Ch 3 APOSTASY
APOSTASY AS THE END TIME RAPIDLY APPROACHES, As I understand the scriptures that reveal it.
Greek word apostasia is used in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 for the “falling away .” It is from this word that is translated into the English word “apostasy.” Apostasy is defined as “a defection from the truth,” or “a departing from that which was given at first”. It is the Greek verb aphistemi, which literally means, “to depart” or “revolt.
Notice that “SOME will depart from the faith,” not all. Tolerance is epidemic in our culture. It is the primary cause of people rejecting the absolutes in the Word of God.
What is “NOT Apostasy?” It does NOT mean getting spiritually un-born thus losing your salvation.
Truly-born-again-believers, that Jesus clearly defined in John 3 are identified as children-of-God. CAPS and italics are for emphasis. [explanations] are in brackets. Excerpts from scriptures are interwoven into comments. Readers are urged to study the context of every verse. Planned redundancy is to reemphasize important subjects.
Jude urged God’s-children to “...earnestly contend for..., defend, biblical teachings because “...certain men, ungodly men...”, religious men, some with Phd’s that profess but don't possess salvation. They teach immorality that sounds enticing to the flesh as opposed to God’s-word. They guides them away by teaching “...lascivious….”, indecent, lewd moral sins of the spirit . Instead, God’s-children are to “ Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Tim 4:2
Saved back sliders and lost Jesus rejectors who listen to satan’s teachers will find them unacceptable being “...reproved…” by the sound “...preaching…” of God’s-word.
As they get caught up in the ways of this world, God’s-Children can progress into a state of “Apostasy” by ignoring God’s rules when their flesh dominates their spirit while it pursues worldly activities many of which the world does not considered as “bad” sinS. They become indifferent toward God’s Word therefore they hold no convictions and refrain from taking a stand against false teachings/preachers.
They strive for “...THINGS…” of the fleshly world instead of the “...THINGS…” of God’s spiritual world. Recognizing this, Jesus warned His followers “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other THINGS entering in, choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful.” Mark 4:19 God’s Word instructs His children to “Set your affection on things above, not on THINGS on the earth.” Col 3:2
A man confronted his Pastor saying, “I only want to hear about the sweet and lowly Jesus. Where did you get that lake-of-fire stuff?” His answer, “From the preaching of Jesus who repeatedly warned about hell more often than He talked about heaven.”
To a lost human Jesus rejector He said, “...Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…” Matthew 25:41b Jesus related the testimony of another lost human in hell that, to no avail, pleaded, “I am tormented in this flame.” Luke 16:24b
2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears [make me feel good]; 4 And they shall TURN AWAY their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” In times of apostasy, many unlearned, immature truly-born-again-children-of-God get caught up in the ways of the world. They choose to refuse to hear or understand the “...sound doctrine…” teachings of God’s-word, they apostatize. They fall away, are “...turned unto fables…” that are promoted by satan’s teachers when, what they hear “sounds good” to the “...itching ears…” of carnal, immature children-of-God.
Challenge: Try to write a thirty minute sermon for the Pastor to deliver on Sunday. Remember, to cover the needs, wants, interests, motivations, temptations, and ambitions of senior citizens, young grandparents, those in a mid-life crisis, recently married, parents of teens, teenagers, children above and below the age of understanding and the pastor's wife. Oh yes. Be sure you present the plan of salvation in such a way that each of those differing groups are pleased to apply it to themselves.
To lose something, in this instance, the child-of-God’s status of being truly-born-again like Jesus clearly defined in John 3, you must first possess it before it can be lost. Many profess salvation by giving mental assent to the fact that God exists and that His rules should be obeyed. But, their eternal-inner-man-of-the-spirit falls short of believing in/trusting in/exercising faith in Jesus by accepting His love GIFT of salvation. Some that profess but never possess salvation, never actually believe IN, trust IN, exercise faith IN Jesus to accept the His love GIFT of salvation into their inner person, their eternal spirit. Jesus clearly explained that in John 3:18. “He that believeth on Him [Jesus] is NOT condemned, but, he that believeth not IS CONDEMNED already, [why?] because he hath not [trusted in/exercised faith in] believed in the name [saving authority] of the only begotten Son of God.”
