Scripture: 1 Peter 4 v 12 - 18: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
It's the last verse that has been impressed upon me over the last week, especially the words........if the righteous scarcely be saved! It struck me with how secure are we in our salvation?
That verse in Matthew 7 v 21 - 23: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Jesus emphasizes that not everyone who claims to be His is actually going to make it to Heaven. They call Him Lord, they prophesy, cast out demons, do miracles. However, if they are not doing the will of the Father its unacceptable as a spiritual blessing. The Lord sees our hearts with our motives and intentions. Just as He saw through Cain but found Abel acceptable.
We need to walk very closely to Jesus heeding what is written in His Word exactly as it is stated. There can be no deviation to accommodate political correctness or empathy with people who are woke. These are New Age additions to Christian attitudes and we must discern them as such and rather choose to obey God. Far too many churches have fallen into New Age errors and if we read the seven letters Jesus wrote to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 we will have a clear picture of how He judges the churches.
My late Father, who would have turned 112 years old this year, got saved in 1991 a few weeks before he died. How I praised the Lord for this miracle. He was an ardent Freemason, a cult that does not honour Jesus as Lord. They believe all religious paths lead to whatever God you choose to worship. He was in his eighties, ill in hospital, and when I flew in to visit him one time he had slipped into a coma.
I spoke to him while he could not argue with me. I gave him the simple gospel. I also needed to handle his financial obligations and went to see a lawyer. It was going to cost more than I had available and Jesus said to me, I have a better plan. When I got back to the hospital he was awake, and signed the forms himself.
His landlady, who is blind, visited him after I had returned home and led him to Jesus. What a change came over him. From a cantankerous old man he became the darling of the ward for the three weeks before he passed away. I was there the day before he went and, he very matter of factly told me, Brenda, tomorrow I am going to die. Thank you for being a good daughter. I see your Mother waiting inside Heaven's gates for me. Farewell. That was our last conversation. A treasured memory.
These are the contrasts I observe. Christians who have left off doing God's will to feather their own nests or start another sect based on additions to or subtractions from the Word of God - they won't make it. My Dad the Freemason, saved in the hospital bed he died in. Never went to church after he met Jesus, yet was assured of Heaven before he left.
Peter says, judgment will begin in the house of God. He has already started separating the sheep from the goats. This is not a message to quit church. Not at all. This is a message that we must know if the church we are in is following the whole Word of God. If it is not take your concerns to the pastor or minister.
Explain through the scriptures that which does not line up with what is written. Ask him for help to clarify his understanding. The Holy Spirit will witness to the truth in your heart. He will also show you truth from error. If the pastor sticks to his guns and dismisses your concerns as worthless, you have choices to make concerning whether to continue in error or find new pastures.
The Lord allowed you to seek out the pastor to give him a chance to repent. If he does, you have won a victory for Jesus. If he does not, you have at least sown a seed that the Holy Spirit, as the 'after preacher' will use to convict him. If the pastor resists Him then the Lord will remove his candlestick and the writing will be on his wall.
We ourselves should always be repentant of any errors or sins we may have committed. Like David we must keep short accounts with the Lord. We must strive to become perfect, a big ask, to be more like Jesus.
God's judgment is final. There are no reviews, legal appeals, second chances or promises to do better. So we only have what's left of this lifetime to make the right changes. By reading the Word, certain verses strike us with a knowing that this is a thing we need to deal with promptly. Do not move on, ignore it or procrastinate over it. Do not let Satan obscure it and make us doubt as he did to Eve.
Be bold and of good courage and then your way will be prosperous. Joshua said that. Stick to the Word, meditate, study, memorize, obey. Jesus knows who are His and He is a great Shepherd. His sheep hear His voice and obey.
The Lord is merciful and forgiving unless we are a hypocrites like the Pharisees. They were openly rebuked by Jesus for their religion which was at variance with the Bible. They hated that Voice that convicted them of sin. So deal with your pride, or ego, and become humble before God for God resists the proud but gives Grace to the humble.
Judgment is coming and we will all appear before the judgment seat. We will give an account of our Christian Life and whether we did it well enough to hear God say, Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into your rest.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, the day of the Lord is ever nearer. We come before You now to ask for guidance as we seek to know if we have strayed in any way from the path You set us upon. Father, show us how to rectify any mistakes. We desire to do Your will O God, and be counted worthy. In Jesus' name. Amen.