Righteousness Exalts a Nation

Proverbs 14:34 – “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

I Love the United States of America!

Make no mistake about it! I love America! I do not apologize; I do not take it back; I do not make such a proclamation with my head facing the ground! I get chills when I hear our national anthem. I cannot view our flag without thinking of the blood shed over the years to give us our freedom. I am thankful that God Almighty allowed me to be born and raised in the United States.

In our own nation, I have come across ministers who preach that it is a sin to be patriotic in any form. I have been acquainted with some ministers to object to those saluting a flag or honoring a veteran. The odd thing about it is – THEY WON’T MOVE! If the reader thinks that it is a sin to love America, why don’t you find a better country that you can love, and get out of here? I love this nation, and I’m not ashamed to say it!

In the scriptures, we find Daniel praying concerning the sins of his own people. Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet. Do you know why? It is not because he wept over the state of the Syrians; it is not because he shed tears over the conditions of the Chaldeans; it is because he poured out his tears over his own people! Moses stood in the presence of God Almighty, reasoning with God. Moses told the Lord that if the Lord was going to wipe Israel from existence, to destroy him also! He interceded for his own people. I hear people talk about “having a burden for the lost.” That’s nice. But it should start with loving your own people! How can you have a burning desire to reach the lost in Honduras and have no feeling whatsoever concerning your own people?

When I say, “I love America,” I am not saying that American people are better than any other people. I am not saying for a moment that I am a better man of God than anyone else because I’m American. I am not insinuating that God loves America more than He does anyone else. I do not saying that America is perfect. But I am declaring that I love the United States.

Righteousness Exalteth a Nation

Our nation is a great nation. We have a great history. Men and women risked their lives to come to a fresh continent where they would have the freedom to worship the God of the Bible out of the convictions of their own heart. Our founding fathers were at least God-fearing, and many were professing Christians. The Creator is found in MANY of our founding documents.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” – Declaration of Independence

“For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” – Declaration of Independence

“Our forefathers, inhabitants of the island of Great Britain, left their native land, to seek on these shores a residence for civil and religious freedom.” – Continental Congress’ Declaration on the Causes and Necessity for Taking Up Arms; July 6, 1775

“…the freedom of speech may be taken away, and, dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the slaughter.” – George Washington, making reference to Isaiah 53, a Biblical passage.

Many more founding documents could be cited, but let me go on. How about our national motto, “In God We Trust,” which is a testimony of our greatness as a nation? In 1864, the Congress of the United States of America approved adding “In God We Trust” to the two-cent coin. In 1908, legislation was passed and “In God We Trust” was mandatory on all coins. In 1955, “In God We Trust” became mandatory on all U.S. coins and paper currency. In 1956, “In God We Trust” became the national motto of the United States.*

Have you ever seen a flag-folding ceremony? There is much Christianity involved in it. The second fold symbolizes our belief in eternal life. The eleventh fold is for the Hebrew, or Jewish citizen, “and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” The twelfth and final fold is for the Christian, glorifying the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. “When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, ‘In God We Trust.’”*

Yes, our nation is great because it is founded upon the righteousness of the Bible. “Righteousness exalteth a nation.” America has been exalted because of her rich, godly heritage. I know there are goofy professors who want to place Islam on the same plain as Christianity, but it is not. Many Muslims have migrated to America; but few Christians are dying to get into Muslim countries. There is a good reason for this: Christianity has made the United States a great nation. Islam, on the other hand, has never made a single nation in the world great. I cannot think of one Muslim nation where people are dying to enter, as they do America. As a matter of fact, I do not know of one single person who has ever gone to a Muslim nation to spend a vacation (I’m not saying they don’t; I just do not know of any). Islam is not a Christian counterpart. Christianity makes nations great. Every day, radio talk show hosts brag about how capitalism has made America great. No, that’s not it. America is not great because of her capitalist system; America is great because of the God she has trusted in through the years.  Show me a communist nation with greatness equating to that of America.  No one can make such a claim, unless they are dishonest and possess a warped mind.

Sin is a Reproach to Any People!

While it is true that America has become great through her reverence of the God of the Bible, it is equally true that America’s departure from the God of the Bible will bring her down.

We live in dark times in our nation. The God of the Bible defines marriage as being between a man and his wife (Genesis 2). Yet, our nation, state by state, is shaking their fist in the face of God Almighty, calling Him a liar, and redefining marriage their own way. Sin is a reproach to any people.

The God of the Bible has stated that the baby in the womb is known by Him (Jeremiah 1). Yet, many in our day have responded to God that “the child is womb is nothing to us!” And then they brutally kill the baby, showing no mercy as the baby writhes in physical pain.  Sin has reproached the United States!

