SermonIndex Audio Sermons
SermonIndex - Promoting Revival to this Generation
Give To SermonIndex
Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : Camouflaged Rebellion

Print Thread (PDF)

PosterThread
PreachParsly
Member



Joined: 2005/1/14
Posts: 2164
Arkansas

 Camouflaged Rebellion

Camouflaged Rebellion


Grace to the average American churchgoer means nothing more than camouflage. With camouflage you can blend right into whatever you want, but not very many notice. In this mindset, the “very many” that will notice is narrowed down to one entity: the Godhead. It’s somewhat of a folly to believe that the One who is completely omniscient is the only one who doesn’t see your sin. With camouflage all that is changed is outward clothing. There is no internal change. Someone may say, “Wow I don’t recognize you anymore.” And the reason isn’t because there was a deep change in the person but merely because they were wearing face paint. Is this the grace of the Bible?

The grace described above is not the grace that brings salvation, but a sham and a counterfeit. This counterfeit grace goes right along with counterfeit preachers preaching counterfeit messages to counterfeit converts in counterfeit churches. Simply put, there is neither life nor reality with this grace. The Bible boldly proclaims that there are some who have turned the grace of God into lasciviousness. They have changed one of the most holy and precious concepts of the Bible into a tool of deception. One would almost wonder how such a thing is possible but concerning the wicked changing the glories of God into what they want, “now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” (Gen 11:6) Let all of those who have received the true grace of God be reminded that the Lord will come down at an appointed time to confound those who obey not the Gospel nor know God.

So, what is “true grace?” There are many aspects of grace, so many that this small space won’t be able to contain them all. Since that is the case, I will limit the scope to dealing with regeneration. Regeneration is the change in which God works in a person to such a degree that the dynamic of it is equal to the physical birth of a child.

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
(Titus 2:11-14)

This grace that brings a person to salvation from sin (Matt 1:21) is a teacher. The glory of the new covenant is that God puts inside of a man the very spirit of truth. It teaches us to deny certain things. Very few love God enough to actually obey what He has revealed. The world system is corrupt and lays in total wickedness. Ungodliness should be the very thing a Christian abhors since it is not of God. Think about it, if you are born of God how can you say you love that which hates your origin? How difficult it is to be friends of someone who absolutely hates and stands against your birth place and your parents. Would they be your best friend? It would be hard to find common ground with them. They love the very thing you hate and despise what you honor. Surely, if you love what God hates you are an enemy of God.

Another thing this grace does is give us an urgency and expectancy to see Him glorified. This grace teaches us to wait for that glorious appearing. The Christian waits to see the glory of God and does what he can to magnify it so others can see. One who has a reality of God’s great majesty just isn’t interested in anything that would district him from God. The total thrust of his being is to glorify who he longs to commune with. This type of mindset is so far removed from those who boast of a false grace. Those who are under false grace aren’t looking to glorify God, but rather glorify self by seeing how they could deceive God so they could stay in their sin. God isn’t a fool and he won’t be mocked. You will sow what you reap. I’m talking about sin and death, obedience and life, not your tithe-check. Keep your money! God doesn’t want it unless he has your total love and devotion.

The third thing is that it brings complete salvation. As the scripture says, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” It doesn’t say he gave himself to merely save you from hell- no he came to save you from sin itself. He came to draw you out of sin that you might have true life. If you were in a burning building, I wouldn’t just give you a flame retardant suit and tell you to just wait until you die, then hopefully it will be better. No, I would deliver you out of the fire that you might have freedom in this life and the life to come. That is biblical salvation. He delivers you from sin and bondage that you may serve him. “Let them go that they may serve me!” is the cry of God to the bound. His desire is to set people free from sin into the reality of freedom.. Jesus calls men from the dead, but he doesn’t leave them bound in grave clothes. With Lazarus he demanded that he be loosed from what bound him, so it is with you.

In summary, grace isn’t merely something that blinds God’s eye to your rebellion or lusts. It changes actions and desires. How foolish it is to think we have camouflage so that God won’t see us, when in reality “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrew 4:13)


_________________
Josh Parsley

 2007/9/8 15:41Profile





©2002-2024 SermonIndex.net
Promoting Revival to this Generation.
Privacy Policy