The Unreasonableness of Sin

Today, I spoke to a pregnant mother outside an abortion mill with the hope of holding her back from murder.

At first, she spoke kindly, saying that she appreciated what we were doing, and she agreed with us. She said she was against abortion, but was going to get one anyway. I asked her why she was against abortion. She said, “Because this is a child God has given to me, and abortion is killing it.” Incredulous, I asked, ” So you KNOW that you are killing a CHILD? And you KNOW it is WRONG? But you are going to do it anyway?!”  She said she would do it anyway, because she “couldn’t live with herself if she gave her child up for adoption.”

Odd, no? She couldn’t live with herself if she gave birth to the child and found parents who wanted him/her, but she fancied she could live with paying an assassin to vacuum her baby into a bag (this procedure rips the baby to pieces).   Incidentally, the longer our conversation continued, the more angry she got, and the more determined to kill the child. She was clearly laboring to harden her own heart against the truth that she already knew.

Oh, the unreasonableness of sin!  There is nothing rational or sensible about sin–nothing.

People have all kinds of excuses for the sinful things they do, but none of their excuses make sense.

• I have to lie to my wife about the adultery I’m committing. I don’t want to hurt her.  Really? You don’t want to hurt her? This is why you are committing adultery?
• I steal from my company because they owe it to me anyway.  Really? They owe you?
• I am killing my baby because I couldn’t live with myself if I gave my baby to someone else. No, you are killing your baby because you are too selfish to put this baby’s needs before your own desires.

Oh, that I could make people see the unreasonableness of sin, and the reasonableness of obedience to a loving God!

Sin deceives the mind, and causes one to have skewed thoughts. Both the conscience within–and the revelation of God without–witness against the sin, and the sinner must either submit to the truth or attempt to override it with foolish arguments. How dangerous it is to hold the truth in unrighteousness! (Rom. 1:18)  Such people become vain in their imaginations and their foolish hearts are darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they speak and act as fools; and no wonder, for they have exchanged the truth of God for lies!

Our only hope, if we have found ourselves deceived by sin, is to renounce it.  Agree with God; He is the wisest Person alive–to disagree with Him is pure folly.  If you aren’t with Him 100%, you are against Him. Believe what God has said about the sin, turn against it, and refuse to do it anymore. Sorrow (with godly sorrow) over having done it, and sorrow thoroughly to repentance. What does godly sorrow produce in a person?– diligence, clearing of yourself (from wrongdoing),  indignation (against evil),  fear (of God), vehement desire (to please the Lord),  zeal (to do good rather than evil), and vindication. (2 Cor. 7:9-11)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself, for this sums up all the law of God.  Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble. (Psa. 119:165)

What does love look like?–

If you love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15)

He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him. (John 14:21)

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. (John 15:10)

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (I John 5:2-3)

In the spirit of Heb. 3:13, I exhort you while it is called “today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. May God open our eyes to see how truly deceptive and destructive and indefensible sin really is.

God bless you.

A Consumption Determined Upon the Whole Earth

The Lord Jesus said the end of this world and His coming will be as the days of Noah were.

For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,  and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Matt. 24:37-39)

Noah worked out his own salvation with fear and trembling for 120 years. It isn’t as though he saved himself, for it was the Lord who gave him the plan of salvation by which he and his family could live. But when Noah was warned by God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, he prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. (Heb. 11:7)  God shut him in the ark at the end, just before destruction came, and watched over that family for their good–BUT, had Noah not dedicated his life to obeying the instructions God gave him for salvation, he and his family would have been finally destroyed with everyone else.

Contrary to the example of Noah, there are many professing “Christians” today who are not moved with fear at the warnings of God, but have been lulled into carelessness by teachers who tell them what their itching ears want to hear. They are in the gravest of eternal dangers. How many warnings in the Scriptures have you passed over, being told by some teacher that the warning does not apply to you?  Be not deceived, dear reader. Every warning in Scripture is for you. Paul wrote that the Old Testament was written for our learning, upon whom the ends of the world have come (I Cor. 10:1-12), and the entire  New Testament was written and preserved for us as well.  The warnings of Jesus are not merely for the Jewish people, and the writings of Paul for only Gentiles–this is another lie designed to rob the fear of God from men. This lie has people avoiding the Scriptures that they ought to simply obey.

When Jesus said to cut off the offending hand or foot rather than risk eternal fire (Matt. 18:8), He meant it, and He meant you to heed the warning and remove from your life the things that are making you stumble.

When Jesus said whoever denies Him before men will also be denied before the Father in heaven (Matt. 10:33), He meant it, and He meant you to heed the warning and unashamedly stand for Him in word and deed.

Paul himself taught that what counts is the keeping of God’s commands (I Cor. 7:19) and only those who patiently continue in doing good will receive eternal life (Rom. 2:6-11).  His message agrees with the teaching of Jesus.

How did Noah condemn the world?–by preparing an ark. Christian, if you spend your life obeying the Lord by preparing an ark, you too will condemn the world. By your fear of God and obedience to Him, you demonstrate that the world is without excuse. If Noah could fear the Lord and obey His instructions for salvation, so could everyone else. If Noah could stand out as a preacher of righteousness before his ungodly neighbors, and if Noah could reject the eat, drink, and be merry mentality; so could everyone else (2 Pet. 2:5).

The difference between Noah and his neighbors was that Noah feared the Lord and heeded His warnings, while his neighbors didn’t fear the Lord nor harken to His warnings.  If you do as Noah did, the world will feel condemned, and they will hate you for it. They wish you would run with them in the same flood of dissipation [intemperance, indulgence in sensual pleasure, wasteful consumption, amusement] they run in, and they will speak evil of you for your careful obedience to God (I Pet. 4:4); nevertheless, deny yourself and follow Jesus, knowing that the ark you are preparing will be to your deliverance in the day of wrath.

I Peter 3:20 says the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah while the ark was preparing. What was God waiting for?–He was waiting for the people to repent of their wickedness at the preaching of Noah. I believe the longsuffering of God is waiting today for the last few people to repent at the preaching of modern-day Noah’s, and get on board the only way, truth and life there is. But unfortunately for many, because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. (Eccl. 8:11)  They mock, “Judgment is coming?–You’ve been saying that for 100 years!”  And even professing Christians mock at the righteous who are laboring in the narrow way, denying themselves and following Jesus. They jeer, “You think you can earn your salvation! You think Jesus died in vain!” Their view of Jesus is that He delivered them from the eternal principle of reaping what is sown, so they can continue to do abominations without judgment! (Jer. 7:10)  Woe to them!

