Salvation
How to Know If You’re a Fool
While some Christians like to make April 1st “National Atheist Day,” I think it is a perfect day to reflect on our own foolishness. The Bible has much to say about what makes a fool. Way too many references for me to pack into one blog post! But a few years ago I complied a list of 17 ways you can know if you’re a fool. Some might pertain you, some might not. But if you want to know if you are being foolish, this list might be the snappiest way to find out. Reflect and pass on.
- When you trust your heart.
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But whoever walks wisely will be delivered. -Proverbs 28:26
How can we trust something that is more deceptive than the devil himself? If God is true, and we place our heart’s desires over His revealed word, we are indeed fools. - When you spread gossip.
Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool. -Proverbs 10:18
Slander may be information that is true or not true which is meant to destroy the character, reputation, or perception others may have about a particular person(s). The reason why you are a fool when you slander is because, often times, you might be spreading something that doesn’t accurately depict the person, event, situation, etc. Be careful! Only God has the big picture. - When you think it is fun to do things that are sinful.
To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom. -Proverbs 10:23
This is a tough pill to swallow. There are some things that may seem sinful and are not, and not sinful yet are. But it should never be fun and delightful for us to partake, or devise a plan to partake, in anything that we know to be sinful. To do so is foolish. - When you think your way is right and God’s is wrong.
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise. -Proverbs 12:15
Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. -Proverbs 3:7
This goes along the same lines as point 1, which I think is a foundational point concering why we sin in the first place. Nevertheless, to justify your own reasoning over God’s revelation, is worthy of the title of fool. - When you won’t listen to good correction, even from your parents.
A fool despises his father’s instruction, But he who receives correction is prudent. -Proverbs 15:5
Parent’s are there for our good. Sometimes we may not have godly parents, or we have parent’s that were/are never there for us. But regardless of the source of instruction, godly and good instruction is to be received and praised. To reject this will often be to your detriment.
- When you only care about what you have to say and not the truth.
A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart. -Proverbs 18:2
Just want to vent? There may be a time and place for that. But if your end goal isn’t to discover truth, or find a godly solution, you’ve stepped into the realm of fools. - When you live as though God does not exist.
The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. -Psalm 14:1
This verse isn’t for atheists only. The essence of atheism is not just declaring openly that God does not exist. It is a philosophy of the heart that lives as though God does not exist. And there are millions of people who are professing Christians who live like atheists although they profess to know Him. A heart unconvinced by the gospel and unregenerated by God’s Spirit will have a heart that is full of foolishness. - When you are a woman who is loudly argumentative and don’t care if you’re right or wrong.
A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knows nothing. – Proverbs 9:13
Men have many marks that make them foolish. So do women. This verse can pertain to men just as much as women, but this kind of behavior should be checked at the door if you’re this kind of women.
- When you laugh at sinful things or don’t take sin seriously.
Fools make mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favor. -Proverbs 14:9
The idea here is that we don’t take the nature of sin lightly. We are not supposed to jeer at the severity of sin, and we are to remain aware of the seriousness of it. By slighting sin, and removing the sobering nature of it, we can drop the psychological barriers that alarm us of its danger. This is foolish indeed. - When you refuse to turn away from sin.
A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil. -Proverbs 13:19
Repentance is a beautiful thing. God grants us repentance so that we might know Him more intimately. But refusing to repent is a dangerous game. Whether it is a sin against your spouse, neighbor, co-worker, child, and yes, God, turn away from the evil you have committed against them! To refuse makes you a fool. - When you don’t like to meditate about life after death, but rather about what is fun and pleasurable now.
The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning, While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure. -Ecclesiastes 7:4 (NASB)
I quoted the NASB here because the important sense of this verse needs to readable (although I think the NLT, I hate to say, is more spot on to the sense of this verse). The house of mourning here is speaking about death. A funeral home is the best way to translate it in our time. Pondering eternity and death can truly make one wise. But in our day and age, everything is about the here and now, and what is the most pleasurable experience we can have. Fools live in that kind of mindset. Although it is good to enjoy live and the things that God has given us to enjoy freely, a fool has no pleasure in pondering eternity. - When you have a bad temper, or are quick to get angry.
Do not be quick to be angry, For anger rests in the heart of fools. -Ecclesiastes 7:9
If you have ever been angry, justified or not, we know what quality product anger can produce (insert sarcasm here). There is nothing wrong with righteous anger. But even then, if we do not know how to bring it captive to Christ, we will allow the fire to burn too long in our hearts which will in turn produce catastrophically foolish results. - When you think you are smarter than you actually are and are stubbornly unpersuaded in a sinful manner.
Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. -Proverbs 26:12
This verse points out that you are in a worse condition than a fool when you are like this. If there is any hope for a fool, it is nill in comparison to thinking you are wise in your own eyes. Refer to point 1 and 4 if you need help in this area. - When you are unthankful for the knowledge of God, and exchange the truth of God for a lie.
…although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man… -Romans 1:21-23
Whatever revelation God has given man, it is so that man can, in turn, glorify God. In nature, the conscience, and even some revelation through His Word, each man is without excuse before God. To be unthankful, to reject His goodness, to exchange what we know about the truth of God for a lie, and suppress it in unrighteousness is the epitome of foolishness! Apart from the grace of God, how else could we escape such a despairing condition? Nothing but the blood Jesus can set us free.
- When you live for money, retirement, riches, etc., but have neglectful care for your eternity.
But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. -Luke 12:20-21
Wealth in the world is not wealth in the spirit. Don’t be fooled by material gain, meanwhile neglect heavenly treasures. It is foolish to gain much, but lose your soul in the end. - When you recklessly spend money.
There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it. -Proverbs 21:20
This doesn’t not mean that if you are wise you will always be rich. There are plenty of people who are very wise, and God has limited them monetarily. But what this does mean is that the foolish don’t know how to reserve themselves and spend money wisely. That pay check, tax return, Christmas bonus, loan, or whatever, will be squandered irresponsibly. Are you a reckless spender? Then you are a fool.
- When you don’t trust Christ alone to save your from your sin, and instead would rather trust in anything else but the Bible.
But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. -Matthew 7:26-27
Obeying Christ is an outpouring of our salvation. There is nothing more important in this world than to know you are saved by Christ and are obeying His commandments. To do otherwise is eternally foolish! If you are not reading God’s word in order to know Him more, so that you can obey and love Him as you were created to do, you are indeed foolish.
Once again, this is not an exhaustive list, but I pray this would be edifying and convicting enough for each of us to evaluate the foolishness dwelling within ourselves quicker than pointing out the foolishness we see in others.
– Until we go home
Quotes: What I need to be frequently reminded of.
“It would be better if [Christians doubting the grace in their lives] spent their time in praying, and asking Christ for more grace, instead of bestowing complaints of their supposed gracelessness!”
– Richard Baxter
1615 – 1691
A Harsh Gospel?
There is a troubling trend found more and more within the ranks of Christendom, particularly within the American version. I already know that there are those on both sides of these issues that will disagree with me, some may even do some vehemently. This post is not really an attempt to change everybody’s mind but written with the prayer that the rhetoric will be toned down and that more will realize that while true biblical doctrine divides, principles and practices should not.
There is a huge difference between the ministry of the Old Testament prophets and the work of the early New Testament Church. First and foremost, there should be a clear understanding that the Old Testament national Israel was not, is not, and never will be the same as the New Testament Church. They are two distinct entities and each of them have a special part in the sovereign purposes of God, but they are not the same.
Second, the Old Testament prophets were with very few exceptions sent to proclaim a specific message of judgment to the tribes of Israel. Those messages of judgment were not given to the New Testament Church. So, whether we are looking at Elijah, or Jonah, or Zephaniah, we must be careful that we look at each prophet in the context of their message and the people to who they were called.
Strangely, when we arrive at the New Testament era, we find a unique message and ministry started by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. While He called out the religious rabble with firm words and righteous anger, His approach to unbelievers brought a message of hope, faith, and love. The hope was found in following the truth that Jesus Christ is God. The faith was that which the Holy Spirit gave ears to hear and that faith was subsequently placed solely on Jesus Christ for salvation. The love was shown ultimately in the way that Christ died on the Cross because God so loved the world. Yes, the sacrifice was given to appease the wrath of God the Father, but there was still love from Christ towards mankind. Even in one of His final sayings on the Cross, we hear Him saying, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
Zacchaeus found himself in a tree straining to hear Jesus Christ. He was approached by the Messiah with a message of hope that saw the salvation of a hated tax collector.
On several occasions, even the Gentiles came to hear Jesus Christ. Some of them believed the words and placed their faith in the Messiah for their salvation.
While on a walk through the country of the hated Samaritans, Jesus Christ sat beside a well waiting for a woman to approach. In the conversation, there was conviction of sin, hope of being able to worship something that she did not presently have, and ultimately faith was placed in the Savior. This woman then left her pots and went to the city to share the truth that there was a Messiah who could save them.
