Again, this is a blast from the past, written 40 years ago…
True faith is presented to us in the Bible thru clear and simple precepts. (Precepts are simply principles of belief and standards for moral behavior as revealed and governed by God.) God’s precepts are simple, here are four:
1. “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door…” (Genesis 4:7)
2. “Love God, obey His voice [word], and… cling to Him, for He is your life and length of days.” (Deuteronomy 30:20)
3. “You shall not hate your brother in your heart… You shall not take vengeance, nor bear grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:17,18)
4. “Whatsoever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and [testimony of] the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
As anyone can see, these four precepts give us clear, practical instruction while maintaining the authority of God. We see “what” to do, “why” to do it (God the Lord says so), as well as “when,” “how,” and “where.” Precepts clearly reveal a need to “do” something, and to do it properly.
“And Samuel said, Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken [follow instructions] than the fat of rams,” (1 Samuel 15:22).
However, today’s Christianity has become grossly polluted with man’s own concepts. These “concepts” are nothing more than silly “conclusions” based primarily on men’s perception of good and evil, being justified or excused by their limited knowledge of Biblical facts. These concepts are a witness to their lack of relationship with the true God and their slothfulness concerning his word.
“However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (John 16:13).
“Study to show yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15)
Many so-called “teachers in the Christian Church” have taken key foundational precepts of faith and reduced them to mere theology. One need only read certain clear Biblical truths in context to expose their theology for the lies they really are. Remember, the word of God is the discerner, (see Hebrews 4:12).
Sound Biblical teachings concerning Christ’s atonement, the necessity of repentance, as well as obedience, and sanctification, have been reduced to mere “historical facts” and mystical “concepts” of “spiritual reality.” Instead of exhorting the hearers to “work out” their salvation “with fear and trembling,” this contemporary distortion of God’s gospel simply encourages them to “rest” in the “finished works.”
True rest consists of having confidence in God’s righteousness that He will forgive if we confess, repent, and obey. “Resting” in the ability of Jesus’ blood to wash away our sins is biblical, as nothing else except the blood of Jesus can remove our stains of sin. However, this false message of “resting in the finished work” hinders people in their pursuit of a right relationship with God. In teaching “the finished work” it is pointed out that “all has been done” so we can have the “free gift” of salvation. However, the emphasis since “all has been done,” becomes easily twisted into the lie that we need not do anything except mentally accept historical facts concerning Christ’s crucifixion.
People who have been seduced by this false message will readily let you know that they are “resting” in the Lord’s “finished work.” It’s true Jesus did say in John 17:4, “I have finished the work You [Father] gave Me to do.” However, that finished work is clarified two verses later, “I have manifested [revealed] Your name…”
Jesus could not have meant “the work” of the cross here yet to take place, for He spoke in the past tense here, as “finished” prior to the cross. No, the “finished” work spoken of by Jesus was the making known of His name. Why? Because “neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved,” (Acts 4:12).
Scriptures reveal only one other time where Jesus said, “It is finished,” John 19:32. And yes, Jesus was definitely speaking about our atonement. It was complete. Finished. God’s blood had been shed for the remission of our sins. But when Jesus said “It” is finished, He was speaking of the duration of time required to provide the complete and only atonement for sin, (John 1:29).
“The hour has come that the Son of Man be glorified. Now is My soul troubled, and what shall I say, “Father save Me from this hour?” But for this purpose I came to this hour,” (John 13:23, 27).
“This command I have received from My Father,” (John 10:18).
By being obedient to the Father, Jesus “finished” the work given to Him to do by His being the Sacrificial Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. But does that mean there’s no “work” for us to do? If so, why did then Jesus instruct us to “pray the Lord of the harvest to send laborers?” (Luke 10:2)
The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, “We are laborers together with God. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the increase.” Paul also acknowledged that compared to God’s ability to give life, planting and watering were nothing. The same is true when our works of faith are compared to the life-giving sacrifice of Christ, they too are nothing. Still Paul says, “He who plants and he who waters are one [in purpose], and each will receive his reward according to his labor,” (I Corinthians 3:9,6,8).
