He is God

February 8

For the past two days I’ve been in correspondence with a woman, whom I believe said she is a Presbyterian, about whether or not it is godly to tell people they are going to hell if they don’t repent of their evil ways. She addressed many peripheral issues I won’t attempt to respond to here. It was clear from her words, which, by the way were eloquently written, that her God was a loving God who loves whores, adulterers, thieves, gays and lesbians, naming just about every sin known to man. She seemed to revel in the fact that she was one of them herself and was thankful God loved her anyway. She called me every word in her extensive vocabulary that basically berated me for having the nerve to suggest her husband would answer to God at the gates of hell for promoting gay and lesbian marriage on FaceBook. I attempted to inform her that love does not allow one to be deceived into thinking he can go on sinning and promoting those things which are an abomination in the eyes of the Lord and rightfully expect to spend eternity in God’s kingdom.


It seems most today who call themselves Christians pick and choose from God’s word what they wish to believe. This dear lady, like so many, chooses to completely ignore verses like those found in Deuteronomy,

Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. . . . for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, but show lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. . . . Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments; but repays those who hate Him to their faces, to destroy them; He will not delay with him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face. (4:39; 5:9; 7:9-10)

She made much about God’s love by pointing out Jesus forgave the adulterous, but forgot to mention He told her to go and sin no more (Jn. 8:11). She made much about the fact that He ate with sinners, but she forgot to mention he did so for the purpose of teaching them God’s word. I’m confident he never said, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” His teaching was corrective. It seems He spent most of his teaching ministry correcting the multitudinous incorrect doctrines his followers had grown up getting from their religious leaders, the Pharisees. His teaching was demanding. He told them no one was worthy of following Him who was not willing to give all he had for the privilege of becoming one of His disciples (Luke 9:23).

I am forever troubled an always puzzled by the number who apparently believe how much of God’s kingdom they inherit will be the direct result of how much of themselves they are willing to give to His service. Myriads of myriads of myriads have swallowed these lies of Satan. He, the great deceiver, has convinced even those great masses of people who fill the pews of churches around the world, they can enter in to the eternal kingdom of God any number of ways. Infant baptism, confession through a human mediator, absolution, taking of sacraments, penance, keeping most of the commandments most of the time, and loving your neighbor as yourself are on the list of those good things one can do to earn their box seat in God’s kingdom.

Beloved, He is God, and He has provided for man one way to enter His kingdom. He is the hidden treasure, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matt. 13:44) He is the costly pearl, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had an bought it.” (Matt. 13:45, 46) The gate to the kingdom of God is narrow and few enter the kingdom through it. The gate to hell is wide and most choose to enter hell through it.

The most astounding heresy this woman wanted me to believe was the need for infant baptism. She informed me in her church they made sure their children were saved from the day they were born. She touted proudly that her church didn't make their children wait twenty or thirty years to decide for themselves if they wanted to get saved. They sealed the deal early by sprinkling their infants with holy water. Of course it’s useless to ask such people where they got their doctrine, because they believe their church leaders are the final say on all such matters. It's enough for them that they learned it in some catechism at some point in their youth. I will close today with what I have stated over and again in past studies. One must repent, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins, confess Jesus as Lord, believe God raised Him from the dead, and take up his cross daily and follow Him if he desires to inherit the kingdom of God. Nothing else will save you. I repeat, "NOTHING ELSE WILL SAVE YOU!" (Acts 2:38; Rom. 10:9; Luke 9:23) If you’ve chosen the narrow gate, go and tell someone how they can do likewise. In case you didn't know, that's one of the commands Jesus gave us upon His departure from earth at the climax of His first coming (Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). And if you’re not doing it, you’re probably not carrying your cross daily.