Today, God has His Noah’s before this modern wicked generation. God has given instructions for salvation, and the Ark in which man can be saved is Jesus Christ. The instructions include repentance toward God (turning away from everything God calls sin) and faith toward Jesus (trusting that Jesus is your salvation, and therefore following Him and doing what He says to the end.)  Jesus taught that if a man obeys the Word of God, he will be saved from destruction, but if he doesn’t obey, he will be destroyed when the flood of judgment arrives (Matt. 7:21-29).  Listening to the Word of God is not enough; without obedience to it, a man is only deceiving himself to think he will be saved (James 1:22-25). Going to church, doing some good things, visiting Christian blogs, etc., cannot save you–you must, by faith, carefully obey the instructions of God if you want to be saved. By faith Abraham obeyed (Heb. 11:8).

While the Lord Jesus can come on any day and require the soul of any man (Luke 12:20), the Bible clearly teaches that there is a day coming when the Ark of salvation will be shut for good and the whole earth will be consumed. Final salvation and final destruction will arrive on the same day. Don’t be deceived by the Left Behind lies of some teachers, who say you will have seven years to repent after the rapture. Jesus has stated emphatically that the end will come as in the days of Noah. The same day Noah entered the Ark, destruction fell; and the same day Lot left Sodom, the wicked were consumed (Luke 17:26-27). When Jesus appears with power and glory, He will gather His saints to Himself and destroy the wicked.

Peter wrote the following about the end of this world:

But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?…Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless.  (I Pet. 3:7-14)

Indeed, in the face of such warnings, what manner of persons ought you to be?  Are you a mocker, living carelessly as the day approaches, or are you like Noah, diligently preparing for the day that will surely arrive?

Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.  (Isa. 28:22)

God bless you.

Attacking the Scriptures (A Defense Against the Attacks of Jan Boshoff on Scripture)

Attacking the Scriptures is pretty common in our day, but it is not so common to hear someone who preaches “Follow Jesus” attack them.

I quote Jan (aka Justice) Boshoff in his writing entitled, “Why the Bible is NOT the Word of God” (all caps and parentheses his)–

 ”THE BIBLE CANNOT BE THE WORD OF GOD. There are messages that might be from God, but that is why God sent us the Holy Spirit, the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, to guide us into all truth, to confirm to us WHICH OF THOSE WORDS written by men and spoken by men WERE REALLY FROM GOD. Because not all those words were from God. Everything that Paul wrote and said is not the gospel, they are his own words….So dear friends, this (Bible) is not the Word of God. This is a book, it is just the scriptures and it contains the truth also but it needs to be verified by the Holy Spirit… All of this (Bible) was not spoken by God, it was spoken by men. The words that God spoke will happen the way God spoke them, but all that is written here (Bible) is not the word of God, its the words of men, that have recorded, some words of God sometimes.”

This erroneous teaching leaves everyone open to determine for themselves WHICH of the words in the Bible are REALLY FROM GOD. After all, according to Jan Boshoff, the Bible contains “some words of God sometimes.” This is extremely dangerous because it predisposes men to reject whatever in the Scriptures does not suit them.  It reminds me of the serpent in the garden, asking with subtlety, “Yea, hath God said…?“

Jan Boshoff has made many other alarming statements, including the following:

“The Bible has no power.”

“Your Bible cannot help you; it’s a book.”

“Jesus was not Biblical; He did not comply with a book…a disciple of Jesus Christ is also not Biblical.”

“The devil has deceived people into thinking and saying that the Bible is the Word of God. It’s not the word of God, my friends.  It is the word of men…God never wrote, my friend. People write.”

“The Bible is not the Sword of the Spirit. Quoting the Scriptures to deter the devil is witchcraft.”

And perhaps most disturbing of all, he recently shared a dream which he claimed came from God, in which people were dying of poison and that poison was the Bible!  Imagine, the “sincere milk of the word” being called poison! The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. (Jer. 23:28)

Jan Boshoff  is correct that the Spirit of God guides us into all truth, and without His help, we could misinterpret what is written in Scripture.  But Jan is wrong  when he casts doubt on Paul’s  or the other apostles’ teachings, claiming their writings are just words of men, or “just the Scriptures,” as if Scriptures are not to be trusted.

Jesus taught that Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35).  Peter wrote that we ought to take heed to the more sure word of prophecy as to a light shining in a dark place, because the Scriptures were written as men were moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Pet 1:19-21).

Jesus never disparaged Scripture, but quoted it as if it was the absolute truth, which it is.  When tempted by the devil, He quoted Scripture, appropriately using TRUTH against LIES.  Even when satan used Scripture in his attack, Jesus simply quoted MORE Scripture–It is ALSO written (Matt. 4:7).  Jan Boshoff has stated that for us to use Scripture in the same fashion when we are battling the devil is witchcraft. I wonder if he realizes he is accusing Jesus Himself of witchcraft. I would not want to charge the King of kings with that, nor even suggest that His perfect example should not be followed.

When the risen Jesus appeared to two confused disciples on the road to Emmaus,  what did He do? Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27)   He did not urge them to “just listen to the Spirit” and put the “dead book” aside, but instead He opened to them the Scriptures. (vs 32)  The Scriptures are a treasure to be opened to us by the Lord, not a questionable book to be viewed with suspicion!

When the risen Jesus stood among His disciples and ate fish with them, He also opened their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. (Luke 24:45)   He did not tell them the Scriptures were a dead book, He did not forbid them to be Biblical, and He did not rebuke them for witchcraft.  He gave them understanding, which He will do for any sincere disciple who looks into the Scriptures with a heart that desires to understand and follow Him.

Paul taught regularly from the Scriptures (Acts 17:2; Acts 18:28). He testified that whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. (Rom. 15:4)  What spirit would try to take away the learning and comfort the Scriptures can provide?

J. Boshoff has stated that the early church did not have the Scriptures and did not study the Bible. However, not only did they have the Old Testament Scriptures opened to their understanding by Jesus, but they also continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42).  The teachings and epistles written by the apostles were passed around and copied, and indeed the church of Christ is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus being the cornerstone, and there is no other foundation (Eph. 2:20).  Peter affirmed that although Paul’s epistles were being wrested by some unlearned and unstable men to their own destruction, they were still SCRIPTURES (2 Pet. 3:16). The Scriptures do not cease to be true because ignorant men attempt to twist them.

