Perusing the local obituary column today served as a reminder that, SOMETIMES, a person will tell his family something that is NOT true so that the family might take COMFORT later when the storyteller has passed on and is no longer living on earth.
At any rate, the local obituary related the tale of a man who had recently become a follower of Jesus THE MAN CLAIMED. The obituary was full of phrases like “Mike (not his real name) went off to heaven to be with his new best friend, Jesus!” “Mike just welcomed Jesus into his heart the last few months and now he is happy.”
NOW, this is NOT the way one becomes a follower of Jesus Christ. While wondering WHY a man would say such things, it was discovered that a man might say such things to his family to provide COMFORT after he is gone.
We do NOT choose Jesus.
Jesus chooses us. As Jesus Himself said,
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”
–John 15:16-19
This is VERY important for locating deception in the stories of the churches.
And whoever wrote the obituary for the man certainly was enthusiastic about the man’s claimed conversion.
“Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.”
–Psalm 91:9-10
“So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.”
–Romans 9:16
Why would a man tell a story to a relative that is NOT true? NO ONE sits back in their chair and says, “I think I’ll become a follower of Jesus today.”
It is NOT a decision of man: it is the mercy of God which saves men eternally.
NOW, the man in the obituary PROBABLY knew all of this somehow, BUT he wanted to provide some comfort to his family after he was gone from the ranks of the living.
Mike PROBABLY realized that his family found comfort in the tales of PRETEND CHRISTIANITY. Mike–before he died–wanted to add to the comforts of his family, so he (without experiencing the spiritual rebirth necessary to becoming a true follower of Jesus Christ) told his family that he had become a follower of Jesus Christ.
This made them happy as they had determined from the stories they had been told that Mike was NOW going to an eternal reward.
AND so he did.
DOES the reader believe all of the stories he has been told?
It is not YET too late–although time is surely running out: there is still a LITTLE time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.
DOES the reader believe he is saved?
Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival
DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?
Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
—1 Corinthians 15:1-8
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple
[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: July 10, 2023.]
MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
image: Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.com
© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-23. © Mondo Frazier and End Times Prophecy Report, DBKP 2007-2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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