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• WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS
• WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
• TIMELY ADMONITION
• ENTITLEMENT: THE SIN WE DON'T SEE IN OURSELVES

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May 2026

 

 

 

 

WATCHMEN ON THE WALLS

ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION

Alfred King

        There are many things recorded in the book of Daniel regarding events that took place during his lifetime that, without divine intervention, would have been lost.  The interpretation and fulfillment of Nebuchadnezzar’s two dreams, for example, are just a couple of examples.  However, there were prophecies and visions given to Daniel that were not for his day or regarding the time of the exile; rather, they describe future events.  One of those is concerning the “abomination that maketh desolate” mentioned in Daniel 11:31 and Daniel 12:11.

        The purpose of this article is not to delve into all that Daniel’s prophecies allude to, but to focus on this one very important topic: the abomination that makes desolate.  The event foretold in Daniel’s prophecies is of particular importance because Jesus referenced it in His discourse when prophesying of the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the Roman siege that the inhabitants of Jerusalem would experience in their not-too-distant future.  Coupled with those warnings for Jerusalem, Jesus was laying out some specific signs that would precede His second coming, admonishing believers to watch and pray always that they may be accounted worthy to escape all the things that were prophesied to come to pass (Luke 21:36).

Jesus Answers Three Questions In One Discourse

        To properly understand this topic, we must realize that Jesus was addressing three questions throughout the accounts recorded for us in Mathew, Mark, and Luke.  Jesus and the disciples were leaving the temple.  As they departed, the disciples were admiring the beauty of the temple, the stones, the architecture, and the surrounding buildings when Jesus spoke these most important words, “… See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Matt. 24:2).

        Later, His disciples came and asked Him, (1) “Tell us, when shall these things be? and (2) what shall be the sign of thy coming, and (3) of the end of the world?” (Matt. 24:3)  Jesus’ answer to His disciples’ questions is contained through the remainder of Matthew 24.  It is crucial that we realize that He is answering three questions, and we must determine to which question He is referring to in every verse of this chapter.  Sometimes, He is speaking about the destruction of the temple.  In other statements, He is referring to His second coming and the third; the end of the world.  Some of His words involve two events, and some possibly all three.  However, we must remember that some of His answers speak of physical events and others take place in the spiritual realm.  (While we can divide these events into two classes, physical and spiritual, we must be aware that all are the result of that which transpires in the spiritual realm.  It is the spiritual that affects the physical.)

        Both Mathew and Mark record Jesus’ words concerning the Abomination of Desolation.  I include both here so we may know exactly how each recorded the Master’s words.

        Matt 24:15-16: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:). Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:”

        Mark 13:14 “But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:”

        There are several teachings on what the “Abomination of Desolation” is, but the most common is that this took place on two different occasions.  The first was after the Jewish exile, when the Jews were allowed to return and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah.  After the second temple was built, there was a siege on Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes IV in 164 BC, in which Antiochus offered a pig in the Holy of Holies.  This was an abomination because God’s holy presence once dwelt in the Most Holy Place of this temple, and now an abominable sacrifice was offered in that once Holy of Holies.  This abomination was repeated in 70 AD when Roman soldiers, under the command of Titus, captured the city of Jerusalem, and his armies leveled the temple and offered swine in the Holy Place to their god, Zeus.*

        For those who might be unfamiliar with the term “Holy Place” or “Holy of Holies,” it was the innermost chamber of the temple.  In the wilderness travels of the Children of Israel, Moses was directed to build a tabernacle.  He was given very specific instructions on how every part of the tabernacle was to be fashioned, organized, and set up.  The tabernacle itself was a two-room tent affair surrounded by an “outer court.”  This was an area around the tabernacle, creating a boundary or walls made of animal skins fastened upon poles.  It was in this area that animal sacrifices were offered.  However, the two rooms of the tabernacle itself are the part we want to focus on.  The first room was where the priests would perform certain daily duties and was called “the Holy Place.”  The second was where the Shekinah glory of God appeared, and from this room, the “Holy of Holies,” God would speak and give instructions to Moses and Aaron.

        Later, when Solomon built the first temple, the tabernacle was set aside and no longer used.  However, the basic design was incorporated in the building of Solomon’s temple.  There was still the outer court, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place.  God still led and guided Israel from this inner court, also referred to as “the Holy of Holies.”

        Knowing the layout of this temple is essential if we want to understand the “Abomination of Desolation.”  The main point relative to our topic is that this “Holy of Holies,” where the God of the universe met with His people, led them, ministered to them, taught them, and dwelt among them, would one day be defiled.  There would come a time when God’s presence would depart from this Holy Place, and evil would take His place.  This, of course, would come about because of the sins of His people.  There would come a time when God’s chosen people would reject Him, thereby causing Him to depart the Holy Place, and with His departure, idolatry would be set up.