We could give many more examples, but I use these few to point out a vast difference between the love, gentleness, and compassion found in the New Testament with what I am seeing transpire today.
This post is not written with the intention of trying to stop any ministries from taking place. If you are under the authority of a local church and believe that God has placed a particular burden on your heart, then by all means, fulfill that to the best of your ability. Being part of the local church should help each person to be accountable to the means whereby God has given gifts. Today, there are far too many Lone Rangers who refuse accountability. Their best answer to troubles or questions about their style is normally best answered by simply unfriending the offending individual on Facebook or writing comments in a vitriolic manner all the while spinning strawmen to cover their lack of Biblical principles and Scriptures in defense of what they are doing.
So, what am I referring to? Let me give a few examples.
First, I firmly believe that the Great Commission is the responsibility of every blood-bought child of God to share with others the wonder of who Jesus Christ is and the message of hope that brings no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. However, I do NOT believe that each person is given the same task of how they go about doing that. Some may knock on doors, while others will pass out tracts at every opportunity they are given. Still others will stand on street corners and proclaim the wonders of the Savior.
None of these are wrong in and of themselves, but it is wrong for me or anybody else to declare that EVERY believer must do it JUST like me. There is NOT one example of the entire early New Testament Church all striving to exhibit their gifts in identical fashion on a Tuesday afternoon in the cities of Ephesus, Rome, or in the churches of Asia Minor. Paul makes it clear that we all have gifts differing one from another.
Second, in our messages, we are not the ones who are called to produce the judgment of God upon sinful creatures. We must be mindful that if it were not for the grace of God that we would each still be trapped in our sins. Ultimately, the only judgment that can be handed out will be from God. However, this does NOT mean we are to refrain from pointing out the COMING judgment to a lost and dying world.
Third, we are in error if we forget that the world is going to act exactly what it is – LOST. This means they will be willing to do, to live, to act, and to speak in every way that alienates them further from a holy and righteous God. Lost people do NOT act like believers. Lost people do NOT believe like Christians. Lost people do NOT care about God. Lost people do NOT care about the law of Jesus Christ.
Fourth, we must remember that our message must be one of compassion. I have seen many ministries through my own years of ministry that have stood on corners, pounded on doors, and screamed at places like abortion clinics for the wickedness that is found within. Sadly, all the yelling and lack of love will only make us look like nutjobs from Westboro Baptist Church holding their picket signs. The world mixes us together when our lives and our words do NOT reflect Jesus Christ.
The unregenerate person will NEVER like the message we proclaim, but it should be the message they hate and hear that brings them to conviction through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Now with these few thoughts in mind, let me be a little more pointed.
Jesus Christ did NOT stand at the bottom of the tree and scream at Zacchaeus, “You filthy tax collector! You collaborator with those nasty Romans!”
Jesus Christ did NOT sit at the well in Samaria and scream names and nastiness at the woman who came for water and left with living water. He never yelled, “Hey, you adulterer, you two-bit low life!”
Jesus Christ did NOT hang on the Cross and belittle either of the two thieves and murderers who hung on either side of Him with words like, “You two thieves are just the scum of the earth! You deserve to hang there and pay the penalty for your crimes.”
The apostle Paul did not launch a campaign to go and picket Mars Hill. He was invited by divine appointment to stand and share the truth of the gospel. When he was done, some wanted to hear him further, while others left mocking the message. Not once do we find Paul blogging on the Jerusalem net about all the ones who rejected the call to salvation. Paul did not picket the coliseum in any city, and neither are we given any record of anybody else in the early Church doing that. Paul did not offer to take Onesimus back to Colosse and stand on the street corner outside of Philemon’s house railing about the evils of slavery and how Philemon MUST repent or they would never be able to fellowship together.
No, no, and a further resounding NO!
As believers, we are called to share the message of salvation. We are called to love the Lord Jesus with all of our heart, soul, and mind. Further, we are then called to love our neighbor AS OURSELVES. There is no third law to love ourselves. We do a great job of doing that already because of our sinful nature.
However, the message we share must be given with love and compassion. If the best we can do is shout and call names at those who pass us by, we will never accomplish what we have been called to do. We are NOT Lone Rangers, but we are Ambassadors of the Most High. Therefore, we MUST conduct our business for the Master in a way that reflects such love and grace as has been shown to us.
In conclusion, I do not wish for anybody to misunderstand my words today. I am NOT calling on anybody to stop standing outside of abortion clinics. I am NOT calling on street preachers to desist. I am NOT calling on individuals to stop passing out gospel tracts. I am NOT calling on anybody to stop warning about the judgment to come.
