No Participation Ribbons.

     One of my childhood memories is track and field day, and the awards day that followed it. The students who placed in the races, softball throws, and jumping contests, were all called forward to receive their ribbons. After all the blue and red ribbons were passed out, the rest of us who were not so athletic, were all called forward to receive our participation ribbon. This was so that no one would feel left out, although it was humiliating to be called out in front of everyone to receive an award that was not really an award. 
     This practice of including everybody, no matter their lifestyle, has carried over into the church as well. It seems that every single warning passage in the bible is twisted to make everyone feel safe in their sin. 
     How often do we hear "In this passage, Jesus is not speaking of one's salvation, but their loss of rewards"? Or, "Paul is speaking of the loss of one's rewards, but the individual's salvation is not in doubt"? We see this all the time. It seems that many pastors, teachers, and bible commentators, are quite at ease in explaining away what seems like a pretty clear cut warning, dealing with the salvation of one's soul, in this way.

     Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
     Everyone who competes in the games exercises self control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
     Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
                        1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NASB

     These are the words of the apostle Paul, a man mightily used by God. We would assume that surely their was no chance of Paul being disqualified, being cast away, of losing his salvation. This is what he means however. He exercised self control in all things. Just as an athlete would train, and deny themselves anything that would hinder their ability to win, so Paul himself, lived and acted in such a way that when he had preached to others, he himself would not go lost. These are very sobering words to think about.
     Paul was not speaking of losing rewards. He was not living a life of self control so that he would be sure to get all of his rewards. His life was lived in radical pursuit of Jesus Christ. He lost all to gain Christ. He understood that to lose Christ was to lose all, spiritually, in the end (Philippians 3:8-14).
     There were no participation ribbons for Paul. It was Christ or nothing. He understood that to turn back from His pursuit of Christ, to fall into sin, even though he preached to others, would cost him more than some rewards. There would be no participation ribbon. He could not say like so many others that it only affected his rewards, but not his salvation.
     There are warning passages in scripture that are there for that very purpose, to warn us of the danger of falling away into sin. We would do well to heed what God is saying to us, rather than blindly listening to someone who we think knows what these passages mean. There is too much at stake eternally. God loves us enough to warn us of the dangers that we face in our Christian walk. We are playing with fire to explain it away, while we drift away from our life in Christ.
     
  

The Majestic Holiness of God.

     Who is like thee among the gods, O Lord? Who is like thee, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders?
                                    Exodus 15:11 NASB

     The idea of holiness in God is that of absolute perfection. God's absolute holiness far eclipses man's concept of what it means to be good, to be holy. The mind has a hard time to grasp the concept of the one who dwells in unaproachable light (1 Tim 6:16), the one who dwells in the high and lofty place, whose name is Holy (Isaiah 57:15). 
     Look at the majestic display of the holiness of God at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:1-25). The writer of Hebrews has this to say about the awesome presence of the holy God

     For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned." And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said "I am full of fear and trembling." 
                                      Hebrews 12:18-21 NASB

     God came down in an awesome display of His holiness, and the people knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that He far transcended them in His very nature and ways.
     The writer of Hebrews goes on to say that our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). Look at what Isaiah says about Him, and the fire of His holiness.

     Sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling has seized the godless. "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?"
                                          Isaiah 33:19 NASB

     
      The realization that a holy God cannot dwell among sinners should strike fear into our hearts. We may appeal to God's love, His mercy, His benevolence, all of which make up the character of God, but yet we see that sin has no place in His presence. Who indeed can dwell in the presence of the all consuming fire, while covered with the defilement of sin?
      Isaiah was also confronted with a display of God's majesty, when he had a vision of The Lord seated on the throne. The pillars shook, smoke filled the temple, and the seraphim cried "Holy, Holy, Holy." 
     When confronted with the absolute perfection of the sinless, perfectly holy God, Isaiah cried out "Woe is me, for I am ruined." He realized his sinfulness, in the presence of perfect purity, and it left Him in a dreadful awe (Isaiah 6:1-5). Yet we see provision for the cleansing of sin also, making one fit to stand in the presence of God (Isaiah 6:6-7).
     God is indeed holy, awesome, far above our concepts of Him. It is through His revelation of Himself to us that we are confronted with His sinless perfection, the awesome display of His majestic holiness. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and those who truly fear Him with a reverential awe, a solemn, even dreadful realization of who He is, and who we are in comparison to Him, will fall on their faces before Him and cry "Holy." This is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10).
     
                          
   
     

What Is Truth?

     Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?"
                                John 18:38 NASB

     We see this attitude running rampant throughout society today. This is an age where absolutes are fast disappearing. What is truth for you may not be truth for me, but as long as it works for me it is truth. At least truth for me, in my situation.
     We see the timeless principles of God's word being cast aside as irrelevant to the culture of the day. What was once considered to be morally wrong, is now accepted and even promoted as good and upright.
     God has been created by man to be whatever man's fleshly desires want Him to be. All roads lead to heaven has become a popular belief in our politically correct culture of the day. We do not want to exclude anyone, no matter what they believe. Even many who claim Christ as "their way to heaven" hold out the possibility that others may be right as well.
     But what does it matter if what you believe to be truth turns out not to be truth? There is only one truth that pertains to the things of God. Everyone cannot be right on this subject. If what the bible teaches us about God, man, sin, judgment, and redemption, is true, then every other religious system is false no matter how sincerely people feel about its truth.
     What good will it be when one is ten thousand years into eternity, in the wrong place, because what they thought to be truth, was a lie?
     In His conversation with Pilate Jesus declares that those who are of the truth are the ones who hear His voice (John 18:37). There is a standard found in the word of God (John 17:17), Jesus the living Word (John 1:1, 14), being the very truth Himself (John 14:6, 17:3). Only the truth can set you free (John 8:31-32, 36).

    
    
    

The All Knowing God.

     O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou dost know when I sit down, and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, and art intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold O Lord, thou dost know it all.
                                 Psalm 139:1-4 NASB

     God is the all knowing, all seeing God. There is nothing that we can do that He is not aware of. Even our very inner thoughts He discerns. He hears our speech, and knows what we will say before we speak. 
     As the eternal God who has always existed, His knowledge has always existed as well. Nothing is new to God, nothing takes Him by surprise. As the ever present God who fills all things, nothing is hidden from His sight.
     God is very awesome indeed! He has known all before the foundations of the world were laid. This same God who sent Jesus to die for our sins, knew that we would fall before He even created us. 
     Once again, we find these things hard to grasp as we view God in all of His majesty and greatness. This should encourage a healthy fear of of the Lord within us, which is the beginning of wisdom, leading us to the knowledge of Him.