“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21-23

Not all who call Jesus, “Lord,” will enter God’s eternal kingdom. Not all who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ truly are Christian.

We can think of groups who take the name of Jesus on their lips and claim to hold to His doctrine but who do not believe in Him as their Savior and Redeemer. It is not enough to look to Jesus as an example, as a son of god, or only as a lord and master.

But Jesus spoke these words that we, too, might examine ourselves and be certain we are holding fast to Him in faith and trusting in His innocent sufferings and death for our salvation.

That is why the Scriptures admonish us: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

It is as Jesus said: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

It is not enough to just take the name of Jesus on our lips and call Him Lord. It’s not enough to preach in His name or do miracles or good works in His name. Jesus says we must do the will of His Father in heaven.

What is that will? Jesus also answers that question for us when He said, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).

It is the will of God the Father that we sincerely repent of our sin and wickedness and place our faith and confidence in the holy life and innocent sufferings and death of the Son, Christ Jesus our Savior. It is the will of God the Father that we not only see Jesus and take His name upon our lips, but that we believe and trust in Him and continue trusting in Him unto life everlasting.

Jesus called upon His hearers to repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15; Matthew 4:17); and He still calls upon us today, through His Word, to turn from our evil and rebellious ways to Him for forgiveness and life.

The Bible tells us to “repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord…” (Acts 3:19).

And, where there is true repentance, there are also “fruits meet for repentance” (Matthew 3:8). Those who are sorry for their sins and place their faith and hope in Jesus Christ will also, as a fruit of their faith, seek to live their lives for Him in accord with his Word.

Thus, as Jesus said, many who have professed to know Him will be cast out on the Last Day, for their repentance and faith was feigned – they may have even deceived themselves. They may claim to be followers of Jesus, but they do not repent of their sin and unbelief and turn to Christ Jesus for forgiveness, and they do not seek his help and strength to amend their lives and live for Him.

And then Jesus will, as He said, “profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

Jesus spoke these words in His Sermon on the Mount that we might not be deceived and find ourselves cast out on the Last Day. We ought to, therefore, examine ourselves to see if we are truly sorry for our sins; if we trust in Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross for our salvation; and if we, with the help and aid of the Holy Ghost, truly desire to amend our lives and live in accord with God’s commandments. If we cannot honestly answer all three of these questions with a yes, we need consider the consequences we shall pay for our sin and rebellion against the LORD God and His anointed.

How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation as God has provided for us in His own dear Son (Hebrews 2:3)? Or, as the Bible says in Hebrews 10:29, “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

But how comforting it is to know that we can yet, by God’s grace, turn to the Lord Jesus for mercy and He will not cast us off but wash away our sins! Because Jesus suffered and died for all sins and rose again, the Lord is indeed “good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon” Him (Psalm 86:5).

O Lord Jesus Christ, keep us from impenitence and unbelief and grant that we sincerely repent of our sins and trust in You for mercy and forgiveness that we may be received into Your everlasting kingdom and not be cast out on the Last Day. And as a fruit of our faith, grant that we also seek to walk in accord with Your commandments while we await Your return. Amen.

[Scripture Quotations from the King James Version of the Bible]

“And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15

Though, perhaps hard for us to fully understand, the serpent was cursed with a greater curse than that of the rest of God’s creatures for its role in the temptation and fall of mankind. Not only would it have to die, but it would spend its lifetime on its belly, eating the dust of the ground. There would be enmity between the serpent and the woman, and between the serpent’s seed and the woman’s seed. This enmity speaks of much more than a normal distaste for snakes and even destroying them when opportunity arises. It speaks of the offspring of the devil’s lie and the Seed or offspring of the woman who would crush the serpent’s head and undo the damage done by the temptation of the devil in the garden.

