Purpose and Conviction in the New Year

Daniel 1:8 - "But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself."

Concerning this text, there are two great truths present. I would like to expound briefly on these principles.

Daniel Purposed
It is written in the above verse that Daniel purposed. This means that what he intended to do, he did it on purpose. There is little that gets accomplished accidentally, either in the affairs of the material world, or in the kingdom of God. If I could encourage Christians who read this post, I would encourage them to live for God in 2011, and to live purposely. If you worship God in your home, you will do it on purpose. If you spend time in prayer, it will be done purposely. If you spend time fasting, it will happen purposely. If you wait until you stumble onto a period of fasting, you will never fast. It must be purposed in the heart, and carried out. When you go to church, purpose to let the Lord speak to your heart. Here is something so few are doing these days - purpose to win souls. Set out to talk to people about the Lord, and try to persuade them to trust Jesus Christ to save them. It is amazing how so many will spend time in prayer, read the Word of God, and go to church, all on purpose. But they mosey through life to see if perhaps they stumble into witnessing opportunities. If we are going to win anyone for Jesus Christ, we must purpose to do it. We must make a conscious effort to do so. We plan nearly everything else, but there is little purposing to win souls. Daniel purposed in his heart.

What Daniel Purposed
Now, let us look at the thing which Daniel purposed. He purposed that he would not defile himself with the king's meat. I asked the Lord a few years ago a question that so many are asking today. I asked, "Where has conviction gone?" "Why do people feel no shame concerning their wicked, ungodly, filthy, rotten, stinking sins?" I believe I received a clear answer from the Word of God. The Lord reminded me in His Word, how that Daniel was cast into a den of lions. After the king threw Daniel into the den of lions, he arose the following morning to check on Daniel. Let's get this straight. The king threw Daniel into a den of lions. They were hungry lions. We know this because they devoured the men that cast Daniel into the den! The king waits until the following morning and looks into the den of lions. Why does he look inside the den? Why would anyone look inside the den? He looked in, expecting to find Daniel still alive! Why? The Bible says that the king "passed the night fasting." "Passed the night" meant he couldn't sleep; "fasting" meant he couldn't eat. Something had gotten a hold of him to the extent that the king could not eat or sleep. This is good, old-fashioned conviction. The Spirit of God had made the king feel so badly about what he had done unjustly to Daniel. This is conviction. It is what we need today. We need the Lord to show people how filthy they are outside of Christ, even with their best works! The question is this: Why did the king experience such conviction? The answer is in Daniel 1:8 - "Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat." Where has conviction gone? Here's the answer: The wicked king was convicted because Daniel lived by convictions! Daniel said, "I will not defile myself!" He proclaimed, "I will live a clean, undefiled life!" The answer for you and me is this: When we (the Christians) live by convictions, the world will be convicted. If you and me are not stirred about people going to hell, do not expect the world to be stirred about going to hell. If the Day of Judgment doesn't bother us; don't expect it to bother the world. The world will change their attitude about sin when the church of Jesus Christ changes her attitude about sin.

So, in the coming year, let us purpose to have convictions. Then and only then will the unsaved be convicted.

Out of the Ivory Palaces

Psalm 45:8 - "All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad."

Out of the ivory palaces,
Into a world of woe,
Only His great eternal love
Made my Saviour go.*

The Greatest Journey
The Bible is a book that records the journeys of men. Within its pages, we are told of Abraham, to whom God spoke, commanding him to leave his country for one he had never seen. Later, God speaks to Abraham, giving him orders to take his son Isaac to a mountain called Moriah, and slay his son there for an offering to the Lord. It was a three-days' journey. It was a journey up a rugged mountain. With the Father Abraham walking alongside his son, this Father had plenty of time to change his mind about offering his son. But no such persuasion came to him. The only argument that persuaded him was this sublime truth - that the God who commanded him to slay his only begotten son was able to raise him up, even if he offered as a burnt offering. When Abraham and Isaac arrive to the place on Mount Moriah, Isaac is bound to the altar. It is not ropes, however, that hold him there; it is submission to his Father. Abraham's hand is drawn, and he prepares to slay his son. Suddenly, a hand stops him. Abraham learns that this was only a test. A ram is caught in the thicket, and the ram dies in Isaac's place. There are a few attributes of this story that are similar to that of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, walking up Calvary's mountain, and being crucified for the sins of the world. There are also striking differences. Christ walked up a mountain, as Abraham walked up a mountain. Christ, the Son of God, however, did not walk alongside His Father. Isaac walked beside his father; Christ cried out, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?" Isaac was bound to the altar with ropes; Christ was bound to the cross with nails. In spite of those ropes, it was submission to his father that kept Isaac on the altar; and in spite of the nails, it was submission to the will of the Father that kept Christ on the cross. When Abraham is prepared to take his son's life, a hand stops him; but at the hour of death on Calvary, such a hand is absent. The Father does not stop death from taking His own Son. When Abraham's hand is held back, Isaac lives because a ram in the thicket dies in his place; at the cross where Jesus died, it should have been me on that cross, but Jesus took my place!

Abraham's journey up the rugged mountain of Moriah is an incredible journey, but not the greatest. The queen of Sheba's journey to Jerusalem is memorable, but not the greatest. The journey of the shepherds in the fields to the manger is remarkable, but there is a greater journey than this. The journey of the wise men from the east to worship the Christ child is history-making, but there is yet a greater journey than this.

The 45th Psalm starts this way - "My heart is inditing a good matter." It is a prophecy concerning the King of kings. He would be anointed with the oil of gladness. He would love righteousness and hate iniquity. And, in verse 8, He would leave the ivory palaces of heaven, and take the greatest journey ever taken, from the ivory palaces of heaven to this dark, dreary, wicked sinful world. He took that journey that He might take another - the journey up Calvary's rugged mountain. It is often preached that the road to heaven leads by the cross; but it is just as true that the road to hell leads by the cross. To go to hell, you must pass the scene of the cross, and trample of the blood of Jesus Christ under your feet.

When I speak concerning the journey our Lord took when He departed from heaven and arrived in Bethlehem that night, it is true that our finite minds cannot grasp it. But one thing is certain. When we get to heaven, and see what all the Saviour left to rescue our wicked souls from sin and hell, how our hearts will melt. How our love for Christ will swell and His praise will undoubtedly be in our mouth eternally. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift - the babe in the manger who left heaven's splendor to die for me!

Out of the ivory palaces,
Into a world of woe,
Only His great eternal love
Made my Saviour go.*

*Henry Barraclough

No Room in the Inn

Luke 2:7 – “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

In my previous post, I discussed the child in the manger. But why the manger? Why did Mary place her baby boy in a manger? Of all places to place her child, she placed Him in a feeding trough for cattle. The above verse gives us the explicit reason why the Christ child was laid in a manger – “because there was no room for them in the inn.”

During the time of the above text, the entire world is traveling. The emperor, Caesar Augustus, made a decree that all the world should be taxed. In the fulfillment of this new law, every man traveled to the city of his birth to pay his tribute. Anyone who is sensitive to the work of God can clearly see that God Almighty is at work behind this scene. Bro. Dollas Messer brought out the point that God put it in the heart of Caesar Augustus to tax the whole world, just so one man named Joseph could travel with his espoused wife named Mary, so that she could bring forth her firstborn son in Bethlehem, fulfilling Micah 5:2. All the world is in a “hustle and bustle” mode. Why all the rush? God’s sovereign hand is in it, bringing about His divine will. He gets the whole world moving just so Jesus could be born in Bethlehem!

Arriving in Bethlehem, the weary couple, Mary and Joseph, find an inn in which to rest. An inn in New Testament times is much different from our perception of an inn today. In the time of Mary and Joseph, an inn was not a public building with rooms for an overnight stay. An inn was rather a private house. The owner of the house would open a few rooms for weary travelers. It is such a private house where Mary and Joseph attempted to find rest for the night. It appears that the owner of the house, or the innkeeper, was very nice, in spite of many Christmas pageants that portray him as evil. It seems that he told Mary and Joseph with regret that there was no other room available. I believe it was the innkeeper who owned the cattle that fed from the manger where Christ was laid. I believe the story went something like this: Mary and Joseph knocked on the door of the inn, which was in Bethlehem. After the innkeeper answered, Joseph asked for a room. The innkeeper, upon seeing that Mary was expecting a child, regretfully told them, “I’m sorry; I have no more room!” Perhaps Mary and Joseph began to walk away. Beholding their departure, the innkeeper stopped them. “Wait!” he says. “I’m out of rooms in the house, but I do have some room with the cattle. It’s not much, but you’re welcome to it.” One thing is for sure – the babe was laid in a manger because there was no room in the inn.

