HOLD ON BY GROUNDING IN FAITH

 

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, for the sake of the promise of life in Christ Jesus: To Timothy, my dearly loved son. Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, when I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day. Remembering your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and now, I am convinced, is in you also. Therefore, I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”  (2 Timothy‬ ‭1:1-7‬ ‭CSB‬‬, emphasis added)

Paul mentions the “sincere faith”—the genuine faith in Christ that Timothy had received in his home—that flowed from his grandmother Lois, to his mother Eunice, and now to him (v.5). This is the ground upon which a life, a home, a church must be built—the solid Rock of Jesus Christ, whom we have received by a sincere faith. 

Is yours a “sincere faith” that fits you for heaven?  Paul’s fellow Apostle, Peter, enjoined, “Make every effort to confirm your calling and election” (2 Pet.1:10). 

Having your name on a church membership roll won’t matter, if it isn’t written in heaven in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  

Hear the words of Jesus in Matt.7:21-27:

“‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who  does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, and do many miracles in your name?” Then I will announce to them, “I never knew you. Depart from me, you lawbreakers! “ ‘Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose, and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the rivers rose, the winds blew and pounded that house, and it collapsed. It collapsed with a great crash.’”

I am haunted by the fact that some people who have sat in pews under my preaching will hear those awful words, “Depart from me.”  If the foundation is not stable, then nothing else you do will stand.

MYSTERIES REVEALED: The Kingdom Parables

Read Matthew 13.

Jesus taught the parables in Matthew 13 as a means of separating the faithful followers from the false followers.  Those who were saved would have the mysteries of the kingdom revealed to them, while those who were lost would be unable to grasp the teaching (v.10-17).

There is the parable of the soils (v.1-9). This one is explained (v.18-23).  Four types of soil indicate the four responses that people make to the Gospel. Only one soil that produces fruit symbolizes those who have true faith.

There is the parable of the wheat and tares (v.24-30), with the explanation (v.36-43). The course of the age will feature both true believers and false converts within Christendom. Satan will see to it that he infiltrates the church, but in the end the truth is revealed in judgment.

There is the parable of the mustard seed (v.31-32).  The course of Christendom has been one of numerical expansion—from a small beginning of only 120 in the Upper Room, to the millions of those who profess Christianity today.  Yet, the birds are there to remind us that Satan is active in this church.

There is the parable of the leaven (v.33). This continues the theme of a mixture of evil with good in Christendom.  Leaven represents sin in Scripture.  False teaching will eventually permeate the kingdom resulting in a false church at the end of the age.

The last three point to the three great works God will do among three classes of people—Jews, Gentiles, and the church of God (see 1 Cor.10:32).

There is the parable of the hidden treasure (v.44) the pearl of great price (v.45-46), and the dragnet (v.47-52).  The hidden treasure is the nation of Israel. God has made covenant promises to the Jews which He will ultimately fulfill in the end times.  The pearl of great price is the church which Christ has purchased with His blood. The dragnet is the missions movement in the world, as God calls us to fish for men. As in the other parables we see a mixture of the true and false are brought into Christendom, to be separated in the end.