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Christian
Education Pre-K-12
Richmond Academy
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Saved With Difficulty
In order to be totally saved we must be forgiven the guilt of
our sin and then delivered from the sinful aspect of our being. In I Peter 4 we
find how a person is saved – by judgment. As God judges the worldliness, the
lusts and the self-will within, salvation takes place. This judgment is not
for the guilt of our sin, but for the presence of sin in us.
Peter says it is hard for the righteous to be saved. Yes, it is with great
difficulty that we are saved. WHY? Because sin still remains in our being. God
wants all the sin removed. Soooo…He sends fiery trials to try our faith – to see
if we are serious about holiness. The reason this creates difficulty is that we
are required to respond to what is happening – and we don’t like it. Sometimes
we don’t know what to do – and we don’t like it. But as we experience this
divinely-ordained suffering, and as we respond to it as from God, then a change
takes place within and salvation occurs.
From verse 1-2 we find the purpose of suffering is to remove sin from us.
SUFFERING SAVES US FROM SIN, and thereby we are being saved. The suffering is so
we will not live according to our flesh, but according to the will of God. This
is why we enter the Kingdom of God through much tribulation.
1Th 1:4-5 (KJV) “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. (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.”
Because these Saints persevered in the faith, their trials cleansed them from
all their sins and they were counted worthy of the Kingdom of God.
Throughout time, God’s saints have accepted suffering as from Him because it
brought them closer in the Kingdom of God. When the Church has gone through the
process of suffering, accepting it as the will of God to remove sin, then the
Lord will return and He will punish the ungodly. 2 Cor.10:6 tells us we cannot
punish the disobedient until our obedience is complete.
(1 Peter 4:3) If Christians are not careful to gain the victory over the lusts
of the world and the flesh, they may claim they are saved, but they are
deceived. If repentance does not quickly come, they will experience
unprecedented horror as is beginning to happen in our nation and in the
churches. We must keep our eyes fastened on the Lord Jesus, continually giving
thanks while praying that we might be delivered out of this mess. Many are the
afflictions of the righteous, but God delivers us out of them all.
(1 Peter 4:12-13) Christ did not suffer in His person because of His sin. But He
suffered that He might learn obedience. If we receive suffering in the right
manner, waiting patiently for the Lord, we will receive the image of Christ.
(Vrs.14-16) If we do not receive suffering with the right attitude, then we will
be ashamed at His coming.
All of verse 15 is a matter of the heart. If Christians don’t stop destroying,
slandering and being bitter, they will begin to reap what they have sown in
their behavior. And they will be punished. That kind of suffering is not one
that saves but destroys. Suffering that saves is tribulation because you go
through the fire. Suffering that punishes is wrath.
Rev 11:1 (KJV) “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel
stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that
worship therein.”
Judgment begins with those closest to the Lord. How close are you? The
“reed like a rod” is divine judgment. The ‘temple of God and the altar’
refer to the church, especially those who have learned how to worship at the
altar of incense. These are the ones who worship in spirit and truth within the
holiest of all. So the closer you get to the Lord, the more you will be judged.
The closer you get to the Lord, the greater the desire, the more attention to
every detail of your life comes under the microscope of God’s eye. BUT THE MORE
YOU ARE JUDGED, THE MORE YOU ARE BEING SAVED; AND CHANGE IS TAKING PLACE.
We ordinarily don’t speak of degrees of salvation. But if true salvation is
freedom, then it is true that some are more saved than others. You can have as
much of God as you want, but the closer you draw to Him, the greater the degree
of testing. And if God deals so severely with those closest to Him, Peter asks,
in verse 17, “What will be the outcome of those who do not obey the gospel of
God?” Paul says the same thing in 2 The.1:8 except he adds “a flaming
fire will take vengeance on them.”
The point is that all are going to be judged. Do you want the former or the
latter? If you want to be with those who will be raised in the first
resurrection, then you must accept judgment now in advance of the coming of the
Lord. The first resurrection must be attained by participation in the power
of Christ’s resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, conforming us to
the moral image of Christ to bring us into rest in the Father.
This brings us back to our text (vrs.18-19) Ever since the first rebellion, God
has determined to eradicate sin and rebellion from His creation. So He shakes
and shakes heaven and earth. And when the shaking is complete, sin will be no
more.
Welcome to the great “shake-up.” You must commit yourself to your faithful
Creator and continue to do good. People will continue more and more to try and
bring the worst out of you. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t expect them to
change. Don’t get bitter and blame others. LOOK ONLY TO THE LORD. Don’t yield to
bitterness. KEEP DOING GOOD – “Well doing.” God does not enjoy seeing you
suffer. But He is bringing you to salvation TO FREE YOU FROM SIN!
Don’t take suffering for granted. Always pray for relief, and times of
refreshing will come. Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit so we can bear up
this wonderful salvation to be able to live a holy life.
Matthew 3:12 (KJV) “Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge
his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff
with unquenchable fire.”
The fire that we are in is to burn out of our personalities the chaff that is
worthless to the Kingdom of God. DON’T QUIT. Good days are ahead for the child
of God who has paid the price. Yes, there will be laughter and joy in the midst
of doom and gloom. But the evil will be so great that most won’t be able to
resist. One of the greatest gifts you will ever receive from God is the ability
to say no to the evil that is coming.
We don’t have to live in doom and despair with all this pressure. We are on the
road to rejoicing. Sufficient to each day is the evil that is disguised. But
God’s mercies are new every morning. Every day as we endeavor to obey, we
receive grace to convert the evil into our salvation. We are becoming the
righteousness of Christ. We are being set free to walk in the everlasting way of
glory.
The Lord Jesus always lives, moves, and has His Being in the Divine Fire of the
heart of Father God. In His great love for us Jesus wants us to be with Him
where He is, and that is in the heart of the Divine Fire.
Instead of fire insurance, why don’t we get fire proofed today so we can be
brought into His presence which is more precious than silver, more costly than
gold.
When you determine to become holy, holiness becomes a delight. We will develop
an absolute passion for God no matter what.
Let God save us, even if it is with difficulty.
-Pr. Steve
March Newsletter
2008 | Saved With Difficulty
Pastor's
Journal 2007 | It Matters
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Biblical
Counseling for Leaders
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