You need more than the truth, to be saved. You need more than belief, because even the demons believe.
What you need is obedience.
To submit.
Unfortunately, very few seem interested in obedience anymore. Righteousness is far too rigid. In our enlightened times, our pastors seem unwilling to say that the unrighteous will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
We have a Just and Righteous God who demands that we submit to Him. It is all-or-nothing, and too many have tried something in between.
We even have a recent example in Josh Harris.
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Holding the Truth in Unrighteousness
Holding the Truth in Unrighteousness – The ShockCast
YouTube shortlink: https://youtu.be/GAslqqOTCKs
MP3 Audio:
http://omegashock.com/shockcast/2019/19-08-03-holding-the-truth-in-unrighteousness.mp3
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note: To all of you who have been wondering where I disappeared to – or, if I am even still breathing – consider this a ‘proof of life’. I’m afraid that my last article/video left me with the realization that I had to clean up my website ezekiel36-39.com before talking about the prophetic conclusion to my series on Iran. That site was set up and written eight years ago, and I always knew that it needed serious cleanup and revision. So, I will be devoting my efforts to that for a few more weeks.
Lord willing, it will be done quickly.
The events of today are moving towards a conclusion that is illustrated there. So, I need to make sure that I have it right and write.
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Last month, as I was going through my daily reading, I ran across this verse:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Who is Paul talking about?
Carnal christians
Think about that. God’s wrath is poured out on those who have the truth – who hold it in their hands – but disobey God. This is why I often say that faith is not enough. You must add obedience to your faith, if you wish to go to heaven.
Look around you. Look at your own church.
Do you see anyone preaching the need for righteousness?
Is anyone even preaching the need for a complete devotion to God?
This is a sign of corrupt preachers. It’s also a sign that corrupt Christians cannot stand for such sermons, or are content that such sermons are never preached. And, the amount of worldliness in our churches should be more than enough proof for anyone. And, it should worry you, because this next verse speaks about what happens to such churches:
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
This is the pattern throughout the Bible. Judgment ALWAYS comes first to the house of God. ALWAYS. This is why our attention must always be focused on those INSIDE our churches first. Those outside will have their day of judgment, later.
If our churches are full of worldliness, then God’s just and righteous judgment will descend upon our churches and ourselves. When the wrath of God comes to America, at the hands of her enemies, it will be due to sin in the church.
You have probably heard me quote this verse before:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
If you are a Christian, then you are called according to the name of God. And, if you sin against God, that verse should give you an idea of what will happen.
If you call yourself according to the name of God, God will make it impossible for you to survive. He will curse the work of your hands. He will curse the ground that you walk on. He will aid your enemies, until you are destroyed. But, before that, He will give you opportunity to humble yourself and pray and seek His face and turn from your wicked ways.
Here is a video by a passionate young man named Joshua Chavez:
I’ve been watching a lot of Joshua’s videos, lately. And, every one of them is made with passion and righteous conviction. He reminds me of where I was, 25 years ago, just before God taught me the need to mix my passion with COMpassion. Iron is strong, but it’s stronger when it is mixed with a bit of softer carbon to become steel. Likewise, passion unmixed with compassion becomes brittle. But, that’s a story for another time.
In the above video, Joshua begins with something interesting:
The biggest threat to the gospel today, and therefore the salvation of men at large, I contend to you, is modern Christendom as we know it – especially in the Western world and most especially in America.
He’s right, and I wish that he was not. And, I have been talking about this for a long time. In fact, in my time in Asia, I have always shuddered a bit whenever I’ve run across what I’ve labeled as ‘American Christianity’.
Now, not every Christian in America is a part of that problem that is ‘American Christianity’. But, far too many are. Far too many. And, when Joshua Chavez says that most christians aren’t saved… he’s right.
Are you sure that you are saved?
I recommend that you listen to all of Joshua’s video and test yourself, even if you can answer that question with a resounding YES. I doubt that too many of you have heard a sermon like that, at least, not very often. And no, Joshua isn’t giving a sermon.
If you put ANYTHING above God, or even equal to God, you are not saved. If God’s wishes for your life are second to ANYTHING in this world, you are not saved. Whether it be children, your spouse, your job, your health, well-being… ANYTHING – if you put any of it to be even equal to God, you are not saved.
This is that serious.
You might say that you know Jesus, and that’s a good thing. But, that’s not the important question.
The important question is…
Does Jesus know YOU?