The devil would fail in his attempts to deceive and mislead the promised Seed of the woman—Jesus Christ, Son of God and Mary’s Son—for Jesus did not give in to the devil’s temptations but was holy and without sin (cf. Matthew 4:1-11; Hebrews 4:15). And, Christ Jesus, when He suffered and died upon the cross for the sins of the world, paid in full the punishment for all mankind’s sin and destroyed the devil’s work, opening up for all of us a way of salvation through faith in Him and His shed blood (cf. Hebrews 2:14-17). And so, though the old evil foe bruised the heel of Christ Jesus when He suffered in agony upon the cross, Jesus crushed his head and destroyed his evil work, opening up for us the gates to heaven, by paying in full for all our sins and then rising again from the dead on the third day.

The devil used God’s holy law to bring about mankind’s condemnation by tempting Adam and Eve to disobedience and bringing them under the curse of the law. Jesus, true man as well as true God, obeyed God’s law in the stead of all mankind and then suffered the just punishment for the sins of the world, rising again in victory on the third day, that the law would be fulfilled for all mankind and the just punishment for sin fully satisfied for all people. Cf. Galatians 3:10, 13.

It is also true that there is enmity between the offspring of the devil (the unbelieving) and the children or offspring of God through faith in Jesus Christ (the believers). Thus, true believers continue to suffer hatred and persecution here in this world from those who do not trust in Christ Jesus or follow Him. But, in the end, all who have not trusted in the innocent sufferings and death of God’s Son for their salvation will be condemned and cast into the eternal torments of hell; and all who have trusted in Christ Jesus will live forever with Him in the paradise of God (2 Thessalonians 1:3-10).

In Jesus’ own words, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life … He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3: 16, 18).

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of man, thank You for redeeming me from the curse and condemnation of God’s holy law by keeping it perfectly in my place, bearing my punishment upon the cross and then rising again on the third day. Graciously keep me trusting in You, and You alone, for my salvation. Amen.

 [Scripture Quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.” Genesis 3:1-13

The paradise which God created (Genesis 1-2) did not last long, for Genesis three tells of the temptation of the devil, a fallen angel, who came to Eve in the form of the serpent.

“Did God really say that that you should not eat from any tree of the garden?” he asked, creating question in the woman’s mind. And when Eve said the prohibition and warning that disobedience would bring about death – alienation and separation from God – was only in regard to the tree in the middle of the garden, the devil distorted the truth by saying, “You will not surely die; for God knows that it in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.” Thus, he caused her to think that perhaps God was somehow holding out on her and keeping from her and her husband something good and desirable.

Of course, this still happens every day. The devil comes to us through friends and coworkers, through the media and entertainment industries, and in our own thoughts and minds and says, “Does God really expect you to keep all those commandments in the Bible?” And he works hard to convince us that God is trying to keep us from having fun and enjoying life, or that He is placing an impossible burden upon us, that He really doesn’t expect us to keep all of His commandments, or that breaking just a few of the commandments now and then won’t really alienate and separate us from God – after all, everybody does it.

And, like Eve, when we look at the thing we are being tempted to do, it looks good and desirable to us. We think it will be fun or pleasurable; it will work out for our good; it won’t hurt anything; no one will know.

And so, we rationalize and give in to the temptation and to our own sinful desires, and the result is death! We recognize our nakedness and guilt before God. We may attempt to cover it up or even learn to cope with it, but the guilt remains. We are afraid to stand in His presence. We would rather not hear God’s Word or walk into His house of prayer. Why? Because our sin and disobedience, though it may have appeared to be good at the time, brought about spiritual death and separation from God. When confronted with the presence of God and His truth, we hide ourselves. When questioned about our sin, we make excuses and blame others.

As a result of Adam’s and Eve’s sin, we are all born into this world sinners – our very thoughts and desires are turned away from God and His holy commandments. What David wrote is true for each of us as a result of that first sin: “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). Instead of loving God, trusting Him and desiring to honor and glorify His name, we think only of ourselves, disbelieve God’s Word and seek our own honor and glory. We are born in spiritual death and are alienated from God.