All over the land today, the most important issue of many voters is the issue of the economy. It should not be this way. My number one concern for America is not that America’s families all become rich. We have worried about that entirely too much. AMERICA WAS GREATER WHEN SHE WAS POOR. She didn’t have the best material things in life, but she had priceless treasures. Family time was valued time. Divorce rates were much lower when America was righteous in the eyes of the God of the Bible. Suicide was rare. Children were brought up to become ladies and gentlemen. The Bible was the textbook in the public schools.

Friend, America needs a revival. Sin is a reproach to any people, and America has sinned! We have taken God Almighty out of the public square. The ACLU (a devilish organization which stands up for every rotten thing under the sun) sues companies wishing to display a manger scene at Christmas. Islam demands freedom of religion while it is soon to be a hate crime for Christians to preach parts of the Bible that condemn sin. Euthanasia is on the table for discussion as it has never been before! Politicians have not and cannot give us the revival we need. There is more corruption in Washington and in our states than ever before. America, when going to the polls, cares little about having a real leader in office; but only desires the man who can best pad their pocket books.

Listen to me! God Almighty is not about to put up with the trash in our nation forever! America will be humbled! Sin is a reproach to any people! The U.S. Supreme Court, once a noble institution, does not have the final say on abortion, gay rights, flag-burning, or any other issue. God Almighty’s word will be the last word! Mark it down. The God of the Bible will have the last and final say!

So, this Fourth of July, I will spend some time in prayer for our great nation. Though our nation is great, our sin has reproached us. America WILL fall to her knees again to petition the God of the Bible. The only question is – “Will it be too late?”

*God Bless America: Prayers and Reflections for our Country. Zondervan Publishing House. ©1999.

The Bible and The Cults

Seeing in my previous post the value of the word of God, it is my intent, at this time, to expose the attitude of the cults regarding the Bible. Before examining this, it is necessary to observe a few basic traits of cults in general.

First and primarily, the chief characteristic of a cult is brought out by its definition. Microsoft Encarta’s dictionary defines “cult” this way – “a system of religious or spiritual beliefs, especially an informal and transient belief system regarded by others as misguided or unorthodox.” So, the first characteristic of a cult, as shown by its very definition, is that it deviates from that which is fundamentally and Biblically true. There are fundamental truths brought about in the word of God. Such truths include the virgin birth of Christ; the deity of Christ; the literal and bodily second coming of Jesus Christ to this world; the existence of a literal heaven and a literal, burning hell; the Trinity, and others. To deviate from these is to characterize yourself with religious groups we call cults.

Secondly, a common trait of the cults is extreme exclusivism. Now understand that Christianity itself is an exclusivist religion. By this, I mean that true Christians teach that Jesus Christ is the only way to God’s heaven. Yes, true, born-again Christians are the ONLY ONES going to heaven. However, cults do not teach that you must go to heaven through Christ; they teach rather that you can only get to heaven through THEM! This is a major difference between true Christianity and the cults. Jehovah’s Witnesses will tell you that you must accept Christ, but their teaching goes further than that. Christ, they say, established ONE church (their church, coincidentally), and you must join THEIR CHURCH to be accepted by God. I was acquainted with a group years ago called “Gospel of the Kingdom,” or “Sowderites,” a movement started by William Sowders of Louisville, Kentucky. Among their far-out ideas was the suggestion that you are only a part of the body of Christ if you are in their group.

While I preach strongly that one must be a born-again Christian to be saved, I do not preach that one must be a part of my group to be saved. You do not need to join my denomination to be saved. You do not need to run with my crowd to be saved. There are true Christians who are not part of my group, and they are as saved as anyone. The cults, however, do not see it this way. You must be a part of their group to be saved.

Look at what Jesus Christ said regarding followers of Christ who are not in your group:

Luke 9:49, 50 – “And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

So, it is clear. Every cult that teaches that you must be a part of their group to be saved is as wrong as they can be! Yet, this is a major peculiarity of the cults.

Thirdly, a widespread custom of the cults is the fact that most all cults have a founder (other than Jesus Christ). Of course, Christianity has a founder. Yet, the cults seem to all have a man or a woman who founded their group. Charles Taze Russell founded the Kingdom Hall (Jehovah’s Witnesses); Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons); William Sowders founded the so-called “Gospel of the Kingdom;” Ellen White was among the founders of the Seventh-day Adventists; Mary Baker Eddy is remembered for her role in founding the Church of Christ, Scientist. While there is no wrong in a group having a founder, you will notice when studying the cults how that the founders are idolized. Their words are often equal with the words of Jesus Christ.

The Worst Attributes of the Cults

Having briefly looked at three traits of the cults, I wish to expound upon two more; perhaps two of their worst characteristics.

