Author: Mike Wingfield

Making Sure You Will Not Be Left Behind – Part Three

“Even so faith, if it has not works, is dead, being alone.” – James 2:17

By Mike Wingfield

Biblical truth is no longer being preached from the pulpits of many American churches.

To illustrate this sad, but true reality, let me share one of my recent experiences. After one of the services at the church my family and I attend, a visiting couple came up to me and introduced themselves. They shared that they were greatly disappointed in their local church. They were not hearing the truth and an immoral situation within the church was being totally ignored. They said: “We are looking for a church where our souls can be fed.” They were glad that they had attended our church and heard the truth for a change.

Frankly, I was not surprised by what these people said. My experiences as an evangelist over the last 17 years lead me to believe that there are thousands of couples like this across America. So many people are greatly disap­pointed with their local church because they are not hear­ing Biblical truth. It is very disturbing to realize that we live in a time of great spiritual apostasy and famine.

Even more alarming, there are only a few people in these churches who realize that something is wrong. That is because after several decades of shallow preaching and teaching, our churches are filled with professing Chris­tians, rather than true born-again believers. Most church attenders in America are Biblically illiterate. They have a very unbiblical view of God. They have not heard a com­plete presentation of the gospel. They do not have a hun­ger for Biblical truth. Their lifestyles are no different than those who do not claim to be Christians. To put it plainly – our churches are full of professing Christians who are not really born-again. They are self-deceived. They think they are saved and everything is fine.

How can a person know for sure they are saved? A person should not compare themselves to another person in their church. Too many people have a false sense of security, thinking: “If they are saved, then I am too.” We must never adopt a man-made standard of truth. The only true and safe measuring stick is the Word of God.

How can a person know for sure that they are saved? On­ly the Bible has the answer to this question. In the last two newsletters, we have been exploring nine tests of as­surance of salvation found in the little epistle of 1 John. In this newsletter we will explore the final four tests of salvation. I urge you to seriously consider these tests.

Don’t be like the majority of church attenders who are living in spiritual deception and are not really saved. As I pointed out in the previous newsletters, the Bible com­mands us to examine ourselves to be sure we are saved. (2 Corinthians 13:5; 2 Peter 1:10)

Test #6-Do you abide in the truth?

1 John 2:24 1 John 2:24 states, “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.” According to the Bible, there is a direct parallel between the physical birth of a baby and the spiritual birth of a child of God. When babies are born, they soon demand something to satisfy their hunger – milk. In a comparative sense, the Bible states: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” (1 Peter 2:2) This simply means that when a person is truly born-again there will be a real hunger for the Word of God. Real be­lievers will not depart from the Word of God.

Many of the Psalms reflect this truth. The very first Psalm is wrapped around this truth. “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:2) “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19:10) The Word of God is precious to the child of God. It satisfies his soul. It brings comfort, conviction, direction, correction, instruction, and hope. The Bible is where the believer meets his Lord and is empowered by the Spirit. The real believer cannot live without the Word of God.

When the Bible speaks of the Word of God “abiding” in terms of the believer, it means “abide” means “having a home, residing in.” So, you should ask yourself two basic questions: (1) Do I feel at home in the Bible? (2) Does the Bible have a home in me? Real believers feel at home while they are reading or studying the Bible, or listening to someone preach or teach the Word of God. The true believer’s mind becomes a home for the Word of God.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

I can relate to this from personal experience. When I was saved at the age of nine, I immediately developed a hun­ger for the Bible. I was saved in June 1958. That sum­mer, I read the entire New Testament and many books of the Old Testament. That craving for the Word of God is still within me 56 years later. The more I read the Bible, the more I want to explore and rejoice in God’s truth. I can say with the Psalmist: “O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97)

Many sources indicate that we are facing a major crisis of Biblical illiteracy in the church. My traveling experiences as an evangelist confirm these observations. This is a powerful testimony to the fact that our churches are filled with church attendees who have never really been born-again. This is a revealing test that separates true believers from hypocrites who parade themselves as Christians, while they are not.

