"Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God."
Good Morning my beloved,
We welcome you to worship today in the name of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining us today, whether it's your first time or you are a faithful member of our family in Christ, your presence is acknowledged and truly appreciated. If you're not certain about whether or not you want to embrace Jesus Christ, I pray there will be something in our message today that will point you toward Christ.
Recently, I was approached with the question: "If the mandate for the church is to go and make disciples, so why on earth would anyone want to intentionally make church look so unattractive?" Prioritizing the comfort of professed people of God by toning down preaching, rendering it essentially powerless to transform lives to focus on the felt needs of the congregation cannot save souls. The church is defined as the body of Christ, with one Spirit, called to be holy and undefiled. Churches that tailor their messages with an obsession on personal identity and comfort, compromising truth to attract lager crowds, can only produce "cultural Christians," rather than genuine disciples who are dying to self, following Christ's authority. As followers of Christ we have a responsibility to, as Paul said in Ephesians 4, "walk in a manner worthy of your calling." How you think determines your actions and serving as the foundation for behavior and lifestyle. For the Christian, replacing sinful thoughts and behaviors by establishing godly patterns requires renewing the mind, reorienting the mind to think in the right manner. This is not merely positive thinking or superficial behavior modification but a daily, Spirit-led shift that transforms the believer from the inside-out, shedding the "old self" — corrupted by deceitful desires — and embracing the "new self," created in God's likeness and reflecting His righteousness and holiness. Having an incorrect understanding of Scripture can easily lead many people to Hell. God forgives sin; He doesn't excuse it. Ignorance is not an excuse. Do not be deceived into believing that you can continue in willful, deliberate disobedience assuming God has forgiven you. True grace empowers believers to reject ungodliness and pursue holiness, not the permission to live in rebellion to God's moral commands. To walk in a manner worthy of your calling requires active mental discipline guided by His everlasting love.
I believe that tensions arise when people confuse making the church naturally attractive by reflecting the beauty of Christ with becoming attractional by intentionally modifying the Gospel message to please the sinner. When churches prioritize music with shallow lyrics, and bad theology that pleases the congregation rather than is pleasing to God. When churches prioritize music with shallow lyrics, and bad theology that pleases the congregation rather than is honoring and pleasing to God, they run the risk of turning worship from a God honoring sacred act of glorification into performance of personal emotional catharsis, ultimately turning worship into a product to be customized and marketed rather than a command to be obeyed, a trend that has continued to evolve and has accelerated since the Jesus Movement, born out of a desire to reach younger generations who were part of the counterculture to make Christianity more culturally relevant that is seen and expressed in all walks of life. It's culturally relevant because it caters to what the world wants; a man-centered message that sounds like popular music but is overlayed with Christian-themed lyrics that has virtually no doctrine in it, providing an uplifting message of inspiration that invites self-exaltation and prosperity. It's not surprising that over 64% of churches have reported significantly increased attendance after adopting a contemporary Christian musical style because it serves as the counterpart to the prosperity gospel, making it emotionally resonant for modern audiences, evolving into a multimillion-dollar industry featuring such popular multi-platinum-selling artists like Phil Wickham, who has direct ties with Bethel Church Brian Johnson and Joyce Meyer and Lakewood Church's Joel Osteen, who promotes false teaching and avoids controversial topics like sin, repentance, and hell, focusing on motivational messages of health, wealth and excess found in his self-help book "Your Best Life Now." Wickham, along with Brandon Lake, one of the most popular in-demand collaborators in worship music today, who argues that Christian phrases like "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty" is off-putting and risks alienating non-believers, prioritizing entertainment and compromise over theologically rich Christ-centered music. While Lauren Daigle and Amy Grant, are drenched in controversy with Daigle stating that she was unclear on whether or not Scripture views homosexuality as a sin, and Grant saying that "Gay. Straight. It does not matter how we behave when we're loved by the one who made us" to make Christianity more appealing without the commitment to pursue holiness. True Christianity cannot be made more appealing because Scripture clearly teaches that following Christ involves denying oneself, taking up one's cross, and submitting to God's Sovereign rule, turning from sin rather than seeking a religion that satisfies one's "felt needs." I believe Scripture teaches in 2 John 1, that we as Christians need to be careful in evaluating theological implications of such ungodly partnerships.
