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Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14
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Easy right? I've heard altar calls like this all my life. If they don't call people to the altar, the other tactic is to have everyone close their eyes and the person who wants to "repeat" the prayer just slips his or her hand in the air. I mean, let's start off teaching them to be ashamed of the Gospel, right?
I'm not saying that some people who answer an altar call and some people who embarrassingly slip their hand in the air don't get truly saved. What I'm saying is, and truly believe, that most don't. This is one reason I absolutely disagree vehemently with repeating a prayer in order to get saved. Those who actually do get saved, I wonder how long will they remain saved when they are being taught that God requires nothing else from them. This flies flat into the whole of Scripture, but people actually have to read the Bible to discover that.
Yes, salvation through Jesus Christ is FREE. Halleluiah! But Scripture never ever says that the true Christian life is easy. It never says that you can continue living your life for you and do what you want. It never says you will have your best life now on Earth. In fact "STRIVE" in the first verse listed above is the Greek word
agōnizomai - This is a VERB and it means to fight, to struggle with difficulties and dangers, compete, labor fervently.
Whoops there's that nasty word labor which could mean "works". Yikes. But MaryLu, that's a works-based salvation and that's blasphemous! Yet I would answer that it's right there in the Bible. STRIVE. I even recently heard a popular pastor with close to 800,000 subs on You tube say that Repent doesn't mean turn from your sins. Rather it means change your mind. Wow. Change your mind about what?
In the verse from Matthew above, it says that even after you get through this narrow gate, the way is difficult that leads to life. The Early Apostles understood this.
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. Acts 14:22
What? Tribulation? I didn't sign up for this! Maybe your pastor forgot to tell you to count the cost of being a true disciple of Jesus.
It will cost you everything.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Matthew 25:11-12
There's nothing that upsets me more than to see professing Christians treat their salvation as if it were a Get out of Jail Free card they stuff in their back pocket and forget. Their lives and their conversations look no different than the heathen all around them. I know I harp on this often, but we are close to going home and many many Christians are going to be left behind and will most likely either give in and take the Mark of the Beast or they will get their heads chopped off.
If they can't live for Jesus now, they most likely won't have the strength to live for Him when their lives are at stake.
The Christian life is a life of dedication, sacrifice, discipline, making difficult choices, doing the hard thing, and being willing to be hated and made a fool for Jesus
This week, I must approach some people whom I dearly love and tell them the truth. I don't expect it to go well. But because of my love for them, I must. Love makes the hard choice. It doesn't consider its own reputation or happiness. (Pray for me. I'm not good at this!)
Jesus was the perfect example of this to us all.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8
This hits hard and true! Praying for you❤️ BevH
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Bev! Thanks for your prayers!
DeleteBlessings to my precious Sister in Christ,
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful Sister. And this word so needed.
"It will cost you everything " ! pinched my heart, and so true. I saw a most beautiful post a long time ago. It had a picture of a woman head bowed in humility, hands folded in prayer. She was dressed with head covered in colors of white and blue. It reminded me of pictures that depict Mary, the Mother of Jesus. And the caption read " The Lord requires all that we have at times. But the blessings far out weigh the costs" ! Made me weep then, still does.
And one of those costly things is, laying down ALL pride, ALL fear and even the consequences of being rejected, mistreated, and laughed at, when the Lord leads us to bare witness to our families. Knowing that the ones we love the most are the same that can take the most from us !
I refrained from a confronting something said between my wife and daughter yesterday, but I know I need to go back to it.
And so I will pray for you Sister, and everyone that comes here, that God will grant us the strength to be fearless in bringing His truth to our folks, with the patience , kindness, and a calm resolve, knowing their lives depend upon it. Picking up our cross daily as we follow Christ. And I will add
remembering; Colossians 4:6 in Other Translations
6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
May we be receptive constantly and obedient always to the calling of our Blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Thank you, my dear Brother. I know you are experiencing much the same rejection from family that I am. It will all be worth it!! Praise God
DeleteAnd I wanted to add, I read the scrip from Philippians right before I came to your post this morning :)
ReplyDeleteExcellent post Marylu! Such an important truth that is not being taught. Thank you for the courage to confront it and for the clarity with which you express it. I appreciate all you are doing. I will pray for your conversation with family members. May God go before you and give you opportunity to speak. May their hearts be prepared and may you speak only what you’re given at that time to say. Led by the spirit
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! Blessings!
DeleteI love the urgency you show in your writings as some others have shown too. Time is very short. It’s so difficult talking to my friends and family as well, who are lost or those who say they’re Christian and think they’re going to be raptured because they say they “believe in Jesus” and that’s all it takes. It absolutely floors me…that so many people don’t know scripture and don’t know God! There was this particular occasion/time where I stood my ground for what was morally right , and boy, how much I was shamed and called out for it. The anger and fury was even irrational…. and that’s when I knew, it was a spiritual attack. Folks, remember to put on the “full armor of God” every morning, because “the devil is definitely looking to see whom he may devour…”
ReplyDeleteThank you for the reminder that we wrestle not against flesh and blood! It's not people we battle but demons. And yes, we need to be armored up every day! Like you, I, too, am shocked at what most "Christians" believe and don't believe these days. If they'd only study God's Word! Blessings!
DeleteI once heard a Pastor say to never take the armor off!
DeleteThanks for the great post Marylu. I am in the same boat of having to get family members on the same page and not drive them off but draw them closer to God and to Jesus. I pray that God's holy spirit guides and protects you as you talk to family members 🙏. Pam
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pam! So many of us are in that boat, aren't we? A sign of the times.
DeleteI came really close to having this conversation with my youngest son last weekend. He said that if he did not go in the Rapture, it was okay because some have to stay behind to teach the non-believers. I said that in order to teach the non-believers about God and Jesus, you have to know them, and that he did not. He became angry saying that I was insulting his intelligence, that I had no idea what he did and did not know about God and Jesus. I said that yes, I did, mostly because of his actions, some comments he made in the past, what he watched as far as movies and TV, and what he listened to as far as music. It is all very telling about what one believes and does not believe, and I know that he does not read his bible or scriptures. I am very afraid for him, but now he is angry at me for doubting him. It's a tough road speaking to family members about this. Not something I relish. I am afraid I may have driven him even farther away. sigh.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry, Kathy! I can relate. These conversations are so very hard with those we love. I've been rejected many times and honestly, just ostracized from having any sort of relationship. It's sad, but Jesus warned us this would happen. Your son has no idea what the Tribulation will be like. He will be on the run, starving, sick, no sleep, no peace or rest. If he can't preach about Jesus now, how is he going to then? Sounds like you said all the right things. You spoke to him because you love him. He will see that eventually. Remember you are not battling against him, but against the demons lying to him. It's all spiritual. So, stay in prayer and proclaim God's Word and promises over him. And believe that your son will be saved! The descendants of the righteous will be delivered!
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