American churches are filled with pastors who do not faithfully proclaim the Word of God. The reason these pastors have turned to entertainment instead of preaching the Word of God is because this is what the people want to hear. Some of the largest churches in America have fallen into this trap. This is a sign of the last days. “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.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4) Because of this, America is living in a land of spiritual famine. (Amos 8:11)

My friend, what about you? Do you have a daily hunger for the Word of God? Are you like so many church at­tendees who never consider the Bible until you go to church the next Sunday? Stop deceiving yourself! Ac­cording to the Bible, if you are really saved you will have a craving for the Word of God and will make great sacri­fices to spend time in it. Real believers cannot live with­out the Word of God!

Test #7-Do you abide in the Son?

1 John 2:26-29

Eternal life is bound up in the person of Jesus Christ.

(John 14:6) “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:12)

Having eternal life is “abiding” in Jesus Christ. As men­tioned previously, the word “abide” means “having a home, or residence.” To abide in Christ is to live in Him, maintain a vital relationship with Him, and live for Him. This carries two basic truths: (1) The genuine believer is at home in the presence of Christ. (2) The authentic Chris­tian will make a home for Christ in his life.

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus spoke to His disci­ples and stressed to them the importance of abiding in Him. In His Parable of the Vine and the Branches, He showed how central the application of this truth is to fol­lowing Him. (John 15:1-17) In essence, He said that if they would abide in Him, His word would abide in them. Consequently, they would have their prayers answered. They would have a spiritually productive life. And, they would have real joy. Does this describe you?

When a person is saved, Jesus Christ becomes their Sav­ior, Lord, friend, shepherd, High Priest, and future judge. The believer should be able to identify with the following statements by the Apostle Paul: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) “I am cru­cified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) “Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:2-4)

The genuine believer’s life will be wrapped up in the per­son of Christ. He will love Him more than anyone else. He will worship Him, serve Him, pray to Him, and live for Him. He will talk about Him all of the time. He will con­stantly think about Him. He will long to be with Him in heaven. In the words of a chorus from a few generations ago: “Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my joy, my all. He is my strength from day to day. Without Him I would fall….”

Test #8-Do you have the Holy Spirit?

1 John 3:24-4:6 When a person gets saved, the Holy Spirit comes to per­manently dwell within him at that very moment. “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Romans 8:9) The Holy Spirit convicts the sinner of his sin and draws him to repent of his sins and receive Jesus Christ as his Lord. (1 Corinthians 12:3) Without this work of the Holy Spirit, no one would be saved. Romans 3:10-12 describes a person without the work of the Holy Spirit: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

The moment the sinner repents and is saved, he is baptized (immersed) by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) This is not, as some groups teach, a second work of grace. Please notice that Paul was writ­ing the letter of 1 Corinthians to the church in Corinth. This church had a multitude of spiritual problems and struggles. (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; 5:1-8; 6:1-11; 11:30) Yet, he declared to them they had been baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ. The baptism of the Spirit is not for some believers who have reached a new level of spir­itual maturity. It is for all believers at the moment of sal­vation. It is the means whereby the believer is supernatu­rally and spiritually placed into the one true body of Christ. There is only one body of Christ [church], and all believers are immersed into that body at the moment of salvation.

The Holy Spirit also equips people to serve and function within the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:13-31) He gives gifts of service to each believer and places them in the body of Christ to serve Christ and His church. While we are all a part of one body, we are all different in the body of Christ. (Ephesians 4:1-16)

Each genuine believer has been indwelt by the Holy Spirit and baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ at the moment of conversion. However, they must each, as indi­vidual believers; seek to be filled by the Holy Spirit in their service to the Lord and each other. Notice the com­mand in Ephesians 5:18: “And be not drunk [controlled] with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled [controlled] with the Spirit.” The filling of the Spirit does not mean we receive more of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a person. You cannot divide Him up as some kind of force. You either have Him living in you, or you do not. The filling of the Holy Spirit is about Him having control of the believer. If we surrender ourselves totally and com­pletely, we will be controlled by the Spirit. That means we will be unleashed to serve Christ and the church in the full power of the Holy Spirit.

