Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

_Saved and Lost?
May 24th, 2020
CommentaryArt Sadlier
Categories: Exhortation

Can a believer lose his or her salvation? That is a question that troubles a lot of Christians, the answer can give great peace and stability to a true child of God.

We need to understand that the word of God teaches that God alone can provide salvation. Man has no part to play in his salvation, it is all of God. Only a Divine human Savior could go to the cross and pay the price of sin and only God by His Spirit could apply that salvation to an individual. The scripture says that we are saved by grace through faith. Grace is God providing salvation; faith moves the hand of God to provide it.  Salvation is the gift of God,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), once the gift has been received only the giver can take it away and He has promised never to do that. “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.” (Psalm 37:28). “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38, 39).

God has promised that salvation is forever and He cannot lie or break His promise, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).  “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47).  You can't have everlasting life for a few years and then lose it, once you have it you have it is forever, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40), in this case the outcome rests entirely on God and His promise.

We need to understand also what happens at salvation; Peter said that when a person is saved he or she becomes a partaker of the divine nature. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:4).  

We actually become a partaker of the very nature of God, we are born again. Paul said we become new creatures in Christ. John said that our new nature cannot sin. “We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not” (1 John 5:18). Though we know that the old nature is ever present until we are glorified, yet we have a divine nature that cannot sin. A Christian has no sin in him, though until his glorification he has sin on him.

This new nature, a divine nature that cannot sin could not turn away from the Lord, it can never go back, it could never reject what it has already received, it can never be lost.

If a true believer were to be cast into hell God would be cast into hell with him. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and becontent with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).  

Other verses that give assurance of a salvation that can never be lost. “

“But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.                                                                                                         My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and noman is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.” (John 10:26-29).  “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35). “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:16).

We need to understand that many people think they are saved and they are not. False profession is a major problem in this issue.

We see this in Matthew 13:20-22, “But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

We see the gospel being spread as a farmer sows the seed some respond and make a profession of faith and they look good for a while but time proves that they never had the root of the matter, they had never been saved, Verse 6, "they had no root".

We see this also revealed in Matthew 13:21-23, “But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Notice they were self-deceived into believing that they were saved and they were not. It's not that they had been saved and lost their salvation, Jesus said to them, "I never knew you", they were deceived into thinking they were believers but they were never saved.

That is the curse of New Evangelicalism that plagues the evangelical church today, they preach easy-believe-ism, you don't need to repent, you don't need to change, look at us we are so much like the world you can hardly tell the difference, just name the name of Jesus and you are in. The end result is a disaster, the disaster of Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

 A church full of pseudo believers is a catastrophe. Jesus said, "....Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3, 5).

Paul said, "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith...." (2 Cor. 13:5).

We need not be in doubt, 1 John 5:13 "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may KNOW that ye have eternal life...."

It's not saved and lost, it's lost because they were never really saved in the first place. “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity” (2 Tim. 2:19).

MARKS OF A GENUINE CHRISTIAN

These things do not help you to obtain salvation (with the exception of numbers 1 & 2) but are the evidence that salvation has taken place.

1-  A true understanding of who Christ is and what He has done.

2-  A recognition of our sin and rebellion against God which is accompanied by repentance and faith in Christ as your savior.

3-  An obedience to the words and commands of Christ which is accompanied by a hunger to know God's word.   1 John 2:3, 4   ! John 3:24   John 14:21   Jeremiah 15:16.

4-  Love for our brothers in Christ.  I John 2:9-11   1 John 3:14   John 13:35

5-  Fellowship with other Christians.   1 John  1:3   Hebrews 10;25   Acts 2:42,46,47

6-  Prayer -  a genuine relationship with Christ will involve communication with Him.  John 15:7   John 16:24

7-  Witnessing - A readiness to witness to others as to what Christ has done for you.  Mark 16:15    Acts 1:8

8-  Baptism - Baptism by immersion is not an option for a true believer. Though it has no part in salvation, it is a command of Christ.  Matthew 28:19    Acts 2:37-38

These are the eight marks of true salvation, if your faith in Christ is genuine saving faith, these marks will be found in your life in the coming days.  2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

The letter to Pergamos pt.#1 - Exploring Revelation
May 24th, 2020
Exploring RevelationArt Sadlier
Categories: Commentary;Prophecy;Book Study

We have been considering the Letters To The Seven Churches of Asia minor.