What I am calling for is more grace, love, and compassion in the way we minister. You will never be able to witness to the Mormon or the JW or the liar or the adulterer or the woman who had her baby murdered or the drug addict or the drunkard or anybody else when you are not willing to love them for who they are right now. It is not up to us to change them in order for them to become a new believer in Christ. That job belongs to God ALONE.
PS — Remember that we each will give account to God for what we do for Him, not to each other, and certainly not to the faceless comments on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media. We can each fulfill our ministry by being the part of the body He has called us to be, but that does NOT mean we cannot still fellowship with others who are a different part and who have a different role.
1 Corinthians 13:13, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
The Only Biblical Gospel
We have shared this video before but it is a message that needs to be heard by millions, including many who are sitting in churches thinking they are in a right standing before God. If you do not understand this message and do not believe this message, you are without Christ! Come to Him and plead for mercy today while there is yet time.
Praying in Jesus’ Name
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13).
Many use this verse as a way to convince God that He must answer their prayers since they are praying in Jesus’ Name but Scripture is very clear that, if we pray according to His will, He hears us (1 John 5:14).
God is not obligated to answer every selfish prayer we pray but, as we draw closer to Him, our desire to please Him grows, and that is when our prayers our answered because they are finally in line with His will.
There are some things that we can pray without wondering if it’s His will. For instance, God’s Word says that He is not willing that any should perish but instead desires that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Therefore, we can, in faith, pray for the salvation of our loved ones.
There are times when I feel like it is God’s will to heal a friend or family member. I will then pray wholeheartedly for their healing. Sometimes, even if I’m not sure what God is doing in a person’s life, I will pray for their healing, trusting God to have mercy and hear my plea but knowing that, if He chooses not to answer in the way I desire, He has a greater plan. Faith goes beyond believing my prayer will be answered; it is knowing that God knows what is best and trusting that He is still at work even when I don’t understand.
I have seen God’s hand at work so many times so I suppose it is pretty easy for me to trust the Lord. In spite of what some believe, God still saves, He still heals, He still cares. I don’t know about tomorrow but I know who holds my hand.
What Does John 3:16 Teach?
The following is part of the book I am writing, from a section on the gospel which is a necessary element of a biblical church. 
There are truths in God’s Word that rub our flesh the wrong way; predestination is one of them. I refer the reader to Appendix 5 for a biblical defense of this doctrine. We must embrace the truth of Scripture, even if it goes against what we’ve learned from me. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) God’s Word is sharp and, as wielded by the Holy Spirit, cuts like a scalpel, bringing healing to our broken souls. False teaching is seen as less threatening, like a butter knife. And it works the same way – tearing the flesh as it pierces, bringing destruction rather than healing. Good counsel presents the truth of Scripture; this is biblical love – even though our beloved traditions may have to be abandoned.
Many who disbelieve predestination run to John 3:16, as if this verse disproves it. Let us briefly examine this verse to see what its message truly is. Here’s the verse, from the King James: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. That settles it for many, who do not stop to see if the words may have had a different meaning when written 500 years ago than they do today; including Baptist preachers who ought to know better. But contrary to a popular hermeneutic which declares, “when the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense”, the plain sense of Scripture often contradicts the true meaning of Scripture and our common sense often makes no heavenly sense. The genre of the text we are reading will indicate how we are to read it – poetry and apocalyptic books cannot be taken literally, and even historical narratives are full of word pictures that must be interpreted rightly to get God’s view of His Scriptures. The Jews of the first century had common sense and they took certain prophecies in the plain sense. This caused them to look for a king like David – a man of war – and miss the true meaning of their own Scripture.
