The Lukewarm DeceptionSample
The danger of depending on “eternal security"
Certainly, we are eternally secure in Jesus Christ if we have surrendered all we are to all He is. In I John 5:13 John says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” And Jesus said in John 10:28-29, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” We love the security. We enjoy living in Jesus Christ!
The problem comes when we depend on our security instead of depending on Jesus. I have heard people say, “I went down to the altar and prayed the prayer, and now I can do whatever I want”. Most of us wouldn’t go that far. But if we don’t keep our eyes on Jesus and start flirting with the world’s values and activities, we can find our hearts divided, trying to serve God, attending church, and at the same time trying to fit in with the world around us.
Jesus made it clear in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.“ And Paul said in Romans 6:1-4, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
We cannot really live until we die to wanting to cling to the world's ways, which are always rooted in selfishness. Being 90% obedient is disobedience. Our security is a blessing that ought to make us love Jesus even more and increase our gratitude for our undeserved position as children of the King of king and Lord of lords.
Reflection: Am I taking advantage of the grace of Jesus, thinking I can still sin a little and get away with it? Turn your heart fully toward Jesus, and you will be filled with the wonderful blessings He promises to all who live for Him. Ephesians 1:3-4, " Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight." God is in love with you, let Him fill you with joy and truth!
About this Plan
Half-hearted, lazy, who cares? Don’t you hate that attitude? Jesus hates it more, as He declared in Revelation 3:16; but how easily we fall into the deception that makes Him want to vomit us out of His mouth! Let’s look at ways we become lukewarm without realizing it, and how to move with our whole hearts into the joy and security of knowing and being known by Him.
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