Three Biblical topics many preachers ignore by Ron Bedell These topics are: 1. Salvation 2. Rewards 3. Politics These topics are extremely important in the church. And the pastors either ignored or misrepresent what the Bible is saying about these topics. Let’s discuss them. In the vast majority of churches we seldom hear messages on salvation, rewards, and politics. All three topics are extremely important. Salvation tells people how to get to Heaven; rewards motivate Christians to serve Christ; and Christian involvement in politics keeps the doors of Christian serve open. 1. Salvation “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 The eternal destiny of millions of people is at stake but, unfortunately, many of today’s church leaders seem to be content to preach ear tickling sermons that don’t offend anybody especially governmental powers. And they’ve turned their churches into giant social events. Do today’s church leaders really understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ and know how to present it? The Apostle Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16 Ok. What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Paul said, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 The Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul said, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23 Paul is saying that, what we earned or deserve from our sin is death. The Greek word for “wages” originally meant a soldiers pay. The word “death” is referring to eternal separation from God in contrast to eternal life. This death is eternal separation from God in hell. Paul goes on to say that the “gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Eternal life is a gift that cannot be earned. What did Jesus Christ do? We deserved eternity in hell but Jesus Christ died in our place. He became our substitutionary sacrifice. Christ was buried for three days and He rose from dead on the third day to prove that He had power over sin, death, and hell. Paul also said, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23 “All have sinned,” would include: the Pope, Billy Graham, you, me, Mary the mother of Jesus, every politician on Capitol Hill, Barack Obama, Adam, Abraham, King David, all 12 Apostles, everyone! Paul said, “For He (God) hath made Him (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 Christ not only paid the penalty of our sin but He gave us God’s perfect righteousness so we can enter God’s perfect, righteous Heaven. God’s salvation for mankind is all about God reconciling man back to Himself and it has nothing to do with man’s good works. The only sacrifice that would satisfy God’s just demands on the sinner is the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ. Man’s good works mean nothing. God’s salvation is not about walking a church isle; it is not about committing your life to Jesus Christ; it is not about turning from your sins; it is not about putting Christ on the throne of your life; and it is not about making Christ Lord and Savior of your life. All this terminology is unclear, confusing and it even implies good works. The straight message is, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31 2. Rewards “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:12 Please understand that only believers in Jesus Christ will get rewards. Rewards only apply the believers in Christ, Christians (Jews and Gentiles). Salvation and rewards are completely different. Unbelievers in Christ will not be receiving rewards in hell; they will receive eternal punishment. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ. Verse 10 says, For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. God wants His children to live a life of service to Him, not to be saved or to keep their salvation, but because they already are saved. After a person trusts Christ for Salvation he or she should heed Romans 12:1-2 for Christians service, 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. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. A life of service for the Lord will be richly rewarded both now and later. When you obey Gods Word and let the Lord run your life, you will have love, joy, peace in your life (Galatians 5:22). God promises, If they obey and serve Him they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures (Job 36:11). Jesus said, ...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). If you want God to honor your life, you must serve Him and no other god. And if you do serve the Lord, God is bound to honor your life. ...If any man serve Me, him will My Father honor (John 12:26). The secret of Christian victory is no more or less than obeying God. Job exhorts,...who hath hardened himself against Him, and hath prospered? (Job 9:4) Listen to the warning in Deuteronomy 28:47-48, Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore thou serve thine enemies, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee. In Isaiah 30:1 God says those believers who rebel against Him will have trouble....those that refuse the counsel of God in the scriptures and choose to live their own life of sin can expect trouble, woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of Me; and that cover with a covering, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin. Satan will always give you the best excuses why you shouldnt obey God. But the decision as to what you will do with your life is completely yours. Remember, Gods Salvation for you is your decision. Christian service is your decision. Perhaps you may feel you have no particular talent to give to the Lord. God says the greatest ability in Christian work is dependability. ...It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). It is not required that you are (1) popular, (2) wealthy, (3) successful, (4) educated, or (5) influential. God honors the believer who faithfully does his or her best for the Lord each day. Please notice 1 Timothy 1:12. This is the reason why God put Paul into the ministry. Paul had already proven himself to be a faithful servant. God put him into the ministry because Paul could be counted upon to continue being faithful. Determine that your life is going to amount to something for the Lord, and then discipline your life to that end. Every successful business has a time-table....A plan of progress....A projection for the future. There is no room in todays world for the mediocre person. Aim for the highest. Dont settle for being an average Christian. After all, average is just as close to the bottom as it is to the top. Dont be ordinary. Stand up for the Lord Jesus Christ, and serve Him with all that is within you. God is looking all over this earth for those who are single mindedly, sincerely, wanting to serve Him, that He might exercise His mighty power in their life, For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth; to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him... 2 Chronicles 16:9 In Hebrews 11:24-26, we find that Moses reason for serving the Lord was motivated by the knowledge of future reward. By faith, Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says, For we (believers in Christ) must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Only believers in Jesus Christ will appear at this Judgment Seat of Christ. It is not for unbelievers. Salvation and a persons eternal destiny is not an issue at this Judgment Seat of Christ. Unbelievers will be left on the earth to go through the seven years of Tribulation. At this Judgment Seat of Christ, all believers in Christ will have to give an account for how they have lived. That is, were they obedient to Jesus Christ and His Word? Then Christ will determine whether or not a believer will have rewards during the thousand- year reign of Christ on earth, the Millenium. The following verses describe the types of rewards given or a loss of rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ. According to 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 a person while on earth in this mortal body must build upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul was describing two types of builders or ministers: the expert builder who producers gold, silver and precious stones and the unwise builder who produces wood, hay and stubble (straw). The expert builders gold, silver and precious stones survive the test of fire and he receives rewards. The unwise builders wood, hay and stubble are burned by the fire and he experiences a loss of rewards. The gold, silver and precious stones are produced by obedience to the Lord and His Word, the Bible. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” Luke 6:23 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Revelation 22:12 3. Politics “but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 “The battle today is over Lordship. The issue of politics today is the issue of sovereignty. Who is the Lord of all of life to whom man must give his total allegiance, Christ or Caesar? The answer to this question is the difference between liberty and slavery, justice and tyranny. The critical issue of our day is the relationship of Christ and His Word to our political and legal system in the United States. Who has jurisdiction over every aspect of American society, Jesus Christ or the State? Is this to be Christian nation or a humanistic nation? The only faithful answer that a Bible believing Christian can give is this: ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord’ Psalm 33:12. ‘For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King; He will save us” Isaiah 33:22” God and Government – A Biblical and Historical Study, Gary DeMar Conclusion Many church leaders today seem to be hiding behind their tax free status with the IRS (501-C3). Of course, the IRS is privately owned and they are not even an agency of the federal government. Furthermore, the 16th amendment that authorizes the federal government to impose a direct tax on American wages was never legally passed (The Law That Never Was). But churches today do not want to upset the apple cart and risk losing their tax free status. When churches accept this tax free status with the IRS they become nothing more government controlled churches. Church leaders today must understand that they are tax free because God said they are tax free not because Caesar said they are tax free and that America was not founded on an income tax, IRS, or central bank (Federal Reserve). After reading this article what excuse will our church leaders give us now for not (1) preaching a straight, clear, and simple gospel presentation (2) strongly encouraging Christians to seek eternal rewards (3) get involved in the political affairs of America. Liberty in America will be restored when church leaders throw off the yoke of governmental bondage and control, and become ablaze again with God’s righteousness.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 01:56:59 +0000
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