- Did God choose us because we were NOBLE?
- Do we stand on our own strength or are we kept by the grace of God?
- Did they fall because they were a bad lot and we are kept because we are of the better?
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not (Luke 22:31,32)
Do you feel you are special and hence God had saved you? Do you feel good about yourself when you read Cain (the way of Cain, a murderer – 1John 3:12 – implies hatred or malice and forethought – 1John 2:9,11/3:15 – are our hearts unaffected by these vices? – Mark 7:20-23/James 3:14-16/1John 3: 15), Esau, Balaam, Korah, Judas, or Israel that had FALLEN from their vocation? Didn’t Judas fell by TRANSGRESSION? (Acts 1:25) Didn’t Adam fell by transgression? Rom 5:14 – Didn’t Solomon transgress and went after other gods? 1Kings 11:4. Didn’t Israel go whoring after other gods? Judges 2:17/ 8:33/1Chronicles 5:25 What about Lucifer? Did he not also fell by transgression? Ezekiel 28:15,16/John 8:44 Yes, he did!
For if God spared not the natural branches (they were the natural branches), take heed lest he also spares not thee (Rom 11:21). For there is no respect of persons with God – Rom 2:11 – For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law (Rom 2:12).
Doesn’t the Scripture warn us too? Col 1;28/1Cor 10:11/2Pet 2:6. Therefore, whosoever TRANSGRESS and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son – 2 John 1:9.
There are multitudes of professing Christians out there who do not abide in Christ and are ignorant of their spiritual stance, who speak lies in hypocrisy having their conscience seared.
Abiding in Christ is then crucial, isn’t it? They had to abide in God through believing – But Israel refused to believe in Him – Acts 3:14/7:39/John 12:37/ Rom 9:30-32/1Cor 10. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? (Rom 10:14)
In the Old Testament when they abode not in God, they were cut off – Rom 11. They kept not the covenant of God and refused to walk in his law (Psalm 78:10). If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered (John 15:6)
Weren’t we the children of the devil before the grace of God saved us? 1John 3:10/Eph 2:2/5:8 Before knowing God or rather to be known of God, were you righteous and clean? Gal 4:9 I wasn’t! Along with the Apostle Paul, I also deem myself as least of all saints – Eph 3:8 – because I am a SINNER saved by the tender mercies of God the Father. Hence, I would be very careful about judging anyone. Even the angels, though greater in might and power, don’t bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord (2 Peter 2:11)
Know that it is the goodness of God that led thee to repentance. Therefore beloved, beware, lest being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness (2 Peter 3:17) – which means, we are all prone to fall – Heb 3:12/4:11/12:15/1Tim 3:6/Gal 5:4/1Cor 10:11,12/2Pet 2:6
What I mean to say is that they were not under the dispensation of Grace as we are in now; not to mention, sin had dominion over them.
Those men whom I have mentioned above and Israel too, have WICKEDLY DEPARTED from God – 2Samuel 22:22/Ps 18:21 – There is a great difference between wickedly departing from God or being drawn back unto perdition (Hebrews 10:38,39) and altruistic sinning.
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed (James 1:14)
- The Cardinal sins are – Money, Sex, and Power – these are the one’s that the Spirit of God is admonishing us to flee from and these are the ones that the mentioned people had fallen prey to that had drowned them in destruction and perdition (1 Timothy 6:9/Heb 12:16/1Cor 6:18)
- Presumptuous sins (Psalm 19:13) – Chief of all sins – committed with deliberation – wilful sin – “But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people (Numbers 15:30). Presumptuous are they, self-willed, that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness (2 Peter 2:10).
And now, under the Christian dispensation, even the presumptuous sins are atoned for, whereby SINNERS who have sinned in this manner are made clean by the precious blood of the lamb of God. BUT after they were enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away (in like manner), it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance (Hebrews 6:4-6)
If any man sees his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death (denying the Holy One and the Just – Acts 3:14,15/Heb 6:4-6): I do not say that he shall pray for it (1 John 5:16)
- Altruistic sinning Few examples:
- Didn’t Abraham lie about Sara twice?
- The midwives, Shiphrah and Puah lied about the Hebrew women regarding childbirth – Exodus 1
- Rahab the Canaanite prostitute hid the Hebrew spies – Joshua 2
Did God bless these women? Yes, he did. They left with the Israelites and God blessed them and they had a part in Israel.
Does God approve of Rahab? The whole city is destroyed and who is spared? Rahab. Does Rahab get approved of by God? Not only does she get spared, but who’s genealogy does Rahab the Canaanite prostitute end up in? Jesus’. Matthew chapter 1 – going down the genealogy you will see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the way down you will find Rahab the Canaanite prostitute in the line of the Messiah.
Numerous times the devil had approached me and offered me everything that I was asking God to bless me with and everything that a natural man would want in life. He said, make a truce with me and I will give whatever you want without delay. I thank God for the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ with my spirit – Philemon 1:25 – and for the word of God – for making my heart lose all the affinity towards this present evil world and its enticements. Now if not for the grace of God would we be able to resist the devil and overcome the temptations? No! For the weapons of our warfare are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4,5). Despite our spiritual stance and the royal privileges in Christ, we do fail of the grace of God – Heb 12:15 – and that’s the truth. For sure I have transgressed and grieved the Holy Spirit numerous times until I reached this point in my life. We know that infants often fall and crash before they even learn to walk, right? As it is in the natural so it is in the spiritual. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man (mature in spirit – Heb 5:13,14), I put away childish things (1 Cor 13:11).