In his second letter to Corinth Paul writes that “…we labor, that, whether present of absent, we might be accepted of Him. For we all must appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in his body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad,” (II Corinthians. 5:9-10).
Near the end of his life, Paul writes to Timothy, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course [work], I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day. And not me only, but to all of them who love His appearing,” (II Timothy. 4:7-8).
Friend, believe me, not everyone who “believes” in Jesus are going to “love His appearing.” Many who are “resting” in some “theological concepts” are actually those who Jesus warned saying, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And then I will declare to them, I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practiced lawlessness,” (Matthew 7:21-23).
Obedient labor is a vital precept in having a relationship with God. Since God is man’s Master, and we are to be His servants, Paul tells to, “be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, AS unto the Lord,” (Ephesians 6:5). Why was Paul so insistent about our laboring, working, obedience? Because “knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” (II Corinthians 5:11). “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed… work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” (Philippians 2:12).
Amazingly, many of the Biblical truths that give us cause to fear God also give us equal cause to rejoice in Him – “Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that fears Him, and works righteousness, is accepted of Him,” (Acts 10:34-35).
“God will render to each man according to his deeds. Eternal life to those who by continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality. But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish on every soul that does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek. But glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good… for there is no partiality with God,” (Roman 2:6-11).
Therefore, “let no man deceive you, he who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that commits sin is of the devil… In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whoever does not do righteousness is not of God, neither is he who loves not his brother,” (I John 3:7-10).
“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE…”
This personal summarization of Christ concerning “who” and “what” He is has been reduced to a mere “concept” which is to be “accepted by faith” (and not practically applied to one’s life). This is done when men paraphrase or interpret Jesus as saying, “I alone am the way, and you can’t do anything to save yourself.” While this is a true statement, it is not the same statement Jesus made. By adding, “you cannot do anything yourself,” they create the illusion that we need not do anything, except “believe.” Promoters of this idea often say that “Jesus is the only truth we need,” a phrase which alone tends to be unenlightening.
Jesus is more than “a truth,” He is the essence of all that is true and pure, even the polestar of all Biblical “truths” for Jesus is the central theme of the Bible. This is why we study to show ourselves “approved unto God, rightly dividing [applying] the word of truth,” (II Timothy 2:15). While it is possible to have Jesus as your Saviour and still be lacking understanding of God’s truth, it is impossible to “accept” Jesus as your Saviour and reject His word. Churches are full of unresponsive people as a result of these types of false teachings. To teach people to just accept the concept, “Jesus is all the truth we need,” is to retard them in their ability to know, understand, and rejoice in all the “truths” concerning the factual reality of our Lord and Saviour. As true believers we must reject these devilish attempts to distort pure, clear and simple doctrines.
Could a man who truly loves his fiancée ever be satisfied by the “concept” of marriage? Would he be willing not to walk with her or not hold her? Would he be willing, if he truly loved her with all his heart, not to enjoy the merging of their two bodies becoming one? Is this not the mystery of Christ and the Church? “For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church,” (Ephesians 5:31-32). Was this not Jesus’ prayer? “That they may be one just as we are one, I in them, and You in Me, that they all may be made perfect [complete] in one… “ (John 17:22-23). Why then have so many conceded and settled for “Christian concepts” instead of pursuing an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ? Simple, there’s so little cost in accepting a concept, but in order to have intimacy with Christ, one must be willing to make the same commitment of marriage.
By God’s design, (to prove our love) it is necessary for both parties to be absolutely committed, with total loyalty, if true oneness is to be lawfully obtained. Let us, therefore, embrace “the mystery which has been hidden for ages from generations but now has been revealed to His saints.” For God determined that to them, the Gentiles, that “the riches of the glory of the mystery should be made known: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom [to observe God’s precepts], that we present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,” (Colossians 1:26-29).
Jesus Christ is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. As Supreme Dictator of the universe He has established governing laws for all life forms and substance in their various realms of existence. We too have definite “laws of life” we must observe. Remember, “God is not mocked; for whatever a man plants, of that he’ll have harvest. He who plants only for his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who plants for the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. Therefore, let us not grow weary in doing good [obeying God], for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart,” (Galatians 6:7-9).
