Tag Archives: Judgment

Who’s Standard??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #429

19 Friday Jan 2018

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Changed Lives, Every Knee Shall Bow, Follow Me, Holy Spirit, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Plumbline?, Repentance, Salvation, SIN, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: BBs #429    Who’s Standard???

 

I’d like examine a message that Amos spoke to his people—a message that is apropos for us today. Much like the days of the judges, we have become a people who are going their own way! The Word shares this assessment twice in the book of Judges, and it is worthy for us to consider today.

“In those days there was no king in Israel,

but every man did that

which was right

in his own eyes.” Judges 17:6

“In those days there was no king in Israel:

every man did that

which was right

in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25

 What I’d like us to question today is “Who’s standard are we following?”, what standard are we ordering our lives by, God’s or the world’s? Is it our own way or God’s way? Until we recognize ourselves as sinners and come to Jesus in repentance and faith, we will never know the power and presence of God’s Holy Spirit who will lead us “in the way everlasting”! (See Psalm 139:23-24)

“All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned every one to his own way;

and the LORD hath laid on him

the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

Until we recognize “sin” as “sin”, why would we need to repent? Why would we need a Savior to redeem us through His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice? Only the Holy Spirit of Jesus can open our eyes and lead us to the cross!

“No man can come to me,

except the Father

which hath sent me

draw him….” John 6:44a

No matter what the world may say on every hand, there is only ONE way to be right with God, and that “way” is Jesus; and there is a time coming when every one will stand before God to give an account of what they have done with Jesus!

“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

Jesus is the only way, HE is God’s plumb-line, God’s standard, God’s judge, God’s own Son, The One who gave Himself for us, but we must come to HIM His way! We must come to Jesus in repentance and faith! And can be saved, and He will make us a new creation “in Jesus”, and come to dwell within us in the person of The Holy Spirit! That is God’s standard, the only standard that matters; and there is a day coming when God’s grace, mercy and patience will end for those who reject HIM! And I can’t help but believe that day is closer than we may think. God told the prophet Amos to warn his people of this same principle:

“Thus he shewed me:

and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall

made by a plumbline,

with a plumbline in his hand.

8 And the LORD said unto me,

Amos, what seest thou?

And I said,

A plumbline.

Then said the Lord,

Behold, I will set a plumbline

in the midst of my people Israel:

I will not again pass by them any more:”   Amos 7:7-8

God was telling Amos that the days of His patient extension of grace to Israel was coming to an end, and if God’s patience came to an end with Israel’s sin—it will come to and end for those who are rejecting Him today.

So, how will you stand-up against God’s plumb-line? Have you created a standard of your own; are you following the ways of the world? Do you know Jesus? If you don’t, you can, if you’ll but listen for His voice that is speaking to your heart, and repent of your sin, trusting in Jesus’ payment for sin on the cross? I pray that you will come to Him. If you already know Him, may we ever be a reflection of HIS glory!

“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     

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:

if any man hear my voice,

and open the door,

I will come in to him,

and will sup with him,

and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 Amen!

Check Your Knees??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 9

10 Sunday Sep 2017

Posted by in Check Your Knees???, Choose You This Day!, Every Knee Shall Bow, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, Sharing Our Faith!, The Only Way, The Word, Today and Forever

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.9 Check Your Knees???

 

One of my favorite passages about Jesus is found in Philippians chapter 2, where Paul calls us to have the mind of Christ; and the only way that anyone can have the mind of Christ Jesus, is to be ‘born again” by the Spirit and power of God.

“He was in the world,

and the world was made by him,

and the world knew him not.

11 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 1:10-13

Jesus came to impart the “new birth”, just as He told Nicodemus in John 3:

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God.”    John 3:3b

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter

into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again.”   John 3:5b-7

Jesus wants us to understand that salvation isn’t something that we can accomplish for ourselves—no matter how hard we may try. Salvation only come to those who will see their own sin, and come to the Savior for this ‘new birth’ of salvation. Just as we see above, it is being “born… …of God.” It’s not what family you are born in; it’s not by working up the will to change; and it’s not brought by the will of others; it is the supernatural work of God that changes sinners into saints!

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

Some of you are asking, “What does this have to do with my knees?” Well, that’s a good question and the answer is found in the first passage that we mentioned at the beginning of our post today. Let’s dig in and see what we can learn about out knees, and why they are important to our spiritual welfare.