A fourth feature of groups we call cults is the fact that their view of salvation is perverted. You will not find a cult that teaches that what Jesus Christ did upon the cross is sufficient for salvation. Roman Catholics, for example, teach that God gives us grace to perform sacraments to be saved. Even after fulfilling a lifetime of sacraments, the devout Catholic cannot know for sure that he has done enough to be saved. The Seventh-day Adventists make worship on Saturday a requirement for salvation. The so-called “Church of Christ” has a list (they tell me) of five things one must do to be saved, among which is baptism in water. Apostolic Pentecostals teach that one must be baptized in the name of Jesus only, and that one must speak in tongues in order to be saved. The message of the cults in regard to salvation is simple – what Christ did on the cross was insufficient. The cross, they say, is part of the plan, but it is not enough to save us. They all add laws and commandments one must keep in order to be saved. But look what the Bible says:

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

Such strong words are the words above, but there is as much truth in them as there is strength. The Bible is clear – what Christ did on the cross is sufficient. Placing faith IN HIS BLOOD gives propitiation:

Romans 3:24-26 – “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Yes, it is the doctrine of the Bible that faith in Christ’s blood gives salvation. It is trusting Christ’s work, not commending our own, that saves from sin. The cults, however, teach that Christ did not do enough to save us. He did much of what needs to be done, they teach, but we must do the rest. How blasphemous!

A fifth element of the dogma of the cults is stated as follows – Not only is the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross insufficient, but the Bible is insufficient. Every one of the cults, without exception, teach that the Bible is not sufficient to be the sole rule of faith and practice. Every cult adopts one or more false statement regarding the Bible. At least the cults are honest – if the Bible is absolutely correct, complete, and accurate, then their ideas MUST be wrong. So, instead of changing their beliefs, they attack the Bible.

The attack on the Bible by the cults is manifested in a couple of ways. First, some cults teach that the Bible is inaccurate. Listen carefully. If a Jehovah’s Witness stands at your door and tells you that the Bible is erroneous, what does that tell you about the teachings of this group? They are admitting that their teachings do not line up with the Bible! This is the sole reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses have scrapped the King James Bible, and have written their own “New World Translation.” The Mormons teach this regarding the Bible – “The King James Bible is the word of God, SO LONG AS IT IS TRANSLATED CORRECTLY.” And guess what? When the Mormons’ teaching disagrees with the Bible, guess where they say the error lies – with the Bible! Anyone can say that the Bible is correct until it disagrees with them! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if someone must write their own Bible because the King James Bible disagrees with their teaching, their teaching must not be Biblical! If someone claims that the Bible is accurate until it disagrees with them, an honest person can see what is happening! The cults, instead of admitting that they are wrong, have the audacity to say that the Bible is wrong!

There is a second method in which the cults attack the word of God. As we have seen, some say the Bible is inaccurate. Others, however, state that the Bible is insufficient. The Bible is right, some cults say, but it is not enough. The Mormons are number one on our list. The Bible may contribute something to their church, but it is not the sole authority. The Book of Mormon was added, because the Bible is not the complete word of God. I spoke earlier regarding the Sowderites, or the “Gospel of the Kingdom.” One attribute of this group is that they speak often regarding revelation. A good deal of you seeing the scriptures as they do depends upon God REVEALING it to you! The Bible is good, but there must be extra-biblical revelation, according to the cults.

Dear reader, you may not attend a “kingdom hall.” You may not be a member of the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” You may not be a part of a “Gospel of the Kingdom” church. You may not be an Adventist. But if your pastor teaches that the Bible is erroneous, or that the Bible is not enough, or that there must be extra-biblical revelation, BEWARE! There is a reason why the Bible does not line up with your pastor’s teaching! If your pastor gets up and says, “This passage was not translated correctly,” WATCH OUT! He’s teaching that the Bible is wrong and he is right! If your pastor teaches this, there is great danger here! Your church may not be a cult, but your pastor most definitely possesses one of the cults’ characteristics.

The Bible is absolutely complete and accurate. It needs nothing more to substantiate it. Anyone who adds to it, takes from it, rewrites it, or contradicts it is absolutely wrong in every instance!

The Love of God

Ephesians 3:17-19 – “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

No subject has seized my attention, filling my mind with awe at its truth, as has the grand subject of the love of God. Authors have tried to pen it, but have never done the matter justice. Songwriters have tried to express this subject in time and measure, but have only left the subject much more complex than the song. Preachers have tried to declare it, but as Dr. B.R. Lakin said, “You may as well try to describe a sunset to a blind man” as to expound clearly upon the love of God!

One noteworthy truth concerning the scriptures’ mention of the love of God is that the phrases, “love of God,” and “love of Christ,” are absent from the sacred writings of the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 6:5, Israel was commanded thus – “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” While Israel was commanded to love God, there is little mention of God’s love in the Old Testament. Please note, I am not saying that God did not love His people Israel. Neither am I saying that the Old Testament does not tell us so. However, I am saying, that there is very little emphasis on the love of God in the Old Testament, especially when compared with the New. This should not be surprising. The law was never kept out of love; but out of debt (or, obligation; Romans 4:4). The law was never intended to give life, for if it could have done so, then Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21). The law only administered death. The law only condemned. Outside of condemnation and death, the law could do nothing (Romans 8:3). The scriptures tell us that Jesus Christ came in a body like ours to condemn sin in the flesh. When He did so, it was at this time that the love of God toward man appeared (Titus 3:4)! Before Christ came, the love of God could only be seen through the keen lens of types and shadows. But now, on this side of Calvary, even the most self-centered, nearsighted individual can see clearly the love of God demonstrated toward every lost sinner! No matter how farsighted a person may be, the love of God shown at Calvary, where He gave His only begotten Son, is not so far that it is out of sight!

