Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No.13    Sheep Or Wolves???

 

We live in a day when the Gospel has been watered down, compromised and changed by many to accommodate the world, or to appeal to the masses whether they want to receive Christ on His terms or not. Scripture is very clear that there is only ONE Way to God, and that is through the death, burial and resurrection of The Lord Jesus Christ. His sacrifice bought our salvation. And every man, woman, boy and girl will give an account of what they have done with Jesus. Jesus is the ONLY Way—it’s why HE came.

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name Jesus:

for he shall save his people from their sins.”    Matthew 1:21 & 23

Jesus came to save us from our sin—because SIN is the issue, and Jesus came to “save his people from their sins”! No matter what the world says, or even what many so-called churches say today, sin is the issue—and Jesus is the only answer, and His death, burial and resurrection are what bought eternal life for all who will believe in HIM. And because of His sacrifice, “God with us”, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, is The “name which is above every name”, because His sacrifice was for you and me! But the question is, “What have you done with His sacrifice?”

“And being found in fashion as a man,

he humbled himself,

and became obedient unto death,

even the death of the cross.

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him,

and given him a name

which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus

every knee should bow,

of things in heaven,

and things in earth,

and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.”    Philippians 2:8-11

The question is not ‘will you bow?’ but ‘when will you bow’. The Risen Lord will return, and when He does, “every knee” will bow–I will bow, you will bow, every person will bow and confess “Jesus Christ is Lord”. The question every person must consider is, “Will you bow before Him as your personal Lord, Savior and Redeemer” or “Will you bow before Him ‘then’ as your judge?” But if you refuse to bow before Him as your Lord and Savior, you will bow before Him as your judge, with no recourse of salvation. The time of grace will have passed, and contrary to popular opinion, Jesus is the only way, He is the only remedy for sin, the only way to be made sons and daughters of God.

“Jesus saith unto him,

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life:

no man cometh unto the Father,

but by me.” John 14:6

“He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.” John 1:11-13

It’s the same new birth that Jesus told Nicodemus about in John 3. We “must be born again”; our name written in “The Lamb’s Book of Life”, and unless we belong to Jesus we will have to answer for our own sin in eternal death.

“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:22-23

“…….Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…….. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ……7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” Portions of John 3:3-7

“Ye must be born again.” Simply put by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself—“Ye must be born again”! There is no other way to have eternal life or “peace with God”!

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:1-10

We are sinners without Jesus, headed for hell, but we can be saved sinners, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb who died for us, for all who will believe and receive Him. And my friends, I truly believe that we don’t have a lot of time, and my heart breaks for so many. I pray that those who may see this post, won’t wake up one day, and find that you have come to Him one day too late. Today is the day that we must act—it is all we have. Yesterday is gone and won’t return and tomorrow has not come, and some of us may never see tomorrow. Today is all we have, what will you do with Jesus today.

“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)” 2 Corinthians 6:1-2

“Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, 8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) 12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Hebrews 3:7-12

The call is to trust Jesus today, to come to the cross in repentance and faith. Come to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when you hear His voice (Through the convicting work of the Holy Spirit) speaking to your heart. There may not be another opportunity. The Gospel is clear—believe and receive the salvation that the blood of Jesus bought. And be sure that you aren’t relying on a ‘vain faith’.

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:”     1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Be sure that your faith is placed in the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, not people, or churches or even yourself, but be certain that you have truly been “born again” by the Spirit of God, evidenced by the presence and power of His Holy Spirit in your life. God is always at work in His own children, yet without Jesus there is only death facing those who refuse to trust in Jesus’ atoning sacrifice for our sin.

“I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins……39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” John 8:24, 39-45

Do you believe Jesus? Have you examined yourself to be sure that you are a genuine, legitimate child of God, and not one who claims to believe yet there is no evidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit of Christ. A day is coming when all will give an account, and the Great and Mighty God, and Jesus Christ The Son will reveal the truth to and about each person, and what each one has truly done with Jesus. We must examine our own hearts to see what we have really done with Jesus. Have we simply used Him for our own purposes, or claimed His name as a “get out of jail free” card? What kind of ‘faith’ do you have?

“For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:4-5

“…the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.”    1 Corinthians 15:1-2

Jesus shares in Matthew 7, the question of whether men are real sheep or wolves in “sheep’s clothing”? Are we trees that bring forth ‘good fruit’ or ‘evil fruit’? And the tree will always produce after its kind—an evil tree may try to imitate a good tree but the fruit will reveal the truth of its heritage—either born of God or of the World. (See Eph. 2:1-10)

“Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 21 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. 22 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? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:16-23

Who/what is in your heart? Do you belong to Jesus? If His Spirit is dwelling in you, His presence will be evident to one degree or another, for God will show Himself in the life of His children, for when His own go astray He disciplines them.

“And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”   Hebrews 12:5-8

Those who belong to God may step out of the light, but God will never leave them there indefinitely, He will discipline His own children. Hebrews tells us clearly, if we live worldly without any compunction or correction from God, then we are NOT His children. We must keep our eyes on Jesus and examine our life continually by the Word of God.

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”  Romans 8:9-11

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”    1 Corinthians 11:31-32

We can judge ourselves rightly and trust the Savior or we will stand before Judge Jesus with no opportunity for salvation. Please be sure you’ve made the right choice before it’s too late. I simply ask you to listen to the voice of God speaking to your heart, and be certain that you are ready to meet The Lord. I pray that God will use these words to draw His own near to His heart, and help us to be diligent to faithfully share the truth with those God places in our path. And if you who don’t know Him, I pray that you will hear His voice and come to the One who loved you so much He laid down His life for you. Jesus still saves and changes lives today. Look up and have a great week.