In John 10:27, Jesus said "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." Those who hear and follow the world demonstrate clear evidence of not being part of His flock. And, in John 15:18-22, He said "If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin." If you doubt how much influence contemporary Christian music has had on the church, just try confronting those who prioritize their reliance on their emotional experiences rather than a genuine relationship with Christ. Perceiving your words as a threat, rather than actually engaging with the subject, they will become defensive and turn on you, playing the victim, essentially saying "The problem isn't me, it's you!" You'd be surprised how many confuse cultural familiarity with God—treating Him like "celestial chum" which stands in stark contrast with Scripture's biblical wisdom which emphasizes that God is holy, awe-inspiring, and separate from sin, and biblical relationship with Him requires embracing complete surrender of one's own will. You see, the Christian’s entire life is not about pursuing our wants, our personal desires; it's about serving and honoring God, that is our ultimate purpose.
I believe the one of the biggest problems with liberal Christians, is they really struggle with living a life centered on serving God and serving others. Service is not for God’s benefit, He needs nothing. When we serve God through serving others we grow in our faith, we edify other and we help advance the Kingdom of God. Every act of service is a God-given opportunity to honor Him, which should be the deepest desire of every true Christian's heart.
Next, I believe that liberal Christians struggle with the way God is revealed in Scripture, especially in reconciling His perfect righteousness with His divine judgment. They particularly struggle regarding the tension between His love and His wrath against sin. If all people are created in God’s image, why would He condemn anyone for being born as He made them? This is particularly relevant when discussing homosexuality and transgender identities, though it extends beyond these topics as well. So, in order to justify their sin, they tend to emphasize God's love, inclusivity, and the belief that moral discernment should evolve alongside a deeper understanding of human diversity. They will argue that sexual orientation and gender identity are not distortions of His created design but a reflection of His expansive and creative nature, which serves as evidence that God loves diversity, so much so, that He has woven it into every aspect of His creation, then quoting Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Of course leaving off verse 20a, which says "teaching them to keep all that I commanded you." True believers must abide in Christ to bear fruit; otherwise, they are useless. Let's be honest, even our most sincere efforts are misguided without Him.
First of all, you have to come to grips with the reality God created the life, a status that grants every person inherent value and dignity regardless of their moral state, but He did not create the lifestyle. All humans are made in the image of God, and the image itself remains intact, but because we are born into sin, sin has corrupted this image, without erasing it's inherent value. Then, you need to be able to understand that all sin is contrary to God’s design, and sin separates us from God until we are born-again, through faith in Jesus Christ, Who is the perfect image of God. Next, you have to accept the depth of your own sin before a holy God, which is essential for true repentance and true understanding the necessity of His grace, a precursor to receiving salvation and you must acknowledge that God alone is qualified to measure sin according to His perfect moral standards. Scripture makes clear that God’s wrath is poured out against ungodliness and unrighteousness, because sin suppresses the Truth and dishonors His glory. Yet, in His perfect righteousness, He justifies sinners through faith in Jesus Christ—not by ignoring their guilt, but by personally bearing the full penalty of sin on their behalf, taking their place rather than excusing or overlooking it. Evil is a dominant reality of human life, both internally and externally. Apart from Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit, it is uncontrollable. Self-control is ultimately futile, because it cannot be achieved by human willpower alone and leads to eternal death rather than life. I've heard some argue, "Well, that's that not true! I have never murdered anybody or committed adultery, because I have self-control." Looking back to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said in Matthew 5, "You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not murder’ and ‘Whoever murders shall be guilty before the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ shall be guilty before the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last quadrans.
"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. But if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. In order to avoid sin, there must be a radical denial of self, but we must remove all sources of temptation from our life. For the record, this is not a literal command for self-mutilation, as some have mistakenly interpreted it. It is a command to prioritize spiritual well-being over physical completeness. God is all-powerful, He is all-knowing, He is sovereign and controls everything. Scripture clearly affirms that there is absolutely nothing outside of His knowledge or control. When a person joins a specific club or organization, he voluntarily obligates himself to function and abide according to the rules, structure and purposes of that organization to which he attaches himself. The organization has the right to set membership criteria and enforce internal rules and bylaws that members are to abide by in order to remain in good standing.