John 1:12-13 “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His [saving authority] name: Which were born [of God], NOT OF [physical] blood, nor of the will of the flesh , nor of the will of man, but of God.” We received the relationship of “...sons of God…” when we chose to believe in/ trust in/exercise faith in Jesus to “...receive…” His saving grace. We were “...born…of God.” Once born, we can’t get UNborn.
Jesus defined our eternal-inner-man-of-the-spirit versus the outer-man-of-the-flesh in John 3:6 when He told Nicodemus, “That which is born of the flesh IS flesh, and that which is BORN of the [Holy] Spirit IS spirit.” It is impossible for God’s-children’s Father/child relationship to be cancelled. Jesus said, “And I give unto them ETERNAL life; and they shall NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10:28.
Peter reassured God’s children in 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible [human] seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth FOREVER.” Once born again, how long is “...FOREVER…”? That eternity that we will enjoy with God the Father and Jesus the Son.
Truly-born-again-children-of-God like Jesus clearly defined in John 3 can NOT apostatize!!!! When most backslide, they will be brought back by suffering and chastisement. Heb 12 Or, God takes them to heaven to prevent them from damaging unbelievers and immature true believers. 1 Cor 11:30 “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many [have died] sleep. 31 For if we would judge OURSELVES, we should not be judged [by God]. 32 But when we are judged, we are CHASTENED BY THE LORD, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
Have you been “...CHASTENED BY THE LORD…” lately? I have.
“Many congregations expect the preacher to start from some text in the Bible, but then quickly move on “to things that really interest us.”
Why does God chasten His children? He “...loveth…” them. “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth [to punish expecting repentance and to prevent re-occurrence], and scourgeth [punish our premeditated rebellion] every son whom He receiveth.” Hebrews 12:6
If a person who professes to be a truly-born-again-child-of-God continually commits sinS and remains without chastisement, that proves that “...ye bastards, and not sons.”
Only God knows the true condition of their spirit..
But, “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all (of God’s Children) are partakers, then are ye [are] bastards, and not sons.” Hebrews 12:7-8 God’s-children are promised “...chastening…” for their un-repented sinS as confirmation of salvation. No “...chastening…”, NO salvation. Only God knows for sure.
In Revelation 3, Jesus warned the children of God that were members of the church at Laodicea, “ 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup [fellowship] with him, and he with Me.” The materially rich people in that church thought that they were self-sufficient and did not “need” Jesus resulting in many apostatizing to the extent that Jesus was standing outside “...at the door, and knock”ing while reminding them “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten”. Even so, those that had been born-again were God’s-children. He loves His children so much that He chastens us to remind us of His love and desire to fellowship with all of His children that, respond to His knock, “I will come in... and sup.”
“He that is often reproved and hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be cut off [physical death] and that without remedy.” Pro 26:1
Jesus taught about the short prayer by a :...publican…”, a notorious sinner in Luke 18:13-14a “And the publican, [humbly] standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, [a demonstration of repentance in that culture] saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house [saved] justified…..” Thoughts: Jesus described this man who confessed “...me a sinner”. The man acknowledged that only God could save him. He asked Him for mercy when he prayed “...God be merciful to me.” He got saved!!! He became a truly-born-again-child-of-God [study John 3]. Jesus said, “this man went down to his house justified.” Praise God that such a simple, sincere prayer as “...God be merciful to me a sinner...” got the job done.
Dear Reader: Is God’s Holy Spirit causing you to be unceasingly uneasy. He is drawing you toward accepting Jesus’ love GIFT of salvation. God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to the cross to die FOR YOU then resurrected Him from the grave to seal YOUR salvation. He is urging you to trust Jesus for salvation. “ For God so loved the world [wicked culture], that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever [You and me] believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Fill in your name in the blanks, “For God so loved _____, that He gave His only begotten Son, that _________ believeth in Him should not perish [eternity in hell], but HAVE everlasting life [IN HEAVEN]. Like the lost man prayed in Luke 18:13, Please earnestly pray “God be merciful to me a sinner” and become a truly-born-again-child-of-God right NOW.
