"Sell Your Possessions And Give To The Poor", We Really Need To Talk About This.

Luk 12:15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

This has been something that has been on my mind for quite a while, especially in light of an even more difficult Bible verse:

Luk 12:33  Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

In other words, sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Jesus told the rich young man to sell everything he owned and to give to the poor in order to have treasure in Heaven. (Matthew 19:21, Mark 10:21, Luke 18:22)  Many would say, "OK, but Jesus just told the rich young man this."  Nope.  Jesus also told this to His disciples, as shown above.  And did not Jesus tell His disciples to teach other disciples to obey all His commands? (Matthew 28:20)

Now, I have to admit, this puzzles me.  Does this mean we are to literally and physically own nothing?  Mind you, that's not a bad thing, but are we sinning if at any point in our Christian walk, we, in the eyes of the common world, own something?  I come to this verse for some insight:

1Co 7:30  And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

Paul doesn't imply a man is sinning if he has bought something.  He only requires that you don't consider it your own, just like the early church:

Act 4:32  And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

In fact, nothing is truly our own, as David says:

Psa 24:1  A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

You see, the forfeiture of worldly possessions, in and of itself, is not the head-scratcher for me.  For Jesus makes it very clear (to me at least):

Luk 14:33  So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

The head-scratcher for me is the LOGISTICS of it all.  When Jesus told the rich young man, and Jesus' disciples, to sell their possessions and give to the poor, the command was clear:  Exactly, and literally, put up all your stuff for sale, and exactly, and literally, give the money to the poor.  If you simply give the items away at no price, you did not do exactly what was commanded.  If you sold all the items for money and gave the money to the rich, you did not do exactly what was commanded.  If you sold all the items for money and spent it on yourself (or kept back part of the money for yourself, as in Acts 5:1-11), you did not do exactly what was commanded.

So what's the problem?  Why not just follow Jesus' commands to the letter, every time?  There are a few examples in Scripture where righteous men were commended for forsaking their worldly possessions, yet did not follow the exact procedure Jesus gave the rich young man and the disciples.  This is where we all need to pray for wisdom (James 1:5).  Anyway, the examples:

1. Zacchaeus

 Luke 19:2-10 (KJV) And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. 4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. 6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. 8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. 9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Zacchaeus didn't exactly sell his goods and give the money to the poor.  He simply gave half of his goods to the poor, and gave a quadruple refund to his victims of fraud.  Jesus called him SAVED.

2. Lawsuit Defendants and Victims of Theft

Mat 5:40  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

Luk 6:29  And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.

These are also commands of Jesus.  If you are sued for something, or if someone takes something from you, allow them to have more.  Jesus never mentioned asking for money for it.  These are "turn the other cheek" moments.

3. Victims of Confiscation/Raids/Spoilings/Civil Asset Forfeiture, Etc.

Heb 10:34  For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

Again, no mention of a "sale" is present in this text.

4. Mary Magdalene (forgot about her)

John 12:1-8 (KJV) Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Mary reserved the ointment for the purpose of anointing Jesus.  Jesus commended this, and ordained that this account be included in the Gospel (Matthew 26:13, Mark 14:9)

So, at the very least, if there are worldly possessions in our hands that is not being or has not been stolen, surrendered, etc., it is eligible to be literally sold and given to the poor.  At the very least, start with the unneeded and unused goods so that aid to the poor (keep it a secret, says Jesus in Matthew 6:1-4) will start to flow.  Then, pray about the rest, hoping that you will need less and less over time.  Remember, all this in the name of obeying Christ.  A hint:  Your car, your house, your cell phone, your laptops and computers, your TVs, your tools, ALL OF THAT is eligible to be sold and the proceeds given to the poor.  I haven't gone that far, but Lord willing, in time, I will.  This is why I don't say to you "YOU MUST DO THIS!", but rather, to seriously consider it.  Don't take my word for it.  Read the Bible and obey what it says.

And speaking of a house, one final thing to consider:  George Carlin has a comedy routine called "A Place For My Stuff" in which he says: "If you didn't have so much stuff, you wouldn't need a house!  You could just walk around all the time."

Even for sleeping, the Christian must consider the possibility of having no central place to sleep, no house, no apartment at all.  Yes, I mean HOMELESSNESS.  Again, hear Christ's words:

Luk 12:15  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Mat 8:20  And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Should We Scare People Into Christ?

