Because of all the faux “religion” that is around today, claiming to be a “true Christian” takes on a very serious meaning. Anyone who truly desires to be saved for all eternity and have a relationship with Jesus right now can know for sure whether or not they are really saved. Just know that “religion” saves no one – only Jesus does. (all emphasis mine)

Jesus did not come to this earth as our perfect sacrifice to say it was only for a certain nation or a certain group of people. While it’s true that He came to the Jews first, in John 10:16 He made it clear His gift was for everyone. “And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. So, there will be one flock, one Shepherd.” When He references “this fold,” that was the Jews. “Other sheep” referenced everyone else.

We should know that the word “all” means every – without exception. In three verses, it is written that “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32, Acts 2:21 and Romans 10:13). There are other Bible verses that make reference to this, but these three are plain, simple and directly to the point.

In Matthew 24:5, Jesus states there would be false prophets at the end of this age. “For many will come in My name, saying ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.” He repeats this in verse 11; “And many false prophets will arise, and lead many astray.”

In 1 John 2:18-19, the apostle states, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they are all not of us.” Satanic influence is growing stronger daily worldwide.

Today, there are some very notable names of so-called “Christian pastors,” yet many have turned away from giving the true word of the Father. John spoke of false prophets and antichrists that were already present in the first century, and he also gave warnings that their activities would increase as time passes. As stated, this is happening right now.

Likewise, in 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul spoke of what would take place. In verse 7, he stated, “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only He who now restrains it will do so until He is out of the way.” Everyone who has received and accepted Jesus as their Savior has the Holy Spirit indwelling them. This is the influence that presently holds the ultimate antichrist back from making his appearance today.

In theaters, we have seen “Previews of Coming Attractions.” In today’s world, there are previews of the coming wrath of God, also known as the tribulation. There is a definite dividing line between believers and non-believers, and animosity is growing toward anything that even hints of Jesus. Though we are commanded to love everyone, Satan’s policy is one of hate and persecution. His followers are responding to his will with increasing force.

By the way, we are to love everyone for their eternal souls and realize that every person on this earth is a brother or sister. However, this in no way means we must accept their lifestyles, and there are those that we don’t even have to like. Our Savior set that example as He loved everyone; however, His greatest issues were with the “religious leaders,” whom He chastised regularly. If any of them repented and called out for forgiveness before they died, they will be with Him in Heaven. Those who didn’t will be separated from Him forever.

Paul was raised as a strict Pharisee, and initially, he persecuted people who were of the “Way,” as Christianity was first labeled. His hatred and zeal toward shutting them down was known far and wide. That is why that after his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, people found it difficult to accept his “conversion” as being real. Paul suffered in many ways for his proclaiming that Jesus is the only true Messiah, but as he said, he counted everything as loss compared to the value of knowing and serving Jesus as Lord (Philippians 3:7-9).

Some former Bible-based evangelical churches are proclaiming today that what God called abominations in the Bible no longer apply. Supposedly, all “sexual” relationships are stated to be an “act of love” and therefore are right in His eyes. The truth is, God has not changed His mind, nor will He ever condone any relationship except for what He called pure and holy.

Just go to Matthew 7:13-14 and read what Jesus said about the broad path that leads to destruction compared to the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are not surprised by anything that is taking place today.

As believers, we need to be looking up because Jesus said that when these things begin to happen, His coming is soon (Luke 21:28). Of course, when this is brought up, and we try to advise others just how close the Rapture most likely is, it’s said that this has been the same as always, and it’s just a myth.

Going to 2 Peter 3:3-4, even in the first century it was said, “knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing; following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.'”

When God makes a promise, it is absolute. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 about the soon to take place Rapture, or taking up, of all believers to meet Jesus in the air. The speed is compared to the “twinkling of an eye,” or considerably less than one second. No matter how Satan tries to convince everyone this is foolish (1 Corinthians 1:18), we know it is very real.

The main question is, are you ready? Elisha A. Hoffman (1839-1929) wrote in a song in 1878, “Are You Washed in The Blood?” While this may seem gross to some, for the Savior’s flock, it means all our filthy sins are made sparkling clean through the pure, sinless blood sacrifice that Jesus gave for us. In human form, He was the only person who never sinned. His blood was the only “payment” that the Father could accept because of His requirement for perfection. He knew that no other human could ever provide such a pure sacrifice, so He sent His Son in our place. Please consider this classic Hymn and its pressing significance for today.

1.) Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour? Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb?

Ref) Are you washed in the Blood, in the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow? Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb?

2.) Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Do you rest each moment in the crucified? Are You Washed in the Blood of the Lamb? (ref)

3.) When the Bridegroom cometh, will your robes be white? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright and be washed in the blood of the Lamb? (ref)

4.) Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin and be washed in the blood of the Lamb. There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean; O’ be washed in the blood of the Lamb. (ref)

Romans 10:9-13 gives the steps, or ABCs, to Salvation. If you have called on Jesus, you have been “washed” in His blood, and your eternity is assured to be with Him.

Refusal to receive and accept the Savior is the unforgivable sin, and your destiny will be the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15, and then cast into the Lake of Fire. There is no other option available.

It’s totally up to each and every individual to choose. John 14:6, Acts 4:12, Romans 8:1 and Romans 5:8 are very specific; Jesus is the only way to eternal life in Heaven. Believe, receive, and be washed in the Blood of the Lamb today.

Come, Lord Jesus!

huebshman46@gmail.com

“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household that there are some contentions among you. Now I say this that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’

“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of us except Crispus and Gaius lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Yes, I also baptized the house of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect” (1 Corinthians 1:10-17, NKJV).

