Category: sin

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….

God’s Offer to the Nations

Sunday, September 11, 2022

“…[T]hat God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is God’s offer to all the nations of the world today.

September 11, 2001 was a day that changed our nation forever. It was the worst terrorist attack in our two-century national history. Afterward, many Americans began to talk about “God Bless America” and “God Save the United States.” These phrases are not as commonplace as they used to be.

In the 21 years that have passed since that awful day, it is a sad commentary that “God” is now the least of our nation’s concerns. With the redefining of marriage, controversial political arena, moral decay, skyrocketing national debt, and the uncertainty as to what constitutes a human life and what does not, obviously, the God of the Bible has been largely pushed out… until we need His help, and then we cry out to Him. Unless we need Him, we rather not think about anything He has to say.

While many argue that God is judging America today for its sins, the Bible does not support such an idea. Certainly, God dealt with Israel in that manner—“Do good and I will bless, but disobey and I will curse” (Leviticus chapter 26; Deuteronomy chapter 28)—but we have no relation to that Old Covenant of Law.

For the last 20 centuries, God has offered His grace to all the world’s nations, to have a right standing before Him by trusting Jesus Christ. People still die and go to hell, but today’s Scripture says that God is not judging nations for their sins. Through Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork, God offers reconciliation to sinners, whether here or around the world. However, that grace is exhaustible, and one day, it will be replaced with His wrath (Romans 2:1-16). Still, we believers are not appointed to God’s wrath; we are saved from all wrath through Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9).

The only hope for America—yea, for any nation—is faith in Jesus Christ alone!

*You can also see our 2011 Bible study commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11. It can be watched here or read here.

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….

Saved or Lost? #9

Thursday, September 8, 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?

“Quench [hinder, suppress, obstruct, extinguish, restrict, stifle, prevent] not the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19). If this verse says what it means and means what it says, and we believe it does, a “sinless Christian” in this life is an impossibility. If we believers are immune from all doctrinal and practical errors (as “entire sanctification” proponents teach), there would be no reason whatsoever for the Scriptures to emphatically instruct us Christians not to oppose the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit! “And grieve [sadden, offend, cause pain] not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).

As believers in Christ, we do not have to engage in bad conduct and we do not have to believe bad teaching. Then, why do we? Studying the Scriptures, we find the answer to this “riddle.” We have chosen not to think like God has designed us to think in Christ! “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1,2).

“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:…” (Ephesians 4:17-19).

A renewed mind is key to victorious Christian living….

Saved or Lost? #8

Wednesday, September 7, 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 physical realm abounds with abnormalities or seeming impossibilities (extreme or rare medical conditions). Similarly, the spiritual world is filled with eccentric or appalling disorders (contradictions or paradoxes). These sinning saints appear to be unbelievers in thoughts and/or actions, but are indeed members of God’s family!

Believers in the God of the Bible have done stupid things, spoken foolish words, and entertained silly ideas. The Apostle Peter thrice denied he knew his Saviour (Mark 14:66-72). Moreover, he had even intensely argued with the Lord how this would never happen—essentially calling Christ a “liar” (verses 27-31; also see the other occasion in Luke 22:31-34)! Moses, in an infantile rage, struck the rock twice when the LORD had ordered him to speak to it instead (Numbers 20:1-12). Let us not forget how Noah ruined his testimony with drunkenness in Genesis 9:20-27!

Abraham listened to his wife (not the LORD) concerning his sexual relations with Hagar (Genesis 16:1-4): resulting son Ishmael, a product of Abraham’s flesh (law, religious performance), competed with God’s promised son, Isaac (grace). King David committed adultery, fathered an illegitimate child, and then murdered the adulteress’ husband to cover it all up (2 Samuel 11:1–12:14). In 1 Corinthians 5:1-13, a Christian brother is fornicating with “his father’s wife” (hopefully, it was his stepmother and not his biological mother)! Not even the Gentile idolaters had such a revolting reputation (verse 1)!

Believers in Christ Jesus in John 12:42,43 were silent about their faith, since they would be excommunicated from the synagogue if they were outspoken (“for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God”). King Solomon was romantically involved with almost 1,000 idolatrous women, not only permitting their heathen religion in the Promised Land but even practicing it himself (1 Kings 11:1-13)! Finally, the Apostle Paul, awaiting his execution, wrote some poignant words concerning a grace ministry coworker: “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10; cf. Galatians 1:4; 1 John 2:15-17).

Yes, these were believers (!!!!!!)….