APOSTASY AS THE END TIME RAPIDLY APPROACHES, As I understand the scriptures that reveal it.
Greek word apostasia is used in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 for the “falling away .” It is from this word that is translated into the English word “apostasy.” Apostasy is defined as “a defection from the truth,” or “a departing from that which was given at first”. It is the Greek verb aphistemi, which literally means, “to depart” or “revolt.
Notice that “SOME will depart from the faith,” not all. Tolerance is epidemic in our culture. It is the primary cause of people rejecting the absolutes in the Word of God.
What is “NOT Apostasy?” It does NOT mean getting spiritually un-born thus losing your salvation.
Truly-born-again-believers, that Jesus clearly defined in John 3 are identified as children-of-God. CAPS and italics are for emphasis. [explanations] are in brackets. Excerpts from scriptures are interwoven into comments. Readers are urged to study the context of every verse. Planned redundancy is to reemphasize important subjects.
END TIME APOSTASY IS NEAR
I AM alarmed at the religious world’s trend toward “Apostasy”, “...thou hast left thy first love...” BUT that also excites my anticipation that the Rapture is imminent.SATAN DELUDES THE LOST JESUS REJECTORS
In Luke 8:12, Jesus compared sowing the Gospel and sowing seed, “Those by the way side are they [the lost] that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” Some are NEVER saved because “... cometh the devil, and taketh away...” the message by giving them “good” excuses like “wait until??”SATAN SEDUCES BELIEVERS TO FOLLOW HIM
1 Timothy 4:1-2, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, (apostacize) giving heed to seducing [satanic] spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” In order to delude some church going children-of-God, from the depths of hell, satan introduces “...doctrines of devils...” that look and sound good to immature believers. His “...seducing spirits…” invents them then constantly introducing them into religious gatherings he identifies as churches that fail to teach immature believers.SATAN’S MEN TEACH IMMORALITY
Jude 3 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and DENYING the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”Jude urged God’s-children to “...earnestly contend for..., defend, biblical teachings because “...certain men, ungodly men...”, religious men, some with Phd’s that profess but don't possess salvation. They teach immorality that sounds enticing to the flesh as opposed to God’s-word. They guides them away by teaching “...lascivious….”, indecent, lewd moral sins of the spirit . Instead, God’s-children are to “ Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” 2 Tim 4:2
Saved back sliders and lost Jesus rejectors who listen to satan’s teachers will find them unacceptable being “...reproved…” by the sound “...preaching…” of God’s-word.
CHURCH MEMBERS, UNSAVED, FALL AWAY
In 1 Thess 4, the God inspired writer described truly-born-again-children-of-God (John 3) being “...caught up…”, Raptured, to the Lord in the air. Then in 2 Thessalonians 2: “3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [of the Rapture] shall not come, except there come a falling away [apostasy] first, and that man of sin [antichrist] be revealed, the son of perdition;” That “...falling away….” even by truly born again children of God has accelerated during the past 60 years.WHEN TESTED, THEY FALL AWAY
In Luke 8:13 Jesus continues His illustration of sowing the Gospel like seed that falls , “… on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root [are lost], which for a while believe, and in time of temptation [testing, apostatize] fall away.” When caught up in the emotion of hearing the Gospel, many profess but NEVER possess salvation [only God knows], their inner-man of the spirit was never born-again, so when adversity comes, and it will, they “...fall away…”, from serving God and revert back to following satan.As they get caught up in the ways of this world, God’s-Children can progress into a state of “Apostasy” by ignoring God’s rules when their flesh dominates their spirit while it pursues worldly activities many of which the world does not considered as “bad” sinS. They become indifferent toward God’s Word therefore they hold no convictions and refrain from taking a stand against false teachings/preachers.
