CONCLUSION – part 2
CONCLUSION CONCERNING THE CHURCH
(A) Touching the road to the Kingdom
God the Father had given to Jesus His Cross to become the Saviour of the world. This Cross of Calvary divided mankind into two camps: the saved ones and the lost ones.
Jesus Christ, the Saviour and Lord, which You are, had given to us our crosses to become
the rulers in the Kingdom of heaven. Our crosses divide the saved ones into two camps: the Overcomers and the Overcome.
Only the Overcomers from both the Old Testament and the New Testament shall be allowed entry into the Kingdom of heaven and shall obtain the promises of the Book of Revelation written in chapters 2 and 3.
The Overcome ones shall be denied entry into the Kingdom of heaven and thus shall remain in or be cast out into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. They shall have another 1000 years to overcome that which they refused to overcome during their Christian years of life on earth.
Also, there will be many, many Christians who never knew, who were never told what they had to overcome or why. Their leaders shall be accountable for it – but their followers shall suffer, as well.
For many of them, children (in understanding and wisdom) are their oppressors and women rule over them … and thus their way to the Kingdom of heaven is destroyed (Is.3:12). Many leaders are blind and they lead the blind. Will they end up in the Kingdom of heaven or in the ditch? (Mt.15:14). Countless ordinary believers are deceived and are walking on the road that leads to destruction and darkness and suffering.
Their leaders are either quiet or ignorant, or they mislead their flocks by insinuating or presuming that they are “ready”, because they exercise spiritual gifts (tongues, prophecy, healing, knowledge, etc.), because they prosper, because they follow plausible doctrines, because
they “keep” the law and commandments (as if there were ANYONE who ever succeeded apart from Jesus – Jn.7:19), because they exercise “positive attitudes” or make a lot of noise and jumping in the church. All such leaders shut the door to the Kingdom of heaven before their followers, because they themselves do not go in (Mt.23:13).
The leaders, being themselves deceived, “forgot” to tell their flocks that “we must through MUCH TRIBULATION enter into the Kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22; 2Tim.2:12 and 3:12), through much suffering, many tears and much crying to the Lord, even through much toiling in spirit and soul!
They “forgot” to preach and teach that the Father, in His Wisdom, established this way which is the way of self-denial and of bearing our own crosses. They themselves “forgot” that there is no other way. There is NO OTHER WAY! There is NO OTHER WAY!
I repeat, the Lord Christ Jesus, which You are, bore His Cross that we may be reconciled to God the Father and know Him by being reborn and renewed in our spirit.
Similarly, we must bear our crosses that we may be reconciled to God the Son, our Saviour and Lord, which You are, and to know Him by being reborn and renewed in our soul!
The rebirth = renewal = salvation in our SPIRIT was the beginning of our faith (Jn.3:3-8); the rebirth = renewal = salvation of our SOUL is the end of our faith (1Pet.1:9; Heb.12:2).
Thus, the road to the Kingdom is a very narrow road, and only few find it (Mt.7:14). It is the road of repentance, humility, meekness, suffering, tribulations. It is THE course of the race that God set before us, including its rules and its prize – the Crown of righteousness (Heb.12:1; 2Tim.4:7,8).
We cannot run this race along any path which we would choose, which would suit us nor are we allowed to run it according to our rules but “lawfully” (2Tim.2:5). If a man does not keep the course set before him or does not abide by the rules of the race, he shall not obtain any prize, but rather, he is disqualified even by earthly judges! How much more is this true concerning this race, seeing that we do not strive for a piece of metal or wood called a “trophy” which will perish; but for the Crown of righteousness, holiness, life and glory which shall never perish!