Everyone has a favorite teacher, or coach, or employer that made a difference in their lives and put them on the right road in terms of their outlook on life, or development of character, or was an admired and respected role model. My own life is full of people like this. I have had teachers who set me straight and demonstrated to me what a Christian was to be and do, and this was used by the LORD to draw me to Him when I was a teenager. I had a godly role model in the Anglican minister who mentored me while I lived in the United Arab Emirates decades ago and helped me to focus on living a life that would honor the LORD.

My professors in the Baptist college and seminary were not just instructors but confidantes, advisors, and were the ones who guided me into a career in education and gave me the wisdom and confidence to accomplish the task. I have in my circle of friends a retired pastor who was my family’s pastor while we lived in the New Orleans region and whom I consider a treasure and a father figure as far as what it means to be a man of God under both good and trying circumstances.

The LORD has been more than gracious, kind, and benevolent with me through the years and has blessed me with people who have either come and gone yet made a difference, as well as those who are a permanent part of my development and character as well as friendship. Some have gone on to glory, others have gone to other fields of service, and I will probably not see them again until we all meet with the Lord when He returns to get us one of these days. There have been individuals whom I have never met yet influenced me to serve the LORD all those years ago.

It was a sermon given by none other than Oral Roberts on one of his TV specials where he gave a simple Gospel presentation that led me to give my life to Christ in 1975. I have never condoned or supported his later escapades and situations, but considering that he lost both a daughter and son to violent ends, I am sure that it messed with his mind no matter how much faith he said he had. Speaking as someone who has endured the same heartache, I can cut him some slack.

While I admired and revered these people, I never saw them as anything but messengers of the Gospel, called by the Lord Jesus to bring the message of salvation to all who called on Him. I have come across dear folks who treasured the man of God they had as a pastor so much that all who came after them never really seemed to measure up to what they had in the past. I knew of two examples while we lived in the New Orleans area.

While I was serving as a chaplain with a local hospital, I came across a patient who was a member of the largest Baptist church in New Orleans and had sat under the preaching of a noted man of God who had been there for nearly forty years. He had retired years before and had already gone home to glory. One of the accomplishments of his tenure was the building of a new sanctuary in one of the more exquisite neighborhoods of the city years before but had since outgrown its usefulness and space. The new pastor, with the approval of the congregation, voted to build a new sanctuary near the interstate on better, more accessible grounds to accommodate the population that had moved near that area.

This dear lady was upset, to say the least, and was planning to buy the old sanctuary for some purpose, if only to keep the name of the previous pastor in the light. I do not know if her quest was successful, but she had her eye on the past minister, not the Present Savior.

The same went for another large church in the area whose pastor had died in 1971, yet they were still selling cassettes and audio DVDs of his sermons as if he were still there. They never let the memory of this saint go and move on to what the newer shepherds may have wanted to accomplish. The last time I had heard of them is that the church finally moved out of the old neighborhood and set up a new area of operations.

When I read the first chapter of the book of 1 Corinthians, I see that kind of pattern operating with the church that Paul had established and pastored for over a year in a city not known for its moral character and piety. The city of Corinth had a bad reputation, and Paul had heard of problems within this church that, if not addressed and dealt with immediately, would suffer the same type of reputation and be an embarrassment to not just him but to the body of Christ as a whole and shut down any influence for the Gospel. In reading verses 10-17 of Chapter 1, Paul is dealing with the issue of favoritism towards varied men of God who had been instrumental in bringing many of the Corinthians to faith in Christ.

These dear but misguided saints had started to boast among one another that their faith began under the preaching of men like Paul, Peter, Apollos, or they wanted to boast that they followed only Christ. They were no different than the people today who place the man of God they cherish and credit with leading them to Christ on a pedestal of gratitude and admiration. It is the same with those favorites of ours who teach prophecy, end-times events, or who speak at varied Bible conferences on subjects like the occult, UFOs, conspiracies, and false teachers. We eat it up like a well-cooked favorite dinner.

Now, a lot of us are genuinely hungry for real solid teaching from the Word of God, and we grow in our faith because of it, but too many folks, as well-intentioned as they might be, are guilty of “hero worship” like the Corinthians and fail to see that if it were not for the saving grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, none of these men and women would have a message or testimony, for they would all be doomed to hell along with us.

The common ground on which Paul, Peter, the Apostles, Apollos, Timothy, Mark, Luke, and every pastor, teacher, professor, missionary, or believer throughout history has is not their individual talents and gifts, but that they have all at one time in their lives bowed the knee and given their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ. And if they had anything about which to boast, it would not be anything of their own merit, but they would boast on the One who loved them and us enough to take our wretchedness and sins upon Himself on the cross to redeem us and allow us into the presence of the Holy Sovereign Lord God and Father forever.

We boast on Christ for no other reason than we have nothing to boast about in terms of getting right with God in our own strength. It is by His wondrous mercy and grace that we are saved and do not in any way, shape or form deserve (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Paul will go on to admonish yet encourage the Corinthian church to set their eyes not on the dedicated men of God who aided in their salvation journey, but upon the Author and Finisher of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Corinth had a lot of other problems, but the first one to address was to turn their eyes to Jesus, as we should all do when we are tempted to give a favorite teacher or preacher a little more attention than he deserves or wants.

No man of God, no matter how righteous he may be, died for your sins or redeemed you from the burdens of evil and malevolence. That honor and privilege belongs to none other than our Lord Jesus, and we must show our misguided brethren and the wandering world that it is Jesus and Jesus alone who provides the way out of our sins (John 14:6) and peace with God the Father.

I pray that this message will be of use, comfort, and service to every saint who needs to redirect their focus on our gracious, loving, and returning King. Look up, be watchful, for He is on the way.

donaldwhitchard@gmail.com

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