As a citizen of the United States of America, you obligate yourself to abide by the laws that govern our nation and society. Yes, citizenship is a legal status that comes with rights, rule and responsibilities. If you want to become a part of the Body of Christ, there are certain principles that you pledge loyalty to uphold. One of those is You agree to refrain from sin in any and all forms which it presents itself, this involves not allowing it to reign in their bodies, from both external sources and internal desires, recognizing that giving in to temptation constitutes sin.
As Christians, we are simultaneously sinners and saints, both able to sin and supernaturally empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, not to be able to sin, as sin's dominion over us has been broken. Therefore, we must actively and constantly resist temptation and indwelling sin until the final day of our glorification. The apostle Paul vividly describes this in Romans 7:19 and laments, "For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing"
The Christian life is not about achieving sinless perfection now, but it is about progressive sanctification, sinning less. Habitual, unrepentant sin is incompatible with genuine saving faith. God has no internal influences on those that only come to Him externally. God is quite content to make it clear that He is under no obligation to any creature, operating over all that exists entirely from His own sovereign will, including evil. And He does so without a hint of reluctance. God is not conflicted, wringing His hands trying to figure out what He should do in any given situation. He is fixed and unchanging in His essence, attributes, and purposes, providing us with a consistent, reliable foundation in a world of constant change. Malachi 3:6 declares, "For I, the Lord, do not change..." Nothing can be added to or removed from His infinite perfection. I absolutely love that.
Can you imagine serving an unreliable, ever-changing God? It would be terrifying if His Truth were fluid, and duplicitous in His Judgment never knowing what to expect. Thank God His justice is seen in both the flood and the cross, exposing the "secrets of men" regardless of their public reputations, guaranteeing that no evil will ultimately prevail and that every wrong will one day be righted, removing the need to avenge ourselves. I believe it is absolutely crucial to get the gospel right, and preached clearly so that you don’t have people who think they’re saved and they’re not. Contrary to popular belief, as Christians, we are commanded to judge those within the church who profess faith but live in unrepentant sin. In 1 Corinthians 5:9-13, Paul emphasizes that we are to judge those who engage who engage in behaviors such as sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, and verbal abuse. Confronting them in love and compassion, rather than wagging our finger, remembering from where we ourselves came. "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people; I did not at all mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the greedy and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or greedy, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Are you not to judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God will judge. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves."
While we are responsible to call others to examine themselves and hold fast to the Word of God, ultimately, only God knows the heart. And, at the same time, as I’ve been pointing out to you for years and years, I believe that it’s obvious that there are many people who think they’re Christians and who are clearly not. Some people come into churches who are not really Christians, they just want the fellowship, witch is nothing more than social interaction; chatting with one another in Christianese. Genuine spiritual fellowship is reserved for those who share the same core beliefs in the Gospel. I'm not just talking about those sitting in the pews, I'm talking about those standing in the pulpit who genuinely need to be converted. I've been accused of putting barriers in front of people’s conversion, making them uncomfortable by talking about sin, repentance and genuine salvation. Clearly, they want salvation on their own terms. In Matthew 11:12, our Lord Jesus said "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force." Without a clear understanding of sin, the gospel loses its meaning. I believe that one of the clearest elements of the invitation to salvation on the pages of Scripture is the necessity of repentance. Jesus' first command in Matthew 3:2 was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." By removing the call to repentance and turning away from sin you create false conversions, who may have moved strong emotional responses but lack a permanently transformed life, where the love for sin is truly abandoned. Jesus said in Matthew 7:24, counterfeit Christians will eventually be exposed. Just like counterfeit money, counterfeit Christians have no real value. "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7)What must you do to be saved? Repent and believe in the Gospel. (Mark1:15) To be completely fair, I don’t believe that most Christians intentionally set out to be counterfeit Christians, I believe that many of them have been handed a counterfeit Jesus from a counterfeit gospel, which Paul is no gospel at all. (Galatians 1:5-7) Christianity was once part of our nation's fabric, giving us biblical morality and divine standard the deeply influenced Western civilization and cultural norms by which to judge behavior, but not anymore, marking a profound shift in the way behavior is judged. Consequently, the church no longer stands in judgment of those professing to be Christians, confronting ungodly behavior and unrepentant sin, to foster repentance and preserve the integrity of the faith as instructed in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, to prevent judgement from outsiders, now society judges the Church. Counterfeit Christians often feel more guilty for missing a church social event than offending a member of his own household or his neighbor. When I was growing up in the church, it was unacceptable to miss a Sunday morning worship service, it was the hallmark of righteousness. Anyone who did miss "obviously had gone astray." Tragically, many who profess themselves to be devout Christians today simply walk into church, go through the motions of worship, exchange a few pleasantries , grab lunch with a few familiar faces, then return home — never truly engaging with Christ or their community. In the meantime, they often disrespect other church members, gossiping and spreading lies about them to friends, and lust after women in church, looking to selfishly satisfy their sexual desires. Friends, these are not just personal moral failings but are manifestations of a much deeper spiritual compromise.
