We do that with God’s word a lot as well. Probably more often than we would care to admit.
You know the drill. We were taught a ‘doctrine’ with various scriptures to support what we believe. Then we encounter ‘new’ verses in the bible ...that don’t “fit” with what we believe. So then what? It’s much easier to remind yourself that what you already believe is truth, so why try and ‘undo’ any of that with a few verses that must mean something else. And you are no trained scholar or theologian so why bother delving off in to all that. Besides, we got things to do, games to watch , projects to work on, and money to make. Who Got Time for diving that deeply back in to the word? Just remind yourself that Jesus loves you and that you attend church regularly and that you believe Jesus is the Son of God who was raised from the dead and all will be well with your soul.
You may not admit it, but we can treat those doctrines like a good luck charm as we just hope for the best. Then when we get to church and join in singing with all the others that line” “when we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be...”, we feel better and might even experience a few goosebumps and tears which always make us feel good and has to be a sign of God reminding us we need not worry about anything. There’s just one problem with the line in that popular hymn. We don’t ‘all’ go to heaven! In fact, Jesus said there would be ‘few’ who will enter that narrow gate. (Matt. 7:14)
I was reminded recently about that seed that fell among the thorns in the parable of the sower. It took root and began to grow but then the thorns ‘choked it, and it yielded no crop’. (Mark 4:7).
When Jesus was alone with His disciples, He explained the meaning of this parable. (He only does this with those who follow Him -Mark 4:11). He said that the thorns represented the “cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things, and they enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful”. (19). “Choke the word?” Hmmmm.
Being ‘unfruitful’ is not a good thing. John the Baptist made that pretty clear early on. (Matt. 3:10). Jesus Himself echoed this in Matt. 7:19. He also taught that unless we abide in Him, as in continue or remain ...that we will not bear any fruit and ...experience the same outcome of being tossed out. (John 15:4-6)
Funny how the cares of this life can come in and choke that word...cool down that desire we once had for reading the word and fellowshipping with Jesus. Sort of like that church in Revelation who ‘lost their first love’. (2:4). There was a sobering warning given to them there. But it is an all too familiar trap we can fall in to. I’ve been just as guilty. Jesus warned that a time would come when our love or hearts would ‘wax hard’ or cool off. (Matt. 24:12) This was not a good thing. Later in that same chapter, He draws a parallel with what was happening back in the days of Noah. Folks were ‘eating and drinking and giving in marriage until the day Noah entered the ark”. (38)
Then, they “did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (39)
They did not even know it. They were oblivious to it. Never saw it coming. But I bet they had some good laughs and eye rolls at Noah’s expense leading up to that time.
In Luke’s account of this picture, we read the flood came and ‘destroyed them all’. (17:27) So this ‘flood came and swept them or carried them or took them all away...to destruction’. Remember that passage in Rev. 12:15 that talks about the serpent rising up and spewing water out of his mouth like a flood with the intent to ‘carry away the woman (church)? Yeah...we see this analogy or word picture a lot...’flood’. In fact, the more you dive in and study, you see where God uses this picture of ‘floods’ and ‘fires’ to describe His ‘wrath’ being unleashed. And as tempting as it might be, we are not talking about those ‘natural floods and fires’ that seem to dominate the news because of [‘man-made weather issues’]. Right after Jesus used the flood analogy there in Luke 17, He then reminds us of Lot and how ‘fire and brimstone rained from heaven and destroyed them all...even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” (29-30)
The OT prophets used this word picture frequently...fire and floods. Let me just tell you now that sandbags and fire-retardant might assist some in protecting your home from natural disasters, but the ‘fire and floods’ that God speaks of are not natural. They are a picture of the demonic forces of hell being unleashed on this earth in increasing measure. And there is only one mode of protection from them...and it is being in ‘the ark’ or being...”in Christ”.
Some sobering passages to spend time with might be Rev. 9, Daniel 12, Isa. 42:23-25. It would appear that those ‘on the outside’ are clueless to what is happening around them. Go read and meditate on Matt. 13:13-15. Jesus wants all...men to be saved and come to Him with all their hearts that He might heal them. (2 Pet. 3:9) But their hearts have grown dull.
Oh, do you know what causes our hearts to ‘grow dull’ or harden? Sin does. (Heb. 3:12-13). And if you have been taught that even though you are a believer, you will ‘always continue to be a sinner...and sin’....then guess what? Your heart will become calloused. Because people who are ‘in the ark’, or ‘abiding in Jesus’...no longer continue to sin. (1 John 3:6). Yeah, that’s one of those verses that ‘fit’ with modern teaching like a pair of 30” waist pants would fit on me these days. So we discard it.
Yet, look at (1-John 5:18) where we are told: “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; ...and the wicked one does not touch him.” Wait, what? How can that be? Because being ‘in the ark’ is the ONLY protection God’s people have against the flood of His wrath. And what did Jesus come to save us from? (Rom. 5:9). But we have to turn and follow and abide In Him. There are no other options. Getting a ‘ticket punched’ at a church altar and then going about your life ‘trying to do better’ is not being ‘in the ark’.
But to those who are abiding in Him...the promise found in Isaiah 43 stands firm: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” (43:2)
One of the very first blog post I have here likens this ‘walk of salvation’ being akin to those old movies that Norris and Stallone used to star in. Remember those? -the ex-Viet Nam vets who travel back into the jungles to free up POW’s still held captive. But the movies never ended with them going into camp, taking out some captors, and then letting the captives out of their bamboo cages. The climax of the movies always center around the newly released prisoners being ‘led out’ of the jungle with their captors in hot pursuit. And as long as they followed closely on the heels of their ‘heroes’, there was usually a boat or helicopter waiting for them to take them home. But they had to get there first.
I know...perhaps not the best analogy, but one that works nonetheless. Following Jesus is not an option. Not everyone who says, ‘Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of God, but those who do the will of the Father’. (Matt. 7:21). His words, not mine. If we are not abiding in Him, we are in serious peril. I cannot stress this fact enough.
Remember Paul’s warning to Timothy how in the last days, that people will depart from the faith and give heed to ‘deceiving spirts and doctrines of demons’? You know, those ‘other gospels and spirits and Jesuses? (1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Cor. 11:2-4; 2 Thess. 2:3). How many of us were told something similar to this line of thinking... When we accepted Christ, at that very moment, our ‘spirits were saved’ and eternally secure. It was a ‘done deal’. But there was ‘another part of us’ that God would ‘work on’ over the expanse of the rest of our lives. And there was this ‘abundant life’ that awaits those who ‘get with the program’. But either way, you need not worry because you were going to ‘get in’ regardless.
I know this sounds good and can be quite comforting to many. But there are just too many other verses in this bible of ours that should cause us to pause...and look at it again. That is...if you have time. We do live busy lives these days and I’m reminded regularly that postings like these of mine tend to be a ‘bit long’. No offense taken. I understand. :- )
Please hear my heart on this one matter – I am not here to argue or debate as to who is ‘saved’ or ‘not saved’. If you are totally convinced that your place in heaven is secure, who am I to question that or cause you to think otherwise? What I will call in to question is this: If you have been taught that a person can be ‘saved’ but that ‘abiding in Christ’ is just an ‘advisable option’ but not ‘required’, you may want to re-examine that mindset. Paul warns us to be on guard against ‘empty words’ regarding who can expect to encounter God’s wrath. (Eph. 5:6). And God’s wrath is already here today being poured out...just not in the manner in which many may have thought or been taught.
See you tomorrow?
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