Why do so many people try to put the onus of responsibility for self in God’s hands?
Why do so many in the Church world ignore the accountability factor to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Why do church folk hate to be chastened and rebuked by the Lord through the leadership He gave to teach, and preach to them in all wisdom; so that they may be presented perfect in Christ Jesus?
Why do so many people think God is going to do everything, but they only need to sit back, twiddle their thumbs, and believe on Him without any exertion to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling?
DEAD WORKS!
If anyone is in a Church with:
- no chastisement,
- no scourging,
- no rebukes,
- no anger against sin,
- no teaching against sin,
- no warning in all wisdom,
- no fear of the Lord,
- etc….
…then there is bondage, no love in action …and… the Spirit of God is overlooked!
This is extremely dangerous because where the Spirit of the Lord is recognized and submitted to, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17). But, if He is overlooked it is due to disorder, and we know that, God is not the author of confusion, i.e., disorder (1 Corinthians 14:33). Please know and understand, God reveals Himself after order is established, not before. We must submit so that His word may have free course and be glorified. Otherwise, we will miss Him, entirely!
Notice, for instance, how it seems (to so many people) God is not who He says He is. But, the truth, He is the Almighty and Sovereign King of kings, and Lord of lords. He commands us to walk upright.
Too many people think God is like:
- Santa Claus, or
- sugar daddy, or
- uncle Joe, or
- aunt Pearl…
…with the mindset to ask if you have been naughty or nice; good or bad; do your chores; etc? But, God is the Only wise, true, and living God. He chastens those He loves and expects them/us to bring forth fruit through discipleship to glorify Him.
No one (but no one) can outdo God. Many who claim to be Christians in the pulpit might need to step down and grow up, first. Christendom is replete with those unwilling to walk obedient to the scriptures.
When will church folks finally grow up?!
- When many submit to the pastor God gave them? Or,
- When they decide to go from the presence of the pastor God did not give them? Or,
- When they fall in love with God and His Church of a truth over and above a love to be a church goer?
Big … HUGE difference!
You can almost hear the chimes and bells in the background of the many false testimonies about God as if it were that old golly-golly time of the year with all the trimmings. Sad … truly sad … and very sickening! Did you know that hell is also enlarged for dead workers in the Church world? Kinda’ makes you wonder who really made it over after this life, Huh?
I know that some (if not many) of you wonder what is dead works? Some of you may even know. But, let’s read the word of God with regard to dead works.
First, we’ll look at the phrase Dead Works:
- (Hebrews 6:1-2) Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
- (Hebrews 9:13-14) For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 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?
Brief Synopses—
In Hebrew 6:1, “dead works” denotes the absolute opposite of faith. We know that without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God (Hebrews 11:6). For the end of dead works is condemnation; it robs one of the energy to sustain life because of its deadly nature of trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). But, if the guilty submit to the goodness of God, it (His goodness) will lead them to repentance, and it will produce godly sorrow to worketh out “repentance from dead works.” (Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:10).
In Hebrews 9:14, “dead works” refers to the conduct of life (what people do); dead works are not spiritual but carnal; and they do not lead to salvation but to death, i.e., eternal separation from God.
- Those who absolutely refuse to have their conscience purged (morally cleansed) from dead works; or
- Those not at all willing to receive the love of the truth that they might be saved; or
- Those with no will to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world…
…God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie….
And what’s worse? He will say to them, “I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Titus 2:11-12; Matthew 7:22-23).
Don’t let this be you!
Bottom Line … Repent from Dead Works!
Second, let’s look at other references:
- James 2:17 says, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Faith in and of itself is dead being alone, because the verb “to love” must work with faith or it (faith) will be useless (Galatians 5:6). One cannot have faith in God without love and good works (Hebrews 10:24).
- James 2:20 says, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Here, dead works refers to: idle faith, inactive belief, unfruitful labor which leaves no hope of salvation. It comes from the vain, i.e., empty and fruitless words of false, and fallacious speakers.
The word “fallacious” means, deceitful; wear a false appearance; produce error or mistake (Webster, 1828). Those who love to say smooth things about God, but will not warn the congregation to live holy, soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world …… present a false hope “fuuuullll” of deceit, which is an automatic turn-on to those with itchy ears.
The Margin of Truth—
False prophets live in the arena of celebrity status in pulpits around the world, and many do follow their pernicious ways! But, the few receivers of God’s word, who by the way, love and live by it will heed the warnings to go from the presence of foolish men/women, false speakers, and false apostles who transform themselves into the ministers of righteousness.
We know that, seasoned false speakers received not the love of the truth (early on) that they might be saved from their doomed state in the pulpit ignorantly in unbelief, without God’s authorization. But, they decided to turn to their own way, and God let them alone … they cannot be renewed again unto repentance…. (Matthew 15:14; Hebrews 6:6).
Dead works comes with a no life continuance package, because it is not a live work in and of itself. You see, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith worketh by love, therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. The word “law” refers to the entire word of God (Romans 10:17; Galatians 5:6; Romans 13:20).
If you have faith in God, you will hear truth and will strive to do good works at all times.
If “you say” you have faith in God but will not hear truth, nor do not the truth, nor love the brethren—God said, you are a liar and the truth is not in you …and… you walk in darkness with dead works (1 John 1:6-8; 2:4; 4:6).
If you love the brethren in deed and in truth, you can fulfill the word of God by faith. You cannot have faith in God and not love the brethren—it is a dead work with the death sentence.
- (1 John 4:20) If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
- (1 John 3:14-15) We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
- (1 John 3:18) My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Epilogue—
No one can pretend to love the brethren in God’s sight, and be accepted of Him. True love is in the spirit, in the heart, and in the actions as in love worketh NO ILL TO HIS NEIGHBOR (Romans 13:10). Liars by lifestyle hates those afflicted by their lies (Proverbs 26:28).
Those who hate the brethren remain dead in sins….
Folks, you cannot love to hate anyone, and you cannot hate to love anyone.
It is most important we be transformed by the renewing of our minds; renewed in knowledge after the image of Jesus Christ; and renewed in the spirit of our minds (Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:23).
We must mortify (subdue) our passions and desires that interfere with our growth and maturity in the Lord Jesus. If we, through the Spirit of God, do mortify the deeds of our body (the old man, the old nature), we will live (Colossians 3:5; Romans 8:13).
We must fight to be (and stay) freed from DEAD WORKS!
Friends! This is a brief summary on the subject of dead works. There’s more to view and to examine self in the scriptures. Search the word of God for more insights on the subject!
He/She who is able to receive it, let them receive it.
In Christ We Do Remain
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