Read 1Cor 6:9-11
Today we are continuing the discussion of whether or not someone can lose their salvation. The questions are: If someone accepts salvation, but does absolutely nothing with it, are they still saved? Or what about someone who is saved early in life, but lives a life of sin and immorality- do they still go the Heaven? Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:14 that it is not God's will that anyone should perish; and Paul follows it up in Romans that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ (Rom 8:38-39). God loves us more than we could ever comprehend- that it clear. However, can we still lose our eternal home with Him through our own actions?
Today's reading makes it very clear of who will (or will not) inherit the Kingdom. He warns us not to be deceived- thus illustrating the point that just because we are a "Christian", we should never assume we are not required to live righteously. Once again, we all fall (Rom 3:23), but a deliberate rebellion against God and disgracing the Cross is a different story! Let's say someone gave their life to Christ in their mid-teens, mostly because life was going good and that was the "right" thing to do with youth group and such. But, once they graduated, hit college, and fell into the world- Jesus was shoved all but out of mind and a lifetime of sin and immorality followed. Is he still sanctified from a confession and repentance decades earlier? Maybe he simply loses many of the "rewards" we are promised, such as in 2John 8 or 1Cor 3:15? Or, is there a defining line where the ultimate Judge declares him to be unholy, thus resulting in eternal separation from God? A good example of this is found in Matthew 7:21-23. In this example, Jesus is discussing the dangers of false teachings and the pits they can cause one to fall into. Just because someone is proclaiming the Name of Jesus and performing miracles, does not mean it's always coming from God. These works are no substitute for relationship- the Word of God and being in Christ through the Holy Spirit triumphs all of the above, thus giving proof to true discipleship.
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this blog, there is one sin that IS unpardonable- that is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, found in Mark 3:28-30. This is not just a one-time event, but a series of willfully chosen actions that claims Satan is the power behind Christ's work, not the Holy Spirit. This is an abomination, and no forgiveness will be given in this case. On the flip side, we DO see salvation at the last minute for those who have lived a life of sin, but show true repentance. (i.e. the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-43) So why do we get pulled back in the first place? What is it that often draws us (not succumbs, though) to sin even more once we are saved? In other words, why would we willfully walk back into prison once we've been freed? These are some more points and questions we will explore in the next session. Until then, I pray you would take an inventory of where you may be falling short in your walk, and ask God to help you restore it. Also, ask Him to bring any unconfessed sin to the surface and allow Him to work on that as well. Be open and transparent- that's when He can do His best work in us. Allow His refining fire to cleanse you, thus building an even stronger foundation in Jesus Christ!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Once Saved, Always Saved? -Part 1
"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." -Romans 10:9 (NIV)
Today I'm going to begin a discussion on the always popular question: "Can you lose your salvation?" In other words, once a person is saved, are they always saved? Let's lay some groundwork...
First of all, we know God's Word to be the one and only true and living Word, which according to Hebrews 4:12, is "living and active" and it "penetrates", "judges", and "divides". If we are truly living as Christ-followers, than there is no other substitute. God's Word is final- period. This is not said to scare or intimidate any of you, in fact, we should rejoice that our guidebook for life is so clearly laid out for us! The problem isn't Scripture, no, it's us. We tend to want to bend, break, and water down the Bible- when in fact we should be studying, meditating, and OBEYING it daily. We know that God sent Jesus to die for us so that we could have eternal life (John 3:16), but the next verse (v 17) states, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (NASB) With that being said, let's explore our conversation.
For those of you who don't understand what being "saved" really means, let me give you the short, short version. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered into the world and cursed all of humanity. We were forever separated from God and His perfect plan for us. Through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for us, He restored that eternal covenant between God and man- thus bringing His original plan back into being. (See Romans 5:11 & 19) Our flesh is naturally sinful, and nothing less than pure holiness will enter into God's presence in Heaven. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His blood washes us clean spiritually, and erases our sinful being. Do we still fall? Absolutely, every day. But the important thing to remember is not how "good" we can be- but the fact that we recognize that the blood spilled at Calvary covers all of humanity completely, if we just accept this free gift. I use these words "free gift" because that is exactly what it is: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." -Eph 2:8 (NASB) For today, I would like you to go back to the basics. If you have given your life to the Lord already, think back to that day and rekindle the fire that was lit in your heart. Are you "working out your salvation" as Paul describes in Phil 2:12? Or, are you coasting day by day, not really doing much for the Kingdom? For those of you who have not made the decision to accept Jesus as your Savior, I pray that you really begin to examine your heart and ask yourself what you're holding on to. Salvation was designed for everyone, and there is NO sin that it does not cover (excluding Mark ch 3- which we will discuss soon). If you don't believe me, have you read my testimony yet? I was one of the worst- yet God did a 180 on my life and here I am today, bringing others to Jesus.