“Let this mind be in you,

which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who,

being in the form of God,

thought it not robbery

to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation,

and took upon him the form of a servant,

and was made in the likeness of men:

8 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 2:5-11

So what is Paul telling us? Well, let’s start at the end of the passage if you would, for as we’ve already said, without being born again it’s a moot issue, but what must we do to come to Jesus for this new birth. It’s really simple, but it’s never easy, because it’s never easy to give up our own will and bow to Jesus. Jesus came and laid down His life for our sin when He “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Just as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:21 God sent Him to die as the sinless Lamb of God, to pay for our sin, so that we could receive the “righteousness of God” and be found IN Him!

And because of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, God has given “him a name which is above every name”; and that name requires a response—a response that involves YOUR knees and mine.

“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”!!!

I need to make something clear in all of this, God has declared, “every knee should bow” and believe me (well really you need to believe GOD!) “every knee” will bow, and “every tongue” will confess. But wait, not everyone is confessing Jesus, and certainly not every knee has bowed before Him! Well, what we need to realize is that the time is coming when it will happen! So, if it is going to happen, what is the question? The question isn’t “Will you bow?” But the question is ‘When will you bow?’ What am I talking about? I am talking about the fact that

God has declared His way to the world:

“For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name of the only begotten

Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.”    John 3:16-19

Jesus came because He loves us—He loves the world—and He IS The Way for us to be forgiven of our sin and have eternal life. And while God’s love is unconditional—He loves everyone—His forgiveness is totally conditional on what we do with Jesus, The Son of God, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” It is what Jesus came to do, and unless we bow before Him as Lord and Savior while we have the opportunity, we will bow before Him as the judge of all men, with no opportunity of salvation!

So the question is simply, will we choose to bow before the Lord who died for our sin, and receive His salvation and the ‘new birth’ and be ‘born again’? Or will we refuse Him and His saving sacrifice and grace and bow before the “Great White Throne” to pay for our own sin? What have you done with Jesus? Have you bowed your knee before Him? Jesus won’t ask what church you belong to; He won’t ask how many times or where you were baptized; He won’t ask how much ‘good’ you have done; He won’t even ask what ‘bad’ you have done, for He already knows the answer to all those questions. The only question that will be asked is “What have you done with Jesus, and His sacrifice for your sin?” And regardless of what others may think of you, the only thing that will matter is whether you have bowed before the Lamb of God, for no matter how impressed others are with you, it’s what Jesus knows that will count in the end. His name calls for all to bow the knee and proclaim HIM LORD, and the standard is The Word of God—the written Word, the Bible, and the Living Word, Jesus!

“For the word of God is

quick, (alive)

and powerful,

and sharper than any twoedged sword,

piercing even to the dividing asunder

of soul

and spirit,

and of the joints

and marrow,

and is a discerner

of the thoughts and intents

of the heart.

13 Neither is there any creature

that is not manifest in his sight:

but all things are naked and opened

unto the eyes of him

with whom we have to do.”    Hebrews 4:12-13

The measuring stick will be The Word of God! How will you stand? What will be your defense—your works, your money, your prominence, your history, your family, your open mind, your position, or something else? It won’t matter, for the only defense in that day will be the “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son” that “cleanseth us from all sin” (See 1 John 1:7)! Will you bow your knees now or then? Your eternity depends on your choice.

“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.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a

wise man,

which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell not:

for it was founded

upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a

foolish man,

which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell:

and great was the fall

of it.”    Matthew 7:21-27

You can choose to be ‘wise’ and have your house built on the rock of salvation; the One before whom you have bowed your heart and mind in repentance (of your sin), and faith (in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for YOU!), or you can choose to be like the ‘foolish man’! It’s your choice. But choose wisely, there is a test at the end.

“And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away;

and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead,

small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged

out of those things which were written

in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead

which were in it;

and death and hell delivered up the dead

which were in them:

and they were judged

every man

according to their works.

14 And death and hell

were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written

in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”   Revelation 20:11-15

Praying that you will seek God and His way—Jesus, He’s waiting for YOU!!! And if you know Him—let it shine!!!

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

 

Time Is Grace, Don’t Waste It!!! Bible Ballistics: BBS #387

23 Wednesday Aug 2017

Posted by in Abundant Life In Jesus, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Salvation, The Word, Time Is Grace!, TODAY, Walking With Jesus, Wasting Time

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #387   Time Is Grace, Don’t Waste It!!!