All seven churches existed at the same time in the first century.

Secondly, each church, prophetically represents an era of Church History when its characteristics were dominant in that era.

Thirdly, the characteristics, both good and bad are found in some individual churches today and throughout history.

The letters represent a catalogue of all that can be right or wrong in any given individual church.

Ephesus was typical of the characteristics that were predominant in the Apostolic era or the first century.

Smyrna represented the predominant situation in the churches from approximately 100-312AD.

Pergamos was typical of the churches from 312-500 AD.

Pergamos means a thorough marriage. Pergamos was the church of compromise. It represented that era in which the church gave up her pilgrim character and was married to the world. We see the purpose-driven church repeating that error today.

The devil discovered that the blood of the Martyrs was the seed of the church. Consequently he changed his tactics, from persecution by the World, to acceptance by the World. Satan made the transition from "Roaring Lion" to "Angel of Light."

The city of Pergamos lay about twenty miles inland from the sea, about sixty miles north of Smyrna. It was situated in a fertile valley on the Caisus River. It was larger then Ephesus and Smyrna, it was a very beautiful and wealthy city. It was a cultural centre with a library of 200,000 volumes, second only to Alexandria. It was a pagan city with temples to Zeus-Aphrodite and Asecullapas.

We begin in vs. 12, "these things saith He which hath a sharp sword with two edges." The sword, of course, is the Word of God. The need for a church like Pergamos, that is adrift in compromise with the world, is the Word of God! That is also the need of our day.

"I know thy works," vs.13, our Lord begins with a commendation. Like each church Pergamos began well.

"And where thou dwellest." He knew they were living in a bad neighborhood, in a very evil and hostile place. They lived in a pagan city that was the implacable enemy of christians.

"Even where Satan's throne is." Satan is the God of this world, his throne is not in Hell but upon this earth. Paul called him "the god of this world." Satan has certain places on earth that he is able to exercise greater control over, Pergamos was one of those places.

" And thou holdest fast My name," Our Lord commends them because in the midst of fierce opposition, they did not deny Christ, but identified with Him. "And hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth." As the church began someone had died for their faith in Christ. Even in the midst of severe persecution and martyrdom, these believers did not deny Christ.

The church began well, but now it has a mid-life crisis. "But, I have a few things against thee." It did not matter how well they had begun, how much they have to be commended for, sin and error in the church can never be tolerated by the Lord of the Church.

Jesus had said, "a little leaven (evil) leavens (corrupts) the whole lump (church). Christ is not willing to balance the good in a church against the evil and say, O well, no church is perfect! The whole point of the letters to all seven churches is that the church must be a pure church, without spot or wrinkle.

The Lord's attitude toward sin in the church, is expressed again and again, "Repent, or else I will remove your candlestick." I will decommission you.

Basically, the Lord charges Pergamos with two serious errors.

FIRST "Thou hast there, them that hold the doctrine of Balaam." Balaamism was an evil principle that came into the church at Pergamos.

We need to understand Balaamism. Balaam was offered a great reward to curse Israel. Three times he attempted to curse Israel, but each time the Lord restrained him. At last Balaam produced an evil scheme to destroy Israel.

Balaam suggested that the Moabite girls should seduce the men of Israel, and get them to participate in the Idolatrous, Immoral Worship of Pagan Gods. This action would result in mixed marriages between Israelites and Moabites. In turn this action would prevent war between Israel and Moab, Israel would be compromised.

What Moab could not do by confrontation, they were able to do by unholy alliance and mixed marriages. This led Israel to abandon their pilgrim life and compromise with the world. It was this evil principle of Balaamism (compromise) that came into the Church of Pergamos.