In regards to John 3:16, let’s examine a couple of key words upon which the meaning of this verse hang. In English, the word “so” can be either an adverb or an adjective. We see it in verse 14: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up (KJV). Here, the word “so” is an adverb, meaning “in like manner” or “in the same way” – describing the nature of something. Many people think the word “so” is an adjective in verse 16 – describing the degree of the thing that follows: God loves the world SO much. The problem with this view is that the Greek word translated as “so” in English (houtos – Strong’s #3779) is rarely used as an adjective. Strong’s Greek and Hebrew dictionary defines it only as an adverb. Houtos shows up more than 200 places in the Greek New Testament. In only four occurrences it is definitely an adjective: Galatians 1:6; 3:3; Hebrews 12:21 (houto); and Revelation 16:18. In more than 97% of the uses the word houtos is an adverb. (http://www.brenthobbs.com/index_files/john_3_16.php accessed 25 May 2015) Now looking back John’s gospel, let’s read a little more for context:
John 3:14-16 (KJV) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Is there a compelling argument that John’s use of houtos changes from the common adverb in verse 14 to the extremely rare adjective in verse16? If its use in verse 16 is as an adjective, the Bible tells us God loved the world to a great degree that He sent Christ to die for the same world He said we are not to love (1 John 2:15). Since Jesus said Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35) we must interpret Scripture with Scripture and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5), even if the plain sense makes common sense to us. Our common sense is our understanding, not God’s. I don’t have space here to examine “the world” and how it’s used; but since not everybody at all times in every nation, tribe, and tongue has been forgiven, it’s reasonable and in keeping with Christ’s high priestly prayer in John 17 that Jesus did not come to save the whole world in the comprehensive sense some assert. As noted in Ephesians 5:25, Jesus gave His life for the church, not everybody in the world. And since “the world” often means a region (Luke 2:1; John 12:19), or the system which lies under Satan’s rule (John 15:19; 17:13; 1 Corinthians 2:12), we have no reason to assume this term means everyone everywhere as regards salvation, as the Lamb of God died for the redeemed, not the damned.
The argument is not whether or not the death of Christ is sufficient to save everyone – His death is more than sufficient for the entire human race. The question is, did Christ die for all men – is the atonement universal? One English Bible translates this phrase, “in tasting death He should stand for us all” – those for whom Christ stands are the redeemed. The word, man, is not in the Greek text, meaning the original phrase would be “should taste death for the whole” – the whole body, the church for whom Christ gave Himself (Ephesians 5:25); Jesus died for every son God brings to glory. God the Father chooses only some to be saved – election is not universal. God the Spirit regenerates only some to bring them to new life, He only seals those who are born again – the Spirit’s work in saving and sealing is not universal. For Christ’s death to be universal, it would mean that some of His blood, some of His trials and suffering under the wrath of God the Father, was for those who are spending eternity under God’s wrath. Any blood or work done by Christ on their account would be wasted! And if the death of Christ was universal, it would put Him at odds with the Father and the Spirit, because their work in salvation is particular, not universal.
Let’s read the passage from John 3 in the Holman Christian Standard Bible:
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life. “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
This is more in line with the common use of the Greek and keeps consistency within the passage and with the whole teaching of the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus.
Responsibility, Inability and Grace
A great review of important issues that bear on the essential doctrine of soteriology – how is one saved? By John Hendrix. 
Responsibility, Inability and Grace
“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me…” – John 6:37
The truth of God’s word is honored not in holding exclusively to one truth to the exclusion of another truth, but in believing the whole counsel of God. The Bible plainly teaches that man is responsible to obey the summons of God to repent and believe the gospel just as it plainly teaches that he is morally unwilling and unable to do so. These two seemingly contradictory assertions can be reconciled when we understand that, after the fall, God’s perfect standard for holiness for man does not change … so even the very desire for faith, by which we believe in Christ who justifies sinners, can only belong to us, not by nature but by a gift of grace, that is, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit amending our will and turning it from unbelief to faith and from godlessness to godliness. Jesus says, “no one can come to me [i.e. believe in me] unless the Father who sent me grants it.” (John 6:54) Again, the Apostle Paul says, “And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6). And again, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).
Furthermore some teach that God has mercy upon us when, apart from his regenerative grace, we believe, will and desire to believe, but do not confess that it is by the work of renewal by the Holy Spirit within us that we even have the faith, the will, or the desire to do all these things; If we make the assistance of grace depend on our own wisdom, humility, prudence, obedience, sound judgment or good sense, but don’t agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, we then directly contradict the Scripture which says, “What have you that you did not receive?” (1 Cor. 4:7), and, “But by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Cor. 15:10).
The following chart shows that the Bible clearly teaches both man’s responsibility to believe the gospel and his inability to do so. The third column helps us to understand how those whom God has set his affection on infallibly come to faith, in spite of this inability and, most of all, how this gives all glory to God in the work of salvation: Augustine once said, “God bids us do what we cannot, that we may know what we ought to seek from him.”
(This chart is loosely based on a chart by Lamar McKinney)
God knoweth we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requireth no more than he giveth, and giveth what he requireth, and accepteth what he giveth.” – Richard Sibbes
John Hendryx
Monergism
God Lifts the Needy
“[The LORD] raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor” ~ 1 Samuel 2:8.