If you hold the truth in unrighteousness, you can be sure that Jesus doesn’t know you. Many carnal christians KNOW what they need to do to forsake their unrighteousness, but the sacrifice is too much for them. If you have a problem with pornography, disconnect your Internet. If you have a problem with faithfulness to your wife or husband, cut away ANYTHING that gives you access to what is leading you astray. If you cannot forgive, then pray that God gives you the grace to sacrifice enough of yourself to have compassion for those who wronged you. If you are an alcoholic, never enter a store or restaurant that sells alcohol.
I could go on and on… but one thing is certain:
Most American christians have been unwilling to pay the price that is required of all of us, so that we might know God and be known by Him.
Please, count the cost and then pay the price. It’s worth it, but you must have the strength and courage to face it.
We have an example of this with a newly-ex-christian named Josh Harris. He was the head pastor of Covenant Life Church for eleven years until 2015. He wrote books on dating, relationships and purity. And then, just a couple weeks ago… he cast off his poor wife and forsook God.
What an incomprehensible tragedy.
What could possibly have happened, to have caused him to do this?
Unfortunately, if you are a Christian long enough, you will have friends and even family do this. It happens a lot more than you think. And, it’s even worse when men forsake faith in Christ, while still retaining their positions as pastor, or some other form of ministry.
At least, Josh Harris had the decency to make his decision public. For every pastor like Josh, you can bet that there are many who have kept their apostasy secret, continuing to preach from a dead heart.
A comment left by an Omega Shock reader provides a snapshot into the soul of someone like Josh:
Several years ago I read an excerpt from a book written by a former Christian pastor turned atheist. I think the title was something like Losing Faith. He wrote about the night he faced this gnawing feeling he had ignored for so long: a member of his congregation called him late at night to meet her at the ER and pray with her for a relative who’d been in a bad car accident or something like that. He went, he prayed, he tried to comfort her, but inside he felt like, “You know there is no God to pray to. You KNOW this is all a sham.” He went home. He was looking at himself in the mirror and thinking, with much anguish, about how he must face this “truth” and let go of the fantasies that he had held so long; he said goodbye to his deceased father and the fantasy that he would see him again, etc. One by one he let go and grieved all these “fantasies”. Later he sought out a convention of atheists. He was asked to speak and give his “testimony”. He said that antibiotics and 200 years of science had done more to help humanity than 2,000 years of religion, to thunderous applause. He wrote, as if it were a refreshing and welcome discovery, that all the atheists seated around him at his table were perfectly nice people. That they were normal, and so was he, and it was all OK. He described how he broke the news to his family and they were OK with it. I forget how his congregation took it, but I think he continued as a pastor for awhile. I wonder how many other pastors are still in the closet about this, but continuing to preach empty sermons every Sunday.
– DRG
Like Josh Harris, Dan Barker also was a pastor, who then threw it all away because something dislodged the cornerstone of his faith. Once his foundation had crumbled, he no longer had anything to stand on when the wind came to push him over. He fell down and became apostate.
Nothing horrifies me more than that. Nothing – especially since I know that we all have the ability to forsake the narrow way that leads to salvation. All of us have the ability to take that one little step that leads to others, that bring us to utter destruction.
I have friends and family who have taken that route, and the stories told to me by others, about their friends and family, are just as horrifying. And, it will never cease to make my blood run cold.
If you had talked to any of these people before their ‘conversion’ to Atheism, you could have sworn that they were the best of Christians. My friend, Dan S, was both missionary and pastor, and had every hallmark of true faith in Christ. His bible studies were great. His sermons were exceptional. And then, one day, as I was on my way home, a friend told me that Dan had become an Atheist.
What caused him to do this?
I doubt that Dan or any of the others could pinpoint the exact moment that started them on that terrible path to destruction. And, while I would love to know, I’m not sure that it matters. When you don’t lay the foundation of your faith on rock, your faith will be swept away. And, I fear that there are far too many Christians who have weak foundations built on something less than the truth of God.
Please, take this moment to evaluate WHAT you are, WHO you are and WHERE you stand.
Do you need to cut unrighteousness out of your life?
Do you need to re-set the foundation of your faith?
Do it now, before it is too late.
I truly hope that you’ll be ready for this
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. – Proverbs 22:3
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If you find a flaw in my reasoning, have a question, or wish to add your own viewpoint, leave a comment on the website. Your input is truly welcome.
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