Bible Studies
Cleaning Up Our Act
Part Two
Picking up where we left off at the end of Part One . . .
Just as Satan knows what buttons to press and when to press them for maximum effect, God knows what type and how much divine discipline it’s going to take to turn us around.
In spite of the James 2:10 “same boat” principle, and the Gal. 6: 7 principle of inevitably reaping what we sow, we rationalize away the need to change, often times justifying ourselves by taking the position that we aren’t as bad as a lot of other people, and that so far, we seem to be getting by, well enough.
In spite of the warnings, the violence, and the collapsing morality all around them, the people of Noah’s day were getting on with their lives, “…eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage…(Matt. 24: 38 NASB2020),” until Noah boarded the ark and it began to rain!
In every generation of Man, there comes a time when the minority (1) will “see the Light” and be saved.
Among the ones that have been saved, only a minority of them will desire to make changes for the better in the earthly life of the one they see in the mirror, and even fewer will have any real concern for the spiritual lives of anyone else.
To their own hurt, the majority (2) of each generation will choose to continue down the road that leads to destruction, making what they feel is the best they can, out of the lump of clay that they have to work with, perceiving no need, and having no genuine desire, to change their ways.
“There is a way which seems right (or at least acceptable) to a person, but its end (result) is the way of death (Prov. 14: 12 NASB2020 parentheses mine).”
We are NOT all going to the same place, and we are NOT all going to have the same experience when we get to where we are going, when we depart this world.
Concerning salvation, there is only one “way” to become born-again (3), to become spiritually regenerated (4), and to be permanently-sealed as a child of God (5).
Jesus said, “I am the WAY, the truth, and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father, except through (faith in) Me (John 14: 6 NASB2020 parenthesis mine),” excluding ALL other “paths” to Heaven.
Jesus taught that one MUST (not an option) be born-again (6), by making a one-time decision to believe when presented with the unadulterated Gospel Message (7).
Man-made religions, including some “Christian” religions, provide a never-ending listt of additional hoops for one to jump through, as if needed, in order to obtain, retain, or regain eternal life.
Cleaning up one’s post (after being saved) spiritual life has got a lot to do with discipleship, but has got nothing to do with obtaining or retaining the unearned gift of eternal life. Post salvation sin and failures have their consequences, but the loss of salvation is NOT one of them.
Matt. 7”: 14 (2) Matt. 7: 13 (3) John 3: 5 (4) Titus 3: 5 (5) Eph. 4: 30 (6) John 3: 5,7 (7) John 3: 16
End of Part Two
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