That is why we so desperately need God’s pardon and forgiveness. We need Him to find us, forgive us and give us life again. And God has come to us and reached out to us in love and forgiveness. He desires to free us from our guilt and shame and give us life everlasting with Him. He did this by sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to overcome temptation and sin for us and then go to the cross to be condemned, forsaken of God and die in our stead that we might have God’s pardon and forgiveness and not be afraid of God or troubled by guilt and shame any longer. In Christ Jesus, the sin of the world has been taken away; and in Christ Jesus, your sin and mine has been pardoned.

O dearest Jesus, Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, have mercy upon me, find me and wash away the guilt of my sin in Your shed blood. And, dear Jesus, grant me a place in Your everlasting kingdom. Amen.

“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:15-20

It is the responsibility and duty of every Christian to be watchful and on guard against false prophets; for outwardly they may appear to be fine Christian pastors and teachers, but inwardly they are ravening wolves which destroy and scatter God’s flock.

The Apostle Paul, too, warned against such when he said to the elders of the church in Ephesus, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”

It will happen. There will be false prophets and false teachers who do not faithfully preach and teach God’s Word. And, they will cause divisions in the church and gain followings for themselves. Instead of building upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets – the Word of God – with Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone (cf. Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Peter 2:1-10) – they will build on the sands of false doctrine, human understanding and opinion. The end result, of course, is that those who do not love the truth and hold fast to Christ and His Word are deceived by the lies of the devil and robbed of the salvation Christ won for them when He suffered and died on the cross for the sins of all.

The Bible tells us: “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you” (1 Corinthians 11:19; cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12). That is also why Paul wrote to Timothy: “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:10-17).

Thus, for the sake of each of our soul’s salvation, Jesus would have us judge those who preach and teach God’s Word to us. Like the believers in Berea, we should search the Scriptures daily to be sure that what we are being taught is in truth God’s unadulterated Word (cf. Acts 17:10-11). If we don’t, we might easily be misled into unbelief or sin.

Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”

And what is the fruit of a prophet? What does he produce that we might judge? First and foremost, it is his teaching. Thus, we must always compare the teaching of pastors and teachers to the Scriptures, for the Scriptures are the inspired and unerring Word of God. Isaiah also wrote: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20). If a pastor or teacher is not speaking and teaching in full accord with God’s unerring Word, he is a false prophet and we ought flee from him and hear him no more.

What if the error is only a small point here and there? Is it alright to continue to hear such a preacher? Consider how Satan worked in the Garden, causing doubt regarding the fruit of a single tree. Consider that any error and false teaching comes from the devil, the father of lies, and is meant to deceive us and lead us away from Christ and His truth, even if only little by little (cf. John 8:44). Consider that Jesus, earlier in His Sermon on the Mount, warned against changing the smallest letter or portion of a letter of God’s Word (cf. Matthew 5:17-20). If a preacher will not humbly yield to the clear and plain truth of God’s Word, he is a false prophet – beware of him, Jesus said, for in the end his errors will tear, divide and scatter the flock like a ravenous wolf.

If one added a single drop of a deadly poison to a clear and clean glass of water, would you drink it? I dare say that none of us would; for even if that drop of poison were not enough to kill us, it could still do damage and might over time, if we continued to ingest it, cause our death. So why then would anyone wish to continually expose himself to the deadly poison of error and false teaching? Even if it did not immediately destroy faith, it very well might over time. And, even more importantly, why would any believer and disciple of Christ wish to be unfaithful to His Word in any point?

A preacher and teacher of God’s Word must also be judged on the basis of his conduct and manner of life – not that any will be perfect and without sin, but there should be the sincere and earnest purpose to live in accord with God’s Word, repent of all sin and error and be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus. Where one lives in continuing disregard of God’s commandments and in open sin, one would not expect to find the good fruits of faithful preaching and teaching of God’s Word and an exemplary life to lead and guide God’s flock on the way everlasting.

Thus, our Lord Jesus, who shed His holy and precious blood for the sheep, desires that none of us be misled and deceived by false prophets and be separated from Him. He desires that we all continue in the true and saving faith – revealed to us in God’s unadulterated Word. He warns us against false prophets that we might always hear Him and His Word and continue to trust in Him unto life everlasting.

