Revelation 3:17, “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”
The Bible warns that it is possible to think you're doing just fine; when
everything is actually very wrong. The religious churchgoers in Revelation
3:17 thought they were blessed of God because they had money and no need of
anything materialistically; but God called them poor, blind and naked.
There are a lot of ignorant fools in this world. You can't tell them anything. They are puffed up in their egos, arrogant and have rejected the knowledge of God. Proverb 21:2, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.” That is an amazing Scripture. Proverb 21:2 says that every way is right in a man's own eyes; but it is God Who ponders the heart of man and decides what is good or evil. Judges 21:25, “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” The Bible says that they wanted TO DO RIGHT, but they wanted to decide for themselves what was right instead of God. Only God has the holiness and right to say what is good or evil.
Notice in Revelation 3:17 that the members of this apostate church felt secure in their backslidden condition. God was disgusted with them, but they thought everything was just fine. The Lord said that He vomited them out of His mouth because they were fence-straddlers, driving down the middle of the road, lukewarm. God wants every Christian believer to choose sides, being either HOT or COLD. Revelation 3:15-16, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” The Lord is displeased when we just attend church and fill up pew space. There's a world that's dying from spiritual blindness, because Satan keeps them in darkness (2nd Corinthians 4:3-4). If the church doesn't let its candle shine for Jesus, then the lost will not see the light of the truth.
A
Common Misunderstanding Of Matthew 7:21
(do you only have
partial faith in Christ?)
Increasingly, our Baptist churches are being corrupted with the horrible false doctrines of Lordship Salvation, a young earth, a redemption without Christ's blood, lifestyle evangelism, a crossless gospel, Zionism and a post-tribulation Rapture. Consequently, more people are coming to religion instead of the new birth by faith in the gospel. Fewer people are actually getting saved. I meet so many naive Baptists who have bought into the lie that their salvation is in part conditioned upon their intent to forsake sinful living, reform, forsake the sinful world and make a full surrender to Christ in order TO BE SAVED. That is a false plan of salvation! This heresy is commonly known as Lordship Salvation.
Heaven's Door Is Wide Open—Put Down The Pick Axes, Grappling Hooks, Shovels, Jack Hammers!
Luke 13:24, “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” Many churchgoers are in the eye of the hurricane, thinking that they are safe and secure in their religion. Please read Romans 10:3-4, “For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
What does the Bible mean when it says that Christ is the END OF THE LAW in Romans 10:4? It means that the purpose of the law is to show us our SINNERSHIP. Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” When the law is finished doing its job, you will be at THE CROSS.
I picture the Old Testament law as a passenger bus. When you get on the bus, you are shown how horrible you are because of breaking God's commandments. You are shown a film, “This Was Your Life,” being shown just how wicked and sinful you have been and still are. That's the purpose of God's law, that is, as a measuring stick to show us how much we all fall short of God's glory. And then when the bus ride is over, you are driven to your destination, which is THE LORD JESUS CHRIST Who died upon the cross for OUR SINS, and He was buried, and then He was miraculously resurrected from the dead after three days (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). When the Old Testament law is used and taught correctly, you will end up at the cross of Christ to be saved (Galatians 3:24-26).
Please read, Repentance And Faith. The New Testament Church is built upon the only sure foundation, which is Christ Jesus our Lord (1st Corinthians 3:11-15). Take heed the Bible warns, lest you build upon wood, hay and stubble, a house built upon the sand of religious devotion, sacramental salvation, baptismal regeneration and manmade traditions instead of the eternal Words of God.