Pray. Read the Gospels and the rest of God's Word. Open your heart and let it penetrate you- not for painful purposes, but for an eternal cleansing that nothing on this earth can match. When you do, His promises will begin to manifest themselves in your life and you can begin (or continue) a new life in Christ!
Today I'm going to begin a discussion on the always popular question: "Can you lose your salvation?" In other words, once a person is saved, are they always saved? Let's lay some groundwork...
First of all, we know God's Word to be the one and only true and living Word, which according to Hebrews 4:12, is "living and active" and it "penetrates", "judges", and "divides". If we are truly living as Christ-followers, than there is no other substitute. God's Word is final- period. This is not said to scare or intimidate any of you, in fact, we should rejoice that our guidebook for life is so clearly laid out for us! The problem isn't Scripture, no, it's us. We tend to want to bend, break, and water down the Bible- when in fact we should be studying, meditating, and OBEYING it daily. We know that God sent Jesus to die for us so that we could have eternal life (John 3:16), but the next verse (v 17) states, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (NASB) With that being said, let's explore our conversation.
For those of you who don't understand what being "saved" really means, let me give you the short, short version. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered into the world and cursed all of humanity. We were forever separated from God and His perfect plan for us. Through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for us, He restored that eternal covenant between God and man- thus bringing His original plan back into being. (See Romans 5:11 & 19) Our flesh is naturally sinful, and nothing less than pure holiness will enter into God's presence in Heaven. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His blood washes us clean spiritually, and erases our sinful being. Do we still fall? Absolutely, every day. But the important thing to remember is not how "good" we can be- but the fact that we recognize that the blood spilled at Calvary covers all of humanity completely, if we just accept this free gift. I use these words "free gift" because that is exactly what it is: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." -Eph 2:8 (NASB) For today, I would like you to go back to the basics. If you have given your life to the Lord already, think back to that day and rekindle the fire that was lit in your heart. Are you "working out your salvation" as Paul describes in Phil 2:12? Or, are you coasting day by day, not really doing much for the Kingdom? For those of you who have not made the decision to accept Jesus as your Savior, I pray that you really begin to examine your heart and ask yourself what you're holding on to. Salvation was designed for everyone, and there is NO sin that it does not cover (excluding Mark ch 3- which we will discuss soon). If you don't believe me, have you read my testimony yet? I was one of the worst- yet God did a 180 on my life and here I am today, bringing others to Jesus.
Pray. Read the Gospels and the rest of God's Word. Open your heart and let it penetrate you- not for painful purposes, but for an eternal cleansing that nothing on this earth can match. When you do, His promises will begin to manifest themselves in your life and you can begin (or continue) a new life in Christ!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Pouring into the Harvest
He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." -Luke 10:2 (NIV)
I received an update from the Fresh Air Fund (see my post on 6/7/11) the other day. We are SO grateful to God that He has provided 650 out of the goal of 850 sponsor families for the summer! However, with only one week left, we are humbly asking for the remaining 200 families to step up and fill the void. In my previous post, I asked the question "What drives you?" I pray you search deep in prayer and the Word to see if you are led to become a host family for an underprivileged child from NYC. For more information, go to www.freshairfundhost.org.
Thank you SO much to the families that have stepped up already- and I pray that as you read this, the Holy Spirit will begin to stir you up in reaching the greatest harvest Fresh Air has seen yet!
I received an update from the Fresh Air Fund (see my post on 6/7/11) the other day. We are SO grateful to God that He has provided 650 out of the goal of 850 sponsor families for the summer! However, with only one week left, we are humbly asking for the remaining 200 families to step up and fill the void. In my previous post, I asked the question "What drives you?" I pray you search deep in prayer and the Word to see if you are led to become a host family for an underprivileged child from NYC. For more information, go to www.freshairfundhost.org.
Thank you SO much to the families that have stepped up already- and I pray that as you read this, the Holy Spirit will begin to stir you up in reaching the greatest harvest Fresh Air has seen yet!
Monday, August 1, 2011
What Drives You?
Read Revelation 18:1-8
We live in a world driven by power and wealth. Throughout the Bible "Babylon" has been described as an empire against God and built for man's conquests (Genesis 11) to a prophetic city- one described by many metaphors in Revelation. As we read in the opening verses, Babylon has deceived the nations as a harlot, and the spiritual fornication includes many idolatries and abominations against the Lord. As I've been pondering what I would write for this blog, the answer suddenly came to me- and it has been in front of me for years. I'm talking about both my work environment and everyday situations I witness out in public.
