But Lord – Lord, have I not? …….…………..”I never knew you: depart from me”
We read in Mat 7:22-23 this heart-breaking story, that soon, will be a reality for many Christians. We also read in Mat 22:11-12 where Jesus walked between His bride and asked, “Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment?”Not like the others that still tried to argue, in Mat 7, this man was speechless, because he knew the truth. God said that He will pour out His wrath with a flaming fire, on those that were non-believers and those who did not obey the true Gospel 2The 1:8. Are you sure you have enough oil, are you sure that oil is pure, in regards to God’s standards Exo 27:20. Child of God – have you been cleansed, are you ready to stand before Him?
Bound – Through the ages, many people have tried to discredit the word of God, but like an anvil it still stands, where as many of them have passed away. Many people claim to be Christians, but if you look at their fruit, you do not see fruit worthy of repentance Mat 3:8. People don’t read the original scriptures anymore, and end up measuring with the wrong measurement. Few repent and truly become born again Joh 3:3, so that the Holy Spirt can break the Word open for them. “The natural man can not receive the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” 1Cor 2:14. The Bible is being translated more and more to be user friendly and to accommodate everybody. The word is then understood fleshly rather than spiritually thus another Jesus and another gospel is born, creating another sprit 2Cor 11:4. Reading through the gospels, it is clear that Jesus warns us over and over to take heed that we must not be deceived Luk 21:8. According to Jesus just before His 2nd coming there will be many false prophets and teachers that will try to mislead the elect. He warns us that people will “not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” 2Tim 4:1-5. Many people are under the impression that baptism as a child saved them. Some believe they are the elect and God’s chosen ones, and others believe that if they are once saved they are always saved. Most are taught that the grace of God protects them and they do not run the race as one who runs to obtain the prize 1Cor 9:24. Sin does not get dealt with but suppressed, and later it just pops up again. Then the process of forgiveness begins all over again. Few read and study the word of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to find out what God has to say 1Cor 2:10. Too many people, blindly, trust there church’s teachings and never become free of the bondage that Satan has over them. Most doctrines teach that the blood of Jesus is like a blanket between them and God. Once they are under the blanket, God cannot see their sins. As long as they stay behind the blanket they are saved. They always remain under the power of Satan and never become victorious over sin. They are taught that they were forever saved the moment they believed in Jesus. Most Christians and even preachers become like Nicodemus. They believed in Jesus. They have all the knowledge. They are truly dedicated, but not born again Joh 3:1-12. They remain lost and bound.
Jesus purpose – When Jesus died at the cross the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and for the first time man had access to the Holy of Holies! Mat 27:51. Jesus spanned a bridge to a lost world and the Holy of Holies! We all have access now, but if you think that you can walk over that bridge in to the Holy of Holies with your sinful nature, because you believe in Jesus and He loves you – you are making a big mistake. You can walk over, once you have been cleansed, through the blood of Jesus 1Joh 3:3. Jesus birth, His walk, His crucifixion and His resurrections purpose was not to forgive us over and over for our sin. We must repent our sin 1Joh 1:9 and forsake them! Pro 28:13. Jesus was victorious over Satan, death and sin. Through His victory we can have victory; 1Cor 15:57. even if we have to resist unto blood, striving against sin Heb 12:4. Our iniquities separated us from God Isa 59:2. If you don’t grow and become victorious over sin you will end up having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof 2Tim 3:5. You will not be ready to meet your Lord Heb 12:14. If your religion does not teach and motivate you to kneel and stay at the cross, you are standing on a false foundation. How else do you testify the gospel, Jesus victory, His resurrection if you cannot testify to victory over sin, and bring forth therefore fruits that meet the repentance Mat 12:33. Jesus Himself said in Mat 10:39, “he that findeth his life, in this life, shall lose it: and he that loseth his life, in this life, for His sake shall find it”. Child of God are you busy with the things of this world, or are you busy cleansing yourself for the Lord, or are you just standing with one leg in the world and the other in some form of religion Jam 1:8
Child of God – Most people calling themselves children of God, quote Joh 1:12. They say they have accepted God and believe in Jesus, that is why they are children of God. But that is not what that text means. If you accepted God and believe in Jesus, He gave you the power to become a child of God. Something must happen, that something we find in Rom 8:14 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Where does the Sprit of God lead you to – from a captured state to a victories state, freed. 1Joh. 1:7 says “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin”. We must allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to the light so that we can be judged now. If you are not going to be judged now you will be condemned with the world 1Cor 11:31-32. God rebukes and chastens those that He loves Rev 3:19. We need to be set free and allow Him to redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works Tit. 2:14. Do you realize this life is only an earthly tabernacle? 2Cor 5:1. Or have your sins caused God to hide His face from you, so that He will not hear you. If you can’t hear His voice to find out what still stands between you and Him, how are you ever going to hear the warnings of His 2nd coming Gen 19:14 – all the sign are already there.
