2012-02-12T16:50:00.000-05:00

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THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA /REVELATION 2 - 3

CHAPTER 1 (5 of 5)

EXPLANATIONS AND CAUSES

Faith to believe there is a God is not saving faith, (devils believe and tremble, James 2:19) this faith just acknowledges that there is a Creator; it does not make Him our Father. This was the kind of faith Simon of Samaria Acts 8:9-24, and Jezebel of Thyatira Rev 2:20-22 had. They went through the motion or ritual of repentance, but obviously did not have a true and sincere heart of repentance. They did not experience the "new birth", the sinful nature being replaced by the righteous nature of God.

Simon and Jezebel believed the report about the true God, but only received a religious experience, not a true life changed born again experience with Christ, the Apostle acknowledged this concerning Simon (Acts 8:23). Jesus said to the Pharisees and Sadducees that you are of your father the devil (John 8:44). These were the "elite" religious leaders, "religious" being the key word. They had a form of godliness, (do as they say not as they do, Matt. 23:3-5), but not the life changing experience that saving faith provides. Saving faith that not only acknowledges God is our Creator, but that makes Him our Father also.

Saving faith compels us to obey God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mark 12:30-33, Luke 10:27), the faith that causes us to abhor sin and avoid it. This faith causes us not to be partakers of other men’s sin (1 Tim. 5:22). Our contact with Sinners is for their conversion to Christ, not to be partaker of their sin. Light and darkness cannot have fellowship (2 Cor. 6:14,17-18). Primary association with Sinners will cause us to become lax in our Christ-like values and eventually lead to backsliding, forsaking the Lord altogether, falling back into the sinful lifestyle the Lord delivered us from to serve Him and to receive eternal life in the last day of our life (1 Peter 1:5,9).

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time...Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:5, 9

He who endures to the end shall be saved (Matt. 10:22), not he who walks with the Lord for a while then returns to a sinful lifestyle (choke the word, Mark 4:19, Luke 8:14). Salvation is what we receive at the end of our days (1 Peter 1:5); saving faith in the present is the "down payment", "earnest money" (Eph 1:14; 2 Cor. 1:22, 5:5), for the promise of salvation. When we take back the "deposit", God takes back the "promise" and blots our name out of the book of life. Revelation 3:5, this is one reference, which states blotting out our name can happen. This one scripture among others (Exodus 32:32-33, Rev 22:19) makes the "once saved always saved" and “eternal security” doctrine incorrect theology, which in itself has only been around about five hundred years, a doctrine the Apostles never taught.

As long as we are maintaining a "saving faith" walk with God, God's promise of the salvation of our soul in our last day is "secure". If we commit a sin, that does not destroy our "saving faith", for if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ (1 John 2:4). Bare in mine the scripture says "IF ANY MAN SIN", implying that sin is not to be our common practice. I stated earlier that "saving faith" compels us to obey God (Romans 3:31), without "saving faith" we will continue in habitual sinfulness, and only have a "religious experience" with an unchanged sinful nature, then at the end of our life receive the judgment of eternal damnation, not eternal life, [patient continuance in well doing...Romans 2:7].

The reference in Exodus 32:32-33 is believed, because of the Hebrew meaning of the word, to imply that the Old Testament's use of the book of life (book of the living) is in reference to those presently living, while in the New Testament the meaning is in reference to eternity. If the name were removed God would send immediate judgment on the individual or individuals, those in the Old Testament. When God said to Moses, ...whosoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book, the Hebrew meaning of the word "sinned" means: habitual sin. So more correctly... whosoever sins against me habitually, him will I blot out of my book.

Obviously, whatever the use of the wording, whether Old or New Testament, those who sin habitually will be blotted out of the Book of Life. Those who have given their heart to Christ do not fall into the category of the habitual sinner. For though we may commit sin, yielding to the desire of the sinful nature in our flesh, it is not in our "new nature," placed in the inner man to sin habitually. A "Backslider", the person who forsakes the Lord and returns to their old lifestyle, falls into the category of "the habitual sinner", as well as the person who has never given their heart to Christ. The backslider does not fall into the category of "He that overcomes", and "He that endures to the end" (Matthews 10:22). Therefore the backslider's name will be blotted out of the book of life. Yet, all of their remaining days, God will work with them in an effort to restore them to Him self, and reestablish His favor in their life.

Jesus said there are those who will stand in the Judgment, saying did we not cast out devils in your name…? The Lord said, depart from me you workers of iniquity I never knew you [Matthew 7:23, Luke 13:27]. For years I questioned that statement, for it made those who have the gifts of the Holy Spirit appear to be unaccepted by God. The Lord showed me that what caused them to be rejected was those deeds were past tense in their lives, for they at one time did obey Him and have an intimate relationship with Him, so He could use them to do great wonders for His glory, but sometime before their death they had stopped obeying Him and being intimate with Him, they were backslidden. Therefore when they said that bold statement to Him, He said I do not know you. They were cast out of His presence. They were in a backslidden condition, and their name was not in the Book of Life.

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15

In the Old Testament, God asked the children of Israel, if a man turns to serve Him, then turns back, will his righteousness be remember? The answer of God was, No it will not (Ezekiel 33:11-19). If I were to forsake the Lord (backslide), all of the treasure I have stored up in heaven will be lost, and I will fall under the same judgment of God against those who have rejected Him all of the days of their life. My name would be blotted out of the Book of Life and I will spend eternity in hell instead of in His presence. For both Old and New testaments speak of our name can be "blotted out". A person who professes to be a Christian can justify their sin all they want, it is a device of the Enemy to keep them trapped, unusable, and of very little value to God, then in the last day of their life, when they enter eternity and stand before God, He may say "depart from me, you worker of iniquity I never knew you," rather than "enter thou into the joy of the Lord thou good and faithful servant."

"Not everyone is meant to have the gift of the Holy Spirit" (God's power and gifts), is a lie of the Enemy to keep a "Christian" powerless against him and trapped in a sinful pattern of living, and with this behavior a fearful looking of fiery indignation that will devour God's adversaries.

For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. Hebrews 10:26-27

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Hebrews 4:1

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

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There are two Judgments. One is the “Judgment seat of Christ” [Romans 14:10 and 2 Corinthians 5:10] and the other is the “Great White throne Judgment” [Revelation 20:11]. Those who stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ are all who believe Jesus is the Messiah, and those who stand at the Great White Throne Judgment are those whose names are not written in the Book of Life. Those who stand as believers before the Judgment Seat of Christ will only receive eternal life if they walked with Him and obeyed Him (those who were truly born again/ Saints). Jesus said “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. [Matthew 7:21-26].” Those ‘workers of iniquity’ who will be cast into the lake of fire are those who profess to be Christian but never if ever obeyed God; this is those who lived to do their own desires instead of His, namely the backslider, religious sinner, lukewarm, and hypocrite;” For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10”

The Great White throne Judgment …”And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away ; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire [Revelation 20:10-15].” Anyone who professes to be a Christian and does not walk with and obey God are in jeopardy of being denied eternal life at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Paul wrote again, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means , when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.1 Corinthians 9:27” …and… “But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. Hebrews 6:8.” Psalms 11:5-7 …”The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth . Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest [lake of fire): this shall be the portion of their cup. For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance (face) doth behold the upright.”
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Samuel 2/12/2012

The Seven Churches of Asia