I've always heard this when I was growing up, that I never scare someone into believing in Christ.  If I do, then that will drive them away from Christ.  And for years, I've believed this.  I don't anymore.

I believe that fear is EXACTLY what people need to come to Christ.  Let me explain.

I've mentioned time and time again that we have to fear God (Matthew 10:28, Luke 12:5, etc.).  I've also mentioned that the fear of God is real and literal:

Isa 8:13  But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

But let me share with you some verses that show the positive effects of fearing God:

Job_28:28  And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

Not only is the fear of God the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10), and of knowledge (Proverbs 1:7), but it is also wisdom ITSELF.

Pro 16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. 

The fear of God is also the means by which people run away from evil, which is also the definition of understanding (Job 28:28), something that we must attain "with all our getting" (Proverbs 4:7).

Pro_19:23  The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. 

Those who fear God tend to go to Heaven.  In addition, those who fear God will, according to the ESV, "will not be visited by harm".

So, the fear of God is GOOD, and it keeps you SAFE.  Why wouldn't we want to teach people to fear Him?

Let me remind the reader of this again, because it's eternally important:

“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!
(Luk 12:4-5)

Did you get that?  We must fear the one WHO CAN SEND US TO HELL!!!!!

 

So what does it mean to "scare someone" to Christ?

Well, the most basic way of doing it is to tell them that they are a sinner that's headed to Hell, and that they need Christ.  In my Christianity page on The Sweeping Developer, I go through the basic facts of a man's spiritual condition.  Let me show it to you again:

• There is a judgment coming on all humanity (Revelation 20:11-12).


• None of us are good enough to pass muster (James 2:10). No one is righteous. (Romans 3:10)


• We deserve death because of our sin (Romans 6:23)


• If even the righteous die in the body (Hebrews 9:27), then another death is prescribed for the unrighteous.
  This is referred to as the 'second death', what we call Hell, in Revelation 20:14. A literal lake of fire.


• Anyone whose name is not found in the Book of Life, as v.15 says, will be cast into this Hell.



• So how can anyone escape this terrible place? In Acts 16:30, the jailer asked what he must do to be saved. Peter and Silas' response? :
  
  

  "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." --Acts 16:31



• What does it mean to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ?
  
  Firstly, you must trust Jesus in everything.
  
  Secondly, Jesus is the Word of God, says John 1:1, 14, I John 1:1, among other places.
  
  He is God's very words, God's very testimony, also found in the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16).
  In other words, Jesus is the Bible!
  
  Faith in Jesus means both faith in Jesus Himself and in what the Bible says.
  
  If you believe what the Bible says, and EVERYTHING the Bible says, you believe in Jesus, and you will be saved.
  
  However, if you don't, you will be damned. (Mark 16:16) Jesus is the ONLY way to be saved (Acts 4:12). All other ways (Catholic, Protestant, Mormon, JW, Modern Judaism, Islam, Shinto, etc.) lead to Hell, because they either preach a false teaching about God and/or preach a false Jesus, none of which save (also see Galatians 1:8-9). (I forgot to also list Anglican, Old and New IFB, and other KJV-Only types, seriously, there's a ton of false religions in the world, many under the label of Jesus.)


• Next, get baptized (by immersion). (Acts 2:38, Acts 8:38-39)


• Also, read the Bible and obey what you read. I would start with the New Testament, starting in the book of Matthew.

Some may say that's too harsh, and that I'm driving people away from Christ.  I can only say this about the latter.  They are correct:  I am driving them away...from false Christs.  GOOD!  Because those false Christs will send you to Hell just as much as not even having Christ at all.  Why?  Because such Christs don't have teeth:  They don't send you to Hell (as in Matthew 25:41), they don't teach hard truths (as in John 6:60), they don't teach you to beware of worldliness (as in Luke 8:14), etc.

Some may also say:  OK, then who's the true Christ?  What church has the Truth?  I can only say this about that statement without bias:  Just follow the Bible.  Read it, cover to cover.  Accept the truths of the Bible as plainly and as literally as possible.  This is true faith.  If there are churches that put their trust in the Word of God, for Jesus is the Word of God (John 1:1, 1:14, etc.), follow them (I Corinthians 11:1), yet don't trust IN them (Jeremiah 17:5), but IN Christ.

