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Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) If my people, which are called by my name, shall
humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their
wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin,
and will heal their land.In this series I have been showing how God has begun to judge this nation. I fear that if we do not heed His warning signs, then His judgments will get more severe trying to get our attention, till we finally do turn from our wicked ways and turn back to Him.
But to do that, we need to repent.
The problem is that in today's churches where hell, fire and damnation isn't even taught, how can one know about repentance?
How can people repent, when they don’t even know that they are lost.
To be saved, one has to realize that they are lost before they can be saved.
Let me explain.
I ran into someone talking about all the millions of people who are going to heaven.
He said that when the rapture takes place the world will be in utter mass confusion due to the millions upon millions of people that will be missing.
I asked him how does he know that so many people will be taken in the rapture?
He then pointed to all the people who profess themselves being a Christian.
Really? So I asked if Oprah is going to heaven because she professes being a Christian?
Yes he said because she believes in Jesus.
OK…..
So I asked him if he could show me in scripture where anyone who makes this profession, they will go to heaven.
He of course pointed to John 3:16…
John 3:16 (KJV) For God so loved the
world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
What this person was promoting is called "easy-beliefism."People often point to this and say that they “believe” thus they are going to heaven.
Once they believe they can go do anything they want because all is forgiven and they have their “fire insurance” in hand.
This is one of the major reasons that this nation has not repented.
I mean why repent when you are going to heaven already? You believed, so everything is honky-dory.
Problem is this is not what scripture is saying nor teaching.
Nicodemus And The Fiery SerpentIn John 3 Christ was talking to a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who we learn was a true believer in Jesus.
Nicodemus was a learned man and he knew the scriptures, so Christ talked to him with examples he could understand about salvation.
Christ, using the an example out of the Old Testament, stated the following…
John 3:14-15 (KJV) And as Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted
up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
eternal life.
What Christ is talking about here with Nicodemus was when God sent serpents as a judgment upon the Israelites in the wilderness.Nicodemus understood this.
We can read the account here in Numbers 21:6-9
Numbers 21:6-9 (KJV) And the LORD sent
fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much
people of Israel died.
7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and
said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against
thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And
Moses prayed for the people.
8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee
a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass,
that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and
put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten
any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
What Christ was pointing out here to Nicodemus is that the Israelites
were saved in the wilderness because they looked upon the serpent. But
they not only looked, they repented for their sins and then accepted in
faith that they would be healed if they would get up out of their tents
and look and believe.He was pointing out to Nicodemus that they (the Israelites) had to realize that they had sinned.
He pointed out that they had to seek repentance for that sin, and then freely accept the gift of healing that God provided.
This is the way that led to life for the Israelites in the wilderness after being bit by the snakes.
Believing is the final point to salvation not the beginning point. One has to realize they are sinners in need of a savior before they can believe upon the savior.
Otherwise who are they sinning against?
The Israelites in the wilderness knew that they were lost and dying. They have been bitten by snakes as a judgment sent by God.
But God being merciful sent a way for them to be saved.
All they had to do is believe and receive the gift of being healed.
They sinned against God, knew they sinned, seeking repentance, then believing they will be saved from death, they accepted the gift of healing by getting up out of their tents and looking (in faith) upon the fiery serpent.
There were also those who did not believe. They did not repent. They laid there in their tents refusing to look upon the fiery serpent and they died because they did not believe.
This is why I say that belief is at the end of the equation, not the beginning.
If one does not realize they are sinners, then why do they need saving? What is the point in believing if one does not realize that they are on the path to Hell?
To be saved, one first needs to realize they are truly lost.
1 John 1:9 (KJV) If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
Wide is The Gate
Matthew 7:13 – 14 (KJV) Enter ye in at
the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14
Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it.
Here in verse 13 Christ himself states that MANY people will take the
broad way leading to destruction. In other words, people will go to
hell and a lot of them.He continues and states that only a FEW will find the way that leads to life. He does not say millions, but he states only a “few there be that find it.”
Now to go on a little further in Matthew 7 we learn that there will be many people who stand before the Lord saying…
“…Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in
thy name and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works?” (Matt 7:22b)
Note here that these people are professing to know Christ and in fact
they did many “wonderful works” in His name. These people are not
professing Buddha, Gandhi, or Joseph Smith, they are professing Jesus
Christ as Lord.What does Christ say to them?
