If you have been through the Bible multiple times, you may think it is not necessary to still read it on a regular basis. I have either read the Bible or had it read to me for 52 years, and when my heart is open, I still see verses from a new light The other day, my husband and I were listening to the gospel of Luke, when chapter 14, verses 34-35, spoken by Jesus, stood out to be as never before.
"Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Luke 14:34-35
I said to my husband something like, "For some reason, I never really stopped to consider those verses before, but that is really standing out to me. I see it as a warning not to lose our fire for God or our fire for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ."
My husband and I began talking about this and agreed it would make a good blog topic, so here I sit today to share my thoughts for whoever " hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Often when I am writing on a topic I know has been written about by many others, I intentionally do not go back and read anyone else's writings. I pray to only be influenced by the Holy Spirit. I know there are several different angles from which I could write this blog, but I am choosing to focus on the issues most infusing my heart today.
I am a person who loves words and their meaning, so I looked up the definition of the word "savor." I will use the definition in another version of Luke also mentioned in Matthew.
"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savour [a characteristic taste, flavor, or smell, especially a pleasant one]... it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." Matthew 5:13
First, I want to touch on not losing our fire for the Lord. Revelation 3:16 says, "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue [spit] thee out of my mouth." If you feel you are growing cold toward the Lord, spend more time in praise, prayer, and Bible study. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you anything that may be hindering a closer walk with Him and be obedient to let go of the things He brings to your heart (see Psalm 139:23-24).
Next, lets' talk about not losing our salty fire for sharing the message of salvation. In a world where people plug their ears to holiness messages, and make fun of/reject the True believers, it can be very discouraging to want to give up and quit speaking out for righteousness. Let me encourage you that even if it seems no one is paying attention, God is, and His opinions matter more than anyone else's. Stay faithful to the call, fellow Christian. You are not alone; you have the Holy Trinity in your corner, and my husband and I as well!
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9
Now I want to explain what I mean when I say there is a difference between a salty message and a sugary one. To most people, a pleasant gospel would be one that tells them it is perfectly fine to sin as much as they like because God gives us grace for everything. We just have to say a prayer one time to ask Jesus into our hearts and then never again worry about right or wrong because we are now eternally secure. That, my friends, is a sugar-coated gospel!
We are not being called to politely lead people to hell, we are called to escort them boldly to heaven's throne!
Salt was considered very valuable in the days when Jesus walked, but if something valuable gets broken, tarnished, or damaged in any way, the value dramatically declines. And as Jesus puts it, if that something valuable loses its potency, you could even say, if it gets watered down, it deserves to be thrown out and even trampled under people's feet.
The same is absolutely true with the most valuable asset on the planet, the message of salvation that can show one the way to eternity in Heaven. If it is damaged, it is useless to your soul.
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness [turns it into something inaccurate and unholy], and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude, verse 4
Now I finally get to it, here is my salty message speaking out against a sugar-coated gospel:
To be clear, I believe Jesus' death on the cross, our salvation, and grace are free gifts we do not have to earn. However, a salty message will encourage you to treat these precious gifts with the utmost care and not neglect them, because they and your soul can be lost.
But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Ezekiel 18:24 & 26
Pretty clear cut, don't you think? Ezekiel was a mighty profit who heard directly from God. He tells us when the righteous, or the Christian, turns his back on God and intentionally chooses to sin, he will lose his salvation - die in his sins! This is not speaking of minor offenses, of course, but as Ezekiel says, "abominations," or rebelliously refusing to do what you know is right in the eyes of God. Just as when we sincerely repent from our sins, they are blotted out by the blood of Jesus (Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Ezekiel 18:27-28), the exact opposite is true. Righteousness is canceled out by sin until we sincerely repent again. (These same words are repeated in Ezekiel 33 as well.)
Now let's look at the words of Jesus:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. John 15:1-6
The definition of the word abide is "to remain; continue; stay." Therefore, Jesus is telling us that if we leave our fellowship with Him (cease abiding with Him) we will be "cast forth... into the fire and burned." Obviously, He is speaking of the fire in Hell. In other words, if you give your life to Christ and become a Christian, but then refuse to follow the ways of Jesus by leaving your morals behind, you are no longer bearing good fruit, and you will be cast away. Jesus does not say that you can stay grafted into the vine no matter what, and that you will be eternally secure. No, if you make the choice to leave, you will be cast off!
The more you abide in Jesus: read the Bible, pray more than just when you are asking for a favor, and worship Him with a contrite heart, the more it will be clear what He expects of you. The more you will understand His character and His will and you will want to do what is right (...the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. Romans 2:4). The Holy Spirit will convict you of your sins and testify to your spirit what must be done to see the face of God for all eternity (I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1).
Let's go again to the words spoken by Jesus:
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. 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:21-23
This is obviously about someone who is calling himself a Christian, otherwise why would he be calling out to the Lord and prophesying, casting out demons, etc. But Jesus says that even if you call on Him and work for Him, you can still be in danger of losing your salvation if you are doing all these things while living in sin. No, eternal life with Christ is not automatic just because you use the name of Jesus or work for Him; you must keep the sin out of your life or He will tell you to "depart from" Him. In other words, He will send you to hell.
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:4; 7-8
There are many more verses I can list where it says in the Bible that all people will be judged according to their works. That Truth alone shows we are not automatically eternally secure. If so, there would be no reason for God to judge our works. Finishing the course and keeping the faith means the same as abiding in the vine. In order to obtain the crown from Jesus, you must not let go of your righteous ways or give in to sin.
Here are a few more verses on obtaining crowns from God, our judge. No where does it say the crown of righteousness will be given to every single person that says some version of the sinner's prayer. There are conditions that must be met! In the below verse, Paul makes it very clear that even he, an extremely faithful servant of Christ, could be cast away from heaven if he falls into sin.
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. I Corinthians 9:24-27
Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. Phillipans 4:1
And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. II Timothy 2:5
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12
The messages of these verses are: stand fast in the Lord, strive lawfully, endure temptation, and you will receive a crown of righteousness. Stray away from the Lord and holiness, and you will be cast away.
The last verses below are the easiest way to point you away from sugar and to the salt of the gospel: Note the list of sinful actions does NOT say, "If you call yourself a Christian you can do all these things and still go to heaven," NO! It says, if you commit the sins listed, you will NOT inherit the Kingdom of God. There are no exceptions to that rule. You must daily repent of your sins, and strive to be holy as the Lord is holy, or you will not have eternity with the Father - not my words, this is scriptural as you will see below.
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: I Peter 1:14-17
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelation 21:7-8
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