As for all churches, whether true or false, ALWAYS do this:

1Th_5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

Finally, I want to share with you something from atheist Penn Jillette.  He presents what Christians OUGHT to be doing in regards to evangelism:

 A caveat though:  I believe based on the following two verses, that we are NOT to proselytize to outward atheists:

Psa 14:1a  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God...

Pro 23:9  Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.

 

 

On Birthdays

Job 3:1  After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his [birth]day.

Today, the topic of birthdays came up, and I just thought I'd share my thoughts on the concept of celebrating one's birthday as it relates to Scripture.

 Firstly, I know of no Scripture that condemns, in an of itself, celebrating birthdays.  However, when I look at Scripture, it seems kinda pointless to me.  I've heard some people write in the past that the wicked celebrated birthdays, while the righteous cursed their birthday.

An example of the former being Herod in Matthew 14:6 and Mark 6:21-23.  Herod celebrated his birthday by asking his daughter Herodias what she wanted, because her dancing pleased him.  Herodias, prompted by her mother, asked her father for the head of John The Baptist.  Yeah, that backfired:

Mar 6:26  And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. 

However, not everyone in Scripture that celebrated their birthday was specifically counted as wicked.  Take the Pharaoh of Egypt, during the time of Joseph:

Gen 40:20  And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants. 

Now, an example of the latter, the righteous cursing their birthday, is listed in this post (Job).  Another example is Jeremiah:

Jer 20:14  Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.
Jer 20:15  Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

In fact, the Preacher of Ecclesiastes said that:

Ecc 7:1b ...the day of death [is better] than the day of one's birth.

So, at the very least, birthdays are weird.  

 

But do you know what's even weirder in this world, and possibly downright sad?

According to the Word of God, the observance of Good Friday, and more explicitly, of the Lord's Supper (I Corinthians 11:26) is technically BETTER than the observance of Christmas!

It's sad because people treat Christmas as a much bigger deal than even Easter!  Yes, they're both false holidays because of the worldliness and idolatry associated with the holiday (modern Nativity scenes are just a mash-up of the Truth, in essence creating a false Christ), mixed in with Scripture, but God considers Christmas EVEN WORSE, for that is a celebration of a birth, while Holy Week, leading up to Easter is more closely associated with a death and resurrection!

Now, a caveat:  It is no sin to celebrate a birth, and it is certainly no sin to celebrate the birth of Christ (just not in the way of the false Christian world).  But it's just weird, at least in my opinion.

 

 

First Thoughts On The Hamas Terrorist Attack Against Israel

Pro 18:13  He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. 

Over the weekend, a terrorist group named Hamas attacked Israel 9/11 style. (One person told ABC News reporter David Muir that this was Israel's 9/11). Once I found out what was going on, my head was spinning. What does this all mean? What's going to happen now? Now, mind you, I've seen lots of violent acts on TV. School shootings. Russia invading Ukraine. Black Lives Matter. However, this one event stuck out. At least a thousand Israelis, presumably Jews, dead. This hits biblically home.

I had a few ideas about “Why?” Firstly, the acknowledgment that this was still the hand of God at work, yes, even the unpleasant times:

Job 2:10  But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. 

Ecc 7:14  In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. 

One angle I considered when thinking about the terrorist attacks was that this was a form of God's judgment.  Yes, that sounds quite harsh, but we have to consider all options.  So, searching on that angle, I found a podcast from Jason Whitlock where he was reading the book of Judges when the terrorist attack happened. He found eery similarities, as in the book of Judges, Israel often sinned, and God would raise up evildoers to attack Israel. Now,  I'm not saying that Hamas is God's instrument of judgment against Israel. However, the concept is not impossible. I make no judgment concerning that, considering the first Scripture text I cited.

In fact, Mr. Whitlock's angle wasn't even about God and Israel.  It was about God and the United States, in particular, how we should be thoughtful of the sinfulness of the United States (in particular, the "diversity" of religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, etc. being tolerated in America), and that perhaps God would raise up evildoers to attack us, from the inside. This is very possible, seeing how violence on the inside has already been on full display these last few years. It would not surprise me if the United States suffered a great blow at the hands of pure evil, such evil raised up by God to punish us.

No matter what angle is correct, one thing is for certain: Hamas committed great acts of evil against Israel. That is not in doubt.

So, all I can say for certain is this:  We need to pray, and for all of us, we need to repent of our own moral filth:

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
(Luk 13:1-5)

On "Once Saved Always Saved"

(Oh wow, I didn't realize I made a second post about OSAS.  Or was this the first?  Anyway, this is a longer more in-depth analysis on the doctrine vs. the Truth.) 