        Daniel’s prophecy was twofold.  One part would take place physically or in a manner that all could see.  This occurred twice: first with Antiochus Epiphanes IV in 167 BC and then again in 70 AD when Titus and his armies ran swine through the “Holy of Holies” and defiled it.  The Holy Place in the temple was only holy because God’s presence resided there.  It was not holy for any reason other than that.  Once God’s presence departed, it was no longer holy.  The absence of God did not, in itself, defile it, but when the unclean entered into it, it was defiled and then detestably unholy.

        This brings us to the most common teaching regarding the Abomination:  Both of the historical events in which an unclean animal was offered in the Most Holy Place were considered an abomination to the Jewish nation and, of course, an abomination to God.  In the case of Antiochus Epiphanes IV, the temple was not destroyed; a pig was offered as a sacrifice to Zeus.  With the latter victory over Antiochus, the temple was then cleansed, and the whole Mosaic order of temple worship was restored, and animal sacrifices resumed.  The Jews, to this day, celebrate the day sacrifices were again offered.  It is an eight-day celebration called, “Hanukkah” or “The Festival of Lights.”

        Considering Jesus’ words recorded in Mathew and Mark, He states that when people saw the Abomination, they were to flee to the mountains.  If, according to this popular view of the Abomination of Desolation, they had waited until Titus had destroyed the temple and desecrated the Most Holy, it would have been too late to flee.  They would have been slain before this time.  Several questions arise in this that I hope to address in the remainder of this article.

        The Abomination of Desolation will come just prior to Jesus’ return in two different scenarios: it can take place in one’s life personally, and it will take place in the church.  As has been stated, when the Most Holy Place was defiled, it was because God had departed from that place and, therefore, it was left empty.  God left because of sin and idolatry in Israel.  This, consequently, left the temple open for gross sin and idolatry to enter into the place where once God dwelt.  When God departed, the place was open for evil spirits to enter and pollute the holy.  This is the abomination that leaves the place, no longer Most Holy, but desolate, meaning that God will not return.  This event is an unpardonable sin.

        When a person is saved, he is washed, cleansed, pardoned, and the Holy Spirit (the third person in the Godhead) enters into the person’s heart.  Paul declares that our bodies are temples of God.  This is how we know the Holy Spirit resides within.  However, if that man returns to his wallowing in the mire (II Peter 2:22), the Holy Spirit will in time depart.  (It needs to be understood that the departure of the Holy Spirit does not take place because a believer sins.  God is very merciful and forgives sins, even when one may turn his back on Jesus and return to his old ways for a time.  The Holy Spirit departs for good, only when a person has had a deep walk with God and experienced many wonderful manifestations of the Holy Spirit in his life, slips into sin.)  This is explained very clearly in Heb. 6:4-6.  “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

        I also recommend that we thoughtfully read Heb. 10:26-29.  “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

        Considering these two portions of scripture, we find the sin listed to be unforgivable.

        Israel, as a nation, reached this point when they continually refused to obey the Lord’s commands.  Listen to the travesty pronounced upon Israel in 2 Chron. 36:15-16, “And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy.” (emphasis mine)

        This “no remedy” was finalized for Israel when they crucified the Son of God.  Jesus stated very emphatically, “your house is left unto you desolate” (Matt. 23:38, Mark 13:35).  Note especially the word “desolate.”

        It is this unforgivable transgression that leaves a person unredeemable.  However, as seen with the “house” of Israel, the abomination is amplified when it happens to the New Testament church.  When the church refuses to teach and preach obedience and adherence to the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will eventually leave, and it is then open for all manner of evil spirits to enter, operate, and deceive.  This is the Abomination that leaves a church desolate.

        An example of this on an individual level is recorded in Matthew 12:43-45 and in Luke 11:24-26.  In these verses, Jesus is teaching and gives a serious warning that relates to our topic.  He taught that when an evil spirit is cast out of a person, the evil spirit walks “through dry places seeking rest.”  This alerts us to the perils and agony of the evil spirit’s world.  There is no rest there.  It is a place even evil spirits don’t want to be.  (This is also brought out in the account of Legion.  They would rather reside in the body of pigs than in that world.)

        The evil spirit that is cast out, returns to the body (temple) and finds it clean and swept, but also empty.  He then goes out and finds seven other spirits, more evil than he is, and they enter into that body and possess it.  Jesus’ final words regarding this man’s state are very serious: “the last state of the man is worse than the first.”  What just happened to his man?  This is a case where God once dwelt (which is revealed in the fact that it was “swept and garnished”) but is now empty, meaning that the Holy Spirit had departed.  The only reason the Holy Spirit departs from one is because of the man’s continual refusal to obey God’s teachings and the Holy Spirit’s leading.  There comes a time when grace runs out, and when it does, the Holy Spirit that came in when one is saved leaves.