They strive for “...THINGS…” of the fleshly world instead of the “...THINGS…” of God’s spiritual world. Recognizing this, Jesus warned His followers “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other THINGS entering in, choke the Word, and it becometh unfruitful.” Mark 4:19 God’s Word instructs His children to “Set your affection on things above, not on THINGS on the earth.” Col 3:2
SOME PROFESS TO BE “CHRISTIANS” BUT ARE NOT truly-born-again-children-of-God
NEVER being truly-born-again-children-of-God, many people profess salvation but never truly possess salvation. Their condition is unmistakably defined in 1 John 2:18-19 which is addressed to immature children-of-God, “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist [a human against Christ] shall come, even now are there many [false teachers] antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19 They went out [aposticized] from us, but they were not of us [not saved]; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they WENT OUT, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” Their leaving demonstrated that they were not part of God’s family, the body of Christ. “...Jesus knew ….who they were that believed not…” From John 6:64 They followed Him only when they thought they might receive a fleshly benefit like those disciples, so called, that were fed and entertained by miracles by Jesus. Those “…disciples went back and walked no more with Him.” From John 6:66 They were “religious” disciples but were not truly-born-again-believers. Like a multitude today, they had “religion” but not a personal relationship with God. Only He knows for sure.FRUITS REVEAL
Only God truly knows if any person is a truly-born-again-child-of-God like Jesus clearly defined in John 3. We can only observe the fruits of their physical activities. “…by their fruits [or lack thereof] ye shall know them..” Mt 7:20CHURCH’S not wanting the GOSPEL OR HELL PREACHED
Most humans that are interested only in their ido, “I, I” “Me, Me” “Mine, Mine” say, “I want a church that will do it my way, that makes me feel good, that scratches my itch.” That attitude must be countered by the authentic reading, teaching and preaching the inspired Word of God. Otherwise “church” becomes a form of group therapy, entertainment, and wasted time. They say: “Let him preach from God’s-Word but only the positive scriptures that lift me up, make an application to my daily trials but never scare me by preaching about the “..lake-of-fire...” They say, “It is well and good for the preacher to base his sermon on the Bible, but he better get to something relevant to my logic pretty quickly, or we will mentally check out.”A man confronted his Pastor saying, “I only want to hear about the sweet and lowly Jesus. Where did you get that lake-of-fire stuff?” His answer, “From the preaching of Jesus who repeatedly warned about hell more often than He talked about heaven.”
To a lost human Jesus rejector He said, “...Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels…” Matthew 25:41b Jesus related the testimony of another lost human in hell that, to no avail, pleaded, “I am tormented in this flame.” Luke 16:24b
2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears [make me feel good]; 4 And they shall TURN AWAY their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” In times of apostasy, many unlearned, immature truly-born-again-children-of-God get caught up in the ways of the world. They choose to refuse to hear or understand the “...sound doctrine…” teachings of God’s-word, they apostatize. They fall away, are “...turned unto fables…” that are promoted by satan’s teachers when, what they hear “sounds good” to the “...itching ears…” of carnal, immature children-of-God.
Challenge: Try to write a thirty minute sermon for the Pastor to deliver on Sunday. Remember, to cover the needs, wants, interests, motivations, temptations, and ambitions of senior citizens, young grandparents, those in a mid-life crisis, recently married, parents of teens, teenagers, children above and below the age of understanding and the pastor's wife. Oh yes. Be sure you present the plan of salvation in such a way that each of those differing groups are pleased to apply it to themselves.