Repentance – We are all born in sin Psa 51:7, and the wage of sin is death Rom 6:23. God wants everybody to be saved 1Tim 2:4. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” Rom. 10:13. God will call you and knock on your heart’s door, and if you act and open your heart to Him He will come in and sup with you Rev 3:20. Unfortunately many do not act upon this call, and through that, harden their hearts. But God does not stop there He will go so far as to send a crisis in your life, to get your attention Job 33:14-30. If you act on this call and accept Him as your Savior, He will come in to your heart. But once again many don’t act on this and harden their hearts even more Heb 3:15. God can only save you once you have realized that you are lost. The Holy Spirit does this awakening in you once you act on God’s call. Once you have acted you must repent by turning your back on the world and confess all your sins. You must follow Jesus, into the unknown, giving your all Luk 14:33. This is a step in pure faith while the Holy Spirit leads you into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Born Again – After your repentance, if you truly confessed all your sins out of your heart, and not your head, through His mercy you become Born Again Tit 3:5. This is something that happens in heaven and your heart has communion in that. Many expect a feeling straight away, and if they do not get it they fall back. This must all happen in pure faith, on the right time you will experience a Godly peace Joh 14:27. Although all conversions are not the same, the following sins are dealt with, smoking, drinking, adultery, stealing, fighting, unfair business etc. After you are born again God will star revealing Himself to you. He will do enough in your life that you will forever be convinced that He is alive and that all in the Bible is true. Everything in your life will start to change! 2Cor 5:17. You will develop a strong love towards others, even your enemies Rom 12:20. If you can’t confess that everything in your entire life was affected, the moment the God of the universe touched you Son 5:3-4 you are probably, standing on a false foundation, regarding – being Born Again.
Misleading – Just being Born Again is a dangerous time for a Christian, because you are like a sponge now, hungry for knowledge and the Word, you will soak up all information. Your spirit has just come alive. Satan will now try and mislead you. He will try to keep you busy, under the title of “Christianity”. Jesus said, we do not come to the light, so our sin can be dealt with Joh 3:19-21, but rather wander around the light. Satan uses this and offers us many “Christian” options not go to the light. For instance a Prosperity gospel is offered, and easily accepted, because it is “Christianity”. They teach that you are now a “king”, and will be blessed now, with materialistic values. They teach, that you know have all the heavenly powers to manipulate and get want you want. Christians are entertained with worldly “Christian music” and sadly, many believe that the emotional feeling of the music is the presence of the Holy Spirit. They end up never becoming free from sin, because the true work of the true Holy Spirit is to teach us everything of Jesus and to convict us of sin Joh 16:8. The world is now hastily being prepared for the end-time church that will eventually take hands with “everyo” Rev 18:3-4. Christians are been bombarded with positive thinking and purpose driven course. The result is they don’t hear the voice of the Holy Spirit anymore, that wants to lead them to the cross. They end up motivating and building “the self” rather than crucifying it. They believe they are children of God, but they look like the world, talk like the world and do like the world 1Joh 2:15-17. They become lukewarm Christians that say, “I am rich and have need of nothing; and know not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked:” Rev 3:14-22.
