Hebrews 2:1-4 ESV
“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”
Since we have so many people today believing and teaching a
diluted and altered gospel message, the true gospel of salvation is not being
taught much at all, and if it is, then it is being falsely called “works
salvation,” and people are largely being encouraged to discard it. And so not
many people are being taught what faith in Jesus is really all about and what
the gospel of our salvation is really all about. What most people are hearing
and believing is an edited and altered version of the true gospel.
But if we read the New Testament Scriptures in their context
with open hearts and minds and ears to hear what they are really teaching, then
we will begin to see that much of today’s gospel presentations are being
altered by humans and that the truth doesn’t look much at all like what is
largely being presented today. For the truth is NOT that we can make a one-time
in our lives profession of faith in Christ, and then all our sins are forgiven,
and now we are on our way to heaven, regardless of how we live from now on.
What the Scriptures clearly teach us is that our salvation
is progressive. We are saved (past), we are being saved (present active), and we
will be saved (future) when Jesus comes for his bride to take us to be with him
for eternity, which is when our salvation will be completed and our marriage to
Christ consummated. But this is conditional on us continuing in Christ and in
his word, and on us dying to sin daily (not making sin our practice), and on us
walking in righteousness and holiness in obedience to his commands, and on us
continuing steadfast in that faith until the very end.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 8:31-32; Jn 15:1-12; Rom 8:24; Rom 11:17-24; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; Gal 5:16-21; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; 2 Tim
1:8-9; 2 Tim 2:10-13; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb
9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; 2 Pet 1:5-11;
2 Pet 2:20-22; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6;24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10]
For the Jewish marriages of the times of the Scriptures,
anyway, set the model for us as to what our marriage to Christ should look
like. For when the couple agreed to their covenant of marriage, they were
considered married then. But first the groom had to go and prepare a place for
his bride, and then he came and got her and then their marriage was
consummated, and not until then. And while the bride was waiting for her
husband to get her, she had to remain pure and faithful to him or the marriage
could be cut off.
And if we are of genuine faith in Jesus Christ, and we truly
have entered into a covenant of marriage with Christ, then this is to be the
picture of our marriage to Christ. While we are waiting for his return, we are
to continue in him, steadfast in faith, renouncing (saying “No” to) ungodliness
and fleshy passions and desires, and living self-controlled, upright, and godly
lives. For Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness
and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for
good works (Titus 2:11-14; cf. Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Eph 4:17-24).
So what happens if we make a profession of faith in Jesus
Christ, but then we go on with our lives as though nothing happened? Or what if
what changes were made were very superficial? Or what if we walk with the Lord
for a period of time, but then we fall back in sin and we never repent, so we
never come to our senses, but we die in that condition? The Scriptures teach
that if sin is our practice, and if righteousness and obedience to our Lord are
not what we practice, then we will NOT inherit eternal life with God.
And if this is not the gospel message you were taught, then
I encourage you to read these noted Scriptures and to pray over them, for if
you are honest with God and with yourself, you can’t deny the truth in these
Scriptures. We can’t just make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and then
keep walking in sin, making sin our practice, and then think that God is going
to let us into his heaven. We have to walk (in conduct, in practice) according
to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, faithful to the end, to have eternal
life.
And he (Jesus Christ) said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Luke 9:23-26; cf. Matthew 7:21-23).
Seek
the Lord
An
Original Work / July 20, 2012
Based
off Isaiah 55
“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.
Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,
And your soul will delight in richest of fare.
Give ear to Me, and you will live.
I have made an eternal covenant with you.
Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”
Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.
Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.
Freely, God pardons him.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord, our God.
“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.
It will not return to Me unfulfilled.
My word will accomplish all that I desire,
And achieve the goal I intend.
You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.
The mountains will burst into song… before you,
And all of the trees clap their hands.”
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