Last week we talked about trusting God’s plan for our lives. As we saw throughout scripture, God’s plan will happen and His ways are perfect even though for example the paths of Job and Joseph did not feel perfect or did not look perfect but in the end everything was according to God’s plan. The paths that He takes us on are straight, even though we ourselves and others around us may think they are crooked. Again, the paths of Job and Joseph appear so strange that often many will say the path is not even God’s chosen and perfect path for your life. In order to walk on God’s straight paths, we must, Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.” When you choose to trust God wholeheartedly, He will make your path straight and His plan will unfold for your life. If you are following wholeheartedly, God will not only direct your path, but He will also give you the strength to complete your journey. 2 Chronicles 16:9 “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” You will also end up at His destination. Jesus said John 14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 6 I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Many believe they can get to eternal life by following their own paths but as we will see, those paths end in death and destruction.
When making sure of our salvation, as we read above, we cannot “be wise in your own eyes,” We are also told, Isaiah 5:21 “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” Proverbs 21:2 “A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Proverbs 12:15 “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” Proverbs 26:12 “Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them.” Proverbs 30:12 “Those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth.” Luke 16:14 “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value is highly detestable in God’s sight.” Psalm 36:1 “I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 2 In their own eyes they flatter themselves too much to detect or hate their sin. 3 The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful; they fail to act wisely or do good. 4 Even on their beds they plot evil; they commit themselves to a sinful course and do not reject what is wrong.”
Israel did not listen to the commands God gave them. Deuteronomy 12:1 “These are the decrees and laws you must be careful to follow in the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given you to possess—as long as you live in the land. 2 Destroy completely all the places on the high mountains, on the hills and under every spreading tree, where the nations you are dispossessing worship their gods. 3 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and burn their Asherah poles in the fire; cut down the idols of their gods and wipe out their names from those places. 4 You must not worship the Lord your God in their way. 5 But you are to seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go; 6 there bring your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, what you have vowed to give and your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks. 7 There, in the presence of the Lord your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the Lord your God has blessed you. 8 You are not to do as we do here today, everyone doing as they see fit.” Jeremiah 7:23 “I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you. 24 But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors.” Before the kings, people did what they thought was right, very much like today’s church. Judges 17:6 “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” And we saw this again Judges 21:25 “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” And then the book of Ruth starts off, Ruth 1:1 “In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land.” Isaiah 30:1 “Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin. 9 For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. 10 They say to the seers, “See no more visions!” and to the prophets, “Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. 11 Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!”
There is a children’s song called “I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N.” It is basically a gospel spelling bee. The lyrics are “I am C, I am C-H, I am C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N, and I have C-H-R-I-S-T In my H-E-A-R-T and I will L-I-V-E-E-T-E-R-N-A-L-L-Y.” I know, if you know the song it might be stuck in your head for a while. Many in the church have been calling themselves Christians since they were kids, for others that proclamation came at a later date. This little song lays it out simply. You are a Christian if Christ is in your heart and if that is the case, you will live eternally. But here is the problem. Many who call themselves Christians are only doing so because that they have followed a plan that they see fit to follow. They were told to pray a little prayer, follow some sacraments or as some were also falsely taught, they were predestined. Luke 6:39 “He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?” The song says they are a Christian because they have Christ in their heart, meaning Jesus, but Christ means anointed one. So that means if you are a Christian, you are anointed and will be like Jesus and do as He did. You then by believing in him and obeying His word, will have eternal life. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” By the way if you are predestined, there is no choice and you really do not need Jesus. Having Jesus in your heart means God is dwelling there. John 14:23 “Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.”
It also means doing as Jesus did. Matthew 4:23 “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 24 News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed; and he healed them.” Jesus said John 14:6 “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” For that to happen, that way needs to be followed and we need to be anointed, just like at Pentecost, which was to be ongoing not a one-time event. To be anointed like Jesus and the disciples of Pentecost, the church must return to God’s word so that God turns His face back to the church and once again dwells among us. Ephesians 2:22 “And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? John 7:37 “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” John 16:12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” Because God has turned His face, that is why truth is nowhere to be found.
The church was started in power and was supposed to continue in power. Acts 2:2 “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Here we see the power of the church continue. Acts 6:5 “This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 8 Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people.” Acts 8:5 “Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.”