        In this man, the Holy Spirit (God) entered and worked for a while, maybe for several years, and the man received many blessings and possibly even received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues, and maybe even prophesied and had visions and dreams.  Yet, all these manifestations are of little value if the person begins to “eat and drink with the drunken” (Matt. 24:49).  He is like the pig that was cleansed but returned to his wallowing in the mire (II Peter 2:22).  The real abomination here is that where once the Holy Spirit dwelt, now evil spirits come and dwell therein.

The Abomination That Maketh Desolate

        Before we examine how the church becomes a part of the Abomination of Desolation, we’ll peruse the last week of Jesus’ life.  Seven days before the Passover, Jesus and His disciples came to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast.  Jesus entered into Jerusalem riding on a donkey while the people laid palm branches and clothing before Him, all the while praising and shouting, “Hosanna to the highest” and “blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.”  But Jesus didn’t come to be ordained King; He came to send a sword.  (The expectations and hope of the Jews were not in the eternal purposes of God.)  This is obvious, for it was the next day when He came to the temple and, seeing the merchandising, the greed, and hypocrisy, a holy anger rose in Him, triggering Him to overturn the money changers’ tables, upend the animals’ cages, and make an unforgettable scene in the temple courtyard.  His words rang out with condemning clarity, “My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Matt. 21:13).

        Through the remainder of this week, Jesus entered the temple and taught at various times.  However, we read in Matthew 24:1a, “And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple…”  This was the last time Jesus was in the temple. (He had been there many times but now He leaves and He will not return.)  It is important because Israel had rejected their King, and their King leaves permanently.  In the previous chapter, Matthew 23, we find Jesus excoriating the religious leaders, likening them to whited sepulchers, blind leaders of the blind, and exposing their hypocrisies and, in doing so, He stirred the hornet’s nest.  But notice His final words as He left the temple: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” (Matt. 23:37-38) 

        This was the last time Jesus was in the temple; His final departure.  Their house was left desolate, without life, without hope, and without God.

        Pay special attention to the word “desolate.”  They were unredeemable.  In Luke 19:41-44, we find that Jesus weeps as He looks over the city of Jerusalem.  He understood that this city, this nation of Israel (Jews), both of which were once called “holy” and were God’s chosen people, would lose God’s favor forever.  He stated that God’s judgment would leave not one stone upon another.  Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed.  And why?  “Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” (Luke 19:44)

        Returning again to Matthew 24:1-2, we read, “And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.  And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

        It is amazing that as all three writers of the synoptic gospels record how the disciples seemed totally unaware of the seriousness of the events that had just unfolded in the temple nor Jesus’ final words as He left.  Their attention was on the beauty and craftsmanship of the buildings of the temple proper.  Jesus’ words must have truly astounded them, prophesying of the destruction that would fall upon Israel’s pride and security, Solomon’s temple.  However, Jesus left the temple never to return.  It was left desolate.  Where God once dwelt, where He once communicated with Israel, where the high priest once offered blood sacrifices, atoning for Israel’s transgressions, God no longer dwelt.  It was empty and now open for evil spirits to inhabit.  Jesus made this clear when the chief priests, along with soldiers led by Judas, came to the Garden of Gethsemane to take Him.  He declared, “this is your hour and the power of darkness.” (Luke 22:53)

        The record left us that Satan entered into Judas, who once was a disciple of Christ, is a picture for us and for the church: an abomination that left Judas desolate, a realization so devastating that he went out and hanged himself.

Abomination In The Church

        Now let’s look at the church.  The church is the body of Jesus Christ, and we are all members of that holy remnant.  The Holy Spirit dwells in the midst of His church.  He works there in saving lost souls, teaching obedience and surrender, bringing the saved ones to a knowledge of the truth, discipling its members, and spreading the Gospel throughout the world.  They are the salt and light of the world.  Jesus said, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” (Matt. 5:13)  This is a serious warning.

        One doesn’t have to have great discernment to see what is happening in many of our “Christian” churches across America and around the world.  In most mega churches, there is more entertainment than spiritual edification.  There are more Hollywood shenanigans and disgusting antics, even perversions that are more often associated with nonsense and, many times, more like the demonic than the godly.  When men stand before the congregation wearing dresses, high heels, and women’s clothing to lead the worship, teach classes, and even preach, this is an abomination.  When preachers refuse to preach or “heal” until they have a hundred thousand dollars in the offering plate, this is an abomination.  When preachers own a ten-million-dollar estate while their congregants struggle to make ends meet and some struggle to put food on the table for their children, all the while these wolves in sheep’s clothing, persuade their congregants that their offering is seed faith, this is an abomination.  If you attend any of these churches, leave, because the Spirit of God already has.

