Reading God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life: The Myth of the Modern Message, chapter 6 the Motive and the result - Ray gives some compelling reasons why many in the church lack the "things that accompany salvation (Hebrews 6:9)." He says that the Law brings knowledge of sin and leads to a 100% turning from sin to God. As Jesus said, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no - anything else is from the devil (Matt 5:37)."
It wasn't until COVID 19 that I realized how wishy-washy I've been in my commitments and how strong I've allowed my bad habits to become. In a study of James, BeMature I realized several fallacious ideas that had created a beach-head for demonic "maybe now" or 98% repentance. I've been here before and really appreciate the ministry of 2 Peter 1:1-11 that talks about God's gifts to live a godly life in him but also making every effort to add to your faith (Personally) and Ephesians 4:1-32 talking about making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit (with God and God's people). But Ray's book shows how many people trample the gospel and end wishy-washy commitments with bitterness towards those who gave them so-called "good news." Wishy-washy commitments come from not understanding sin and create an "inoculated and bitter 'backslider'" who the Bible calls worse off now than before (never saved Matthew 13:20-21 but think they were Hebrews 6:4-6).
- On a side note, as I grew up in an "easy believe and receive" culture of "say a prayer asking Jesus into your heart" every Sunday culture. I read the parable of the sower as every seed that germinates is "saved." As I learned more about Jesus and his teaching it became clear that only 1 of the 4 soils was saved, and so it became known to me as the parable of soils rather than the sower, and it makes sense - a prepared field is ready to accept seed and produce a bountiful crop.
It wasn't until COVID 19 that I realized how wishy-washy I've been in my commitments and how strong I've allowed my bad habits to become. In a study of James, BeMature I realized several fallacious ideas that had created a beach-head for demonic "maybe now" or 98% repentance. I've been here before and really appreciate the ministry of 2 Peter 1:1-11 that talks about God's gifts to live a godly life in him but also making every effort to add to your faith (Personally) and Ephesians 4:1-32 talking about making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit (with God and God's people). But Ray's book shows how many people trample the gospel and end wishy-washy commitments with bitterness towards those who gave them so-called "good news." Wishy-washy commitments come from not understanding sin and create an "inoculated and bitter 'backslider'" who the Bible calls worse off now than before (never saved Matthew 13:20-21 but think they were Hebrews 6:4-6).
- On a side note, as I grew up in an "easy believe and receive" culture of "say a prayer asking Jesus into your heart" every Sunday culture. I read the parable of the sower as every seed that germinates is "saved." As I learned more about Jesus and his teaching it became clear that only 1 of the 4 soils was saved, and so it became known to me as the parable of soils rather than the sower, and it makes sense - a prepared field is ready to accept seed and produce a bountiful crop.
- It's still the parable of the Sower - because it's about God who is the one who prepares the field.
So we need to cultivate the ground, giving the knowledge of sin to cultivate a conscience and heart for God, but how?
- don't start with Jesus can improve your life, but rather warn people about the day of judgment. "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (Heb 9:27)."
- "God has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:30,31)."
- "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death (Proverbs 11:4)."
Peace and joy are legitimate fruits of salvation, but it is not legitimate to use these fruits as a drawing card for salvation. If we do, the sinner will respond with an impure motive, lacking repentance.
- Christians have "joy and peace in believing (Romans 15:13)." but read all of Romans!
The product of man-centered gospel is people come lacking repentance, without which they cannot be saved (Acts 2:38, 3:19). This is why Jesus commanded that repentance be preached to all nations (Luke 24:47).
- Superficial repentance can be 100% sincere, "yes, I want joy and peace for myself"
- Superficial repentance creates backsliders because they don't understand the wrath to come. Remember Romans 7:7, "I would not have known sin except through the law."
- Superficial repentance is at best horizontal, to make amends with others.
- True repentance acknowledges sin is against God, "Against You, You only, have I sinned, and does this evil in Your sight (Psalm 51:4)."
- Remember when Joseph was tempted sexually, he said "how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God (Gen 39:9)."
- Remember the prodigal son admitted, "I have sinned against heaven (Luke 15:21)."
- We must preach to exercise "repentance toward God (Acts 20:21)."
Following up with a false convert is like putting a stillborn baby into intensive care. Neither approach solves the problem.
- Deliverance and Discipleship: You can't deliver a person from the flesh and you can't disciple a demon. We deliver the person from the demon through prayer and fasting, then disciple the freed person - teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded.
The Law converts the soul (Psalm 19:7), so that the person becomes a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17)
So we need to cultivate the ground, giving the knowledge of sin to cultivate a conscience and heart for God, but how?
- don't start with Jesus can improve your life, but rather warn people about the day of judgment. "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment (Heb 9:27)."
- "God has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17:30,31)."
- "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death (Proverbs 11:4)."
Peace and joy are legitimate fruits of salvation, but it is not legitimate to use these fruits as a drawing card for salvation. If we do, the sinner will respond with an impure motive, lacking repentance.
- Christians have "joy and peace in believing (Romans 15:13)." but read all of Romans!
The product of man-centered gospel is people come lacking repentance, without which they cannot be saved (Acts 2:38, 3:19). This is why Jesus commanded that repentance be preached to all nations (Luke 24:47).
- Superficial repentance can be 100% sincere, "yes, I want joy and peace for myself"
- Superficial repentance creates backsliders because they don't understand the wrath to come. Remember Romans 7:7, "I would not have known sin except through the law."
- Superficial repentance is at best horizontal, to make amends with others.
- True repentance acknowledges sin is against God, "Against You, You only, have I sinned, and does this evil in Your sight (Psalm 51:4)."
- Remember when Joseph was tempted sexually, he said "how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God (Gen 39:9)."
- Remember the prodigal son admitted, "I have sinned against heaven (Luke 15:21)."
- We must preach to exercise "repentance toward God (Acts 20:21)."
Following up with a false convert is like putting a stillborn baby into intensive care. Neither approach solves the problem.
- Deliverance and Discipleship: You can't deliver a person from the flesh and you can't disciple a demon. We deliver the person from the demon through prayer and fasting, then disciple the freed person - teaching them to obey everything Jesus commanded.
The Law converts the soul (Psalm 19:7), so that the person becomes a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17)
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