I have written all of this about the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer because this is the test of salvation that the Apostle John mentions in 1 John. We can tell we are saved if we see the evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit within us. He will empower us to obey Christ and keep His commandments. (1 John 3:24) The Holy Spirit will also use the Word of God in us to help us be able to dis­cern between godly and false teachers (1 John 4:1), and truth and error. (1 John 4:2-6)

While we cannot see the Holy Spirit, we can see the evi­dence of His work in the life of the believer. (John 3:5-8) According to the Scriptures, it is the aim of the Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus (John 16:14), and to make us like Christ – which is the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Have you noticed a change in your life since your conver­sion? If there has never been any change, it is evidence that the Holy Spirit does not live in you. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore, you cannot be saved. A faith that does not have works [change], is not a saving faith. (James 2:14-26) A person is not saved by a faith that does not work. He is not saved by the works, but by a faith that is demonstrated by the work of the Holy Spirit in him.

Test #9-Do you have faith in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation?

1 John 5:10-12 1 John 5:11-12 states: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” The message of the New Testament is absolutely clear. Salvation is totally in Jesus Christ. As mentioned before, our faith, in order for it to be a sav­ing faith, must be demonstrated by works. Some have perverted this to mean that faith plus works brings salva­tion. However, this is not the message of the New Testa­ment. Salvation is by grace through faith, plus NOTH­ING!

First, notice that salvation is a gift of God that is received by faith. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8) This salvation [eternal life] has been made available as a gift through God’s Son, who purchased our salvation with His own blood on the cross. “… the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

When Jesus died on the cross, one of the last things He proclaimed was: “It is finished.” (John 19:30) This statement by our Lord simply meant that He had complet­ed the mission of providing salvation with His death as God’s Passover lamb. His sacrifice was for the sins of the whole world. (John 3:13-17) The only way a person can appropriate this sacrifice is by verbally and willfully rest­ing in the payment of Christ on the cross. They must also believe that by doing so, their sins have been washed away and they have been declared righteous because of Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross for them.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we recognize that our total sufficiency is in Christ alone. Outside of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit in us, all of our works are finite and filthy. We are saved by the grace of God. Grace and works cannot be mixed. When mixed together they cancel out each other. While demonstrating our salvation by grace, the Apostle Paul compares it to God’s election of Israel by grace. In Romans 11:6, he wrote: “And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

If our faith is not in Christ alone, then we are not really saved! Is your faith in Christ alone?

These tests are very important. Think of the consequences of the millions of professing Christians in the world who have a false sense of security that is based upon something or someone else other than Christ and the Scriptures. When the Rapture occurs, and it could any day now, mil­lions of church members will be left behind. They are living their lives on the basis of church tradition, or what someone has said. My friend, do not let this happen to you. Although it may be very painful, you need to exam­ine these nine tests and face the reality of where you really stand. It is not about how you feel or what you think, but what the Bible says.

There is no doubt that there are millions in hell at this moment who thought that they would go to heaven when they died. Read Matthew 7:21-27. Notice that Jesus comments about those who were deceived, thinking they were saved, is preceded by His teaching on false teachers. (Matthew 7:15-20) Many will be deceived about their spiritual condition and destiny because they were listening to false teachers. The church you attend and the doctrine it teaches are very important. If you continue to attend a church that is not faithfully teaching all of the Word of God, you may be damning your soul as well as the souls of your family and friends. Nothing is more important than where you will spend eternity.

You may be very comfortable in a church that has a lot of entertainment or a high social standing. You may enjoy the social group in your church and all of the wonderful fellowship time. However, if the Word of God is not be­ing proclaimed, it is better to give up the comfort now, than to suffer in eternal damnation.

You do not want to be left behind to face the horrors of the Tribulation Period. I believe that during this time, very few people will physically survive the entire seven years. (Matthew 24:22) Most who receive Christ during the Tribulation Period will be killed for their faith – hunt­ed down, imprisoned, and decapitated! The world will suffer complete destruction. There will be unparalleled suffering due to famine, serious depletion of fresh water, wars, the total breakdown of all organized society, diseas­es, disasters, demonic invasions, and hardships beyond our human comprehension.

When you stand face to face with the Lord, will He say “enter in,” or “depart from Me?” You hold the answer to that question in these nine tests. Please think about it.

If you are not sure you are saved, or you are sure you are not saved, please do not hesitate to lay aside your pride and call out to God for salvation. Repent of your sins and confess the Lord Jesus Christ. Read the following Scrip­tures and call out to Him today. (Romans 3:23; 6:23: 5:8; 10:9-13) Then, watch for the changes to see if your mo­tive and words have come from the work of the Holy Spir­it in you. Only then you can be sure you are saved.

Be ready for the shout that will take us out!