 

Today I’d like to remind us all that ‘Time Is Grace’, not “money”! While the old adage called us to work diligently and earn all we can (And a good work ethic is a good thing to have!) but I’d like to remind us today that ‘Time Is Grace’! What I mean by that is that we all have only 24 hours in each day, 7 days in any week, and 12 months in each year—we can’t create time—either time to come to God and be saved, or as believers to obediently serve the God that we claim to love and follow. Good people, bad people, lazy people, productive people all have that same 24 hours credited to their ‘time bank’ each day; but it’s what we do with that ‘time’ that matters.

God is a God of grace and mercy; He extends opportunity after opportunity to us—whether it’s to you to come to Jesus (as the Holy Spirit pricks your heart to repent and believe), or to those of us who have already come to Jesus, to obey. God’s desire is for all to come to Him, and for all who come to grow and flourish—to have life “more abundantly”!

“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 10:10

One of Satan’s greatest tools for causing his havoc of “stealing….killing and destroying” is to cause us to think that we have ‘forever’—that we can do it ‘tomorrow’! But my friends, ‘tomorrow’ never comes; when today’s clock rolls over past midnight, then it is ‘today’ again—no tomorrow! And if the enemy of our souls, can cause us to delay and put off trusting Jesus, or to delay living an obedient life for Him, then he has robbed us of the ‘abundance’ that Jesus has for us; he will have robbed you of the opportunity to trust Jesus, for in this life is the only opportunity we have to be saved; and he robs believers of the best that God has for us in obeying Him to make a real difference for Jesus in this world! Today is all that any of us have, and God want’s all of His creation to know Him. The choice is yours, today!

“But, beloved,

be not ignorant of this one thing,

that one day is with the Lord

as a thousand years,

and a thousand years

as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack

concerning his promise,

as some men count slackness;

but is longsuffering

to us-ward,

not willing that any should perish,

but that all should come

to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9

We must be careful with this passage, for it is not telling us that God’s ‘time’ is 1,000 to 1 to our time, rather Peter is simply telling us that we can’t measure God’s working in human time! God has his own time schedule, and while it may seem ‘late’ to us, God is an ‘on-time’ God! But Peter doesn’t stop there, he goes on to tell us that we can be assured that God has it all in control, and His purpose is ‘grace’—“Time Is Grace”; for God is “not willing that any should perish”, but He is ever “longsuffering to us-ward”, giving people time to respond to Him in repentance and faith! It is God’s pleasure to extend grace and mercy to give us yet another opportunity.

“This I recall to my mind,

therefore have I hope.

22 It is of the LORD’S mercies

that we are not consumed,

because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning:

great is thy faithfulness.”    Lamentations 3:21-23

Praise God for His “great….faithfulness“ —but while you have “time”-don’t procrastinate away the opportunity that you may only have today. God won’t wait forever.

“And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man,”              Genesis 6:3a

This refers to men in the days of Noah, the same subject that Peter was talking about in our passage above—isn’t God’s Word amazing, it’s all about His amazing grace IN Jesus! So as we think about utilizing our days wisely, and not wasting them, let’s keep eternity in mind; for none of us will live forever in this body of flesh (And believe me, at my age, I’m looking forward to a new body—with parts that work!) so we must live today with purpose and focus on our Lord, with our hope firmly in Jesus’ perfect will and plan!

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

“(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 6:2

Today IS the day—it’s all we have for sure, right now. So, what will you do with your 24 hours today? Will you come to Jesus if you don’t know HIM? And if you already belong to Jesus, will you serve and obey HIM today? Join me in seeking to serve our King, making a grace-difference today!

How Will We Be Saved??? Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No. 7

20 Sunday Aug 2017

Posted by in Choose You This Day!, Confidence, Every Knee Shall Bow, Faithful is He that has Promised!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Salvation, SIN, The Only Way, The Word

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Bible Ballistics: Vol. 10 No.7 How Will We Be Saved???

 

We were blessed with a thought-provoking message this morning and I’d like to use its inspiration to share an often-neglected subject today!!! There have always been false teachers, preachers and prophets in the past, and they are still with us today! But we must understand truth, so we can recognize the subtlety of their deception. God’s truth ever stands, and we can stand in the power of His might, truth and sovereignty, resting assured in His provision. Peter gives us some great insight into this eternal conflict.

