Exempt??? Ready Or Not? A Word from THE WORD!!! #121

“This know also,

that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be

lovers of their own selves,

covetous,

boasters,

proud,

blasphemers,

disobedient to parents,

unthankful,

unholy, 3

Without natural affection,

trucebreakers,

false accusers,

incontinent,

fierce,

despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors,

heady,

highminded,

lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness,

but denying the power thereof:

from such turn away.

6 For of this sort

are they which creep into houses,

and lead captive silly women

laden with sins,

led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning,

and never able

to come to the knowledge

of the truth.”  2 Timothy 3:1-7

This is one of the most controversial passages in scripture, partly because it is so true, and partly because it is bluntly put and describes people as they are; yet it is hard to get people to not only see the truth, but for the convicting power of The Holy Spirit to get them to recognize the reflection of sin in their own heart mirror!  It’s so basic yet so foreign to what we have watched ‘modernization of the gospel” do to America and the world.  We have come full circle to what Isaiah warned us of.

“Woe unto them

that call evil good,

and good evil;

that put darkness for light,

and light for darkness;

that put bitter for sweet,

and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them

that are wise

in their own eyes,

and prudent

in their own sight!

22 Woe unto them

that are mighty

to drink wine,

and men of strength

to mingle strong drink:

23 Which justify

the wicked

for reward,

and take away

 the righteousness

of the righteous from him!”  Isaiah 5:20-23

God is The One pronouncing judgment here, not Isaiah; he was calling the people to recognize their sin, to repent and turn TO God, or reap the “woe/judgment” of God.  Jesus told those of His own day, the same thing.

“I tell you,

Nay: but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish…

….5 I tell you,

Nay: but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3 & 5

Jesus spoke these words to some religious folks who were discussing the death of some in horrific circumstances, implying that ‘they must have sinned’ or they wouldn’t have died, so I’m much better than they were!  Jesus made it clear: “I tell you, Nay”, unless YOU repent of YOUR sin, you shall perish!  Paul sums up the gospel ‘in a nutshell’, if you’d allow me to call it that, for the ‘gospel’ is about “SIN”-for “SIN” is the issue!  And if we don’t deal with our own sin, GOD will.  God gave us salvation in HIS SON!

“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

Jesus clearly reveals to us that ‘saying so’ doesn’t ‘make it so’, but real faith IN JESUS not just playing the game.  Real faith is seeing our own sin, repenting (turning from sin, that God has revealed to our hearts) and clinging in faith to the Redeemer Jesus who died for “MY” sin.  There is no other way!  What are you doing with your sin?  There are no exemptions, every one will either trust in Jesus to save them from their sin or pay for it themselves.

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely

by his grace

through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 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;

26 To declare, I say,

at this time his righteousness:

that he might be just,

and the justifier

of him which believeth in Jesus.”   Romans 3:23-26

“For the wages of sin is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

There is the choice between Jesus’ offer of salvation in John 3 and the judgment of Revelation 20.  Let’s look:

“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.

20 For every one that doeth evil

hateth the light,

neither cometh to the light,

lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth

cometh to the light,

that his deeds may be made manifest,

that they are wrought in God.”  John 3:16-21

If we choose to stand fast on The Word of God, we will confront opposition, and it is getting worse as the times get closer and closer.  Jesus makes it clear throughout the Gospels, but we seem to have chosen a version of the gospel that is foreign to scripture.  Jesus told us that we would suffer persecution if we stood with HIM.  Where are you standing?  Many today are under attack for standing on Biblical principles with little to no recourse.

“If the world hate you,

ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world,

the world would love his own:

but because ye are not of the world,

but I have chosen you out of the world,

therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you,

The servant is not greater than his lord.

If they have persecuted me,

they will also persecute you;

if they have kept my saying,

they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you

for my name’s sake,

because they know not him

that sent me.”  John 15:18-21

“These things have I spoken unto you,

that ye should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues:

yea, the time cometh,

that whosoever killeth you

will think that he doeth God service.

3 And these things will they do unto you,

because they have not known the Father,

nor me.”  John 16:1-3

We need to understand that we are living in days when we have become ‘the enemy’ in many instances, because the Bible has been diminished in value and truth, Jesus has been divested of HIS deity, HIS purpose, and HIS saving power’, we believers are no longer considered valid contributors; yet Jesus warned us that these days would come.  So my question is, ‘Have you come to Jesus in repentance for your sin, placing your faith in HIS substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin?’  It’s the only question that will matter when you stand before God, and you will stand before God one day!

“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

And Jesus’ statement of truth!

“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 7:21-23

And in closing Paul’s most beautiful proclamation of Jesus’ worth, authority, and supremacy.  Are you ready for HIM?  Remember there are no exemptions.  Do you know Jesus?  Does HE know YOU?

“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

The question isn’t “will you bow”; the question is “when will you bow”!  Will you bow before Jesus here and now in repentance and faith to receive HIM as your Lord and Savior, or you will bow before HIM at The Great White Throne of judgment before Judge Jesus, with no recourse for salvation, and receive the due recompense of your sin?

It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test; and Jesus IS coming, ready or not!

Blessings on your week!

Amen and Amen!!!