It’s not where you start that counts with God, but where you finish. One can obey the gospel of Christ and continue in the apostles doctrine, and at the end fall away; And one can belong to a denomination for most of their life and late in life hear and obey the gospel and remain faithful unto death. Paul was such a man who was born a Jew and a strict Pharisee who benefited much in the Jewish faith, and yet he was confronted with Jesus on the road to Damascus and went on to obey the gospel of Christ. Consider Ananias and Sapphira who had obeyed the gospel of Christ, yet they reneged on their agreement to give to the church the price of a piece of land; therefore God struck them both dead for lying to him. Faithfulness to God is the hardest part of Christianity. It takes but a few minutes to obey the gospel, but it takes a life time to remain faithful. God demands a lot out of mankind before he grants to them eternal life. David wrote, “The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” Ps 11:5 God searches the heart and tries the reigns and this he does by the Word of God. The Hebrew writer said, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Heb 4:12-13 God wants us to be faithful to His Word and to obey his commandments. Those who believe that obeying the gospel is all that is needed for salvation is just as wrong as the denominational belief, “Once saved, always saved.” Obeying the gospel is only the beginning of our salvation, and not the ending. A Christian must worship God in Spirit and in Truth. Jn 4:23,24 A Christian must abide by the doctrine of Christ. 2 Jn 9 A Christian must endure persecutions and over come temptations. 2 Tim 3:12 f; Jam 1:12 A Christian must love God’s Word enough to study it, teach it, prove it, defend it, and contend for it. 2 Tim 2:15 ff; 2 Tim 4:2-5; 1 Thess 5:21; Philip 1:15-18; Jude 3 Yes, a Christian will be hated by all mankind for the name of Christ, but he that endures to the end shall be saved. Mt 10:22 So, yes, in the end, sinners can be saved, and Christians can be lost. It’s not where we start, but where we end. So, if you are a sinner, obey the gospel today. If you are a Christian, hold firm to eternal life, and let no one take away your crown of life. Rev 3:11. Alfred Shannon jr
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 02:04:55 +0000
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