Where Do You Belong?

So which denomination should you be in, or stay in, in order to prosper in Christ; and in order to “make your calling and election sure?” (II Pet. 1:10). None, you may say? It’s not about being in a particular denomination then? I see, then which non-denominational affiliation should you be in, in order to be the most blessed? It’s still not about all of that, you say? Then which Pentecostal sect will afford you the most blessing from the Lord, if you are loyal to it? Let me guess, you’re still saying none, because “it’s about serving the Lord with loyalty, not a religious affiliation.” Excuse me if I am putting words in your mouth, and those are not the words you would answer with. I’m just going with the most noble of answers in order to make a point. I think you SHOULD be a part of SOMETHING that will put you in the very best position to be abundantly blessed, and saved in the end (Mat. 24:13). I know some folks are already scratching their head over this “saved in the end” thing, and even that mention of “making your calling and election sure.” But hey, they are both in the Bible, and I did reference scripture for both sayings. But back to this thing that I say you SHOULD be a part of. I’ll give you a hint: It is the only such congregation that is NOT about following the teachings of SOMEBODY! Here’s what I’m talking about friend, and trust me when I tell you that I will give you very solid and reliable references on this claim. It is wherever you are being taught exclusively that you MUST be taught by the revealing power of the holy Ghost in order to know ANYTHING about the real Gospel of Christ, and the kingdom of God. Let me see if I can get some agreement with that statement: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah… I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord” (Jer. 31:31,33,34). And how are those laws written into the hearts of new covenant believers? “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart” (II Cor. 3:3). Next up: “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children” (Isa. 54:13).

Now let’s go to the new testament: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things” (Jn. 14:26). Once more Jesus, please? “Howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come, [it] will guide you into all truth” (Jn. 16:13). John, you were closer to Jesus than anyone. Did he really say that? “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him” (I Jn. 2:27). I think also that Paul had a little bit of understanding. Let’s try him too: “even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (I Cor. 2:11,12). I believe those references are sufficient to the point there. So we see that we must be taught personally by the Spirit of God, and that brings us to two more integral points that we will finish with. Those points are, What DOES the Spirit teach about the new birth, and about salvation? Someone is already saying, “But those are both the same thing.” Yeah, I’m painfully aware that Christianity wraps the new birth and salvation up real nice and cozy in one neat little bag; “Confessing Jesus as Lord,” and thereby “getting saved.” Check our post from yesterday on that, and that will be that on that (THAT’S a lot of thats, isn’t it?). Okay, let’s see what the Spirit of truth has said on the new birth and salvation, and that can ONLY be confirmed by consistency of scripture: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). So then, it’s about believing on Jesus, right? Of course, but let’s allow Jesus and the apostles to define that ‘believing’ just a little clearer for us: “He that BELIEVETH on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive)” (Jn. 7:38,39). And how about some confirmation on that? (not that we can’t trust what Jesus said) “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us… that we might receive the promise of the SPIRIT through FAITH” (Gal. 3:13,14). Sounds like Paul was taught by the Spirit, because he said the same thing Jesus said.

So is receiving the holy Ghost really the new birth? “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, [by] the SPIRIT of our God” (I Cor. 6:11). We surely are not born again without being washed from our sins, which is to say sanctified and justified. But here’s another one for good measure: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Tit. 3:5). There’s that “washing” again, and also the new birth references of “regeneration” and “renewing.” But to be sure, look at this: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles” (I Cor. 12:13). So we are not “in Christ” until we are baptized with the Spirit, and being “in Christ” is the ONLY place where ANYONE becomes a “new creature” according to the scripture (II Cor. 5:17). And beside that, nobody has Jesus without receiving the Spirit, for “the Lord IS that Spirit” (II Cor. 3:17). No wonder the Bible tells us, “Now if ANY man have NOT the Spirit of Christ, he is NONE of his” (Rom. 8:9). And what about salvation? “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, WHO are KEPT by the power of God through faith UNTO salvation ready to be revealed in the LAST time… Receiving the END of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” (I Pet. 1:4,5,9). So the Bible says that salvation is at the END of one’s earthly pilgrimage, IF they have remained faithful to God in holiness [without sin] (Heb. 12:14; Mt. 5:8; I Jn. 3:2,3). Is that correct Jesus? “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall ENDURE unto the END, the same shall be saved” (Mat. 24:13). And what about Paul? “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philip. 2:12). And again: “For WE are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence STEADFAST unto the END” (Heb. 3:14). So I say that the affiliation that teaches these foundational truths for starters is the place where the blessing and hope is present that affords the greatest opportunity to attain unto eternal life at the second coming of Jesus to this world (I Cor. 15:51-53; I Thess. 4:15-17). That is where we belong my friend, and EVERYWHERE else is where we do NOT belong. Amen.