Deuteronomy 9:4-6, Isaiah 57:12, Isaiah 64:6, Isaiah 65:5, Matthew 23:25-28, Proverbs 30:12, Acts 4:12, Romans 5:6-11
Summary: Scripture plainly states that salvation is of the LORD (Psalm 3:8; Isaiah 12:2; Hebrews 5:9) and that we have absolutely no power in and of ourselves to say or do otherwise. This teaching is not popular nor welcome today but must be proclaimed regardless of what we think, say, or do.
What I am about to say will not be welcome in many of the pulpits of America today and certainly will not be offered as the solution to the ills, sins, and woes facing our nation and the world today. All of the talk we have heard from “experts,” “scholars,” “specialists,” and “world figures” — who have tried in vain to provide this fallen world with a viable answer as to why America and the rest of us seem to continually wallow in the same old moral cesspools in which our ancestors waded and swam — never seems to improve or change. For some unexplainable reason, we prefer the stench of self-reliance and cater like sycophants to the whims and demands of fickle causes and trends.
We deliberately choose to avoid, ridicule and demean the only available and trustworthy answer, which is to adhere to the teachings and counsel of Almighty God and His Holy Word, the Bible.
The sensibility of God makes no sense to the reprobate minds running the place, who prefer to keep the status quo well-fed and satisfied with what they deem normal and sound.
I expect this behavior from fallen humanity, which has chosen to reject the leadership of the Sovereign LORD of Creation. But the trouble is that far too many “churches,” “pastors,” and spiritual leaders have decided to go down the same dark path. They turn to topics and stories that “tickle ears” and “please the ears” of those sitting in the pews. They hunger not for the truth of the Scripture but to appease and welcome those who have bowed the knee to modern thinking; they desire not to be called ‘Intolerant” or other names from groups who are opposed to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, His sacrifice for our sins on the cross, and that He is the ONLY way to peace with God the Father and the only means by which our sinful souls can escape the reality and certainty of an eternal hell.
America has bowed the knee to the groups and causes that demand we be “tolerant” of their sinful behaviors and openly welcome them into the house of God, yet not be told to repent of their wickedness, change their ways, to learn and obey the Word of God, to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and to follow Him regardless of what they “think” or “feel” (Luke 14:25-35; Romans 1:18-32, 3:10-18; 2 Corinthians 6:2; Philippians 2:5-11; 2 Timothy 3:1-3, 4:1-5; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11-15).
The church of the Lord Jesus Christ was established to:
- rescue sinners from hell and destruction,
- to show the world, the flesh, and the devil that He is triumphant and that the plans and will of the Sovereign LORD will be implemented for eternity,
- to show that the forces of evil will be judged, punished, and cast away forever in hell,
- to instruct the believers in the Word,
- to witness for the LORD in the world,
- to be light and salt in a corrupt world,
- and to re-establish the Paradise that had been lost and to make all things new.
(Matthew 16:18-19, 28:18-20; Acts 20:28; Ephesians 4:12, 5:22-32; 2 Timothy 2:1-2; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Peter 5:2; Revelation 21:5).
There is not an ounce of “me,” “my,” “our,” “we,” or “I” when it comes to the establishment, structure, order, and purpose of the house of God on earth. Our salvation, mercy, grace, and redemption are totally and exclusively the design, plan, and will of Almighty God. He is not “fortunate to have us.” He has never asked us for our advice or counsel on how to redeem us from our sins. He does not seek our input on bringing world affairs to a conclusion. He does not need the wisdom of fallen humanity to aid Him in His sovereign will. And He has not put us in a place where we can have anything to do with making ourselves righteous, worthy, clean, renewed, or saved from sin in our own power or means (Matthew 11:28-30; John 20:28-31; Acts 4:12; Romans 5:6-11; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 7:25).
Almighty God has made salvation and deliverance from sin possible by HIS OWN MEANS AND BY HIS OWN POWER (Deuteronomy 9:4-6). What He has NOT made possible is providing a way to save ourselves apart from Him. The Scriptures teach that our works and attempts at self-righteousness are of no profit to us (Isaiah 57:12), a waste of time, as it were. Our righteousness apart from God’s mercy is no better than the filthy rag of a leper or menstrual period and is in itself an offense to the saving work of God done on our behalf (Isaiah 64:6, 65:5).
Jesus rebuked the self-righteous, hypocritical Pharisees for their external piety, yet whose righteousness was no better than a dirty drinking cup or rotting corpse in a whitened tomb (Matthew 23:25-28). All talk of righteousness in our own strength apart from the intervention of the LORD is nothing more than vain boasting (Luke 18:11-12). Any part on our behalf to ‘get right with God’ apart from the saving work of Jesus Christ done for us on the cross is totally insufficient (Philippians 3:4-9).
