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REPENTANCE AND FAITH; A TWO SIDED COIN

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HOW SALVATION RELATES TO REPENTANCE

salvationBy Ken Blue

There is a teaching that causes great troubling of the mind for believers. That teaching is; not only must one believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation; he must also add repentance toward God to it. These are presented as two distinct acts. Thus the Believer spends the rest of his life struggling with the question; “Have I truly repented?”

This confusion comes from failure to understand that when one turns to Jesus as Savior, he simultaneously turns from his former state as an unbeliever. His acceptance of Jesus Christ is the act of “changing of his mind.” That is all that is necessary to become a child of God. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:12. In the matter of salvation; repentance and faith are simply two sides of the same coin.

However, sanctification is a process whereby we turn from the world, the flesh, and the Devil on a daily bases. Once we get saved, the struggle begins. We desire to live for the Lord and please Him, but we discover that our old nature and old habits remain. The unhappy truth is; you and I will battle these until the rapture or the day of our death.

The believer must understand that he does not lose his sinful nature when he gets saved. Christ comes in, and now he has two natures in one body. These two will never be friends. As a believer, we have daily victory as we yield to Christ.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The believer does not lose his sinful nature when he gets saved. Christ comes in, and now he has two natures in one body. These two will never be friends.[/perfectpullquote]

The following verses show the key to victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: 9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. 10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. 11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:6-14.

The above passage gives three steps to daily victory. First, one must know, or understand, that he was crucified and raised to life with Jesus! Secondly, he must make personal, and by faith count himself as dead to all that would condemn him. Finally, he is to yield to the Lord Jesus by loving and living for Him.

My wife and I have been married fifty-four years. All those years, she has had a responsibility to me and has lived for me. But, at my death, she will be completely free from laws related to our marriage. Therefore, she will be “dead” to any former obligation to me. When Jesus died on the cross, everything that could condemn you died with Him! In other words, you are now dead to all condemnation. Greater still, He is alive and you are married to Him!

You know you are married, if you are, and your marriage license will stand in any court. The only proof you have of your birth date and place is your birth certificate. It too will be accepted as authoritative. Likewise, you have God’s written Word as your marriage certificate and your birth certificate. When in doubt, just get It out, and read all those assurance verses He has given you.

Getting saved is as easy as believing and asking. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13. That is all that is required! When you believed; you repented. That is salvation and nothing must be added to it. However, now that you are saved, you are to grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord. This comes about by reading His Word, prayer and daily experience. Do not confuse the two. Salvation and repentance are two sides of the same coin; sanctification is quite another.

WHY SOME PEOPLE WILL NEVER LIVE FOR GOD

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THE REACTION OF PEOPLE TO THE GOSPEL

PeopleBy Ken Blue

“And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Matthew 13:3-9.

The pastor must not get discouraged, but he must face the fact that the majority who hear his messages will never evidence the fruits of salvation. This should not deter him from faithfulness to his calling. There is no way to be sure who is saved or not. We must leave that decision with the Lord.

The above text, gives three reasons why some will not live for Christ.

A lack of spiritual understanding:

V 3-4; 19. “When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.” Matthew 13:19.

Paul lists ignorance as one of the reasons Israel was not saved.  They were ignorant of God’s righteousness and attempting to work their way to heaven. The major reason people are not saved today is their failure to understanding the plan of salvation for this dispensation. Much of this ignorance must be laid at the feet of pastors and teachers. All a person must to do is listen to radio and television preachers and evangelist to witness this mass confusion. If that is not enough, just watch Oprah Winfrey, and her new age religion. Millions listen to her every day and embrace her teachings. The text makes it clear that the Truth had been sown, but the soil was not receptive because of a lack of understanding.

A lack of Christian character:

5-6; 20-21. “But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.” Matthew 13:20-21.

This second group showed evidence of real interest at first. They appeared to be eager to follow the Lord wherever He leads. These dear people will respond to any invitation. They may get baptized and join the church. But, within a few weeks or months they disappear. No matter how many calls or letters you send, all is to no avail.

Something they heard or an unpleasant experienced caused their apparent spiritual interest to dry up and die. The reason may have been criticism from a family member, a coworker, or a friend. Perhaps the call to service or to give up some pet sin was all that was needed to cause them to wither and die. The real reason, according to the Lord, is a heart problem. They simply lack the moral character to do the right thing. There is no depth of commitment to their profession.

A lack of Self control:

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Credit cards will choke the life out of you if you don’t get your spending under control.[/perfectpullquote]

V. 7; 22. “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” Matthew 13:22.

Materialism is the number one problem in America: The lust for things we don’t need has caused more divorces and self-centeredness than anything else. Many Americans are very unhappy. They believe they have a right to be happy; and the more things they possess, the happier they will be. This spending trap creates all kinds of emotional, moral, and spiritual problems.

The quest for the latest and the best is the killer. Young couples believe they should have two new cars in the driveway, own a brand new home, have it fully furnished with the most modern furniture, and then be able to eat out in restaurants each night. This is a picture of the average young family, and it is the road to sure disaster. Your credit cards will choke the life out of you if you don’t get your spending under control. Once people begin to have the above problem, they cannot stay focused on church, the Bible, or spiritual things. The cares of this life choke out all that is valuable and important.

Thankfully, some will live for the Lord and serve Him. V.23. “But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Matthew 13:23.

Pastor, there are those who will hear the Word, receive Christ, and become productive believers! You will notice that people differ in abilities and productivity. So preach the Word to everyone you can. Expect God to bless and give souls for your work. But, you must remember that many, who make professions, will never live for Christ. The real problem is not the seed. It’s the soil. If you want more like those in verse 23, you must have more professions. That’s how you do it.