Dear Lord Jesus, Shepherd and Redeemer of our souls, grant that we be not deceived and mislead by the many false prophets who have gone out into the world, but hold fast to You and to Your Word unto life everlasting. Amen.

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him … And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:18, 21-24

The beginnings of marriage go all the way back to the sixth day of creation when God said it’s not good for the man to be alone and He fashioned woman from the rib of Adam and brought her to the man to be his wife. It is for this reason that even yet today a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife and forms a new family unit.

When asked about the permissibility of divorce, Jesus reminded His hearers of this truth, saying, “Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together let not man put asunder” (Matthew 19:4-6).

Thus, Jesus Himself tells us that it was never God’s intent for a marriage to end in divorce; and God’s commandment against adultery forbids breaking the vows and commitment of marriage between a man and a woman (cf. Matthew 19:9: Exodus 20:14).

How far short we have come in regard to God’s intent and design for marriage! Husbands and wives divorce, and couples live together without the life-long commitment of marriage. Instead of regarding God’s will and design for marriage between a man and a woman, we abuse our sexuality, lust after one another, and even pervert God’s design in creating woman for the man by tolerating and promoting unnatural acts.

While society – and even many a “church” – winks at our unfaithfulness and disobedience to God’s will and commandments regarding marriage, God does not. God’s Word says, “Marriage in honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers [literally: fornicators or those having sexual relations outside of marriage] and adulterers [those being unfaithful to their marriage vows] God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

The Apostle Paul warned the churches: “Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10). God’s judgment against those who sin against His purpose and design for marriage between a man and a woman is exclusion from His kingdom and a place in the everlasting torments of hell (cf. Revelation 21:8).

But there is yet one hope for all who have come short of God’s perfect will; and that is in Jesus Christ, God’s Son! He upheld and fulfilled the righteous demands of God’s law for all mankind, and He took upon Himself the guilt and punishment for all our sins when He suffered and died upon the cross. His resurrection on the third day proves that God accepted His death as full payment for the sins of the world.

God has made us sinners “accepted” through the sacrifice of His own beloved Son. In Him “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:6, 7).

God calls us sinners to look to Him for mercy and forgiveness; and in Christ Jesus He reaches out to us with open arms, offering us life instead of death, the eternal joys of heaven instead of the never-ending torments of hell. Yes, in Jesus there is hope for lost and condemned sinners. In Jesus there is unfailing hope for you and for me!

Dear Father in heaven, I have sinned and done evil in Your sight. Thank You for sending Your Son to pay in full for my sins and the sins of the entire world. Grant me Your forgiveness and a place in Your everlasting kingdom for the sake of Your beloved Son and His holy life and innocent sufferings and death in my stead. Amen.

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Matthew 7:13-14 KJV

Before finishing His sermon, Jesus adds this admonition to his disciples: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

What could Jesus mean? Won’t most people be saved and go to heaven? The answer is why Jesus added this admonition. Most will not be saved. Most will not enter unto life eternal. The road to heaven is narrow; the gate is strait and hard to pass through. He wants His disciples – including you and me – to take the narrow and unpopular path which leads to life rather than taking the broad road and the wide gate which leads to death and eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.).

People usually err in one of two ways: Either they think they can enter life by their own good works and life, or they think they can use the cross of Christ as a license to sin. Both groups are on the wide road, thinking they are heaven bound when, in fact, they are headed for the fires of hell!

Those who trust in their own works and deeds err because they do not recognize their own utter sinfulness and place their faith in God the Son and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross. It is as the Scripture says, “There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). No one can enter heaven by his own works, because all are sinners!

And there are many who claim faith in Christ Jesus and may also hold church membership but do not wish to follow Christ Jesus or live in accord with all that His Word teaches. They use the cross of Christ like a life insurance policy tucked away in a file cabinet or locked in a safety deposit box. They are baptized and may even go to church, but they are not truly penitent – they wish to have forgiveness and eternal life but they are unwilling to give up their selfish and sinful ways and walk with Christ Jesus and seek to live in accord with His Word.

