Category: experiences

Saved or Lost? #15

Thursday, September 15, 2022

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you” (Galatians 4:19,20 KJV).

Are these people really saved—or really lost?

Life in Christ absolutely cannot function on the basis of ignorance; we would be utter fools to think it can. After all, what is the purpose of the Holy Scriptures? Why did God the Holy Spirit inspire and preserve His Word and words through a multiplicity of reliable copies? Why did He translate those Divine words into our language? It was to impart to us the information He deemed fit: it was not all that we wanted to know (for there would be endless volumes), but all that we needed to know. How does God live? How has He designed our lives to operate? How does sin interfere with the Divine will being brought to pass? How has He made a way for us to overcome sin and be what He originally wanted for mankind and the rest of creation?

When the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to pen his epistles (formal letters a teacher writes to educate his students), it was to dispel misinformation and remove spiritual illiteracy concerning the Age of Grace. On six occasions, Paul expressed his desire that the people he won to Christ would not (!!!) abide in spiritual darkness concerning major dispensational truths: “I would not have you ignorant, brethren…” (Romans 1:13; Romans 11:25; 1 Corinthians 10:1; 1 Corinthians 12:1; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13). Unless the saints pay attention to these inspired, preserved words, they (we) will indeed be “ignorant [uninformed, unlearned, untaught, unaware] brethren!” (As anyone with an eye to see and an ear to hear knows, most professing believers today “have better things to do with their time than” actually read for themselves the Lord’s heavenly ministry through Paul. They prefer church leaders’ commandments, professors’ critical Hebrew and Greek lectures, commentary writers’ speculations, denominations’ handbooks, “Christian bestsellers,” the latest “easy-to-read” translations, “Christian” movies, “Christian” radio programs and podcasts, et cetera).

Yet, even Bible literacy can be invaluable to Satan’s cause in tricking genuine saints….

Saved or Lost? #14

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you” (Galatians 4:19,20 KJV).

Are these people really saved—or really lost?

The saints in Corinth were exhorted: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:33,34). Greeks by culture, the Corinthians had let their heathen neighbors adversely influence them. While members of the Body of Christ, the Corinthians were listening to pagan philosophers (among other false teachers). Too focused on the world’s “wisdom,” they had been distracted from “the knowledge of God.” Therefore, their Christian lives were asleep. Certainly, they should be ashamed—to the point of reforming. How deceived or misled we truly are if we think we will always be faithful to the Lord, that we will never disregard His words to us!

In 1 Corinthians 10:1-14 (which you would do well to read in your own personal Bible study), the Holy Spirit through Paul reminds these saints of how ancient Israel forgot what the LORD God did for them and forsook what He had told them. Verses 11-14 recapitulate: “[11] Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. [12] Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. [13] There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [14] Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” That is, “Be careful to be grateful to God, lest you saints at Corinth wind up like the apostate Israelites centuries ago!” Actually, the Corinthians were already dabbling in false religion, “fellowshipping with devils” (verses 20,21)!

Saints, we too had better be attentive to the many spiritual perils around us….

Saved or Lost? #13

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you” (Galatians 4:19,20 KJV).

Are these people really saved—or really lost?

Imagine walking down a dilapidated alleyway. You notice a beggar holding a tin can and asking for spare change. The weather is cold and wet, and he shivers as he is scantily dressed in dirty, odious rags. He seems like he has not eaten a decent meal in quite a long time. Nearby is a cardboard box—his shack, in which he sleeps on soiled blankets with the very rats you see scurrying about. “You know,” he announces, “I was not always like this.” Surprised, you reply, “Oh, is that so?”

He continues, “Once, in a land faraway, I was king with untold riches and expansive real estate, but I grew tired of being a member of the royal family. So, one day, I rose from my throne, threw aside my regal apparel, and vacated my castle.” You interrupt him, “This is ridiculous! Utter madness! Why do you not go back where you belong?! You are miserable out here and liable to die! Let me help you return home.” Angrily, he stretches forth his hand, and, pointing to the filth and debris around him, he exclaims, “This is the neighborhood and this is the lifestyle I prefer, and you will not make me leave it! If you do not want to support me where I am, go away!”

