Proof of eternal life…

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ” He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:4–9)

All through the OT God told His people how to live, and even though some of them trusted Him and were faithful, most of them could not do it. Trusting Abraham was not adequate to produce the lives God wanted. So the Lord had to do something drastic.

Yesterday I heard an expose on ten large churches that teach error regarding how to live for God. Almost all of them were encouraged to use “faith” to live for themselves. “Be healthy, wealthy, and wise, and God will bless you.” Earn it. The sad part is that for many this prosperity gospel works, particularly the leaders of those churches, but for this life only.

However, as John the Baptist, and Jesus, and the disciples, and millions of later followers preached, living the rules does not produce evidence of new life.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22–24)

Joy that does not depend on external circumstances. Peace that deeply comforts no matter what. Patience in trials, kindness to all, even enemies… and death to selfishness and greed. This is Holy Spirit fruit and without Him in my life, I simply cannot live that way. Some can look good on the surface (I cannot) but the heart is all about self.

Since I’m not supposed to judge others, discerning false faith is a challenge. But out of the heart comes words that show me what to say and how to pray for those who are trying to earn their salvation, or are using religious practices with the hope of being “good enough” to earn God’s blessing. This passage is both helpful and a warning:

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9–14)

It is easy to exalt myself and rob Jesus of the glory He alone deserves. Pride is a big enemy of truth.

Lord, You alone save. I cannot bear fruit, or talk right, or think godly thoughts apart from You and the grace You give. Every day You remind me and I’m thankful that You patiently put up with my lapses — sins that You died for yet You forgive. More than that, You keep cleansing my heart and drawing me into humility and living for You. Protect me and help me to be grateful every day for Your incredible mercy.

Incredible Hope for those who ‘stop’ believing . . .

In conversations twice this week, we have discussed those who started out with an interest in spiritual truth and even made a profession of faith yet have turned away and seem no longer interested in things of the Lord. Did they lose their first love? Or did they not love Jesus in the first place? Were they Christians? Or did they just try to act like believers but without genuine faith?

Of course we do not have the answers. God knows the hearts of all people; this is not for us to know. Yet so many times I’ve wanted to know, usually because such information would help me pray. What kind of requests do I make for those who seem to have lost whatever faith they once had?

This morning, I read a long passage about the danger of falling away. The Greek term is apostate. With a bit of study, this word can mean several things. It is the context that is important. Here, the warning is to Hebrew converts who are suffering persecution and thinking they were better off in their old system of worship with its rituals and rule. They are told that Christ is better in every way and going back is not a good idea because salvation does not work like that . . .

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. (Hebrews 6:4–9)

Faith produces results, like a useful crop. Unbelief produces results too, like thorns and thistles. If I believe in Jesus Christ and that He lives in me and has changed my life, I live differently than I once did. However, if I abandon that faith, my life will be show it. I could be anything from indifferent or angry against God and His plan of salvation. This is not to say I cannot repent of my unbelief and rejection of the truth. It does say that being restored through the same way that I was saved is not possible. I cannot be born again twice. Backsliders are restored, not re-saved.

What then is apostasy? One theologian says this is totally related to daily life, not any theological ideas or abstractions. As James’ epistle says, true faith must and will be lived out. That means apostasy is unbelief that shows up in life. This may happen in various ways such as “in the fierceness of the renegade or in the quiet alienation of the outsider; it may be exhibited in moral disintegration or in persecution of the saints.” It could also show up as going to church as ritual rather than worship, praying as duty rather than in communion with God, and loving my neighbors because it feels good rather than because God loves me.

In other words, apostasy is not always total. As one pastor put it, all of us are prodigals from time to time. That is, a Christian might be filled with all sorts of doubts and be double-minded in several ways. Many Christians experience the war of flesh vs. Spirit with the flesh winning more often than not.

The sad part is that the more the flesh is given the nod, the less a person is able to hear God and be convicted or even concerned about what God is saying. Their life reflects their “I wants” rather than His will and they began to look as if they were never saved in the first place. These folks may also doubt within themselves that they belong to God.

No wonder the Bible if full of warnings against unbelief, disobedience and turning away. It puts backsliders and apostates outside the blessings of an intimate relationship with Jesus.

The assurance from this and other passages is that this way of thinking-acting has no future. It is bound to darkness which shall pass away. Its power is merely the suggestive power of deception from which all believers are called back to steadfast perseverance:

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:11–12)

Lord Jesus, my commentary says considering the richness of God’s grace, those who walk with You wonder why anyone would want to walk away. However, Your Word is clear; this falling away is a real danger and “not the way of rational theodicy; it is the way of struggle, the good fight, fought with clear recognition of the enemy and effective weapons” adding that these warnings are “a call for the endurance of the saints” because eventually You will bless us as You continue to lead us through to eternity with Yourself, our Lord God and Savior. Your promise is that You will finish what You start and I’m to trust that and press on.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- joy from these thoughts!

- the blessing of personal prayer time with Jesus.

- a lovely fall day.

- a drive to a small-town quilt show that was worth the trip.

- deep sleep for an hour before supper.

- able to enjoy sports on TV with my hubby.