As I read this prayer of Hannah this morning, I thought how God did this very thing for me. At times, growing up, we were very poor. There were some winters we couldn’t afford heat, and at least once, we were homeless for a time. During those days, we attended church occasionally but the extent of my prayers were for God to get us out of trouble or protect us, and I never read my Bible … at least not regularly. I am thankful that God looked down and saw how needy we were, and He decided that He could use me anyway.
I was a teenager when my mom truly came to know the Lord. Although I grew up in church, we didn’t really have relationship with God prior to that time. After that, I could not deny the peace that filled Mom, such as I had never seen in her before. Our lives radically changed and, although at the time, I wasn’t sure I liked the changes, they ended up being for the better, and God continued to call out to me until I decided to follow Him as well. That was over 20 years ago now, and I can truly say that I don’t regret one mile I’ve traveled for the Lord. This world is getting scarier every day and yet I still hope God gives me many more years to serve Him. When He has finished using me, I will be very happy to go Home.
I’ve never sat with princes but I have had the opportunity to meet and interact with a number of Christian leaders, and I have found that they are just people like you and me. They still have trials and struggles, joys and heartaches. They may be better known than you and me but they are merely people who have said “Yes” to Jesus. A willing heart is what He is searching for. You don’t need to be smart, well versed, good looking, or anything else. If you are willing to surrender your whole life to the Lord, He can and will use you. You may not see your rewards on earth but Revelation 2:10 tells us that, if we are faithful to the end, we will receive the crown of life.
If you are needy today, rest assured that God has not forgotten you. He hears your cries. Our timing is not His timing, and the things we think we need are not always what we do, in fact, need but He will not forsake you.
If you are like me and you remember a time when you were needy and God rescued you, take time to thank Him again. I can’t praise Him enough for His faithfulness. All that I am and ever hope to be, I owe it all to Him. To God be the glory!
Who Does the saving in the Salvation of Sinners?
Does Faith Save?
Stuart Brogden
The Foundation
Several authors have described salvation with a vivid word picture that warrants scrutiny. I’ve added a bit to it as I reflected on several things recently.
Let’s begin with a baseline on a couple of issues with scripture. These aren’t the only verses that address these issues, maybe not even the best ones – but they are His words on the topic.
- Galatians 3:24 tells us “…the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” The purpose of the law is not save us, but to show us that we cannot save ourselves.
- In John 6:65 Christ tells us “that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” In our natural, sinful condition we are unable to seek after God – He pursues us.
- Acts 3:19 says “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” The call to salvation requires a change of heart, as no heart of flesh can inherit the Kingdom of Christ.
- Ephesians 2:8&9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Nothing we can do can cause God to love us more or love us less.
- In Acts 4:12, Peter – speaking of Christ – tells us “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” No cheap substitute can pay the price to gain you and me admittance to heaven.
- Finally, consider John 10:27-29: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” A guarantee that we are sealed by God unto life eternal.
Keep these truths in mind as I paint this picture, as told to me by others.
Man’s Circumstance
You are in your 6th floor apartment, where you live a comfortable, carefree life. Everything is fine, your problems are minimal; you have no need of a savior – no need at all which you cannot meet.
Suddenly, you hear a fire alarm and, as you open your door, you discover your entire floor in engulfed in a raging fire! You cannot make it to the stairs; so back into your apartment, you rush. Not so safe and carefree any more. Frightened, anxious, unsure of how – or if – you will survive.
The fire shows us our need for a way out of our circumstances.
The “Crises of Belief”
In the midst of your fear, you hear a voice calling you to the window. As you peer through the opening, you see the firemen on the street below, urging you to jump!
You know that jumping from the window of a sixth floor window is normally suicide. Before the fire, your apartment was luxurious, comfortable, safe – you had no sane reason to jump. You would never have considered it! But now your apartment is a dangerous place where you will surely die if you don’t get out. Jumping may be worth the risk. Moreover, the firemen are telling you that you must jump if you want to save your life.
As you look out the window, you see that the firemen are holding a safety net for you to jump into. The firemen look professional, the net looks strong. But it’s a long way down from your window. Can the firemen and the net be trusted? If you jump and the net turns out be made of brown paper rather than canvas, you chose wrong and are dead. If you jump and the firemen are sadistic or untrustworthy and yank the net away or let go of it, you chose wrong and are dead. Only if the fireman who’s calling you to jump is trustworthy and his net strong can you be assured of survival.
Yet no matter how strong the net, how reliable the firemen – you’re dead unless you jump. No amount of knowledge about the net or the fire brigade will keep the fire from consuming you. The fire demands you to choose. The fireman calls you to jump.