It happens all the time. People want forgiveness and heaven, but they don’t want Jesus or God’s Word dictating how they live. They don’t want to go to hell, but they aren’t interested in living like a citizen of heaven either. They want the assurance of heaven in the life to come, but they want to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin – at least certain of their favorite sins – while they live here in this world.

Yes, it’s the broad way – the way the world seeks to obtain life. But even though the road is a superhighway and a well-traveled path, even though the gate is broad and inviting and no one is turned away, it leads to eternal death and hell!

Jesus doesn’t want us to travel that path or seek to enter by that gate. Rather, He would have us take that strait and restricted path and to enter that narrow gate which few ever find. What is that narrow way and path? Jesus answers that for us when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

There is only one way to heaven, and that is through faith in Christ Jesus and His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23-24).

But though our salvation is by God’s grace alone and received through faith alone in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world, it is not a license to sin. In fact the Bible sternly warns us that we can lose our salvation if we willfully turn back into sin and rebellion against God our Maker (cf. Romans 6). Hebrews 10:26-29 says, “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

And so, don’t follow the multitudes down the road of life. Don’t be fooled into thinking all is well with your soul while you trust is in your own works and deeds rather than in Christ Jesus and His holy and precious blood shed for you upon the cross. Rather, repent and acknowledge your sins and failures and place your faith in Christ and His cross and the redemption He accomplished for you.

But also, don’t be deceived into thinking you can continue on in sin and rebellion against God and His Word and still have true faith in Christ. To turn back into sin and disobedience is to reject Christ and count His blood shed for you as an unholy thing. To claim faith in Christ and yet choose to live in sin and disobedience to the LORD God is that broad and wide path which appeals to so many. But, in the end, it leads to death and hell (cf. 2 Peter 2:20-22).

Christ died to redeem you from sin that you might live unto God (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:15; Ephesians 2:8-10). He did not shed His blood that you might freely sin and live in rebellion against God. Jesus calls upon each of  us to sincerely repent of our sinful ways and trust in Christ Jesus. He would have us walk on the strait and narrow – trusting in Christ alone for forgiveness and life and seeking, as a fruit of our faith, to live our lives for Him in full obedience to God’s Word.

Dear Lord Jesus, grant that we walk on the narrow way and enter through the strait gate. Keep us trusting in Your shed blood alone for the forgiveness of all our sins and for life everlasting, and grant that we are not deceived into thinking we can continue in sin and disobedience without consequence. Forgive us for grieving Your Holy Spirit, and renew our hearts and minds that we may love You and gladly and willingly walk in Your commandments. Amen.

[Scripture Quotations from the King James Version of the Bible]

By Dr. C. F. W. Walther

“For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.” (1 Thessalonians 4:7)

With these words the Apostle desires to say that the believing Christians, upon whom grace has been bestowed, are not only obligated to a life of holiness, which duty all men have, but the very grace which they have received has no other aim and no other final objective than their holiness of life, their sanctification. If as people who have been created for fellowship with God they already are obligated to a life of holiness, they are that doubly so as believing Christians.

Here again the Apostle in great earnestness opposes certain false ideas and conceptions which many people hold regarding Christianity. Many secretly think in their hearts, even though they do not always voice it: To what purpose did Christ come into the world, to what purpose did God permit the comforting Gospel of redemption to be preached, to what purpose was faith ordained as the means of salvation, if believing Christians must still concern themselves so earnestly in battling against each sin and in seeking after an ever greater holiness of life? If this were so necessary, what kind of a difference then were there between Christ and Moses, between the Law and the Gospel, between a believer and an unbeliever? But how greatly such people do err!

Indeed it was necessary, if we Christians should be saved, that Christ come into the world and win for us grace and a righteousness which is acceptable to God; and it is indeed now necessary for everyone who is to be saved that he by faith in Christ grasp and obtain that grace of God and that righteousness which avails before God which has been won for him. This all, however, is not the sole purpose of Christ’s coming into the flesh and of our profession in His Kingdom of Grace, but only the means, only the path to the real goal. God did not send His Son into the world reconciling Himself to man, and God did not call him to faith, merely in order that He might relieve man of the thought that God is his enemy and that after death he will have to expect punishment. The final, the real goal of God’s work of grace for and on man is nothing else than his sanctification, his holiness of life.

