God’s Justice
Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Jesus’ word revealed the fundamental of the Bible, it’s all about God’s will and plan. Everything we do can be divided by two category, according to God’s will or not, that is good or evil, righteous or sinful, godly or wicked, light or dark. What we normally consider good and acceptable is not correct in God’s standard, Jesus had lay out out His standard in the Sermon on The Mount. That is what we should repent in order to practice his word. To live according to God’s will and plan for our life, as it is written in 1 Peter 4:2 As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. Whoever doesn’t do the will of God are evil doers.
The world doesn’t know God’s justice, they never like to hear God’s word in Romans 1:18-20 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
They don’t want to accept the scripture said in Romans 2:6-7 God “will give to each person according to what he has done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. Many do not agree with God’s judgement stated in Romans 2:15-16 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
It is about the heart and consciences, as it is written in 1 Timothy 1:5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. But this has been overlooked or somehow deliberately forgotten.
Cheap Grace
Today what the Scripture foretold in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 is unfolding right in front of our eyes in an accelerated manner, For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
Many God’s children are lukewarm, unable to see the truth. And thus embraced false gospel without knowledge. They are basically cheap grace without repentance, the clear understanding of what is sin have been completely removed from people’s heart and mind, and thus unable to purify their hearts by the word of God.
The false gospel wants people to believe only sinner’s prayer is needed to be saved, everything else is optional, they merely affect your reward in heaven. whoever made limited change in their life are considered born again. In essence, they reject God’s word like, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling” and all other similar warning scriptures.
We live in a world of deception. All our hearts have been polluted to some degree. The body of Christ has learned too many worldly things that they are blind, trapped in sin without realizing how dangerous it is. The flock may not like what we are called according to the Scripture in 1 Peter 2:20-21 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
False gospel only suit those who do not have good consciences. They have little interest of doing the will of God as Jesus said in Matthew 15:8 “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. It is the posture of the heart prevented many to see the truth, otherwise they would not have been deceived so easily. They are mislead into believing they received the grace and blessings of the Beatitude.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in his book The Cost of Discipleship, “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our church. We are fighting today for the costly grace. Cheap grace means grace sold on the market like cheapjacks’ wares. The sacraments, the forgiveness of sin, and the consolations of religion are thrown away at cut prices.
Grace is represented as the Church’s inexhaustible treasury, from which she showers blessings with generous hands, without asking questions or fixing limits. Grace without price; grace without cost! Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.
Bonhoeffer is right, not many pastors and church leaders agree with Jesus’ requirement of following him, we tend to treated salvation and discipleship as two separate thing. This is what the cheap grace based on, and everybody loves it, all want to enjoy the blessing without go through the painful process of picking up the cross and dying to the self.
True Gospel
If we want to summarize Jesus’ instruction on what he called us to do, we can look at the last chapter of four gospels. In Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Many people are not able to think straight, how can anyone make disciple while he is not willing to pay the cost of being Jesus’ disciple himself? How can anyone teach others to obey everything Jesus commanded, while himself are not willing? These kinds of preachers make the Christianity a mockery to the gentiles.
Then in Luke 24:44-48 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
Jesus explicitly commanded the disciples what to preach, “repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations“. Here is the question, can anyone get saved without repentance? Can anyone repent without knowing what is his sin? Besides, how can anyone haven’t repented his own sin going out to preach repentance?
The answer is Written
The answers are written in the book of Psalms by the Spirit, we need to read them meditate it at night, allow the Spirit to speak to our hearts, as psalm 4:4 says, ” Tremble, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.” Psalm 36 told us what’s wrong with men’s heart.
Psalms 36:1-2 An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin. This is an accurate description of today’s churches. Not only “no fear of God“, we have very little respect for the Word of God neither. It is written in 1Peter 4:11 “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God;” How many have listened? How many have seek God for meaning and instruction for this? How many have put this into practice? Is there any excuse when we stand at The Judgement Seat?
Many of God’s children have been deceived by false teachings for a very long time already. Just as it is written in 2 Peter 3:15-17 …… just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
We need Wisdom from God
Let’s turn to God for wisdom through prayers Psalms 90;
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.
Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. ……
The length of our days is seventy years or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.
Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you.
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
This prayer for wisdom is the apostle instructed us to pray in James 1:5, If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. We all lack wisdom, but those lukewarm can’t see the truth as Jesus said in Revelation 3:17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
We can all come to God for help with prayers such as Psalms 19,
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
……
The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
You do not need anyone to teach you
We need to depend on the Holy Spirit, not any man who are not filled with the Spirit. Deceptions are spread by those walk in the flesh. For it is written in 1 John 2:20,26-27 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. …… I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit–just as it has taught you, remain in him.
Now I can see the practical way to remain in him is through prayer, as it is written in Ephesians 5:18-19, Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.
“if anyone speak, let him speak as the oracles of God“, This verse is commanding his servants don’t speak or preach anything as we considered good, but seek God for instruction and revelation in real time. This is the scripture said in Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. This is the godly way to build up the church, we learn from Christ, everyone can listen to the teacher who has the Spirit. The oracles of God is the spoken word of God in real time, not men picking some scriptures and make into a sermon.
Only his sheep can do so as Jesus said in John 10:27-28 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. We have to learn it now, for the is short, the war is coming, the tribulation is coming.
Let’s pray Psalms 16 and 17; PRESERVE me, O God, for in You I put my trust. O my soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. HEAR a just cause, O LORD, Attend to my cry; Give ear to my prayer which is not from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from Your presence; Let Your eyes look on the things that are upright. You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. Uphold my steps in Your paths, That my footsteps may not slip. I have called upon You, for You will hear me, O God; Incline Your ear to me, and hear my speech. Show Your marvelous lovingkindness by Your right hand, O You who save those who trust in You From those who rise up against them. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; Hide me under the shadow of Your wings, From the wicked who oppress me, From my deadly enemies who surround me. They have closed up their fat hearts; With their mouths they speak proudly. They have now surrounded us in our steps; They have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth, As a lion is eager to tear his prey, And like a young lion lurking in secret places. Arise, O LORD, Confront him, cast him down; Deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword, With Your hand from men, O LORD, From men of the world who have their portion in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their possession for their babes. As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.