I hate to be the one to break this news...but: everyone walking on the face of this planet is NOT...a child of God.

And if you have been led to believe that....Who told you that? Because scripture sure does not support that statement; and Jesus sure didn’t teach that.

But...we are told that whoever does “receive Him, to them He gave the right or power to become...children of God...” (John 1:12). So it seems pretty clear in that one sentence alone that anyone can ‘become...a child of God’. I mean, that would not even make sense if we were already God’s children, correct?

Jesus faced off one time with a bunch of religious folks who were convinced they were God’s children and He rebuked them pretty strong when He informed them of just the opposite. He first lobbed this ‘thought-bomb’ at them saying...”IF God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God...” (John 8:42)

He then informs them in a matter of speaking that children of God would be able to ‘hear and understand His speech/words, and be able to listen...’ (8:43,47).

Then...the ‘dagger of truth’....”You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do.” (8:44). That’s what Jesus told those men who were descendants of Abraham.

If you would feel better to have at least one or two more scripture references to solidify this idea, then take a look at 1 John 3:2,9-10. Also, Ephesians 2:1-3 points out that prior to one repenting and coming to Jesus, they were ‘dead in sin...and sons of disobedience’. God’s children...are ‘obedient children’. (1 Pet.1:14)

Everyone on the ‘same page’ here now? ;-)

This past week or so, we’ve been talking about deception and watering down God’s word and people being ‘carried away’ with all kinds of misleading teachings that are in no short supply today. Jesus, along with other writers in the NT warned this day would come. Actually, it has been here already for quite some time; but... so has God’s word been here for some time as well....and His word will endure forever. One thing I have learned, you will never be on more solid ground or footing than when you are planted firmly on God’s word. That is why I continue to offer up much scripture for you to look up and read for yourself. You would be foolish to just ‘take me at my word’, or anyone else’s for that matter. (Acts 17:11,30)

But about this widespread deception we’ve been looking at; you do realize that most deception has a thread of truth woven through it...which is what makes it so...deceptive. Good thing we have the promise from Jesus that His Spirit will lead and guide us in to all truth, is it not? (John 16:13)

I’d like to continue on from yesterday where I was giving examples of specific passages and promises we have heard over the years...that we falsely assume apply to us, regardless of whether we meet the ‘conditions’ or not.

Take for example the phrase about being ‘redeemed by the blood’. It’s funny at times, how in our Christian circles, certain phrases from scripture can become so familiar to us as they roll right off our tongues, be it in song or just quoting it; yet truly grasping the meaning and understanding of what we are saying (or singing) is lost on us. Like the line from that old hymn: “....when we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be...”. You do realize that not ‘everyone’ is going to heaven? That particular line is actually from a hymn, not scripture...but, I digress.

So what does it mean to be ‘redeemed by the blood’? It has to do with the power of the shed blood of Jesus, God’s perfect and ultimate sacrifice (the Lamb of God) where not only could we be cleansed from every sinful deed and stain, but also set free from that sin as well (1 Pet. 1:18-19). To redeem is to ‘buy back’, as in a ransom...and set free. But here is where we fall short in our understanding so often. You can’t be redeemed unless you repent. Care to say that again, aloud?

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not practice the truth. But IF...we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and ...the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us...from all sin.” (1 John 1:6-7)

We know that Jesus...”gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people...” (Titus 2:14)

So let me ask you this: If I repent from criticizing and finding fault in people, but continue to be critical and such, have I truly repented?

If I am prone to being unfaithful to my spouse and then repent of committing adultery, yet I still commit adultery, have I truly repented?

If I repent of any and all works/deeds of the flesh nature (Gal. 5:19-21), yet continue to practice them, then I have not truly repented; because to repent means to turn from and not doing them anymore. And what did Jesus say would happen if we failed to repent? He tells us in Luke 13:3 and 5- we will ‘perish’.

So stay with me here and let’s connect some easy dots – You cannot be redeemed from every lawless deed unless you repent from it, and repent from your heart. When you do, it is then that the power of Christ’s blood brings cleansing, deliverance, and freedom. And redeemed people will not perish; but those who fail to repent... will perish. His words, not mine.

Yes...as you learn to walk in obedience to Him, you may stumble (1 John 2:1), and please note the wording there which says: ‘IF’ you sin, not ‘when’. But rest assured, if you do, He will let you know about it and in a hurry; and it won’t be pleasant either; chastening never is. (Heb. 12:12) But this is how we learn under the tutelage and guidance of a loving Father.

Have you ever seen or been around one of those ‘hot fences’ that ranchers, or even serious gardeners might use to keep cattle from getting in/out of a certain area, or critters from grazing on their growing vegetables? It is usually a single strand of wire that is hooked up to electricity somewhere and should you touch it, a stinging flow of electric current will zap you good, as if to tell you to ‘back off’ and don’t cross this line again. I’ve never touched a ‘hot fence’ before, myself...but I have a pretty good idea that it only takes one time, maybe twice at best to learn quick...to stay away from it. IF you continue to bump up and hit it repeatedly...something ain’t right with you. That is kind of how God ‘chastens’ us when we ‘cross a line’ to let us know real quick...to stay in His lane...IF...you truly want to abide in Him.

Truth be told, that is the reason God wrote His laws on our heart. (Yesterday's message).  The law lets us know when we mess up. Our hearts condemn us and we can no longer walk in peace until we repent and get it 'under the blood'.

And if we continue to “sin willfully even after being redeemed and set free...then there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins...but a certain fearful expectation of judgement...” (Heb. 10:26-27). And if you sense a bit of the ‘fear of God’ picking up within you, just remember this is not a bad thing. ;- ) (Prov. 1:7; Hosea 4:6)

The other day, I was listening to a very well-known and popular pastor preaching a sermon online. He touched on Hebrews 5:9, a passage I bring up regularly for obvious reasons, so I sat up, curious to hear how he was going to tie it in to his message. It’s the verse about how Christ becomes the source of our eternal salvation to all who ‘obey’ Him. He did give verbal acknowledgement that ‘yes...we should obey God and try to live a righteous life full of good works’, but....(he goes on), he then proceeds to give an impassioned explanation to ‘what that word (obey) really means...in the Greek’. I kid you not- he perked up and his tone changed as if he really had a strong point to make here.

What came out of his mouth was: “the Greek word used for obey means ‘to open the door”.

Friends...I am no Greek scholar, nor have I studied any of the ancient languages; but I know how to use a Strong’s concordance. I hit the pause button on his message and went directly to the reference and there was absolutely nothing there to indicate that word means to ‘open the door’. The word used there in Greek from which we get the English translation, ‘obey’, is “hypakouousin”, and it means - To listen attentively; by implication, to heed or conform to a command or authority.

I was stunned...and beside myself. He then rolled right in to Rev. 3:20 which is familiar to many of us about how Jesus is ‘standing at the door and knocking...and if we ‘open up’, He will come in and dine with us.... (and a completely different word for ‘open’ is used there in the original Greek language.

It was as if a serpent rose up in the middle of that message and began his typical jabber of ...”Has God really said? That’s not what God meant...what He really wanted you to know...was you surely will not die...”. (Gen. 3:1-4)

Have I mentioned before how serious this all is...and how we live in some very difficult and challenging times? Join me tomorrow?