Pastor’s Blog 5.14.20
I was in a conversation yesterday and was asked this question? Why do so few people have a real concern for the lost today in the church? People used to weep for the lost, now it seems few do. I do remember a time in the past when there was such a concern for the lost. So what happened?
Here is the problem; why should I be concerned to the point of emotional distress over someone, if I don’t believe they are really in danger? When the doctrine of eternal judgment disappears from the church, there is no urgency to deliver people from eternal judgment. The bottom line is people don’t actually believe their loved ones are going to hell without a life filled with the fruits of true salvation.
Think about it. When was the last time you attended a funeral where someone’s eternal salvation was questioned? I say it this way – “In today’s modern church, all dogs go to heaven”. This is not a Disney movie folks, it’s real life! We are looked at with disdain as preachers if we dare question someone’s salvation. So what does the scriptures teach?
Proverbs 16:6
6 In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the LORD one departs from evil. NKJV
So we see three ingredients for salvation, mercy, truth, and repentance.
What happens when we just include mercy? We lose the fear of God because we only consider His goodness.
Proverbs 14:16
16 A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident. NKJV
Let’s look at the true fruit of a real salvation experience:
2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?
15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?
16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.”
18’I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty.” NKJV
This doesn’t show all mercy does it? Our salvation must be verified with fruits of a changed life. James said it best. “Faith without works is dead.”
So when half of the Gospel message is excluded from preaching then we have a disaster. False doctrine is what produces false security and false security takes away the fear of the Lord which is a true motive for repentance. If I believe I am OK with God there is no need to change.
The Bible condemns the false Prophet who declares peace when there is no peace. Preachers are so afraid to speak of the judgments of God today it is sickening and what they think is compassion is actually condemning people in their sins. Just read carefully the warnings from the Lord’s brother Jude:
Jude 1:4 TPT
Warning against False Teachers
There have been some who have sneaked in among you unnoticed. They are depraved people whose judgment was prophesied in Scripture a long time ago. They have perverted the message of God’s grace into a license to commit immorality and turn against our only absolute Master, our Lord Jesus Christ.
I need to remind you, even though you are familiar with it all, that the Lord Jesus saved his people out of Egypt but subsequently destroyed those who were guilty of unbelief.
In the same way, there were heavenly messengers in rebellion who went outside their rightful domain of authority and abandoned their appointed realms. God bound them in everlasting chains and is keeping them in the dark abyss of the netherworld until the judgment of the great day.
In a similar way, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and nearby towns gave themselves to sexual immorality and the unnatural desire of different flesh. Now they all serve as examples of those who experience the punishment of eternal fire.
These truths should return us all to the fear of the Lord and reality that many are in false security and not at all safe from eternal judgment. So we all need to look around and realize the majority of the people we know and love are not safe, but in danger of eternal judgment! In doing this, only then will we have our urgency back and fight for their salvation!
- Date - May 13, 2020
- Author - David Chisholm