I can’t help but wonder what Jesus would think about the modern-day Christian. I mean, we’re talking about a guy who called one of his closest friends, and later the leader of the Church, "Satan!" And what would contemporary Church would think of Jesus today, after all He boldly confronted the "religious hypocrites" calling them whitewashed tombs and blind guides. Tolerant and accepting aren't exactly the first words that come to mind! Personally, I stand with any theologically sound, Bible-believing church that preaches and teaches the Truth, guiding people toward a spiritually maturing relationship with Christ, rather than merely fostering a institutional or denominational one — which, by the way, is not found in Scripture. All believers are baptized into One body, making it theoretically impossible to exist apart from the fellowship of other believers who together make up the Body of Christ. In Heaven, there won't be any denominational divisions such as Baptist, Methodist, or Pentecostal—only unity in Christ. It's sad to see so many pastors seeking attention rather than seeking Christ. Hebrews 11:6, "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." Counterfeit Christians will always ostracize those of us who stand firm on biblical Truth, believing that pornography and sexual immorality is wrong, that rioting and lawlessness is not peaceful protesting, hatred of any person is wrong, vandalizing abortion centers or pro life centers is not freedom of expression, it's sin, killing innocent unborn children is not freedom of choice, it's murder. Compromise on God's Word is betrayal all under the banner of tolerance, acceptance and love. True Christianity is often persecuted; shouted down, threatened with violence, censored by both social media and mainstream media. Because the one thing they cannot tolerate? Is the TRUTH. It really amazes me the way some people study the Bible with a disconnection to Truth, even if it violates biblical principals. If Christ is one. If God is one. If the Spirit is one. There can only be one Body, which does allow for factions and divisions within the church. Biblical fellowship by definition is a spiritual closeness that exceeds the limitations of natural human friendships. You can't have people becoming Christians on their own terms. Genuine salvation and eternal life is on God's terms. Not human opinion. Let me tell you something, compromise on Truth only serves to deceive those who think they're saved when they're not. And what good is that? James 4:4, "You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world sets himself as an enemy of God."
Jesus commanded those who wished to follow Him, to deny themselves and take up their cross, even unto death emphasizing that true discipleship is found only through complete rejection of selfish interests not a half-hearted compromise. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "If you hate, you’re a murderer. If you lust, you’ve committed adultery in your heart. If you covet, you’re a thief." You can violate those in attitude, not just in action.
Let's pray
Heavenly Father,
Father, we are so thankful for the wonder of Your Word, how Your Truth is revealed and is written on our hearts and penetrates our minds. It is always so refreshing, clear, and powerful—helping us to better understand the conduct You call us to as we turn to Christ in complete surrender and earnestly pursue holiness, until we arrive in glory and can worship You perfectly. O' Lord, I ask that You would take me as I am, though I have nothing to offer, and do with me whatever You will. Use me for Your glory. Thank You for allowing me to see how beautifully Your Spirit works in the lives of others, so that we may be one with You. Father, we pray that You would do Your mighty saving work in every heart, and bring those hearts to true repentance. May they let go of their sin to embrace You. We humbly ask and pray these things in the precious name of Your Son, for Your glory, that the world may come to know Him and believe in His name.
