attempted to put every Scripture which speaks out against false doctrine, false teachers, false prophets and the like then I would have to print here almost HALF of the entire New Testament…and an OVERWHELMING portion of the Old Testament! I will refrain from doing that…for my sake and your sake!
Now…let me get specific: Joseph Prince and MANY others are now preaching and teaching doctrines of “grace” which are actually distorted lies of Satan. Let me make this PERFECTLY clear:
SALVATION IS BY GRACE ALONE, AND THAT THROUGH FAITH ALONE! SALVATION IS NOT AND CANNOT EVER BE RECEIVED BY WORKS!
Yet, the TRUE doctrine of GRACE as revealed to us through God’s Word is being distorted in such a way that creates a dangerous deception, resulting in the espousing of ideas that relegate OBEDIENCE, CONFESSION, and REPENTANCE to being UNNECESSARY in the life of the believer. Further, this false doctrine being espoused by Prince and many others is creating a false teaching which does not distinguish between what is required to receive Salvation (Grace ALONE) and what is required to WALK and LIVE the Christian life. This false teaching which is being propagated is creating a false doctrine which says this: when we, as sinners, confess and repent of our sins…allowing us to become Christians…then ANY AND EVERY sin that we WILL EVER commit is forgiven and taken care of at that point. This teaching and doctrine is FALSE!
Christians…and others…have often said “Jesus forgives all sins.” Yet, this statement is NOT true. What is the actual truth then? (I know some are thinking I have lost my mind!) Scripture actually teaches us this:
Jesus does NOT forgive ALL sins: Jesus forgives sins that we have CONFESSED and REPENTED OF! This confession and repentance of our sins then puts the sins which we had PREVIOUSLY committed BEHIND US…it places those sins in our PAST…of which the Bible tells us “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
Look with me at these modern day parables…which will then be followed by Scripture to affirm the teaching therein.
1. A young man falls overboard while on a fishing vessel in the North Sea. The waters are treacherous, and the crew is barely able to get the life preserver out to the flailing man. Once putting the ring over his head and under his arms, the crew of the fishing vessel is able to pull the man back to safety. The life preserver (a round, white flotation device) is wrapped around the man as he now stands on the deck of the vessel. The life preserver SAVED this young man’s life. After all the clamor of the situation is over, the young man removes the life preserver and is grateful for the efforts of the crew. In time, everyone goes back to work and things return to some semblance of normalcy. Suddenly, another TREMENDOUS wave strikes the vessel, and THAT SAME young man is AGAIN swept off the deck of the vessel. This time…the life preserver is again thrown out…yet the man cannot reach it: he has gone out too far! Thus, in a short time, the young man disappears beneath the waves.
Grace is the life preserver that saves us. When we accept the free gift of Salvation from God through His Son Jesus, we are pulled from the sea of sin. Yet, Scripture tells us that once we have received Salvation, we will not live a PERFECT life (although that is to be the goal we set…striving to NEVER sin) and we WILL sin in some way. When we find ourselves in the midst of sin, we must once again reach for the life preserver of GRACE. Just because the life preserver saved us PREVIOUSLY does not mean that it can save us NOW…UNLESS we have again taken it, received it, and wrapped it around us, allowing our Lord to pull us out of the sin into which we have fallen! This is accomplished through CONFESSION and REPENTANCE! It is in this way that we can realize that GRACE does indeed cover and take care of PREVIOUS sins at the point of Salvation…but GRACE does NOT cover and take care of PRESENT and FUTURE sins absent of CONFESSION and REPENTANCE. Any teaching that says GRACE covers PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE sins from the moment we pray “the sinners prayer” (as we call it) is FALSE TEACHING. This doctrine would allow us to claim “GRACE!” regardless of how we lived our lives after Salvation…and that is NOT what God was truly establishing through Jesus. Instead, what is TRULY established in Scripture is the OPPORTUNITY to once again reach out for GRACE from God through Jesus when we find that we have failed God and sinned! The doctrines of CONFESSION and REPENTANCE are repeatedly and consistently mentioned in Scripture…and it is spoken to THE CHURCH…to those who have ALREADY ACCEPTED Jesus as Savior!
1 John 1:5-2:6 (John is speaking to CHRISTIANS, as denoted by the phrase “my little children”…and he lays out the truth of sin: we are to confess our sins even AFTER salvation. And it also denotes that FORGIVENESS is given AFTER we confess…not BEFORE. This is noted by the wording of the passage: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us…”. Grace only allows us to continue living after we sin…allowing us the opportunity to CONFESS and REPENT. Grace did NOT cover the PRESENT and FUTURE sins…it simply allows us to take care of that sin AT THE TIME WE COMMIT IT…not BEFORE we commit it.)
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
2. A young woman is headed to McDonalds. When there, she plans on buying and eating a Big Mac. While headed toward McDonalds with that goal and intention in mind, the woman CONFESSES and REPENTS of that desire. 5 minutes later…she is sitting at McDonalds eating a Big Mac!
Did the young woman REALLY repent? No…of course not! To repent means “to turn away from, to go in the opposite direction of”. The young woman COULD NOT end up at McDonalds eating a Big Mac if she had TRULY repented!