No Room for Christ
At His birth, the Christ child had only a bed of hay to lay His head. During His earthly life, the foxes had holes; the birds of the air had nests; but Jesus Christ was still in search of a place to lay His head. Now, the Spirit of Christ goes through the earth, looking for a place to dwell. I think often of Peter, James, and John when they were with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. They saw Jesus with Moses and Elijah, and they heard the Father speak from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son.” Upon hearing this, Peter spoke up to the Lord, and said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. Let us build three tabernacles; one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” I used to wonder what gave Peter the idea to build three tabernacles. Now I understand that He was on the right track. Jesus wanted three tabernacles that day. Jesus was not interested in building one tabernacle for Himself, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. However, He was interested in tabernacles. A tabernacle is simply a dwelling place. And the Lord wanted three dwelling places that day. He wanted to dwell in Peter; He wanted to dwell in James; and He wanted to dwell in John. In our day, the Spirit of Christ is looking for a place to abide. When He knocks at your heart’s door, will you tell Him, “There’s no room here?” That is the response of the world. In America, we give Santa Claus a place; we give Allah and Muhammad a place; we give homosexuals a place. But we’ll file suit after suit to make sure there’s no room for Jesus Christ. The crooked and sick ACLU will go to court to make sure that a child can’t carry his Bible to public school, and then go to court to defend the rights of Muslims to read the Koran in American prisons. When Christians take a stand for God’s definition of marriage, we are told by the liberals of our day to shut up and be tolerant. Then those same liberals will file suit to have one cross taken down from the public square. They’re hypocrites to the fullest degree, as every liberal is hypocritical by definition. They preach tolerance when it comes to every sick thing under the sun, but they absolutely hate every bit of truth for which Christians stand. They defend animals and kill babies. They claim to fight AIDS, but they will neither admit nor combat the major cause of the disease. They defend the building of a mosque at ground zero, but they flop on the floor and foam at the mouth if one pastor even threatens to burn a single Koran. Their media outlets will give weeks and months to the story of the murder of George Tiller, the late-term abortion doctor; but they give one or two sentences at the most to the story of the murder Jim Pouillon, a peaceful pro-life advocate.

The root of it all is simple – our nation is giving Jesus Christ no room at all, let alone His rightful place. The desire of Jesus Christ today is that He might have a place in the hearts of men and women. But the desire of so many is that Christ would depart from them as they express the fact that there is no room for Jesus Christ.

Thou didst leave Thy throne and thy kingly crown
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home there was found no room
For Thy holy nativity.*

He Made Room for You
When Jesus Christ died upon the cross, there are many accomplishments that were made. There are several analogies that can be used to explain why Jesus died upon the cross, and they are all correct. You could say that Jesus died upon the cross to undergo the penalty of sin, which is death, for all mankind. You could say that Jesus died upon the cross to pay a debt that we owed and could not pay. You could say that when Jesus died upon the cross, He was giving a dowry to the Father to purchase a bride. You could say that Jesus laid down His life to purchase lousy building material with which to build a church. You could say that, because of the cross, Jesus paid a ransom that would set slaves free. All of these are exactly right. But however you word it, understand this: Christ died to make room for all who will come. The gospel is not limited in its availability. It is for “whosoever will.” Any and all who will come will be free. If you reject Jesus Christ, it will not be because the atonement was limited and did not include you. It will be because you chose to give no room to the One who made room for you. No wonder we can sing the old hymn, “…though millions have come, there’s still room for one. Yes, there’s room at the cross for you!” Make room for Christ today, because He made room for you.

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living word
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary.

O Come to my heart, Lord Jesus;
There is room in my heart for Thee.*

*Emily Elizabeth Steele Elliot

Child in the Manger

In my previous post, I discussed the mission of the child in the manger. In this post, I will look at the child Himself. What child is this? Who is He?

Who He is to the World
It is an unfortunate truth that to the world, this child is a stranger. The world, that is, the unregenerate, know little or nothing about Him. There are even atheists who claim that Jesus Christ never existed. How ridiculous! As for the atheist, he would rather believe the ridiculous than to believe the truth. There are even theologians who have never been born again, who know little or nothing of this child in the manger. There are ministers across our land today who have never met Jesus Christ. There are church-goers in the land today who make it evident that, to them, Jesus is a stranger.

The Jesus of the Bible is the Christ, or the anointed One, who loves righteousness and hates iniquity. Hebrews 1:9 – “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” When you read your Bible, and the Bible describes something as being a sin, or an iniquity, or an abomination; Jesus Christ HATES it! But we live in a church world today where the liberal idea of tolerance prevails. People believe that Jesus is a limp-wristed sissy who accepts and tolerates everything. The truth, however, is that when this child in the manger returns to earth again, He will not be tolerant! He hates sin, and the Bible tells us He is coming to execute judgment! It is evident that many who claim to be a Christian do not know this child in the manger.

To the world, He is a stranger; but for the world, He became sin. The world may not realize or understand it. But upon this child in the manger our sins were laid! He bore our sins in His own body! He did not become a propitiation for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world. When I say that Christ became sin, I am not saying that He became a sinner. This child in the manger was as sinless as you wish to stretch the idea of sinlessness. He never sinned in thought, in word, or in deed. He pleased the Father in every aspect of His earthly life. He was qualified to die for the sins of the world because He did not have to die for His own sins! He had no sins for which to die! The world hates the child in the manger because of His sinlessness. His sinlessness condemns them. Christ was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, and yet lived without sin. The world hates to look at the Ten Commandments, a collection of law that Jesus never broke. It reminds them that they are accountable to God Almighty. Though Christ never sinned, He took our sins upon Himself. He bore those sins up Calvary’s rugged tree. He paid the great debt that the world even collectively could never pay. All who believe, or trust, His payment will be free from sin’s penalty, power, and eventually its very presence.

Child in the manger, infant of Mary,
Outcast and stranger, Lord of all;
Child who inherits all our transgressions,
All our demerits on Him fall.*

Who He is to us who are Saved
While to the world, He is a hated stranger; to us who are saved, He is our beloved King! He is first and foremost our salvation. The Law of Moses condemned us to death, but that was all the law could do! Romans 8:3 tells us that what the law could not do, Jesus did! The law condemned us, but Jesus condemned the law! God’s law revealed to me my guilt; trusting the sacrifice of the child in the manger set me free from all guilt and shame. When keeping laws could save us, Jesus did! When “turning over a new leaf” couldn’t save us, Jesus did! When Islam, Buddhism, the New Age Movement, and other idolatrous religions left us lost, Jesus saved us! When any attempt by man to save himself miserably failed, as it always does, Jesus saved us!

To the saved, Jesus is our standard. I hear talk of “holiness standards.” When many speak of “holiness standards,” they often speak of modest dress and the outward appearance. While the Bible absolutely promotes modesty, distinction of the sexes, and other aspects of the outward appearance; one can dress modestly and yet be as lost and unholy as anything. Modesty and separation from the world are not our standard. Jesus is our standard! His blood alone makes us holy. Without His blood applied to the doorposts of your heart, you are as unholy and as sickening the heavens as you can be, in spite of the presence of any good works or the absence of any evil works! Jesus is our holiness. He is our righteousness. His blood makes us holy; His word continues to wash us; His Spirit gives us power to live in a holy manner. Jesus is our standard for holiness. Yes, Christians need to live holy. But remember – we must BE holy before we can LIVE holy! You have to be MADE HOLY before you can LIVE HOLY! We are made holy, not by works; not by law-keeping; not by “doing better;” not by any other sorry attempt by man. We are made holy by the blood of Jesus Christ, and by nothing else. At the point when the blood cleanses us from sin, the Spirit of God moves into our hearts and gives us power to then live holy. Attempting to live holy without the blood of Jesus applied to the heart is abominable to God. Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags! Our best works are completely incapable of pleasing the Father! Only the work of His Son, the child in the manger, pleases the Father. As for our works, only what is done by the Holy Ghost within us pleases the Father.

Once the most holy child of salvation
Gently and lowly lived below;
Now as our glorious mighty Redeemer,
See Him victorious o’er each foe.*

Who He is to the Heavens
In the heavens, Jesus is known. To the prophets who have gone on, He is the One of whom they foretold. He is the subject of their writings. He can be found in the earliest of scriptures. He is Job’s redeemer that liveth. He is Ruth’s near kinsman. He is the brazen serpent, upon which we look and live. He is the voice in the burning bush. He is the fourth man in the fire. He is the Passover lamb. He is shewbread, of which we eat and never die. He is burning candlesticks in the holy place. He is sacrifice upon the brazen altar. The prophets know Him. They have spoken so clearly of him that it is a wonder that there is in existence even one unbelieving Jew. The law and the prophets have revealed Him to those who would hear them.

Angels know Him. They worship Him. They worshipped at His birth, and they continue to do so. The scriptures declare, “Let all the angels of God worship Him.” The question of His deity is settled. The angels declare it every time they bow! This child in the manger is “God manifest in the flesh.” His name is Emmanuel, meaning, “God with us.” When Jesus walked in flesh among us, God walked among us. When you heard the words of Jesus, you heard the words of God. When you met Jesus, you met God.