Man was originally created after the image of God in perfect righteousness and holiness. This image, which man lost through sin, should and must therefore be restored again and the person must again become holy; for only if he is holy, can he also be saved. Therefore, in order that a person may again become holy, he has been redeemed; in order that he may again become holy, the Gospel is preached to him; in order that he may again become holy, faith is given him and is counted to him for righteousness; in order that he may again become holy, he is baptized; in order that he may again become holy, his sins are forgiven, he is given the body and blood of Christ, he is promised salvation, heaven is opened to him.

Does it not of itself necessarily follow from this how essential holiness of life is also for the believer and for the Christian who in hope already is blessed? It is indeed true: No one is able to earn salvation through holiness of life. A person must rather first have embraced salvation by faith before he is able to strive after holiness of life. Just as surely as it is impossible to earn and procure salvation through holiness of life, just so surely, nevertheless, can a person again trifle away his salvation by no longer continuing in holiness of life. For what does he do who refuses to follow after a holy life? Since God offers him the Means of Grace and bestows His grace through faith for the very purpose that he might again become holy, (by his refusal to follow after a holy life) he resists God, and grieves and drives out of his heart the Holy Ghost, who alone is able to preserve him in the faith, and thus finally loses his salvation.

Whoever, therefore, wishes to be saved, let him first in true repentance seek grace; but if he has grace, then let him also be in earnest about leading a holy life, for that is the will of God and for that purpose Christians are called. Indeed, in this life here below we will never reach perfection, but woe unto him who hides behind his weakness and imperfection seeking thereby to excuse his service of sin and his lukewarmness! Such a person will receive his reward with the hypocrites. Blessed, on the other hand, are they who from the heart can say with the Apostle: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:12). In such earnest Christians the Lord’s glory already here below reflects itself with covered countenance, and they will be changed from one glory to another into the same image until finally they will there awaken in heaven in the perfection of His likeness.

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15).

Lord on Thy breast me quicken. My passions crucify: All evil lusts be stricken, and day by day may I the old evil world denounce, my own wicked flesh renounce, Thee only glorify. Amen.

This Biblical position was also Luther’s position: “If thou wouldst give up the doctrine of faith or subvert it and, leaving Christ, depend upon thine own sanctity, or publicly live in sin and shame, and yet glory in the Gospel and in the Christian name: then thou shalt know that thou art a false branch and hast no part in the Vine, but, cast out and condemned with wood and fruits, belongest to eternal hell-fire” (Popular Commentary, N.T., Vol. 1, p.494 by P. E. Kretzmann).

Read Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

“I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.” Psalm 119:32 (Read Psalm 119:25-32)

The Bible teaches us that we are saved by God’s grace alone: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). But the Scriptures go on to say: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10).

It is entirely of God’s grace that our sins are forgiven and washed away in Jesus’ blood. We receive these blessings through faith alone in Christ Jesus; our works add nothing! And even the faith by which we receive the forgiveness and life which Jesus won for us on the cross is the result of God’s gracious working in our hearts through Word and Sacrament.

But we are saved for a purpose. God graciously saved us that we might now live for Him and do those works which God created us to do (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:15).

Therefore the believer in Jesus, having been saved by grace alone, now desires to live his life in accord with God’s holy will. He desires to run the course of God’s commandments. And this is so because God enlarges his heart.

The believer’s heart, which was once dead in trespasses and sins, which was narrow and self-seeking, is enlarged by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit so that it now loves the LORD God and seeks to live a life pleasing to Him. The believer’s heart is enlarged so that he now loves God, and he also loves his neighbor. And, being taught of God from the Scriptures, he knows that God’s commandments are good and right; and so he seeks to obey these commandments and live according to them.