Too often, the Church has failed to preach REPENTANCE. In some cases, I would even say this: Some preachers who continue to preach do not continue to defend the faith. Under the guise of GRACE, many in the Church are espousing doctrines that allow those who CONFESS and REPENT to end up WITH the very things they have supposedly CONFESSED and REPENTED of. That is NOT possible! Yet…we realize that God is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us” if we simply TRULY follow His Word…which tells us that we must TRULY repent.
This is a POWERFUL truth: We CANNOT repent of something and still HAVE it! If we keep what we REPENT…then it is as if we hand that sin to God and then IMMEDIATELY pull it back out of His hands, deciding that we actually WANT TO KEEP IT! How many times have we heard the term “Indian giver!” God WILL take our sins and cast them away from us…IF we let Him. The decision is NOT forced upon us…we must WILLINGLY give those sins to God, putting them under GRACE and FORGIVENESS.
Ezekiel 18:30
"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord God. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.”
Matthew 4:17
“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’"
3. A man commits murder. He and another man were both involved, both active in the perpetration of this crime. Once the man is caught, the police are unable to establish a firm case against this man, yet they are able to verify and prove that the other man is guilty with the testimony of this man. Eventually, due to the need for the man’s testimony, the police offer a plea deal: if the man will confess to the crime and testify against the other man, they will not sentence him to prison time. (Probably unrealistic in our day and age, of course!) Thus, the man CONFESSES, even claiming to have “changed his ways”, announcing that he has REPENTED. The man is then set free under a plea deal of PROBATION. The next day, the man kills again!
Did the man TRULY repent? And…does CONFESSION actually mean change has taken place? In many circles of the Church today, CONFESSION is mistaken for SALVATION. A person can CONFESS they are a murderer and yet they REMAIN a murderer! The measure of a CONFESSION is seen in REPENTANCE!
To understand Salvation, we MUST get a Biblically COMPLETE picture of ALL that Scripture says regarding the issue. Scripture reveals Scripture…Scripture explains Scripture…Scripture proves Scripture. We could take ONE Scripture to “prove” something…but that “proof” must be evaluated by OTHER SCRIPTURE on the subject. If we do not properly evaluate the TOTALITY of Scripture on a subject, we can OFTEN begin to MISUNDERSTAND and MISREPRESENT Scripture. Thus…we make the truth of God and lie!
GRACE…AMAZING GRACE! Wonderful in its totality! Perfect in its application!
And it is THAT grace which allows us the time and opportunity to CONFESS and REPENT of our sins! Unlike the Old Testament, we are allowed to LIVE even though we have been immoral: we are not STONED when found to be in sin and rebellion to the moral laws of God. Instead, we are allowed the TIME to “deal with” our sin…and we do this through CONFESSION and REPENTANCE. When we obey God and follow His ways, it is THEN…and ONLY then…that He can apply FORGIVENESS through GRACE to our lives and to our sin!
Far from being a burdensome life of fear and worry over our failures (sins), it is actually very simple: when we sin, just talk to God and CONFESS that we HAVE sinned, asking His forgiveness. In doing so, God WILL forgive us! Then, we turn away from the sin that we committed…REPENTING!
So remember…do not end up with a Big Mac!! Ok…a little humor there. Haha
Jude (Jude beseeches BELIEVERS to “contend earnestly for the faith”, noting that some have begun to teach a GRACE absent of OBEDIENCE. He reminds the people that, although once delivered, returning to living in sin is dangerous and destructive. He also reveals that they will speak “great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage”. False teachers/prophets speak NOT by revelation of the Holy Spirit…instead, they speak out of selfish motives, hoping for profit and a large following: “For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit…”
1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. 24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
God bless!
Ron
Many in the Church believe speaking out against false doctrine is “negative”. Many in the Church believe that God did not EVER tell ANYONE to speak out AGAINST anything…that we are NOT to point out doctrinal error, false prophets, false teaching, etc. In truth, that is the “revelation” of Satan…the LIE of Satan. Can I truly make such a bold statement?
(Note: all Scriptures are in the NKJV)
2 Peter 2 (Paul speaks extensively regarding false prophets)
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)-- 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
Jeremiah 14:14 (Jeremiah speaks against false prophets who promised good things while God was speaking the opposite.)
And the Lord said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.
Lamentations 2:14 (It is believed to be authored by Jeremiah. The author speaks out against false prophets who speak lies in opposition to the truth of God. The prophets are speaking good things to the people, which is actually contrary to the truth. Again, almost EVERY example of false teaching hinges on speaking GOOD THINGS to the people…saying things that they want to hear.)
“Your prophets have seen for you False and deceptive visions; They have not uncovered your iniquity, To bring back your captives, But have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions.”
Ezekiel 22:28 (Ezekiel speaks out against those who prophecy falsely in God’s name, saying, again, GOOD THINGS that God had not spoken.)
“Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord God,' when the Lord had not spoken.”
Matthew 7:15 (Jesus speaks here, warning that false prophets will appear GOOD…yet they are EVIL.)
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 24 11, 24 (Jesus warns His Disciples about the rise of false prophets and their deceptive signs and wonders.)
“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
1 John 4:1-6 (John speaks out regarding false prophets and notes from where they derive their “prophecies”: from the world. John points out that the impetus for their words is the desires of the world, and he states that the “world hears them”. He also notes that the world does NOT hear the words of TRUE prophets…their minds are too carnal to accept the hard truth of the Spirit of God.)