Prophets foretold Him, infant of wonder;
Angels behold Him on His throne;
Worthy our Saviour of all our praises;
Happy forever are His own.*

Mary MacDonald; Fred Bock

The Transition from Time to Eternity

It has been stated that only two things are certain – death and taxes. While I understand the point of the statement, it is necessary to speak concerning two firm events that are positively sure to occur. These two events will occur in the life of literally every individual that is living, or that has lived. The first is the conclusion of this life; the second is the initiation of the next.

The Conclusion of This Life
Your life upon this earth is temporary, and its end is as sure as its beginning. The end of one’s life is never escaped; it is only delayed. Refusal to speak of life’s end will not prohibit its occurrence. Omit the thought from your mind, and its reality will seize your physical being into its clutches. Every life ends in one of two ways; either by death, or by rapture. Most lives have ended, and will end, in death. The heart will stop. The brain will cease its activity. The lungs will exhale its final breath of air. The blood will flow no longer. The body temperature will drop. This is the route by which most lives transit from time to eternity. This is the well-beaten path by which so many have, and so many will, travel from this life to the next.

Those whose lives will not end in death will end in rapture. The rapture, or the “catching up” of the saints of God, is an absolute true event that will occur, despite opposing opinion. Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the living God, will descend from heaven with a shout. The dead in Christ shall rise first, and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. Should I be alive when Jesus returns to gather His church and pour out His wrath upon the children of disobedience, I will avoid the clutches of death. This is what the Bible means when Paul writes, “We shall not all sleep.” He is referring to the bodily sleep of death. Some will escape death. Those who are washed in the blood of Jesus Christ at His coming will undergo a change. Our physical bodies will be changed into a body like His glorious body. Those children of God who have already died will be resurrected, and will be changed as well. They will rise to the atmosphere, their bodies being changed into a glorious body. Whether I die to be resurrected later, or whether I live until Jesus comes; my life as I know it now, will assuredly and positively come to an end. I will not live for ever in this body or in this life.

The Initiation of the Next Life
As sure as the fact that this life will end, the next life will begin. Those who oppose the very thought of any existence after this life are opposing an already-proven fact. It is proven by the words of a God who cannot lie. Nothing is as irrelevant as a man’s opinion that opposes God’s absolutely true words.

Hebrews 9:27 – “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

Man whose life has ended will surely face God Almighty at the eternal judgment bar. Three witnesses who have testified to you on earth will testify, either for you or against you, on this Judgment Day. The first witness that you face on that day is the Spirit of God. He has pricked your heart to be saved while you were on earth. He will testify to the Father as to whether you yielded to Him, or rejected Him. The second witness that will testify to the Father is the water, that is, the Word of God. When you heard the gospel message, how did you respond? When you read its pages or heard its pages proclaimed, how did you respond? Perhaps you never read a page of the Bible in your life. Then, those who lived a holy life in your presence LIVED its holy words before you! How did you respond? Did you obey its words? Did you accept the gospel call to repent and believe the gospel? Or, did you reject the eternal Word of God? The Word will testify concerning you on that day. The third witness you will face is the Blood, that is, the blood of Jesus Christ. Did you let the blood of Christ cleanse you of your sin? Or, did you rather trample the blood of the Son of God under your feet? The blood will testify concerning you on that day. And, should you have rejected these witnesses, it is stated clearly what is waiting:

Hebrews 10:29, 30 – “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted THE BLOOD of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto THE SPIRIT of grace? For we know him that hath said [THE WORD], Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.”

You may ask, “Where do you get the idea that there are three that witness to us on earth?”

I get it from I John 5:8 – “And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.”

It is absolutely true that this life will conclude, and the next will begin. Only those who have cast off every weak attempt to save themselves, and trust solely in Jesus Christ and His atoning blood, will be saved.

Facing Death with Grace
Death, though defined as a dark-shadowed valley, has no terror for me. I am amazed at how many people I have heard testify of death’s “lonesome valley.” I hereby declare with absolute certainty and blessed assurance that the One who has promised never to leave me, will not forsake me in the hour of death!

I have heard of many who tell of their loved ones passing from this life to the next, who were simply escorted by heavenly hosts into realms of glory. Jesus told of one such occurrence. He tells, first, about a rich man who died and went to hell. The man closed his eyes for the last time in this life, to open them for the first time in hell. This rich man had no help getting to hell. No one escorted him. No one stood at the brink of the river to make sure his crossing was safe. He crossed the dark valley of death ALONE. No help, no escort, no support, no comfort, and no escape.

Then, Jesus tells, in the same story, of a beggar who died. The beggar did not go to a fiery hell. He departed from this life to the next, being escorted by angels! Jesus tells us, “He was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom!” He had plenty of company in his transition from time to eternity! He had light in death’s dark valley! Death always looks like an end, until a child of God faces it. Then, the child of God opens his eyes, and sees that there is much more over there than there is over here!

A minister visited his dying mother in the hospital. She asked, “Son, aren’t the flowers beautiful?” The son looked for flowers. There were flowers in the hospital room, but they were below the hospital bed. It shocked the minister that his mother even saw those flowers. Nevertheless, he responded, “Yes, Mother, the flowers are beautiful.” She went on to say, “The walls! Aren’t the walls beautiful?” The minister looked at the unattractive, grey hospital walls. Failing to see any beauty before his eyes, it dawned on the minister. He then realized that his ailing mother was seeing the jasper walls of the heavenly world. So, responded to his dear mother, “Yes, Mother, the walls are beautiful!” With those final words, the minister, Monroe Parker, took his mother’s hand. She closed her eyes in this life and opened them in the next! What a peaceful transition! Not a trace of fear was present in that room!

Augustus Toplady, author of the well-known hymn “Rock of Ages,” lived out the hymn’s plea at the hour of his death. Having seen his physician, Toplady’s physician told him, “Your pulse is becoming weaker.” Toplady responded, “That is a good sign that my death is fast approaching; and I can add that my heart beats every day stronger and stronger for glory.” When Toplady’s physician tried to encourage him, he simply responded, “No, no; I shall die, for no mortal could endure such manifestations of God’s glory as I have had, and live.” This man experienced at his death what he wrote in his life:

Rock of Ages, cleft for me!
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Let the water and the blood
From thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure –
Save from wrath and make me pure.

When I draw this fleeting breath;
When my eyes shall close in death;
When I rise to worlds unknown;
And behold Thee on Thy throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me!
Let me hide myself in Thee!

Be Thankful

Psalm 100:4 – “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

Noah Webster, in his 1828 Dictionary of American English, defines the word, “thanksgiving” this way –

“A public celebration of divine goodness; also, a day set apart for religious services, specially to acknowledge the goodness of God, either in any remarkable deliverance from calamities or danger, or in the ordinary dispensation of his bounties. The practice of appointing an annual thanksgiving originated in New England.”

You may ask, “What does it mean to ‘thank?’” Webster defines “thank” this way –

“To express gratitude for a favor; to make acknowledgments to one for kindness bestowed.”

There are three areas of thanksgiving, and you must have all three in order for this idea of thanksgiving to work. Thanksgiving must first have a subject. By “subject,” I am referring to the one who is expressing thanks. Secondly, thanksgiving must have an object, which is the one receiving thanks. Thirdly, thanksgiving must have a reason, or something for which to be thankful. True thankfulness possesses all three parts. Let us look at these parts.

The Subject of Thanksgiving – The One Expressing Thanks
In writing of this subject of thanksgiving, I must begin with the fact that thankfulness, before anything else, is an attitude. True thanksgiving begins with an attitude of gratitude. If a person neglects to say “thank you,” it could be that the person is thankful, but simply forgot to say it! However, there are others who do not say “thank you” are merely unthankful. Let me go a little further. There are those who say “thank you” who are not genuinely thankful. They prove this by their actions. So, thankfulness is not just saying “thank you;” it is not just writing a “thank you” note; it is not expressed only with the mouth; it begins with an attitude. While it is important to say “thank you,” it is more important to mean it.

How does one show that he is sincere concerning his thankfulness? I think the best way to show that you are thankful is by properly maintaining the things for which you are thankful. If someone gives me money, I show my thankfulness by spending the money wisely. If you give me a considerable sum of cash, and you notice that I neglect the electric bill to pay for a hobby or habit, you would conclude that I was unthankful. You would be correct in your thinking. I may say “thank you,” but I neglect to show it by my behavior. If you gave me a vehicle, and I never maintained it, treating it like a race car, my lack of thankfulness would be obvious.

It is amazing to me how we claim to be thankful to the Lord for His blessings; yet we show it very little. If you are thankful for a good church to which to go, you should show it by being as faithful as possible. If you are thankful for your family, show it by taking time to show them you care. If you are thankful that your bills are paid, show it by putting God first in your finances. If you are thankful that your stomach is full, show it by filling someone else’s. I think the point here is clearly made.