Standing on the Side of Life with God

In recent weeks, I have been watching and praying about the developments in Israel and the surrounding nations. Israel has been attacked with missiles from Gaza, Leba­non, and Syria. It is no secret that all of these missiles and/or their components have originated from the Jew-hating Islamic regime in Iran. While this is occurring, there is a new Islamic terrorist group known as “The Is­lamic State,” (formerly ISIS), taking over Iraq and part of Syria. Their stated goal is to take control of the entire Middle East, including Israel. These developments are not surprising to those of us who know the prophetic Word of God. All of these Islamic nations are mentioned in Psalm 83 (a Psalm about Armageddon). According to this Psalmist, all of these nations hate God and His chosen people, Israel. While referring to them, the Psalmist de­clares: “For, lo, thine enemies make a tulmult [a roar of hate]: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee.” (Psalm 83:2-5)

In the current conflict between Hamas and Israel, it is very apparent who is standing on the side of life with God. Israel is using its military weapons to protect its people. Hamas is using its people to protect its military weapons.

Hamas is not standing on the side of moral justice. Ac­cording to international law, and more importantly, the law of God, Hamas has failed on two counts. First, it is using its missiles to attack innocent Israeli civilians. Sec­ond, it is forcing its own people to serve as human shields to stand in the path of Israeli missiles.

Hamas, which is now an official part of the Palestinian government, refuses to recognize the right of any Jewish presence in the land formerly called Palestine. Because of their Islamic doctrine and mindset, they believe that all of the land that was a part of the Ottoman Turkish Empire is an Islamic trust and must be regained for religious purpos­es, no matter what the cost is. In their eyes, they have the right to attack and destroy anything and anyone who stands in the way of this Islamic goal.

First, Hamas is wrong because they are standing on the wrong side of life and death with God. God stands on the side of justice, righteousness, and life. Long ago, Moses instructed Israel: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” (Deuteronomy 30:19) Only a few months after the Lord spoke this to Moses, Joshua led the military of Israel against the Canaanites in Canaan. The Lord instructed Israel to obliterate the population of Canaan. Why? These nations were not standing on the side of God with justice, righteousness, and life. Instead, they were promoting a demonic culture of violence, im­morality, and death. It should be noted that Hamas and other radical Islamic groups are promoting this same kind of culture.

Secondly, according to the Bible, God has given the Jew­ish people the land of Israel in an unconditional promise that will last as long as the sun and moon shines. (Genesis 15:7-21; Jeremiah 31:35-37) Hamas refuses to recognize the Biblical promises and verses in the Koran that state the Holy Land belongs to the Jewish people.

The Bible declares that when the end comes at Armaged­don, the entire world will stand with the forces of the An­tichrist gathered against Israel. (Joel 3:2; Revelation 16:12-16)

As we watch these developments in the Middle East, we should not be alarmed. They are all shaping our world for the final showdown between God and Satan, Heaven and Hell. The Land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem are at the center of this war in the spirit world. It is very im­portant that we stand on the right side with God.

Please join me in prayer for all of the Christians, Jews, and Muslims who are facing violence, war, and death. We stand with our Lord, Who has said that he is “not willing

that any should perish, but that all should come to repent­ance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

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Making Sure You Will Not Be Left Behind – Part Two

“… give diligence to make your calling and election sure …” -2 Peter 1:10

By Mike Wingfield

Are you a true follower of Christ? In this newsletter, we will continue our examination of the most important ques­tion a person must answer while here on earth. Last month, we examined the first of nine tests on assurance of salvation that are found in the little New Testament book of 1 John. The theme of this book is found in chapter 5 and verse 13: “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that [you] may know that [you] have eternal life…”

In this issue we will look at the next four tests. The re­maining four tests will be given in our August newsletter. I highly recommend that you carefully read these newslet­ters and look up the Scriptures referenced. As mentioned in the previous newsletter, when you look at the lifestyles of professing Christians, it seems that most of them are not saved. You do not want to be deceived and miss the Rapture, or more importantly, heaven. I urge you to study these Biblical tests and make sure you will not be left be­hind. This could make the difference in where you will spend eternity.

Test #2-Do you keep God’s Commandments?

1 John 2:3-6 Verse 3 declares: “And hereby we do know that we know [have a relationship] him, if we keep his commandments.”