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
So right here are many people who “believed” in Christ, but are not getting into the kingdom.Proper hermeneutics show us that the best way to define scripture is through scripture itself. In regards to “believing” James tells us the following…
James 2:19 (KJV) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
So right here we are seeing that just because you “believe” does not
get you into heaven. The devils “believe” and they sure aren’t going to
heaven.What the devils are missing is that they are not repentant. They believe in Christ because they know who Christ is.
We must first realize that we are lost and destined to hell. It is the Holy Spirit that makes this true to us through conviction.
We have all felt the Holy Spirit convicting us at one time or another. It is what we did in that moment that matters.
Did we repent and seek God's forgiveness or did we continue on doing what we were doing and in turn hardening our hearts.
Do you know that there is nothing we need to do to go to hell?
Yep, we are already lost and destined to hell.
Scripture is very clear.
Romans 3:23(KJV) For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
This mere fact that we are all sinners alone separates us from God. When Paul wrote the word “ALL” that means you, me, everyone.All means all.
But there is more. Because we are sinners, we are destined to death.
Romans 6:23 (KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
These two verses right here alone show that there will not be millions upon millions of people who will go to heaven.The Barna Group ran a survey in 2003 showing that in a national survey of 2033 adults only 4% of adults have a biblical worldview.
"If Jesus Christ came to this planet as a
model of how we ought to live, then our goal should be to act like
Jesus. Sadly, few people consistently demonstrate the love, obedience
and priorities of Jesus. The primary reason that people do not act like
Jesus is because they do not think like Jesus. Behavior stems from what
we think - our attitudes, beliefs, values and opinions. Although most
people own a Bible and know some of its content, our research found that
most Americans have little idea how to integrate core biblical
principles to form a unified and meaningful response to the challenges
and opportunities of life. "
What the Barna Group is pointing out is a fact, not many people know
or read their Bible, therefore God’s word does not affect their lives.
People are basically going on instinct and what they “think and feel”
and what others tell them as opposed to what God’s Word REALLY says.God is judging this nation, that is a fact.
We are just blind to that fact because we have hardened our hearts against Him.
We need to realize that if our nation is going to be whole again, we need to turn from our wicked ways, humble ourselves and repent. Then God will heal our land again.
But how can we repent when most do not even realize that they are sinners?
Romans 10:14-15 (KJV) How then shall
they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear
without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent?
as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Our nation has become ignorant to the truth of God's Word. They do
not know they are sinners. How can they "believe" if they do not even
know.The enemy has done a great job of getting prayer out of school, the 10 commandments, demeaning God, Jesus Christ, God's Word the bible, and Christianity.
Satan has done a good job of removing God from our nation.
God warning Israel states the following…
Hosea 4:6 (KJV) My people are destroyed
for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also
reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast
forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
We as Christians need to get back to the solid Word of God. We need
to realize that we are a nation of sinners in need of the a savior.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV) If my people,
which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek
my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Our nation has allowed the enemy a foothold and now we are paying the
price. False teachings have become the norm due to the people's
ignorance of God's Word.We need to get back to the ways of the Lord, back to His Word so that our nation can be healed.
Where all that starts is with us Christians. Getting on our knees, humbling ourselves and praying for God's forgiveness. We need to repent before the Lord and ask Him to heal our land again.
Who Do You Serve?
Jesus stated the following…
John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
If you do not have Christ in your life, you will spend eternity in
hell. This is a fact. It does not matter if you believe this or not, it
is the truth spoken by Jesus himself. If your name is not written in the
Lambs Book of Life you will go to hell for what you have not done and
that is accepting Christ as your personal savior. To be placed in the
Lamb Book of Life, you need to turn your life completely over to Him.
Having “head” knowledge or “just believing in Christ” is not the same as
having “heart” knowledge with Christ living in your heart. We know that
even the devils believe in Him, where are they spending eternity?
James 2:19 (KJV) Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
We work hard at Prophezine to show that Bible Prophecy is coming to
pass. Because of this fact, the Bible is true. Since the Bible is the
true and is in fact the inerrant word of God, there is a heaven and
there is a hell.If you claim the title of “Christian” then take account of yourself this day. Many claim the title, but we read in God’s Word that the title does not get you into heaven.
Matthew 7:21(KJV) Not every one 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 7:22(KJV) Many will say to me in
that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name
have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 7:23(KJV) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Who you serve will determine where you will spend eternity. If you
are not serving Christ and a true child of God, then you are serving
Satan and a child of the enemy.If you are not 110% sure, then take account of yourself, your very life depends upon it.
1 John 1:9 (KJV) If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
By Ray Gano
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