Amen.
Today's Message: The Deceitfulness of Sin
Open your Bibles with me if you would to the Gospel of Luke, our beloved physician, chapter 16. Today we'll be looking at verses 14-16. I'd like to encourage you to follow along with me as I read with an open heart to set the text in minds. Luke 16:14-15.
"Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him. And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God."
Let's look at verse 14, "Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him." Luke opens with "Now the Pharisees," who were not merely random critics of Jesus, they were the respected guardians of Jewish Law and tradition, the ones who meticulously upheld the law, or at least their interpretation of it. There was a time when some of the Pharisees were inviting Jesus to their homes because they wanted to find out what He was teaching. There was never another meeting between Jesus and the Pharisees in one of their homes recorded in Scripture. It didn't take long for their curiosity to develop into hostility and hostility into anger because He was teaching things contrary to what they taught. Jesus has already exposed their hypocrisy multiple times (e.g., 5:21; 7:30; 11:37–54). Here, their mask slips once again, their true attitude revealed. The Greek word "philarguroi" indicates their pursuit of wealth went far beyond mere ambition or necessity—they were literally consumed them, they were intoxicated by the power and freedom it bought. They didn’t just love money; they literally craved it, to the point every dollar felt like a personal victory. Jesus began to call into question the genuineness of their commitment to God. Needless to say, after hearing His teachings on wise stewardship and God's requirement for use of money, they were scoffing at Him. We know their attitudes against Him began to increase in chapter 15 because in verse 2 Luke says, "both the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." They were convinced that it was Jesus Who was defaming the law, because everything that He said and did was an attack on them and they were the ones speaking the truth. However, it was their spiritual idolatry that blinded them to Jesus’ message, which threatened their social standing and material comfort. Which, by the way, is what ultimately lead them to believe that He was not from God. They wanted to shout it out loud deterring anyone who might regard Him as the Messiah, who thought that He was the true interpreter of God's law would understand just how horrific His teaching was.
Allow me to highlight the primary distinction in the method of confrontation in Spiritual conflicts play out in spiritual warfare: truth attacks teaching; deception assaults character. When true Christianity, anchored in truth and rooted in accountability—rather than personal vendettas— it will always confronts false teaching, by invariably expose the false teacher by attacking the spiritually dangerous teaching, through Scriptural truth rather than attacking the person's character. When false religion confronts true Christianity, masquerading itself as angels of light, it will always attack the character of teacher to justify and protect their sin by using misleading rhetoric instead of addressing the teaching directly, by subtly twisting doctrine using deceptive words, to affirm certain truths while denying others. I want to be clear, any teaching that does not acknowledge the Truth of God— being deprived of the truth, coming from a corrupt mind—will be antagonistic to the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. False teaching leads people away from the Truth and into spiritual ruin and ultimately destruction and is therefore is an enemy of God. There can be no harmony between the Truth of God and false religion in any way, shape, or form whatsoever. Truth and false religion are fundamentally incompatible. That is what the pagans do, they worship a false god. That's why the apostle Paul says in Galatians 1, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to the gospel we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed!" What Paul is saying is that any Gospel that does not come from the One True Living God, its teacher is doomed, destined for Hell.
That brings us to verse 15, "And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God." You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, the context of this strong indictment is certainly one of the greatest substantial evidences of false religion. Self-justification driven by the desire to protect one's self-image to make yourself appear morally superior to others by maintaining a facade of righteous before men, reveals a heart anchored in pride, where those engaged in such behavior stand in judgment of others, while ignoring their own inward sins to escape accountability, masks a much deeper spiritual condition— salvation by works—which is ultimately rebellion against God. What is prized among men but not in accordance with knowledge, renders that zeal absolutely useless, visible acts designed to earn admiration is detestable before God, Who knows your hearts. We know that no one can make himself right with God, through their own efforts or by keeping the law; it is by grace we are saved through faith in Christ, as the instrument through which this salvation is received, validated by His resurrection.
