The
Great Imitator of God
To Be Like the Most High
For thou hast said in thine
heart, I will ascend into heaven,
I will exalt my throne above
the stars of God:
I will sit also upon the
mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights
of the clouds;
I will be like the most High.
Isaiah 14:13,14
Part VII
Salvation
Like
the Most High
A phony salvation please men
more than the true salvation!
Galatians 1:6-10
I marvel that ye are so soon
removed from him that called you
into the grace of Christ
unto another gospel:
Which is not another; but
there be some that trouble you,
and would pervert the gospel
of Christ.
But though we, or an angel
from heaven,
preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you,
let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again,
If any man preach any other
gospel unto you
than that ye have received,
let him be accursed.
For do I now persuade men,
or God? or do I seek to please men?
for if I yet pleased men,
I should not be the servant of Christ.
If a person gets the 'real thing',
then his own family & friends give them a hard time!
Jeremiah 20:10
For I heard the defaming
of many, fear on every side.
Report, say they, and we
will report it.
All my familiars watched
for my halting, saying,
Peradventure he will be enticed,
and we shall prevail against him,
and we shall take our revenge
on him.
Philippians 1:28,29
And in nothing terrified
by your adversaries:
which is to them an evident
token of perdition,
but to you of salvation,
and that of God.
For unto you it is given
in the behalf of Christ,
not only to believe on him,
but also to suffer for his sake;
Jeremiah 18:18
Then said they, Come, and
let us devise devices against Jeremiah;
for the law shall not perish
from the priest, nor counsel from the wise,
nor the word from the prophet.
Come, and let us smite him with the tongue,
and let us not give heed
to any of his words.
So, don't give in and go soft just
to please them!
Jeremiah 2:33a
Why trimmest thou thy way
to seek love?
Salvation is a wonderful thing to 'get a grip on'!
Hebrews 2:3
How shall we escape, if we
neglect so great salvation;
which at the first began
to be spoken by the Lord,
and was confirmed unto us
by them that heard him;
Your pastor/father/mother is concerned
about you being tricked!
II Corinthians 11:4
For if he that cometh preacheth
another Jesus,
whom we have not preached,
or if ye receive another spirit,
which ye have not received,
or another gospel,
which ye have not accepted,
ye might well bear with him.
The guy with the right words - God's
WORDS - is a good guy!
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,
that publisheth peace; that
bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation;
that saith unto Zion, Thy
God reigneth!
Romans 10:15
And how shall they
preach, except they be sent? as it is written,
How beautiful are the feet
of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of
good things!
I Timothy 5:17
Let the elders that rule
well be counted worthy of double honour,
especially they who labour
in the word and doctrine.
Hebrews 13:17
Obey them that have the rule
over you, and submit yourselves:
for they watch for your souls,
as they that must give account,
that they may do it with
joy, and not with grief:
for that is unprofitable
for you.
Hebrews 13:7
Remember them which have
the rule over you,
who have spoken unto you
the word of God: whose faith follow,
considering the end of their
conversation.
BUT...Keep your eyes off the 'man'
and on his 'faith'!
II Corinthians 4:5
For we preach not ourselves,
but Christ Jesus the Lord;
and ourselves your servants
for Jesus' sake.
We are all in this together - we
are ALL part of the body of Christ!
I Corinthians 3:9,10
For we are labourers together
with God: ye are God's husbandry,
ye are God's building.
According to the grace of
God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder,
I have laid the foundation,
and another buildeth thereon.
But let every man take heed
how he buildeth thereupon.
God's final 'advice' for us
all!
Revelation 3:18-20
I counsel thee to buy of me gold
tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou
mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and
anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love,
I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand
at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I
will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Here is the Gospel that we are to heed!
I Corinthians 15:3,4
For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also received,
how that Christ died for
our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and
that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures:
I. This Phony Salvation
Resembles that of the Saviour!
II Thessalonians 2:10-12
And with all deceivableness
of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not
the love of the truth,
that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall
send them strong delusion,
that they should believe
a lie:
That they all might be damned
who believed not the truth,
but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
(Note in Romans
1, Amos 8, I Kings 23:23 how God 'works'
on those who reject Him!)
A. Appears to be Righteous
Acts 20:29
For I know this, that
after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you,
not sparing the flock.
Jude 4
For there are certain men
crept in unawares,
who were before of old ordained
to this condemnation, ungodly men,
turning the grace of our
God into lasciviousness,
and denying the only Lord
God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
I John 2:18,19
Little children, it is the
last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come,
even now are there many antichrists;
whereby we know that it is the last time.
They went out from us, but
they were not of us; for if they had been of us,
they would no doubt have
continued with us:
but they went out, that they
might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
II Corinthians 11:15
Therefore it is no great
thing if his ministers also be transformed
as the ministers of righteousness;
whose end shall be
according to their works.
B. Appears to be Real
(this series explains it all)
They say you can 'feel' it to prove it!
I can prove my salvation without 'any' feeling, amen! Scriptures
only!
(see "Doubts in the Head" further down this page)
C. Appears to Appeal to Man!
Evolution appeals to man because
it 'elevates' man!
Works appeal to man because it
gives them input into their own salvation!
Makes everyone 'feel good' about
themselves to be in control of themselves!
Psalm 14:1
The fool hath said in his
heart, There is no God.
They are corrupt, they have
done abominable works,
there is none that doeth
good.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God;
Romans 10:2-3
For I bear them record that
they have a zeal of God,
but not according to knowledge.
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.
II. This Phony Salvation
Removes the Shed Blood
Romans 3:25
Whom God hath set forth
to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,
to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past,
through the forbearance of
God;
Romans 5:9
Much more then, being now
justified by his blood,
we shall be saved from wrath
through him.
Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption
through his blood,
the forgiveness of sins,
according to the riches of his grace;
Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus
ye who sometimes were far off
are made nigh by the blood
of Christ.
Colossians 1:14
In whom we have redemption
through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Colossians 1:20
And, having made peace through
the blood of his cross,
by him to reconcile all things
unto himself;
by him, I say, whether they
be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Hebrews 9:14
How much more shall the blood
of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself without spot to God,
purge your conscience from
dead works to serve the living God?
I Peter 1:2,18-19
Forasmuch as ye know that
ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,
as silver and gold, from
your vain conversation
received by tradition from
your fathers;
But with the precious blood
of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
I John 1:7
But if we walk in the
light,
as he is in the light, we
have fellowship one with another,
and the blood of Jesus Christ
his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
Revelation 1:5,6
And from Jesus Christ, who is
the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince
of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our
sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and
his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 5:9
And when he had taken the
book,
the four beasts and four
and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb,
having every one of them
harps, and golden vials full of odours,
which are the prayers of
saints.
And they sung a new song,
saying,
Thou art worthy to take the
book, and to open the seals thereof:
for thou wast slain, and
hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred,
and tongue, and people, and
nation;
A. Replaces it with Water
See Seven
Baptisms
Acts, 2:38
Then Peter said unto them,
Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins,
and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost.
Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he could
prevail nothing,
but that rather a tumult
was made, he took water,
and washed his hands before
the multitude, saying,
I am innocent of the blood
of this just person: see ye to it.
B. Replaces it with Works
Romans 4:5
But to him that worketh not,
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly,
his faith is counted for
righteousness.
Ephesians 2:8,9
For by grace are ye saved
through faith;
and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man
should boast.
John 6:29
Jesus answered and said unto
them,
This is the work of God,
that ye believe on him whom
he hath sent.
C. Replaces it with Wishful Thinking
(Opinion)
Psalm 14:1
The fool hath said in his
heart, There is no God.
They are corrupt, they have
done abominable works,
there is none that doeth
good.
They can think what they want!
(not here in reality - good person
- God loves us all - we are his children
we all worship God only in different
ways - God is a God of love, not hate)
Matthew 22:29
Jesus answered and said unto
them, Ye do err,
not knowing the scriptures,
nor the power of God.
III. This Phony Salvation
Rewards Sinner for Good Deeds
Romans 10:1-3
For I bear them record that
they have a zeal of God,
but not according to knowledge.
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.
They want the good results instead
of the right salvation!
(Moses and his second attempt at water producing
- Numbers 20:7-12)
People want those 'good' results!
I Kings 22:12,13 - they were told
they would prosper, but in I Kings 22:20,
they 'fall'!
( God provided a lying spirit in verse 23).
Why do we suffer?
1. To learn from experience makes you sympathetic for others (II
Cor 1:3,4)
2. To partake of His sufferings (Phil 3:10)
3. Our affections are at the wrong place - makes you heavenly-minded
(Col 3:1-3)
4. Teaches us to understand & trust in His promises (Phil
4:13,19)
5. To prove His grace is sufficient (II Cor
12:9,10)
A. Plan Instead of a Man!
Acts 8:5
Then Philip went down to
the city of Samaria,
and preached Christ unto
them.
Acts 8:35
Then Philip opened his mouth,
and began at the same scripture,
and preached unto him Jesus.
Acts 17:18
Then certain philosophers
of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him.
And some said, What will
this babbler say?
other some, He seemeth to
be a setter forth of strange gods:
because he preached unto
them Jesus, and the resurrection.
B. Pride Instead of the Master!
Ephesians 2:8,9
For by grace are ye saved
through faith;
and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man
should boast.
James 4:6
But he giveth more grace.
Wherefore he saith,
God resisteth the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble.
C. Payment instead of Mercy!
We don't get what we deserve!
People have no concept of the life hereafter - they want
it all now!
Colossians 3:1-2
If ye then be risen with
Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the
right hand of God.
Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:24
Knowing that of the Lord
ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance:
for ye serve the Lord Christ.
I Corinthians 3:14
If any man's work abide which
he hath built thereupon,
he shall receive a reward.
IV. This Phony Salvation
Results in Sorrow
Matthew 7:22,23
Many will say to me in that
day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied
in thy name?
and in thy name have cast
out devils?
and in thy name done many
wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work
iniquity.
A. Doubts in the Head
We should have no doubts!
None!
I John 5:13
These things have I
written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God;
that ye may know that ye
have eternal life,
and that ye may believe on
the name of the Son of God.
II Timothy 1:12
For the which cause I also
suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed:
for I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he
is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day.
How many can actually PROVE their
salvation by Scriptures, not feeling!
I Thessalonians 1:5
For our gospel came not unto
you in word only,
but also in power, and in
the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance;
as ye know what manner of
men we were among you for your sake.
We should have plenty of assurance!
B. Deadness in the Heart
I Timothy 5:6
But she that liveth in pleasure
is dead while she liveth.
Ephesians 2:1
And you hath he quickened,
who were dead in trespasses and sins;
John 4:27,28
Note the woman at the well - 6 husbands
and now she finally gets excited!
C. Damnation for the Soul
Acts 16:29-31
Then he called for a light,
and sprang in, and came trembling,
and fell down before Paul
and Silas,
And brought them out, and
said,
Sirs, what must I do to be
saved?
And they said, Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house.
or
Revelation 20:14,15
And death and hell were cast
into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found
written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
What Must We Do to Be Saved?
see - What
Every Person Must Know
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