The consequences of self-deception.
“For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.” Philippians 3:18, NET. Enemies of the cross of Christ are those who acknowledge Jesus and his achievements. However, they do not recognize a fully successful Christ. They acknowledge the gospel, the Good News, but deny its power. 2 Timothy 3:5. They fail to realize that God accomplished the salvation of humankind in Jesus Christ on the cross at Golgotha. Therefore, the self-deceived members of the body of Christ do not have an assurance that God saved us in Jesus Christ on the cross at Golgotha. They only have hope in the possibility of salvation. Accordingly, Jesus counsels the self-deceived members of the body of Christ. “Therefore, remember from what high state you have fallen and repent! Do the deeds you did at the first, if not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place – that is, if you do not repent.” Revelation 2: 5, NET.
The self-deceived only see Jesus Christ as their example. However, they do not realize they cannot be saved by following Jesus’s example. They maintain that Jesus Christ died in their place. This is an illogical and dangerous conclusion. If Christ died in our place, he rose from the grave and went to heaven in our place. What will happen to us? The self-deceived have forsaken their first love. They appreciate the suffering of Jesus. However, they do not consider that the suffering Jesus was also a Savior of the world. Apostles, when they spoke about salvation by grace, they spoke in the past tense. For them, the salvation of sinners was accomplished through the body of Jesus Christ on the cross at Golgotha. “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8, NET. (The emphasis is mine).
On the cross at Golgotha, Jesus Christ did not show us how we could get saved. He did not make salvation only available to those seeking it. He forever accomplished our salvation on the cross at Golgotha. There is nothing left to be done. The salvation through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ is our present reality. We, the sinners, could not seek and find the Savior because our sin in the Garden of Eden denied us the ability to seek and find. The lost sheep knows it is lost and panics but does not know how to find the way back. The shepherd must find it because the lost sheep does not know how to return. Sinful humankind was hopelessly lost; however, the Good Shepard, Jesus Christ, came to find and save the lost. Luke 19:10.
Continued in the next blog.
