Honesty goes a long way with God

Honesty goes a long way with God. Always has. Always will. In fact he requires it and in full fashion, with any who would hope to attain unto eternal life. For instance, if you have fallen short on something, the ONLY way to get it right is to call it what it is and ask God's forgiveness, and mean it. That is the meaning of this passage of scripture: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us" (I Jn. 1:9,10). The traditions of modern Christianity have taught those who receive them to do just that, meaning call God a liar. These modern "sinners saved by grace," or "eternal security" teachings just hand everlasting life over on a silver platter with absolutely nothing required except a "confession" that Jesus is the Lord. From then on you are conveniently forgiven and excused for any and every sin that you most assuredly WILL commit. And you most assuredly WILL commit those sins because these teachings offer no true DELIVERANCE FROM SIN, but rather an empty religious form that does nothing more than tickle the ears of those who believe it. The apostle Paul spoke of these things and said they would be here for those who do not want the purifying truth of God: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (II Tim. 4:3,4). And so it has come to pass just as he said. The modern Christian religion has turned into nothing more than some kind of fairy tale that never has anything but a nice ending, even for those who continue in sin. But I have some bad news for those with itching ears, and that news is not anything new; nor did I dream it up: "But the FEARFUL, and UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and ALL LIARS, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" ... "For the wages of sin is death" (Rev. 21:8; Rom. 6:23). You may note that I highlighted certain sins in the previous passage, and that is because a WHOLE lot of folks are guilty of those, while they may not commit some of those "bigger" sins listed there. The truth is, almost all "lying" is done because of "fearfulness," and that is caused by a lack of faith; otherwise called "unbelieving." People are not totally honest with one another in many everyday dealings because they are afraid of what someone thinks, or they are afraid of what it will cost them if they ARE completely honest. And there are the three "sins" that I highlighted from Revelation 21:8, which by the way are all "abominable" in the sight of God. That makes four of those sins that are being committed by almost everyone on a daily basis, including most "Christians." Listen to how God addressed this very issue through the prophet Isaiah: "And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart?" (Isa. 57:11). And that sentiment is what compelled these words from the Lord, also by Isaiah: "Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? (Isa. 2:22).

What happens is that someone in fear of being completely honest, justifies to themselves changing things just a wee bit in order not to cause themselves or someone else any undue "trouble." But the problem is that God is not deceived or mocked, and sees all things exactly like they are; and rewards all who practice such deceit accordingly (Gal. 6:7,8). I have to tell you that I have found by long experience, that defying that spirit of fear that tries to press you to do that, and just being totally straight in your communication, accomplishes one of two things: You will either turn someone closer to God and gain a true respect for righteousness sake, or they will not want to be around you any more. A perfect example is when the prophet Nathan rebuked the king David for his sins with Bathsheba and Uriah. It provoked a sincere repentance from David which delivered him from the snare that he had gotten himself into (II Sam. 12:7-13). Jesus said it like this: "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also" (Jn. 15:20). And you don't even have to be dealing with something pertaining to the gospel in this kind of situation. It can be an everyday type of matter, but when absolute honest, direct, and straight communication is exercised in a difficult situation, people know what you are really fast; and there will be a reaction, whether for good or for bad. Another thing is that there is absolutely NO spiritual power exercised by even the very slightest degree of deceit, but total honesty with godly sincerity will prevail over ANYTHING! Reason being God is always with the right and never with the wrong. It's just that simple. In fact those who find themselves falling into that web of deceitful dealings will also find that they are failing to overcome other faults in their lives. Any degree of fear or lying simply drains the soul of any power with God whatsoever. Not to mention that the scriptures inform us that "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear... He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (I Jn. 4:18). And where will we end up if we are NOT perfected in the love of God: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing" (I Cor. 13:1-3). And Jesus confirmed to us in no uncertain terms that he would deny all such on the day of judgmen who were NOT perfected in his Father's love (Mat. 7:21-23). And that brings us right back to Revelation 21:8. No my friend, this is not a fairy tale gospel where all ends well even for those who do not continue to DO well (Mat. 24:12,13; Heb. 4:1,11). This is a gospel of unfathomable grace, mercy, and power for holiness; for all who honestly, humbly, and continually seek after exactly that (Acts 1:8; II Cor. 7:1; Heb. 4:15,16). And it is also a gospel of godly terror, knowing that all men will be judged according to their works, as the scriptures continually bear witness to (Jer. 17:9,10; Eccl. 12:13,14; Rom. 14:10-12; II Cor. 5:10,11; Rev. 20:12; etc.). And as I said in the post yesterday, it's no wonder that the scripture admonishes us that we should "work out [our] salvation with fear and trembling" (Philip. 2:12). Amen.