The Object of Thanksgiving – The One Receiving Thanks
While in high school, I was sitting in a classroom on the day prior to the start of Thanksgiving break. The principal was speaking to us through the intercom, explaining to us that we should be thankful. While his point was true, he forgot one major aspect of thanksgiving – he never told us to whom we were to be thankful! I stated earlier that “true thanksgiving begins with an attitude of gratitude.” Notice, I did not say “thanksgiving is an attitude of gratitude.” Thanksgiving includes an acknowledgement of one’s blessings; but to be truly thankful, one must express his thanks to an intelligent being who is responsible for the blessing given, and capable of receiving thanks. Thanksgiving is not just saying, “I’m glad I was healthy all year.” Thanksgiving, however, is expressing this gladness to the ONE who kept you healthy all year. If you are truly thankful, you are just muttering to yourself, “I’m glad I lived another year!” It is rather turning your heart toward the God of the Bible, the only true God, the only Giver of life, and thanking Him that you are yet alive! There are many things for which I am thankful, that only God Almighty could give. Life, health, strength to make money, family and friends, answered prayers, salvation, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and so forth. To pretend to be "thankful" without thanking the individual who is responsible is not thankfulness at all. If you do not thank God for your life, you are unthankful. Thanksgiving must have an object, or it is not thanksgiving at all.

The Reasons for Thanksgiving – The Things for which We Are Thankful
I could write much concerning the things for which I am thankful. I am first and foremost thankful to God the Father for sending Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son into the world to save sinners. I am thankful to Jesus Christ for being willing to forsake the splendor of heaven, and live in this wicked world to save me. I am thankful that He poured out His blood at Calvary on that dreadful day. I am thankful that, contrary to opposing opinion, He rose from the dead on the third day, according to the scriptures. I am thankful for the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of the living God, who showed me how lost I was without Christ and drew me to Jesus Christ. I am thankful for my ministry. I am thankful for those who read my blog. I am thankful for all material blessings I have received. I am thankful that, in all my travels, I have never been injured in an accident. I am thankful for my life, my family, and my friends. I am thankful to God Almighty for all that He does, and I pray that I will never take for granted His blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Do Labels Intimidate You?

Part of living as a Christian includes taking a stand for the right and against the wrong. In the Bible, we have examples of God’s people taking a stand for truth, even when their lives were at stake. In our day, when one takes a stand for truth, opponents of this individual will label him. The purpose of labels is to silence the one taking a stand. Many times, sad to say, it works. But let me clear. You can call me whatever name you wish. You can attach whatever label upon me that suits your fancy. But after you attach the label, truth will still be truth, and lies will still be lies. I will look at a few labels used by opponents of truth.

The “Intolerant” and “Judgmental” Labels
The first labels I will mention are used primarily by the unsaved. Often, they are aimed at conservatives. These labels are pulled out often in a conversation between a liberal and a conservative. At some point, the liberal in the conversation will refer to the conservative as being “intolerant,” or “judgmental.”

In looking at the “intolerant” label, let me say that this label, used by liberals, is laughable. I have a Facebook account. I had a few friends that are liberal. I visited their pages only to find out I was no longer their Facebook friend! I never booted them off of my friend list; but rather the “tolerant” liberals booted me off theirs! Another point worth discussing here is that when I mention my beliefs to “tolerant” liberals, they are intolerant! That’s right; those who pull out the “intolerant” label are extremely intolerant to those who disagree with them! Make no mistake about it; liberals absolutely HATE us! They accuse conservatives of being filled with hate, but they abhor us! The bottom line is this – I am resolved to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, revealing to this world the errors of their sinful ways. I preach the Bible, and make known to the sinner his sins that are offensive to God Almighty. If this makes me “intolerant,” then go tell the world that I am intolerant. Go ahead. Tell them. It will not silence me.

What about the “judgmental” label? The ironic element concerning this hypocritical label is stated simply – those who call me judgmental…are judging me! Furthermore, I do not deny being judgmental. Let me make this clear – I judge! I make judgments. For every Bible verse that you find that forbids judging, I can show you ten that command judging! Everyone who is wise makes judgments. A counsellor is good when when he shows good judgment. A good parent is judgmental; teaching their kids what is right, as well as what is wrong. An idiotic parent is one who refuses to correct their children, lest they show some kind of judgment. When your teenager is in a relationship that may result in marriage, you will hope that you taught them principles of making sound JUDGMENTS!

The same Bible that says, “Judge not” says “Judge righteous judgment.” It says, “Try [or, put on trial] the spirits.” It says, “He that is spiritual judgeth all things.” It says further, “Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?” So, there are times when we are not to make judgments; but there are far more times when we are commanded to make judgments. Therefore, I am unashamedly judgmental. I preach what is right and point my finger at what is wrong. If that makes me judgmental, then mark me down as being judgmental. It does not scare or intimidate me.

The “Easy-Believism” Label
At this time, we will discuss a label used by some within the church. As I have written in several blog posts, I am convinced that salvation is by grace, through faith. I preach that one must “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” to be saved. I do not believe in being saved or kept by works. Because I believe this, some label me as believing in “easy-believism.” Since the term “easy-believism” is not in the Bible, you must define it before I determine whether I believe it or not. If you define “easy-believism” as “believing in the existence of God to be saved,” then I do NOT believe in “easy-believism.” The devils have sense enough to believe in God’s existence, but they are not saved. If you define the term as meaning, “believing that Jesus died on the cross in order to be saved,” then I do NOT believe in “easy-believism.”

However, if you define “easy-believism” as meaning “getting saved by believing [trusting, depending, relying upon] Jesus Christ and His work on Calvary, and by nothing else,” then YES, I believe in “easy-believism.” Notice, I do not use the term, “easy-believism” because it is not a Biblical term. The truth is, what you are calling “easy-believism” is not easy. It is simple enough to depend solely on the finished work of Christ for salvation, but man has something in him that wants to be religious. Man desires to keep rules, regulations, or standards to be saved. It is easier for most people to put some form of works, standards, sacraments, or something else with their faith in Jesus Christ to be saved. But none of those things save anyone. It is depending solely on Jesus Christ. He alone is the Saviour and the Keeper of our souls. If you think that applying the “easy-believism” label to me will cause me to back down from the Bible truth that salvation is not by works, you are dead wrong! I will preach Bible salvation! If you desire to do so, go tell the world that I believe in “easy-believism.”

The “Legalism” and “Lordship Salvation” Labels
Let me discuss this “legalism” label first. I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ, that man need not die because of his sins. But, the first step in preaching the gospel is not declaring the good news; it is rather revealing the bad news, the news that mankind is sinful and needs a Saviour. The book of Romans, the great discourse on salvation, gives the clearest presentation of salvation. In Romans 10, Paul tells explicitly how to be saved. However, in the first three chapters of the epistle, Paul defines sin in detail. Paul declares in chapter one that the heathen are guilty of sin; in chapter two that the hypocrite is guilty of sin; and in chapter three that the Hebrew is guilty of sin. The conclusion of these three chapters is summed up in Romans 3:23, stating, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The truth is, we must get them lost before we can get them saved!

As a result of this need of showing people their lost estate, I preach against their sin. When I do so, someone always seem to label me as a “legalist.” Again, since the word, “legalism” is not a Biblical term, you will need to define it before I acknowledge whether or not I fit the label. If you define the term “legalism” as meaning “the teaching that keeping laws or commandments is necessary to be saved,” then I have made it very clear that I do not believe in such a teaching. However, if you define the term “legalism” as “teaching that there is a right or wrong way to live,” then yes, I am a legalist. The fact of the matter is that I am not a legalist, as I understand the actual definition of the word. However, when I preach against sin, you can label me a legalist, but it will change nothing. Sin will still be sin, and I will still declare it!

As for the “Lordship salvation” label, some attach this to me when I preach that genuine salvation results in a change of heart, mind, and life. I preach that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. I preach that a man’s mind is renewed at the time of conversion, having the laws of God written in his heart and mind. A saved person has a desire to please his Lord. According to Romans 6, if you are genuinely saved, you are the servant of God, obeying God to live a life of righteousness. If you have a genuine salvation experience, you are dead to the law. This makes you free from sin, servants to God; you have your fruit unto holiness and everlasting life, as Romans 6:22 states. I do not preach that Lordship leads to salvation; but I do preach that salvation leads to Lordship. So, do I believe in “Lordship salvation?” Again, that would depend on how you define the term, since it is not a Biblical term. If “Lordship salvation” means that a person obeys the commandments of the Bible in order to be saved, or “stay saved,” then I am absolutely opposed to “Lordship salvation.” If “Lordship salvation” means that a person who has been saved by the grace of God lives his life as a servant to his Lord, then yes, I believe in “Lordship salvation.” I am not going to cease to preach that God’s people live a holy, pure, clean life just because someone labels me as believing in “Lordship Salvation.” Label me whatever you choose. Salvation is by grace through faith. Just as true is the fact that salvation results in being dead to the law that we might live unto God. The Christian who has truly been regenerated lives to please and glorify God.

We must resolve to present the truth of the gospel to this lost and dying world. When they label us, remember that their purpose is to silence us. We must not be silent. Call me intolerant or judgmental, and I will still preach that right is right and wrong is wrong. Accuse me of believing in “easy-believism” and I will continue to preach that salvation is by trusting His work, and is attained or maintained by no work of ours. Accuse me of being a legalist or believing in “Lordship salvation,” and I will still preach that salvation that is by the grace of God results in a holy life. Labels do not intimidate or silence me. Take those labels somewhere else; they’ll not work with me!

