The subject of our heart and affections must be at the forefront here to our Gospel message. Matthew 6:24 takes one point about this in regard to money or God being our master. This certainly extends to other issues that ultimately begin with the state of our heart (or soul) and our relationship with the LIVING God. It is true scripturally that we cannot "lose our salvation" but we can certainly lose rewards; as Rev. 3:11 clearly states. These will have consequences at LEAST for the Millennial rule of Christ and those of us who are "kings and priests" at that time; perhaps eternal ramifications. Hebrews 11:6 states that we MUST believe He is a rewarder of those who "diligently seek Him." This perseverance also is something worthy of obtaining crowns ( 2 Tim. 4:2).
I am convinced that God is the one who does the persevering; but still evidence that He lives within us is producing fruit (which comes after time in the proper season) as well as believing until the end. John 11:26 states that "He who believes in me will never die". What many don't know is that is in the context of CONTINUING faith; not just at a time and place of confession.
IF He lives within us and has taken up residence and if we are "sealed with the Spirit" ( Eph. 4:20) then sanctification must be continuing throughout our lives as pilgrims on the earth. God has redeemed us; and we are saved but not all the wheat and tares are evident; we in the end will be PHYSICALLY saved from this body of death at glorification; which is the end of the journey. Our salvation therefore is for HIS glory. We are to praise His name; and not just when we are in church fellowship; and certainly not for show to see who can yell "AMEN" the loudest.
We must keep in mind those that walked away when Christ challenged them; as well as what happened between Palm Sunday and the Crucifixion. Those who truly believe WILL endure to the end; those who don't WILL FALL. Simple as that.
Richard, I 99.9% agree with you, with a few nuances While I agree that a true believer won't become an atheist, agnostic, Muslim, etc. the Bible assures us that "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." ( 2 Tim. 2:13). Solomon is an example of someone whose heart was turned from the Lord late in in life, to the point where he worshipped the false gods of the pagan women he took to wife. Salvation is a one and done - "Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved" ( Acts 16:13), "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." ( Rom. 10:9). Jesus said "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." ( John 3:3); born again, once. When we are saved, our spirit is sanctified; bearing fruit depends on whether we walk in the spirit or in the flesh.
I agree 100% that God is the one who preserves us, we are to be confident that "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." ( Phil. 1:6), and we are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." ( 1 Pet. 1:5). Our faith saves us (obviously by what Jesus has done for us); the power of God keeps us saved, if we truly believe ( Acts 8:37).
I also agree - not all the wheat and tares are evident, which is why the Lord said to leave them and let them grow together. However, I can assure you, there are many tares that look like wheat, and some wheat that look like tares. True believers can become backslidden, and in some cases, severely backslidden to the point where their life produces no fruit, being saved, "yet as so by fire" ( 1 Cor. 3:15). But, any "believer" who completely abandons the faith simply demonstrates that they were never saved to begin with ( 1 Jn. 2:19).
You and Richard may already know this but just to add this little bit to the conversation on the wheat and the tares. A tare is a plant named bearded darnel plant (Lolium temulentum) it is wheat's evil twin, and it is poisonous, and in small amounts, it is intoxicating. It cannot be identified until the head with the grains appears which is purple. Only at the harvest, they can be known when the angels are sent to sort them out.
Good Morning Richard, Thanks again for these posts on how we are to go on in our faith after conversion.
If those who are in the church family would live as we ought than our witness and example to those not of the faith would be so much stronger, convincing, effective, and without hypocrisy and our words, service, and love for one another will be genuine, sincere, outpouring, and impartial.
Today's church environment is much like how Jesus described the Laodicean church: comfy, well-fed, indulgent, fleshly, and unaware of the lack of truly essential aspects of the mission of the people of God. Certainly, there are those in areas of great poverty, oppression, persecution, and violence in the world. But, even with access to so much on the internet, most Christians in western churches sit back and enjoy the ride of ease and luxury compared to what our brethren are facing daily in other parts of our world.
Even with all of these "things" in our western modern churches, people are still hungry for more, and often not for what is good. They will seek after "spiritual" experiences which more and more are dipping into the practices of the occult and eastern religions and the New Age. People are seeking personal "relevancy" in their church "experience" rather than true reverence; positive messages rather than a call to holiness; thinking they can "capture" some for the kingdom by bringing worldliness into the church arena and worship.
