Bible Studies

Expect A Mixed Bag of Responses

by Doug Laird 
10/08/21
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Expect A Mixed Bag of Responses

Just as in the case of Jesus and His apostles, Church Age disciples and ambassadors will experience a mixed bag of responses when presenting individuals and groups with the unadulterated Gospel Message and or principles of Bible Doctrine.

These responses will range in everything from an open-arms reception (Luke 8: 40) to a hostile attack on the messenger (Matt. 7: 6).

Fear, guilt, pride, ignorance, arrogance, inability to understand, and not wanting to be disturbed or challenged are among the chief causes of rejection or disinterest in hearing the unadulterated Gospel Message and or accurate Bible Doctrine.

We come into this world with a fallen nature that is inherently self-centered and hostile towards God and the things of God (Rom. 8: 7). This hostile nature does not go away as result of being born again.  In fact, it increases the negative pressure on the soul, keeping pace with whatever spiritual growth one may develop (Rom. 7: 21).

Religion has its own time-line of scheduled events from the cradle to the grave involving human effort through religious rituals.  

One of the first rituals (infant baptism) promoted by Christian religion involves no individual choice or conscious participation on the part of the soul involved.

Scripture teaches that one’s spiritual status, destiny, and experience are determined by the conscious choices that each individual makes during his or her appointed time here on earth. 

Religious rituals that are performed by Man are, at best, symbolic activity of what has already taken place in the unseen spiritual realm.

Some of the more final rituals (funerals/requiem masses) take place after the soul has already departed. 

No amount of post modem rituals or activity can change the location (2Cor.5: 8/Rev. 20: 13, 15) or the experience (1Cor. 3: 14, 15/Luke ,16: 24) where the departed soul has already gone.

Through human effort and activity, one can become more or less religious at will, but can only be spiritually regenerated (Titus 3: 5), born again (John 3: 5, 7), sealed (baptized) (Eph. 4: 30), and edified (1Cor. 3: 7) by the work of God the Holy Spirit.  It is He that prepares the indiviual to receive and to  understand spiritual information.  It is He that provides the individual with the opportunity to hear and to respond.

When one chooses to believe and to apply the GOSPEL MESSAGE he or she is born again (John 3: 5, 7).  When a born-again believer chooses to respond to an edifying principle of Bible Doctrine by believing and applying it, he or she advances in the post salvation spiritual life.

Regeneration (Titus 3), sealing (Eph. 4: 30) is the one-time work of God the Holy Spirit that automatically and immediately takes place at the moment of salvation. Spiritual growth (1Cor. 3: 7) is the ongoing work of God the Holy Spirit that takes place throughout the course of an advancing disciple’s post salvation spiritual life.

NOTHING can be accomplished in the spiritual realm apart from God (John 15: 5).  

Wolves in sheep’s clothing can go to church and secure positions of leadership.  The devil can quote Scripture. Demons know who and what Jesus is.

To enter Heaven one MUST be born again (John 3: 7)

When one chooses to participate in the Great Commission Matt 28: 19, 20, he or she enters the heart of spiritual warfare.  Some of the greatest battles will come from within and among the Christian Community at large.

In closing, the advancing disciple must be prepared to manage this mixed bag of inevitable responses.  Praise can lead to pride that goes before the fall (Proverbs 16: 18).  Adversity can lead to discouragement and diminished productivity.  For the ones who endures the good fight (2Tim. 4: 7), they will come through victorious, and God will be glorified.

We are not responsible for the responses that other people choose to make, but we are accountable for providing accurate information when God give us the opportunity to do so.