        Read Jesus’ rebuke in Matthew 23, where Jesus castigated, exposed, and condemned the religious leaders, declaring them desolate.  When Jesus unveiled the truth of these hypocrites, He raised the temperature of their anger above the boiling point and sealed the sentence of death upon Himself.  Death was already the sentence in the eyes of these evil men, but now it was engraved in stone.  A serious problem is seen here: these were still the same men who were the leaders of the church in Jerusalem.  There are men today who lead churches who are of the same caliber as those in Jesus’ day; they are in it for the fame, the money, the power, or some other shameful purpose.  From such turn away.

        Jesus’ letter to the church in Sardis reveals the condition of many churches in America today.  “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.  If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” (Rev. 3:1-3)

        This church in Sardis was once alive and was considered to be a living church.  However, now it was in the process of dying; in fact, many, if not most, were already dead.  Jesus calls upon the pastor, minister, teacher to strengthen those things that remained (and notice this) “that are ready to die.”  If these few still “alive” ones were to die or leave, the church would then be empty and ready for evil spirits to inhabit.  So many churches today invite the world into their services to attract the youth, to attract certain classes of people in order to gain revenue, to become popular with the world and obtain the status of “successful.”  Caution: Be sure you don’t sacrifice the presence of God for a worldly atmosphere, or even worse, an invitation for evil spirit activity.  Paul warns us of how evil can masquerade as light.  “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  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.” (2 Cor. 11:14-15)

        God’s call is to be a holy church, a righteous congregation, a surrendered people, submitting to the will of God, walking in obedience to every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5)  And according to Ephesians 4:11-13, God has given the church “… some apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” – and for what purpose?  “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”

        Make sure the church you attend teaches truth.  Make sure they are striving to become more spiritual, more dedicated, and more like Christ and not more like the world.  Be sure your church is not using Hollywood tactics to gain membership: remember, Jesus said only a few would enter the strait gate and walk the narrow path that leads to life.  Be sure you and your church are on that path, for many, many are on the broad way that leads to destruction.  This is a warning for all of us today.  Be watchful and prayerful because we presently are seeing the harbingers of the Abomination of Desolation just as believers in Jerusalem discerned that the abomination was already operating in the city long before Titus took the city and desecrated the Holy of Holies.  Many believers fled the city because they saw Daniel’s prophecy being fulfilled before their eyes and they remembered and heeded Jesus’ warning.

        * While there is no definite history of Titus offering a pig to the Roman god Zeus, it is believed that Titus did actually offer a pig in the Most Holy Place.  Realizing the temple had been completely destroyed by Titus’ armies and the temple burned, at the location of the Most Holy Place, Titus did offer a pig.  The reason is that the Roman always offered animal sacrifices when they conquered a land, believing that their sacrifice was to purge the land from the evil of the previous nation and their gods.  According to Wikipedia, this purification is called, “suovetaruilia,” which required the offering of an ox, a sheep, and a pig.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suovetaurilia

 

 

 

 

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

Acts 16:30

Randall Walton

        This question was asked of Paul and Silas by the prison keeper in the city of Philippi, of Macedonia.  Their reply was: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (vs. 31).

        Lest we think that Paul meant that salvation came as the result of belief alone, we need to read the next verse: “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.”

        There are many opinions today concerning being saved and what is necessary to achieve it.  Some say one needs only to accept it; it’s free.  Others claim that you are not saved until you’ve been baptized in water, while others state that the “new birth” only comes about when a person speaks in tongues.  But what saith the Scriptures?

        It is true that no one can earn salvation by good works.  It is also true that no one deserves to be saved.  “All have sinned,” the Bible says, and the “wages (or reward) of sin is death.”  Therefore, all deserve death, not salvation.  Only God’s divine intervention has made it possible for mankind to enjoy the benefits of salvation.

        In order to understand the great value of salvation, it is necessary to consider the tremendous price that heaven has paid in order to secure man’s rescue.  God so loved the world (mankind) that He deliberately had His beloved Son murdered as a substitutionary sacrifice.  It is impossible for our puny little minds to properly evaluate the profound price God paid in this transaction, for the human mind struggles over the complexities of the divine.  The greatest among us must bow their heads at the awesome wonders of the Almighty.

        Let us then consider what Scripture tells us of the marvelous Acts of God:

The First Cause

        In the scheme of things, every activity must have a “first cause,” i.e., a force or power which causes such activity to take place.  On this premise, it is reasonable to state that our universe did not come into being by accident or happenstance; there was a first cause, or a power that called it forth out from darkness and chaos.  To Christians, the “First Cause” was none other than Jesus Christ, for “All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3).

        By the same token, then, we may safely state that He, Jesus, in concert with His heavenly Father, had a most definite reason for the creation of the universe, including this habitable planet.  In brief, this is His method or process for the production of a class of beings who are to be conformed to His own likeness, nature, and character.