Friend, stop and think. There is the king, a man with royal blood in his veins, now dwelling in a foreign land and living like a pauper because this is what he has chosen and he is quite content where he is. As silly and weird as it is, this is the life of so many genuine members of the Body of Christ. They have never been taught, or refused to see, the spiritual riches they have in the Lord (victory over sin, set apart from the world). Failing to appreciate their identity, they forsook what God did for them, and, deceived, they usually fight you to stay in the mess they are in….

Saved or Lost? #12

Monday, September 12, 2022

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you” (Galatians 4:19,20 KJV).

Are these people really saved—or really lost?

Imagine a person born in one country who moves away to now live abroad. While he or she will adopt another culture (including new attire, food, language, and habits), his or her genetics are still the same. No matter the behavior, the nature has not changed: that person will always be a native of the original country. As another example, consider the water molecule—always two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Yet, depending on conditions, water can assume diverse appearances: solid (ice), liquid, or gas (water vapor). Regardless of its temperature (cold, hot, or room temperature), whatever its phase (solid, liquid, or gas), water remains a group of water molecules because that is its nature.

A believer in Christ—though redeemed from sin, though sanctified (set apart) for God’s purposes, though a temple of the Holy Spirit—can choose not to walk in that identity and thus resemble someone he or she is not (lost, unsaved, non-Christian). As we do the work of the ministry, we regularly encounter these people—sadly, more often than we would care to do so. These are precisely the subject of 2 Timothy 2:25,26: “In meekness [we are to be] instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance [change in mind] to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.”

“Those that oppose themselves” are just that—living contradictions. “I may be an adult, but I want to act like a child!” “I may have God’s Book to teach me, but I will think and do what I wish!” These are Christians whose minds and actions are incompatible with life in Christ. Instead of guarding themselves, they have fallen into “the snare [trap] of the devil,” “taken captive by him at his will.” That was exactly the Galatians’ dilemma in today’s Scripture….

Saved or Lost? #11

Saturday, September 10, 2022

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you” (Galatians 4:19,20 KJV).

Are these people really saved—or really lost?

In one of the Bible’s four chief epistle-handbooks dealing with local church ministry (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon), we find this useful spiritual counsel: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

The Christian worker is not (!) to engage in a “war of words” (“must not strive”). Frequently, “ministry” is nothing but someone’s flesh motivating them to write or speak mean-spirited statements so as to aggravate people with opposing views. “But be gentle unto all men.” We can be firm (uncompromising) about the truth and yet remain kind and tactful. “Apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves.” The Christian worker must be able to patiently teach sound Bible doctrine, for extensive ignorance or un-learnedness needs to be overcome in the hearts and minds of his or her audience. Usually, “ministry” is just someone’s denominational doctrine (more frivolity and error) compelling them to recruit new church members (other mindless slaves to their group’s hierarchy).

“In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” The Christian worker should be “meek”—humble not proud! If under the Holy Spirit’s control, and he or she has studied and believed sound Bible doctrine, verses will be mastered that very few people ever grasp. The Christian worker is to reach out to that colossal group abiding in darkness, that they hopefully be corrected. This errant crowd even includes fellow members of the Body of Christ….

NOTE: We temporarily break away from this devotionals arc to bring you a special study, but we will return the following day with more advanced studies on this same theme….

Saved or Lost? #10

Friday, September 9, 2022

“My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you” (Galatians 4:19,20 KJV).

Are these people really saved—or really lost?

Ponder Colossians 2:6-10, also addressed to believers: “[6] As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: [7] Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. [8] Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. [9] For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. [10] And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:….”

Though we can have victorious Christian living by learning and believing the words of God’s grace (verses 6,7), there is a “beware” (“watch out!”) we dare not overlook (verse 8). Satan’s evil world system can and will disrupt the Holy Spirit’s work in us. Philosophy, church tradition, Scripture not rightly divided, et cetera, are just some of the Devil’s highly efficient tools to distract the Christian from sound Bible doctrine. While we lack nothing in Christ (verses 9,10), we can be fooled into thinking we need rites, rituals, ceremonies, traditions, or experiences, to “enhance” or “perfect” our Christian life (for examples, Galatians 3:1-5, Galatians 4:9-18, Galatians 5:1-12, and Galatians 6:12-15).