If you are God’s child, then you will obey the Lord’s commands.

Obedience to the Lord is a very clear indication that God is our Father and friend. Jesus continually repeated this on the night he was betrayed by one of His own disciples.

“If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings …” (John 14:23-24) “If ye keep my command­ments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” (John 15:10)

From a Biblical standpoint, there are two vital issues at stake in this second test: (1) Is Jesus really the Lord of your life? (2) Are you the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ? A study of the entire New Testament gives testi­mony to these two core issues.

Issue #1: Is Jesus really the Lord of your life? A few years back, there was a great debate in Christian circles about this subject. Some people believe that they can be a Christian if Jesus is just their Savior, but not their Lord. They believe that at some point later in their life, they reach a greater spiritual maturity level and Jesus then becomes their Lord. This debate and kind of thinking quickly reveals the lack of understanding many people have concerning what the New Testament teaches about true salvation. I urge all of us to not formulate what we believe on the basis of personal experience, or how we feel about Jesus and salvation. Our doctrine (what we believe) must be based totally upon the written Word of God – the Bible! The Bible must be our final authority in all matters of faith and practice! It does not matter what someone else says or believes. It does not matter what your church or pastor believes. If it does not conform to the literal interpretation of the Bible, they are wrong and God is right! Jesus declared that He and His Word are “truth.” (John 14:6) When we arrive at a different con­clusion than what Scripture teaches, “we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:10) Certainly, true believers would never call Jesus and His Word lies!

The Bible declares: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

(Romans 10:9) There it is! You must confess that Jesus Christ is your Lord to be saved. When a person becomes a Christian, they become a disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ. When you follow Him, you spiritually mimic Him. Jesus said: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27)

The word “Lord” also means “Master.” (See John 13:14­15.) This means that Jesus, not self, is in control of your life. This is at the heart of repentance. The Bible de­mands that a person must repent in order to be saved. (Acts 2:38; 2 Corinthians 7:10) Repentance is a change in mind that leads to a change in action. At the moment of true conversion, the sinner recognizes that he must com­pletely surrender his will and life to the lordship of Jesus Christ. Jesus told His disciples: “If any man will come after [follow] me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) Therefore, from the moment of a person’s genuine conversion, he must view Jesus as his Lord.

Issue #2-Are you the servant of Lord Jesus Christ? Throughout the New Testament, Christians are viewed as bond-slaves of Jesus Christ. The apostles viewed them­selves as “a servant [bond-slave] of Jesus Christ.” (Ro­mans 1:1; James 1:1) The apostles frequently called New Testament believers “servants” of Jesus Christ. (Revela­tion 1:1) The Bible illustrates the salvation of the believ­er in the cultural terms of the slave market of ancient days. When a master purchased a slave at an auction, that slave immediately became his property. In 1 Corinthians 6, the Apostle Paul reminded the Corinthian believers, who were living in a sensual and immoral culture, that they were not to give their bodies over to sexual immorality because their body belonged to their Master, Jesus Christ. (1 Co­rinthians 6:19-20) Therefore, in the truest Biblical image­ry, the New Testament believer must see himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ. He is no longer in control of himself. His master is Jesus Christ. He is a purchased possession of the Lord Jesus. If he does not agree to this, then he is still in the slave market of sin, serving his sin-nature and under the sentence of condemnation. (Romans 6:16-22)

However, as described in 1 John 1, there are no believers who can say they do not sin. This is the struggle of the Christian life. (Romans 7:7-25) When we are victorious over sin, Jesus is Lord of our life at that moment. But, when we sin, self is back on the throne. However, as we grow and mature in our love commitment to the Lord Je­sus, we will mature in our battle over our sin nature and Jesus will more consistently be Lord of our lives. (1 John 5:1-5) The true believer is not marked by sinless perfec­tion, but as growing in their victory over sin.

Test #3-Do you love other believers?

1 John 2:7-11 As the Apostle John penned these words near the end of the first century, he reminded his readers that this was not a new commandment, but one which goes back to the life and witness of the incarnate Lord Jesus. Jesus said: “By this shall all men know that [you] are my disciples, if [you] have love one to another.” (John 13:35)

The believer in Jesus Christ will be marked by a genuine love for all people. All people have been equally created in the image of God, and Christ died for all. We have been commissioned to take the gospel to all people. This commission is driven by the love of God through us to the world. It is “the love of Christ [that constrains] us” to be witnesses of the love of God displayed at the cross of Cal­vary. (2 Corinthians 5:14-20) Jesus loved sinners. Do you?