To say you are a Christian means God and Jesus are dwelling in you and you are empowered by the Holy Spirit according to the gifts given you to do as Jesus did. Sadly for most, being a Christian is in name only. 1 Corinthians 12:7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” Those telling you that all the gifts are no longer available are spokespersons for satan. Also don’t buy into those who say they believe all the gifts are available, but they do not seek them, nor are they seen in their ministry. Mark 16:20 “Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Be careful with those like the charismatics who do have manifestations but look nothing like scripture.
Today most people attending church and even those who do not attend will say they are a Christian. The question that really needs an answer to is, are you really a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N? We are told 1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” The church has been greatly deceived. 1 Timothy 4:1 “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” Jeremiah 5:30 “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: 31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?” 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.”
The question am I a Christian or are you a Christian really needs to be answered but not quickly. For most, the answer will be a quick yes. But then we must ask why are you a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N? You or they will then say something about Jesus. Then ask which Jesus? 2 Corinthians 11:4 “For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” They will also say they follow His teaching. Then you would say which ones? Are you sure you are following the right teaching? Galatians 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” 2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” Most do not even know they should be testing what Jesus and what gospel is truth.
Then ask, are you doing as Jesus did? If Jesus is in your H-E-A-R-T, then you should be doing as Jesus did. The answer might be delayed as they ponder. They may say I go to church. I am a good person, support missionary endeavors etc., but are they doing as Jesus did in the same power from on High? A good place to start is to believe this verse. Again, Jesus said John 14:12 “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” John 16:23 “Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” The church was supposed to continue to do as Jesus did because that is the power that was made available to His disciples and not just the twelve. Matthew 10:1 “Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 7 As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy drive out demons.” Luke 10:1 “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 8 “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. 9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
They may say I believe as I have been taught. They may say I am a totally committed Baptist or Catholic or Pentecostal etc. Then ask is this happening? James 5:14 “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Paul said 1 Corinthians 4:18 “Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. 19 But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. 20 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” Today the church is mostly talk. They may even say I worship the one true God but don’t even know who God or Jesus is, as most do not that they are following other gospels. Following a different Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean following a man who sees he is Jesus but a different gospel. The god most follow is a denominational god made up with manmade doctrines and theology. For most they call themselves a Christian if they follow those teachings. To make matters worse they do not even know they are worshipping in vain. Paul said 1 Corinthians 15:2 “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” God doesn’t enjoy the worship as much as you do. Amos 5:21 “I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. 22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. 23 Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.” Isaiah 1:13 “Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations— I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. 14 Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!” Jesus said Mark 7:6 “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’ 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
As I am sure you have seen in the news, especially in the USA, the term Christian is used very loosely. It does not describe God living in our hearts and doing as Jesus did, but describes what a different Jesus and other gospels look like. Most in the church do as they see fit or as the denomination or group they belong to sees fit. It doesn’t even matter if what they are seeing is actually what God’s word states. There is no fear of God and they are unconcerned that they are powerless against their enemies. They are committed to the words of man and therefore think God is pleased with them but as we see here, their destination will not be where they think it is going to be. Luke 13:23 “Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, 24 “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 25 Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ 26 “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’” Matthew 25:41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
That last verse should really make us want to make sure of our salvation. Take the time to ask yourself if you really believe the Jesus of the bible and His gospel. If you call yourself a Catholic Christian, a Baptist Christian, Anglican Christian, Reformed Christian etc., then you are not, it really is that simple. It is that simple because there is no such thing as a denominational Christian. That applies also to independents because the underlying doctrines and theology are the same. John the Baptist said Matthew 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” You have to separate what is truth from what is false, what is holy and what is not, and the wheat from chaff. Unfortunately, most in the church are infants who are blown around like chaff. The gospel is not being preached, nor is there power to defeat enemies. This is how it was supposed to be. Ephesians 4:11 “Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”
Don’t be afraid to make sure. 2 Peter 2:10 “Therefore, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” As I said earlier, you do not need Jesus the way election is taught in some churches. Peter would not have said to make every effort to confirm your calling and election. He also would not warn us about stumbling. 2 Peter 3:17 “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.” As Paul said to the Philippians “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” You do not want to find out when it is too late that you were not a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N and not L-I-V-E-E-T-E-R-N-A-L-L-Y in heaven.