Saints, please remember this work of the ministry requires monthly financial support to operate (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:16-17; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Those who prefer electronic giving can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. Anyone who wishes to donate by regular mail can visit https://333wordsofgrace.org/contact-us-mailing-address-for-donations/ for details. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! Unfortunately, since our ministry audience is so large and our ministry staff is so small, I can no longer personally respond to everyone. Thanks so much for understanding in this regard. 🙂

Saved or Lost? #7

Tuesday, September 6, 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?

Due to the curse of sin, life in a fallen world, we all must deal with medical conditions. Ultimately, one “disease” (whatever it is) will cause our physical life that began in the womb to cease just prior to heading to the tomb. The scientific community is still quite limited in its understanding and treatment of a wide range of physical and mental illnesses. For example, medical literature abounds with countless oddities or shocks:

  • Have you ever heard of Epidermodysplasia verruciformis? Probably not, but you may know it as “Tree Man Syndrome.” Those afflicted have disproportionate warts (resembling tree bark) growing over large sections of their skin. Entire arms, legs, hands, and feet are often unrecognizable. These human bodies look very much like actual tree trunks!
  • People who have the eating disorder called pica can be found consuming all sorts of non-foods—wood, glass, and even feces!
  • As weird as it sounds, sufferers of Cotard Delusion (also called “Walking Corpse Syndrome”) believe they have missing organs, no blood, absent body parts, or even think they are dead! This is not reality, of course, but they do not know otherwise because it is a mental disorder.
  • Hypertrichosis, or Werewolf Syndrome, involves hair growing excessively all over the human body.
  • When one baby does not fully separate from another baby in the womb, the result is bodies joined at the head, or torso, or buttocks, et cetera. These are “conjoined twins.” However, if one baby dies during the pregnancy, but his or her body parts remain attached to the surviving twin, the result is a “parasitic twin.” The living child may have extra legs, arms, or other remains of the parasitic twin.
  • What about the man with Segmental Overgrowth Syndrome, whose massive 200-pound (100-kilogram) leg dwarves the rest of his body?

As sin’s curse make humans not to think or look like humans, so sin’s curse causes Christians not to think or look like Christians….

Keep Your Fork! #12

Saturday, August 20, 2022

“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6,7 KJV).

Will Heaven be a boring place? (It is a resounding “NO!”)

Dear saints, we “keep our fork” because we know “dessert” is coming: Heaven is real, it is organized, it is defiled, and it will be restored (here is our eternal destiny as members of the Church the Body of Christ). Even the “best thrills and chills” that life on Earth has to offer us do not compare to what lies ahead for we who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour. Only the depths of God’s infinite wisdom are the limit!

It has been estimated that there are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand on all of Earth’s beaches. (Try to wrap your mind around that!) These celestial bodies, where the angels live, are mostly unknown to us because of their extreme distances from us. There are innumerable worlds—planets, bodies of rock, ice, and gas—no human has ever visited. Father God has deemed them our realm of influence in the ages to come. Therefore, we must receive glorified physical bodies that can function in outer space.

“For our conversation [lifestyle reflecting citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things [the offices of government!] unto himself” (Philippians 3:20,21). After reflecting on God’s magnificent plans for us in the ages to come (covered in the first three chapters), the Apostle Paul burst into a doxology or praise of God: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20,21). May we too reply with a hearty, “Amen!”

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What is a ‘sop?’”

Keep Your Fork! #11

Friday, August 19, 2022

“And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6,7 KJV).

Will Heaven be a boring place? (It is a resounding “NO!”)

For many, “church” is just a “humbling” place where someone prattles in monotone about superstitious nonsense. Yawns can be frequently heard, and sagging heads and closed eyes can be seen regularly: here, it is a sin to whisper anything save a prayer. (Now we see why this strict, ceremonial setting is usually abandoned for an assembly “more exciting.” At this new “church,” dancing, jumping, lifting of hands, singing for hours—such entertainment, such “praise and worship”—will attract newcomers indefinitely!)

Though religion is tiresome and Christendom dull, life in Christ (whether now or in Heaven) is something else entirely. According to today’s Scripture, we the saints in the Body of Christ are bound for the heavenly places. In God’s mind, we already share in Christ’s influence there. We have been ascended and we sit together (as in seats of authority) in heavenly places in Christ. Father God’s purpose or intent in the endless ages to come is to “shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” Grace, all that He can do for and with us through Christ’s finished crosswork, can be appreciated to some degree now, though its fullest extent surpasses our finite minds.

Furthermore, it is not merely “grace” but “the exceeding [beyond, above] riches [resources, treasures, reserves] of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” How we are so undeserving, but what Father God will do in and through us in eternity future is something so exceptional that it will take a literal forever to completely fathom it. His kindness to involve us in what He is doing and will do with His beloved Son—instead of letting us go to a permanent Devil’s Hell that we have so merited as sinners—is something that still escapes our total comprehension even now.

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….