"Pergamos" means, "a thorough marriage". It has the same root from which we get our English words, "Bigamy" and "Polygamy." Pergamos signifies a mixed marriage in the most objectionable sense of the word. The Church of Pergamos became married to the world. The church and the world ought never to be married. (See John 15:18, 19)

The Church of Pergamos, and that which happened in the Church of Pergamos, is representative of the church era between 312-500AD.

About 312 AD, after the death of Emporer Diocletian, Constantine in the West and Maxentius in the East were both determined to succeed Diocletian. Eventually they faced each other in battle to decide the issue. Tradition says, that the night before the battle, Constantine saw a vision in the sky in the shape of a cross, he saw the words "by this sign conquer".

One tradition says, that he bargained with Satan that night, to join the church and declare himself a christian if he won the battle.

We know from history, he did win the battle, he did declare himself a christian, he marched his troops through the river and declared them baptised, he declared them all to be members of the church.

Later, some 400 pastors carried him on a golden throne. He presided over their assembly and became head of the church.

Instantly, it was not only popular to join the church, but socially, politically and economically necessary to join the church.

Overnight the composition of the church changed, the church was married to the world. The whole empire was swept into the church. From persecution to popularity, from separation to union with the world. That's Balaamism, it is compromise. A monstrosity. We see this in the parable of the mustard seed in Mt. 13: 31,32.

When the church compromised with the world the result was a thousand years of spiritual darkness.

Today the same process is taking place, the purpose driven-user friendly church is leading almost the whole evangelical church into the same compromise with the world. The result this time will not be a thousand years of darkness, but three and a half years of a world dominated by the Harlot Church of Rev.17.

The end result is found in Mt.7: 21-23, a deceived group who thinks they are followers of Christ but are not. Jesus warned about this deception when asked about the signs of the end of the age. (See Mt.24:4,11,24)

If you are a part of the Purpose Driven User Friendly Church, I urge you to come out of it - you are in spiritual peril.

The Heavenly Places
May 24th, 2020
Morning MeditationF.B. Meyer
Categories: Meditation;Inspirational;Book Study

IN HIS conversation with Nicodemus, while the night-breeze played over the sleeping city, coming and going as it would, our Lord spoke of Himself as being already in heaven. His bodily presence was evidently in the chamber of that house in Jerusalem, robed in the simple peasant garb which his mother had spun for Him; but in spirit, He was much more really in heaven than there. So, according to the teaching of the apostle Paul, the Church, consisting of such as believe in Christ, is really less a denizen of earth than of those heavenly places which have been entered by her Lord. They are not heaven, but heaven-like.

ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS ARE STORED THERE. (Ephesians 1:3)
Human speech could never tell the infinite variety of blessings which are required for the life of the saints. Grace to endure what God sends or permits, as well as to do what He commands. So destitute are we of natural qualities and powers that we need to receive all things that pertain to life and godliness. Everything that Christ asks of us must be received from Him before it can be yielded to Him. It is therefore a source of deep heart's-ease to learn that God has stored in Jesus every spiritual blessing. As all colour lies hidden in sunlight, waiting to be drawn off by the flowers, so does help for every time of need reside in Christ.

The tense denotes a definite past act. The apostle does not say that God does or will bless; but that He has blessed. He carries us back into the eternal ages, in which we were created in Christ, so far as the eternal purpose is concerned, and assures us that then every conceivable blessing which we should need in our earthly pilgrimage was stored up in Christ Jesus our Lord. We have not therefore to plead for these things, as though God were unwilling to give; but humbly and reverently to lay claim to them by faith. All things are thine, O Christian soul; by which thou mayest become partaker of the Divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world by lust.

But since these spiritual blessings are in the heavenly places, we must live upon that plane. This is where so many mistake. They know that all the land is theirs; but they do not put their foot down upon it. We cannot inherit the treasures of the everlasting hills, whilst we are satisfied with the heavy air of the valleys. Our daily life must be spent in fellowship with the living Jesus; our thought and heart must not only ascend to Him, but continually dwell with Him; we must experimentally sit in the heavenly places ere we can claim or possess the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.