Like anyone else, I too have to war good warfare on a daily basis to walk worthy unto all pleasing, to hold on to faith, and to keep a good conscience (1 Timothy 1:19). And Christ living inside of every believer makes it possible to live a life worthy of the Lord into all pleasing – Col 1:10. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; YET NOT I, but Christ liveth in me (Gal 2: 20). Even our Lord was totally reliant on the Father, wasn’t he? – John 5:19 He through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God (Heb 9: 14).
The righteousness of Christ alone had kept me so far. His righteousness is our amnesty. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he is the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:1,2). If we are still vulnerable in the dispensation of grace, one could imagine how deprived and helpless they were in the Old Testament times!
Jesus said, I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you (John 14:18) – and he did come! – the Spirit of Christ now dwells in every genuine believer. Now the Lord is that Spirit (2 Cor 3:17 – KJV)
The Greek word used for ‘comfortless’ is Orphanos = bereaved (“orphan”), parentless, fatherless…Had Christ not destroyed (incapacitate) him that had the power of death – Heb 2:14,15/Col 2:13-15 – and had not saved us from this present evil world – Gal 1:4 – one could imagine the horrendous state we would be in now? Apart from the grace of God and the mercies of God, what difference is there between us and them that had fallen? None! Oh, it is indeed a faithful saying: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (John 3:16). For we were as sheep going astray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls (1 Peter 2:25).
The people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up (Matthew 4:16)
I know Psalms 91 is one of our favorites, but the truth is – they (Israel) abode under the shadow of Almighty. But we, the body of Christ comes under the precious blood of Jesus Christ – the church of God, which God hath purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28). God hath quickened us together with Christ and raised us up together with him, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:6).
If not for the grace of God, why would Jesus go and preach unto the spirits in prison (the dead), which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah? (1 Peter 3:19,20) Doesn’t that show that the dispensation that they were living in was bereft of God’s benevolence? Toward us, is God’s goodness, isn’t it? On them which fell, SEVERITY – but toward us is God’s goodness (Romans 11:22). Because they were sold under sin, the law had wreaked havoc – Rom 7. Were we better? No, we could boast in Christ because He hath delivered us from the curse of the law, from the dominion of Sin, from the power of Darkness (ignorance – What does “Darkness” symbolize?), from the power of Satan, and from this present evil world itself – Acts 26:18/Gal 1:4/Col 1:13/Heb 2:14,15/Gal 3:13 – that we should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Other than the grace and mercy of God, what else we could call it?
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judges: for wherein thou judges another, thou condemns thyself; for thou that judges doest the same things (Rom 2:1) – Or despise thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leads thee to repentance? (Rom 2:4)
Brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall (2 Peter 1:10) – If a man, therefore, purges (cleanse thoroughly) himself from these (cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God – 2 Cor 7:1), he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work (2 Tim 2:21).
Were they in a position to be diligent in the things of the Spirit? No! But then one might say as the house of Israel also said once, that, The way of the Lord is not equal (Ezekiel 18: 25,29) – What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid (Rom 9:14) – there is no unrighteousness in him (Psalm 92:15).
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who will have all men (it means, from all walks of life and from all the nations and kindreds and people and tongues – Rev 7:9 – doesn’t mean the entire population of the world) to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2:3,4) – when God said, all Israel shall be saved – Rom 11:26 – doesn’t mean the entire population but the remnant of Israel – but the sinners among them shall die by the sword – Amos 9:10. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live (Ezekiel 33:11) – the wicked that is referred in here is the house of Israel – turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? (Ezekiel 33:11)
Can ye not discern the signs of the times or the dispensations? Don’t you remember the times of our ignorance, which God had winked at, and that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us? (Acts 17:30/Rom 5:8)
- When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal 4:4,5) – ‘grace and truth’ came by Jesus Christ – John 1:17
- Paul said, I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hidden from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints (Colossians 1:25,26)
- In the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him (Ephesians 1:10)
- We know that grace and truth came by Jesus Christ – And this dispensation of the grace of God was first handed over to Apostle Paul – Eph 3:2.
For they could not endure that which was commanded (Heb 12:20). The times they were living weren’t that good – Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow (1 Peter 1:10,11). And without Jesus Christ what distinction do we bear? But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners (Gal 2:17) – like the rest of the lot.
Of course, NOW in Christ, we are the kingdom delegates just as Israel once was.
- Ye are a chosen generation,
- a royal priesthood,
- a holy nation,
- a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness (choshek – ignorance) into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9) – But don’t we forget that in time past were not a people but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy (1 Peter 2:10) – Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied (1 Peter 1:2) – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).
And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac (Rom 9:10) – (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth)(Rom 9:11) – It all sums up into this: we are made partakers of the heavenly calling (Heb 3:1) – it’s a holy calling – 2Tim 1:9/1Cor 1:26
As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth (was it not God that hardened the heart of the Pharaoh? – Rom 9:17/Exodus 7:3,13,14).
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory – Rom 9:13-23.
And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of person judges according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear (1 Peter 1:17)
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness; But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen (2 Peter 3:17,18)
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches (Romans 11:16)