At my job I work with several individuals who are driven beyond belief with the unattainable- satisfactory worldly possessions. One guy is so obsessed with work that he has forfeited everything else in life for it- including his personal relationship with the Lord, his wife, and kids. It's a vicious cycle of attaining money that he never spends- only driving himself so far down into an abyss of misery that there seems to be no end in sight. He wants to be "rich", but has sacrificed everything else for it. (See Matt 16:26) Another is sitting on a potential stock deal- and has even self-named the whole thing his "savior". Ouch. Finally, I am observing as another gentleman is watching his marriage corrode before his eyes, but makes no change in direction from his current life- just works, works, works. I asked him one time why he works so much, his answer? To pay all of his bills. He has a $2000/mo mortgage payment, plus a brand new full size truck, and so on. He works approximately 75-80 hours a week to maintain it all. So to sum it up- working while his marriage dissolves to pay for a house he's never in and a car that he rarely drives! In public I see the same thing: parents trying to be "super parent" and fill their kid's lives with toys and objects that many can not afford in the first place. Don't get me wrong, a child is definitely not going to say no to any of the above, but what he or she does not know- simple time and love from mom and dad would trump them all. They don't know- because it's never been presented to them.
The point I'm getting at is this: until we as parents are fully secure in our validation through Jesus Christ, we will not be able to pass it on to our kids. Yes, we must work to pay the bills, but are we living within (or below) our means? Have we ever just said, "No, sweetheart I can't buy that for you right now. But, when we get home I would love to play some hide and seek with you!" Paul tells us in the book of Philippians to "do all things without complaining and disputing" (2:14) and through prayer and supplication, lay it out before the Lord and "the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension" will come upon us. (4:6-7) WE must take the first step- and it begins at the cross. Are you living your life for your God, or for everything else? It's not a half-in, half-out option. You must be sold out 100% to the Lordship of Jesus Christ if you are to experience His full blessings- that starts with prayer and alone time with Him. It may sound difficult, even ridiculous, I know- I've been there. However, I can tell you that now that I'm on the other side- the submitted side, God leads me in every area in my life in ways I never saw before. He will do the same for you..."work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. -Phil 2:12-13 (NKJV)
We live in a world driven by power and wealth. Throughout the Bible "Babylon" has been described as an empire against God and built for man's conquests (Genesis 11) to a prophetic city- one described by many metaphors in Revelation. As we read in the opening verses, Babylon has deceived the nations as a harlot, and the spiritual fornication includes many idolatries and abominations against the Lord. As I've been pondering what I would write for this blog, the answer suddenly came to me- and it has been in front of me for years. I'm talking about both my work environment and everyday situations I witness out in public.
At my job I work with several individuals who are driven beyond belief with the unattainable- satisfactory worldly possessions. One guy is so obsessed with work that he has forfeited everything else in life for it- including his personal relationship with the Lord, his wife, and kids. It's a vicious cycle of attaining money that he never spends- only driving himself so far down into an abyss of misery that there seems to be no end in sight. He wants to be "rich", but has sacrificed everything else for it. (See Matt 16:26) Another is sitting on a potential stock deal- and has even self-named the whole thing his "savior". Ouch. Finally, I am observing as another gentleman is watching his marriage corrode before his eyes, but makes no change in direction from his current life- just works, works, works. I asked him one time why he works so much, his answer? To pay all of his bills. He has a $2000/mo mortgage payment, plus a brand new full size truck, and so on. He works approximately 75-80 hours a week to maintain it all. So to sum it up- working while his marriage dissolves to pay for a house he's never in and a car that he rarely drives! In public I see the same thing: parents trying to be "super parent" and fill their kid's lives with toys and objects that many can not afford in the first place. Don't get me wrong, a child is definitely not going to say no to any of the above, but what he or she does not know- simple time and love from mom and dad would trump them all. They don't know- because it's never been presented to them.
The point I'm getting at is this: until we as parents are fully secure in our validation through Jesus Christ, we will not be able to pass it on to our kids. Yes, we must work to pay the bills, but are we living within (or below) our means? Have we ever just said, "No, sweetheart I can't buy that for you right now. But, when we get home I would love to play some hide and seek with you!" Paul tells us in the book of Philippians to "do all things without complaining and disputing" (2:14) and through prayer and supplication, lay it out before the Lord and "the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension" will come upon us. (4:6-7) WE must take the first step- and it begins at the cross. Are you living your life for your God, or for everything else? It's not a half-in, half-out option. You must be sold out 100% to the Lordship of Jesus Christ if you are to experience His full blessings- that starts with prayer and alone time with Him. It may sound difficult, even ridiculous, I know- I've been there. However, I can tell you that now that I'm on the other side- the submitted side, God leads me in every area in my life in ways I never saw before. He will do the same for you..."work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. -Phil 2:12-13 (NKJV)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