        It is His desire and plan to grant them immortality and to gather them into His very presence so that there will exist down through the eternal ages a most holy fellowship and communion with them which defies credible description.

        The fact remains that man’s history is one of dismal failure and disrepute.  From the first created man until the very present time, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).  Mankind, by nature, is unfit to enter the presence of the Living God.  Without divine intervention, God’s desire and plan for His creation would be scuttled.  The only hope for mankind to be salvaged was for the demands of justice to be satisfied through the death of One who was Perfect, or sinless.  The reward for sin is death; therefore, the Perfect One must take upon Himself the penalty for sin as if He were the sinful one.  The only sinless or Perfect One was God Himself!

        The salvation, reclamation, redemption, reconciliation, ransom, yes, salvage of mankind rested totally upon the willingness of God to suffer and die the death of a vile sinner, for this was the only means of meeting the demands of justice.  A SUPREME PRICE must be paid or all would be lost!

        Thus, Jesus became the First Cause in the matter of salvation.  He stated it in these words just before His vicarious death: “For this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:28).  The book of Hebrews informs us that “without the shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).

        John beheld Jesus and declared, “Behold the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).  There was and is no single act or combination of acts which man can do that will match or replace that one momentous, magnanimous, sacrificial act of the shedding of the precious, royal blood of God’s blessed Son!  To even suggest that water baptism, or any other deed, could be a viable substitute for the blood of Jesus is ludicrous and borders on blasphemy!

        There are nearly 20 Scripture verses which attest to the efficaciousness of the blood/death of Jesus for remission of sins and the obtaining of salvation, such as this in Col. 1:14, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.”  (See also: Matt. 20:28; Eph. 1:7; I Peter 1:18,19; Rev. 1:5; Heb. 9:14; Rev. 5:9; I John 1:7; Rom. 3:25; I John 2:2; Rom. 5:9; Acts 20:28; Eph. 2:13; Col. 1:20; Heb. 13:12; Rev. 7:14; Rom. 5:10; I Cor. 15:3; I Peter 3:18.)

        The above describes the role that the death of Jesus played in the redemption of the human race.  But it still remains that there are certain requirements to be met in order for a person to appropriate the blessing of salvation.  The death of Jesus made it possible for man to appropriate this salvation, or reclamation, or reconciliation.

1.  Response to Conviction

        Conviction is a strong sense of guilt with the realization of need for help.  This works out in two ways: man’s part and God’s part.  Man’s part has to do with his conscience, that inward knowledge of right and wrong.  “And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one…” (John 8:9).  This inner knowledge, or conscience, is given to every rational person as a personal guide for his protection and well-being.  The conscience can be strengthened or abused (I Tim. 4:2), and can be the means of leading a person to God.

        God’s part is the work of the Holy Spirit in showing a person that he is a sinner who needs God desperately (John 16:8,9).  This was the case of the people who heard Peter preach on the day of Pentecost after he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:37).  “Now when they heard this (Peter’s sermon), they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

        Another expression of the same experience is found in Jesus’ words in John 12:32 where He said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will DRAW all men unto me.”  This drawing is the conviction which He uses in an effort to bring man to the next step in his conversion.  The power of this drawing may vary from person to person depending on several different factors, but never is it so compelling that a person cannot reject it.  In fact, many do.  But as long as there is a ray of hope, God will continue to probe and prod, and pour discomfort on the person until he at last surrenders to the conviction.

2.  Repentance

        Let us begin with Jesus’ exhortation in Luke 13:1-5.  Twice in these five verses Jesus stated that, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”  Repentance is an absolute necessity in order to obtain salvation.  Not only is it required for a sinner or unconverted person, it must remain a necessity for everyone who walks with God.

        Repentance is mentioned so much in the New Testament it is amazing that anyone could think they could be saved without it.  Paul said that God “now commendeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30).  Notice that he didn’t say “be baptized;” he said “repent.”

        Repentance means change: change of mind, change of purpose, change of heart, change of plans, ambitions, desires, pursuit of life, interests.  It is a revolutionary turnaround which is totally necessary and within man’s reach.  Following are a few references that demonstrate the importance of repentance: Matt. 3:2; Matt. 3:8; Matt. 4:17; Matt. 9:13; Mark 6:12,; Luke 15:7; Luke 24:47; Acts 3:19; Acts 11:18; Acts 13:24; Acts 20:21; Acts 26:20; Rom. 2:4; II Cor. 7:10; II Peter 3:9; Rev. 2:5,16,22; 3:3,19.

        Repentance is a deliberate act of the will.  It is a recognition of and a confession of the sins of the past and present, with all due remorse for said sins, and it includes a promise and determination that those sins will never be repeated.  As the above references show, this must precede salvation.  John the Baptist refused to baptize certain Pharisees and Sadducees, demanding that they first present proof of their repentance. (Change or conversion).