However, for those who walk in the light of God’s revela­tion and are related to Him and each other, there is a common bond of love through the divine work of the Holy Spirit in all believers to love God and one another. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” (1 John 3:14)

This love for fellow believers is not the nature of the world. (1 John 3:11-19) The world hates the true believ­ers in Jesus Christ. (John 15:18-16:2; 1 John 3:13) In contrast, Christians love one another because it is the na­ture of God. (1 John 4:7-21) Therefore, when we love other believers, we are behaving like God. “If a man say, I love God, and [hates] his brother, he is a liar: for he that [loves] not his brother whom he [has] seen, how can he love God whom he [has] not seen?” (1 John 4:20)

This love that we have in the family of God will be mani­fested by two actions: (1) We will forgive one another, and (2) We will give to one another. Christ’s love for us was demonstrated when He gave His life for us when were sinners. (Romans 5:8) And now, it is continually mani­fested in that He is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” (1 John 1:9) Consequently, we are to demonstrate our love to the family of God by freely and frequently for­giving fellow believers when they sin against us. (Ephe­sians 4:20-32) Furthermore, when our brother or sister is in need, we are to demonstrate the love of God by sacrifi­cially giving of ourselves, just as Christ sacrificed for us. (1 John 3:16-18) The greatest act of love is to lay down our life for another person’s life. (John 15:13; 1 John 3:16) This kind of giving and forgiving is not an act of convenience, but a demonstration of sacrifice.

Test #4-Do you love God?

1 John 2:15-17 It should seem obvious that if a person claims to be a Christian, he should also love God. In essence, this is the greatest of all the commandments given to us. And yet, it is one of the most misunderstood. When Jesus was asked to identify the greatest commandment, He responded: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38) So, the real question is not: “Do you love God?” The real ques­tion is: “Do you love the Lord more than anyone or any­thing else?” Jesus demands this kind of love from all of His children.

How can a person realistically measure their love for the Lord? In 1 John 2:15-17, the Bible gives us the answer to this question. This text basically asks two questions: “Do you love God or do you love the world system in which you live? You must make a choice. You cannot love and serve both. (Matthew 6:24) The word translated love in this text is not a feeling kind of friendship love. It is a kind of love that sacrifices everything for the object that is loved. What the Bible is asking us in this text is: “Are you sacrificing everything in your life to gain the treasures of a godless world system that is only temporary? Or, are you sacrificing everything in this world system to know Christ and demonstrate your sacrificial devotion to Him as the highest level of priority in your life?”

A person’s pursuit of this world system is described as

“the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” (1 John 2:16) The lust of the flesh is an obsession to gratify the cravings of the sin nature within all of us. The lust of the eyes is an obsession to see won­derful things (both good and sinful) for the sake of pleas­ing self. The pride of life is the personal devotion and focus upon what the world system promotes as the pur­pose and meaning in life.

One must understand that the world system, controlled by Satan, is designed to promote a lifestyle that is independ­ent of God and dependent upon self. In essence, it is what Satan offered Eve when he tempted her to reject God and have what she wanted. Genesis 3:6 says, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food [the lust of the flesh], and that is was pleasant to the eyes [the lust of the eyes], and a tree to be desired to make one wise [the pride of life], she took of the fruit thereof and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” Nothing has changed! Satan is still using the same world system to promote a lifestyle that is independent of God and de­pendent upon self.

So, if you really love God as a child of God, you will sac­rificially seek to place Him first in all of your desires, feel­ing, plans, and ambitions in life. Do you sacrificially give God your time, talents, and treasures that He has entrusted to you? I fear that very few believers understand that this is what is expected and demanded by their LORD! The Lord has promised that if we put Him first, He will give us what we need to equip us to worship and serve Him. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8)

Here is the real test: “For where your treasure is, there will be your heart [mind] be also.” (Matthew 6:21) What do you think about the most? What or whom you constantly think about is your treasure! How often do you think about God, His Word, His will, and His plan? Is it your greatest desire to know Him and please Him? Are you sacrificing whatever it takes to move toward these godly desires? This is not what super Christians do; it is what all true believers do!