As many of you know, I grew up as an American Baptist, who, like many Baptists, tend to teach "Once Saved, Always Saved".  It's also called "Eternal Security".

Their key proof text is the following:

Joh 10:28  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Another proof text they use is this:

Eph 1:13  In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. 

What they say is this:  Once you come to Christ, there is nothing, and I mean NOTHING, that can keep you from going to Heaven.  I've had it described this way:  Coming to Christ is like pressing the "up" button on the elevator, and you can never, ever go "down" (either the "down" button doesn't work or it's broken, I don't know how it goes)

But is all this true?

Firstly, let's look at those two texts.  John 10:28 is part of a passage in which Jesus is talking with the unbelieving Jews who ask Jesus to tell them plainly if He is the Christ (v. 24).  Jesus responds by saying that He did, but they didn't believe it (v. 25), because they are not His sheep (v. 26).  In John 10:28, it certainly is true that followers of Christ are given eternal life and will never perish.  However, I say the word "followers" intentionally, because Jesus says in verse 27:

Joh 10:27  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

Those who are given eternal life and will never perish are Christ's FOLLOWERS, those who not only acknowledge His existence, but actually heed His words.

On to Ephesians 1:13-14.  This is part of Paul's letter to the Church in Ephesus.  In the first chapter, he speaks of the believers being predestined...

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 

Now, anyone who is predestined to be saved is 100% GUARANTEED to be saved (Romans 9:18)

Thus, Ephesians 1:13-14 makes sense.  The Holy Spirit is given to the predestined upon belief.

 

YET...

 

Here's the head-scratcher.  There are many warnings given to believers against turning from the faith.  Here is a sampling:

Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 

Gal 5:4  Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
(Heb 6:4-6)

Heb 10:26  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 

2Pe 2:20  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 

1Jn 5:16  If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

So, it is also true that those who turn from the faith go to Hell.

 

In addition, Jesus warned ALL, not just believers, against withholding forgiveness:

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
(Mat 6:14-15)

If you don't forgive others, you will go to Hell.

In addition, Jesus warned some churches in the Book of Revelation to repent of their errors, lest something unpleasant happen to them:

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 

Rev 2:16  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 

Rev 2:22  Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 

Rev 3:3  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth...As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
(Rev 3:16,19)

These unpleasant things sound like going to Hell.  Fear!

Now, I wish to discuss the main head-scratcher in Hebrews 6:4-6:

"and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost"

The writer of Hebrews is saying that those who fall away were once believers, and had a share in the Holy Spirit, the very same Spirit that seals believers and guarantees their heavenly inheritance in Ephesians 1:13-14.  Yet the fallen believers go to Hell, because it is impossible for them to repent.  This I do not understand.  If the Holy Spirit in believers tells our spirits that we are among the children of God (Romans 8:16), what explains the fallen, who are indeed fallen and indeed are burning in Hell?

Nevertheless, we must heed these words of warning.  We cannot say, "Just because we are in Christ, just because the Holy Spirit confirms we are saved, we need not be concerned about losing our salvation."

WRONG!

As long as the warnings against apostasy exist, we must stay the course:

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 

Act_14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Now, there is one branch of "Once Saved Always Saved" thinking that is called "Free Grace" theology.  Ken Wilson in his piece "A Defense of Free Grace Theology" writes:

There were Christians in good standing with the church c.AD 400 who held the doctrine that a person received salvation by faith alone without repentance or good works. Much to Augustine's ire, baptism was practiced immediately if one of them believed in Christ, without first entering prolonged education in Christian faith and morals as a catechumen. For those early Christians, God's future judgment consisted only of payment (reward) or punishment (temporary) for how those Christians lived their lives before God—heaven or hell was not in question.

While not a defense of Augustine (I have yet to prove him according to I Thessalonians 5:21), the above Scripture verses I just mentioned about apostasy immediately proves Mr. Wilson wrong, as well as the aforementioned "Christians" from the 5th century.  There's just too many warnings given to BELIEVERS! to believe that you can do whatever you want in your life as long as at some point in your life, you came to Christ.  

If I believed that free grace was true, nothing would stop me from a life of mass fornication and gluttony.  I'm serious.  Someone once asked me what I would do if I didn't believe in eternal life.  Without hesitation, I said I would be a hedonist.  When asked for clarification, I told them that I would live a life of pleasure.  Everyone was shocked.  Paul wouldn't be:

1Co 15:32  If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.

