While talking about the Bible with groups of believers, there is a consistently common theme I find happening. It is the deadly rejection of the truth of the whole gospel message given to us by God.
That may sound surprising or even wrong in itself. But considering that Jesus said “and few there be that find it” when asked if there were only a few people who would be saved, it shouldn’t surprise us. Still, I am having a very hard time getting past this. I’m amazed every time it happens. I don’t want to get over this and accept that most people are going to perish.
Luke 13:23-24
“Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And He said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall NOT BE ABLE.”
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, WHICH LEADETH UNTO LIFE, and few there be that find it.”
I don’t think God wants us to give up hope that we will be saved and that others will be saved. In fact scripture tells us He doesn’t want any of us to perish either and HIS patience is greater than ours. His love is greater than ours. Everything Jesus suffered for us proves that. But that being said, the Father has given everyone free will to make that choice and neither the Father nor Jesus can or will make that choice for us; we must choose. We must continue to choose life every single day.
2Peter 3:3-4
“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
2Peter 3:9
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is LONGSUFFERING to us-ward, NOT WILLING that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
James 5:7
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, THE HUSBANDMAN waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, AND HATH LONG PATIENCE for it, until He receive the early and latter rain.”
{Jesus has finished suffering as our sacrificial Lamb, but scripture describes that Jesus is still suffering as our King, as our Mediator and our High Priest because He is grieved at our rebellion and the world’s rebellion. We really don’t think about that very much, but Jesus expressed this to the apostle Paul as well as with His disciples when He ministered to them. Here’s an example of how God suffers because of our sin, it’s found in Isaiah 43:24 “ … but thou hast made Me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities.” (Acts 9:4-5; Mark 9:19; Numbers 14:11, 27)}
But how is it even possible that most Christians are rejecting the whole gospel and don’t even realize it? I’ve heard over and over that history repeats itself and in the Bible that is especially true. I think it’s true because it is true of all of us individually. How many times do we make the same mistakes over and over again or continue in cycles of certain unwanted behaviors? For me personally, it’s too many to count.
When I read about the people of God who didn’t recognize their Messiah when He came to them, I just cannot imagine that happening. God’s people had been waiting about 4,000 years for Jesus, their promised Messiah. Jesus is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”. Jesus didn’t die then, but symbolically His death stretched back that far to cover the very first sin of Adam and Eve.
When God made Adam and Eve physical animal skin coverings to cover their nakedness; we know by the rest of scripture that HE offered them HIS Everlasting Covenant and they accepted and were covered spiritually from their spiritual nakedness. Under the Old Covenant God required believers who kept HIS covenant of salvation to offer a symbolic blood offering of animals when they sinned; which stood not only as a symbol of Christ’s eventual blood atonement, but it also stood as a type of credit toward receiving that atonement (complete forgiveness & complete erasing of debt). Only the blood atonement of Jesus could erase anyone’s sin and the death penalty, that debt that is incurred when we sin. The blood of animals could never erase any sin or that death penalty.
Galatians 3:21
“Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have GIVEN LIFE, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”
Hebrews 10:4
“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
Hebrews 9:9-10
“Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that COULD NOT MAKE him that did the service PERFECT, as pertaining to the conscience; Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.”
Every thing they were taught was supposed to remind them of Jesus or symbolize His coming atonement for their sins. They were taught the many prophecies that described Jesus and His promised coming. (He’s coming again. Are you ready?)
They should have recognized Him by the works He did and the words He spoke. Jesus said if they had known God the Father they would have known Him too because HE sent Him and Jesus sounded exactly like His Father because the Lord only did what His Father did and He only spoke His Father’s words. Jesus never sinned because He always did His Father’s will. Jesus is our example and we are commanded to be holy just like He and the Father are holy. It’s a commandment, it’s not optional, but how is it possible for us to do this?
God commanded all the Old Testament believers to do this and the disciples teach and remind us that God still requires us to be holy just like HE is holy. The Father made a way for us to keep this commandment. When Peter says “it is written”, he is referring to what was written in the everlasting covenant even though it was written under the Old Covenant administration of the gospel message. The everlasting covenant continues into the new administration of the gospel under the New Covenant, “the new and living way”. If it didn’t continue and it no longer applied to us today being a requirement of the New Covenant then Peter wouldn’t have said this or commanded and instructed this.
God defines what the word “holy” means in Hebrews 7:26 “ …who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners…”. To be holy is to be harmless, UNDEFILED and “separate from sinners” (not a sinner, different than sinners). Throughout the Bible being holy is also described as being blameless, spotless, without wrinkle, without blemish, unrebukeable, sinless, righteous, upright, just, clean, faithful, obedient, sober, godly and perfect.
1Peter 1:15-16
“But as HE which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
2Peter 3:1-2
“This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of REMEMBRANCE: That ye may be mindful of the words WHICH WERE SPOKEN BEFORE BY THE HOLY PROPHETS, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour”
However, according to today’s modern mainstream Christian teaching, it is IMPOSSIBLE to be holy or keep GOD’s laws. But God never asks His children to do something that can’t be done, that’s what Satan does with his children. Let’s be very careful to not unknowingly falsely accuse our loving God of being like Satan. If our Heavenly Father says to do it, there is a way (the whole gospel way) to do it. This reminds me of when Jesus reprimanded some Jews.
Matthew 23:23
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith:
these ought ye to have done,
AND NOT TO LEAVE THE OTHER UNDONE.”
Jesus also warns everyone of us today of the exact same thing in this parable found in Matthew 7:21-23. These people fulfill EVERY requirement for salvation according to the way it is taught by modern mainstream Christians today. But that teaching is not the whole gospel, it’s not according to the entire New Covenant terms of agreement, and therefore these people are shocked when they are rejected by Jesus and are not saved by Him.
The Lord is kindly telling us exactly why these people have lost their opportunity for salvation. He says they only did part of the Father’s will, they kept part of the New Covenant, they kept part of the gospel; but they omitted and left out the other parts they were required to do. They were guilty of only partial obedience, they were still actively pursuing and practicing unrepentant sinning when the time for salvation had ended. This is why Jesus warns us to always be ready because nobody knows when that door will be permanently shut.
Christians today are deleting part of the gospel, part of the covenant and are also entirely denying and opposing requirements for justification and salvation just like Cain did when he made up his own way to have forgiveness and salvation. Do you know why?
It must certainly be because they had been taught that all of God’s laws had ended and were nailed to the cross.
It must certainly be because they had been taught that they were not under the law.
It must certainly be because they were taught that it was impossible to keep God’s commandments.
This is not a complete list of false teachings, but the entire list could easily fill up many books brothers and sisters. Don’t believe the doctrines of men, believe God. Please don’t be the one who repeats the bad parts of history, be the one who is accepted like Able and Noah. Don’t make up your own way and become like Cain. Don’t worship God in vain.
Mark 7:6-8
“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.
Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men…”
I asked earlier how is it possible that we can become and continue to be holy, blameless without one spot of sin when we all struggle with sin and mess up every day? We can do it the way the Old Testament believers did it only by a better covenant with better promises. We can only do this by the power of the Holy Spirit of God and by knowing and keeping the New Covenant in its entirety. The Lord’s Prayer gives us a great understanding of how we walk this out daily.
(I will write more on this in other chapters.)