Category: hope

The Sin of Presumption?

Monday, September 5, 2011

“Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8 KJV).

If one has the assurance of going to heaven because he or she is relying exclusively on Christ’s finished cross work—and not on his or her own performance—religion calls this “self-righteous arrogance.” According to church tradition, “the sin of presumption” is committed when an individual has the assurance of eternal salvation in Christ.

Church tradition demands that in order to avoid the sin of presumption, we must never rely on our good works alone, but we must never rely on God’s power alone either. In other words, religion teaches salvation comes by our “good” works and God’s power. That is a devil’s lie, beloved (Romans 4:1-5; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5)!

Today’s Scripture says that we are “always confident,” fully persuaded that while we live in these physical bodies, we are not in heaven’s glory. As members of the Church the Body of Christ, we are equally confident that our souls will appear in heaven as soon as these physical bodies die. According to today’s Scripture, if we have no confidence in going to heaven, then we have no confidence in presently being here on earth and not in heaven.

The Bible says we need to be made right with God, and in Christ, we are forgiven and eternally saved! According to Paul’s Gospel, the Gospel of Grace (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), we need to trust exclusively in Christ’s shed blood, His dying for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection if we are to receive eternal life.

The so-called “sin of presumption” is nothing more than a “cunningly devised fable” used to keep people fearful and bound in religious systems (2 Peter 1:16). I have assurance of going to heaven because Christ was “good enough.” I boast in Jesus Christ’s righteousness that has been applied to me, and I am saved in Christ.

Joseph, a Man of Faith

Sunday, September 4, 2011

“By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones” (Hebrews 11:22 KJV).

The book of Genesis closes with: “And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt” (50:24-26).

Prior to Jacob’s death, he told his son Joseph: “God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said unto me, Behold I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession” (Genesis 48:3,4).

When Joseph died, Israel was in Egypt (recall that Joseph’s brothers sold him into Egyptian slavery, and Joseph’s family escaped famine in Canaan by joining him in Egypt; Genesis chapters 37-46). Joseph had faith in what God had promised his great-grandfather Abraham, his grandfather Isaac, and his father Jacob. Israel would eventually leave Egypt to forever return to Canaan, the Promised Land.

Some 140 years after Joseph died, Moses led the nation Israel out of Egypt. The Bible says, “And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you” (Exodus 13:19).

Through the eyes of faith, Joseph foresaw the day—over a century into the future—when his remains would lie in Canaan’s soil. God had been faithful to Israel, delivering them from Egypt as He promised. Through the eyes of faith, we see ourselves already in heaven. God will be just as faithful in delivering us.

The Grand Bible Conference

Thursday, August 18, 2011

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13 KJV).

The breathing of the departing saint shallows, the eyes close, the soul exits the physical body, and the Holy Ghost Himself escorts the saint to the third heaven. Millions of saints have already experienced this, and short of the Lord’s coming, physical death shall be our lot too.

Today’s Scripture and its context (verses 13 through 18) address the question: Will we ever see those dearly departed brethren again? Verse 14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep [die] in Jesus will God bring with him.” Our hope is that we will see those Christians again. A saint’s death is bittersweet: we loathe their short-term absence, but we rejoice in a long-term reunion, a glorious re-gathering that will literally last forever!

There shall come a day, the rapture, when all the saints are united for the first time. We shall see those saints who have gone before us, those we have never met. Meeting the Lord Jesus Christ face-to-face and hearing His voice, enjoying His glory, and fellowshipping with all the saints around God’s Word. No grief, no heresy, no denominational or religious bickering. Wow, that is heaven! 🙂

The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:8: “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” While we grieve for the departed saints, we rejoice because they have been eternally rescued from this present evil world. They are in the Lord’s presence now, at peace. Psalm 116:15 says: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” A hearty amen!

Rest assured, we shall see those saints again. If you have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have a secure reservation for “the grand Bible conference.” Just wait for your flight….

-IN MEMORIAM-
THOSE WHO HAVE DIED IN CHRIST

The Saviour Who Suffered Surely Succours the Suffering Saints

Monday, June 27, 2011

“And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; and saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch” (Mark 14:33,34 KJV).

We have all experienced great emotional strain. In today’s Scripture, just hours before His arrest, the Lord Jesus’ soul is troubled, greatly tormented. He foresees His suffering and ultimate crucifixion. This foreknowledge is coupled with satanic oppression. It is as if Christ is being squeezed inside. He is “very heavy.” His soul is “exceeding sorrowful unto death.” Jesus Christ is vexed, troubled to the point of depression. This is probably one of the lowest points in our Lord’s earthly life.

Luke’s account records Christ as being so weak (His humanity evidenced) that an angel from heaven appeared to Him in order to strengthen Him (Luke 22:43). Verse 44 says, “Being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” He was praying very intensely.

Christ suffered for our sins, far more than we could ever suffer. Sin causes us pain, just as it did Jesus Christ. We all live in this sin-cursed world. However, no matter what temptation we suffer, Someone else suffered worse distress. If our Lord Jesus Christ could endure such extreme depression, surely we can endure much less trying times in Him. Even in the cases of severe suffering (to the point of desiring death), Jesus Christ empathizes with us.

Those of us who have trusted in Jesus Christ can draw on His strength in difficult times. Our Saviour can comfort us and give our hearts and minds peace. Regardless of our circumstances, God’s grace is sufficient for us, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9,10).

In times of depression and heartache, we need to look to Jesus Christ: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour [help, relieve] them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).