Heaven Past Present Future Ministries
ENCOURAGEMENT TO ETERNAL FOCUS IN UNITY AND FELLOWSHIP OF THE GOSPEL
Are We true bond-servants of Jesus Christ if our gospel message of the coming kingdom is not correct?
Over 2004 a model God has laid on my heart is that of Micaiah where in, 2 Chronicles 18:13 is recorded, “13 But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, what my God says, that I will speak." NASB He was not well liked because when popular religion was leading against the will of God he always stood for only what God says.
The following is a short test of a true bond servant of Jesus Christ for consideration.
Would we encourage Cain telling him how God loved the offering and worship he brought on the altar?
Genesis 4:3-5
3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. 4 And Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. NASB
Would we have praised David for his great plan to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem and joined in the singing and dancing in worship to God’s glory?
1 Chronicles 13:8-10
8 And David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and with trumpets.
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. 10 And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. NASB
Would we join with the majority vote with about 400 other ministers to tell Ahab and Jehoshaphat God would give them victory in the battle?
2 Chronicles 18:12-13
12 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, "Behold, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them and speak favorably." 13 But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, what my God says, that I will speak." NASB
Would we tell Israel tolerance and diversity of religious experience was good for the nation telling them acceptance without objection is God's way of true love and oneness?
Jeremiah 29:8-10
8 "For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, 'Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. 9'For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,' declares the LORD. 10 "For thus says the LORD, 'When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. NASB
Would we tell Nehemiah he was wrong to remove Tobiah from the House of God?
Nehemiah 13:1-9
13 On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2 because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3 So it came about, that when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel. 4 Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah, 5 had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils, and the tithes of grain, wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6 But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, 7 and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. 8 And it was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah's household goods out of the room. 9 Then I gave an order and they cleansed the rooms; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense. NASB (Emphasis mine)
Would we tell the greatly religious zealots against evil for the Lord how God would bless them with great heavenly reward for their work even though not born again of the Spirit of God?
Matthew 7:21-23
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.' NASB
John 3:1-4
3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Him by night, and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." 3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." NASB (Emphasis mine)
Would we commend the brethren respecting their opinion and continue to enlist their fellowship against outward common opposition since they still named Christ even when they decided circumcision was necessary for salvation?
Acts 15:5
5 But certain ones of the sect of the Pharisees who had believed, stood up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses." NASB
Would we tell those assembling disciples for worship and study of God’s Word at Ephesus how the Spirit of God was so evident in their gathering?
Acts 19:1-7
19:1 And it came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper country came to Ephesus, and found some disciples, 2 and he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said, "Into what then were you baptized?" And they said, "Into John's baptism." 4 And Paul said, "John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus." 5 And when they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. 7 And there were in all about twelve men. NASB
Would we condemn Stephen and only preach positively encouraging all denominations to seek the Lord in their own way - for God will recognize and bless the sincerity of their hearts?
Acts 7:51-54
51 "You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52 "Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become; 53 you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.“ 54 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick, and they began gnashing their teeth at him.” NASB
So why are we so tolerant in our hearts of error in matters of the purity of the gospel?
John 12:42-43
42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God. NASB
Galatians 1:6-10
6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed. 10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. NASB
We should ask ourselves, if we are truly a bond servant of Christ we have no choice but to defend the gospel against all error. This stand does not include non-salvation issues that do not affect God's message of salvation to the world as seen in article published entitled Pseudo-dichotomies that Divide the Forming Body of Christ. However this stand should include any corruption of the testimonial symbols God designed to publicly picture the gospel of one’s faith in Christ.
A life of faith pictures in life on earth matters of the Father's domain in heaven not now seen. Such faith in living is required for pleasing worship of God as shared in Hebrews.
Hebrews 11:1-2, 6
11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval... 6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. NASB
Hebrews 11:1-2, 6
1 But faith is being continuously expectant, confident conviction of events not continuously being seen. 2 For in this the elders testified...6 But it is impossible to please apart from faith for to continuously believe is to bind oneself coming toward God because He exists and to seeking out Him remunerator He becomes. (Personal translation)
The testimonial stands of believers past were made out of faith in efforts to preserve God given pictures of promises of the gospel of a Redeemer who would come to take away the sins of the world. Cain had the wrong picture whereas Able did not. David forgot the picture of the gospel in the Levites who pictured the Priesthood of the Messiah resulting in the death of one innocently doing the King's business in transporting the Ark of the Covenant. Tobiah living in the House of God corrupted the picture of only spiritual Israel living in God's House in eternity future. The believers in Acts 19 had baptism rejected by the Holy Spirit because their baptism was for the wrong reason corrupting the gospel picture.
Today God has given believers similar pictures or shadows to preserve that testify our faith such as baptism, the Lord’s table, and assembly participation in the local Body of Christ. That is our purpose and calling as a bond servant of Jesus Christ. With every penny and ounce of energy He gives until He calls us home we must “contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to the saints” so more may know the only true gospel and stand with us in that day. Any corruption of God's message in the gospel hinders the lost from understanding way to eternal life.
The reality of this purpose of gospel purity is it will anger others often. Paul was roughly treated many times telling the Philippians he was even in prison due to defense of the gospel. Stephen was stoned. Cain murdered Able for talking to him about his error. Ahab hated Micaiah and seldom called on him to prophecy. David was angry when his error was exposed by God’s discipline but later repented and correctly moved the Ark by use of the Levites preserving God's pictures accurately. Some brethren may continue to withdraw so as not to anger men who corrupt the gospel message or its testimonial observances.
We must realize contention for purity of the gospel is a difficult road. We must pray we will accept God’s grace filled strength in Christ for the task He has given to strive for the purity of the gospel by not endorsing or commending those (even angels) who preach another gospel which is no gospel at all. This stand is so needed. In a recent survey of Baptist 57% said they believed we are saved by works and living a good life. Baptist are losing the distinctiveness of the gospel in melting into Protestant and ecumenical popular theology not understanding the gospel of God. We fear taking a stand for the purity of the gospel because we will lose the praise of men, or lose our retirement or income. The cost may be great on this earth - yet here we must stand even if we stand alone because the cost is even greater in heaven – souls in hell for eternity who believe their religion will save them because of acceptance and tolerance of a corrupted gospel message. As a true bond servant it is Christ and God we must please.
Your fellow servant in the gospel of Jesus Christ,
William W. Henry Jr.
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