Broken Foundations-Part Two

by admin

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will

come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of

money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to

parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving,

slanders, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather

 than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but

denying its power. And from such turn away!”

 2 Timothy 3:1-5

 

Paul warned that a day would come when people would embrace a form of godliness but would deny the power thereof. That day is upon us! It is a fact that many Christians today live their lives in a way that totally denies the biblical picture of what it means to be saved and much of this is imparted to them by weak preaching that routinely emphasizes how much God loves them and will thus constantly put up with and forgive their frequent failures. They live in habitual sin, frequently come to Church and even tithe and volunteer when required. They will go to hell!

 

The truth is; that receiving Jesus into one’s life by true repentance and faith in His finished work on the cross means that one is literally filled with the amazing power and life of God. This in turn means that one’s life is totally regenerated by the Holy Spirit, one’s desires radically and continually change and one’s behavior routinely reflects righteousness. This is what it means to be saved.

 

John the Apostle wrote his first epistle in order to clearly outline what it means to be born again. We should and must pay careful attention to his words and so let’s take a look at what he says a true Christian looks like.

 

1. “He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” 1 John 2:4-6

 

Yes indeed Jesus gave us many commandments to keep and these are not the grounds of our salvation but the evidence of it as we keep them joyously and spontaneously as an outflow of His life in us. We must take this seriously as His life abiding in us enables as to “walk as He walked!”

 

2. “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” 1 John 3: 6-9

 

This passage is worthy of careful study and meditation as it essentially states that knowing Christ means that we do not sin and that sin, rebellion against God, is actually a character trait of the devil. Jesus came to break this demonic character trait in our lives and set us free of it. He does this by placing His seed in us and this seed definitely destroys the power of sin in us! Is this your testimony?

 

3. “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

 

In addition to the above, we are also enabled, by the power of Jesus in us, to overcome anything in the world. The true Christian is not ensnared by the world system because this system is essentially demonic and Jesus in us overcomes anything dark and devilish. Sadly so many who claim Christ as Savior reflect the world and not the nature of His character. For them grace means that they can dabble here and there with sin because God will always forgive them! No He will not! Actually, because of all that God in Christ has done for us and, because of the incredible power (seed) that lives in us, God will not forgive intentional sin. In this regard note Hebrews 10:26-27;

 

“For if we sin willfully after we have received the

                         knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a

                         sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation

                         of fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries.”

 

This warning, dear friends, was written to Christians who were thinking of retreating from their faith in Christ. Yes, it is a stern warning and we had better take note of it. To be saved by the grace of God means to be totally transformed, to walk in transformation and to desire complete transformation. Anything short of this is actually counterfeit Christianity and we should be careful not to fall into it. Sadly many have!

 

The writer of the book of Hebrews lamented the carnal nature of the Christians that he was writing to, as did Paul to the Christians at Corinth. The former then stated that they were weak and sub-normal in their idea of what Christianity is because they had “broken foundations.” The same could be said of many Christians today. So he writes:

 

“Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary

                         principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not

                         laying again the foundation of repentance from dead

                         works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of

                         baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the

                         dead, and of eternal judgment.” Hebrews 6:1-2

 

Paul is so outraged at the sub-normal expression of Christianity at Corinth that he questions the authenticity of their salvation experience.

 

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.

                         Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus

                         Christ is in you?-unless indeed you are disqualified.”

                                                                        2 Corinthians 13:5

Essentially Paul is saying, “Do you really know Who is living inside of you? Have you felt His power, love and transforming presence because your behavior contradicts your claim and appears to question this reality. The same is true today so test your self to find out if Jesus is really living in you!

 

4. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9

John by all that he has written is not advocating for sinless perfection. No he is simply saying that for the true Christian committing sins is the abnormal and not the normal expression of being a believer. Christians generally do not sin habitually or willfully but if they do God by Jesus Christ will forgive them upon real confession and repentance. This is my experience and it should be yours as well because, “Whoever is born of God does not sin.”

 

Finally, Jesus talked about building our lives on good foundations and He also warned that at the end of the age many sloppy Christians, who even did wonderful things in His glorious name, will actually go to hell! This what He said:

 

“Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not

                         prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name

                         and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will

                         declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me you who

                         practice lawlessness.”  Matthew 7:22-23

 

Dear friends, the biblical teaching on being a Christian is certainly demanding but the grace that God has given us in Christ Jesus has give us a power that is well able to make us the people that God wants us to be. We are not orphans as God has sent His Holy Spirit into our lives to transform them and reflect His glory. Let it be so!

 

Malcolm Hedding.

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