3.  Faith – Belief In God

        “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).  Believing alone, as we have already shown, is insufficient for salvation, but it is an absolute necessity along with conviction, confession, and repentance in order to be saved.  Faith by itself does not bring forth salvation, for “faith without works is dead” (James 2:17-26).  Yet, “without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” (Heb. 11:6).

        Faith remains an essential ingredient in the life of everyone who becomes a true Christian.  “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).  The word, then, is an instrument that causes faith to develop and grow.  While faith is both a fruit of the Spirit and a gift (Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:6; Rom. 12:3), it must be exercised and built up with good works or it will die.  Faith ignored is no faith at all.

4.  Call Upon God

        “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13).  Calling upon the name of the Lord is an active response of the soul to the

        conviction of the Spirit of God.  It is not the recital of a memorized “prayer” nor even the so-called sinners’ prayer.  It is the heart of man reaching out to God for mercy and forgiveness, and is an admission of guilt.  It may consist of only the sincere plea of the publican recorded in Luke 18:10-14 who cried out, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”  This was sufficient in the eyes of the Savior, for all the steps to salvation were exercised in that one deep utterance.

        And what was it that made salvation (or justification) possible?  Nothing but the shedding of the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22).  There is no other act or deed that can accomplish forgiveness of sins.  While it is necessary to take the steps to salvation which we have outlined, it remains that the Blood of the Lamb of God is the prime factor for the acquisition of salvation for any and all.  It was His death that secured the divine rescue for mankind.

What About Water Baptism?

        There are several verses of Scripture that are used erroneously to prove that water baptism is sufficient and necessary for a person to acquire salvation.  But the Bible makes it most plain that only the blood of Jesus is efficacious for washing away sins.  (We dealt with this at the beginning of this study).  Therefore, any portion of Scripture which seems to suggest that the propitiation for sins is shifted from the death of Jesus to water baptism, or any other act or deed, is interpreted wrongly, or taken out of context, or is a poor translation.

        For example: 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.”  Many people use this verse to prove that your sins are not remitted until you have been baptized.  If this is true, then all these other verses which state that the blood of Jesus is the only means of remission of sins are in error.  And that cannot be!

        The credibility of this theory rests upon the word “for,” i.e., “for the remission of sins.”  If remission, or forgiveness of sins, can be attained through baptism, then all the Scriptures which uphold the blood of Jesus as the means of forgiveness are wrong and Jesus’ death was not the means of redemption, ransom, and reconciliation.  If that is so, then Jesus’ death was totally unnecessary and of no value, and all those other Scriptures are spurious.

        According to Thayer’s Lexicon, the word for is translated from the Greek word EIS (pronounced ICE) and can be used in many different applications depending upon the context and the intended purpose of the writer/speaker.  Instead of using the word for (meaning for the purpose of), translators could just as well have said “as a testimony or proof of” and still have used the word EIS.  In such a case, Peter would have said (if he were speaking English), “Repent, and be baptized as proof that you have received remission of your sins.”  This would have agreed with John the Baptist’s message to the Pharisees to “bring forth fruit (proof) meet for repentance” (Matt. 3:8).  John refused to baptize them without such proof.

        This would also preserve the viability of all the Scriptures which attest to Jesus’ death being the means of forgiveness of sins.  There is no mineral content in water that can wash away the guilt of a sinner’s past life.  Only the precious blood of Jesus can do that.

        Water baptism is a matter of obedience to the word, a testimony to the world that the old life is dead and buried and a new life has begun.  But it is no substitute for the shed blood of our Lord and Savior, neither can it bring salvation to anyone.  It is a sad fact that many sinners are being baptized, and when they come up out of the water they are still the sinners they were, and their sins are still unforgiven.

        “And he (Jesus) is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (I John 2:2).

 

 

 

 

TIMELY ADMONITION

Harry R. Miller

        “What must I do to be saved?”  The Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas.  “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house” (Acts 16:31).

        This statement made by Paul and Silas has been used by many churchmen today to show how “wide” the “gate” is to the Christian profession.  Church letters, church membership, and belief in Jesus Christ have been substituted for “the faith once delivered unto the saints.”

        Note the scripture on this matter: “With lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad, and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life” (Ezek. 13:22).  A mere belief in Jesus Christ will save no man: “Thou doest well, the devils also believe and tremble.  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead” (James 2:19,20).

        All the Apostles and the Lord Jesus taught repentance.  What good is a belief in God except that belief moves a man to change his wicked ways?  Many devils confessed the Lord Jesus, but there was no salvation for them.  Demon-possessed men at times spoke out, saying, “we know thee thou Son of God,” but this testimony from the demons only brought a rebuke, and the devils were cast out.  A familiar spirit spoke through a certain woman in the city of Philippi saying concerning Paul and Silas “These men are the servants of the Most High God, which shew unto us the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17).