No Life without Christ

John 10:10 - "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."

John 20:31 - "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

In our confused world in which we live, there are ongoing debates concerning the actuality of life on other planets, in other solar systems, or anywhere else in the universe for that matter. However, the truth is, many who inhabit this planet are without life. Those within the realm of the educated are trying to determine whether there is life beyond this one; that is, whether a person who closes their eyes in death will open them elsewhere. But the truth is, those who do not know Jesus Christ do not possess life before death; let alone after death. Please understand, I am not saying that those who do not know Christ have nothing to live for; I am saying that they do not live at all. Those who "live it up" are the most miserable people in the world. I have never met a non-Christian who was happy. Atheists and infidels present to the world a prime example of misery. Those who have the most possessions often enjoy those possessions the least. I have spoken with Muslims, and I have never seen a Muslim smile or laugh (except on 9/11). I was preaching a few years ago in Columbus, Ohio. The building we were using for services was also occupied by Muslims. I saw Muslims pray and read the Koran. But throughout the duration of our meeting in that place, I never heard a Muslim sing. Our services were filled with heartfelt, sincere singing. Our services were overlaid with joy, gladness, and melodies of praise to the One and Only King of kings and Lord of lords, who lifted us out of the horrible pit and set our feet upon the Rock of Ages. But in the section of the facilities occupied by our Muslim friends, not a single note was even hummed. If they sung at all, we Christians did not hear it. And this is understandable. I do not expect to hear a song from a people who have nothing about which to sing! Christians sing because we have within us a well of water springing up into everlasting LIFE! Non-Christians know nothing of life or its joy. But the good news is that Jesus Christ came to give life, and life more abundantly.

Eternal Life
One characteristic of the life of a Christian is that he has eternal life. You may ask, "What is eternal life?" Eternal life is not heaven. Eternal life is not something I hope to attain. Eternal life is rather life that I have right now. Jesus defines eternal life explicitly in His High-Priestly prayer to the Father in John 17:3 - "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Eternal life is defined this way - "...that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Eternal life is not knowing about God; it is knowing God personally. It is not a rulebook; it is a relationship.

Our Life is "Unto God"
Galatians 2:19 states, "For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God." This idea of "living unto God" speaks of our life as a sacrifice, or an offering. In the Old Testament, an animal was slain and offered to God as a sacrifice. Only the best animals that could be found were used. No one who had a heart to please God would offer a crippled animal, or a sickly animal, or a weak animal. This would be an insult! But when I see so many profess Christ today who offer a pitiful, sickly, weak, sinful, abominable life to God as some sort of service, it is enough to gag a maggot! Romans 12:1 tells us how to give our life as an offering - "...present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." When we present our bodies as holy sacrifices to Him, we are living "unto man," "unto our church," "unto our children," or "unto" anything else. We are living "unto God." Our goal is to please Him only. Pleasing people is not the goal. Pleasing family is not the objective. Pleasing our church is not our desire. I do not live a certain way because my pastor preaches it; I live a certain way UNTO GOD.

Our Life is "By Faith"
The Bible says in multiple places, that the just, or justified, shall live BY FAITH. We do not live by law, by commandments, or by any rulebook of the Pharisees; we live by faith. This simply means that we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ alone to be saved; and we continue in that same faith. I was saved in 1994. Now, sixteen years later, I am still clinging to the cross. I still have no confidence in the flesh. I still have no confidence in man's creeds, religions, and rules. I still have no confidence in keeping commandments.

Galatians 2:20 describes the Christian life which is by faith - "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live BY THE FAITH of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Two facts are evident here. First, if we live by faith, it is Christ who lives in us. There are those who hate this statement. They have convinced themselves that, in their flesh, they are living sinless and holy. They do not understand the scriptures, and they are not preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Christian life is not me doing anything. It is about me being dead, and letting Jesus live in me. No man knows what life is until they die out to their flesh and let Jesus live in them. This is life!

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; and this life was given to us when He died upon the rugged cross of Calvary!

No Wonder We Call it the Gospel!

Romans 1:16 - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

The gospel of Jesus Christ is, by far, the most relevant; the most accurate; and the most tried, tested, and proven plan ever executed. It works every time it has been tried. It produces life-changing results. It removes the guilt of sin that tramples upon mankind. Upon receiving it, a man can stand and say, "That filthy, ungodly wretch is who I was; but now, I am a new creature!"

Paul begins the above verse by proclaiming, "I am not ashamed of the gospel." I will note here the definition of the word, "gospel." I will let the Bible define it for us. Note the following:

Luke 4:18 - "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor..."

In this verse, Jesus is quoting from the Old Testament, namely

Isaiah 61:1 - "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek..."

In Luke 4:18, the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew text, Isaiah 61:1, shows that Christ would be anointed to preach the gospel, or "good tidings," to the poor. The gospel is "good tidings." The word, "tidings" means literally, "news." Luke 2:10 refers to the gospel as "good tidings of great joy." Luke 8:1, Acts 13:32, and Romans 10:15 refer to "glad tidings." The word, "glad" literally means, "happy or joyful." The gospel is good news! It is the clear, concise answer that God Almighty has provided in Jesus Christ for man's problem of sin and separation from God. It is medicine to the sick, administered by the Great Physician Himself. It is the remedy for the downcast. It is hope for those who have fallen into deep, incurable despair. It is the act of the Saviour taking our lives, equivalent to LESS THAN the two fishes and five loaves given to Jesus, and distributing our lives in a far greater dimension than we ever thought possible. It is life given to the dead, to those who were dead in trespasses and sins. It is the work of God in us. Understanding the definition of the gospel, all I can say is, "No wonder we call it the Gospel!"

Paul's wording in our text is, "I am not ashamed of the gospel." And really, WHY WOULD HE BE? It is the absolute only hope for this world. It will work for any man who obeys it by believing it. The only person who can be disqualified from receiving the gospel is the man who is not a sinner, for Jesus said in Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:32, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." If you are a sinner, plagued with "big sins" or "little sins," you are a perfect candidate for the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a gift from the Father, wrapped by Joseph of Arimathaea, with your name on it!

Paul states, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION." The gospel is power. I gave you the definition of the gospel; but now I give you the demonstration of the gospel. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, defined the gospel as good news, but upon the old, rugged cross, He demonstrated the gospel. Notice the following:

I Corinthians 15:1 - "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;"

Here, Paul begins to declare the gospel. In the verses following, he declares the gospel, the good news.

I Corinthians 15:3, 4 - "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

Yes, the gospel is glad tidings of great joy. It is good news for fallen man. Christ did not merely declare the gospel; He demonstrated it to us!

Romans 5:8 - "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

What a gospel! Jesus took up a cross and died for those of us who deserved it the least, along with the rest! The scriptures call on us to "obey the gospel" in II Thessalonians 1:8 and I Peter 4:17. But how do you "obey the gospel?" If the gospel is defined as good news and was demonstrated by Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, how do we "obey the gospel?" There's only one way to obey the gospel. We find the answer in Mark 1:15, spoken by Jesus Christ Himself. "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." There must be a repentance from our trusting of any works other than Christ's; and we must solely believe, trust, rest, rely, and depend on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! This is the only way to obey the gospel - The gospel must be believed!

No wonder we call it the Gospel!

Thank You!

I just want to say that, in the past three weeks, I have received several emails and facebook messages regarding my blog. So, I wish to thank all of my readers for reading, and I hope you will continue to do so. All the feedback is encouraging, including negative feedback.

I am not finished with my blog by any means. I am taking a short respite. I will resume writing shortly. Thanks for your patience. I write to a great audience.

Salvation's Perfect Order

There are three aspects regarding our salvation. These aspects are presented in the New Testament repeatedly, always in the same order. It is very important that we present these three aspects in the order that the Bible places them. To get them in the wrong order is to preach a false, unbiblical salvation.

Grace First
The first aspect, the foundation of our salvation, is the grace of God. Grace is the provision that God made for our salvation. “Grace” is a word that is unknown today to so many of our churches. Noah Webster defines “grace” this way – “Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him.” At the root of grace is God’s love, and the chief characteristic of grace is that God loved us when did not merit, earn, or deserve it. This love of God toward mankind is the FIRST aspect of our salvation, being plainly set forth in I John 4:19 – “We love him because he first loved us.” Romans 5:8 reveals this grace – “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s grace is manifest to us in his expression of love toward us. He loved us before we loved Him; He loved us in spite of us; He loved us while we were yet sinners. The proof of the grace of God is in the cross of Christ. God proved His love to mankind in the giving of His Son to lay down His life upon the old, rugged cross. This is the foundation, the focal point, the center, and the theme of the entire gospel – God showed grace to mankind by loving us when we were undeserving, filthy, rotten sinners.