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Revelation 3:14-22 The Lukewarm Church (Jesus appears to John on the Isle of Patmos and speaks, telling him to write to the 7 Churches. Here, Jesus tells Laodicea that they are deceived into believing that their wealth and riches are a sign that God’s blessing is on them. Instead, God says that they are spiritually blind and wretched and miserable and naked and poor! And this belief in false doctrines, teachings and theologies has caused them to be “neither hot nor cold”…and it makes God sick!)
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ' "
If I attempted to put every Scripture which speaks out against false doctrine, false teachers, false prophets and the like then I would have to print here almost HALF of the entire New Testament…and an OVERWHELMING portion of the Old Testament! I will refrain from doing that…for my sake and your sake!
Now…let me get specific: Joseph Prince and MANY others are now preaching and teaching doctrines of “grace” which are actually distorted lies of Satan. Let me make this PERFECTLY clear:
SALVATION IS BY GRACE ALONE, AND THAT THROUGH FAITH ALONE! SALVATION IS NOT AND CANNOT EVER BE RECEIVED BY WORKS!
Yet, the TRUE doctrine of GRACE as revealed to us through God’s Word is being distorted in such a way that creates a dangerous deception, resulting in the espousing of ideas that relegate OBEDIENCE, CONFESSION, and REPENTANCE to being UNNECESSARY in the life of the believer. Further, this false doctrine being espoused by Prince and many others is creating a false teaching which does not distinguish between what is required to receive Salvation (Grace ALONE) and what is required to WALK and LIVE the Christian life. This false teaching which is being propagated is creating a false doctrine which says this: when we, as sinners, confess and repent of our sins…allowing us to become Christians…then ANY AND EVERY sin that we WILL EVER commit is forgiven and taken care of at that point. This teaching and doctrine is FALSE!
Christians…and others…have often said “Jesus forgives all sins.” Yet, this statement is NOT true. What is the actual truth then? (I know some are thinking I have lost my mind!) Scripture actually teaches us this:
Jesus does NOT forgive ALL sins: Jesus forgives sins that we have CONFESSED and REPENTED OF! This confession and repentance of our sins then puts the sins which we had PREVIOUSLY committed BEHIND US…it places those sins in our PAST…of which the Bible tells us “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
Look with me at these modern day parables…which will then be followed by Scripture to affirm the teaching therein.
1. A young man falls overboard while on a fishing vessel in the North Sea. The waters are treacherous, and the crew is barely able to get the life preserver out to the flailing man. Once putting the ring over his head and under his arms, the crew of the fishing vessel is able to pull the man back to safety. The life preserver (a round, white flotation device) is wrapped around the man as he now stands on the deck of the vessel. The life preserver SAVED this young man’s life. After all the clamor of the situation is over, the young man removes the life preserver and is grateful for the efforts of the crew. In time, everyone goes back to work and things return to some semblance of normalcy. Suddenly, another TREMENDOUS wave strikes the vessel, and THAT SAME young man is AGAIN swept off the deck of the vessel. This time…the life preserver is again thrown out…yet the man cannot reach it: he has gone out too far! Thus, in a short time, the young man disappears beneath the waves.
Grace is the life preserver that saves us. When we accept the free gift of Salvation from God through His Son Jesus, we are pulled from the sea of sin. Yet, Scripture tells us that once we have received Salvation, we will not live a PERFECT life (although that is to be the goal we set…striving to NEVER sin) and we WILL sin in some way. When we find ourselves in the midst of sin, we must once again reach for the life preserver of GRACE. Just because the life preserver saved us PREVIOUSLY does not mean that it can save us NOW…UNLESS we have again taken it, received it, and wrapped it around us, allowing our Lord to pull us out of the sin into which we have fallen! This is accomplished through CONFESSION and REPENTANCE! It is in this way that we can realize that GRACE does indeed cover and take care of PREVIOUS sins at the point of Salvation…but GRACE does NOT cover and take care of PRESENT and FUTURE sins absent of CONFESSION and REPENTANCE. Any teaching that says GRACE covers PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE sins from the moment we pray “the sinners prayer” (as we call it) is FALSE TEACHING. This doctrine would allow us to claim “GRACE!” regardless of how we lived our lives after Salvation…and that is NOT what God was truly establishing through Jesus. Instead, what is TRULY established in Scripture is the OPPORTUNITY to once again reach out for GRACE from God through Jesus when we find that we have failed God and sinned! The doctrines of CONFESSION and REPENTANCE are repeatedly and consistently mentioned in Scripture…and it is spoken to THE CHURCH…to those who have ALREADY ACCEPTED Jesus as Savior!
1 John 1:5-2:6 (John is speaking to CHRISTIANS, as denoted by the phrase “my little children”…and he lays out the truth of sin: we are to confess our sins even AFTER salvation. And it also denotes that FORGIVENESS is given AFTER we confess…not BEFORE. This is noted by the wording of the passage: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us…”. Grace only allows us to continue living after we sin…allowing us the opportunity to CONFESS and REPENT. Grace did NOT cover the PRESENT and FUTURE sins…it simply allows us to take care of that sin AT THE TIME WE COMMIT IT…not BEFORE we commit it.)
