If I tell you a lie, can we still be friends?

Part 2

As we continue this message on the false teaching of our time, let us consider for a moment those who stand by the truth of the written Word of God. Standing by the truth has proven to be above all things, costly. There are a few who will adhere to the truth, but for the most part, most people won’t because it means giving up worldly possessions, social status, and sometimes, your lively hood and your home is at stake. It costs because you choose to stand for what is right and what is right isn’t always popular. In fact, the popularity contests are out the window when the decision is made not to compromise a Christian individual’s Holy Ghost convictions. In most cases it starts persecution, unrest, and segregation amongst so- called friends. In some extreme instances, I have had to separate myself from professing Christian’s because of their worldliness and cavalier life style. The Christian doesn’t have to do anything but follow the LORD Jesus and eventually they will discover that they cannot walk the same road as the world. The LORD Jesus demands separation.

“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” II Corinthians 6:16-18

I do want to be careful as not to cast stones around a lot of windows. But, I cannot apologize for the Word of God because it would be foolish on my part to apologize for something I didn’t do or say. I am just quoting the LORD because He is the final authority. Only a fool would begin to deny the authority of the living God. Not everyone in the Kingdom of God has wicked intensions as these false prophets, preachers, pastors, and evangelists of our time. I am convinced like this, while reading this message the Holy Spirit of God will identify those who are in error. I don’t have to resort to call a name, which is the Holy Spirit’s prerogative. As the Apostle Paul says;

“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” Romans 3:4

Almighty God is more than capable to identify those who are false and those who are true to God. So, let us continue with the exposure of the deceits of the false prophets. The main purpose of this writing is to expose the deeds or works of fraud, deceit, and falsehoods; you can decide just who the individual is. Remember this verse of Scripture so it will guide you in your search.

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.” Matthew 12:33

Falsehood Number Two

There are many denominations that preach and teach that a born again Christian can lose their salvation. I was associated with one of them in my early years as a new Christian. The Bible is very clear on this basis of security of salvation. There are many who will contend with this doctrine of eternal security. Their main stance against it is the idea that eternal security gives license to the believer to commit sin with no repercussions. Well, we know that is not true because of the Scripture to back it up.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:7-9

Yes, when a born-again Christian fails in their daily walk with the LORD Jesus, there are repercussions. The first one is cutting off the communication with God until the proper confession with humility is made to restore communication properly. I have always felt that these people are attempting to become my judge and rule my life with the law. The main problem, as I have mentioned earlier, stems from people making false professions, therefore, when the heat of persecution is turned up, and it will be turned up by the LORD, many fall by the wayside. The health, wealth, and prosperity propagators have proven to be the biggest attraction and instigator by getting people to profess Christ as LORD by peer pressure and emotional hype. For the record, the born-again Christian stands to lose their rewards in heaven if they ensue the sin in their lives. This scenario is dealt with in Scripture.

“Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” I Corinthians 3:12-15

On the other hand, people who make false a profession of faith or play church, stand to lose their eternal soul in a devil’s hell. I believe that unconfessed sin is the number one cause of Christians failing in their personal relationship with their LORD and Saviour, Jesus Christ. According to the Gospel of John, a truly born-again child of God cannot lose their salvation. There is ample Scripture to back up this claim.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

Let’s look at what the Apostle John had to say from God concerning the believer’s security in their daily walk with the LORD.

“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. But I said unto you, that ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:35-37

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.” John 10:27-30

“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 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. 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.” John 15:15-20

The reality of the truth is this; if in fact a person falls from grace and dies in their sins, just whom of the living is going to know where they go in eternity. Unfortunately, those are presumptuous, who place themselves on a platform and pretend to be the judge. We are all alike in this case where we tend to be the judge, jury, and the executioner, without knowing the full extent of the truth, and without having access to an individual’s heart. In short, we are not qualified to judge anyone but ourselves, standing in light of being judged also. I am encouraged to judge myself on the basis that it is I and the LORD that sees the intensions of my heart. Anyone else, I don’t have anything to go on but the fruit they bear out in the open for all to see. The Lord encourages us to become fruit inspectors, not judges.

The Apostle John knew what it would cost him to stand for the truth. He was persecuted and placed in isolation on a prison island. In one of his writings, the Book of I John, he describes just what it is to be a born-again child of God. John describes the attributes of a true Christian and how to identify the false ones.

“And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” I John 1:4-10

In short, true Christian’s seek the truth and the light, they shun evil and falsehoods. On the flip side, false Christian’s seek their own glory, weave deceit, and manipulate people for their personal gain. You might know of these people personally because they have infiltrated every assembly, many stand in the pulpit. I have always said that Satan is the most faithful of the church goers because he has so many he manipulates in the congregations. They seek to slate their lusts using the church as their cover. Their love for each other is limited and when it is convenient. They harbor militant tendencies that can lead to war at home, on the job, with neighbors, and even with other countries, when suitable.

Apostle John continues to distinguish between the true Christian and the false individual. I say individual because they don’t’ possess Christian tendencies but instead possess traits of selfishness and high-mindedness. These selfish individuals will not adhere to the commandments of the LORD because that means they will have to give up something in which most are not willing. On the other hand, a true, born-again Christian will surrender all to serve their master, their LORD, their personal Saviour. You can know a Christian by their acts and works motivated by love for others, including their enemies.

“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.” I John 2:3-11

By now you are probably asking what being different means concerning security of one’s Salvation. I’ll say it like this, if you don’t understand the difference between the true Christian and the false individual, you are most likely to be of the false individuals because there is no distinguishing traits in which to gauge by, not judge by, mind you. A true born-again Christian will possess traits of his LORD Jesus and of his God Jehovah, gracious, forgiving, and above all, showing love towards all. The unsaved, unregenerate soul will be empty of all these and searching desperately to fill the vast void within themselves which makes them outwardly and inwardly very selfish beings. The unregenerate soul that professes to be a Christian will strive with the Brethren to be popular, to be first, and to be noticed in public places, to compete with other Christian’s in the music, in the teacher’s spotlight, and also contend with the pastor. These are not very hard to spot in the congregation if you know what fruit to look for. Would you know the difference between a fig and a palm date? You might have to take a second look but you will be able to see the difference and taste the difference when you partake of their presence.

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” I John 2:15-17