ISRAEL’S BENEDICTION

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By Ken Blue

“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying… ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. 27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.” Numbers 6:22-27.

As Sovereign; He is their Blesser.
As Preserver; He is their Possessor.
As Bountiful; He is their Provider.
As Lover; He is their Creator.
As Illuminator; He is their Caretaker.
As present; He is their Peace Giver.
What a wonderful God is our God! All blessings flow from Him, and He wants you to know Him and to love Him.

HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CHURCH SPLIT

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GUARANTEED TO SPLIT YOUR CHURCH

Split

By Ken Blue

One way to ensure a split is to fill your church with transfer members from other churches. These dear people have already been indoctrinated, and they will criticize how you run the church. Open Door had two small splits in its first 10 years. Both were led by older ex-pastors who were unsuccessful in building their own churches. Their attempt to build with my members also failed. So, don’t be too eager to court disgruntled members transferring from another church.

Be sure to major on controversial issues. Fill each Sunday morning sermon with attacks on other Bibles, other churches, political leaders, and fags. Be as negative as you can. Nothing fosters a self-righteous spirit in church members like attacks on everyone else.

Don’t plan any programs where people can fellowship or get to know one another. If you do, they might grow to love each other; and it is difficult to have a church split where people really love each other. Also, they might love someone else more than you!

Don’t let people know when you are going to make changes; spring it on them. Nothing fuels discontentment like being in the dark, or being removed from a ministry.

Don’t allow people freedom or ownership of ministries. Micromanage every aspect of the church and make all decisions. This will guarantee they never feel a part of the church, and it will make it easier for them to exit with like minded friends.

Don’t preach as much about church unity and love as you do about tithing and soul winning. Although the Bible speaks of love and unity more that it does of heaven, hell, tithing, or soul winning; you can’t afford to let this be known, if you want a church split.

Don’t have a membership class or expect new members to sign a membership covenant. They might become too committed to the church and feel guilty when they are tempted to gossip.

Don’t hire staff or place people in leadership who agree with you. Don’t you know these people will be called “yes men?” So, fill vacancies with people who hold different doctrines and standards than those of the church. This works every time.

Lead the church in gossip. Nothing succeeds to split or destroy a church like gossip. So, pastor, if you really want to witness the “Big bang,” be sure that you and your wife lead this little group of terrorists.

Don’t seek to resolve problems with members immediately. Let it fester first. By the time you get to the fire, it will have spread throughout the church and you won’t have a clue which way to aim the hose.

Don’t develop ministries or train people how to do the work of the ministry. One reason people leave churches is they feel unimportant to the body. So, don’t seek for ways to start new ministries or involve others in the work of the church. Nothing works better than feeling unneeded or unimportant to the church.

Preach sound doctrine, but don’t make it relevant to them or life’s problems. When preaching doctrine, don’t include answers to questions like; “Why does this matter, or how does this apply to my daily life?” Go down deep, stay down long and come up dry.

Don’t listen to or seek advice of church members. What do they know? Ignore all complaints or suggestions. Remember, the mouth cannot say to the ear, “I need you.”  or, something like that.

Although volumes could be written on this subject; if you follow these rules, I am sure you will have a very successful church split in time. Don’t be discouraged; just keep working on the above and it will happen.

FUNDAMENTALISM AND THE FUNDAMENTALS

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FUNDAMENTALS AND FUNDAMENTALISM

bible lightBy Ken Blue

There is a vast difference today between fundamentalism and the fundamentals of the faith. Every believer should understand what the fundamentals of Christianity are and adhere to them. The two words have been so misused, and abused by others, that they believe embracing the one is the same as embracing the other. That is, unless you embrace fundamentalism, you do not embrace the fundamentals; and if you believe the fundamentals you will agree with the fundamentalist. The sooner one realizes that the two are not the same, the better things will be.

Fundamentalism, in many cases, is not a good thing. The Muslim terrorists are fundamentalist, and most Muslims would condemn them if they didn’t fear for their life. Some sects of the Mormon Church are fundamentalist and practice polygamy. The word, fundamentalism, has fallen into ill repute in recent years because of its fanaticism and abuse by many.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Don’t allow control-freaks to abuse or confuse Fundamentalism and Christian fundamentals. The two are different.[/perfectpullquote]

Fundamentalism, in some circles, has degenerated to an attitude and appearance, instead of a body of sound doctrine. It has departed from its original intent and use. The proof of this statement is demonstrated by the reaction of those who will not allow you to differ or depart from the methods embraced and used by them. Even though you adhere to all the fundamentals of Christianity, if you embrace any methods not approved; you are no longer a fundamentalist. This shows their confusion concerning the two. They cannot make the distinction, or they fear to do so. Also, they want to control as many pastors as possible.

The fundamentals of aviation have never changed; the two are, thrust and lift. It is a long way from the Wright Brothers to the Boeing Dreamliner, but the principles are the same. If given a choice, between the two, the reader will choose to ride the Dreamliner every time.

The pastor must never abandon the fundamentals of Christianity. He should be clear of what they are. But he must also never fear to improve or change ministry methods when needed. You are no less spiritual or less fundamental by having air-conditioning, padded pews, modern sound system, background music, flushing toilets, drums, choir robes, guitars, overhead screen, podcast, bookstore, a kitchen, or a nursery. It is not a sign of spirituality if you reject any or all of these, it’s a sign of stupidity.

Fundamentalism and Christian fundamentals are two different things. So, don’t allow control-freaks to abuse or confuse the two in order to intimidate or control you. Do you really know who you are? (For real insight on this issue, see my book; Standards and The Standard).