Be counted among them….

It has been a good Sunday. The word of God was proclaimed in mighty effect and enabling power of the Holy Spirit. There is no telling how much the world has been changed as a result.

And, again, it has been a blessed Sunday. Prayers and intercession was made. Prayer is powerful. What an incredible impact a church can make when its people pray! God’s hand moves when God’s people pray and study the word of God.

Apostle Paul in Ephesians said God’s intention is to use the church to show His wisdom to everyone in heaven and on earth according to his purpose (Eph. 3:9-11). How is your church taking part in that design?

Several years ago, I felt my heart burdened to take a stand and counter liberalism. That burden had led to the severing of relationship with UMC May, 2004.

When I had joined SMC, October 2004, I was convinced that I had found the champion defender of the faith. But, when Rev Bedford Landers, a native of Nashville, Tennessee retired from leadership in 2006, I felt ‘orphaned’ – (i.e ‘felt’ left alone) in the great battle for orthodoxy.

But thanks be God who giveth us the VICTORY through Christ Jesus. I Corinthians 15:57

Today I don’t feel alone. God has led my path to a place and among a people that takes a stand for the gospel. It is wonderful when God chooses to place you among a people who uphold the biblical message of salvation before a watching world.

I am so joy-filled and more than ever, I am convinced that God has honored the desire (which he placed in my heart, not so long ago) – to be numbered among the champion defenders of faith, and at last hear the master say,

“……Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’.” Mathew 25:23

We must ask God to help us become truly focused upon the commandments and promises of God revealed in the scriptures and be moved to bring this revelation to bear upon the whole society.

We must be intolerant of a false gospel.  Paul was intolerant of a false gospel. He said about those who were perverting the gospel in the churches of Galatia:

‘But although we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed’ (Gal. 1:7-8).

God is looking for men and women who will counter liberalism and false gospel of any day and age.  In the great battle for orthodoxy in the early 20th century in America, J. Gresham Machen appeared as the champion defender of the faith. He had to counter liberalism.

Will you be counted among them that will take a stand for the GOSPEL? Here is a solemn word from Francis Schaeffer-

Let us never forget that we who stand in the historic stream of Christianity really believe that false doctrine, at those critical points where false doctrine is heresy, is not a small thing.

If we do not make clear by word and practice our position for truth as truth and against false doctrine, we are building a wall between the next generation and the gospel. And twenty years from now, men will point their finger back at us and say of us, this is the result of the flow of history.

What should be our attitude towards the aspersers of the Cross?

There is a set of events in many nations of the world today that will result in persecution.

What should be our attitude towards the detractors of the work of the Gospel? Shall we take them to court? Absolutely not. Shall we hire the toughest group of attorneys and lawyers to look at the situation? Cultured Christians will says yes. Biblical Christians will say, God Forbid that we should take these matters into our hands.

It is very possible, I am wrong, but it appears that the biblical teaching is that our attitude to the enemies of the cross should be that those who have rejected the Cross will have to stand before the throne of God and account for their rejection. We can therefore be broken but not surprised.

When our Lord came in sight of the great city, there broke from His heart a wail which made His disciples wonder; and when they looked into His face, it was bathed with tears. Go and do likewise. Let your heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God. Jesus did not look at the city of Jerusalem with intention to invoke and use the secular powers of militarism, nationalism and hedonism. He looked upon His city that He loved with broken heart.

Evangelical Perfection and Sanctification

We are not regenerated all at once at our baptism and conversion, but our regeneration has certainly commenced, and throughout our lives we can make real progress towards evangelical perfection if we abide in Christ.

The free grace given us while we are still sinners, demands from us that we strive against sin and seek holiness in all manner of living (I Peter 1:15).

In order to retain the free grace of Christ given at conversion and achieve sanctification, we must take up our cross and follow Jesus in a journey that involves a life of struggle and perseverance under the cross. As we take this journey we must remember that we are not justified by a Christian life. Christ has justified us while we are still sinners – this is a truth propounded by Paul and reaffirmed by the Protestant Reformers. Therefore we are not justified by a Christian life. Instead, we are sanctified through a Christian life.

What is the fruit of the Christian?

Romans 1:13 AMP

¹³ I want you to know, brethren, that many times I have planned and intended to come to you, though thus far I have been hindered and prevented, in order that I might have some FRUIT (some result of my labors) among you, as I have among the rest of the Gentiles.

The fruit of the Christian is NOT love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. That is the fruit of the Spirit.

Mathew 7:16 AMP

You will ^[a]fully recognize them by their fruits. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

The fruit of a Christian is those that he leads to Christ. For a preacher, the people in your congregation can tell what kind of preacher you are; unless you have recently inherited the product of somebody else’s labor and ministry.

Proverbs 11:30 AMP

The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, as a fisher of men—he gathers and receives them for eternity].

From The Quotable Oswald Chambers

“Our Lord was never impatient. He simply planted seed thoughts in their minds and surrounded them with the atmosphere of His own life.

He did not attempt to convince them, but left mistakes to correct themselves, because He knew that eventually the truth would bear fruit in their lives.

How differently we would have acted! We get impatient and take men by the scruff of the neck and say: ‘You must believe this and that.’

You cannot make a man see moral truth by persuading his intellect. ‘When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He shall guide you into all the truth.'”

–Oswald Chambers, in The Love of God from The Quotable Oswald Chambers.