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
2. A young woman is headed to McDonalds. When there, she plans on buying and eating a Big Mac. While headed toward McDonalds with that goal and intention in mind, the woman CONFESSES and REPENTS of that desire. 5 minutes later…she is sitting at McDonalds eating a Big Mac!
Did the young woman REALLY repent? No…of course not! To repent means “to turn away from, to go in the opposite direction of”. The young woman COULD NOT end up at McDonalds eating a Big Mac if she had TRULY repented!
Too often, the Church has failed to preach REPENTANCE. In some cases, I would even say this: Some preachers who continue to preach do not continue to defend the faith. Under the guise of GRACE, many in the Church are espousing doctrines that allow those who CONFESS and REPENT to end up WITH the very things they have supposedly CONFESSED and REPENTED of. That is NOT possible! Yet…we realize that God is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us” if we simply TRULY follow His Word…which tells us that we must TRULY repent.
This is a POWERFUL truth: We CANNOT repent of something and still HAVE it! If we keep what we REPENT…then it is as if we hand that sin to God and then IMMEDIATELY pull it back out of His hands, deciding that we actually WANT TO KEEP IT! How many times have we heard the term “Indian giver!” God WILL take our sins and cast them away from us…IF we let Him. The decision is NOT forced upon us…we must WILLINGLY give those sins to God, putting them under GRACE and FORGIVENESS.
Ezekiel 18:30
"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord God. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.”
Matthew 4:17
“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’"
3. A man commits murder. He and another man were both involved, both active in the perpetration of this crime. Once the man is caught, the police are unable to establish a firm case against this man, yet they are able to verify and prove that the other man is guilty with the testimony of this man. Eventually, due to the need for the man’s testimony, the police offer a plea deal: if the man will confess to the crime and testify against the other man, they will not sentence him to prison time. (Probably unrealistic in our day and age, of course!) Thus, the man CONFESSES, even claiming to have “changed his ways”, announcing that he has REPENTED. The man is then set free under a plea deal of PROBATION. The next day, the man kills again!
Did the man TRULY repent? And…does CONFESSION actually mean change has taken place? In many circles of the Church today, CONFESSION is mistaken for SALVATION. A person can CONFESS they are a murderer and yet they REMAIN a murderer! The measure of a CONFESSION is seen in REPENTANCE!
To understand Salvation, we MUST get a Biblically COMPLETE picture of ALL that Scripture says regarding the issue. Scripture reveals Scripture…Scripture explains Scripture…Scripture proves Scripture. We could take ONE Scripture to “prove” something…but that “proof” must be evaluated by OTHER SCRIPTURE on the subject. If we do not properly evaluate the TOTALITY of Scripture on a subject, we can OFTEN begin to MISUNDERSTAND and MISREPRESENT Scripture. Thus…we make the truth of God and lie!
GRACE…AMAZING GRACE! Wonderful in its totality! Perfect in its application!
And it is THAT grace which allows us the time and opportunity to CONFESS and REPENT of our sins! Unlike the Old Testament, we are allowed to LIVE even though we have been immoral: we are not STONED when found to be in sin and rebellion to the moral laws of God. Instead, we are allowed the TIME to “deal with” our sin…and we do this through CONFESSION and REPENTANCE. When we obey God and follow His ways, it is THEN…and ONLY then…that He can apply FORGIVENESS through GRACE to our lives and to our sin!
Far from being a burdensome life of fear and worry over our failures (sins), it is actually very simple: when we sin, just talk to God and CONFESS that we HAVE sinned, asking His forgiveness. In doing so, God WILL forgive us! Then, we turn away from the sin that we committed…REPENTING!
So remember…do not end up with a Big Mac!! Ok…a little humor there. Haha
Jude (Jude beseeches BELIEVERS to “contend earnestly for the faith”, noting that some have begun to teach a GRACE absent of OBEDIENCE. He reminds the people that, although once delivered, returning to living in sin is dangerous and destructive. He also reveals that they will speak “great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage”. False teachers/prophets speak NOT by revelation of the Holy Spirit…instead, they speak out of selfish motives, hoping for profit and a large following: “For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit…”
1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. 24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
God bless!
Ron
Thursday, July 12, 2012
The Christian Life: Using our FREE GIFT
Let’s suppose that two people both get brand new cars. Each car is identical. Each car is immaculate. Each car is “top of the line”. Yet…there is one MAJOR difference in the two cars: one was bought and purchased by the owner, while the other car was a FREE GIFT. The cars are IDENTICAL…yet the method of reception is COMPLETELY different.
Salvation is by GRACE ALONE. That grace is received by FAITH…and not by WORKS.
Yet, the reception of a FREE GIFT does not exclude that gift from being restricted…having boundaries, parameters, rules and regulations by which that FREE GIFT is to be used and experienced.
Regarding the gift of the car mentioned above, the car that was received as a FREE GIFT is still subject to the same laws and regulations as the car that was purchased by its owner. Although the method in which the car was RECEIVED differs from the other car, in reality each car still comes with REQUIREMENTS.
For instance:
1. Each car needs FUEL to actually work! Regardless of the type of fuel, the car must be FILLED with fuel to be of any effect. So…fuel is REQUIRED for the cars to perform!
2. Each car requires a driver! Without a driver, the car is USELESS!
3. Each car requires a LICENSE to be operated! Operating the car without a LICENSE can cause the owner to end up in jail!