I do not know J. Boshoff’s motive, but I suspect that someone has compared his teachings or dreams to Scripture one too many times, and he got offended, though Paul did not get offended when the (noble) Bereans did the same thing with his teaching.  A man teaching the truth need not fear when Bereans check all things by the Scriptures.

We are commanded to test the spirits (I Jn. 4:1)–by what should we test the spirits which speak to us?  J. Boshoff says we simply ask the Holy Spirit for His opinion (not test by the Scriptures); then we listen for a voice to give us the answer. One of his followers has BURNED HER BIBLES in obedience to what she thinks is the Holy Spirit’s voice speaking to her. She went public, praising God for delivering her from “that idol.” If only she had studied the Bible first, she would have known that such a command did not come from God.

I testify that when I was born again, I was immediately led by the Lord to study the Scriptures and learn the voice of God and the will of God in its pages.  How good the Lord is, to preserve a testimony for generations to come, that they can seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read. (Isa. 34:16) The Holy Spirit has indeed been guiding me into truth; He has consistently led me to hide the written Word in my heart that I might not sin against God.  I am so thankful for the Scriptures and for the men who died to get them into my hands.

What spirit would tell people that the Bible is poison, as J. Boshoff has stated?  What spirit would tell a woman to burn her Bibles?

Although J. Boshoff teaches faith/obedience to Jesus, his Jesus is suspect, since his Jesus seems dedicated to wresting Biblical Truth from the hands of people who are living in dark times and need all the light they can get.  His Jesus seems to want us back in the Dark Ages, having to trust in human leaders (like Jan) to tell us God’s will. Because if we don’t hear the voice as often as Jan does, we had better look to Jan, since he seems to be hearing the voice all the time and getting guidance in his dreams.   Rightly did Paul warn for three years that also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:30)

The Jesus revealed in Scripture never tried to put distance between His followers and the Scriptures. NEVER.

Babes in Christ are being seduced into thinking it is very spiritual to throw the Bible away and just listen to a voice. They are assured the voice they hear must be the Holy Spirit, and they should just trust it.  This is folly! God’s Spirit is not the only spirit talking today.  There are seducing spirits and doctrines taught by devils that will cause many to depart from the faith (I Tim. 4:1)! This is why Paul urged the young pastor Timothy to give attention to READING (reading what?!), exhortation and doctrine; and to preach the Word both in and out of season (I Tim. 4:2, 13).

Jan continually implies that the Pharisees killed Jesus because they held to the Scriptures.  This is error. It is true that knowledge of Scriptures cannot help you if you do not obey and comply with what is written there.  THIS was the error of the Pharisees–they READ because they were in positions of authority and could read, but they did not OBEY.  They were hypocrites unwilling to repent & come to the very Christ to whom Scripture pointed. They were hearers and not doers, deceiving their own selves.  If they had not been blinded by their love for sin and their refusal to repent at the preaching of John the Baptist, they would have seen that the Old Testament Scriptures all pointed to Jesus, and that He was the Prophet to whom they must listen or be destroyed (Deut. 18:15; Acts 3:22-23).

The Scriptures are able to make you wise unto Salvation, and ALL SCRIPTURE was inspired by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim. 3:15-17).  The Pharisees had access to the same Scriptures that Timothy grew up learning, but truth will only profit the one who yields to it’s righteous demands.

Anyone casting doubt upon the more sure word of prophecy–which is inspired by God and given to perfect the saints and equip them for the works God wants them to do–is not the friend of your soul. He may say with great tenderness “My friend, my friend,” but he is not your friend if he causes you to stumble and cast the Word of God behind your back.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2:15)

What should we study, if not the Scriptures? What should we rightly divide, if not the Scriptures, so that we can discern and do the will of God?   Is the Holy Spirit of God, who breathed and inspired all the Scriptures, now teaching that the Scriptures are dead, powerless, and poisonous?  I think not. So by what spirit is Jan Boshoff saying these things?

Should Believers Marry Unbelievers?

I was shocked recently when I heard a professing Christian telling other single Christians that God doesn’t care if they marry unbelievers! Such “mixed marriages” are just as blessed as Christian marriages according to him. When asked how a true disciple of Jesus could possibly want to spend the rest of his life yoked to an unbeliever, he flippantly replied that “love” made it possible, and that he intended to marry an unbeliever and “live happily ever after.”  The worst part was that several professing Christians agreed with him despite the warnings from people who had lived the nightmare of an unequally yoked marriage. For this reason, I write the following post.  If you are a young Christian person hoping to marry one day, let nobody convince you that God doesn’t care if you marry an unbeliever, and let nobody convince you that there won’t be negative consequences if you do.

A Christian by definition is devoted to Christ before all else. All his dreams, desires, doings, and even his thoughts must be obedient to Christ.  And Christ has given this command to those who follow Him:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matt. 6:33)

The focus of our lives is to be advancing the kingdom of God and His righteousness on the earth. We are ambassadors of the Kingdom (2 Cor. 5:20), and we seek to fill our spiritual homeland with as many souls as possible to the joy of our Father. Every decision we make, especially the most important decisions like marriage, should be made with this focus in mind. When looking at a potential spouse, we must ask the question, “Is this person going to assist me in furthering the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, or is he/she going to hinder me from doing so?”

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3)

If we don’t agree with God, we cannot walk with Him.  It must also be considered whether a believer who wants to serve Jesus, and an unbeliever who serves himself and/or idols, can walk together. Can they together advance the kingdom of God and His righteousness? The obvious answer is no. They can buy a home together. They can have physical relations and bring forth beautiful children. They can pay bills together. But they can neither worship the Lord together, nor unanimously teach the children to worship the Lord. They may enjoy some temporary satisfactions, and they may even get along so long as one of them compromises, but they will always be on different pages.

Oh, but I won’t compromise…

Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” (I Cor. 15:33)

Oh, but I am going to save my spouse. Really? Do you know how many times this daydream has come to nothing?

For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? (I Cor. 7:16)

Remember:

He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. (Prov. 13:20)

Therefore:

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Cor. 6:14-18)

While all of these verses can be applied to mere friendships, they are even more relevant to marriage–the most intimate of all friendships!  It is very clear that our Father wants us to be yoked to Christ, but not yoked to unbelievers.  Now, we all have to have dealings with unbelievers in everyday life, especially to be effective salt and light in this world.  But to be yoked to someone is to try to walk together and work together toward a common goal, as we are yoked with Christ to labor in His kingdom. Being yoked is keeping in step with someone and implies some intimacy.  The record emphatically says there is NO unity between Christ and the devil, and the temple of God (you, dear Christian) has no business communing intimately with idols and their worshipers.