Understanding that the love of God is little mentioned in the Old Testament, it becomes clear why those who emphasize the law of God and justice of God care little about the love of God. I have written much in this blog concerning the justice of God. I have shown oftentimes that man is condemned in His sins, and that this condemnation leads to Hell. God’s love and God’s justice must be equally balanced. I have shown numerous times that God can treat me as innocent only because His justice was satisfied when Christ, who knew no sin, took my sins upon Himself, and paid the penalty for them in full! I do not preach the love of God apart from the justice of God. I do not preach God’s love for the sinner apart from God’s hatred for the sin. However, there are some who preach only the law of God, but they never preach that Jesus fulfilled the law entirely, including the death penalty that was upon you and me.

I have been saved for more than twenty-three years, and I am honestly amazed at the love of God more at this moment than I ever have been. One preacher was asked the question, “Why did Jesus choose Judas, if He knew Judas would betray Him?”

The preacher responded, “I’ve been struggling with a question harder than that one!”

“What question is that?”

“You’ve been wondering why Jesus chose Judas,” the preacher began. “But I’ve been wondering why Jesus chose me!”

I pray that, as Paul the Apostle stated in the first passage in this post, we may be able to gain some comprehension of Christ’s great love for us!

Hunger

Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

Evidence of Hunger
The Bible gives us a story of a great famine in II Kings 6:25-33. In this account, we are told that there was a famine in the land of Samaria. The famine was so bad that a donkey's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver. Dove's dung was sold for five pieces of silver. Now, I cannot imagine being hungry enough to eat dove's dung or a donkey's head. But, they say that if you get hungry enough, you will eat anything.

However, the famine gets even worse. We are told further that two woman make a pact. Their agreement is this: on one day, they will boil one of their sons, and eat him. On the next day, they will boil the other woman's son, and eat him. However, we are told they actually boiled and ate one of their sons on the first day. But, on the second day, the other woman hid her son.

Here, we are told about people actually eating a donkey's head. It is reported by God's Word that during this time, people actually ate dove's dung. As if that is not gross enough, we are then told that people were actually eating people. The chief sign of hunger is made clear in this statement: When you get hungry enough, you will eat anything. Many Americans know nothing about real hunger. Most of our hunger is "habit hunger." A good percentage of our eating is a direct result from boredom. But there are those in this world who know what it is to be genuinely hungry. There are those who give evidence that they are hungry when they are ready to eat absolutely anything.

A Hungry World
It is evident to me that we live in a world of people who are starving to death. I know they are starving because they will eat absolutely anything. The atheist and agnostic will laugh at my belief in God and His Bible. But then, I examine the pitiful theories they swallow. The Big Bang Theory, the theory of evolution, and even the theory that the universe came from nothing are all laughable explanations of the existence of the universe and mankind. If you believe in this nonsense, you are swallowing a donkey's head. But when you get hungry enough, you will eat anything. Atheists are starving, and the way that sit down and eat filthy slop proves it.

Some of the most confused people today are religious people. Religion never has satisfied the hunger of man, nor ever will. When I see Muslims with their face to the floor, bowing to their god, some of them willing to sacrifice their own life - and still have no assurance that their god is pleased with them, their willingness to eat a donkey's head reveals their true starvation. When I see Catholics keeping sacraments, observing traditions, reciting prayers, worshipping Mary, and praying to saints, their willing to eat slop shows how hungry they really are. Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other cults who emphasize men other than Jesus Christ are so hungry they are willing to swallow anything!

I Am Satisfied
I can write with confidence that I am satisfied. I was starving at one time, but I found the bread of life. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." The key phrase is "after righteousness." I got tired of eating the donkey's head. I was sick of dove's dung. I finally cried out in my spirit "Just any piece of flesh won't do!" Then, the gospel was preached to me. It made me hungry and thirsty for righteousness! It may be wrong to be picky about what you eat when you are hungry, but I got picky! I got to the place where it had to be righteousness, or I wasn't eating it! Jesus is the bread of life, and He is the only substance that will satisfy. When I found Jesus, I found bread that stopped the hunger pains. I found water that quenched my thirst to the extent that I never thirsted again! I have found that there is always a vast supply! I'll never need to go back to the donkey's head, or the dove's dung. I'll never need to go back to unsatisfying religions and creeds. I'll never need to settle for the pitiful theories that some swallow. Once you've tasted of Jesus Christ, you'll never be deceived by something other than righteousness! I was at a church recently where someone got up and said, "Someone here has a headache." This man was supposed to be prophesying. God was supposed to be telling him that someone in the crowd had a headache. Let me shine a little light on this for you - In a crowd of four, someone's got a headache. That's not God! God had nothing to do with that man's "prophecy." When you have tasted of the real bread from heaven, dove's dung doesn't entice you! That night when that man prophesied that someone had a headache, would you believe that there were those who swallowed that mess? Yes, when you get to where you're starving, you'll eat anything!

