God indeed is a present strength and shelter. When all around seems to give way.. He is my hope and stay. I hope that I will find all I need him him. May you find all you need in Him through our High priest.
What do you all think of this?
Hebrews 6:1Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3And this will we do, if God permit. 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: 8But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. 9But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. 10For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. 11And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. 13For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, 14Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 17Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 18That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: 19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; 20Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
I think that it is saying that we should never neglect the work of God. We need to stay strong and focused in God. If we have the hope of God shown unto us and are not bold to live it, we will be cast off. Not that we shall lose our salvation, but more that we will not be used. I think that that is one of the greatest tragedies, that ehne we get to heaven, there will be some who are saved, like Billy Graham who are going to have glorious crowns and honors for what they have done here on earth, but I think that there will be far more like me who will have enjoyed their life down here and were in the comfort zone and will not have crowns.. and for all of eternity we will weep that we wasted out lives down here. Now that i hold this view I need to go and do something unless I truly neglect what has been shown unto me.
May God bless you all today as you seek him. May we all forgive one another and search whole heartedly for him
Hebrews 7: 19For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: 21(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) 22By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
I believe this is saying That although Jesus was not a priest by law, he was not of the tribe of Levi, he was our high priest by another law.. the selection of God. And He won't die and end the process. Yet hsi sacrifice was it, we are not bound to continually atone for ourselves. This is amazing! With one act.. God became flesh, God in man took upon Him the sin of the world and we may approach boldy b4 the throne of God.
Hebrews 8:1Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 3For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. 4For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 5Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. 6But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. 7For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. 8For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
This is the sum of all that has been said b4. We have a new mediator, one that fulfills all the requirements, we are free to live for God without trying to atone for our sins. The old law was set so that we could never atone for them in and of ourselves. It's not like GOd was a big bad dude always hitting people in the old testament, nor was he only showing love to the Jews. He set a system that showed us that we could never atone for ourselves and made us long for the One who would redeem us. In matthew 1, you see that Salmon beget Boaz out of Rachab and Boaz beget Obed out fo Ruth. THat right there is proof that God in the old testament is the same GOd in the New testament. Or as people dvide Him up. God of the old Testament had stern laws yet he allowed a whore and a moabitess to have part of His lineage. He had compassion then, and he has Compassion now. A repentant heart He does not despise. May we all have a repentant heart though.
Proverbs 14: 12There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Hebrews 9: 1Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 4Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 6Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 7But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: 8The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 18Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. 19For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 23It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
I think that there are two big points in this passage that stands out to me. first the old covenant, all the thigns God set up, the alters, the candlesticks are truly awe inspiring. They were the best that Israel had to offer. and it was truly awesome. I can only imagine that sight. The Glory of God in a human dwelling. It's beyond words. Yet all that glory was not enough. I could not as an OT man be fully atoned once and forever. As glorious as they were, they were made by man.Then Came God in man and he fulfilled the needs of sinful man. The other part is that we have one life to live now, Let us live it all for Him and look for him diligently.
Have you ever felt dead? Spiritually? I know I have. Often I wonder if I am living a spirit lived life. I don't think so. If I am.. why do I struggle so much? I am living my own life.
Romans 12: 1I 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. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Have I done that? Am I a living sacrifice? Am I acceptable to God? I think this fits in closely with Eternal security. We don't need to do good things to keep our salvation, we are called to good things because we are not our own. We are vessels of the most powerful force ever. God that can be in us. The Holy Spirit. May we all live Spirit filled lives
ETERNAL SECURITY
Can we as born again believer lose our salvation? This is a question that I see many Christians disagreeing on. I also believe it is one of the most important points of the Christian faith.
If we don't believe that we have eternal security as Christians why are we Christians?
If we can lose our salvation, can we gain it back? Can we find it? Or have we lost it forever?
What are the sins whereby we can lose them? Is The bible clear on this?
If we can regain our salvation.. is it anything we can do? Do I have to work to maintain my salvation?
What about the verses where it says we can lose our salvation?
I'm not going to ridicule the people I know and their opinions, what I am going to do in this email is attempt to explain what I believe and why I believe it in the spirit of 1 Peter 3:15. However, i must be very careful what I say and preach for "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." It is very important for me to not preach falsely.
First off, why do we need to be saved, and from what do we need to be saved?
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
We have all sinned by Adam. We were all of Adam when he sinned therefore we share in his sin.
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We all have sinned and deserve death. But there is a solution. Eternal life through Christ Jesus.
How do we get it? How do we attain This eternal life? In the words of the Roman Jailer, "what must I do to be saved?"
We all are doomed to death because of our sin. Sin requires death.
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that no one would perish, but have everlasting life through Jesus Christ his Son.
There is the solution. Someone paid the death for us.
So we just need to accept it eh? That's it.. Nope, I believe we, I, myself can do nothing to get or accept God's gift ecept God gave me the grace to believe.
Ephesians 2:8-9For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast.
God gave me the grace to believe, and I didn't do anything of myself to gain my salvation.
Romans 8:29-30For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
God has chosen those who will be saved and conformed. I see that I can do nothing to gain my salvation. It was God in his mercy who chose me from the dead and breathed His breath into me and ahs given me life and a future when I had no future.
Then if I did nothing to gain my salvation can I lose it? Can something mere man does revoke what God has done?
Jesus said in John 10:28:30 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.I and my Father are one.
God has given me eternal life, there is nothing that can take me away from Him, that means nothing I can do either.
Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Nothing!
But what if we do sin? And habitually? Is being saved forever an excuse for me to do whatever I want and still go to Heaven? Is saved once, always saved really a license for immorality?
In John, Jesus says my sheep follow me. If we are Christains, we follow God.
Romans 6-8 is pretty clear on this.