Holiness – Once you are Born Again, the Holy Spirit will lead you further. Your next phase is to reach a point where you surrender your will to Jesus and die to self and worldliness Rom 12:1-2. And testify like Paul “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me” Gal 2:20. God can only fully use you to help others, once you are free. All who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death! Rom 6:3. Baptism is probably the most important foundation for a holy victorious life. But few ever reach this point because they were baptized as children and are not sure where the baptism fits in. Many have been baptize as adults but were not Born Again. With your baptism you enter into a marriage relationship with the Lord and can’t just one day back out, like in a divorce Heb 6:1-6. With your baptism the self will be buried with Him Cor 2:12, and the Holy Spirit will lead you further towards the light. Now sins like hate, bitterness, unforgiving, gossip, swearing, division, anger, lies etc. are dealt with. As you lay down and become victorious you become more Christ-like, this is Holiness, this is gathering oil. It is not the works that justify you, as you become more victorious and grow, but works follow automatic, faith alone can’t save you Jam 2:14. If you truly died to self, and put your all on the altar, and leave it there, God will do a deeper work of grace within you, called entire sanctification 1The 5:23. Now the origin of sin is dealt with and the hold Satan has over you Rom 6:22. By this time you probably won’t have many friends left, the world will hate you Mat 10:22, and you will look, talk, think and do everything exactly opposite to the world 1Joh 3:1. Unfortunately few ever reach this point because they never die to self. They become Christians that live a while and then fall, no fruit to bear, no disciplines – Mat 28:19
Resistance – There will be three major things working against you on the narrow path to the cross.
- Your flesh – tends to turn back to the world, but the Lord will intervene and give victory
- The devil – attacks you constantly in your mind, but once again there is victory through Jesus
- Luke warm Christians – that offer you a cheaper Christianity. This is the worst of the three, for here none can intervene for you, you must alone, in faith, fight the lonely battle of the cross.
God says He will spew them out of his mouth Rev 3:16 . Many Christians back slide because of the influence of lukewarm Christians and people merchandising Christianity.
The danger – The misleading is so subtle, because the devil comes like an angel of light 2Cor 11:14. If you are not going to allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to a place where you can let go and let God have His way, where you die to self, you stand a very good chance to be misled by the lukewarm, end time, worldly, church of Laodicea Rev 3: 14-22. Remember your sin grieves the Holy Spirit Efe 4:30, and can even quench Him 1The 5:19. Jesus Himself said that it is a narrow path Luk 13:24 and although many will try only few will find it. 1Tim 4:16 says “take heed to thyself, and to thy teaching and to continue in these things; for in doing this thou shalt save both thyself and them that hear thee”. Paul said in 2Tim 2:11 those that die with Jesus will live with Him. 1Cor 1:18 warns us “the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God”. Remember all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution 2Tim 3:12, not material blessings and wonderful powers. Be careful of user-friendly gospels its all over. It teaches another Jesus and another Gospel and receives a different Spirit. 2Cor 11:4 God said if you play with false teachings, He Himself will send a strong delusion, that you should believe the lie: 2Tes 2:9-11.
What does God say about sin! – the soul that sins must die Ese 18:4. God heareth not sinners Joh 9:31. Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? – God forbid Rom 6:1. If God spared not angels when they sinned, what about us – 2Pet 2:4. And purify unto himself a people for his own possession Tit 2:14. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not 1Joh 3:6.
Warning – Do you see the signs in the cross Luk 21:28. Thousands of years ago they were all predicted in your own Bible Isa 46:9-10, as a warning to us, upon whom the ends of the ages have come 1Cor 10:11. Jesus said in Mat 25:1-13. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins (KJV), not girls (Contempory EV), not young woman (Worldwide English Bible) – NO…. “VIRGINS”, cleansed in the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! But only five were wise – and had enough oil. Five was foolish – had to little oil. – Child of God – Where do you stand today?– Do you have enough oil? – Listen, He is coming!
by Jacques Lucas