“Knowing this first,

that there shall come

in the last days

scoffers,

walking after their own lusts,

4 And saying,

Where is the promise of his coming?

for since the fathers fell asleep,

all things continue

as they were

from the beginning of the creation.

5 For this they willingly are ignorant of,

that by the word of God

the heavens were of old,

and the earth standing out of the water

and in the water:

6 Whereby the world

that then was,

being overflowed with water,

perished:” 2 Peter 3:3-6

Peter knew that there were those in His day that rejected the creation account of scripture, and they are still among us today, and if we aren’t in the “last days”, I don’t know where we are. Our culture and the world around us, just like those that Peter refers to, have chosen to deny the presence and work of God in our world. They not only deny His creative work, but also His very existence and certainly His presence among us. Believers are ridiculed for trusting in “myths” and “fantasy” or “pie in the sky”, but we can “stand fast in the evil day”, knowing God has saved and redeemed us because He loves us, and has called us to continue to spread the Good News of The Gospel of Jesus Christ! Yet Peter didn’t stop there, He also reminded us that as God judged the world and destroyed all living creatures in the flood of Noah’s time, He is coming again in the final judgment of this world, for sin and unrighteousness! And He will judge the world according to His Son Jesus!

“Because he hath appointed a day,

in the which he will judge the world

in righteousness

by that man

whom he hath ordained;

whereof he hath given assurance

unto all men,

in that he hath raised him

from the dead.” Acts 17:31

One of Paul’s most concise messages was this message to the Athenians, proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus to the them—the point at which they ridiculed him. But the point that Paul makes is that the assurance of the power of God, is the raising of Jesus from the dead– the assurance that HE will judge the world by Jesus! And I can’t help but believe that day is closer than we realize. And as an old gospel song says, “this time it won’t be by water, but by fire!” And only those who are ‘washed in the Blood of The Lamb’ will be delivered from that fire. All because of God’s amazing grace and love, which Jesus accomplished at the cross. He was lifted up in death that we might live and not experience the judgment of God.

“But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing,

that one day is with the Lord

as a thousand years,

and a thousand years

as one day.

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,

as some men count slackness;

but is longsuffering to us-ward,

not willing that any should perish,

but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come

as a thief in the night;

in the which the heavens shall pass away

with a great noise,

and the elements shall melt

with fervent heat,

the earth also and the works that are therein

shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things

shall be dissolved,

what manner of persons ought ye to be

in all holy conversation

and godliness,” 2 Peter 3:8-11

Peter reminds us of the coming judgment of God, and encourages us to be bold and faithful in godly living and conversation (our words and deeds!). We must focus on God and living for Him, and to His glory–whether anyone believes us or not. We are called to share The Gospel, knowing that only The Holy Spirit of God can change and transform hearts and lives! And born again, redeemed men, women, boys and girls will not undergo this ‘wrath’ of God.

“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.

11 And not only so,

but we also joy in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

by whom we have now received

the atonement.” Romans 5:9-11

Praise God it is the Resurrection Power that saves, keeps and delivers us from the wrath of God, and just as it did in the past, it is doing in the present and it will do in the future. To get to the real focus for today, let’s consider at a short passage in 1 Peter 4. First Peter was written to a people who were suffering for their faith, and he encourages them to press on, knowing that God is at work in everything around us, even our suffering. Peter also reminds us that we will give an account of our living and our service to Jesus, but without condemnation!!!

“For the time is come

that judgment must begin

at the house of God:

and if it first begin at us,

what shall the end be

of them that obey not

the gospel of God?

18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved,

where shall the ungodly

and the sinner appear?

19 Wherefore let them that suffer

according to the will of God

commit the keeping of their souls

to him in well doing,

as unto a faithful Creator.”    1 Peter 4:17-19

Peter assures believers that even when we suffer for Our Lord, it is God to whom we can ever “commit the keeping of their souls”! Even as Jesus reminds us:

“And fear not them which kill the body,

but are not able to kill the soul:

but rather fear him

which is able

to destroy both soul and body in hell.”   Matthew 10:28

Only God can destroy the soul in Hell, and those who refuse Jesus will recognize that too late, but they will bow:

“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

Jesus gave His life for mine/yours, and we can commit our lives, our souls and our future to HIM! He is a worthy God, Savior and Redeemer, and by the blood of The Lamb, we live! But what does Peter mean when he says that judgment must begin “at the house of God”? I’d like to share a few thoughts in response to that question.