Do you think such a hedonist person I would imagine I would be, under Free Grace, go to Heaven?  Do you think if Ron Jeremy died in impenitence, that as long as one time in his life he came to Christ, he would be in Heaven?  The answer to both of these questions is an unequivocal, NO.

Wikipedia contributors. "Free grace theology." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 5 Oct. 2023. Web. 8 Oct. 2023.

 

 

A Study Of Worldliness - Part Two (I John 4:5)

 The key verse I want to pick apart on this study of worldliness is I John 4:5:

1Jn 4:5  They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. 

Firstly, let's go back a few verses:

v. 1: This one is about false prophets.  We're told to test the spirits.  OK.

v. 2: "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:"  There was a gentleman once who kept rambling on about "Jesus Christ and the Holy Father".  I remembered this verse, so in order to test the gentleman, I asked whether he believed in the "incarnation", another word for Jesus coming in the flesh, because I thought that if I said the verse word for word, he might catch on to that.  Was I right or wrong in this testing method?  I don't know.  Anyway, he said he doesn't believe in "incarnation", so didn't know what to make of that.

v. 3: on the antichrist: Maybe I should have asked "Do you believe Jesus has come to us as a human being?"  Now, if anyone says no to that, Scripture says that such a spirit is Antichrist.

v. 4: overcoming the antichrist..."greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."  "he that is in you", I believe that's the Holy Spirit, God at least.  "he that is in the world", I believe that's Satan.

OK, on to v. 5:

"They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world": Worldliness is their language.  I've off and on caught myself using worldly terminology to describe things, that is, the terminology of nerd culture, perhaps in a carnal sense, wanting to "be like the cool kids".  And yes, I heard that from a song:

"I wish that I could be like the cool kids
'cause all the cool kids, they seem to fit in"

"and the world heareth them": OK, now it popped in my head what the key word behind my study of this Bible verse is: REFERENCES.  What I mean by "references" is this:  You ever watch a TV show or movie and catch a bunch of the references?  For example, Star Trek.  In one of the episodes of the "Picard" series, the crew goes to this sort of space museum (I think), and there is this creature, newly with teeth.  It growls at one particular crew member, and the crew member is mutually distraught at the creature.  This is in reference to the tumultuous relationship between the creature and the particular species of the crew member, a relationship that has stayed the same since the original series in the 1960s.

Now, some might say, "Come on, just say who they are!", and to that I say, "No."  I'm trying not to be friendly with the world.

Back to the references, let me give you an example of a failed attempt at pleasing the world:  When Hillary Clinton ran for President in 2016, she said something like the following in order to please the crowd:

"I don't know about Pokemon Go...but I think they ought to have Pokemon Go To The Polls!"

Mrs. Clinton was trying to please the world in this instance.

Those who are of the world speak the world's language.  For another example, I know of a school student who is a fan of a certain book franchise.  Let's say the time is 9:45AM.  I could say it's 9:45AM.  Or I could make a reference to said franchise.  If I said the latter, I would be appeasing the student by speaking the world's language, especially since the said franchise celebrates the second sin in Galatians 5:20.

Now, speaking the world's language, and living with the following attitude:

1Co 9:20  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;

are two different things.  The later is basically, not being a jerk, or, as they say, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do".  The former is, in my opinion, mere appeasement, such as to appeal to fans of something that sounds like a bearded molder of clay.  (And no, my obfuscation of pop culture references is not in and of itself an intentional reference to the obfuscation of the name of the chief nemesis of the said book franchise.)

Again, why don't I just say it?  It's not as if I'm hiding my knowledge of such things, it's obvious I have this knowledge!  It's partially for the sake of those who have no idea what I'm talking about.  The less you know about worldly things, the better.

The world is very enticing.  The sights.  The sounds.  I John 2:16 says it well:

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

Plus, the world is HARMFUL to your fruitfulness in Christ:

Mar 4:19  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. 

Worldly people (even among those claiming Christ) who bear no fruit go to Hell (also see Matthew 3:10 and Matthew 13:22), as well as those who never hear the Word (Matthew 13:19, Mark 4:15), and whose who hear the Word, yet fall away in time of persecution (Matthew 13:21, Mark 4:17).

Keep unspotted from the world! (James 1:27)  Bear much fruit! (John 15:8)