O LORD God, thank you for graciously granting me salvation through the innocent sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, and for bringing me to know and trust in Jesus alone as my Savior by Your Spirit’s working through the Word. Enlarge my heart to love You, seek after You and to run the course of Your commandments. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible]

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12

When Jesus was asked (Matthew 22:36-40), “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” He replied, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

If we truly loved the LORD God with all our heart, soul and mind, we would gladly and willingly obey all His commandments. We would worship and serve Him alone and have no other gods. We would not misuse His name but honor and glorify it in our thoughts, words and deeds. We would not neglect hearing His Word and learning of Him and His ways, but would eagerly read and study His Word, hear it, believe it and heed and abide by its message.

And, if we truly loved our neighbor as ourselves, we would not disobey parents and authorities, kill, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness or even covet. Instead, we would honor our parents and listen to them, protect and preserve life, honor marriage and family, help others keep and protect their property, defend the name and reputation of others and rejoice in God’s blessing upon them.

Indeed, “love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). If we love others, we will not hurt or harm them, dishonor them, seek to take from them their spouse or their property and goods or even wish we could have what is theirs. We will not spread gossip about them or slander them or do anything to hurt them. Rather, we will trust the LORD God to meet all our needs and be thankful for His blessings upon others.

And so Jesus’ words – often called the Golden Rule – are simply a summary of God’s moral law, His Ten Commandments. “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them.”

Would we want another to hurt or harm us, to take our spouse or break up our family? Would we want another to take away our home or other property or to have someone lusting after it? Would we want anyone to spread rumors and gossip about us and destroy our name and reputation? The answer is obvious. Then, if we love our neighbor as we love ourselves, why would we do any of these things to him? Thus, as Jesus says, “This is the law and the prophets.”

The problem, of course, is not with Jesus’ words or with what He commands us and expects of us. The problem is with you and me – it’s in our hearts – for we think not of others, but of ourselves. We do not love others with the perfect and selfless love God’s law demands. And so, we hurt, kill, commit adultery, defraud and steal, lie and covet – and all for our own selfish purposes. We don’t fear, love and trust in God our Maker, and we take matters into our own hands. Thus, we do not follow the teaching of God’s Word – the Law and the Prophets.

It is God’s will that we heed His law – that we love Him and love our neighbor with a perfect love. How thankful we can be that God the Son, Christ Jesus our Savior, fulfilled this commandment for us – that He dealt with everyone in perfect, selfless love! And, how thankful we can be that He, in love, suffered our punishment upon the cross when He was crucified and died for the sins of the whole world! In Christ Jesus, we who have come so far short have forgiveness and life eternal. In Jesus’ shed blood, our sins are washed away and we are accounted holy and acceptable in God’s sight.

O dear Lord Jesus, thank You for so loving us that You took our place under God’s law and suffered our punishment that we might be pardoned, forgiven and given eternal life. Move us to acknowledge our sins and failures and to trust in Your holy sacrifice for pardon and peace. Move us also to love others and to treat them as we would want them to treat us. Amen.

[Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible]

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Psalm 119:18   (Read Psalm 119:17-24)

Unless the LORD God opens our eyes and gives us understanding, His Word, the Bible, remains a closed book to us.

Oh, we may learn many things from the Bible and even know the historical events it records.  However, its central message will remain veiled and hidden from our sight (2 Corinthians 3:14-16).  Without the enlightening of the Holy Spirit, we will not come to see our sinfulness as God sees it; nor will we come to know of His grace and mercy in Jesus Christ.

Jesus spoke of this when He quoted from Isaiah 6 in regard to the people of His day (Matthew 13:14-15): “By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.“

Jesus also said, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life … And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.“ (John 6:63,65).

Unless the LORD opens your eyes, you too will miss the life-giving message of the Bible.  But, when the LORD opens our eyes to see and understand our sinfulness and rebellion against the LORD, and when He reveals to us the glorious salvation He has provided in His Son, Jesus Christ, we will truly see wondrous things in His Word!

O Spirit of the living God, open our eyes that we may see and understand the message of Your life-giving Word, repent of our sinful ways and trust in Jesus Christ and His innocent sufferings and death for our eternal salvation.  In His name we pray.  Amen.

[Scripture quotations from the King James Version of the Bible]