Why don't you cast the dove's dung away and partake of the bread of life? One bite, and you'll never have to sit down to a plate of slop.

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled!"

The Worst Kind of Backsliding

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

If God Examined Your Works
Suppose you were called upon by Almighty God to stand before Him right now. Suppose the Lord required this of you for the purpose of examining your works. As you stand in the presence of a just, holy God, He gives you the orders of how your works will be examined. He tells you to present your best works first, then your evil, bad, corrupt works.

So, you prepare to show the Lord your best works. You go to church regularly; so you present it to the Lord. You give to work of God; so you make that known to Him. You treat your neighbors in a kind fashion; so you do not hesitate to call names of your neighbors to whom you have shown kindness. Then, you stop for a minute. You think, making sure you can tell of another good work, without stretching the truth in any way. You tell the Lord, that, you are not a gossiper. You do not spread rumors on people. You do not lie. You give to charity. You pay all of your bills on time. When you owe money to any party, you are prompt to pay what you owe. You study the Bible regularly. You pray every day. You even fast on a regular basis. You make it a point to witness to so many people a week. And, you go on and on. Hours pass, and you still rattling off your best works. In your mind, you are thinking, "This isn't so bad; I'm a lot better than I thought I was!" You present your good works to the Lord for eight solid hours. Then, after a period of silence, the Lord asks simply, "Are you finished presenting your best works?" You answer, "Yes." There is another long silence before the Lord responds to all these good works you have presented to Him. You wait, wondering what the Lord will say about all these great things you have done. Suddenly, you hear a sound from the throne. You listen, but can't make out the words. Then, you realize that the Lord is not speaking; He is gagging at all your good works. Your BEST WORKS have made the Lord regurgitate all over heaven. This is the Lord's response to your BEST WORKS; you have not even presented your evil works yet!

Oh, you think this is far fetched. It's only an analogy, but it correctly reflects the Lord's opinions of your best works.

Isaiah 64:6 - "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

ALL our righteousnesses are as FILTHY RAGS! When we think of filth, we think of homosexuality (and it absolutely is). When we think of filth, we think of adultery, fornication, pornography, lying, stealing, cheating, child molestation, child abuse, domestic abuse, legalized murder of babies, and sins of this nature. And, yes, every one of these things are sheer filth in the sight of a holy and just God.

But God used this word, "filth" to describe our goodness; our best righteousness.

The Pharisees' Religion - A Religion of Righteousness
Upon reading the New Testament, you quickly discover a religious group of people called Pharisees. They strove to keep every jot and tittle of the law of Moses, even adding to it! They were strict. They had rules and regulations. Jesus spoke of their righteousness. Notice:

Matthew 5:20 - "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Here, Jesus speaks to a multitude, using the Pharisees as an example. He tells the people, "If you are not more righteous than the Pharisees, you'll not enter the kingdom of heaven!" The Pharisees were the strictest bunch around! I'm not sure it was even possible to get more strict than they were (I've been in churches that have tried)! Know this: Jesus was not teaching, that to go heaven, you must be more strict than the Pharisees. However, He was teaching that you have to be more righteous than they were. Then, Jesus begins to expound.

"You have heard it said, Thou shalt not commit adultery," He begins. "But I say unto you, He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already in his heart." The rules of the Pharisees dealt with actions; Jesus was dealing with the heart!

Then Jesus goes on to say that they have heard the command, "Thou shalt not kill." But He informs them, "I say unto you, if you are angry with your brother without a cause, you are in danger of the judgment." Again, Jesus deals with the heart!

The problem with the righteousness of the Pharisees is that their righteousness didn't go DEEP ENOUGH. It didn't get into the heart. Their righteousness was manifested in rule-keeping. There was never a change of heart!

I have heard Holiness preachers say that we are going to have to be more strict than the Pharisees to get to heaven. But Jesus was NOT teaching us to have more rules than them; He was rather teaching us to be more righteous than them. We need a righteousness that is not merely conformity to a rule, but rather a change of heart. There's only one thing that will change your heart from filthy to clean - the blood of Jesus Christ!

II Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

The Most Important Fact You Will Ever Learn
When a person hears a clear declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and decides to respond, the first thing that the individual must do is let go of every feeble, sorry effort to save himself. You are not fully trusting Christ if you are trusting in any effort of your own to save yourself. The greatest truth you will ever admit is that you are hopelessly lost - that your best works are pitiful and disgusting in the presence of a holy God. Once you realize this, salvation is on the horizon! Help is on the way!

How the Galatians Fell from Grace
At the beginning of this blog post, I opened with a scripture from Galatians 5:4, which shows us that the Galatian churches were fallen from grace. Those in the Galatian churches realized this truth. At some point (probably under Paul's preaching), the Galatians heard the gospel. They finally let go of their religion of works, and trusted Jesus only for their salvation. Every lost person must do this if they expect to be saved. You must let go of every philosophy, ideal, religion, creed, and everything else, placing all of your faith in Jesus Christ alone.

But at some point, the Galatians slowly began going backwards. They had backslidden; they had fallen from grace. There is a very important fact we must realize about this backsliding. The Galatians did not go back to doing evil works; they went back to trusting in GOOD WORKS. The Galatians did not forsake Christ to become murderers, thieves, extortioners, liars, adulterers, homosexuals, and the such like. There is a backslidden state worse than that! And that is the state in which the Galatians found themselves! The only state worse than falling from grace to become a murderer or a thief is to fall from the grace of God, trusting in your works rather than in Jesus Christ.

In the third chapter of Galatians, Paul describes the method by which the Galatians fell.

Galatians 3:3 - "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

The Galatians began their walk with God at "the altar," if you will. They began their journey realizing that if they were to be saved, Christ would have to do it, for they could not save themselves. They cast aside every work of their own and trusted solely in Christ. They began IN THE SPIRIT. But now, they went back to trusting in works to keep them saved. I've heard it over and over - "Oh, the Lord will save you. But if you're going to 'stay saved,' you have to..." and then the list of works is preached. Dear reader, get this straight. If works can't get me saved, works can't keep me saved! If going to church won't save me, going to church won't keep me. If paying my tithes won't save me, paying my tithes won't keep me. If dressing modestly won't save me, dressing modestly won't keep me.

Paul plainly asks the Galatians in Galatians 3:3, "Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" You began trusting in Jesus, and now you're going back to a bunch of works that couldn't save you to start with???? Paul is flabbergasted! He is absolutely beside himself! He is certain that he taught them better than that! He has preached to them that Christ is their only hope, and now they are trusting their works to keep them saved!

No, the Galatians wouldn't fit a "backslider's category" among many churches. But Paul said they were fallen from grace. Not because they went back to BAD WORKS; but because they went back to trusting in GOOD WORKS.

Yes, placing faith in good works to keep you saved is the worse kind of backsliding that has ever been. Look at what Paul tells the Galatians about trusting in good works to keep them saved:

1) Works cannot justify - Galatians 2:16
2) Rebuilding works once destroyed makes you a transgressor - Galatians 2:19
3) If works could justify, Christ died on the cross in vain - Galatians 2:21
4) If you trust in works, Christ is become of no effect - Galatians 5:4
5) If you trust in works, you are fallen from grace - Galatians 5:4

Clearly, trusting in works after you are saved is backsliding as much as anything. We must trust in Christ for salvation, and in Christ alone.

Nothing can for sin atone; Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of good that I have done; Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow!
No other fount I know!
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!*

*Robert Lowry

The Road Between Two Ditches

Matthew 7:13, 14 - "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

The Road
In the above verses, Christ gives an analogy, using the illustration of two roads. One road, which has a wide gate at its entrance, is the broad way that leads to destruction. This is the way to hell. It is comfortable. On it, there is plenty of company. It just has a "feel" about it - it feels right. But this is the way which Solomon spoke of when he said, "There is a way which seemeth right unto men, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Those who are not following Jesus are on this road.  So much about it "seems right," but it is everything but right. It leads to death; more specifically, the second death in the lake of fire.

The other road is road on which I wish to focus. It has a straight gate, and a narrow path. It is far less comfortable. There is not near as much company. But, this is the road on which I travel. I chose this road not because I enjoy a lack of comfort; I chose this road because of its destination - it leads to life eternal. You may ask, "Where is this road?" The question is not, "Where is this road;" the question is, "Who is this road?" Jesus Christ is the way, the only way, that leads to eternal life. Let me be clear so no reader is confused - YOU WILL GO TO HEAVEN THROUGH JESUS CHRIST AND HIM ALONE, OR YOU WILL NOT GO! The blood Jesus shed on the cross is the only cleansing agent that can cleanse your sins and mine. The works of Jesus are the only ones that please the Father. Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. All religions, creeds, beliefs, good works, prayers, gods, temples, mosques, altars, pulpits, books, philosophies, ideals, and every other sorry, pitiful attempt man makes at trying to save himself will lead man to HELL. You don't want to go hell? Then cast off your religion, creed, belief, and every other thing to which you are clinging, and trust Jesus Christ and His finished work on Calvary, and trust nothing else. Jesus is the absolute only way that leads to life.

