What is Shown...Your Decision

What is Shown...Your Decision
by David Brenneman

"saying, ‘Go to this people and say, “You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; And you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; For the heart of this people has become dull, And with their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes; Otherwise they might see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.”  Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.” Acts 28:26-28.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." Galatians 5:22-25.

It's interesting that a textual slip of the tongue often has people saying it's fruits of the Spirit when it's a singular fruit with one set of descriptions concerning that fruit.

It's really been interesting studying through the Bible getting 4 different views of the New Testament from 4 different men of God. 

Paul really is an interesting study by himself as well.  His personality really was transformed throughout the letters you read that encompass most of the New Testament.  You can see in the finer points, if you look for them, exactly what he described about the various Spiritual gifts that would be going away...as they were...over the years...leaving him as well.

The foundation being Christ, the Apostles on top of that...then throughout the years of the early Church we see vibrant fruit of the Spirit in people.  The building up of the Church of God that still stands today.

It's interesting to note that the things he spoke about concerning false prophets, false teachers, false preachers, is very much infecting the Church today.  People whom Paul would have called out publicly to their own shame and disgrace.

It should not surprise you, my Dear Reader, that Satan's schemes involve mimicking the fruit of the Spirit.  We read this in other parables, just written differently, by Jesus.  The wheat and the tares.  Tares being false or fake wheat.  I. it's first breaking through the soil they look the same.  Yet when they both start growing the evidences prove out who is or isn't a child of God in Christ Jesus. 

In the final Judgment of God, which literally is an unknown short number of years from now plus 1,007 years, those false prophets, preachers, teachers will be trying to defend themselves as to why they should be able to enter into Heaven. 

The Apostle Paul wrote about making sure of your salvation in Christ Jesus.  To find out after the Rapture of the Church that you weren't saved is absolutely not the right time to know.

You indeed may be showing similar fruit of the Spirit but if you aren't sealed by the Spirit of God after coming to Christ for salvation, it absolutely does not matter. 

Read what it says in the Bible, don't take my word for it.  Jesus Himself will separate the truly saved from those who are not...Biblically speaking...without a word.

He will not conduct interviews.
He will not use a scale of 1 to 10.
He will not grade the deeds of people on a curve.

He will look for the seal of the Spirit of God.

When someone comes to Christ for salvation they become His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works that we might walk in them.  A transformation begins to take place.  Romans 12.

The purpose of the fruit of the Spirit is God the Father’s glory.  That people would see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.

The really sad part is that opening passage wasn't just referring to those Jews who were too hard hearted to understand.  It's for all who have come up with excuses to reject the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

To die without salvation in Christ Jesus is to immediately enter into Hell.  To die with Christ is to immediately enter into Heaven. 

I am a proponent of the view of the age of accountability with regards to understanding salvation.  Children for sure who do not know right from wrong are certainly that. Those who's mental facilities have never progressed beyond a child's are certainly that. 

Sin has a price.  A death penalty.  Payable upon physical death.  Everyone who has lived pays up or is acquitted in Christ at their time of death. 

My Dear Reader with watching the headlines of the last decade going into even the coming few years, I absolutely would not be surprised that we are on the cusp of the return of Jesus Christ as He promised to keep.

Are you sure of your salvation in Christ?  Have you been lead astray by false teachers and false preachers? 

Once the Rapture of the Church happens the 7 year Great Tribulation begins.  The wrath of God comes upon the Earth.  Billions of people will be dying.  Read it in the book of Revelation. 

You can't save yourself.  The only way to salvation is through the cross of Jesus Christ.

"But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.  For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:8-13.

Satan's wanting as many as possible to be deceived into thinking they are saved so that they won't go when he KNOWS that the Rapture of the Church WILL take place.  Sadly he believes more of the Bible than most professing Christians.

The Bible says that our goodness is as filthy rags compared to what is evidenced by the goodness of the fruit of the Spirit.

There is no one good no not one we read in the Scriptures.

We need the righteousness of God in Christ imputed to us by coming to Christ for salvation in order to be seen by God the Father as good by His definition of good.

Be sure of your salvation. 
Your eternity depends on your decision.

All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
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