There are two groups of people:  children of God and children of the devil (light and darkness). If, as children of the light, we must “hate” father and mother and even our own lives to be Jesus’ disciples (Lk. 14:26), what makes us think we can seek intimate relationships with the children of the devil and still remain His disciples?  John wrote that a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4).

Please believe, if you disregard the warnings of Scripture, you will pay the consequences.  Many men and women have done so to their lifelong regret. Had Samson not found rest in the lap of Delilah, he might not have perished in such a pathetic and ignoble way, having accomplished much less in his life than he might have otherwise.  Had Solomon obeyed the voice of the Lord regarding his marriages to pagan women, he might not have strayed from the Lord at the end of his life. He became the companion of fools and was destroyed! There is no record in the Scriptures that Solomon–the man once gifted with the most extraordinary wisdom–ever returned to the Lord! In these two cases, we have the strongest and the wisest–both destroyed or almost destroyed by unbelieving love-interests.  BEWARE!

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. The leaven introduced by the unbeliever wreaks untold havoc in the home. It is argued that Paul said the unbelieving spouse is sanctified by the believer (I Cor 7:14). This is true, but was written to encourage those who come to Christ after being married to an unbeliever. Paul encourages such a one to remain in the marriage so long as the unbeliever is content to remain, for the unbelieving spouse and the children can best be influenced through the believer’s witness and service if the marriage remains intact.  This is mercy to the believer and his family, but does not give Christians license to seek out unbelieving spouses on purpose!

What about Hosea? Didn’t God tell him to marry a prostitute who would cheat on him?  Yes, He did, and by this God demonstrated to His whorish people how they had broken His heart and repaid Him evil for good. Unless we are 100% sure that God has commanded us to do the same as a demonstration to our own nation, it would be very foolish indeed for us to run off and do as Hosea did.  Hosea’s reason for marrying this prostitute was completely spiritual.  He did not marry her because he enjoyed her company or was sexually frustrated and tired of waiting for a godly wife, but because he was willing to suffer to manifest God’s heart to His backslidden people.  Did you get that?–I said he was willing to suffer. An unequally-yoked marriage brings suffering.

When you love the Lord Jesus and your spouse does not, it hurts. When you share His precious Words, and your spouse’s eyes glaze over, it hurts. When you teach your children to love the Lord, but their other parent introduces them to idols, it hurts. When your children see you as the mean parent because you try to protect them from evil, it hurts. When you long to labor for the kingdom, but you are hindered by the vain pursuits of your spouse, it hurts. And if your spouse finds your light offensive and seeks the pleasure of darker company, it hurts.

Christians are spiritual people, called to be spiritually minded rather than carnally minded, which is death. We understand that God has made two people into one flesh for a spiritual reason–that He might have a godly seed in the earth (Mal. 2:15).  This is best accomplished in the marriage of two godly people who are committed to passing on their convictions to their children together.

Some carnal reasons have been offered for why it is supposedly ok for believers to marry unbelievers, but none of them are any good.

To purposely marry an unbeliever because you enjoy his/her company suggests that the light that is in you may actually be darkness, for there is no fellowship between light and darkness.  If you are enjoying the prolonged company of an unbeliever, you need to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.

To purposely marry an unbeliever because you have a sexual desire that you think trumps the command to seek first the kingdom of God, is to put your sexuality above and before the kingdom of God. That is idolatry. Ask the Lord to help you bring your body under subjection, and do not be led away into sin by your own lusts–you must crucify your flesh with its affections and lusts (Gal. 5:24).  It is true that it is better to marry than to burn, but you must not settle for an unbeliever. Paul told widows they could remarry, but only in the Lord (I Cor. 7:39), and said that “the brethren of the Lord” were permitted to have “a sister, a wife” (I Cor. 9:5 KJV; or “a believing wife” in the NKJV).

To purposely marry an unbeliever because you are lonely is to put your emotional need before the kingdom of God. If a man does not deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow Jesus, he cannot be His disciple (Lk. 9:23).

So what is one to do?! The truth is that life can be lonely and marriage is desirable. And sometimes it seems the godly gals and guys are all taken or hiding in a cave somewhere. Commit your way to the Lord, single Christian, and wait patiently for Him. Serve Him as a single person to the utmost of your ability, and see if He doesn’t bring some like-minded (Christ-minded) person your way. But even if He doesn’t–even if things don’t go as you would like–choose to seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness in all your decisions, even if it means being alone for the time being. If you do this, you will be blessed.

The Daily Walk at Home

Week after week, couples and families sit in their “Sunday best” in churches all across America. They seem like they have it all together. They listen politely to the preacher, act friendly toward each other, and keep their kids quiet enough.  Some even hold positions of leadership or are well-studied in theology and can win debates. But if walls could talk, they would tell us of the disconnect that exists between their public personae and who they really are in their daily walk.

Careless wives who disrespect their husbands by giving less than their best service in the home, or failing to manage household funds wisely.

Lazy husbands who embitter their wives by failing to come alongside them and help.

Peevish wives who nag their husbands and make them feel sorry for having come home from work.

Apathetic husbands who refuse to take their spiritual leadership mandate seriously.

Mothers or fathers who leave the child training to the “professionals”–or to video games and television–anything but truly embracing what it means to shepherd priceless souls into the arms of God, whatever the cost in dollars or headaches.

Families that allow the voices of the world to speak unrestrained into their lives via television and other media, but can’t understand why so much bad fruit is manifesting in their lives.  (Please see Feeding on Foolishness)

Parents whose personal goals come before the goal to raise the next generation in the ways of the Lord. Junior’s behavior goes uncorrected because mom or dad is absorbed in his or her work, social life, TV show, or ministry–yes, even ministry–for some ministries become excuses to focus on what is more pleasing to the flesh, to the neglect of first duties that are difficult for the flesh. It is sometimes easier to blog, run the nursery, give to missions, quote from the Bible, cry at the altar, pray wonderful prayers, give Biblical lectures, and prove false teachers are false; than it is to deal with a wife who is easily angered, a tired or demanding husband, a spoiled or neglected child who is out of control, or a teenager that can only be reached by the patient rebuilding of fallen bridges.