Oh Eternal King, O Lord of Glory, can any of us estimate the true value of this Crown? Is it possible for a human heart to ever imagine this? It is impossible (1Cor.2:9). Yet You, Lord of Glory, are offering us this Crown of unimaginable riches and glory, and in exchange You are
asking from us “peanuts”! Yes, peanuts. Do You not require our very life as the price? Yes, You do (Mt.10:39; Lk.14:26). Yet, what You get from us, if anything at all, is a “vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away” (Jas.4:14).
But You know that we are unwilling, yea, unable to give You even this “vapour” at once; so You are asking us to give it to You slowly, step by step.
One such step is also called “repentance” and we are called to take this step whenever we sin against You or one another. Now, is not this step of repentance an infinitely small “peanut”? Yet, we are unwilling to pay even this! Are we not stupid fools? Is not our misery truly bottomless, O Lord of Glory? Only You know … and in Your Grace, You will not even show us our true misery.
Thank You, Lord, for Your Grace … AND for Your Justice and Judgement.
(B) Touching the present conditions.
Our misery is bottomless, O Lord of lords, and none of us can change it, but You!
First, let me say what we truly love. We, the leaders, love to produce fiery, witty, interesting sermons; we love to teach and counsel and show off our deep knowledge. We also love to be admired, praised, honoured, followed; we love to prosper in every way, we love to be perceived as humble but devoted servants of God doing “our best” for Him. We love it when our successes are interpreted as confirmations from God. We love to be considered true prophets, miracle workers, healers, preachers having a “strong and anointed” ministry, evangelists, apostles or, at least, anointed elders. We love our flesh and all that soothes our flesh.
We, the followers and miscellaneous church-goers, love to have such famous leaders, fiery or witty preachers, knowledgeable teachers and counsellors, great and prosperous servants of God. We love to be ministered to by healers, miracle workers, prophets, apostles, revivalists and anyone else … provided they minister to our flesh and are able to soothe our flesh. And yes, we do love to stay as followers for ever and ever … and wallow in the sweet deceptions that are frequently ministered to us.
Thus, because we love You and Your Spirit with our lips only, but with our hearts we love ourselves and our flesh, we are NOT answering to Jerusalem which is above but to Jerusalem which now is! (Gal.4:25,26). And this is what Your Spirit is saying to us:
“Run ye to and fro through the Church and see now and know; and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be ANY that executeth JUDGEMENT, that seeketh the TRUTH … and I will pardon it! And though they say: The Lord liveth, surely they swear falsely … but they have REFUSED to receive CORRECTION, they have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refused to return, that is, to repent! Therefore I said: Surely these are poor, they are foolish, for they know not the WAY OF THE LORD, nor the JUDGEMENT of their God” (see Jer.5:1-4).
Furthermore, Your Spirit says:
“Woe to the REBELLIOUS children, saith the Lord, that take counsel but not of Me, and that cover with a covering but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin” (Is.30:1).
Should the above Word not be enough, Lord? And, lo, I have yet to speak more and say this:
Will the knowledgeable, zealous, wise and prudent leaders of Your Church consider in their hearts and minds why Saul was converted to Paul? Why have You done it, Lord? Was there a shortage of fishermen? Nay! (I speak foolishly for the sake of the “leaders from Tarsus”). You have done it to show us and to tell us, the knowledgeable, zealous, wise and prudent, that before we meet the living Lord and are stricken by His Light, WE ARE ABLE AND WE DO KILL OUR BRETHREN AND THINK WE ARE DOING GOD SERVICE!!! (Jn.16:2).
Therefore, I speak to these numerous Sauls of Tarsus, those knowledgeable, zealous, wise and prudent orators, preachers, teachers, pastors, evangelists, prophets, apostles:
As yet, you have not met the living Christ … as yet, you have not been stricken by His Light … as yet, you have not fallen from your horses!! Behold, you are yet on your ways to Damascus carrying shackles to shackle, imprison and then KILL your own brethren … even those that have the power from the Lord to grant you true eyesight!” (Acts 9:10-18; Rev.3:18).
(To be continued next week in part 3)
brother Hanola
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