I’m often asked the question, if people who call themselves Christians, proudly wear the label "Christian" but their lives repeatedly deny the presence of Christ, are they saved? I am convinced that there are many people who name the name of Christ, but do not truly represent Him. There are many places that call themselves churches, and they’re not, men and women who call themselves preachers, that are not called by God, preaching a different gospel, about a different Jesus, and a different spirit, so you're bound to end up with people who who profess to be Christians, who think they're Christians and they're not. Because Faith based on faulty doctrine produces a faulty faith. Salvation built that rests on non-biblical premises is a cheap counterfeit, where personal feelings and desires replaces objective biblical truth. Any man who doesn't worship the One True Living God, ultimately end up worshipping themselves.
2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."
False churches are often built on cultural and social causes, they tell people what they want to hear rather than preach the Truth on the authority of Scripture. And while popular, they will ultimately lead people away from true salvation. In John 14:15, Jesus said "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." He's talking about denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Me. Denying yourself is spiritual discipline, it's dying to the old self. It's saying "NO" to what you used to do and what you want to do and "Yes" to what Christ says to do. It is by losing your "old life" you gain eternal life. Matthew 16:25, "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
When you are alive in Christ, you are dead to self, and that includes all forms of sexual immorality. That's why Paul could in Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." And in 1 Peter 2:24, Peter essentially says the same thing, "Who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that having died to sin, we might live to righteousness; by His wounds you were healed."
Tragically, I don't believe that many professing Christian truly understand what it means to be alive in Christ and dead to self. It means to deal with the sin in our lives drastically. The eye is the lamp of the body, so Jesus said if your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus said there is a narrow gate that goes to heaven, and there is a broad road that says heaven but goes to hell. The narrow gate is hard to find and ever harder to go through, because it demands denial of self, recognition of sin, full repentance, submission to Christ, resisting temptation, commitment to obey Him and follow Him no matter what the cost. The narrow gate demands a total rejection of worldly desires in no uncertain terms. By crucifying the flesh and its passions, and losing the desire to live for world, we allow God to occupy the "throne" of our lives. That's why it is possible for sinners to be reconciled to God. Reconciliation with God, that’s what we live for. That’s what we die for. That's why we are called to this wonderful privilege, preaching the Gospel for reconciliation to God. In a world that is self focused, often confusing personal opinions with divine revelation, one of the most difficult realities for people to face is having their selfish, self-serving motivations for being in the ministry brought into question, to be confronted with their need of self-preservation and self-advancement, prioritizing selfish desires over obedience to God. When people prioritize self, they tend to resist acknowledging personal sin, or excusing sin, while quickly condemning the sins of others, judging them by a standard they do not apply to themselves, especially those with whom they disagree, a practice that is rejected by God, described as self-righteous judgment. James lovingly reminds us, in chapter 4:6, that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
In John 13:34-35, Jesus expressly taught, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus is commanding His own, those who profess to belong to Him, to "love one another" by a higher standard than the Mosaic Law requires of loving one's neighbor as oneself, not merely human affection, but with the same self-sacrificing love He has demonstrated toward us as a humble servant, prioritizing the needs of others even at great personal cost, setting aside personal rights and desires and being willing to lay down one's life, just as He did.
Are you serving others in a way that demonstrates that you believe the Word of God? Do you give generously, cheerfully, serving as a testimony to the world, trusting in His provision to meet your needs according to His riches? Scripture affirms that true faith, is not just professed, but lived, demonstrated through action. (James 2:17) We are commanded to love one another and we should be commanded to do that, because we have been given the greatest capacity to love because God lives in us and through us. Love is the truest evidence that our salvation is real, and I'm not talking about worldly love. Love that comes from God is caring, compassionate, selfless and sacrificial.