Judgment begins “at the house of God” because our sin has been judged at the cross. God saves our lives and souls from sin at the cross! The cross of Jesus brings us to God as His Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, births us into His Kingdom.

“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.”    Romans 5:1-2

“There is therefore now no condemnation

to them which are in Christ Jesus,

who walk not after the flesh,

but after the Spirit.

2 For the law

of the Spirit of life

in Christ Jesus

hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”     Romans 8:1-2

Praise God we are made free from condemnation and wrath; but we must remember that we are at war with the “prince of the power of the air”, the one who is ever against us in this world, Satan. He hates us, and all that God intends to do in, through and with us; and we will suffer persecution of one sort or another when we choose to live our lives faithfully before God. You can choose to blend in with the world, and loose your ‘saltiness’, and dim your ‘light’ so it won’t shine the light of Jesus, but when we choose to follow The Lord and His Word we will encounter opposition.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12

Not a message that we hear often, but Paul told his son in the ministry, that suffering would be the norm for those who follow Jesus faithfully and “live godly in Christ Jesus”! Just as Peter told those he wrote to, we are to live in light of eternity, not our temporal circumstances! When we march to the beat of a different drummer, others will notice, but they won’t always like it. And in these days of “tolerance”, people seem to expect tolerance to be given to everyone except those who believe in the historical, biblical, Word-of-God Christian faith; those of us who believe that God hasn’t changed His Word or “the rules”!

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8

“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

Only One way then! Only One way now–and that way is Jesus! When we are saved by His grace, through His death, which bore our sin, and condemnation, while His righteousness was imparted to us. Judgment is a reality; experience it yourself, if you reject Jesus; or you can receive the gift that God offers in Jesus, “redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins”. (See Col. 1:14)

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Judgment begins with us, we who have been to the cross and accepted the substitutionary judgment that Jesus took for us at Calvary! But the rest of Peter’s question is the saddest of all things to me—there are those who will refuse the gift of God. As Peter put it:

“if the righteous scarcely be saved,

where shall the ungodly

and the sinner appear?”

When God offers the gift of salvation, those who reject His gift will face the consequences of their choice. They won’t stand before the cross and receive grace; they will stand before the throne of God and receive the just reward of their own choice!

“For what is a man profited,

if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul?

or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

27 For the Son of man shall come

in the glory of his Father

with his angels;

and then he shall reward

every man

according to his works.”     Matthew 16:26-27

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

The believer will give an account of his working out of his salvation, because our sins are under the blood of Jesus; but the unbelieving will stand before God and give an account of every word and deed without the blood of Jesus!

“And I saw a great white throne,

and him that sat on it,

from whose face the earth

and the heaven fled away;

and there was found no place

for them.

12 And I saw the dead,

small and great,

stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged

out of those things

which were written in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead

which were in it;

and death and hell delivered up the dead

which were in them:

and they were judged

every man

according to their works.

14 And death and hell

were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written

in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”    Revelation 20:11-15

“…….I will recompense them

according to their deeds,

and according to the works

of their own hands.”   Jeremiah 25:14b

So Peter’s question isn’t talking about ‘working’ for our salvation, but the difference of having our sin paid for in Jesus, or paying for our own sin our own self—which is eternal death in the Lake of Fire. But we who belong to Jesus will be the recipients of His promises and His eternal presence. All this by God’s grace, and we can walk in the confidence that God is working all things to His glory and our good! We can keep our eyes on eternity, by the power of His Spirit working in us—regardless of our circumstances.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,

they are the sons of God.

15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage

again to fear;

but ye have received the Spirit of adoption,

whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness

with our spirit,

that we are the children of God:

17 And if children,

then heirs;

heirs of God,

and joint-heirs with Christ;

if so be that we suffer with him,

that we may be also glorified

together.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings

of this present time

are not worthy to be compared

with the glory

which shall be revealed in us.”     Romans 8:14-18

There is no comparison of this life to the eternal life with Jesus in glory! And when we are called to suffer we can have total confidence in our God who is in control of it all.

“Nevertheless I am continually

with thee:

thou hast holden me

by my right hand.

24 Thou shalt guide me

with thy counsel,

and afterward receive me to glory.

