My last stand

(John 13:38) “Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me?”

Why have so many in time past deliberated the point with such vigour. Calvinism opposed to Arminian. If it is like my brother says to confuse brothers in Christ and to win an argument then this point is futile and I have totally missed achieving my objective... This was never my intention! I have one concern and I will spell it out in my last attempt to wear my heart on my sleeve for all to see and understand why I stress eternal security (perseverance of the believer) for all whom God have saved. Life is so full of deception and traps that are set without as well as within church organisations. The church should be a safe haven for all who believe, to achieve unity of the faith should be the leader’s goal, obviously without compromising truth (sound doctrine), and it must always be done with a spirit of gentleness and in love. This will take a great effort in working it out and possibly a lifetime, but it must be what motivates every true believer, we must lay our live down for one another, anything short of that is pride and God will resist the proud! When our country prepares for war and we stand shoulder to shoulder with each other in agreement, all those prepared to enlist; once they have signed the document then they are regarded as a soldier in that army. They are afforded every privilege available to them but they must be willing to lay down their lives for their country. They all receive a uniform that identifies them as having enlisted. There is no doubt or confusion, if they themselves have signed on the dotted line. I agree that much of scripture encourages us not only to run but to finish the race, only those who finish will receive a crown. That is the message Paul preached and that is the message we must preach to one another, and even more so now as the screws start to tighten as God begins to shake the earth.

As a rule in today’s day and age I am sure you will agree with me that a cheap gospel is preach. Emphasis is placed on blessing and not repentance, the gospel is offered as a vogue that one should at least try out and then make up their mind. Money is what drives today’s gospel in many apparent church organisations. We are not surprised as we have been warned that this will happen! (Romans 16:18) “For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.” This is a trap that is out there that we must avoid and because we have been warned by our loving Father in and through His Word we must take note an act accordingly. Who must been warned? All of God’s children must be cautioned. Just like everyone enlisted in the countries army must be warned if an attack is in the offing.

I accept and agree with you that on a daily basis we as children of God must make a choice; (Joshua 24:15) “And if it seem evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Jehovah.” Lot’s wife was saved out of Sodom but her heart was still with Sodom, she had not truly pledged an allegiance to Jehovah God. She was coming along for the ride, do you see the difference. I hope so! That is why she looked back and turned into a pillar of salt.

Where I think it I would like to emphasis my concern would be that because of the weak gospel message that is preached today and the methods used to convince people that they are saved, by repeating words etc and without witnessing true repentance in a new converts life, leaders of churches then tell them they are saved, or because they utter some words that they have been coaxed to say and then are told that they have received the Holy Ghost, they may well have received the gift but maybe not! Time will tell! When in fact they have a form of godliness but do not have the spirit of Christ, they are not born again; they are still dead in their trespasses and sins. Yet they think that they are save, nothing in their life changes, but they are told that all will be alright when in fact it won’t be until true repentance is given to them by God. They join the church and never really get involved; there is no fruit of repentance and yet they are told that they will be saved because they put their hand up in a meeting. This is when we will be guilty before God in making false converts and when they fall away we then say you see you can lose your salvation if you once were saved. But they were never saved in the first place so they do not count as saved in God’s reckoning, because they never were born again. That is why I stress that both sheep and goats feed together in the same pastures, but only the sheep will get protection from the Great Shepherd. He is the great shepherd and not a hireling; (John 10:13) “He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” But God! (John 10:14) “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,” Therefore the relationship between every born again child of God knows their Saviour the Lord Jesus also knows them, this is on a personal level!

The individual must be persuaded by the Spirit of God that they are in God’s army. He will have a witness, not from men but from God. Now it is not our place to go around like some hero doing the work of the Holy Spirit, God forbid we even entertain that mindset, determining who is and who isn’t saved, and who will or won’t be saved, that is God’s domain, all we are told is that we will know a tree by its fruit. If and when we make mistakes what will our response be to our mistakes? Will we be proud or humble, will we look to be justified or will we seek forgiveness. That in itself is a fruit that we can judge.

Now because I have failed so often as a Christian, maybe that is why I have a burden for all the saints that struggle so! My concern is for the bruised reeds and the smoking flax’s. There are those who always seem to be lagging as they do not have the strength of the fitter Christians. I am convinced that God will never give up on them; He tells me this through His word. (Isaiah 42:3) “A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice.” My heart is for the weak my brother Malcolm; we may make the mistake of writing off a weak brother or sister just because they never seem to be able to cut it. If God has called them and given them His spirit and we leave them by the wayside then we are just like the hireling and not like the good Shepherd. May God give us the wisdom and the strength to carry all in need of assistance? We may be battered in the rescue operation, so be it as long as they may find a rejuvenated spirit to press on toward the mark of the HIGH CALLING which is in Christ Jesus. Not only will the strong make it, but all whom God has called and chosen will make it and not one will be left behind. This will glorify of Father and His abundant brilliance. May we be willing to be used in rescuing the weak as God loves them and has had mercy upon them as he has had mercy upon us?

The strong can take care of themselves its the weak that need help! If you are part of God’s kingdom today, then tomorrow you will not be a stranger, you cannot be a son today and a bastard tomorrow. You can however be a son walking in disobedience, which in itself is a completely different subject.

(Jude 1:22-25) “And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

In other words let us not be quick in writing off believers who may have strayed from the faith and yet it was clearly evident that sometime in their life the Lord meant everything to them, they are bruised and the evil one seeks their soul but may God use us to snatch them out of the fire, but be sure if God would use you to hate the garments stained by the flesh.

Signing off

Tyrone