Romans 6:What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Because I am freed from sin and I am given a love for God, I must hate sin and Love God. I don't have an reason to live ofr myself I have the liberty to live free of the burden of sin so I can can live all for God.
11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16Know 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? 17But 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. 18Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19I 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. 20For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
We don't have a choice. This is so clear. What we do tells who we serve. If I sin I say i am a servant of sin. I can't do that for I am a servant of God, I am a slave to righteousness. I have no choice in the matter. The only thing I can do is live now as a servant of God. I can't change who I serve anymore than I can change the color of my eyes. Besides, why would I want to serve sin? The end of sin is death. I have life.
Romans 7:1Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth? 2For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 3So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man. 4Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. 5For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
We are bound to serve God. We are delivered from sin. I do not see anywhere that I of myself can do anything to revoke what GOd hath wrought.
7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. 9For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. 10And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. 11For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. 12Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
This right here is the answer to the question, Can a Christian sin and lose his salvation. Paul says It's not me, the spiritual me which sins but my old flesh, the sinful desires! As A Christian we aren't always freed from those desires when we become saved, it's the Christian challenge to purify ourselves and to live For Christ. In Our body there are two of us.. the old man who still desires to do the wrong things and the new man who is one with Christ, let us submit all of our body to the Holy Spirit and put away our old man.
Romans 8:1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For 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: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5For 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. 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But 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. 10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But 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.
We have no condemnation so long as we strive to live for Christ.
12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13For 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. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them be also glorified. 31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
We are God's adopted children! No matter what we do He will always be our father. Let us look forward to that hope! God is indeeed for us. who can be against us? Nothing can separate me from the love of God.
Yet once again, I say. This is not a license for us to do anything we want to. We are called, no we are slaves and have a duty to live and crucify ourselves for Him. Yet, when we do sin, and yes I do sin.
1 John 1:9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We have to confess them and repent, not be remorseful but turn from our ways.
Why do I not believe that I could lose my salvation? Because the Gospel's message is never about me, It's about Christ and what he does in us. For me to say that I do anything to gain, keep, or maintain my salvation is me preaching salvation by works. I preach not Christ but man. For me to believe that I can do anything in myself to gain/keep my salvation is heresy.
The farmer sowed seed upon ground. some ground was too hard and the seed was taken from them, others accepted the seed yet bore not fruit and then died fruitless, and one type bore much fruit. 3 types of ground had the seed in them. 3 types of Ground was saved, one finished well. I need to finish well as I am called to. I am not a thorn, I am a wheat stalk. :P
Let us all bear good fruit so that people can easily say of us, "There is a Christian"
Am I sinning? Yes I do, and I know that I suffer for it. Sometimes I'd rather not suffer but it seems that it is good.
Hebrews 12: 1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Not only is it time to move on and lay aside every encumbering weight. That means everything. I really believe that Hebrews is very crucial to the church today. Too often it's grace preached to the excess of that we may sin freely Paul is very clearly saying that that is playing with fire. We can't lose our salvation but God will spit us out if we provoke him. We have the same God as the one who told the Israelites to mass slaughter whole peoples. Why should we provoke him? We need to not flaunt our liberty. Paul is reminding us something very crucial. Our God is not all love and mercy. He is an all consuming fire. We have 2 options We can abide by his love and serve Him because we love him because he first loved us, or we should serve him because we fear the God who can destroy us as he destroyed those who mocked Him and sent bears to maim scoffing boys. We as the children of God do not have a Father who ignores us and our sins, but grieves and cares for us. The only thing that stands between us and His fiery wrath is the blood of His son. O may I never take it lightly.
The moe I look at the parables of Jesus I see how much I can learn from them and how much I don't understand about them. Hopefully this is a new twist on an old story.
Luke 15:11And he said, A certain man had two sons: 12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. 13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living. 14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. 15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him. 17And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. 25Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. 26And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. 27And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. 28And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. 29And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: 30But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. 31And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 32It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
We've all heard this a million times, the son runs off and comes back.
He sees he doesn't deserve to be a son, he begs to be a servant. Yet His father doesn't want that. His son is always His son. Yet the Son abandoned him didn't want to be a part of the family anymore, wanted out. Yet he was still a son, he came back and was welcomed home. Then what did he lose? Did he have any punishment? What is an appropriate punishment for such action? The son was clear.. he didn't deserve to be called a son. but nope his punishment was that he wasted his inheritance and wasted his life. I believe it's the same with our Christian life. No matter what happens we are still God's children. but let us not take that lightly
Sin is very serious. yet..
the thing to not do is for me to judge those who ahve gone away and have come back. It's not my place to judge anyone. or get mad because someone can do so much and yet get forgiveness. Let us if we are either one of these sons, repent and stay close to the Father and our brothers.
I started reading Acts with some others and as I read through it I see this degree of comradery and fellowship. "while they were all of one accord" Too often I see and hear about all these different denominations. Why can't we be of one accord? DO we not all worship the same God? If we all seek Him, no matter if we are Catholic, Jew, or Greek Orthodox, and the more we kill our earthly selves, shouldn't we all get more of a common doctrine? Or is it what it seems.. most of the denomination worship religon and mammon.. and not God? As Christians we should be the last to get in a fight over something trivial.. such as the color of the carpet or whether it's ok to get drums for the youth. "sides, Church should be about God.. not human ministries and outreach programs. God's wpord is the most powerful influence known to man.. it needs no wrapping paper.
Let us Get back to the Bible and back to God. Let others see Jesus in us.
I didn't read the whole thing, but this is good stuff to think about. I'm not sure that we will weep for eternity over missed rewards, because "in the presence of the Lord is fulness of joy." But that doesn't make the loss of reward less sad.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting.