I Walk the Line

Much like Johnny Cash sang, I too walk the line. A different line however. I often feel I am perched on the line between being critical and just discerning.
Yesterday we had a member of the congregation get up and preach. His sermon was titled "Religious but Lost". Amen, that is a problem. But I soon found myself disagreeing with this man. The first point was when he was talking about Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul and gave us most of the New Testament. He was talking about how Saul was too focused on religion to have a relationship. However Saul was a Jew, and a Pharisee. The Pharisee's were legalists. They were consumed with the law, not religion. Even to the point that they said Jesus was breaking the law of the Sabbath by spitting when He healed the blind beggar. But this was a minor disagreement that I can over look. Well there is also the point that Jesus intercedes for us, allowing us to have that relationship with God. But even still, I see his point. My main complaint with the entire sermon was that he devoted a lot of his time to talking about the love of God. Which is fine, but to truly understand the love, you must understand the wrath. For God's love to be real, his wrath must also be real. What are we saved from? God's wrath. God so loved us that he poured out His wrath on His own Son that we might be washed clean. The single greatest act of love, grace, and mercy all in one. With out the wrath, the cross is a pointless act. If God was just going to overlook our trespasses why did Christ have to suffer and die on the cross? It makes no sense. God's wrath is very real. Hell is very real, and it goes on forever. So in my opinion if you are going to preach God's love, you must first preach God's wrath. Jesus Christ was the spotless Lamb of God, yet we know He was punished. Why? Because we are far from spotless. I would venture to say most of us have broken all ten commandments when you look at how Jesus explained them more in depth.

• Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

There are ways to evaluate if you are truly saved, or just living the religious life.

1. Are you growing in Holiness?
2. Do you hate the sins you use to love?
3. Do you hate the things God hates, and love the things He loves?

Those are just a few points I have learned from Todd Friel on Way of the Master Radio and Wretched TV. If you are not sure of your salvation, look to the law. Examine yourself under the law. And know the God can only be righteous if He punishes law breakers. Know you are wretched in His sight. The knowledge that you are a sinner damned to an eternity of suffering in Hell should bring you to your knees. Humble yourself before Him, repent, and know that your only hope is in Jesus Christ. Pray in His name, beg forgiveness for all your sins. Devote your life to Him. Know that He died for you, and rose again on the third day and you will be saved. (Note: no mention of "accept". I'm saving that for another post.)

• Romans 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
• Matthew 7:21-25 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.