TOPIC: OUR GOD WILL JUDGE OUR WAYS AND NOT OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCRIPTURES.

-THE SCRIPTURE-
And when Jesus went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And He said unto them;

Strive to enter in at that strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and He shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are.;

Then shall ye begin to say, we have eaten and drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets. But He shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

And behold, there are last which shall be first, and there first which shall be last….LUKE 13:22-30.

-THE MESSAGE-
May I remind us that the day we shall face our Master and Savior Jesus Christ face to face in glory we will not be permitted to defend ourselves with scriptures. Rather He will judge each and every one of us by our stewardship on earth. For as far as Christ is concerned, it is “by their fruits ye shall know them”. It is not by their words or understanding, but strictly by their fruits – even by our character.

Those of us called to preach this gospel are mandated to raise disciples for Christ. We are commissioned to raise folks that will manifest Christ to the world inwardly and outwardly.

Now, if through your preaching, ye have raised some folks according to the words you carefully selected in the scriptures, the questions is this: do those folks have any resemblance with Christ and His character? Brethren, It is very easy to quote scriptures to support our lifestyles; but the principal issue is this: is our lifestyle thereof Christ-like? The scriptures you site and proclaim, have they made you to live a godly lifestyle? Search yourselves.

Brethren, the end of all things in this Christian race is this: that when we behold Christ in glory we shall be like Him. The testimony of a true believer is this – that as Christ is so he or she is. It is not about one scripture or the other said – it is about Christ, about His life, about His Character – without which no man or woman will make heaven at last.

If the portions of the scriptures upon which you have fashioned your Christian race do not produce in you a Christ-like nature, you are on your own. When our lives are opposite to Who Christ is and we are quoting scriptures to defend our state we become mere hypocrites.

Sometimes we hear folks talk of arrogance and even pride in the kingdom of God. But who is indeed a proud or arrogant believer? Is it the believer that persuades fellow believers to amend their ways and live right or, the one who encourages them in their continuing sins and compromising lifestyles? I leave you with the answer.

Jesus warned us, that if we became ashamed of Him He will also deny us before His Father, even our Father. But what does it really mean to be ashamed of Christ? Is it not when we water down, slant, deliberately misinterpret or even out rightly manipulate the word of God to suit our sinful lifestyles and the indulgences of our friends and associates?

Let me remind us that every friend we make or keep at the expense of sound doctrine is a minus to the kingdom of God. The Bible demands that even if our very eyes will cause us to miss heaven at last that we must not hesitate to pluck it out. If we must pluck out our eyes for the sake of the eternity, how then are we afraid of losing some friends, relations or even some “precious” business partners, if they are a threat to our salvation, or when we offend them by the truth? You Judge for yourselves.

Brethren, the time indeed has come that judgment must start in the very house of God. We cannot continue to play to the gallery when many souls are perishing daily. We should not be seen to desperately searching for scriptures to justify our sinful and compromising lifestyles and even of those close to us. What can one ever exchange for his or her soul?

People of God, our Lord Jesus Christ is coming very soon – very, very soon indeed. And I fervently pray that He will not meet us with our garments stained with all manners of sinful indulgences. Remain blessed.