        The Apostles must have been deceived by this manifestation, for the woman continued to make her testimony “for many days.”  It is quite likely that Paul later discovered all this public ballyhoo was doing their cause more harm than good, for the inhabitants of the place knew that the woman brought her masters much money by soothsaying.  Paul then commanded the spirit to come out of her, “And he came out the same hour.”

        “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon” (Isa. 55:7).  Repentance means more than sorrow for sin; it means to turn oneself from sin.  Men must forsake their sins before God will forgive them.  “He that committeth sin is of the devil” (I John 3:8).

        We are not saved in our sins; we are saved from our sins.  Since sin is “the transgression of the law” many say that God did away with the law, so now there is no more such a thing as transgression; therefore, there is no more sin.

        Such a position is unscriptural.  Jesus Himself said he did NOT come to destroy the law, but to keep (or fulfill) it.  “Do we make void the law through faith?  God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Rom. 3:31).  The “curse of the law” is not the law, for “the law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul.”  The real curse is the carnal nature:  The natural man, the man of the flesh.  The man within us that would live according to his own desires and passions.

        Through Jesus Christ, we have been given victory over the carnal man.  As men of God, we then begin to “work out” our “own salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12).  “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (I John 3:3).  Paul told the Corinthians that they were to “bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (II Cor. 10:5).  Peter said, “Ye have purified your souls in OBEYING the truth through the Spirit” (I Peter 1:22).

        To “be saved” means more than merely having this initial experience with God.  Men are obligated to put forth an effort to overcome in order to “eat of the tree of life” (Rev. 2:7).  “He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment: and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life” (Rev. 3:5).

        Consider the attitude of Paul in regard to this matter: “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?  So run that ye may obtain.  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.  Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (I Cor. 9:24-27).

        Paul did not want to be a “castaway.”  In order to prevent such a thing from occurring, he said he practiced keeping his “body under.”  The man of the flesh was not permitted to rule.  That is why he told the Romans, “If ye live after the flesh ye (Christians) shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom. 8:13).  And again, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God… Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death; or of obedience unto righteousness” (Rom. 6:12-16).

        “Put on the whole armour of God” (Eph. 6:11).  “Put on Christ” (Rom. 13:14).  “Put on charity” (Col. 3:14).  “Put on the new man” (Col. 3:10).  “Labor to enter into” (Heb. 4:11).  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6:33).  All these are not idle words, friends; these are the admonitions of the Holy Spirit.  After we hear the truth, we are obligated to do something.  Real faith will cause you to act.

        “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God MUST believe that He is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently SEEK him” (Heb. 11:6).  There is no reward for mere belief.  There is no reward for faith that has no works.  James says such faith is dead (James 2:20).

        John the Baptist looked at the crowd of churchmen who came to be baptized of him, and he said unto them: “Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bring forth FRUITS meet for repentance” (Matt. 3:7,8).  Belief and conviction were not enough to move John to baptize these fellows.  He looked for evidence of their change of heart; he asked for fruits.

        Christ expects the same thing from you, my friend.  Read the fifteenth chapter of the gospel of John.  He wants fruit.  And where he finds no fruit, the branch becomes “withered” and the Father will “take it away,” for he is “cast forth as a branch.”

 

 

 

 

ENTITLEMENT: THE SIN WE DON'T SEE IN OURSELVES

By Rene’ Rankhorn

        Definition: the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.

        I honestly did not realize that I had a sense of entitlement - not from God, not from others, not from anyone.  I knew I could be selfish at times, but entitlement?  I didn't think that applied to me.

        But wow! God has opened my eyes.

        Entitlement is subtle.  It doesn't announce itself with pride and arrogance (though those often accompany it).  Instead, it whispers quietly in the background of our thoughts: "I deserve better than this." "After all I've done, I should have..." "Why does everyone else get what I want?"

        The Bible depicts entitlement as a sinful, prideful attitude rooted in selfishness - precisely the opposite of God's call to humility, gratitude, and servanthood.  And when we look at Jesus, we see the ultimate example of someone who had every right to claim entitlement, yet chose the opposite path.  Philippians 2:5-8 says: "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."

        Jesus - the Son of God, the Creator of the universe, the King of Kings - was truly entitled to worship, honor, glory, and privilege.  Yet He surrendered His rights and took the form of a servant.  He washed feet.  He served the undeserving.  He died for sinners who spat in His face.  If anyone had the right to demand special treatment, it was Jesus.  But He chose humility over entitlement, servanthood over privilege, sacrifice over comfort.

        And He calls us to do the same.