4. Each car must have OIL! Without oil present, the engine will SHUT DOWN! A car without a working engine is simply a SHELL!
5. Each car must have a REGISTRATION/TAG! Not only is a tag required, but that tag/registration must be renewed YEARLY.
6. Each car may be subject to INSPECTION! In many states, cities and localities it is REQUIRED that an inspection be done YEARLY! This INSPECTION covers many aspects of SAFETY and PROPER OPERATION of the vehicle…usually focusing on the EMISSIONS of the vehicle, and also ANY aspects of the vehicle that could cause DANGER to the operator of the vehicle (such as properly operating lights, signals, steering, linkages, braking, acceleration, etc.)!
7. Each car needs a BATTERY! This BATTERY must be the PROPER battery: two DOUBLE A’s will not do! The BATTERY allows the car to be started…also allowing the electrical system to OPERATE! If the car cannot be started…then the car cannot be USED!
8. Each car needs an ALTERNATOR! The ALTERNATOR is the source by which the BATTERY receives POWER…it keeps the battery CHARGED!
9. Each car needs A STEERING WHEEL! Without a GUIDANCE system…we cannot DIRECT the car in the proper DIRECTION! We could not CONTROL our DIRECTION without a proper steering mechanism!
10. Each car needs a THERMOSTAT! The thermostat controls the TEMPERATURE at which the car is OPERATING! A car needs to operate at a TEMPERATURE that is not COLD…nor does the car need to operate at a TEMPERATURE that is TOO HOT (ready to “boil over”)! The THERMOSTAT keeps the car COOL in the HEAT!
(THIS LIST CAN GO ON AND ON…each having powerful applications to the Christian Life!)
Our Salvation and subsequent Christian WALK are much the same as the cars above. The truth of Salvation by GRACE ALONE is a real and essential doctrine of Scripture. This truth CANNOT be changed, modified, nor overlooked! Grace is THE essential doctrine of Salvation! Yet, once received, there is MUCH MORE involved in the “living out” of that Salvation…the “WALK” of a Christian life!
Matthew 5 (NKJV)
Themes: Readiness, faithfulness, good works, wasted opportunity, responsibility
(Notice that the one with 5 talents and the one with 2 talents received the SAME reward, thus the focus and truth that FAITHFULNESS is the issue, not RESULTS! This is a POWERFUL and MUCH NEEDED revelation of Scripture! Larger ministries and prominent ministers do NOT receive a greater reward! Be FAITHFUL with what God has given you…use the resources God has provided…be FAITHFUL, and do not measure your SUCCESS nor your RELEVANCE based on SIZE AND SCOPE of ministry! Just a “side note” to this post…so be encouraged in your ministry! Follow God…be faithful…and God will bestow on you eternal blessings fit for a king! Amen!)
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. 14 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' 21 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' 23 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' 24 Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' 26 But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' 41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' 44 Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' 45 Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Matthew 21:18-19
The Cursing of the Fig Tree - Jesus curses the fig tree due to its lack of fruit: there were no figs, which was the purpose of its existence. The Christian life MUST produce fruit. There MUST be good works. We MUST be PRODUCTIVE.
Matthew 21:43 (Regarding the Parable of the Landowner) We MUST “bear fruit”!
"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.”
James 2
Themes: The sin of PARTIALITY, transgressing God’s laws, mercy, OBEDIENCE, “faith without works is dead”, justification
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
We CANNOT make our FREE GIFT (Salvation by GRACE ALONE) useless. We are COMMANDED by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to OBEY His commandments!
John 14:15
"If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
John 15:10
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.”
The key to Salvation is GRACE ALONE…which is a FREE GIFT given by FAITH.
The key to the Christian Life is OBEDIENCE and FAITHFULNESS to God and His Word.
Salvation is accepting Jesus as SAVIOR: Living the Christian Life is accepting Jesus as LORD!
God bless!
Ron
Salvation is by GRACE ALONE. That grace is received by FAITH…and not by WORKS.
Yet, the reception of a FREE GIFT does not exclude that gift from being restricted…having boundaries, parameters, rules and regulations by which that FREE GIFT is to be used and experienced.
Regarding the gift of the car mentioned above, the car that was received as a FREE GIFT is still subject to the same laws and regulations as the car that was purchased by its owner. Although the method in which the car was RECEIVED differs from the other car, in reality each car still comes with REQUIREMENTS.
For instance:
1. Each car needs FUEL to actually work! Regardless of the type of fuel, the car must be FILLED with fuel to be of any effect. So…fuel is REQUIRED for the cars to perform!
2. Each car requires a driver! Without a driver, the car is USELESS!
3. Each car requires a LICENSE to be operated! Operating the car without a LICENSE can cause the owner to end up in jail!
4. Each car must have OIL! Without oil present, the engine will SHUT DOWN! A car without a working engine is simply a SHELL!
5. Each car must have a REGISTRATION/TAG! Not only is a tag required, but that tag/registration must be renewed YEARLY.
6. Each car may be subject to INSPECTION! In many states, cities and localities it is REQUIRED that an inspection be done YEARLY! This INSPECTION covers many aspects of SAFETY and PROPER OPERATION of the vehicle…usually focusing on the EMISSIONS of the vehicle, and also ANY aspects of the vehicle that could cause DANGER to the operator of the vehicle (such as properly operating lights, signals, steering, linkages, braking, acceleration, etc.)!