SALVATION CAN NOT BE LOST
Works Salvationists are those satanicaly motivated that teach that some “work” must be added to Jesus’ love GIFT of salvation. They teach that “Apostasy” means only committing “enough” sinS to cancel the new birth thus eradicating their salvation, the Father/child relationship. How much is “enough”? Is it a sinful thought or must it be murder?To lose something, in this instance, the child-of-God’s status of being truly-born-again like Jesus clearly defined in John 3, you must first possess it before it can be lost. Many profess salvation by giving mental assent to the fact that God exists and that His rules should be obeyed. But, their eternal-inner-man-of-the-spirit falls short of believing in/trusting in/exercising faith in Jesus by accepting His love GIFT of salvation. Some that profess but never possess salvation, never actually believe IN, trust IN, exercise faith IN Jesus to accept the His love GIFT of salvation into their inner person, their eternal spirit. Jesus clearly explained that in John 3:18. “He that believeth on Him [Jesus] is NOT condemned, but, he that believeth not IS CONDEMNED already, [why?] because he hath not [trusted in/exercised faith in] believed in the name [saving authority] of the only begotten Son of God.”
John 1:12-13 “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His [saving authority] name: Which were born [of God], NOT OF [physical] blood, nor of the will of the flesh , nor of the will of man, but of God.” We received the relationship of “...sons of God…” when we chose to believe in/ trust in/exercise faith in Jesus to “...receive…” His saving grace. We were “...born…of God.” Once born, we can’t get UNborn.
Jesus defined our eternal-inner-man-of-the-spirit versus the outer-man-of-the-flesh in John 3:6 when He told Nicodemus, “That which is born of the flesh IS flesh, and that which is BORN of the [Holy] Spirit IS spirit.” It is impossible for God’s-children’s Father/child relationship to be cancelled. Jesus said, “And I give unto them ETERNAL life; and they shall NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10:28.
Peter reassured God’s children in 1:23 “Being born again, not of corruptible [human] seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth FOREVER.” Once born again, how long is “...FOREVER…”? That eternity that we will enjoy with God the Father and Jesus the Son.
Truly-born-again-children-of-God like Jesus clearly defined in John 3 can NOT apostatize!!!! When most backslide, they will be brought back by suffering and chastisement. Heb 12 Or, God takes them to heaven to prevent them from damaging unbelievers and immature true believers. 1 Cor 11:30 “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many [have died] sleep. 31 For if we would judge OURSELVES, we should not be judged [by God]. 32 But when we are judged, we are CHASTENED BY THE LORD, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
Have you been “...CHASTENED BY THE LORD…” lately? I have.
SECURITY
Truly-born-again-children-of-God CAN be “...drawn away…” from fellowship with God and His blessings when we yield to satan’s worldly/fleshly enticements. But, nowhere does God’s Word say that we lose our salvation. We can be “...drawn away…” into the world’s lifestyle. But we WILL receive “...chastisement…” from God that results in repentance. That confirms our position as a child-of-God. Heb 12:8 “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof ALL [of God’s children] are partakers, then ye are [lost] bastards, and not sons.” Only God knows. Until we repent and receive His forgiveness, God’s children will endure that “...chastisement…”. If we choose not to repent, we must expect an end of our physical life, “…sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:5 “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed [physical death], and that without remedy [no second chance].” Proverbs 29:1 When God’s Holy Spirit reproves/convicts me and I choose to continue in my sinS, I must expect physical death to cancel my bad influence on the lost children of satan and immature children of God.BACKSLIDING BELIEVERS LOSE SWEET FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
Backsliding [aposticizing] is NOT losing salvation which is the STATE of a believer, a born again child of God NOT the STANDING which IS our permanent God/child relationship. Positionally, the spirit of an eternally saved truly-born-again-child-of-God can NEVER get UNborn. The believer’s positional STATE in which we progress and regress is subject to constant change. Yo-Yo believers are in constant danger of degenerating into apostasy.SLEEPING DURING THE SERMON, an aside
In a deacons meeting at Warren, the Pastor challenged one for sleeping during the sermon but concentrating on the message of a visiting minister, even saying Amen occasionally. The deacon replied, “Why preacher, that is the greatest compliment I can give you.” Huh!! “ Why? I know that you preach sound doctrine from God’s Word so it is not necessary for me to follow along to confirm that. I listen intently to the visiting minister to learn if he preaches sound doctrine.” The Pastor was speechless which in itself was a miracle.“Many congregations expect the preacher to start from some text in the Bible, but then quickly move on “to things that really interest us.”
