Saved ... here is a term that has been so battered about with judeo - christianity feel good explanations, pharisaical debating and outright blasphemous denunciation that it has lost all meaningful significance. Saved from what ?
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For those who care enough to search for answers, they search His Word. But have we been led astray, have we been negligent in our individual duties to see if the things we were presented with were true or not ? Are you so assured that YOU have not been deceived that you would not even check these matters out ? This doesn't even address those who reject Christ outright ... they've chosen their path.
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One scripture oft quoted and whole sermons formed around it is - Revelation 3:19 ... (Jesus) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him .."
So all we gotta do is kinda let Jesus into our heart, enjoy that sensual rush that comes with our naive overconfidence and come back each week for another shot of feel good.
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But that is not conclusive - it is not the whole of the message.
Was this a sinners call by itself or a call to come out of delusion ... what sayeth the context ? Isn't this addressed to the church of the final age, those neither really hot or cold.
Those who figure they pretty much got it licked and set back resting on their laurels awaiting their rewards ? Some would say this was the judeo realm, those who are truly unaware of Biblical identities and wherein lies our duties. Maybe so, but I think it reaches further.
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What is lukewarmness, could it not also be defined as a dilution of that which is good or the desirable trait ? To project only half heartily or with reduced effort since energies are being expelled in other venues or towards other goals ? Hot or cold - it's hard to sneak a gray area in there. Either for Christ or against.
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"Because thou sayest, I am rich ... and have need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, poor, blind and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me ... and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see." Revelation 3:17-19
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What is this white raiment that clothes us, that hides our "nakedness" ? Could this also be the fine, clean white linen of Revelation 19:8,14 ?
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"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the white linen is the righteousness of saints." (vs. 8)
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Are we justified, are we "saved" by our knowledge of what is going on in the world ...
Or by the fact that we do profess our belief in Christ and try to do good best we can ?
How about if we can even prove we've done many mighty things and given much to the cause ... would that alone suffice ?
It didn't for the folks in these next scriptures -
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Take the time to read the parable of Matthew 22:1-10, but for now note in vss. 11-14 ... #1 - he had not the proper apparel (wedding garment) and #2, he got chunked out. Many called - few chosen.
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Compare this with Matthew 7:13-29. Some think this depicts solely the judaized masses filling the babylonian churches. Again, maybe - maybe not. I see shortcomings amongst our identity aware kinfolk.
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We know Jesus is the gate, the Door ... but note, ALL mentioned here were striving to enter the (a) gate. Be it the right one or not, they were trying. Was it good enough ? MANY go the wide path one. I don't get any joy out of reading these particular verses, it is truly saddening to me.
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Isaiah 64:6 - "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our (self) righteousness's are as filthy rags (clothing); and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities (sin, lawlessness), like the wind, have taken us away."
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Proverbs 30:12 - "There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness."
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So what are we to do ? First off, let's awake to the real message - Isaiah 52:1 - "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem the holy city ..."
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Strength, beauty (as opposed to visible filthiness), righteous apparel ... how does one obtain such things ?
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Revelation 7:13-14 - "And one of the elders answered, and said unto me, What are those which are arrayed in white robes ? And whence came they ?
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me , These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
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The Blood of the Lamb. Our King and Saviour's Blood that was willingly shed at Calvary for the forgiveness of OUR sins. The penalty that was due us. But is belief good enough ? Does not the Word say that even the demons fear and believe God, even while yet they hate Him ? How do we actually make contact ?
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There is ONLY one Door, one Gate if you will and all others are false entrances. John 10:1-18 bears this out very clearly.
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Vs. 1 - " Truly, truly I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door unto the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber."
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Vs. 7 - "Then said Jesus unto them again, Truly, truly, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them."
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Wouldn't it be nice to have a key, and especially God's Holy Spirit to guide us into an understanding that would unlock the way therein ? Where would one go to find these things ? How do we get into the kingdom ?
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Colossians 1:12-14, 20-22 / "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (qualified) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light,
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Who hath delivered us from the power (authority - jurisdiction) of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son:
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In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
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And having made peace through the blood of His cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven.
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And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled.
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In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight."
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Colossians 2:9-13 / " ... buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who have raised him from the dead."
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Belief and faith ? Yes.
Repentance after we have been convicted of our need for Him ? Absolutely. But how is His Blood contacted ? Wasn't Peter given a key to the kingdom ? Was not the blood of the sacrificial lamb that saved of old directly applied ? Exodus 12:1-13.
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Galatians 3:27 "For as many of you have been baptised into Christ have put on (been clothed by) Christ."
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1 Peter 3:21 "And corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (NAS)
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Acts 22:16 "And now why tarriest thou ? Arise and be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name (Jesus) of the Lord."
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I'm gonna wind this down with a last scripture to discuss, perhaps I'll add a couple and hope you will check them for yourselves afterwards. But that's between you and God. I quoted this particular passage on a blog some while back and asked if anyone noticed anything glaring that I've never seen brought up online. And still haven't. The whole chapter is worth reading but let's go to -
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Acts 2:37-38 "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter (the one with a key - Matthew 16:13-19) and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ?
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Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (wherein we obtain God's spirit to guide us).
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Now, the response I'll get to this, whether spoken here or bandied about - you tell me in all honesty that you cannot envision it being likewise back then. We are the same people, we have not changed in this respect.
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Who was Peter addressing back in vss. 23 and 36 ? Who was it that was "pricked" in their hearts (meaning intensely chopped down, grieved, mourned) ? None other than the House of Israel. We're not talking about the edomites here - he was not preaching to those to whom they were never sent.
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Sure, the jews (edomites) orchestrated the whole deal, using us as labor for their dirty work as always - nothing changes. They were behind it and vigorously pursued their goal of Christ's death. But you tell me with a straight face there weren't pure blooded white Israelites in the crowds who lustily cheered it on, and I'll laugh in your face. If Christ stood here in the flesh today, they would even now seek to kill him. Listen to the howl for His blood all across the internet. There is nothing different about us. We are complicit.
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Be sure to check out the link to Pastor Pete's book - "How to become a Christian". You don't even have to pay for it anymore
(although we should support true men of God).
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Saved from what, you ask - God's wrath. You wont have to wait long to be convinced and you wont have me to blame for not warning ya.
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John 3:5
Acts 19:5
Romans 6:3-8
Ephesians 4:5
4 comments:
There were so many other scriptures to quote but I hope this will prime the pump
(thanks for yours).
Look forward to your posting.
This is a great post! I don't know how I missed it.
Well Joy, I'm so glad you found it ! Leave it to you to hunt it down though, I know how diligent you are !
Thanks for your kind words ... Christ be with ya sister.
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