Don’t just listen to what someone claims, carefully examine at the way they walk. Essentially true saving faith comes down to willing obedience to the Word of God, by living missionally and ministering freely, demonstrating that you do not rely on your own resources, but on the God who owns everything and delights in caring for His children. The Pharisees were the most righteous, most respected religious leaders of in all of Israel, fastidious in interpreting the law and applying the law and yet they were archenemies of Jesus, the instruments of Satan through and through. Tragically, even as we speak, there are many false teachers in modern Christianity, who are propagating a false gospel, with a deceptive message designed by Satan. They want to embrace anybody who believes literally anything so long as they're willing to talk about Jesus. Even if that belief very clearly contradicts the true Gospel. It doesn't matter whether they're Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or an aberrant form of Christianity with a perverted message. God makes His appeal through the ambassadors for Christ, He has given us the privilege of proclaiming the Good News, that through Jesus Christ, it is possible for sinners to be reconciled to God, not counting their trespasses against them, treating them like Christ, as though they have never sinned, made possible through Christ's death and resurrection. Therefore, we are to earnestly implore others on Christ's behalf to be reconciled to Him, knowing that their eternal destinies hang in the balance. That’s the only reason we’re still here, otherwise, we might as well have just gone to heaven the moment we are saved. And, if we were saved purely for the purposes of fellowship and worship, then we might as well go to heaven right now. Frankly, I believe that we much too often get distracted, losing our focus. It's as if we're here primarily for our personal enjoyment. We are to illustrate the saving character of God, the gracious merciful, lovingkindness of God even in the way He deals with the worst of unregenerate sinners. In that John 3:16, Jesus teaches us that "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." We are to illustrate the saving character of God, His gracious merciful, lovingkindness, in the way that He transforms the lives of unregenerate sinners, which we were once were, to reflect Christ-likeness, through a process called sanctification, resulting in a life of purity and holiness before the watching world.
There are some who will argue that "If God so loves the world, if it is God's desire is that all men should be saves, that none should perish, then why did He allow His children to make a choice?" Or "If God is Sovereign over all things, why doesn't He just simply overrule their decision" Others, like Universalists believe that a person's eternal destiny is not fixed at death, but God will eventually save all of humanity, regardless of their faith, actions, or relationship with Jesus Christ during their earthly lives, so that everyone will ultimately end up in heaven. I believe that for one reason or another, the very idea of living a life of eternal torment in hell is just too much for some people, causing them to reject the clear teaching of Scripture.
God’s love to the world is unlimited in the extent that salvation is offered to all. But the offer for salvation is limited in time and opportunity, meaning that as humans, we must respond to God's offer before the door of opportunity closes forever. Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 25:1-13 is explicit on the subject, "And later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’" When the door to the "wedding feast" is shut, it’ll be too late to enter in.
Then, in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, Jesus through Paul makes clear, "The last enemy to be destroyed is death," leaving no more of Christ's enemies in existence. If death has already been completely defeated and all "enemies of the cross" in Philippians 3:18 are already destroyed when Jesus hands power to God the Father, that leave's no room for a process where unbelievers can eventually accepting Christ, because all of those who rejected God would already be "destroyed" by that point, meaning they will remain in rebellion and corruption, just as they are now. In 2 Thessalonians 1:9, Jesus through Paul describes the final fate of those who reject God and the Gospel of Jesus Chris, they will face an irreversible state of conscious eternal destruction, permanently separated from the presence of the Lord and the glory of His power and might. This irreversible punishment or "díkēn tísousin" in the Greek, is not annihilation, but a righteous act of God, an unending experience of conscious suffering, as the penalty owed for their actions. By the way, the Greek word "aiōnion" parallels the duration of "eternal life" for the redeemed.
In Philippians 2:9-10, says "Therefore, God also highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." This passage describes a universal acknowledgment of Christ's lordship including both the righteous and the wicked, whether willingly or unwillingly and does not in anyway explicitly guarantee or imply redemption or justification, since the confession of "Jesus Christ is Lord" is not salvific, allowing for restoration after judgment, but inevitable reverence due to the intrinsic Greatness of our Lord and in recognition of His authority. This confession is often linked to Romans 10:9, which states that salvation requires both confessing with the mouth as well as believing in the heart, which serves as a litmus test to distinguish between authentic believe and those under the influence of false spirits, because salvific confession is impossible without the Spirit's enablement. However, a confession stemming from mere intellectual knowledge rather than deeply rooted in genuine faith and is considered too late for salvation, since the "door" for receiving the grace of God has closed. Although God desires all people to be saved, His divine justice demands that every human's free will choice to reject His grace will be honored, resulting in those people into eternal judgment, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:47-52, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; 48 and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the fiery furnace; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
"Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes." And He said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old."