But there are still many things being done in the church that are truly good and advance the gospel. We should focus on those things, herald those who serve humbly rather than "celebrity" adulation. We need to be decisive about presenting the essentials of the faith over and over and over again until those new to the church and those who have been there a long time know these things by heart in order to be able to easily speak out the reason for one's hope in Christ to any who ask. We need to be equipped to be able to minister outward
The subject of our heart and affections must be at the forefront here to our Gospel message. Matthew 6:24 takes one point about this in regard to money or God being our master. This certainly extends to other issues that ultimately begin with the state of our heart (or soul) and our relationship with the LIVING God. It is true scripturally that we cannot "lose our salvation" but we can certainly lose rewards; as Rev. 3:11 clearly states. These will have consequences at LEAST for the Millennial rule of Christ and those of us who are "kings and priests" at that time; perhaps eternal ramifications. Hebrews 11:6 states that we MUST believe He is a rewarder of those who "diligently seek Him." This perseverance also is something worthy of obtaining crowns ( 2 Tim. 4:2).
I am convinced that God is the one who does the persevering; but still evidence that He lives within us is producing fruit (which comes after time in the proper season) as well as believing until the end. John 11:26 states that "He who believes in me will never die". What many don't know is that is in the context of CONTINUING faith; not just at a time and place of confession.
IF He lives within us and has taken up residence and if we are "sealed with the Spirit" ( Eph. 4:20) then sanctification must be continuing throughout our lives as pilgrims on the earth. God has redeemed us; and we are saved but not all the wheat and tares are evident; we in the end will be PHYSICALLY saved from this body of death at glorification; which is the end of the journey. Our salvation therefore is for HIS glory. We are to praise His name; and not just when we are in church fellowship; and certainly not for show to see who can yell "AMEN" the loudest.
We must keep in mind those that walked away when Christ challenged them; as well as what happened between Palm Sunday and the Crucifixion. Those who truly believe WILL endure to the end; those who don't WILL FALL. Simple as that.
I agree 100% that God is the one who preserves us, we are to be confident that "he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." ( Phil. 1:6), and we are "kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." ( 1 Pet. 1:5). Our faith saves us (obviously by what Jesus has done for us); the power of God keeps us saved, if we truly believe ( Acts 8:37).
I also agree - not all the wheat and tares are evident, which is why the Lord said to leave them and let them grow together. However, I can assure you, there are many tares that look like wheat, and some wheat that look like tares. True believers can become backslidden, and in some cases, severely backslidden to the point where their life produces no fruit, being saved, "yet as so by fire" ( 1 Cor. 3:15). But, any "believer" who completely abandons the faith simply demonstrates that they were never saved to begin with ( 1 Jn. 2:19).
-Chris
You and Richard may already know this but just to add this little bit to the conversation on the wheat and the tares. A tare is a plant named bearded darnel plant (Lolium temulentum) it is wheat's evil twin, and it is poisonous, and in small amounts, it is intoxicating. It cannot be identified until the head with the grains appears which is purple. Only at the harvest, they can be known when the angels are sent to sort them out.
God bless,
RLW
If those who are in the church family would live as we ought than our witness and example to those not of the faith would be so much stronger, convincing, effective, and without hypocrisy and our words, service, and love for one another will be genuine, sincere, outpouring, and impartial.
Today's church environment is much like how Jesus described the Laodicean church: comfy, well-fed, indulgent, fleshly, and unaware of the lack of truly essential aspects of the mission of the people of God. Certainly, there are those in areas of great poverty, oppression, persecution, and violence in the world. But, even with access to so much on the internet, most Christians in western churches sit back and enjoy the ride of ease and luxury compared to what our brethren are facing daily in other parts of our world.
Even with all of these "things" in our western modern churches, people are still hungry for more, and often not for what is good. They will seek after "spiritual" experiences which more and more are dipping into the practices of the occult and eastern religions and the New Age. People are seeking personal "relevancy" in their church "experience" rather than true reverence; positive messages rather than a call to holiness; thinking they can "capture" some for the kingdom by bringing worldliness into the church arena and worship.
But there are still many things being done in the church that are truly good and advance the gospel. We should focus on those things, herald those who serve humbly rather than "celebrity" adulation. We need to be decisive about presenting the essentials of the faith over and over and over again until those new to the church and those who have been there a long time know these things by heart in order to be able to easily speak out the reason for one's hope in Christ to any who ask. We need to be equipped to be able to minister outward
Well spoken.
God bless you.
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