I will mention it here, having already expounded on it. The opposite of grace is works. This is best shown in Romans 11:6. Grace and works are opposites. The foundation of our salvation is God’s grace, and when I speak of grace, I am referring to God sending His own Son to die upon the cross of Calvary. Before we could be saved, God made the first move, even when we did not deserve it. He sent His Son to die. Many of us know the definition of grace. But they say that a picture is worth a thousand words. And if you want to see a portrait of grace, it is the picture of Jesus Christ hanging on an old rugged cross, expressing His love to mankind in spite of them and their sin. Grace – no wonder they call it amazing!

Faith Second
Concerning our salvation, it is clear that the Father made the first move by sending His only begotten Son to shed His blood upon the cross of Calvary. This was done prior to any effort was made on man’s part to turn to God. Now that Christ has died, was buried, and rose again from the dead, what do we do to be saved?

The second aspect of our salvation is faith. To obtain salvation, we simply believe, or place our faith, in the Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary. The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ constitute the picture of God’s grace toward man. Grace is God’s provision for our salvation; faith is God’s prerequisite for our salvation. To be saved, we must, as the apostle Paul who was blameless concerning the law, let go of every feeble effort to save ourselves, counting it all but dung, and rest solely and completely in Jesus Christ. God made provision for our salvation by sending Jesus to die for our sins. Consequently, we trust His provision completely to save and keep us.

Works Third
Grace is God’s provision for our salvation; faith is God’s prerequisite for our salvation; and works are God’s product of salvation. After we are saved, the resurrected Saviour lives in us, producing good works. Good works are a result of salvation, not a requirement of salvation. This is where many slip up. The New Testament absolutely emphasizes the holy, separated life of a Christian. But just as much, the New Testament emphasizes this life to be lived in us, through Jesus Christ. Repeatedly, the New Testament reveals the order I have presented here; grace first, faith second, and works third. To try to have good works so you can be saved or stay saved is to preach another gospel; a gospel that should be recanted and completely dismissed.

Verses That Show This Order
Now, I want to look at some verses that deal with salvation, and show how the scriptures repeatedly bear out that the proper order of our salvation is grace first, faith second, and works third.

Ephesians 2:8-10 – “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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

This passage needs little explanation. First, the apostle says, “By grace are ye saved.” Grace first. Then, the apostle states that our salvation is “through faith.” Faith second. Then, the apostle makes it clear that our salvation is not of works. He makes it plain that we do not work so we can be saved; but after we place faith in the grace of God, the apostle states, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” Here, the apostle shows that our salvation produces good works. He shows how these good works are done – “We are His workmanship.” HE IS THE ONE DOING THE WORKS IN US. Works third.

Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

The first aspect of our salvation presented here is that Christ was crucified – this is the expression of God’s grace to man. Grace first. Paul says, “I am crucified with Christ.” This means that when we place our faith in the finished work of Jesus, we died when He died upon the cross. Paul connects our crucifixion with Christ with our faith being placed in Him. Faith second. As a result of being crucified with Christ, “Christ liveth in me.” When we live by faith, Christ does the living in our hearts, producing a life of holiness and righteousness. Works third.

Titus 2:11, 12 – “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

The first words of this passage, “For the grace of God.” Grace first. The next words, “that bringeth salvation.” Salvation second. Verse eleven states, “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.” Works third, directly resulting from salvation by grace. So many use this verse to show how grace teaches us to live right; and it does! But before grace teaches us to live right, it brings salvation. After it brings salvation, then it teaches us to live right. Living right is shown as a result of salvation; not a requirement of it.

Titus 2:13, 14 – “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

Notice how this passage begins – “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us.” This giving of Himself for us is grace. The next words state plainly, “That he might redeem us from all iniquity.” Redemption second. Then he said, “…and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Works third. Again, we see that faith in the finished work of Christ results in good works.

Titus 3:4, 5, 8 – “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.”

First, the apostle mentions, “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.” Grace first. Then, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” Salvation (apart from works) second. Then, in verse 8, Paul states, “…and I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” Works third. Paul explains, not only that our salvation is a result of salvation and not a requirement, but also that our good works should be done because they are profitable unto men. I do not maintain good works so I can be saved; I maintain good works, for one reason, that lost mankind may see my good works, and glorify my Father which is in heaven, according to Matthew 5:16.

I John 2:2, 3 – “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”

The first words of the passage are, “And he is the propitiation for our sins.” John is referring specifically to the death of Christ, which the only act of righteousness that appeases the wrath of the Father. Grace first. Then, John states in verse 3, “And hereby we do know that we know him…” Knowing Him is second. Then, the evidence of having met the Lord is given, “…if we keep his commandments.” Works third. Again, we keep His commandments, not so we can meet Him; but rather because we ALREADY know Him. It would be good to state here, that the apostle is so sure that knowing the Lord results in keeping His commandments, that in the next verse, he plainly states, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."

The New Testament is so clear on the order of our salvation. God showed grace to mankind by sending Jesus to die for us when we did not deserve it; we place our faith in Jesus Christ and Him alone, obtaining salvation; and as a result, Christ lives a holy life through us. This is the gospel, and anything that contradicts it is a false, perverted, deviation from truth.

If You Are Kept by Works, I Have Questions!

In the previous post (it would benefit the reader to read the previous post, “The Perverted Gospel” before reading this one), I showed extensively how the Galatians were a people bewitched by a perverted gospel. That perverted gospel was not a new gospel presented to them by the Jehovah’s Witnesses; it was not the dogma of Mormonism; nor was it the principles of liberal theology; it was simply the common error that we who are saved by trusting Jesus Christ are kept by keeping works of the law.

Still today, this idea that we are saved solely by grace and kept by trusting in works is still prevalent in churches today. It is possible that one who is reading this post is seething with anger, hating every word I write. It could be that someone reading this post is a staunch advocate of “staying saved” by keeping commandments. If you are that person, I have questions for you, and I would love for you to email me, and answer these questions.

Question 1 – What percentage of your faith is in Jesus Christ and what percentage is in law-keeping?
If 100% of your faith is in Jesus Christ, and you are trusting solely in Him, why do you preach that keeping our salvation requires us to keep laws and commandments? YOU CANNOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. Either all your faith is in Christ, or it is not. If your salvation depends upon keeping commandments, at least some of your faith is in WORKS. I am asking – what percentage is in Christ; and what percentage is in law-keeping?

Now, I have heard preachers get up and preach this way – “If you’re going to ‘stay saved,’ you must…” then they preach a list. Then, if you were to corner these preachers after church, they would make it clear – “Oh, I don’t believe that we are kept by works…I believe we must keep our faith in Christ…I just believe that if we really have our faith in Christ, good works will follow.” WHOA! Wait a minute! That’s an entirely different message than what was preached from the pulpit! If you believe that we are both saved and kept by trusting Christ, then don’t get up and preach that we must keep a list of works in order to “stay saved!” YOU CANNOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. So, answer me. How much of your faith is in Christ and how much of your faith is in keeping laws and commandments? As for me, 100% of my faith is in Jesus Christ, and 0% is in the keeping of laws and commandments. How about you?

Question 2 – If part of your faith is in Christ and part of it is in law-keeping, what does Romans 11:5, 6 mean?
Romans 11:5, 6 reads this way – “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

These verses refer to our election, or the method by which God chooses us. We are chosen by God not by works (our doings), but by grace (God’s doings). Verse 6 makes it clear – if we are chosen by grace, there is no working (on our part) involved. If we are chosen by works, then God has nothing to do with it. This passage makes it plain that you cannot split your faith between Christ and law-keeping. You cannot be saved by grace at the altar, then by works when you get up. It is either all God’s doing, and we put our faith in Him; or it is all our doing, and we put our faith in works. If I am reading these verses wrong, educate me. Answer the question clearly – what does Romans 11:5, 6 mean?

Question 3 – If works can’t get you saved, how can works keep you saved?
When you went to the altar and asked the Lord to save you, you were resting solely upon Jesus Christ and His work on Calvary. You knew that all of your works were powerless and could not save you. But when you got up from the altar – those powerless, dead works of law-keeping suddenly have power! The same works that you would not trust at the altar, you now trust to keep you saved. Those works couldn’t give you life in Christ; but now they can sustain life in Christ. I don’t understand. Help me. Laws that never could give salvation can maintain salvation. How is this possible? If works can’t get you saved, how can works keep you saved?

Question 4 – Why is Jesus Christ and His work on the cross not good enough for you?
If you are preaching that children of God must keep laws in order to “stay saved,” the work of Christ is insufficient for you, and I want to know why.

You should note that the work that Jesus did – His death, burial, and resurrection – is extremely pleasing to the Father.

Isaiah 53:10 – “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.”

Matthew 3:17 and Matthew 17:5 – “…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

When Jesus died on the cross, He cried out, “It is finished.” If it is finished, why do you add to it? Why is your message, “Trust the Lord for salvation, but after you’re saved, keep a list of commandments?”

In the book of Galatians, twice Paul emphasized the fact that Christ GAVE HIMSELF.

Galatians 1:4 – “Who GAVE HIMSELF for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present, evil world.”

Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and GAVE HIMSELF for me.”

