A Costly Mistake

A Costly Mistake
by David Brenneman

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?  But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test."  2 Corinthians 13:5-6.

"For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we ourselves are weak but you are strong; this we also pray for, that you be made complete." 2 Corinthians 13:8-9.

"But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another." Galatians 6:4.

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13.

It wasn't the first that I have seen in short videos, but the truth of them points to the errors of many people.  Paul admonishes, exhorts, pleads even, that his readers be sure of their salvation in Christ Jesus alone. 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10.

We are saved by grace alone through Christ alone.  Once saved always saved.  Sealed in the Spirit of God.  Marked as His own possession.  He did all the work because we were dead in and of ourselves.  In Jesus Christ alone are all things finished and complete.

This apostasy that has began across the world decades ago is certainly surging in ways that it hasn't beforehand.  This falling away as the Scriptures say that it is are people celebrating their own works unto a false salvation.  People who are not taught of God.  They have accepted, literally, the doctrines of demons.  False teachers proclaiming a different Gospel than that which was delivered by the Apostles...and it is being embraced worldwide. 

Those who do examine themselves and do find themselves truly in the Lord are those finding persecutions in various places and in various ways.  Satan's doing what he can and has been permitted to do only in accordance with God's plans as written in the Bible.

Be sure of that my Dear Reader.  Nothing that is transpiring is happening outside of the will of God.  The Holy Spirit restrains Satan's schemes until the Church of Jesus Christ is complete. 

In those videos that people have created they show supposed churches crying out that Jesus is here and only some of them leave with Jesus.  Those left behind crying out for Jesus to come back. 

While partially accurate they don't convey the suddenness of that event.  Great masses of people will not understand nor believe that the instantaneous removal of the true Church of Jesus Christ was what it was.  In a split second of time global disasters will strike in a moment.  There will be no warning.  Nothing to show anyone that it's Jesus and to be able to cry out to Him in joy or in disbelief.

The greatest most costly mistake anyone makes is thinking they are saved when they never truly came to Christ for salvation in the first place.  If your church isn't preaching that Jesus is the only way to be saved.  Run, don't walk, until you find one that does.  If your church is being lead by anyone but a solid in the faith man of God, run, don't walk from that place.  Jesus never compromised in all that the Father told Him to say and do.  Neither should the man of God who is to preach the whole counsel of God.

"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.

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,  who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory." Ephesians 1:13-14.

You, my Dear Reader, need to be sure of your salvation.  Then, you need to be sure that you are walking in the Lord daily.  No excuses.  Once you have invited Jesus to be the forgiver of your sins and the leader of your life, you shouldn't stand in His way to transforming you into His character.  Pray that He busts down every single door in your heart and mind that has sinful deeds tucked away in it.  Things that you had been a slave to before coming to Christ for salvation.

Expect people to not understand your life in Christ.  Unless or until they too come to Christ for salvation they're not going to understand it.  The Bible teaches that.

Pray for the return of Jesus Christ.  Paul taught that to the churches. 

Be sure that you haven't spent your life fooling yourself thinking your good deeds should make a difference in getting into Heaven.

Jesus said that nobody is saved but through Him.  Nothing that anyone does matters.

Be sure of your salvation in Christ Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. 

Oh the costly mistake that people make before they die.  Please my Dear Reader...please settle it today between you and Jesus.

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