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Friday, February
29, 2008
Many Called Few Called Back
1 John 4:1-5 Beloved, believe not every
spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false
prophets are gone out into the world. (2) Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:
Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of
God: (3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in
the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye
have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
(4) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater
is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (5) They are of the
world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. (KJV)
Here we see the many again and how they
responded to the calling of God. God is calling to our hearts, a spiritual
calling which requires a spiritual response. So how do you know the
difference? Those that have come to a working knowledge of the mystery of
God are those that teach in the name of Jesus Christ and are more concerned
with the spiritual needs of the people. They are the ones that know the
doctrine of Christ and are willing to lay down their lives for the brethren
so that they can teach them who they are in Christ and the completed work
He has done on our behalf. Those that have not answered the call of God the
way He intended are described in verse 5 as more concerned with the things
of this world, putting the physical ahead of the spiritual. While they love
to promise the people a better life in this world they overlook the spiritual
realm and end up settling for their reward here, loving the praise of men
more than God. Nothing plays to the emotions of the people and tickles the
ears more than promising prosperity, which these false prophets have
determined to be measured by amounts of money rather than the spiritual
prosperity which is only found in Christ, the unequalled treasures of His
wisdom and knowledge we have access to through His name.
Luke 6:43-45 For a good tree bringeth not
forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
(44) For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not
gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. (45) A good man out
of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an
evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is
evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (KJV)
The heart will truly reveal its
intentions and motives because the abundance of what is in it will be
spoken by the mouth. A good tree has not been corrupted, has not allowed
the thief to break through and steal the word of God from the heart,
therefore their only motive and true intention is teach and preach sound
doctrine. A false prophet and teacher will reveal their true motive also;
so if they are not teaching and preaching the mystery of the gospel through
a working knowledge of Jesus Christ then somewhere along the line there has
been a breach of spirit which has gotten in and corrupted the heart. No
matter how they try to twist and turn the truth, manipulate and fabricate
the word of God, they have been corrupted and the heart is proclaiming an
evil treasure instead of an eternal one. A tree is truly known by its
fruit; just as apparent as it is in the outward realm of revealing what the
tree truly is, it is just as obvious to those that have taken the time to
rightly divide the word of truth that are able to see through these false
doctrines and phony intentions of the heart.
Micah 3:11-12 The heads thereof judge for
reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof
divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the
LORD among us? none evil can come upon us. (12) Therefore shall Zion for
your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the
mountain of the house as the high places of the forest. (KJV)
The Bible says there is nothing new under
the sun and that is why we need to heed the warnings, make sure we are
prepared and not giving credence to things that are not of God. The Lord
has been dealing with cheap hucksters throughout the Bible, so basically it
is the same sin today just different disguises. Like with a thief when they
go to pull off a heist they put on a mask so they won’t be identified.
Those that know the truth and have a working knowledge of the doctrine of
Christ will be able to see through these masks and easily identify the
thief and not allow him to rob them blind.
Jeremiah 6:13 For from the least of them
even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from
the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. (KJV)
Thayer’s definition for
covetousness:
4124
pleonexia- greedy desire to have more, covetousness, avarice
As we see again, many that have been
called have decided they were more interested in building and establishing
a kingdom in this world rather than establishing a firm foundation for the
eternal realm. God has warned us and continues to remind us to be on the
lookout for this false doctrine which has gotten in and sad to say
corrupted many of His own.
Colossians 3:5-7 Mortify therefore your
members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate
affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (6) For
which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
(7) In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. (KJV)
If you ever go through the Old Testament
you will see that idolatry was practiced by many of God’s people and caused
them to err and led to their destruction. Today we see idolatry spring
forth in the form of covetousness, an evil root that cannot produce good
fruit no matter how it is spun or who is preaching and teaching these
doctrines. This is something we used to pursue in our old way of thinking
as verse 7 refers to and it is something that should not be incorporated
into our new life. So how are you answering the call of God today? Are you
responding in the Spirit or are you still looking for some cheap shortcut
that mankind claims will bring peace and security?
1 Thessalonians 2:3-6 For our exhortation
was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: (4) But as we were
allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as
pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts. (5) For neither at any time
used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is
witness: (6) Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others,
when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. (KJV)
Paul was used of God and answered the
call of God in sincerity and in truth. He did not disguise his intentions
under a cloke of covetousness, but rather was able to be used of God as he
was allowed of God because God could entrust him with His gospel. How
trustworthy are you today? Can God use you and open His truth to you also
because you have chosen to answer His calling in sincerity and in truth or
are you still hanging onto things of this life that are breaking through
and clouding your spiritual vision? Anything or anyone we hold in higher
regard than our heavenly Father is similar to idolatry and will not pass
the heavenly test or be someone that God can use to deliver His message.
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