When Christ GAVE HIMSELF, He gave His ALL. How can you have a silly opinion that Christ’s all is not enough to save us, or keep us saved? How can you tell anyone that what Christ did is enough to get us saved, but if we’re going to “stay saved,” we must keep commandments?

Christ’s giving of His all is so pleasing to the Father. I do not understand how you can be so displeased with Christ that you require law-keeping to “stay saved.” I look forward to your answer to this question.

Question 5 – If you were in the Philippian jail, and the jailer asked, “What must I do to be saved?” what would your response be?
You say, “Oh, I would say, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.’” Of course you say that, because it’s the right answer. But, why don’t you say that when you tell someone how to be saved? Why do you tell people, that, in order to “stay saved,” it is going to take law-keeping? If you believe in keeping laws to “stay saved,” you disagree with Paul’s message of salvation to the Philippian jailer – “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Question 6 – Why are you so eager to put us under the law of Moses?
I have elaborated on this in the previous post, so I will not expound much on it. However, it does demand an answer. Galatians 3:10; Galatians 5:3; and James 2:10 all teach plainly that if you are under ANY of the law of Moses, you are under ALL of it. Understanding this, why would you want to subject yourself to such bondage? The entire nation of Israel was under the law for 1,500 years, and not a single individual could ever keep it. And then, we have preachers, who want to strap that law to everyone with whom they come in contact. Everyone in Israel who tried to carry the law of Moses died under its weight. So, why are you so bound and determined to put us under the law of Moses?

Question 7 – If you believe that Christians are kept saved by keeping laws and commandments, how do you explain Galatians 2:16; Galatians 2:19; Galatians 2:21; Galatians 3:11; Acts 13:39; Romans 3:20; Romans 3:28; Ephesians 2:8, 9; and Titus 3:5?
All of these verses contradict the very thought of justification (salvation) being a result of law-keeping or works of any kind. You cannot ignore these verses. If you are kept by keeping laws, then I want to know what each of these verses mean. You owe an explanation here!

Question 8 – Why do you sing songs that emphasize faith in Christ alone if you do not believe them?
If you believe that we are kept by keeping commandments, there are a host of gospel songs you should never sing again. I will mention only a few.

Amazing Grace – The third verse states, “Through many dangers, toils, and snares I have already come! ‘Tis grace that brought me safe thus far and grace shall lead me home.” If you believe that works will lead you home, then sing it that way! Quit singing a song you do not believe!

Nothing but the Blood – The third verse reads this way – “Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus!” If you believe that good works keep you saved, then you do have faith in “good that you have done.” You do not believe this song, so leave it alone!

The Solid Rock – The first verse reads, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but WHOLLY lean on Jesus’ name.” Either lean wholly on Christ or quit singing the song.

Jesus Paid it All – The title is self-explanatory. If you do not believe that the work of Christ pays for your sins in full, throw this song out.

Christ is All I Need – You do not believe it if you need works to maintain your salvation.

‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus – The second verse says, “O, how sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to trust His cleansing blood, Just in simple faith to plunge me ‘Neath the healing, cleansing flood.” The writer forgot to add that we are trusting in commandments as well. If you sing this song and do not believe that it’s all in Jesus, you are singing a lie.

If you believe that works keep you saved, and you sing these songs, I want to know why you sing lies. I look forward to your answer.

Conclusion
If the reader believes that keeping commandments is keeping you saved, I sincerely encourage you to email me, answering these questions. These questions are serious, not sarcastic. I genuinely want to know how you deal with these questions if all your faith is not in Christ. I look forward to hearing from the one who believes that we are kept by works.

The Perverted Gospel

Galatians 1:6-9 – “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

This is a continuing thought of my previous blog post, “The Worst Kind of Backsliding.” It would benefit the reader to read “The Worst Kind of Backsliding” before reading this post. In this post, I am going to “zero in” on some points I made in the previous post.

The Perverted Gospel
Paul writes to the Galatians in a very frank, clear, and candid manner concerning teachers who had come to them preaching another gospel. Paul states, that in reality, there is no other gospel than the gospel of Christ, presented and received by grace. This new gospel that the Galatians were witnessing was simply a perversion of the true gospel.

The perverted gospel contains elements of the true gospel within it; but it is not the true gospel. The perverted gospel even has Christ in it somewhere; but Christ is not the center of the perverted gospel.

What is this perverted gospel? The perverted gospel, against which Paul warns, is the teaching that salvation is by grace at the altar, and works when you get up. Let me say it another way. The false teachers who had come to Galatia were saying things like, “Now, if you want to be saved, Christ will save you by trusting in Him. But, if you’re going to ‘stay saved,’ you have to…be circumcised…keep the law of Moses…do this…do that…hold your mouth a certain way…do everything I do…” and on, and on, and on. Paul spends, not a verse; not a chapter; but an entire epistle correcting this false doctrine.

Sad to say, this is a teaching of salvation by works that is still prevalent today; and it is just as wrong. Paul the apostle would correct it today as he did then. If you believe that salvation is a gift from God, but that it must be kept by the recipient obeying commandments, keeping standards, dressing a certain way, or any other work of any kind, Paul wrote the epistle of Galatians to you; and this blog post is written to you as well.

Paul’s Candid Question
Galatians 3:2, 3 – “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

Paul’s question is to them who had started the race by the hearing of faith, but they were attempting to finish the race by works of the law. If the reader has started his Christian experience trusting Jesus by faith, but is trying to finish his Christian experience by keeping works of the law, this reader is demanded by Paul the apostle to answer this question. “ARE YE SO FOOLISH? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Paul is asking you, in my words, “Are you so stupid, that you began in the Spirit, by the hearing of faith, and now, you’re made perfect by the flesh, by works of the law?” Paul is asking, “You mean to tell me that keeping the law of Moses wasn’t good enough to get you saved, but it’s good enough to keep you saved?” Paul is demanding an answer from you. He is asking, “Are you telling me that Jesus Christ is all you needed to get saved, but He is not all you need to stay saved?” By now, Paul is red in the face. He is beside himself in dealing with these Galatians.

We are not saved by keeping the law, and certainly, we cannot be kept that way. Assuming that the reader is still trying to maintain his salvation by keeping laws and commandments, let us look at some perfectly clear and extremely strong statements made by Paul regarding this subject.

If You’re under the Law, You’re Under it All!
Galatians 3:10 – “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in ALL things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”

Galatians 5:3 – “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the WHOLE LAW.”

Here are the Galatians, who received salvation by simply trusting Jesus, now attempting to maintain their salvation by keeping “parts” of the law of Moses. This teaching is still prevalent today, and it is not Biblical. Paul is reminding the Galatians that if you are going to place yourself under ANY of the law of Moses, you place yourself under ALL OF IT! I will not elaborate here, because I have elaborated on this point extensively in my posts, “I Am Not Under the Law!” and “Why I Don’t Need the Law.”

I will say that James 2:10 bears out the same thought – “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of ALL.”

If you are putting yourself under any the law of Moses, Paul is reminding you that you are UNDER ALL OF IT. If you trust Jesus who fulfilled the law, you are trusting Him for the completion of ALL OF IT. With the law, it is all or nothing! Paul’s points get stronger. Let’s look at some more.

By the Works of the Law Shall No Flesh Be Justified
This truth is hammered in the book of Galatians. Paul is obstinate in his view that we are not justified (saved) as a result of any work of any kind. Paul’s passion on this subject is made so obvious by his extremely strong statements regarding this subject. Let us look at these statements.

I AM DEAD TO THE LAW!
Galatians 2:19 – “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.”

Paul stated here, that he is dead to the law. How did that happen? Paul had been executed. Who executed him? THE LAW DID! Paul states clearly that he is not under the law, and CANNOT be under the law. It is impossible for Paul to be under the law, because the law has already killed him! Where did this execution take place? It took place at Calvary. Jesus died with Paul’s sins upon Him. Paul died with Him. That’s why the next verse, Galatians 2:20, says, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me!” Through the law, Paul died to the law, that he might live unto God! Friend, when we get saved, we are dead to the law through the cross of Christ. It is our execution that the law promised. The law killed us at the cross, and the resurrected Saviour gives us life! He lives in us! Law-keeping never saves anyone to start with; it only legislates, accuses, arrests, and executes; it is Jesus Christ that gives life!

CHRIST IS DEAD IN VAIN!
Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Wow! This verse needs no explanation (unless, of course, you believe righteousness is come by keeping laws). Paul says clearly that if righteousness is come by the law, Jesus Christ bore the crown of thorns; suffered under deathly blows; carried a heavy, wooden cross; was tried as criminal; was nailed to a tree; and hung between two thieves – ALL FOR NOTHING. Dear reader, if you are saved or kept by doing things, don’t you ever take communion again – Jesus’ body was broken and His blood was poured out – FOR NOTHING. He poured His blood; but you are not trusting in it. He suffered His body to be broken, but you are being kept some other way.

