Do you know what we ‘believers’ tend to lose sight of oftentimes? It is this: 

 While God’s love for us and the world (all of humanity) is Unconditional... His promises are not. 

 Could you pause and consider that for a moment? 

 Just because God loves us, does not ensure all these good and wonderful things await us. And that really should come as no surprise to anyone, especially anyone who has been a parent and/or raised a child as one of their own. We can love that child with an unconditional love that defies understanding, can we not? But that does not mean they will be recipients of our love and make wise choices and walk in a manner that ensures we maintain a good and vibrant relationship. 

 I could raise a son, do all I know to do for them, and want nothing but the best for him; but that does not guarantee he will live a long, blessed, and fulfilling life. He could actually rebel at a young age, chart out his own path...get in with the wrong crowd, make some very unwise choices and if he don’t make a change, could end up in prison and yes, even on death row.  And while my love for him would remain constant and unconditional, there is only so much I could do for him at that point. He might harden his heart towards me, refuse my attempts to contact him, and cut off all ties of communication with me. And he could go to his execution cursing my very name. 

 No doubt, my heart would be broken and I would weep at his funeral. Why? Because it did not have to be this way. 

 I came across an interesting statement made by God through His prophet Ezekiel last week. Speaking about His people, He said this: “I was crushed by their adulterous heart which had departed from Me...” (6:9) 

 Both Jeremiah and Hosea open up their writings declaring God’s lament over how His people had ‘forsaken’ Him and how they had ‘committed great harlotry by departing from the Lord.” (1:16; 1:2) 

 How is it that so many NT believers today think we are immune to ‘departing’ from Him and losing out on all that He has made available to us? Yes, the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is a beautiful story of a father’s love who never stopped looking for his son to return. But...the son did return to him after he ‘came to himself’ saw the error of his ways and was broken and ready to be ‘made a servant’. He was humbled and repented as he returned. And there was never a moment of hesitation on the father’s part to run to him, receive his wayward son and restore that relationship ...bringing him in to his home to celebrate. 

 Need I point out it was the older brother who had been there at home all along, who allowed his anger and resentment to keep him from entering in to his father’s house. (You might read that last sentence again.) 

 So when we read in John 6:66 how many followers of Jesus made a choice and walked with Him no more, why would we conclude things will end well for them? And check out another 6:6 combo there in Hebrews where the writer warns that for those who were ‘once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ...that if they ‘fall away’...it will be” impossible to renew them again to repentance.” (Heb. 6:4-6) 

 I don’t share these passages lightly; and if your first reaction to them is to just throw your arms up in disgust and conclude that you are ‘toast’ and without hope... I would be willing to guess you most likely have never truly tasted of that heavenly gift the writer speaks of, which should be encouraging news for you. 

 Did Paul not forewarn us that in the latter days, prior to the ‘Day of the Lord; that there would be a ‘falling way’ that would first come?(1 Thess. 2:3) Do you know what he was referring to here? You might flip over to 1 Timothy 4:1 and see what he wrote there, speaking how some would ‘depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons’. We’re not talking about ‘Satanic or Devil worshipers’ or those wrapped up in the occult here either. 

 What was his warnings to the Corinthians there in his second letter to them about people being deceived as Eve was (first doctrine of a demon-Gen. 3:1-6) and being seduced by ‘another Jesus, another gospel’ and even receiving ‘another spirit’? (11:2-4). Later on in that same chapter he points out exactly who is behind that: Satan who comes as an angel of light and his minions disguised as servants of righteousness’. (14-15). Then, there is of course, the warnings shared by Jesus, Himself, in Matt. 24 warning of widespread deception and the need for taking guard that no one deceive us...adding that those who ‘endure to the end’ are the ones who would be ‘saved’. (24:4-5,13). 

 Which takes me back to my opening statement regardingGod’s unconditional love for humanity. John 3:16 clearly makes it known the great provision God made for ‘whosoever’ by offering up His Son as an atoning sacrifice for all the sins of the world. Believing on/in Him ensures we need not perish. Yet, what would Jesus warn there in Luke 13:1-5...that ‘unless we repent, we will all likewise perish’. So right there, we can see that true ‘belief’ will prompt a response from us...in the form of repenting...or turning. That...is a ‘promise’ – “unless you repent, you will all likewise perish”. There is a ‘condition’ attached to that. 

 Yes, God made a way for all men to be saved. It is not His will for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. (2 Pet. 3:9). He truly wants ‘all men to be saved’. (1 Tim. 2:4) But rest assured, not all will be saved. I mean, if what Jesus had to say accounts for anything, what do you make of Matt. 7:13-14 where He spoke of this narrow path leading to a small gate that leads to life and that ‘few would find it’? 

 If by chance, me pointing out so many of these verses causes you to feel a bit unsettled or uneasy...possibly even resentful towards me for sharing these, could you at least ask yourself why that is? Why would you be disturbed to hear such things straight from your bible? Does it not ‘fit’ with what you have always believed? Did Paul not tell us that ‘having these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1). Are we not told in Hebrews 12:14 that ‘without holiness, no man shall see God”? 

 Should we not be consumed with preparing ourselves to meet our bridegroom who is coming back for a holy bride, made pure...without spot or wrinkle? (Eph. 5:26-27; 1 John 3:3) 

 Those ten virgins we read about in Matt. 25...a picture of the ‘church’ in the last days during a great time of spiritual darkness (midnight)...what happened to them while they were waiting on him? They all fell asleep. It happens. No time for beating ourselves up for doing that. There is a warning cry or trumpet blowing today. And ‘wise virgins’ will trim their lamps (word) and allow the oil of God’s Spirit to illuminate the path we need to be on; a path of preparation. What are we told there in Matt. 25:10- “those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was shut.” You might also glance at Rev. 19:7-9. 

 For the countless numbers who sit smugly on church pews, resting in a false security of ‘peace and safety’, please explain Revelation 3:1-6 to me. You have a church there who had made a name for themselves with a reputation of ‘being alive’, yet Jesus told them they were ‘dead’ and their ‘works not yet made perfect before God’. (1-2). Could it be they were sitting under false teachings that Jeremiah points to in his writings? (23:16-20). And what about that last line there how “in the latter days you will understand it perfectly”? 

 Speaking of the ‘last days’, let’s finish up visiting what Jesus had to say about it there in Matt. 24. He was likening this time to the ‘days of Noah’ and how people were just kind of ‘doing their thing’ and unaware of what was looming.(36-39). Interesting, is it not how we read where Noah and his family ‘entered the ark’ meaning a door was shut. (Gen. 7:16-23). Remember what was opened up for those wise virgins who were ready, and then shut? A door. (Matt. 25:10) 

 So Jesus goes on...talking about how the ’flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”(24:39). But this time, don’t be looking for literal floods of water. It will be a ‘spiritual flood’ as the powers of hell and darkness continue to be released on the earth to carry men away to destruction. (Rev. 12:13-17). And the sad and sobering truth in all this...most will be oblivious to what is happening. (Dan.12:9-10; Isa. 42:23-25; Luke 17:27; 1 Thess. 5:1-6). I hope you take the time to look up and mark those last set of verses. 

 God loves us with an unconditional love, that you can be sure of. He made a way for all men to be ‘saved’...how can we neglect so great a salvation? (Heb. 2:3). But make no mistake about it...His promise are very much...conditional. This is a time we should be running towards the light...not rejecting it or dismissing it or refuting it. That is...unless we love the darkness more? (John 3:19-20)