Colossians 2:8 cautions us that evil men will “spoil” us—as in “spoils of war,” or robbery or plundering. One of the most ingenious military strategies involves confusing the enemy, causing that opposing army to believe a lie (something about themselves, their location, the rival group, and the like). We are in a spiritual battle, beloved (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:12-18; 2 Timothy 2:3,4). Therefore, never should we forget that Satan (Hebrew for “adversary!”) will use whatever means necessary to isolate our hearts and minds from the truths of God’s words rightly divided, for those truths are the only means whereby we are protected from satanic wiles or tricks….

Believing Unbelievers #4

Saturday, March 26, 2022

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man” (John 2:23-25 KJV).

Is it possible to be a believing unbeliever? According to today’s Scripture, YES!

Imagine being in today’s Scripture. To watch the Lord heal the sick, cast out devils, and do other mighty miracles would have truly been a sight to behold! It is beyond our comprehension. Yet, He was not seeking to entertain anyone—and He knew who was present just for amusement, to experience a spiritual high or adrenaline rush.

Consider modern Christendom. We notice many people walking aisles, making professions of faith, kneeling and bawling uncontrollably at “altars,” dancing and lifting hands to “praise and worship” music, packing stadium “sanctuaries,” sitting in confessional booths, being water baptized, reciting the “sinner’s prayer,” teaching Sunday School classes, preaching fervent sermons, knocking on doors, passing out tracts and Bibles, joining faculties of prestigious seminaries, sitting on Bible translation committees, talking about “Jesus” and “the Holy Ghost,” writing “Christian” study “aids,” memorizing creeds and confessions, organizing missions trips, travelling and setting up “healing tents,” and a host of other activities. The average person cannot help but remark, “Look at all these ‘Christians!’”

One brother in Christ observed: “God did not give the Scriptures for the purpose of scholarly intellectual exercise.” Yet, as he pointed out, innumerable people have used them—are using them—for just that. Textual critics study Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Aramaic. They pore over ancient manuscripts, teach theology and church history classes, and debate “Christian” philosophy, but is there any personal heart faith in the Bible itself? How many of them are actually Bible-believing Christians? Who are members of the Church the Body of Christ, and who are simply members of manmade denominations? Do they know what the Gospel of Grace even is? Could they show us verses for victorious Christian living?

Intellectual assent is no substitute for heart faith….

Bible Q&A #935: “What are ‘victuals?’”

Found Out and Fractured in Twain #27

Thursday, February 4, 2021

“But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23 KJV).

Doubtless, we never want to sensationalize or exaggerate. However, the fact remains, some dark days are ahead for the United States and the rest of the world. What can we Bible-believing Christians do?

Our present cultural modifications have only recently taken us by surprise. Nonetheless, had Americans walked in the spiritual light they had several decades ago, they would have foreseen such plights and averted them. As the old saying goes, “Hindsight is 20/20.” Our national religion was (is) Christendom, not Christianity. Through the centuries, we Americans have purchased and collected millions upon millions of Bibles; we have constructed thousands upon thousands of church buildings. Yet, like ancient Israel “going through the motions,” this was largely nothing but mindless religious busyness. Faith, believing God’s words, was not motivating us; overwhelmingly, no sound Bible doctrine was underlying our activities. Each passing generation had decreasing Bible literacy—and, remember, we started off with scant understanding anyway!

What happened to our dear nation? Were we not religious? Yes, and that was the problem. We were feigning righteousness. Again, we are not a true Christian nation, but rather a Christendom nation. The “buffet” religion that people made out of Christianity—combining pure Pauline/grace doctrine with various and sundry church traditions from tens of thousands of denominations, as well as pagan (non-Christian) beliefs and practices borrowed from thousands of world religions—gave us a false sense of security.