        Entitlement fundamentally fails to recognize one crucial truth: God owes us nothing.  We are not owed health, wealth, relationships, success, comfort, or even our next breath.  Every good thing we have - salvation, daily provision, breath in our lungs, relationships, opportunities - is an act of grace, not something earned or deserved.  Romans 3:23 reminds us: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  And Romans 6:23 declares: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

        The only thing we truly deserve is God's judgment.  Everything else is mercy.  Everything else is grace.  Everything else is a gift.  When we fail to grasp this, entitlement creeps in.  We begin to believe that because we've been "good," we're owed certain blessings.  We feel cheated when life doesn't meet our expectations.  We grow bitter when others receive what we desperately want.

        As Chelsea Patterson Sobolik writes: "Entitlement shows no partiality; it will reach for life's greatest gifts and claim its smallest pleasures.  When it comes to the big parts of life, we can find ourselves thinking along these lines:

        <"I deserve to have children, so why am I struggling with infertility?  After all, aren't children a blessing from God?"

        "I'm tired of being single.  I've remained pure and sought Christ, so why hasn't he brought a spouse into my life?"

        "I'm such a hard worker.  I don't understand why I still can't manage to find a high-paying job."

        But entitlement can also touch smaller issues:

        "I'm a good homemaker and work hard to keep the house clean and tidy.  I deserve to have a nicer, bigger home."

        "I work so hard to provide for my family.  I deserve to watch TV when I come home."

        "I've been good with my finances.  I deserve to buy what I want for a change."

        Do you see the common thread?  "I deserve..."  But here's the sobering reality: As sinners, the only thing we deserve is God's judgment.

        John Piper puts it bluntly: "A sense of deservedness or entitlement will keep us from knowing Christ."  When we approach God - or life -with an attitude of entitlement, we close ourselves off from experiencing true gratitude, humility, and dependence on Him.  We can't receive grace if we believe we're owed it.

        Entitlement is often linked to what Proverbs 16:18 calls a "haughty (prideful) spirit": "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall."  This attitude leads to:

        Conflict: We feel wronged when we don't get what we think we deserve, leading to bitterness, anger, and broken relationships.

        Ingratitude: We overlook blessings because we're focused on what we're missing.

        Spiritual blindness: We can't see our need for God when we believe we've earned His favor.

        Discontent: No matter what we have, it's never enough because we always deserve more.

        Entitlement breeds a restless, dissatisfied heart that can never be at peace.  The Bible directly contradicts a "something for nothing" mentality and calls us to a radically different way of thinking:

        1. Work and Responsibility; 2 Thessalonians 3:10: "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat."  God values diligence and responsibility.  We are not entitled to provision without effort.  This doesn't mean God won't provide - He will.  But He calls us to faithful stewardship and hard work, not lazy expectation.

        2. Gratitude Over Complaint; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  Actively practicing thankfulness shifts our focus from what we think we deserve to what we have been graciously given.  Gratitude is the antidote to entitlement.

         3. Servanthood Over Self-Centeredness; Mark 10:45: "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." When we focus on serving others rather than demanding to be served, we combat the self-centered nature of entitlement.  Service reorients our hearts toward humility.

        4. Recognition of Our Sin; Romans 3:10-12: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."  Understanding that we have all sinned and desperately need God's mercy removes any grounds for feeling entitled. We are beggars who have been given a feast - not guests who demanded one.

        So, how do we combat entitlement in our hearts?

        1. Acknowledge that everything is a gift.  James 1:17: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights."  Your health?  A gift.  Your family?  A gift.  Your home, your job, your abilities, your very breath?  All gifts.  When we recognize this, entitlement has no room to grow.

        2. Practice gratitude daily.  Make a habit of listing what you're thankful for.  Not just the big things, but the small mercies: a warm bed, a meal, a kind word, a moment of peace.  Gratitude rewires our hearts from complaint to contentment.

        3. Serve others sacrificially.  Look for ways to give without expecting anything in return.  Volunteer.  Help a neighbor.  Serve in your church.  When we pour ourselves out for others, we start to understand what Jesus meant when He said it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

        4. Remember the cross.  Whenever you feel entitled, remember what Jesus did for you.  He gave up everything He was entitled to so that you could receive grace you don't deserve.  Let that humble you.  Let that shape how you view everything else.

        5. Confess and repent.  When you catch yourself thinking, "I deserve better," stop.  Confess it as the sin it is.  Ask God to forgive your pride and replace it with humility and gratitude.  Entitlement is a heart issue that affects us all.  It whispers lies about what we deserve and blinds us to the overwhelming grace we've already received.  But when we fix our eyes on Jesus - the One who was truly entitled yet chose servanthood - we see a better way.  A way of humility.  A way of gratitude.  A way of recognizing that everything we have is a gift, not a right.

        Let us put away entitlement and embrace the truth: we are sinners saved by grace, recipients of mercy we don't deserve, beneficiaries of love we could never earn.  And in that truth, we find freedom, joy, and deep, abiding contentment.

        "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:10)