Weekly Devotional 9-11-17 We Must Be Careful Who We Listen To

Weekly Devotional 9-11-17
We Must be Careful Who We Listen To.

Did you know that our eternal destination depends on what we believe and to what we have committed ourselves? For instance, Jesus Christ said, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18 NKJV). And the apostle John wrote; “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36 NKJV). Those statements are emphatic statements leaving no space for challenging argument. The first statement was spoken by the Son of God, who is God. The second passage was spoken by one who had for almost three years followed Jesus and was a personal witness of much that He did during those years; the giving of sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, healing the lame, casting out demons, ruling over nature, raising to new life many who had died. John had also seen Jesus transfigured (changed bodily into a glorified body) as Jesus conversed with Moses and Elijah about Jesus’ approaching death on the cross. Because Jesus was God in the flesh, and John was a personal witness to what Jesus had done, we must take their testimony as absolute truth. All other impartations of claimed truth concerning the path to heaven must be measured by their statements.

With Jesus’ and John’s testimony in mind, the apostle Paul in a letter to the Galatians wrote; “1Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2and all the brethren who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 6I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:1-9 NKJV). Please note, twice he enjoined that if anyone, angel or man, preach any other gospel than what he and his fellows had proclaimed they should be accursed. In saying, “let him be accursed” once shows how serious Paul took this issue. Saying it twice moves it from being serious to being very serious. Should we take it any less serious? No! Why? Because any other gospel would be a different gospel or a false gospel. There is only one truth. In fact, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6 NKJV).

Many today stand in pulpits, speak on radio and or on television proclaiming a gospel that is not the gospel according to Jesus, John or Paul. They say many things that sound good. In fact, they have some element of truth, but in the end they deny that there is only one way to heaven, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the application of His shed blood to one’s account. They deny that this can only be appropriated by faith. A faith that trusts in God and leads to commitment as a follower of Jesus Christ. One will often hear them say, “Yes one must have faith in God’s promise(s), but one must do this or that in order to be saved. However, that is another gospel.

We must be careful who we listen to. Seeds are planted by the Holy Spirit, but seeds are also planted by Satan.

stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
570-575-3932

 

 

 

 

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