Think about it. If being saved or staying saved is a result of keeping laws, what need was there for Christ to die? Why didn’t the Father just send us His Spirit, giving us a Holy Ghost baptism, and tell us, “I’ve given you my Spirit so you can fulfil the law?” It sure seems like the Father required too much out of Jesus, if keeping laws is what saves or keeps us. I’ll tell you why the Father didn’t just give us His Spirit to help us fulfil the laws and be saved – RIGHTEOUSNESS DOES NOT COME BY THE LAW. I didn’t say it; it was Paul who said plainly and strongly, “If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain!”

CHRIST SHALL PROFIT YOU NOTHING
Galatians 5:2 – “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.”

If you believe that you are kept saved by keeping laws, do not sing, “Christ is All I Need,” because you do not believe it. If you saved or kept by keeping laws, Christ is of no profit or benefit to you. You would be just as saved if there were no Christ. Let me say that again. If you are KEPT SAVED by doing things, you would be just as saved if there were no such man as Jesus Christ. Your salvation has NOTHING TO DO with Jesus Christ. It has to do with how well you keep commandments. No wonder Paul hated this false doctrine of justification by works. This stupid doctrine really is a perverted gospel.

CHRIST IS BECOME OF NO EFFECT TO YOU
Galatians 5:4a – “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law.”

No effect! The phrase “of no effect” literally means “entirely useless!” If you are justified by keeping laws of any kind, Christ is useless to you! It is a statement similar to the above – Christ shall profit you nothing.

YE ARE FALLEN FROM GRACE!
Galatians 5:4 – “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

The ironic thing about this phrase, fallen from grace, is that it does not refer to people forsaking Christ and falling into EVIL WORKS. It refers, rather, to people forsaking Christ, returning to the law, and trusting in GOOD WORKS. Paul plainly said, “If you are justified by the law, you are fallen from grace!” When a preacher gets up and preaches, “If you don’t do this…do that…keep this law…keep that law…you’re going to fall from grace,” it is really he who has fallen from grace. He has left the true gospel is now preaching the perverted gospel.

Now, these are some very strong statements regarding the false doctrine of justification by law-keeping of any kind. Paul makes it very clear, that if you are kept by works, you cannot be attached to the promise of being dead to the law and alive to God; Christ is dead in vain; Christ profits you nothing; Christ is of no effect, or useless to you; and you are fallen from grace! If you understand these clear, strong statements, there is no way that you can believe that anyone’s salvation is maintained by works of any kind. The above-mentioned verses are not the only ones in Galatians that prove that we are not justified by works of the law. Note:

Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

Galatians 3:10, 11 – “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.”

The True Gospel
I have shown clearly that the perverted gospel is the teaching that “Christ can save; but if you’re going to ‘stay saved,’ you must…do this…do that…and so forth.” The true gospel, on the other hand, is summed up well Hebrews 12:2 – “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus is both author and finisher of our faith. The law of Moses is not the finisher of my faith. So-called “holiness standards” are not the finisher of my faith. Faith in Christ started me on this journey; and faith in Christ will take me the rest of the way!

Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come!
‘Tis grace that brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home!*

If you don’t believe it, quit singing it!

*John Newton

Can a Person Be Moral without Being a Christian?

Under no circumstance can an unsaved individual (an individual who is not a Christian) be a moral individual. Now, I may be criticized, but it is as Biblical a teaching as anything. If you are without Jesus Christ, you are wicked and immoral as you can be. This statement is not a matter of any opinion, philosophy, or ideal of mine; it is rather an indisputable fact of absolute truth, and I will prove it with the Bible, the final test of authenticity of all ideals.

The Unsaved Man Has Broken Every One of the Ten Commandments
To begin, a discussion of the most popular standard of morality will be used – the Ten Commandments. Let us look at each commandment, and see exactly where we all are outside of Jesus Christ.

The first commandment reads this way:

Exodus 20:3 – “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

This is the chief commandment, on which the others hang. It is the commandment forbidding idolatry. Every person who is not a Christian is guilty of idolatry, because God Almighty is not his god. And, if God is not your god, you will serve Buddha. Or, if not Buddha, perhaps Allah. Or, if not Allah, perhaps Baal. Or, if not Baal, perhaps Confucius. And, if you will serve no god, claiming that there is none, you always, in every circumstance, worship the god of SELF. As a matter of fact, most atheists boldly announce that MAN is god. God Almighty has commanded all men everywhere to repent and turn to His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. And to refuse this, you are doing what YOU choose to do, rejecting what GOD said to do. To do so is to be an idol worshipper, and everyone is not a Christian is guilty of breaking the first commandment.

The second commandment reads:

Exodus 20:4-6 – “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”

The second commandment forbids the making of images. This commandment is related to the first. The first forbids worship of any god other than God Almighty (the God of the Bible), and the second forbids any image depicting these so-called “gods.” If you make no literal image depicting a god, it is certain you contain images of the mind. You bow to your own images (II Corinthians 10:5); you serve your own philosophies, rather than the word of God. If you are not saved, you not only have gods in your life other than Jesus Christ, making you an idolator; you also bow down to them and serve them. Everyone who is not a Christian has broken the first two commandments, simply because Jesus Christ is not your God.

Then, we come to the third commandment:

Exodus 20:7 – “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”

Every person who is not a Christian, who has said a prayer to God or sung a song containing God’s name, has used His name in vain. Unless you are praying a prayer of faith, believing in Jesus Christ for your salvation, Proverbs 28:9 states that even your prayer is an abomination.

Here is the fourth commandment:

Exodus 20:8-11 – “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week. Unless you have worshipped the Lord and abstained from work every Saturday, you have broken the fourth commandment. The command to work six days is just as sacred as the command to rest on the seventh. If you have not worked six days every week, and rested on every seventh, you have broken this commandment. And, giving you the benefit of the doubt, let me say this. Even if you have worshipped in a church every Saturday and worked six days every week, the unsaved has still broken this commandment. Regarding the Sabbath day, we are commanded to “keep it holy.” The man who is unsaved is incapable of keeping anything holy, for Titus 1:15 says, “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.” So, everyone who is an unbeliever has not kept the Sabbath day holy; nor is he even capable of doing so.

Now, for the fifth commandment:

Exodus 20:12 – “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”

If you are unsaved, you dishonor your natural parents, bringing them shame. Not to mention, you dishonor the heavenly Father, who is ready to save you right now, making you part of His family.

How about the sixth commandment:

Exodus 20:13 – “Thou shalt not kill.”

Now, you may say, “I’ve never killed anyone.” Oh, but you have. I John 3:15 says that if you hate your brother (meaning, your fellow man), you are a murderer. And, just in case you feel that you have never hated anyone, you killed the Son of God Himself. Jesus died, not for any wrongs of His own, for He had none. He died for your sins and mine. You killed Jesus Christ the Son of God. If Jesus is not your God, you are a murderer of the worst kind.

The seventh commandment:

Exodus 20:14 – “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

Anyone who has been unfaithful to his/her spouse is guilty of adultery. If you clear yourself in this accusation, let me point out that Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:28 that if you look upon a woman to lust after her, you have committed adultery with her IN YOUR HEART. And, even if you are not guilty of looking with lust, the scriptures declare that if you are an idolator, you are guilty of spiritual adultery (Ezekiel 23:37). I have already shown that every unbeliever is guilty of idolatry because God is not his god, and is therefore guilty of adultery.

The eighth commandment:

Exodus 20:15 – “Thou shalt not steal.”

If you have ever taken something that was not yours, you are a thief. Even if you have never stolen from another person, if you have not given 10% of your income to God Almighty, you have robbed God, according to Malachi 3:8. But, even more so, if Jesus Christ is not your God, and you trust in anything other than in Him, Jesus said in John 10:1 that you are the same as a thief and a robber. If you do not know Jesus, you are, by definition, a thief.

The ninth commandment:

Exodus 20:16 – “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

Perhaps you feel that you have never lied. The scriptures, however, declare otherwise. Romans 3:3, 4 tells us that if you do not believe Jesus Christ, God is true, and you are a liar. The person who refuses to place their faith in Christ, is a liar.

The tenth commandment reads this way:

Exodus 20:17 – “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”

The tenth commandment forbids covetousness. Covetousness is the root of all sin. Therefore, since you have broken the first nine commandments, you are guilty of covetousness. Furthermore, Colossians 3:5 states that covetousness is idolatry. Since every unbeliever is guilty of idolatry, everyone who is not a Christian is also guilty of covetousness.

What the Bible Concludes
The Bible concludes that every person who is not a Christian is an idol-worshipping, image-making, Sabbath-breaking, parent-dishonoring, cursing, lying, stealing, killing, coveting adulterer. The unsaved man or woman is far from moral. Yes, I am sure there are men and women who are good to their neighbors, faithful to their spouse, and wouldn’t do anything to hurt anyone. But, notice – these people have already hurt Jesus Christ. Although you may be moral regarding your treatment of others; you are immoral in your treatment of Jesus Christ if you are not a Christian.

Galatians 3:22 sums it all up – “But the scripture hath concluded ALL UNDER SIN, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.”

Believing on Jesus Christ is the only thing that will make you a moral person. Outside of this, man is filthy in the sight of Almighty God.