The Two Ditches
The straight and narrow way has a ditch on either side. You can go too far either way, and be lost. In the same chapter as the verses mentioned above, Jesus talks about two groups of people, neither of which are on the straight and narrow way. Let us look at these groups together.

Matthew 7:21-23 - "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

The scene in the above verses is the day of Judgment. Jesus speaks of the day when all mankind will stand before God. Jesus talks about two groups of people that will stand before Him on that day, and plead their case. Both groups thought they were on the straight and narrow way, but were not. One group fell in one ditch; the other group fell in the other. Let us look at these two ditches.

The First Ditch
Jesus begins the above passage by saying, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." This is a favorite verse among many Holiness preachers. I have heard it brought out many times. And, what is brought out is mostly true.

The first thought that is brought out of this verse is the fact that not everyone who says, "Lord, Lord" is going to heaven. That is ditch number one. There are those who claim to be saved just because they say a prayer. SAYING A PRAYER WILL NOT SAVE YOU! If all you did was regurgitate a prayer, and there was nothing in your heart that believed, rested, and trusted Jesus Christ solely, resulting in Him giving you a new heart, making you a new creature, you have fallen into the first ditch.

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven," the Lord said. Then, He goes on to say, "...but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." I have heard preachers use the latter part of that verse and say, "You have to do the will of God to be saved." Then, they pull out a long list of works to be done! They say that you must pray so much a day; fast so much a week; witness to so many people; go to church so many times a week - all of this is "the will of the Father," so you must have all these wonderful works if you are going to be saved!

Whoa! Wait a minute. They are right when they say that salvation is more than just saying a prayer. But when you start preaching that we have to keep a long list of works to be saved, you're about to swerve into the second ditch.

Jesus said that those who simply say a prayer are in the first ditch. They're not on their way to heaven. Jesus said the ones who are on their way to heaven are those who "do the will of the Father." What is the will of the Father? THE WILL OF THE FATHER IS NOT A LONG LIST OF WONDERFUL WORKS! In John 6:40, Jesus clearly defines the will of the Father - "And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day." The will of the Father is simply believing on the Son and having everlasting life! It is not fasting, witnessing, a dress code, or any other wonderful work. When you pray to be saved, it must be accompanied with BELIEVING, or putting your trust in, Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 bears this out - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." So, "doing the will of the Father" is not completing a long list of wonderful works. If you preach it that way, you're about to land in the other ditch, if you're not already there.

The Second Ditch
Having just looked at Matthew 7:21, let us look at the next two verses.

Matthew 7:22, 23 - "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many WONDERFUL WORKS? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

The first group fell in one ditch because they said a prayer, but did not do the will of the Father - believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. As a result, there was no change in their life. They were not made a new creature because they were not "in Christ." Their heart was still filthy. They were not washed from their sins. There was no deliverance from sin. As a matter fact, no man can tell that they have been to Jesus, because they haven't! This group thought they were on the narrow way, but they had fallen into the ditch!

The other group, however, make an interesting claim on the day of Judgment. "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied and cast out devils in your name, and in your name done many wonderful works?" But Jesus will say to them, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity; I never knew you."

LISTEN TO ME CAREFULLY. You can knock the crowd that just "says a prayer," and there is no life-changing faith involved; and certainly, they are in the ditch. But if you are trusting in a long list of wonderful works, you are not on the narrow way either! The man who is trusting in a long list of wonderful works and outward standards to get him to heaven is just as lost as the man who says a prayer without exercising faith. You can talk about how lost the crowd is that preaches a gospel that produces no change - but if you are trusting in your long list of wonderful works, you are lying in the ditch just across the road from them! Saying a prayer with no faith in Christ will certainly lead you to hell. But trusting in a long list of standards will lead you to the same hell, just as fast.

Dear friend, I am not against having good works; but I am thoroughly against trusting them! If you think you are on the narrow way because you keep a list of rules, standards, creeds, dress codes, laws, or commandments, you are in the ditch.

Conclusion
Jesus Christ is the narrow way. If you say a prayer, but do not trust Jesus Christ, you are in one ditch. If you claim Christ, but are trusting in any wonderful work outside of Christ, you are in the other ditch. We had better get our faith - all of our faith - in Jesus Christ and in nothing else. Faith in anything else leads to hell.

Essentials of the Second Coming

It is an undeniable, indisputable fact that Jesus Christ is coming again. Neither your belief in that fact nor your unbelief in that fact will alter it in the least. Jesus Christ is coming again. He is coming for His church, His people who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.

When it comes to the prophecy regarding the end of time, there are differences of opinion concerning various aspects. I do not expect everyone to agree with me on every prophetic detail. There are sound, solid ministers of the gospel who differ with my opinions as to the details of prophecy. When it comes to defining the beast, identifying the false prophet, the details of the tribulation period, and other discussions within the prophetic realm, it is certain that we will not all agree on each of these subjects.

