ALL IN THE FAMILY?
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Matthew
[NLT] 4:1-4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and
became very hungry. During that time the devil[a] came and said to him, “If you
are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus
told him, “No! The Scriptures
say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the
mouth of God.’”
John
[NLT] 1:1-14 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God,
and the Word was God. He [Lord Jesus Christ] existed in the
beginning with God. God created everything
through him, and nothing was created except
through him. [Col.1:16-17; Heb.1:2, 10]The Word gave life to everything that
was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The
light shines in the darkness, and the darkness
can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the
light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply
a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the
true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He
came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He
came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and
accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They
are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but
a birth that comes from God. So the Word became human
and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And
we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John 3:15-18, 36 [Jesus
explained] That whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn
the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on
him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. … He
that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Acts
[NLT] 4:12 There is salvation in no one else! God has
given no other name [Jesus] under heaven by which we must be saved.”
All lives matter.
The horrific killings in Orlando are tragic for many reasons.
A paramount
reason is the again propagating of “Fortunately we are all God’s children.”
Most recently I read this sentiment in newspaper this morning in comment on the
massacre.
Yes, a sentiment
. . . sometimes even expressed by those claiming belief in and reliance upon
the Holy Bible, God’s Word. It doesn’t take much study of His Word to discover
that every human is God’s creation, but until they personally actually trust Jesus
they are not a child of God redeemed now and forever more.
Going to what is
probably the best know verse in God’s Word, we see “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
(Jn.3:16) Then, and only then, by belief does any person become a child in God’s
family “to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the
right to become children of God.” (Jn.1:12; Act.4:12)
So what is this
belief requirement in John 3:16 and stated elsewhere in God’s Word?
In the Greek it
is πιστεύω; pisteuō; pist-yoo'-o; to have
faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit;
by implication to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well being to
Christ): - believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with. (Strong’s Hebrew
& Greek Dictionaries)
In the
early days of my Bible study guidance, a mentor introduced me to The Amplified
New Testament. In John 3:16 I read “… so that whoever believes in (trusts,
clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish …” which was and still is very
enlightening, assuring, and motivating for me.
If and as
we read on in John 3 we learn that not trusting Jesus results in not being
condemned because of, but in remaining “condemned already” (Jn.3:18). Put
another way to explain: Eternal condemnation, not being a child of God, is an existent
condition cancelled only through trusting Jesus! Hell-bound is ongoing status
until other-wise; just as heaven is assured for those trusting Jesus, hell is
assured for those not trusting Jesus. (Jn.3:16-18; 14:1-2)
Propagating the untruth of “We are all God’s family.” especially by
professing Christians and others results in:
·
Relaxed dangerous attitude on the part of those “condemned
already”.
·
Relaxed dangerous attitude on the part of God’s John
1:12 children, those holding the false family belief seeing no need to witness
the Gospel Truth of salvation imperative of Jesus. (John 3:3)
·
Then there is the eternal risk of loss as the Apostle
Paul explained: “For of God we are fellow-workers, a field of God, and
you are a building of God. According to the grace of God which is given to me,
as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it.
But let every man be careful how he builds on it. For any other foundation can
no one lay than the one being laid, who is Jesus Christ. And if anyone builds
on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, each
one's work shall be revealed. For the Day shall declare it, because it shall be
revealed by fire; and the fire shall try each one's work as to what kind it is.
If anyone's work which he built remains, he shall receive a reward. If anyone's
work shall be burned up, he shall suffer loss. But he shall be saved, yet so as
by fire. Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of
God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God shall destroy him.
For the temple of God is holy, which you are. Let no one deceive himself. If
anyone among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool so that
he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is
written, "He takes the wise in their own craftiness." (ESV 1Cor.3:9-19)
Let us never
forgot Jesus’ marching orders, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News
to everyone.” Later repeated by Paul in his letter to young Timothy, “I
solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday
judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the
word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently
correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is
coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They
will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them
whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase
after myths.” (NLT Mk.16:15; 2Tim.4:1-4)
“All in the
family.” is just such a myth.
EBB4
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