We are expected to be “living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” for a King who died to satisfy His own laws pertaining to the penalty of sin. This He did that He might restore His wayward subjects back into a right relationship with Him. In this, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him,” (Romans 5:8-9).
This is God’s only provision for man’s forgiveness. But after forgiveness, and being restored to a right standing with God, then what? God’s desire for humanity goes beyond just having them in right standing with Him. An inanimate object can be in right standing with God, simply by being what and where He wants it to be. But man’s relationship with God must be ongoing, maturing and intensifying. It requires love for God and commitment to His word. “For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more now having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life,” (Roman 5:10).
What does Paul mean, “much more… we shall be saved by His life?” Jesus told His disciples to stay in Jerusalem and to “wait for the promise of the Father,” which He said, “You have heard from Me,” (Acts 1:5). Jesus told His disciples earlier that, “He will give you another Helper, that He may ABIDE with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you… He will teach you all things, and bring to remembrance all things that I have said to you,” (John 14:16, 17, 26).
“Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (I John 2:3-6).
Only this way can there be “no condemnation” for those in Christ Jesus, because, “if a man knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin,” (Roman 8:a, James 4:17).
Hence, they who are truly in Christ “do not walk according to their flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is at enmity against God; for it is not subject to the Law of God, nor indeed can it be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you, [who are truly in Christ] are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His,” (Romans 8:1b,5-9).
God “is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance,” (II Peter 3:9). Therefore, we must turn away from mere theology and worthless concepts and “strive to enter in at the strait gate,” (Luke 13:24). We can only achieve this by diligently seeking to understand and comply with God’s precepts. We must submit ourselves daily to God’s Holy Spirit as He reveals His will to our hearts through His word. WE MUST STRIVE, for God has only promised to reward those who “diligently seek Him” and truly “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” for these are the ones who will “lay hold on eternal life” when it is revealed, (Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 5:6, I Timothy 6:11-19).
This present day upheaval of vain religion is a result of men rejecting “sound doctrine” because “after their own lusts” and having “itching ears,” they are self-centered and carnally minded, and have unwittingly gathered themselves together with false teachers and have turned “away their ears from the truth… unto fables.” (II Timothy 4:3-4). Whereby many who were had made a “clean escaped from them who live in error,” are now again “entangled therein and overcome. The latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, then to have known it and turn from the holy commandment delivered to them,” (II Peter 2:18-21, see entire chapter).
The “way of righteousness” is not followed by accepting concepts, but rather by following the holy commandments. Jesus said, “if you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love,” (John 15:9-10). This is the way of righteousness. Unless we walk this path, we will never be one with Christ, for He has said, “These things I have spoken to you that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full,” (verse 11).
What was Jesus’ joy? “I delight to do Your will, O God, Your law is within my heart,” (Psalm 40:7-8). The joy Jesus desires to be fulfilled in us is a “joy of obedience,” the joy and confidence of knowing we’re abiding in the will (way of righteousness) of the Father.
Jesus prayed to the Father, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent… I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world, they were Yours. You gave them to Me, they have kept [obeyed] Your word… but now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world hates them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You. That they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them [the promise of “Christ in us”], that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You and Me; that they may be perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me,” (John 17:3,6,13-17,20-23).
The Bible clearly reveals there are responsibilities for the redeemed. As Christians, we have not been raptured into some blissful Utopia of abundance, rather as citizens of the Most High’s Kingdom we must “work out our salvation with fear and trembling”. This is simply done by daily yielding to God’s Holy Spirit and obedience to His word. (Eccl. 12:13.14)
When men embrace concepts ripped out of God’s word, it is only because they are trying to justify themselves without picking up their crosses and submitting to God. Man must yield to the Holy Spirit of Truth if he is to be justified. Only then will the work he does he be the work of the Lord, and not dead works. We must live and walk in Spirit according to the light of God’s word if we are to have fellowship with God and be cleansed from our sins, (I John 1:7).
“Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead and Christ will give you light. See that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:14-17)
“Awake to righteousness, and do not sin: for some do not have the [true intimate] knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.” (I Corinthians 15:34)
DO ALL ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE, FOR HIS GLORY!
LIVE FOR THE KING!