All kinds of  the “form of godliness” but no true power.  Please understand that I’m not saying every person who quotes from the Bible, sits in a pew, or proves false teachers false is a hypocrite. These are valid Christian duties, but practicing them does not exempt one from doing his Christian duty in the home. We must not deceive ourselves!  If we aren’t doers of the Word at home, then we can’t rightly call ourselves doers of the Word at all.

There are some who, in their own homes, allow their personal lusts to feed uninhibited, though they appear controlled in front of their Christian peers.  At home, their mouths spew venom and cursing, they are habitually unthankful  and unkind, but on Sunday morning they are whitewashed and silver-tongued.  At home, they are impatient with others and think it a small thing to neglect sacred duty, but in church, they are loathe to have a hair out of place.  Does God accept this? Indeed not. If we cannot maintain a consistent pattern of holy living that includes care for spouse, carefully appropriated love and discipline for children, and personal self-control & integrity in all of our relationships at home, how spiritual are we really?

These are harsh words, but they are not coming from harshness of spirit, rather from a pained heart that has seen enough hypocrisy. Hypocrisy weakens faith in others, and we dare not take it lightly. When others catch on to the disunity between our profession and our daily walk, they automatically discount our words, however true they may be. And so I urge anyone who reads this to consider carefully just how deep your spiritual life goes. Has your relationship with Jesus and His church body transformed your life from the inside out, or are you thinly cloaking your dead men’s bones with whitewash?  Do you need to make any changes?

Someone who has alot of Bible knowledge or a reputation for being a fine Christian may have a hard time self-evaluating honestly. But remember, the Lord sees what others do not see. Having knowledge alone cannot save, and it can serve to puff up and deceive those who become careless. We must OBEY the truth. We must cry out to God for a pure HEART, out of which will flow the correct actions, not just a sanitized image for others to see.

 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2 Cor. 13:5)

Are you producing the fruits of the Holy Spirit in your daily walk?–love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control?  Are you longsuffering toward your spouse? Is the law of kindness on your lips? Are you making your home a place of peace where the order and beauty of the Lord is obvious?  Are you faithfully executing the demands of the cross in whatever station you are in, no matter how difficult and thankless the work sometimes is? Are you gentle and deliberately self-controlled in your parenting? Do you love your children enough to put their training in godliness at the top of your list?  Do you love your family enough to weep before the Lord and beg for His wisdom so that tomorrow can be more fruitful than yesterday? He has promised forgiveness to those who repent, and wisdom to those who sincerely ask for it, in faith believing (James 1:5-6).   Let us be hypocrites no longer, but sincere disciples of Jesus walking in the true power of holiness every day.

God bless you.

God Sees Your Sin, Pt. 3

In the previous post, I wrote out some Scriptures from the Old Testament that demonstrate that once being chosen and favored by God does not make one exempt from living a life pleasing to Him. After entering into covenant with God, one’s future sins are not invisible to God. Many members of “the chosen people” did not inherit the promise because they did not continue to obey the Lord; their carcasses fell in the wilderness, and these things were recorded to warn us that such can happen to us (I Cor. 10:1-12).  Now I would like to examine some New Testament texts that confirm our need for obedience to the Lord after being born into His family, and the consequences for disobedience.

A favorite doctrinal component of Calvinism is that if you have ever believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, or ever had a moment of true faith, His personal righteousness has been imputed to your account once-for-all, and is the only thing God will ever see when He looks at you in the future. In other words, even if you live a wicked life after that and die in sin, God can’t see it; all He sees is Jesus when He looks at you.  If such were true, then not only will He continue to see us as obedient when we disobey, He will be mocked.  He said we would reap what we sow, but we really won’t! He said the wages of sin was death, but we have found a loophole whereby we can sow to our flesh and not reap corruption! He is not only blind, He can’t chastise His children when they do wrong, since He can’t see their sin!

Complete hogwash!

One wonders how God could ever see the righteous acts of the saints, if He can’t see their sin! Do NOT be deceived by these teachings; God will not be mocked. If we sow to our flesh we WILL reap corruption, and God DOES chastise His children when they do wrong. (Gal. 6:7-8; Heb. 12:7) The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good. (Prov. 15:3) The Lord is wearied when people falsely say that evildoers are good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them (Mal. 2:17). People who do what is wicked are wicked; only he that does righteousness is considered righteous in the eyes of the Lord (I John 2:29; 3:7).

Jesus taught the following:

The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves…shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (Jn. 5:28-29)

In Matthew 7:21, Jesus taught the importance of DOING the Father’s will (righteousness), not just acknowledging or SAYING “Lord, Lord.” So important is it to DO the teachings of Christ, that the man who DOES them is likened to a house that survives a storm, while the man who does not DO them is likened to a house that is destroyed in the storm for lack of a proper foundation.  Friend, you ARE that house, and you are determining the final destiny of your house by whether or not you are submitting to Christ and doing God’s will. This is FOUNDATIONAL to your spiritual life.  Remember, King Jesus will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend (cause sin) and all persons who do iniquity, and cast them into the furnace of fire (Matt.13:41-42). So serious it is to get the sin out of your life, Christian, that Jesus said it would be better to cut off an offending body-part than to have your whole body “cast into hell.” (Matt. 5: 29-30)

So what if you don’t do as Jesus said, and deal a death blow to the sin in your own life?  Is all automatically forgiven because of His blood shed on the cross?

If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,  but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:   of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Heb. 10:26-29)

Friends, this Scripture destroys the license-to-sin doctrine.  If you willfully continue to sin after being sanctified, you are treating the precious blood of Jesus as an unholy thing!  God sees it and views you as worthy of much sorer punishment than the punishments inflicted on those who disobeyed Moses’ law!  When Ananias and Sapphira sinned in the church, was their sin hidden from God’s view? On the contrary, Peter, speaking by the Holy Ghost, rebuked them publicly. Their judgment was swift, and caused the fear of God to fall on the people who heard about it. Paul instructed Timothy to deal with sin in the church in like manner:

Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.   I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality.   Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.  (I Tim. 5:20-22)

Instead of following the right ways of the Lord, many in the church instead excuse or overlook flagrant sin, letting it spread like leaven through the whole lump. After all, if a person is considered positionally righteous even when they are doing unrighteous things, then who are they to judge?  False teaching is so dangerous!! Paul instructed the Corinthian church to put the sinner out of the church until he repents!! (I Cor. 5)  To refuse to do so is to be a partaker in other men’s sins and to become defiled.  Remember, the pure religion that pleases God includes keeping oneself unspotted from the world (James 1:27); this presupposes that God sees when we become “spotted.”

In Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus–who is God–addresses the church. Does He only see His own righteousness when He looks at them, or does He assess them exactly according to their own works, and command repentance when necessary?  Indeed, Jesus makes some startling threats toward those who will not repent!

“Thou hast left thy first love.  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Rev. 2:4-5)

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.   Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (Rev. 2:14-16)

I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.   Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.  Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.   He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.  (Rev. 3:1-5)

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  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:  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.  (Rev. 3:15-19)

Please study those two chapters in full, and you cannot fail to see that all the beautiful promises of God are specifically for overcomers. We must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). There is no easy way; the easy way taken by most is the wide road that leads to destruction. We must die to ourselves, and strive [make every effort, agonize] to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (Luke 13:24)

Peter wrote that because the judgment of God is coming, and because we look forward to a new heaven and earth where only righteousness dwells, we must be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless…and beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. (2 Pet. 3:14, 17)  The righteous can be led away with the error of the wicked and fall? Yes!

Paul wrote of those who swerved away from love, a clean conscience, and sincere faith, and so had left the path of life and had only “vain jangling” or “meaningless talk”–the emptiness of religion without God (I Tim. 1:5-6). He wrote that some who had not held onto faith and a “good conscience” (they defiled and hardened their conscience by disobedience), had shipwrecked their faith! (I Tim. 1:19) He wrote that any who refused to provide financially for their own widows had, by his wickedness, denied the faith, and was worse than an infidel (I Tim. 5:8). He wrote that some younger widows, being idle and gossipers, had already turned aside after Satan. (I Tim. 5:15)  In fact, Paul recognized that he himself was not immune to falling away:

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.   And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.   I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:   But I keep under my body [keep my flesh crucified], and bring it into subjection [to God's will]: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (I Cor. 9:24-27, brackets mine)

Paul recognized he could be cast away even after all his dedicated service to God! Just as a man who wants to win a race must be disciplined, so must the Christian life be disciplined, for “if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” (2 Tim. 2:5)  It is possible to begin the spiritual race and not finish the course, which is why we are urged to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and…run with patience [endurance].” (Heb. 12:1)  It is possible to engage in “the good fight” and not compete lawfully, being finally disqualified.

In 2 Peter 2, Peter wrote of false teachers who bring in damnable heresies [such as once-saved-always-saved or "God doesn't see your sin"], even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  Peter describes these false teachers as having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices. Beware if your spiritual teacher shamelessly claims he cannot cease from sin, and that we must all sin every day in thought, word and deed! They teach such lies because they themselves are spiritually adulterous, loving the things of this world, especially the adoration and financial support of others who love sin and wish to have their ears tickled with sin-excusing lies.  Such teachers allure through the lusts of the flesh those who were clean escaped from them who live in error.  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. And so these wolves pretending to be ministers teach the flock of God that they have “liberty in Christ” to sin all they want! But when a man serves sin, he becomes the slave of sin! His so-called liberty is false! Don’t be deceived. Peter called these who had at first escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and were again entangled therein and overcome worse off than they were before they knew the Lord!  They were like dogs returning to lick up the vomit they had expelled, or pigs washed from their filthiness returning to their filth.  Truly this is receiving the grace of God in vain!

Dear reader, it is possible to deny the Lord by your disobedient works (Titus 1:16). Consider this carefully:

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Tim. 2:19)

This is the foundation of the Lord, and will not change despite the empty promises of false teachers.  How do you then depart from iniquity? David said a man could cleanse his way by taking heed to God’s Word (Psa. 119:9)  It is by abiding in Christ that His good fruit will be manifest in your life (John 15).   I John 3:6 teaches that whoever abides in Jesus does not sin! When you go astray, it is directly due to your not abiding in Christ.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  (John 15:7)

Paul said, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:2-3)  We must CHOOSE the things above or the things of this earth. We must CHOOSE to mortify our members which are on this earth, and to follow the things that please the Lord, because the wrath of God is coming on the children of disobedience (Col. 3:5-6).

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy post!  I hope it is clear to you that in both Old and New Testaments, God’s covenants with men are conditional. If you have not already, please study both testaments on your own, asking God to open your understanding to the Truth. He has promised wisdom to those who ask, and He has promised to be found of those who seek Him with their whole heart.  He is the God of love, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and purify for Himself a peculiar people zealous for good works. His grace teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world (Titus 2:11-14). I pray that you do not receive the grace of God in vain! I will leave you with this powerful statement by the Apostle Paul:

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. (Rom. 8:13)

God bless you!

God Sees Your Sin, Pt. 1

One of the fallacies that is repeated in many churches is that when you become a Christian, all sins–past, present, and future–are forgiven, and God no longer acknowledges your present or future sin.

This belief, although prevalent today, does not adhere to either logic or Scripture.

To embrace this doctrine is to assume that God cares so little about His own righteous laws and the people He created, that he gives a blank check–a license to sin– to all who were ever sorry for sin at one time.

The reason this error (that God doesn’t see our sin) is so readily embraced is because people WANT to believe it. Often they want to believe it is because they don’t want to give up their sin. But it simply isn’t true. If you are a sinner clinging to this refuge of lies, please understand that any false refuge will disappoint you in the day of judgment.  It is imperative for you to know and obey the truth if you want to be truly free.

Do we really think that the righteous moral Governor of the universe, whose laws are good and right and lead to the happiness of all men, forgives criminals in such a way that they can continue to be criminals against God and men without consequence?  Is the God of Love willing to pardon criminals unconditionally, even while they continue their crimes against others? How loving is that toward those being sinned against?  Would any earthly government worth its own salt operate this way–freely pardoning criminals who have no intention of stopping their crimes? Would you want a child molester pardoned once for all, even if he continued to molest? How loving or merciful would that be to the children he continued to hurt? Wise love must look out not only for the transgressor’s welfare, but also for the welfare of those who have been hurt by the transgression, and those who will continue to be hurt if the transgressor’s heart is not changed.  The criminal must stop committing crimes.

A sinner is a person who breaks God’s laws (I Jn. 3:4). The reason he needs to be forgiven and “saved” is because he has not obeyed the law of God, but has chosen his own way and justly deserves death.  The reason there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood is because sin is very serious!! Simply pardoning a criminal does not erase the crime already committed, nor does it always reform the criminal’s heart to curb future offenses. The shedding of innocent blood for the guilty (under both Old Covenant and New Covenant) was meant to bring about a heart change in the criminal–he must hate the crime he committed, recognizing that it brought harm to everything that is good, if he is ever to become a voluntarily law-abiding citizen–and this is God’s goal, to make voluntary law-abiding citizens in His Kingdom!  In fact, all “things that offend, and them which do iniquity” will be cast out of His Kingdom into a furnace of fire (Matt. 13:41-42).  The Kingdom of God is for those who willingly submit to its King.  The blood of Jesus displayed the tremendous mercy of God toward His enemies, and is meant to produce a holy hatred for sin in the repentant soul.  It is able to cleanse away not only the sin committed but also guilt in the conscience.

