Long rant... We ought to observe how we regularly admonish and exhort the body of Christ, myself included. All I ever used place emphasis on was strict obedience, obedience, works, works, endure, endure, endure, works... Nothing else... I dont want to get misunderstood, because we should all be exhorting the household of God to grow in holiness and obedience... This post isnt to downplay obedience, but rather to encourage taking heed in how we add unto a foundation that God has already laid. Obedience is a critical exhortation, it should always be emphasized, but if it is the only thing our hearers ever hear, then it may leave them with a misguided view of their salvation and who God is... People who contend we have to maintain our salvation through works posses a lacking understanding of what happens when God redeems somebody. I used to be one of these people. They fail to grasp the full weight of what it means to be born again, to be born of God, to receive a new heart, a new spirit, and consequently a new nature. They fail to grasp what it means to be a new creature in Christ. His SEED remaineth in us, John says in his first epistle. Really contemplate what this all means... Often, what Christians attribute as their maintaining of salvation through obedience is really Gods own workmanship and preservation in their life, and in their heart. It is an outward manifestation of the inherent desires of their new nature. They didnt arrive at an obedient lifestyle in their own workings, but rather it was God that brought forth an obedient lifestyle out of them. God oversees his children, he moves his hand over their life and sets up circumstances, he works in their heart, all to the effect of bringing forth Christ within them... He doesnt just save someone and then wish them the best of luck... These self professed Christians who once made a profession of faith, who are out drinking, fornicating, immersing themselves in ungodly entertainments. they were never born again... If all we ever emphasize is works and obedience, work, work, work, endure until the end, do we allow for them to ever acknowledge that they are a son or daughter of God? That God is their friend? Or, do we leave them working like a dog as if God is a taskmaster and a taskmaster alone? Do they understand that they have an actual relationship with God? Do they understand that God cares for them, and takes pleasure when his children just talk to him as they would a really good friend, or father? I can honestly say that God had done more work in my heart when he opened my understanding to his love for me than at any other time... Something just clicked for me around a couple years ago when I understood that I could just speak to him as someone could a very good friend or father. I would often talk to him all day all throughout the day. Everything changed after that... He really began to do a work in my heart... Many of these ministers who constantly harp on works, works, works, their exhortations often work to the effect that it leaves people striving in the flesh, but their is no regeneration occurring in the heart... The outside of their cup gets cleaned, but the inside is still filthy... God expects us to bring him glory, but we have to be careful that we arent leaving the body of Christ under the impression that he is a taskmaster alone, and not also a faithful father and friend that cares for us... This is something that has been on my heart for a while... Something to consider...
Posted on: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 21:07:17 +0000