“We are quite okay as we are. We do not worry about doctrine. We do not need the Bible. We have our tradition, experiences, praise and worship, entertainment, motivational speeches, and inspirational messages.” Faking spirituality, we were rotting and dead inside… and lacked spiritual sense to recognize it. Possessing such a superficial or shallow grasp of the truth, we gradually eased into more secular humanism. Go to “nonreligious” and “unchurched” people. They say exactly what people did (what they themselves learned!) in church. “It is okay. We do not need doctrine. We do not need the Bible. We have our tradition, experiences, motivational speeches, inspirational messages.” Indeed, the professing church—including the genuine Body of Christ—has utterly failed in maintaining its testimony….

Saints, please remember us in your monthly giving—these websites do cost money to run! 🙂 You can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux, or email me at arcministries@gmail.com. Do not forget about Bible Q&A booklets for sale at https://arcgraceministries.org/in-print/booklets-bible-q-a/. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! By the way, ministry emails have really been backed up this year. I am handling them as much as humanly possible. Thanks for your patience. 🙂

Superstitious!

Sunday, February 25, 2018

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:” (Ephesians 4:14,15 KJV).

Without further delay, we need to guard against superstition.

When tragedy strikes, people plead for God to stop it. They pray for the criminal’s apprehension, a miraculous recovery from an illness or mortal injury, floodwaters to recede, earthquakes to cease, poverty and war to disappear. When these things continue, it is supposed that God does not love them, was not listening, or could not care less. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Dear friends, what masquerades as “Christianity” is usually nothing but vain superstition. Most church members have not a clue as to what God is doing today—not a clue! How skilled they are in what God did in time past—miracles, signs, wonders, Sabbath days, water baptism, tithing, et cetera. They are naïve as to what He is doing in the but now. Dispensational Bible study is completely foreign to them; hence, they cannot find where they fit in God’s timeline for the ages. They are totally unable to locate their information in Scripture. They just grab whatever verses fit their agenda/denomination; context means nothing.

The most inconspicuous place for superstition in a Christian’s life is prayer. Doubtless, superstition abounds in most prayer lives. Church members are asking or demanding God do things He is not doing today. He has already declared in His Word to us, the Pauline epistles of Romans through Philemon, what He is doing today. However, they go to the rest of Scripture—what God did long ago and what He will do yet future—and try to make Him do that now. We cannot make God do something He is not doing. Just because the Bible says it, that does not mean that it is God’s Word to us. Do we build a boat as Genesis chapter 6 says? Do we bring a trespass offering for touching an unclean animal as Leviticus chapter 5 commands? See, stop grabbing things haphazardly from the Bible and start respecting contexts.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “But what if they read the Bible at my church…?!”

Crossroads

Saturday, November 12, 2016

“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:37,38 KJV).

People can acknowledge the Apostle Paul’s special ministry—or they can remain ignorant of it!

I just received an email from someone who had read one of our online Bible studies. While he admitted that there was much truth in that article, while he read those Bible verses and knew exactly what they were teaching, and while he admitted everything was logical, he refused to give up his emotional experiences in religion. He actually encouraged me to ask God for such an experience before I reject it. In other words, he wanted me to ignore Bible verses, toss out all reason, and experience some emotional high to confirm God’s presence to me. Unfortunately, there are many millions of people just like this in Christendom. No wonder non-Christians think so poorly of Jesus Christ—look at what so-called “Christians” say and do. They promote ignorance and superstition and then criticize the world for being deceived by Satan!

Now, contrast this with another online correspondence I received around the same time. This particular man, who has a testimony of salvation in Christ, is so grateful to have found right division. Dispensational Bible study has answered so many confusing questions for him. Now, he has such peace, understanding, and joy. Spending over 20 years in one cult, and then spending the next 40 years in another denomination, he has now had quite enough of religious tradition and Biblical ignorance! Even to this day, he is always eager to learn more about the Message of God’s Grace. If only there were more people like him than there are like the individual in the previous paragraph.

Today’s Scripture shows us the Holy Spirit expected people to be unaware and uninformed of Paul’s special ministry. We should teach them. Nevertheless, if Christians persist in staying confused, we are instructed to “let [them] be ignorant.” Brethren, we need to use our time wisely. Find people who want to learn the truth and teach them! Leave the willfully ignorant alone!

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Is Revelation 22:15 referring to sinners just outside of the New Jerusalem?”