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, as proclaimed in the Holy Scriptures, is in total opposition to the “self-esteem,” “self-help,” “I’m a champion, blessed and highly favored,” ungodly and unholy drivel which passes for “preaching” these days. This includes the garbage spewed from some churches that are supporting issues that are anathema to the Gospel. It is not through politics, reparations, BLM, race theory, or some kind of imaginary “privilege” by which we have peace with God, but only through Christ and Him alone!
If a pastor or teacher is promoting anything other than the power of the Gospel to save men’s souls and that eternal life comes only through repentance of sin and surrendering one’s life to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-10), then leave that church and quit supporting these false shepherds.
All self-righteousness is condemned by God. It cannot make you pure before Him (Proverbs 30:12), it cannot save you (Matthew 5:20), and it is a blasphemous rejection of God’s amazing and pure grace (Romans 10:3). All one has to do is read of the fates of King Saul of Israel (1 Samuel 15:13-21), the young ruler who encountered Jesus (Matthew 19:16-20), and the Pharisees (Luke 11:39), whose pride in themselves caused them to believe their works were sufficient enough to satisfy God’s Holy demands and expectations. It did not end well for any of them, and I guarantee that it will not end well for you either if you somehow think there is anything you can do in your own power or thoughts apart from God’s sovereign grace and mercy. You might as well be trying to put a diaper on a crocodile.
God has made salvation possible only on HIS TERMS AND HIS TERMS ALONE! He is the One who provides saving grace through faith in Christ and not by our own works (Ephesians 2:8-9). His grace and salvation are from His heart, and it is something He gives to us freely, yet it is something we do not deserve (Titus 3:5). God has made it so that no one and nothing else can redeem us and give us freedom from our sins and the eternal hell we deserve save through the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25). We come to salvation in Christ totally on HIS TERMS (Luke 14:25-35). He gives no deals, no contracts, no loopholes, no technicalities, and no room for half-heartedness and compromise on our part.
It is either Him or nothing, and the eternal blessings or consequences to follow rest on the decision you make this day.
If you are a pastor and have been reading this, feeding your flock the “fluff and icing” of “feel good” theology disguised as “Christianity” and not preaching the whole counsel of God as we are commanded to do (2 Timothy 4:1-5), then I implore you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to repent of your attempts to please the crowd and placate the world and ask for His forgiveness. Get out your Bible, read, pray, and then get behind the pulpit like the man of God you’re supposed to be and preach the WORD without compromise or apology. Let the LORD lead you, not the whims of fickle human behavior (1 John 2:15-17).
It is the Lord Jesus Christ to whom you and I will answer before on the day of judgment and not the people in the pews, the government, the media, or anyone else (1 Corinthians 3:11-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
I don’t want you to hear words of condemnation from Him (Matthew 7:21-23), but words of welcome as He says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
Christians, get a backbone and live for Jesus as never before, and be the salt and light in a corrupted society. Pray with all the strength the LORD gives you for the lost, and then go out and talk to them about Jesus, and do not worry about the world’s reaction (Mark 16:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
Time is running out for far too many precious souls, and there is no guarantee that they will be here tomorrow (Hebrews 9:27; James 4:13-17). There is no excuse anymore for procrastination, or to hold grudges, or to not be biblically sound and doctrinally strong (2 Timothy 3:16-17), or to let things stay as they are as it pertains to the spiritual state of your loved one, friend, or family member.
The Rapture of the church is fast approaching, and the harvest still needs to be gathered (Mathew 9:36-38; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Use your testimony, gospel tracts, the internet, and anything else the LORD lays upon your heart to get the Gospel message out before the coming wrath and judgment that is coming upon the whole earth, according to the book of Revelation. Read your Bible each day (2 Timothy 2:15), throw away all the junk that would keep you from time with God, and live lives worthy of the title “Christian.”
If you are reading this message and do not yet have a relationship with Jesus Christ, then I would ask that you please go to my website: www.realitycityreverend.com and watch the video, “The ABCs of Salvation.” This will be the most important decision you will ever make in your life. It’s either surrender to Christ or be content with the dung and mud of the world with its idols of “self” spread like fertilizer across the world. Whatever you decide to do with Jesus Christ will have repercussions throughout eternity for you. Choose wisely.
Join me for “The Reality City Review” Tuesdays thru Fridays at 10:00 CST/CDT on YouTube (USA).
Archived programs are also posted on Facebook, Rumble, and at my website for viewing.
Present Study: The Gospel of Matthew
Tentative Studies: The Gospel of John, and a survey of Bible doctrine using the book of Romans as the foundation.
My main area of discussion will be on the basics of the Christian faith but will also deal with prophetic issues and other topics as the Lord impresses upon me to handle.