“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 1:4
Grace isn’t about God accepting us in our sin, grace is God delivering us from our sin. Grace isn’t about God accepting you for who you are, God’s grace delivers you from who you are.
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:” I Pe. 4:12
The word “fiery” is used to show the intensity that our trials can be. The believer who refuses to mature will always think that no one ever had to face the fiery trials that they had to. It is “woe is me,” “poor me.” All the while God is saying, yes, I see “poor you,” that is why I allow the fiery trials to come to you so you can be made rich in grace and all spiritual blessings.
“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.” II Cor. 7:9
Some Christians delight in rebuking other Christians. Some Christians who have a self-righteous spirit can’t help, but rebuke other Christians. Rebuking surly has its place in the body of Christ, but if it is not out of any other motive than love, with hope of bringing forth repentance, then the rebuker needs to be rebuked.
“I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.” II Cor. 7:3
Paul had a love for the church that our generation does not seem to comprehend. Yet, we could have that love too if we would love Christ as we should. The more we would love Christ the more we would see that the church is Christ’s body. Tell me if you can, have you ever loved anyone just for their head?
“These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in your gates:” Zec. 8:16
The farther a society gets lost in lies and deception, the greater the shock value the truth will be. Truth will be an execution of judgment.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,” II Cor. 6:17
Just as God has said, let not man separate what He has joined together, so too, let not men join together what God has separated.
“But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.” Jer. 7:28
Herein lies the reason that our politicians and most Americans can no longer tell the truth. “This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD.” Truth has perished in America because this nation refuses to honor God.
“But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.” Num. 3:38
I wonder how many times we have entered the sanctuary, the place where we worship the Lord with the brethren, and have been a stranger to the Lord all week. We cannot allow ourselves to be all caught up in the affairs of this world all week long and then think we can casually stroll into church Sunday morning and everything is alright. Aaron and his sons had the duty of keeping charge of the sanctuary. They were to keep the purity there. You and I have charge over our personal sanctuary, the temple of the Holy Ghost. We must not embrace anything strange to the Lord. We must not allow our temple to be defiled. If we all keep our temple pure, God will have no problem with us when we show up Sunday morning.
“But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.” Num. 3:38
It was of the utmost importance to keep the tabernacle, the sanctuary undefiled from the stranger. For the stranger who would even come close to it meant the death sentence. This testifies that there should be an element of the fear of the Lord amongst us when we gather together. I wonder how many of those, who are strangers to the Lord, have found that element of fear missing and instead they find the church to be a comfortable place.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2For by it the elders obtained a good report.” Heb. 11:1-2
Though our faith requires we believe in God whom we cannot see, our faith in God is must be seen by others. To have “obtained a good report” means that others have to see your faith. Faith is way more visible then many people think.