You consider the situation. It’s not fair! You didn’t cause the fire, yet your life is wrecked. The fire has caused all the vermin that inhabited the apartment with you – unseen, unnoticed – to come out into the open seeking escape. You had no idea so many nasty bugs were in your walls! The fire didn’t cause the bugs to live with you; the fire simply forced them into the open. The fire revealed the filth of your environment, the squalor of your life and forces you to look elsewhere for life itself.
The “Irrational” Answer
You can’t escape on your own – you have to trust someone telling you to jump 80 feet into a net! Your own reasoning tells you to lay low until the danger passes; that the fire isn’t all that dangerous and will soon be put out. But hotter and louder it roars and you know it will consume you. If not for the fire, you might not have ever known you were living in filth.
So you jump – knowing that jumping won’t save you. Jumping is worthless unless those firemen and that net are there and do their job. Will they? You won’t know that unless you jump. So you jump.
And the firemen are all they claimed to be and the net was strong and sure. You were in danger of losing your life to the fire, but were saved by the firemen and their net after you heard them calling you and jumped from your “safe” apartment, falling securely into their grip.
No Turning Back
One more thing about jumping out of the window – once you jump, you can’t go back. Having trusted the firemen and the net enough to jump out of the window from 80 feet up, there’s no way for you to un-jump and get back into the fire even if you wanted to.
See Yourself?
So our lives are here in the flesh. Often comfortable to the extent that we fail to recognize the dangers of evil. Living with all sorts of hidden evil, trying to manage our sin in the same way that we manage ants and roaches – with a superficial treatment to eliminate the evidence.
Then comes the law, exposing what was in darkness and driving us to the knowledge that we are dead and in desperate need of a savior. Faithful to His promises, almighty God calls you to accept what makes no sense – another died that you might live. All you need do is answer His call and fall – jump out the window – into His safety net of saving grace, held tightly by Christ Jesus – the One who will never let go.
What Saves You?
As with the fire, the law doesn’t save you – it convicts you that are sinful and need Christ. As with your jump, your faith isn’t what saves you – it’s the One in whom you place that faith that saves. Christ saves to the utmost, beyond what man can imagine, beyond what man or Satan can affect or undo.
The Call to Action
A fire is sweeping across our country and the world. Filth is being exposed. People are looking for answers, seeking security. Tell them about Jesus! He saves! Tell your neighbors – Jesus saves! No other name in heaven – there’s no name on earth or in hell that saves – only Jesus. And Jesus saves completely, beyond all your sin, beyond all the enemy’s accusations, beyond your wildest dreams. You can trust Him – we must trust Him completely or be consumed in the fire of His judgment.
What is Salvation? – Paul Washer
A True Believer in Christ – Part 3
Comes now the final chapter in this short series. I pray you have been convicted, encouraged, edified, reproofed, and 
drawn closer to the Lord who shed His blood to redeem those the Father chose before time as His. As I noted in my remarks on part 2, when one is healed from spiritual death by the Holy Spirit, there will be signs of life just there are when a child is born of the flesh.
A True Believer in Christ – Part 2
With so many professing Christians who, by their lives, deny the truth of the gospel, these messages are good for all! While no human is without sin until he dies or Christ returns, there is no basis for comforting a soul as being in Christ if there is NO mark of being a new creature in Christ. There is no litmus test to prove one is redeemed, there will be signs of life in everyone who has been born of the Spirit of the Living God!
A True Believer in Christ – Part 1
Here is another short series from Igor Shafhid, a dear brother in Christ from Russia. It is my prayer that each of us examine himself to see if we be in the faith, as the Apostle Paul exhorts to do. Brother Igor is arm-in-arm with the Apostle.
A Catholic Priest is Biblically Saved
A dear brother in Christ, who I had the pleasure of meeting several years ago, testifies of how the great and mighty Creator God saved his soul, from the pit of being a Roman Catholic Priest.
The Most Terrifying Truth of Scripture!
The gospel cannot be made any clearer than this. This is the message that is simple and free to all who will come and plead for mercy at the feet of a holy, righteous God.
Cross Encounters Radio Addresses the False Teachings of Bethel “Church”
On Cross Encounters Radio, we have been setting up special broadcasts to address the false teachings of the Bethel “church” in Redding, California. Today, Tony Miano took to task the false gospel statements of senior associate pastor Chris Valloton. I highly recommend you check out the article Tony wrote in association with this broadcast, both of which can be found below:
“This article is the second in an ongoing series of articles looking at the false teaching and false practices of Bethel Church, in Redding, CA. In this article I will address the false gospel of false prophet and teacher, Kris Vallotton, Senior Associate Pastor at Bethel Church.