7. Each car needs a BATTERY! This BATTERY must be the PROPER battery: two DOUBLE A’s will not do! The BATTERY allows the car to be started…also allowing the electrical system to OPERATE! If the car cannot be started…then the car cannot be USED!
8. Each car needs an ALTERNATOR! The ALTERNATOR is the source by which the BATTERY receives POWER…it keeps the battery CHARGED!
9. Each car needs A STEERING WHEEL! Without a GUIDANCE system…we cannot DIRECT the car in the proper DIRECTION! We could not CONTROL our DIRECTION without a proper steering mechanism!
10. Each car needs a THERMOSTAT! The thermostat controls the TEMPERATURE at which the car is OPERATING! A car needs to operate at a TEMPERATURE that is not COLD…nor does the car need to operate at a TEMPERATURE that is TOO HOT (ready to “boil over”)! The THERMOSTAT keeps the car COOL in the HEAT!
(THIS LIST CAN GO ON AND ON…each having powerful applications to the Christian Life!)
Our Salvation and subsequent Christian WALK are much the same as the cars above. The truth of Salvation by GRACE ALONE is a real and essential doctrine of Scripture. This truth CANNOT be changed, modified, nor overlooked! Grace is THE essential doctrine of Salvation! Yet, once received, there is MUCH MORE involved in the “living out” of that Salvation…the “WALK” of a Christian life!
Matthew 5 (NKJV)
Themes: Readiness, faithfulness, good works, wasted opportunity, responsibility
(Notice that the one with 5 talents and the one with 2 talents received the SAME reward, thus the focus and truth that FAITHFULNESS is the issue, not RESULTS! This is a POWERFUL and MUCH NEEDED revelation of Scripture! Larger ministries and prominent ministers do NOT receive a greater reward! Be FAITHFUL with what God has given you…use the resources God has provided…be FAITHFUL, and do not measure your SUCCESS nor your RELEVANCE based on SIZE AND SCOPE of ministry! Just a “side note” to this post…so be encouraged in your ministry! Follow God…be faithful…and God will bestow on you eternal blessings fit for a king! Amen!)
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. 14 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' 21 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' 23 His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' 24 Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' 26 But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 31 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40 And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' 41 Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' 44 Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' 45 Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Matthew 21:18-19
The Cursing of the Fig Tree - Jesus curses the fig tree due to its lack of fruit: there were no figs, which was the purpose of its existence. The Christian life MUST produce fruit. There MUST be good works. We MUST be PRODUCTIVE.
Matthew 21:43 (Regarding the Parable of the Landowner) We MUST “bear fruit”!
"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.”
James 2
Themes: The sin of PARTIALITY, transgressing God’s laws, mercy, OBEDIENCE, “faith without works is dead”, justification
1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, "You sit here in a good place," and say to the poor man, "You stand there," or, "Sit here at my footstool," 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
We CANNOT make our FREE GIFT (Salvation by GRACE ALONE) useless. We are COMMANDED by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to OBEY His commandments!
John 14:15
"If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
John 15:10
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.”
The key to Salvation is GRACE ALONE…which is a FREE GIFT given by FAITH.
The key to the Christian Life is OBEDIENCE and FAITHFULNESS to God and His Word.
Salvation is accepting Jesus as SAVIOR: Living the Christian Life is accepting Jesus as LORD!
God bless!
Ron
Spiritual Blindness: The Whole Truth...and Nothing BUT the Truth
"Night and day are both the same to a blind man." Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
The distinction between truth and error...between truth and false doctrine...is not distinguished and recognized by those that are spiritually blind.
It is often the most prominent and the most well-liked ministers and ministries that fail to see past the clamor of notoriety and the seduction of popularity which so successfully blinds the eyes of those in the spotlight. This deception and blindness is also found in those ministers and ministries which seek the same prestige of the larger ministries that they seek to duplicate.
Matthew 15:8-9,14
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
If the measure of ministry success is the size of the building, the number in attendance, the roar of the crowd, and the support of the masses....then the University of Alabama Football Team is the most successful ministry in the nation! Give the people what they want...wins and excitement...and you can fill the arena. Give the people a chance to shout and cheer...and you can fill the arena. Give the people what they demand...and you can fill the arena.
The measure of success is NEVER based on the building, the attendance, the roar of the crowd, nor the support of the masses: the measure of success is ONLY based on our faithfulness to Jesus Christ and the truth of His Word.
Matthew 23:5-7,12
“But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi … And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
Ephesians 4:17-18
“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:”
Revelation 3:17 (Jesus appears to John to write to the 7 Churches, in this case speaking to Laodicea.)
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
Many will reject the truth. Many will not accept COMPLETE truth. Many only want the "positive"...rejecting the power of truth which is ONLY found by way of the WHOLE truth. Just as with a battery...power only comes with a proper connection of the "positive” and “negative”.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
In this day and age, people “will not endure sound doctrine”. The Word of God says that ENTERTAINMENT will trump TRUTH as the main attraction.
POPULARITY will trump God’s PRESENCE.
ACTIVITIES will trump God’s ANOINTING.
PRESTIGE will trump God’s POWER.
SELF will trump God’s SPIRIT.
HUMANITY will trump God’s HOLINESS.