25 Whom have I in heaven but thee?

and there is none upon earth

that I desire beside thee.

26 My flesh and my heart faileth:

but God is the strength of my heart,

and my portion for ever.

27 For, lo,

they that are far from thee

shall perish:

thou hast destroyed all them

that go a whoring from thee.

28 But it is good for me to draw near to God:

I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,

that I may declare all thy works.”   Psalm 73:23-25

We can count on God’s faithfulness regardless of our circumstances. What are you trusting in today? Will you choose forgiveness and redemption through Jesus or will you choose to reject HIM and pay for your own sin. And may we who know Him, “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” May we joyfully and confidently proclaim with the Psalmist!

“But it is good for me to draw near to God:

I have put my trust in the Lord GOD,

that I may declare all thy works.”

Amen and Amen. Won’t you trust HIM and “declare all” HIS works to a lost and dying world. Eternity is ahead!

The Wages Due??? Bible Ballistics: BBs #364

02 Friday Jun 2017

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Bible Ballistics: BBs  #364    The Wages Due???

 

We have been talking about the price that Jesus paid for our salvation, and our debt to Him for the saving grace which He has provided; which should be evident through a life lived in devoted love and obedience to the Lord who saves us. Why would we ever not want to repay in love that which we have received from God—eternal life, abundant life, and a future hope. All because Jesus came and gave Himself for me/for you. I would like to take a few minutes this morning to encourage you and remind each of us that ‘payday’ is coming—and just because we don’t get our reward today (So to speak, because Jesus is my reward every day that I live!), it is coming. And the reward will reflect that which we have given of ourselves to Jesus in this life!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

which according to his abundant mercy

hath begotten us again

unto a lively hope

by the resurrection of Jesus Christ

from the dead,

4 To an inheritance

incorruptible,

and undefiled,

and that fadeth not away,

reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept

by the power of God

through faith

unto salvation

ready to be revealed

in the last time.

6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice,

though now for a season,

if need be,

ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:” 1 Peter 1:3-6

Peter reminded those early believers of the hope that never fails—the hope of glory that Jesus gives to those who will come to Him in repentance and faith.

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;

which is Christ in you,

the hope of glory:” Colossians 1:27

Christ Jesus gives to us a wonderful salvation—the gift of eternal life, His very presence in our hearts, and the hope of “glory” that we will share in eternity with Him—Jesus our God, and we His children—together forever apart from the presence of sin, death and hell!

“Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”   2 Corinthians 9:15

But we need to remember that we will give an account in regard to our stewardship of God’s gifts and calling upon our individual lives. Here are a few of the scriptures that remind us of our accountability to God (And remember, there are only one of two wages to receive, death or eternal life, See Ro. 3:23, but there are rewards for faithful service.)

“Every man’s work shall be made manifest:

for the day shall declare it,

because it shall be revealed by fire;

and the fire shall try every man’s work

of what sort it is.

14 If any man’s work abide

which he hath built thereupon,

he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man’s work shall be burned,

he shall suffer loss:

but he himself shall be saved;

yet so as by fire.”     1 Corinthians 3:13-15

“For whether we live,

we live unto the Lord;

and whether we die,

we die unto the Lord:

whether we live therefore,

or die,

we are the Lord’s.

9 For to this end Christ both died,

and rose,

and revived,

that he might be Lord

both of the dead and living.

10 But why dost thou judge thy brother?

or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?

for we shall all stand

before the judgment seat of Christ.

11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord,

every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall confess to God.

12 So then every one of us

shall give account

of himself to God.” Romans 14:8-12

May we ponder these truths today, and while these refer to the judgment of the saved, if you don’t know Jesus, there is a different judgment to consider. That one will be not only according to your works, but condemnation will come on those who have rejected the ‘Blood of the Lamb’ who died for “the world” of men! (See John 3:16) Revelation 20 reveals the sentence for all who reject Jesus!

“And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;

and the books were opened:

and another book was opened,

which is the book of life:

and the dead were judged

out of those things

which were written

in the books,

according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them:

and they were judged

every man

according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.

This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written

in the book of life

was cast into the lake of fire.”     Revelation 20:12-14

I pray that you will choose wisely! And if you have already chosen and received Jesus, may our lives reflect His saving power, presence, grace and glory to those God places in our path. I pray God’s blessings on your day, dear ones!

“But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know

that your labour is not in vain

in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Amen and Amen!!!