It has been a mistake among many Christians to believe that The Word of God was written for anyone else but them, us. Making excuses for ourselves so we can declare ourselves innocent and thereby proceed in the comfortable un-Christian lifestyle we enjoy.
There are too many warnings in The Word of God, for us to remain comfortable in any way. This evil lie of once saved always saved is just that, a devil’s lie. There is no such thing.
Even the great Apostle Paul recognizes this truth as he calls out, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” (I Cor. 9:26-27)
What he means is that even when he had preached to others, even when he had been an important instrument in the hands of God, even when he had fought a great battle for his and others salvation, even then… if he did not keep watching (Praying, living a holy life, following the perfect example.) he could lose his salvation.
It is the same for all of us, it has always been the same for all Christians. The Lord Jesus Christ stated this truth in the following manner; “If any man (or woman) will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
One of the key words in that statement is daily, for it is not; once saved always saved, but a daily struggle to remain faithful. Even when our Lord has promised that nothing can take us away from him, this does not include… us. For we will always have freedom of choice, this, not even God can take away from us. If He could, there wouldn’t be any sinners.
We have to choose daily to follow Him. Every day is a battle, every day we encounter a trial, every day we will be tempted to sin. Especially in our modern day, when going out of our homes, brings sights we should not look at, much less entertain, as the woman and men of this world walk naked through the world.
The men and woman speak of things we should not listen to, they conduct their lifestyles in an ungodly manner and flaunt their rebellion opening before their creator.
“know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)
Friends?
One of the most common and important ingredients of friendship, is that it “suffers” the “shortcomings” of the other. Meaning that we “overlook” the other one’s deficiencies, or maladies, or sins…
Are we friends with the world around us? Do we suffer its wicked lifestyle? As we like to say; Do we turn a blind eye to its ungodly behavior? Do we deny its ungodly behavior? Should we “sweep it under the rug”?
Do we laugh at the “dark” joke we are told? Do we tell that friend that her manner of dressing is morally “disturbing”, causing harm to her neighbor and offensive to God because it causes others to sin? Do we tell our neighbor that getting drunk is going to condemn him to the everlasting fire? Etc. etc.
Do we suffer them and remain silent because we have a friendship? Or because we are afraid? Neither one will make it through the gates of heaven, for cowards will also be banned from paradise, and the sin of “Omission” is still a sin…
Omission; a failure to do something, especially something that one has a moral or legal obligation to do.
There are two more things to say… And it is Jesus’s speaking…
“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Mat. 10:28)
“Will ye also go away?” (John 6:67)
There is no other Gospel… We can choose, friendship with the world around us, or enmity? Do not be mistaken… we cannot have both, and God cannot be deceived.
DHD
DHD
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