GREED will trump GODLINESS.
CROWDS will trump God’s CROSS.
Matthew 16:24
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Titus 1:9,16
“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers … They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
Titus 2:1,11-15
“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: … For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”
God bless!
Ron
The distinction between truth and error...between truth and false doctrine...is not distinguished and recognized by those that are spiritually blind.
It is often the most prominent and the most well-liked ministers and ministries that fail to see past the clamor of notoriety and the seduction of popularity which so successfully blinds the eyes of those in the spotlight. This deception and blindness is also found in those ministers and ministries which seek the same prestige of the larger ministries that they seek to duplicate.
Matthew 15:8-9,14
“This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
If the measure of ministry success is the size of the building, the number in attendance, the roar of the crowd, and the support of the masses....then the University of Alabama Football Team is the most successful ministry in the nation! Give the people what they want...wins and excitement...and you can fill the arena. Give the people a chance to shout and cheer...and you can fill the arena. Give the people what they demand...and you can fill the arena.
The measure of success is NEVER based on the building, the attendance, the roar of the crowd, nor the support of the masses: the measure of success is ONLY based on our faithfulness to Jesus Christ and the truth of His Word.
Matthew 23:5-7,12
“But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi … And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
Ephesians 4:17-18
“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:”
Revelation 3:17 (Jesus appears to John to write to the 7 Churches, in this case speaking to Laodicea.)
“Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”
Many will reject the truth. Many will not accept COMPLETE truth. Many only want the "positive"...rejecting the power of truth which is ONLY found by way of the WHOLE truth. Just as with a battery...power only comes with a proper connection of the "positive” and “negative”.
2 Timothy 4:1-5
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.”
In this day and age, people “will not endure sound doctrine”. The Word of God says that ENTERTAINMENT will trump TRUTH as the main attraction.
POPULARITY will trump God’s PRESENCE.
ACTIVITIES will trump God’s ANOINTING.
PRESTIGE will trump God’s POWER.
SELF will trump God’s SPIRIT.
HUMANITY will trump God’s HOLINESS.
GREED will trump GODLINESS.
CROWDS will trump God’s CROSS.
Matthew 16:24
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Titus 1:9,16
“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers … They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
Titus 2:1,11-15
“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: … For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.”
God bless!
Ron
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Grace: The Birth of Obedience
Obedience will not save you...but it is actually BORN out of grace (our way of salvation). If there is no birth of OBEDIENCE...there was no impregnation of GRACE! Grace which isn't internalized cannot bring a NEW BIRTH!
The following Scriptures are just a few (truly just the BEGINNING) of an OVERWHELMING number of Biblical (New Testament…although grace is seen and alluded to in the Old Testament, also) passages that deal with OBEDIENCE to God and His Word. The Church cannot separate GRACE (we are saved by grace, not by works) from OBEDIENCE TO GOD (which is NOT the same as legalism/man-made religious law). A sinner becomes a Christian by grace. A Christian rejoices in his obedience to God...delighting himself in serving his Lord and Master...Jesus. A life which is lived WITHOUT obedience to Christ is NOT a Christian life. Likewise, any teaching...ANY...which seeks to define grace in a way which denies any subsequent obedience to God's Word is FALSE TEACHING.
In the New Testament, Paul's letters to the churches (Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, etc.) are filled with admonitions regarding sin...specifically and consistently teaching that those in the church are to obey God and keep His commandments. Two consistent New Testament themes are: 1. Grace: we are saved by grace through faith…not by works, and 2. Obedience: we are to serve Jesus, making Him our Lord and Master, obeying His Word, following His teachings, not making a mockery of the grace by which we are saved.
Always keep in mind that we are to be a “living sacrifice” in our service to God. These words in the original Greek are ZAO THUSIA (with an ‘over the first a, an - over the o, and a ‘ over the i). Romans 12:1 says “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” A sacrifice denotes the need for sin to be removed…to live a life without sin if at all possible. Jesus died for our sins, giving us salvation. Our salvation should be evident in our life, thus Paul’s wording denotes that our life must be an example of the “spotless lamb”: just as the sacrifice for sin had to be without fault, so must we seek to live in that same manner…without sin. Yet, if (when) we do sin, we have an “advocate” in Jesus Christ. Grace does not EXCUSE our sin…instead, grace simply allows us to continue living, giving us the opportunity to repent of our sin and to once again follow the correct path of God’s leading.
Keep in mind: when we sin, we have to realize that we were NOT following Christ: Christ NEVER leads us into sin! Thus, we ceased to follow His direction, causing us to stray from His path. No teaching or doctrine can ever deny that truth! Grace gives us the time and the opportunity to “get back on track”. I have often stated it this way: Grace is JUDGEMENT DELAYED. As we live under grace, we are allowed the opportunity to “make things right” with God…allowing us to once again live in OBEDIENCE to God. Old Testament law pronounced DEATH on sin, and if someone was caught in a moral sin (such as adultery), they were to be taken out and stoned. Grace brought LIFE…even in the midst of sin. Yet, grace works through confession and repentance…working in us OBEDIENCE to the precepts and laws of God. Read below…and realize: what we SERVE we OBEY…and what we OBEY we SERVE. When we “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”…this means we walk in OBEDIENCE to God and His Spirit.