BUT…There are some aspects of Christ’s second coming upon which we must agree. As to these aspects, to disagree is to preach absolute falsehood. Let me briefly discuss these aspects.

Christ Will Return Literally

When Jesus Christ returns for His church, it will be literal. Look with me at I Thessalonians 4:16-18 –

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

The apostle plainly says, “The Lord Himself shall descend.” The coming of the Lord for His church is NOT the death of a believer. When a believer dies, He goes to be with the Lord. When Christ returns, He comes to gather His saints. Paul is talking plainly about Christ Himself descending to this literal earth to literally gather together the saints of God to ever be with Him. This is a literal event that we call the rapture. Yes, it is true that the word “rapture” is not in the Bible. But its meaning is found in the above verses – “we which are alive and remain shall be CAUGHT UP…” This is rapture – it is the literal descent of the Son of God, followed by the literal resurrection of those who are dead in Christ, followed then by the living saints being “caught up” to meet the Lord in the air. If you do not preach that Christ is coming literally for His church, you are not preaching the Bible.

Christ Will Return Bodily

After Christ rose from the dead, He rose with a body. He had flesh and blood. He could be touched and handled. Notice what Christ spoke after He resurrected from the dead in Luke 24:39 –

“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”

After He arose, Christ was not a “spirit body” as the so-called Jehovah’s Witnesses teach. Christ plainly stated, after His resurrection, “A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” Jesus was resurrected with a literal body, and will return the same way He ascended to heaven – with a literal body! Notice –

Acts 1:11 – “Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

Christ is coming as He departed – with a literal body!

Date-Setting is Against Biblical Teaching

In this present day, many attempts have been made to set dates for the Lord’s return. I have already pointed out that the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Christ resurrected from the dead with a “spirit body” as opposed to a literal body. They believe this for a good reason.

Twice in the 1800s, the Jehovah’s Witnesses set a date for the Lord’s return. Both predictions were wrong. Then, a third prediction was made. The Lord was to return to earth in 1914. That was wrong also. To compensate for their false teaching, the Witnesses claim that Christ DID return in 1914 – He returned invisibly, in “spirit.” Christ is not returning for His church in “spirit;” but literally, and the church will LITERALLY rise to meet Him in the air.

Date-setting has been attempted many times by many people throughout the years. Since this fact is undeniable, and has been wrong 100% of the time, many people have been turned off by the preaching of the second coming of Jesus Christ. Know this – every individual who has ever set a date for the coming of Jesus Christ is doing so IN OPPOSITION TO Biblical teaching. Look with me at Christ’s words in Mark 13:32 –

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.”

Christ plainly taught that the day and hour of His return are known to no man, no angel, not even the Son of God, but the Father only. If a man tells you that he knows when the return of Christ will occur, he is a bold-faced liar.

Harold Camping has predicted that the end of the world will begin on Judgment Day, which will occur on May 21, 2011. His advertisements have been on billboards throughout the United States. Know this – the man has made predictions concerning the end of the world before – and was dead wrong.

If you are proclaiming a date for the Lord’s return, you are not preaching the Bible.

The Bible Admonishes the Church to Be Ready for the Lord’s Coming

The last point I will make is a simple one, but the most important one. What you teach concerning the coming of the Lord should cause people to be ready for the Lord’s coming.

As I previously stated, Christians may disagree on various aspects of His return. But here is a point that we must all stress – “Be ready for His coming.”

Not once in the New Testament is the church ever admonished to “be ready for the tribulation,” “watch for the coming of the antichrist,” “wait for the wrath of God,” or “look for the man of sin.” We are, however, many times commanded to “wait for,” “watch for,” “look for,” and “be ready for” the coming of our Lord. If your doctrine has people stirred about the coming of anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ, you need to re-examine your doctrine. Look at the following verses, none of which need comment –

Matthew 24:42 – “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.”

Matthew 24:44 – “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Matthew 24:46 – “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.”

Matthew 24:50 – “The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of.”

Matthew 25:13 – “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

Mark 13:33 – “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.”

Mark 13:35-37 – “Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Luke 12:35-37 – “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.”

Luke 12:39, 40 – “And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

Luke 12:43 – “Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.”

I Corinthians 1:4-7 – “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 3:20 – “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

I Thessalonians 1:9, 10 – “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

Titus 2:13 – “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.”

Hebrews 9:28 – “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and to them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”

Hebrews 10:37 – “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.”

James 5:8, 9 – “Be ye also patient, stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.”

I Peter 4:7 – “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.”

II Peter 3:12 – “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heaven being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with a fervent heat.”

Are you “looking for,” “waiting for,” “watching for,” and “ready for” the Lord’s coming? Or are you anticipating the coming of something or someone else? May every lost reader pray today for the Lord to save him; and may every Christian pray with honesty and earnestness – “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”