Select Verses Proverbs 29 ESV
1 He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck,
will suddenly be broken beyond healing.
3 He who loves wisdom makes his father glad,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
6 An evil man is ensnared in his transgression,
but a righteous man sings and rejoices.
10 Bloodthirsty men hate one who is blameless
and seek the life of the upright.
11 A fool gives full vent to his spirit,
but a wise man quietly holds it back.
16 When the wicked increase, transgression increases,
but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
A verbal profession of faith in Jesus Christ guarantees no one genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in Jesus Christ which results in the forgiveness of all sins and the hope of eternal life with God in heaven. For the faith that we need to be “in Christ” comes from God, it is gifted of God, it is persuaded of God, and it is not of our own doing – not of the will nor of the flesh of man. And biblical faith results in us dying with Christ to sin and us now living for God in walks of moral purity and obedience to our Lord.
[Heb 12:1-29; Eph 2:8-10; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Rom 6:1-23]
Sadly, it appears that there are many professers of faith in Jesus Christ who are convinced that all their sins are forgiven, and that they are on their way to heaven, but regardless of how they live their lives here on the earth. Thus, we have among us many who are stiff-necked and stubborn and prideful who are still walking in sin and not in righteousness and holiness. They are charting their own course, and they are not following after the ways of the Lord. So, when reproved, they just stiffen their necks.
As well, we have many professers of faith in Jesus Christ who are living in sexual immorality and idolatry, dabbling in or walking in sin, going places they should not go on the internet or on TV or on social media, etc. They are largely being ruled by the lusts of the flesh and by sinful desires. Although they know the way that is right and just and pure, they continually choose to go the way that is immoral, wicked, blasphemous against God, and which is hurtful to their spouses, to their children, and to their ministries (if they have any).
So, those who know better, i.e. who have made professions of faith in Jesus Christ, some of them from childhood, who have been trained in the Scriptures and in the ways of the Lord, and/or who have taught or who are presently teaching the Scriptures to others, some of them pastors of church congregations, will sometimes end up being resentful and bitter towards those who are living righteously. And they may even be those who, out of spite, do all they can to try to trip up the righteous so as to accuse them.
But knowing the good that they ought to do, and not doing it, but doing the opposite, and being resentful and bitter towards those who are living righteously may then stir up all sorts of anger within them. And so they may end up being quick tempered and easily angered and grumpy and harsh with those who they are supposed to be loving. They may even set traps for those they are supposed to love in hopes that the righteous will fall into them so that they can rejoice over their failures.
And the more that people are teaching a diluted and altered version of the true gospel, in order to tickle itching ears, and in order to appease human flesh, and so as not to offend the ungodly, the more that wickedness and the wicked will increase, because there is no restraint. For so many are not teaching the commands of God nor his requirements of us for us to be of genuine faith in him and to receive his promises. Instead they are teaching a false grace of God which coddles us in our sins rather than rebukes us.
But those of us who are of genuine God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in our Lord Jesus should be those who are daily denying self and dying to sin and walking in obedience to our Lord in holy living. Our lives should be under the control and power of God, and our lives should be being guided by the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit, and not by the flesh. This does not necessarily mean we will be absolutely perfect in every way, but that obedience to our Lord and holy living are now our practice, and not sin.
For, if any of us professes faith in Jesus Christ, but then we continue in deliberate and habitual sin, and not in walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living, according to the New Testament Scriptures, we do not have eternal life with God nor true salvation and deliverance from sin. Heaven will not be our eternal destiny, but hell will be where we end up. So we all need to take this seriously, for a whole lot of people are counting on ending up in heaven who are going to end up in hell, instead, because they did not obey God.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: We’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
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