GRACE becomes the mother of OBEDIENCE…for obedience is born out of the grace which is freely given in Christ Jesus! If obedience was a PREREQUISITE to grace…then that would mean salvation was due to WORKS. But, instead, obedience is a RESULT of grace…and, thus, grace remains our one and only way to God! Understanding these truths are essential to every believer, allowing an understanding of the inherent coexistence of GRACE and OBEDIENCE.
Romans 6:15-23 (KJV)
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 7:12 (KJV)
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Romans 7:22 (KJV)
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Romans 8:1-14 (KJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 13:11-14 (KJV)
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (KJV)
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
1 Corinthians 5 THE ENTIRE CHAPTER
This chapter deals with those in the church who are living in disobedience to God's laws.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (KJV)
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Any attempt to put every Scripture which deals with GRACE and OBEDIENCE would be impossible here. Thus, those above are but a few of the NUMEROUS examples. Paul would repeatedly speak of abstaining from sin and being obedient to Christ as he wrote to the churches. The New Testament continuously and consistently teaches BOTH grace and obedience in union together…leading not only to a personal and distinct doctrine of SALVATON by grace through faith, but also defining the Christian “walk” as one of obedience to the Word of God.
I end here with the words of John:
1 John 5:1-5 (KJV)
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
The following Scriptures are just a few (truly just the BEGINNING) of an OVERWHELMING number of Biblical (New Testament…although grace is seen and alluded to in the Old Testament, also) passages that deal with OBEDIENCE to God and His Word. The Church cannot separate GRACE (we are saved by grace, not by works) from OBEDIENCE TO GOD (which is NOT the same as legalism/man-made religious law). A sinner becomes a Christian by grace. A Christian rejoices in his obedience to God...delighting himself in serving his Lord and Master...Jesus. A life which is lived WITHOUT obedience to Christ is NOT a Christian life. Likewise, any teaching...ANY...which seeks to define grace in a way which denies any subsequent obedience to God's Word is FALSE TEACHING.
In the New Testament, Paul's letters to the churches (Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, etc.) are filled with admonitions regarding sin...specifically and consistently teaching that those in the church are to obey God and keep His commandments. Two consistent New Testament themes are: 1. Grace: we are saved by grace through faith…not by works, and 2. Obedience: we are to serve Jesus, making Him our Lord and Master, obeying His Word, following His teachings, not making a mockery of the grace by which we are saved.
Always keep in mind that we are to be a “living sacrifice” in our service to God. These words in the original Greek are ZAO THUSIA (with an ‘over the first a, an - over the o, and a ‘ over the i). Romans 12:1 says “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” A sacrifice denotes the need for sin to be removed…to live a life without sin if at all possible. Jesus died for our sins, giving us salvation. Our salvation should be evident in our life, thus Paul’s wording denotes that our life must be an example of the “spotless lamb”: just as the sacrifice for sin had to be without fault, so must we seek to live in that same manner…without sin. Yet, if (when) we do sin, we have an “advocate” in Jesus Christ. Grace does not EXCUSE our sin…instead, grace simply allows us to continue living, giving us the opportunity to repent of our sin and to once again follow the correct path of God’s leading.
Keep in mind: when we sin, we have to realize that we were NOT following Christ: Christ NEVER leads us into sin! Thus, we ceased to follow His direction, causing us to stray from His path. No teaching or doctrine can ever deny that truth! Grace gives us the time and the opportunity to “get back on track”. I have often stated it this way: Grace is JUDGEMENT DELAYED. As we live under grace, we are allowed the opportunity to “make things right” with God…allowing us to once again live in OBEDIENCE to God. Old Testament law pronounced DEATH on sin, and if someone was caught in a moral sin (such as adultery), they were to be taken out and stoned. Grace brought LIFE…even in the midst of sin. Yet, grace works through confession and repentance…working in us OBEDIENCE to the precepts and laws of God. Read below…and realize: what we SERVE we OBEY…and what we OBEY we SERVE. When we “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit”…this means we walk in OBEDIENCE to God and His Spirit.
GRACE becomes the mother of OBEDIENCE…for obedience is born out of the grace which is freely given in Christ Jesus! If obedience was a PREREQUISITE to grace…then that would mean salvation was due to WORKS. But, instead, obedience is a RESULT of grace…and, thus, grace remains our one and only way to God! Understanding these truths are essential to every believer, allowing an understanding of the inherent coexistence of GRACE and OBEDIENCE.
Romans 6:15-23 (KJV)
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 7:12 (KJV)
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
Romans 7:22 (KJV)
22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:
Romans 8:1-14 (KJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Romans 13:11-14 (KJV)
11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.
14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 (KJV)
1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
1 Corinthians 5 THE ENTIRE CHAPTER
This chapter deals with those in the church who are living in disobedience to God's laws.
1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (KJV)
12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Any attempt to put every Scripture which deals with GRACE and OBEDIENCE would be impossible here. Thus, those above are but a few of the NUMEROUS examples. Paul would repeatedly speak of abstaining from sin and being obedient to Christ as he wrote to the churches. The New Testament continuously and consistently teaches BOTH grace and obedience in union together…leading not only to a personal and distinct doctrine of SALVATON by grace through faith, but also defining the Christian “walk” as one of obedience to the Word of God.
I end here with the words of John:
1 John 5:1-5 (KJV)
1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
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