The giving of oneself to sin/lawlessness produces slavery in the soul (Rom. 6:16). A man needs supernatural help to escape from this slavery. And so God sent His Word to heal us, He proclaimed His gospel of salvation to us, and He shed His own blood to change our hearts from rebellious to submissive, to atone for sin, and to erase the guilt of our past crimes so that we are free to serve Him as fully forgiven children.

Past crimes? Not present and future crimes too?

Christ Jesus:  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the REMISSION OF SINS THAT ARE PAST, through the forbearance of God. (Rom. 3:24-25)

While it is true that the body of Jesus Christ was offered “once for all” (Heb. 10:10), when we come repenting of a life of rebellion against God, we come to the King and ask forgiveness for having been lawless citizens in the past. It should be understood that we must lay down our arms and surrender if we wish to be pardoned!  We come as those whose hearts have been moved and changed by the self-sacrifice of this King–though we once proudly resisted Him, now we know He is all-wise, all-loving, all-merciful, and worthy to be obeyed. We come ready to submit to the King’s commands from henceforth because we know that in His commands is life (John 12:50).   We come as those sorrowful for our past sins, ready and willing to take His good yoke upon us and learn from Him the way we should walk in–we intend to be lawless citizens no more. Beloved, if we do not come to the King of the Universe this way, we do not receive a real salvation. Sorrow for sin brings repentance unto salvation (2 Cor. 7:10), and this salvation is the salvation from sin’s bondage. It is not merely a get-out-of-jail-free card. No, Jesus did not die so that you could admit you are a sinner, say “thanks” in a trite prayer, and continue to sin without consequence. He died to set you free from sin, to purify for Himself a peculiar people who are zealous to do good (Titus 2:14). He commands you to abide in Him and follow Him continually, so that you can produce good fruit instead of the evil fruit you produced when you followed your flesh!

Listen to the inspired words of Peter:

His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:  whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature (holiness!), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;  and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;  and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if (IF!) these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Unfruitfulness will lead you to being separated from the Vine and thrown into the fire!–John 15.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be burned!–Matt. 3:10)

But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. (Purged from old sins, not future sins.)

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if (IF!) ye do these things, ye shall never fall:  for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  (2 Pet. 1:3-11)

Clearly, there are conditions to never falling. The doctrine that all sin–past, present, and future–is forgiven in a moment, and God chooses to blind Himself to our behavior for the rest of our lives, is a doctrine that reassures sinners and encourages them to stay on the wide road that leads to destruction.  When they experience guilt for their sin, they tell themselves there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, forgetting that the rest of the verse defines “those in Christ Jesus” as being those who are not obeying their flesh, but are obeying the Spirit of God. (Rom. 8:1, KJV) Sometimes they try rebuking the devil for their guilt, instead of confessing and stopping the sin that is causing the problem!

Walking with Christ (salvation) is characterized by freedom from sin and willingly serving righteousness.  Though we used to yield our bodies as servants of sin, now we yield our bodies as servants of righteousness unto holiness (Rom. 6:18, 19).  He that commits sin is of the devil, and Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (sin) in our lives, not to merely overlook them. Only he that does what is righteous is considered righteous in the eyes of the Lord, which are in every place, beholding both the evil and the good (I Jn 3:1-9; Prov. 15:3).

Now, it is still possible to sin after being reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore–

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. (I John 2:1-6)

The goal is to sin not, but if a man sins, he can be reconciled to God through the advocate Jesus Christ, returning to keeping His commandments once again, and walking as Christ walked. His sin can be cleansed away–

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  (I Jn. 1:9)

Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, guides us and corrects us. We have a responsibility to listen to His voice and follow Him (Jn. 10:27), submitting to His correction if we go astray.

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. (Prov. 3:11-12)

The Lord chastens us “for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness,” without which, no man shall see the Lord (Heb. 12:10,14). But–hear this warning–”he, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” (Prov. 29:1)

There are more passages of Scripture that teach that our present and future behavior has a direct bearing on our final salvation, and these we will discuss in a future post. God bless you!

Go to Part 2

Feeding on Foolishness

The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. Prov. 15:14

It causes me great sorrow to see many young people, who claim to love God, feeding on foolishness. They watch movies that “aren’t so bad.” They listen to music that isn’t openly opposed to Christ; it just doesn’t lead the heart’s affections in His direction. They follow the exploits of athletes as if it all means something, memorizing stats instead of the Scriptures which are able to make men wise unto salvation. They play video games, sometimes vicariously living through fake people while their spiritual house falls into disrepair. Oh, the daring exploits they accomplish in their video games–while in reality, they do nothing at all for either Christ or neighbor!

We are what we eat. All of this feeding on foolishness makes one a fool, and gives one the mouth of a fool that can help no one.  But you have not so learned Christ!

Is there even one account of Jesus behaving in a flippant, self-entertaining way in any of the gospels? Never. He was always working, just as His Father was always working (John 5:17). Jesus was ministry-minded, not entertainment minded.  He knew and purposely kept before His face the reason He came–to set captives free. What does this mean to you–My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me?

I charge you, dear reader, to steward your time here on earth as one who will give an account.  The question is not, “Can I get away with this activity?” but “Will this activity increase the knowledge of God in me and on the earth?”

Now, I don’t believe for a moment that Jesus never smiled. But joy has little or nothing to do with entertainments; entertainments are inherently selfish and produce no true joy in the soul. If you want to be anointed with gladness above all your fellows, you must love righteousness and hate iniquity as Jesus did (Heb. 1:9).  Squandering the new life and resources God has given you is ungratefulness and sin; you must hate it enough to turn away from it.  True joy is found co-laboring with Jesus in the great work of salvation while we can, for the night is coming when no man can work (Jn. 9:4).

How can you say you love God with all your heart, when you spend so many hours pursuing vain things that God is far from?–If this describes you, your profession of love is vain. You feed on things that produce no life in you; you have allowed your appetite for truth to dwindle to the point that no fruit is being produced in your life–for unless you abide in the Vine, you cannot produce fruit. You are lukewarm in your affections for Jesus, and are in the gravest of dangers. Seeking out His Wisdom and/or serving somewhere in the Body of Christ is not as important as beating another level in a fake video game world! While you win virtual battles on a screen, the real spiritual battle rages all around you, but your ears grow dull to its sound, and your mind uncomprehending of its strategies. Your sword grows dull from disuse, and you don’t even know that you are losing your spiritual life and becoming useless to God and others. What a tragedy!

The heart of him that has understanding seeks KNOWLEDGE, and refuses to feed on foolishness.  You must choose between life and death.  With the banquet of good things the Lord willingly spreads before us, with all the wisdom that is to be found in Him, with all the souls on their way to perdition, with the rumblings of divine judgment even now on the horizon, with so few laborers in God’s harvest fields, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation and rush headlong after foolish things?  Had Noah stopped working on the ark to do something “fun” with his neighbors, he would not have been mocked for preaching righteousness, and he would not have had the ark ready at the appointed time.

Young person, rather than feeding on the foolishness that brings spiritual death to you and everyone around you, why not study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth, (2 Tim. 2:15) so that you can break true bread for hungry souls? Why not seek for the wisdom of God like treasure, so that you have a storehouse for you and others to draw from in times of trouble?  Why not find something profitable to do for the kingdom of God?

God bless you.

He Shall Be Like a Tree

Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. 18:3)

Jesus, Paul, and John called their friends, “Little children.”  (John 13:33, Gal. 4:19, I John 2:1)

In that same spirit, I write to you, little children.

Psalm 1

¹ Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

² But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.

³ He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.

⁴ The ungodly are not so,
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.

⁵ Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment,
Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶ For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Here are contrasted 2 kinds of people, those who delight in God’s law (do what is right) and those who are “ungodly,” “sinners,” and “scornful” of God’s law.

Every person is one or the other.

You will be blessed if you don’t

1) walk in the counsel of the world  (We must walk in God’s counsel; He is our Teacher and Shepherd.)
2) stand in the path of sinners (The road that sinners take leads to death; never loiter on that way but get off it ASAP.)
3) sit in the seat of mockers ( have fellowship with those who mock at what is right and choose their own way. The friend of the world makes himself the enemy of God. James 4:4)

If you are a person who delights in the law of God (you purposely side with God’s mind on what is right and wrong) you will be like a tree that is always watered and brings forth good fruit. A tree that brings forth good fruit gives a steady source of life to the world.  Jesus used a similar analogy here, where he called us branches that must stay attached to Him (the Vine) to bring forth good fruit:

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:4-6

Jesus is the Word of God. To abide in Him means to continue to walk in God’s counsel or teaching, as opposed to the world’s or our own opinions (which can be shaped by many influences, including our own desires.)

Psalm 1 begins with blessing for those who choose not to “walk,” “stand,” or “sit” with those who refuse God’s counsel; but instead love God’s law. And it ends with warning for those who remain ungodly. One sure way to remain ungodly is to continue in the company of those who are (I Cor. 15:33).

The ungodly are not like well-watered trees that bring forth good fruit. They are like chaff–that is the useless part of wheat that is blown away by a fan after the grain is harvested.  Chaff gives no life to the world, so it is discarded because it has no value.

Be well-watered trees that drink up the living water (Jesus.) Produce fruit that matches and proves your repentance (Matt. 3:8).  Jesus said a tree is known by its fruit, by whether the fruit is good or bad.

And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 3:10

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.
For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Jer. 17:7-8

Appointed to Stumble

Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “ The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”  and “ A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. I Pet. 2:7-8

Question:  Why do some stumble?  Answer:  Because they are disobedient to the Word.

Men are not appointed by God to be disobedient (as Calvinism falsely teaches). They are, however,  appointed by God to stumble if they are disobedient. God has determined that all who are disobedient to His voice and His Word shall stumble. In like manner, God has determined that all who are obedient to His Word shall be upheld by it and shall not stumble.

The choice is with you; will you obey God’s Word or not? You are free to choose obedience or disobedience, but you are not free to choose the consequences of your actions. God has sewn into the fabric of the world the principle of reaping what we sow. If we sow disobedience to the Word of God, we are foolish men building upon the sand. No matter how beautiful the structure may appear for a time, the flood of God’s judgment will carry it away. (Matt. 7:24-27)

Jesus Christ is the Word of God (John 1:1, Rev. 19:13) and the “chief cornerstone,” without which the whole building falls. Those who reject Him are appointed to stumble. They are appointed to have their “house” destroyed.

Speaking to apostate and disobedient Israel, the prophet Jeremiah relayed this message:

To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised,  and they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; they have no delight in it.   Jer. 6:10

Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people—the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words nor My law, but rejected it. Jer. 6:19

Therefore thus says the LORD: “ Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.”  Jer. 6:21

Did you catch that? WHY did God say He would lay stumbling blocks before this people? It was because they did not delight in the Word of the Lord, and refused to heed it. They were disobedient. God lays the blame on the people; in fact, He said the calamity He would bring on them was actually “the fruit of their thoughts.” They would reap what they had sown.

Hosea 14:1 is another witness to the fact that disobedience is the reason why people stumble:

O Israel, return to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

Again,

Hear and give ear: Do not be proud, For the LORD has spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God before He causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death and makes it dense darkness. Jer. 13:15-16

Here is a warning–Hear and give ear to God’s Word! Give glory to the Lord or He will cause darkness to come upon you (spiritual blindness), and your feet will stumble.  You have a choice, friend.

Jesus repeated these warnings in the New Testament:

Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him. Luke 8:18

Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you… John 12:35

Jesus is both the Word of God and the Light of the World. If you will not heed the Word of God, nor walk in His Light while He shines His truth upon you, what light you have will be taken from you; and what Word has been sown into your heart shall be snatched away by satan or choked out by the “cares, riches and pleasures of life.” But if you hear the Word with a “noble and good heart, keep it (obey it) and bear fruit with patience,” you will be blessed of God. (Luke 8:11-15)

“If you will return, O Israel,” says the LORD, “Return to Me; And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, then you shall not be moved.” Jer. 4:1

Notice that little word “if” in the previous verse. Would you like to be kept from stumbling? Heed God’s Word (obey Jesus Christ) and return to Him, putting your sins out of His sight.

He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he. Prov. 16:20

I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons.  I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Psa. 16:7-8

Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing causes them to stumble. Psa. 119:165

God bless you.