The parable of the Net serves as the concluding parable following the explanation of the Tares Among the Wheat and immediately following the parables of A Hidden Treasure and A Costly Pearl and is a continuance of His teaching about the "kingdom of heaven " in The Parable of the Sower. Notice they teach the same lesson, that the value of kingdom of heaven is it impossible to calculate and that we must be willing to give up everything to possess it. The disobedient reap the natural consequences of their unbelief—spiritual blindness. While only those whose eyes have been opened by the Holy Spirit, can truly understand it's tremendous value. While God's grace abounds, and is sufficient for all, no one can be saved against their will. His love for the world is not like His love for His own, it is bound by times and space. John 13:1 says "...Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." He loved them "eis telos" perfectly, completely totally, to the uttermost, with total intensity, implying no limit. His love for is an inseparable, unbreakable, unconquerable, unchangeable, unwavering, unfading love love. Hebrews 12:4-13, teaches it is a Fatherly love that disciplines, trains, chastens making the object of His love holy, which serves as proof of sonship, distinguishing true children of God from those who are illegitimate children and not sons. His love for the world that is limited in extent when compared to the love that He has for those who are His own. Spiritual maturity is bound to submission and obedience rather than time, requiring a daily choice to yield one's will to God's will. To suggest anything else completely bypasses God’s clearly revealed plan for the church, conformity to the image of Jesus Christ, achieved through repentance, submission, discipline, authority, obedience, and maturity and ignores human agency. Sin deceives you into thinking the gospel offers more to you than it offers.
You can become involved with the church, you hear can hear the Gospel preached, and you even understand it to a degree, but you don't accept it, never fully embrace Christ—you will never enter into rest. There are many who pursue the knowledge of Christ, always and ever learning, without ever fully embracing Him authentically. Academic knowledge does not guarantee is not saving relationship with Jesus. Therein lies the danger of false security. That's why Paul says in 2 Corinthians 13:5 to examine yourself to see if the Spirit of Jesus Christ is indwelling in you to ensure that you are in the faith—unless indeed you fail the test. If you will not acknowledge what Scripture says and believe it, because God has said it and you're always trying to find a way explain it, you're leaning on your own understanding, guaranteeing a severer punishment. If everyone eventually goes to heaven, then why were Jesus and the apostles so concerned about salvation and the judgment that awaits for those who reject the message as it was taught, which teaches that sin deserves eternal punishment. God is both truth and love. Jesus never put love above the Truth. The scribes and Pharisees loved the law, they wouldn’t kill anybody because they knew murder was wrong, but they violated it in their hearts, so they searched and searched to find a way to justify and achieve their desired outcome because couldn't accept the Truth, that He was their Messiah. He even tried to warn them in Matthew 21:35-39. Still, they refused to accept the Truth Hell is a real destination beloved, and those who reject the light and do not come to it, will go there. No amount of knowledge or belief in that knowledge is proof of salvation. That's why Jesus said in Matthew 5, that "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Examine yourselves. Test the authenticity of your faith to see if you’re a true Christian, where impurities are removed. There is no better time than the present to come to grips with your own true spiritual condition. Are you authentically, genuinely in Christ? Have you voluntarily "settled" in God's Word in your mind and heart, firmly establish it as an unshakeable, permanent truth with a supernatural faith? Have you voluntarily "settled" in God's Word in your mind and heart, firmly establish it as an unshakeable, permanent truth with a supernatural faith?
Or are you dangerously deceived, twisting His Word for fit your own lusts, desires, or modern assumptions rather than seeking the original intended meaning, ignoring the "full counsel of God" to avoid confronting your coveted sin, or minimizing it's consequences? Beloved, sin deceives will you into thinking the Gospel offers more to you than it offers, a way to indulge in what Scripture calls sin.
The true Gospel offers freedom from sin through salvation by faith Jesus Christ, it fosters a hunger for holiness and obedience, a Spirit-led craving for righteousness, to see God's rule and reign established in one's life with humility, rather than being ruled by pride and an excuse to indulge the flesh. Word of God is powerful and it supernaturally accomplishes His purpose in those who will believe, whether through conviction, comfort, or judgment.
May it be so..
And now may the Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.
Now and forever, in Jesus' name
Amen
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