Php 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:12 is one of many troubling admonitions that are seldom quoted by modern evangelicals who hold tenaciously to three heretical doctrines. You know them, and like me, you probably bought into them once.
WHAT HERETICAL DOCTRINES?
They go something like this:
- Just say this prayer and ask Jesus to come into your heart and you will be saved…
- You are now under grace not law because Jesus nailed the law to the cross.
- Once saved, always saved…
The above triad of Scriptural-perversion has vaccinated throngs of lost souls with false spiritual security. Yeshua said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Mat 7:13-14)
This explains why so many Christians who claim to be born-again-live like the lost. Or as Yeshua warned, when the blind lead the blind both will fall into a ditch. (Matthew 15:14)
A SCANDAL!
Here is an excerpt from Christianity Today, written nearly a decade ago…
The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience
Why don’t Christians live what they preach?
By Ronald J. Sider
http://www.christianitytoday.com/bc/2005/001/3.8.html
In spite of the renewal movement’s proud claims to miraculous transformation, the polls showed that members of the movement divorced their spouses just as often as their secular neighbors. They beat their wives as often as their neighbors. They were almost as materialistic and even more racist than their pagan friends. The hard-core skeptics smiled in cynical amusement at this blatant hypocrisy. The general population was puzzled and disgusted. Many of the renewal movement’s leaders simply stepped up the tempo of their now enormously successful, highly sophisticated promotional programs. Others wept.
This, alas, is roughly the situation of Western or at least American evangelicalism today. Scandalous behavior is rapidly destroying American Christianity. By their daily activity, most “Christians” regularly commit treason. With their mouths they claim that Jesus is Lord, but with their actions they demonstrate allegiance to money, sex, and self-fulfillment.
WHAT IS THE TRUTH?
The truth is that Scriptural “saving faith” is not the same as mental assent.
You can believe, really believe, that Yeshua is the son of God and that He died for your sins, but if that’s the long and short of your faith, if your faith does not change the way you think, live, and feel, if it does not generate devotion, which is love demonstrated by obedience, your faith is dead. If all your faith gives you are a few chill-bumps during praise and worship, beware! Be alarmed!
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God; you do well: the demons also believe and tremble.
BUT THAT IS DIFFERENT!
And it is different! Demons don’t submit.
Demons don’t submit to Scriptural discipleship. Faith must have works or it’s vain. It’s dead! (James 2:17, 20, & 26)
Yeshua said “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15 )
SO WE HAVE TO BE PERFECT?
Now, before your Adversary, Ha Satan, starts heaping condemnation on the reader for not perfectly keeping His commands, allow me to clarify. Salvation is by FAITH.
But, Hebraic (Scriptural) Faith also means faithfulness–it has works. Those works don’t save you; they simply demonstrate the viability of your faith. It goes beyond the conception! Can you carry your faith to term?
Is it dead?
Or is it alive?
WHAT IS LIVING FAITH?
If saving faith is alive, then you see change in the way you think, feel and live. Don’t expect to be perfectly conformed to the image of Yeshua immediately. While in a corruptible body perfection is unlikely. But, day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year, there must be change. One’s heart must be willing, yearning to obey, to keep Yah’s TORAH, His instructions!
Mat 7:22-23: Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many works of power? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; “depart from Me, those working lawlessness!”
Psa 6:8 Get away from me, all of you who practice evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
1 John 2:4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
HEBRAIC FAITH
Hebraic faith that leads to resurrection is like a pregnancy. Conception is that moment in time when the Ruach, the Holy Spirit, is imparted as a seal. To obedient believers this seal of the Holy Spirit promises a birth at Yeshua’s return! An incorruptible resurrection into eternal life!
Acts 5:32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (NKJV)
Eph 1:13-14 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Salvation is a process from conception, to gestation to birth! We were saved, we are being saved, and we will be saved! One day, a day Scripture calls THAT DAY, our salvation will reach fruition!
We will be resurrected or transformed into our new incorruptible bodies! The Holy Spirit is given as a deposit, when we first come to saving faith. But remember that the Father gives us His Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh.
Rom_8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
THIS ARTICLE IS NOT FOR …
This article is not written for those who know that faith without works is dead and who are in Covenant with Yah – who have His TORAH (instructions) written on their hearts. It is not for those who are being conformed to Yeshua’s likeness through the washing of the water of His WORD by taking every thought captive in obedience to Messiah. It is not for those who make TESHUVAH (returning to Yah’s instructions, His TORAH ) a way of life and who confess their sins and ask forgiveness.
WHO IS THIS ARTICLE FOR?
This article is for your friends and family who populate Churches that preach:
1. Just say this prayer and ask Jesus to come into your heart and you will be saved…
2. You are now under grace not law because Jesus nailed the law to the cross.
3. Once saved, always saved…
This article is for those who think they have been born-again yet are not changed, who live like the lost. It’s for those who have been vaccinated against the TRUTH of SCRIPTURE with false spiritual security.
Send this article to them. Post it on Face Book. Warn them before it’s too late!
Rev 2:11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ‘
IN CLOSING I WILL QUOTE PETER
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.(2Pe 1:2-11)