Here is Vallotton’s biography, posted on the Bethel Church website:
“Kris Vallotton is a noted prophetic voice in Northern California, and has trained prophetic teams in this region. He is a sought after speaker with a vision for equipping an “Elijah generation” for the end-time harvest. Kathy’s practical wisdom and prophetic insight combine to give her a unique and profound ministry as both an instructor and the school’s administrator. Kathy is also an anointed worship leader,assisting with the training of the worship teams at the school. Both Kris and his wife Kathy have a vision to raise up a company of warriors to impact this generation for Christ. Their goal is to see the fulfillment of Isaiah 61 with their own eyes. This prophecy begins with individual people getting delivered and healed–it ends with the ruined cities being restored. Kris says it is time for the fire of God to burn up His enemies and warm the hearts of the lost. This mandate has become their mission. God has instructed them to gather together warriors with like hearts, then train and equip them, and send them into the Harvest. Holy Spirit fortifications must be established in the midst of the darkest places of the planet earth. Kris is currently Senior Associate Pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, California and Kris and his wife Kathy are Overseers at Bethel’s School of Supernatural Ministry. They have four children and five grandchildren.”
Read the article here: Bethel Church: The False Gospel of Kris Vallotton
“Evolution vs. God” by Ray Comfort
You may have heard the rumblings on the internet that atheists are aghast at Ray Comfort’s newest film, Evolution vs. God. Their weeping and gnashing of teeth comes with good reason for Ray kicks out the legs of their worldview with one simple question, “Can you show me evidence for Darwinian evolution that I do not have to accept by faith?” This film takes professing evolutionary experts and their students to task by causing them to admit that the evolutionary theory is not provable by operational science. It demonstrates that evolutionary theory, at its heart, is really nothing more than a concerted effort to cause man to reject the knowledge of God that he already has so that he may pursue the sinful desires of his flesh. I highly encourage DefCon readers to take the time to watch this film, then go to www.evolutionvsgod.com and help support getting this film into the hands of university students across the country.
“Homeschooling From a Biblical Worldview” with Israel Wayne
On August 25, 2013, I had the privilege to interview noted homeschool speaker and author, Israel Wayne. He is an outspoken proponent for the homeschool movement and teaches Christians that home education should be considered an extension of our God given parental duties. Mr. Wayne also states that homeschooling should not be done so that we can produce smarter and more conservative minded children than their government school counterparts. Rather, homeschooling should be done for the express purpose of cultivating a biblical worldview in our children, leading them to the blood stained cross of Jesus Christ and bringing God the glory He is due. Our interview was aired during the Cross Encounters Radio program and can also be heard at Sermon Audio by clicking on the link below. I pray you take the time to listen to this interview. Whether you are just considering homeschooling or you are an experienced pro, I believe Israel Wayne’s insights will be a blessing to you.
CARM Takes on Matthew Vines
If you are not familiar with Matthew Vines, he is a pro homosexual activist who spoke at College Hill United Methodist Church in Kansas. During that speech, Mr. Vines advocated that the Bible does not condemn same sex monogamous relationships. Mr. Vines went to great lengths to redefine the very meaning of scripture as he attempted to explain what God actually meant, by his own assessment, when He inspired the writers of the Bible to pen the words we read today. Unlike many who have taken Christians to task on this issue, Mr. Vines presents himself as a kind and polite person, one with whom you would like to sit down and have a conversation with. He does not attempt to make the vitriolic speech that many who have advocated “gay rights” have used. His demeanor makes his redefining of scripture more acceptable in the eyes of those who have not made the effort to understand what God has truly said on the matter of homosexuality. As a result, Mr. Vines, and the views he espouses, are more easily received, even by those to claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.
Last year I posted an article titled “Christians Are We Ready” where I referenced a series of audio messages prepared by Dr. James White addressing this very speech by Matthew Vines. I continue to heartily recommend those messages to every Christian as they directly dismantle the very arguments made by Mr. Vines. Now I would like to refer our readers to yet another resource that will further equip us. CARM has prepared a section on their apologetics site that continues to expound on this issue. Homosexuality is one of the defining arguments of our day. Christians must be prepared to answer the challenges presented by those who would promote their belief that sexual immorality is acceptable in the eyes of God. Therefore, I ask you to visit the following link at CARM and become equipped to answer when people ask you why you believe homosexuality is a sin. Let us be fully prepared, not so we can prove ourselves morally better, but so that we can graciously and compassionately warn those of the judgment to come for their sin, and that there is yet salvation in Jesus Christ.
Christ Alone Wyoming 