REWARD FOR NOT APOSTICIZING
Jas 1:12 “Blessed is the man [child of God] that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” When the child-of-God has “...endured temptation…”, they be be awarded the “...Crown of life…” as they are “...tried… “...before the judgment seat of Christ…” 2 Cor 5:10CAN TRUE BELIEVERS RETURN TO FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
What process does God apply to truly-born-again-children-of-God to motivate them to “...repent…” of their falling away from serving their Savior? God’s-children are advised of the certainty of chastisement for unrepented sinS in Hebrews 12:5 “And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son (a truly-born-again-child-of-God), despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him:”Why does God chasten His children? He “...loveth…” them. “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth [to punish expecting repentance and to prevent re-occurrence], and scourgeth [punish our premeditated rebellion] every son whom He receiveth.” Hebrews 12:6
If a person who professes to be a truly-born-again-child-of-God continually commits sinS and remains without chastisement, that proves that “...ye bastards, and not sons.”
Only God knows the true condition of their spirit..
But, “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all (of God’s Children) are partakers, then are ye [are] bastards, and not sons.” Hebrews 12:7-8 God’s-children are promised “...chastening…” for their un-repented sinS as confirmation of salvation. No “...chastening…”, NO salvation. Only God knows for sure.
In Revelation 3, Jesus warned the children of God that were members of the church at Laodicea, “ 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup [fellowship] with him, and he with Me.” The materially rich people in that church thought that they were self-sufficient and did not “need” Jesus resulting in many apostatizing to the extent that Jesus was standing outside “...at the door, and knock”ing while reminding them “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten”. Even so, those that had been born-again were God’s-children. He loves His children so much that He chastens us to remind us of His love and desire to fellowship with all of His children that, respond to His knock, “I will come in... and sup.”
PHYSICAL DEATH for the UNREPENTANT APOSTICIZER, CAN EXPECT
What does God do with one of His children when they refuse to “...repent…”, turn away from, their Apostasy? He delivers “...such an one unto satan for the destruction of the (outer-man-of-the) flesh, that the (eternal-inner-man-of-the) spirit may be saved in the (Rapture) day of the Lord Jesus.” 1 Cor 5:5“He that is often reproved and hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be cut off [physical death] and that without remedy.” Pro 26:1
True Children-of-God
IS THE SALVATION PRAYER COMPLICATED?
When God’s Holy Spirit convicts and draws lost-going-to-hell-Jesus-rejectors until they reach that point of repenting and desiring to trust Jesus for salvation, is it NOT necessary for them to pray a long complicated prayer?Jesus taught about the short prayer by a :...publican…”, a notorious sinner in Luke 18:13-14a “And the publican, [humbly] standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, [a demonstration of repentance in that culture] saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house [saved] justified…..” Thoughts: Jesus described this man who confessed “...me a sinner”. The man acknowledged that only God could save him. He asked Him for mercy when he prayed “...God be merciful to me.” He got saved!!! He became a truly-born-again-child-of-God [study John 3]. Jesus said, “this man went down to his house justified.” Praise God that such a simple, sincere prayer as “...God be merciful to me a sinner...” got the job done.
Dear Reader: Is God’s Holy Spirit causing you to be unceasingly uneasy. He is drawing you toward accepting Jesus’ love GIFT of salvation. God loves you so much that He sent Jesus to the cross to die FOR YOU then resurrected Him from the grave to seal YOUR salvation. He is urging you to trust Jesus for salvation. “ For God so loved the world [wicked culture], that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever [You and me] believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Fill in your name in the blanks, “For God so loved _____, that He gave His only begotten Son, that _________ believeth in Him should not perish [eternity in hell], but HAVE everlasting life [IN HEAVEN]. Like the lost man prayed in Luke 18:13, Please earnestly pray “God be merciful to me a sinner” and become a truly-born-again-child-of-God right NOW.