I discovered long ago that the greatest measuring stick of one’s love for their Savior is their love for and commit­ment to the Word of God. Real believers cannot live without the Word of God. It is a consuming passion to read, study, memorize and mediate upon the Bible. This is the theme of the longest chapter in the Bible – Psalm 119. Someone has said: “Two natures beat within my breast.

The one will damn, the other will bless. The one I love, the other I hate. The one that I feed will dominate.”

Test #5-Do you regularly fellowship with other believers in a local church?

1 John 2:19 The professing churches in the United States and the American culture are moving further away from God and His Word. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly dif­ficult for some believers to find a local church where the Word of God is being faithfully proclaimed and the lead­ership of the church is a faithful model of godliness.

The word church comes from the Greek word which means “called out ones.” The church is made up of those born-again believers who have been redeemed by receiv­ing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and are set apart from the world system by the Holy Spirit.

The ministry of the church is the work of the Holy Spirit. He brings individual believers to salvation. (1 Corinthians 12:3) He equips each believer to serve within the church. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11) It is His work to immerse each one into the body of Christ and direct them to become a vital part of a local church. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14) It is the design and desire of the Holy Spirit who lives in every true believer to unite each believer with an assembly of believers. (Ephesians 4:1-6, 25; 1 Corinthians 10:17)

According to the Bible, in this Age of Grace, God’s work is primarily orchestrated through the local church. 1 John 2:19 describes the kind of attitude that is prevalent among many professing Christians today. They do not think they need the church. They believe they can worship and serve God on their own. According to this text, when a person rejects the church and attempts to experience the Christian life on their own, it is an indication that they are not saved.

Most people think they can get what they need from tele­vision pastors and evangelists. However, the ministry of the local church is not a place to just receive instruction from God. It is the body of Christ. It is a community of believers who regularly meet together for worship, fellow­ship, and Biblical instruction. It is God’s design that the body of Christ serves Him and each other. All believers need to be loved, taught, encouraged, rebuked, and coun­seled. (2 Timothy 4:2-4; Hebrews 10:24-25) Believers need other believers in the local church, who have been called and gifted by God, to help them mature in the faith.

(Acts 2:41-47; Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Corinthians 12)

Notice that when the apostles obeyed the Lord’s great commission to go out into the world and make disciples and baptize them, they always planted churches where the converts lived. (Acts 14:21-23) They trained the leader­ship to proclaim the Word of God and to disciple the be­lievers.

There is no real Biblical excuse to give up on the church. Even with all of its problems, the Apostle Paul exhorted the believers in the church at Corinth toward unity and service within the local assembly of believers. There are no perfect churches, pastors, or believers. God has de­signed the church to be an assembly of believers who are united by the Holy Spirit and their commitment to the Word of God. (Ephesians 4:1-6) They are bound together to equip each other to worship and serve their Lord, and to evangelize the world with the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. They help each other mature in their faith and build each other up in their faith until they are called into Jesus’ presence. (Ephesians 4:11-16) They recognize that they will not be perfect until they are presented to Christ as His perfect bride on their wedding day – the Rapture. (Ephesians 5:25-32) Real believers need and love the body of Christ.

I will conclude this three-part article on the assurance of salvation in the next newsletter. We will examine the last four of the nine tests for making sure you will not be left behind.

Israel Turns 66

In May, Israel celebrated its 66^th birthday as a resurrected modern nation. This nation, like no other, is the product of divine calling and intervention in the history of the world. Long ago, the Lord declared: “For I will take you from among the heathen [Gentile nations], and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own

land.” (Ezekiel 36:24) When the nation of Israel was founded in 1948, there were only 806,000 Israelis. Only 35 percent of them were na­tive-born. According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Sta­tistics, the estimated population of Israel now stands at 8.18 million. Jewish people, 6.135 million, make up about 75 percent of Israel’s current population. The Arab popu­lation in Israel is reported to be 1.694 million, or about 20 percent of the total population.

Within the last year, Israel’s population grew by 157,000. About 24,000 of these were new immigrants. Now about 75 percent of the Jewish population are native-born Israe­lis.

“In 1948, Israel had only one city in which the population exceeded 100,000, Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Today, 14 cities have populations of more than 100,000, of which six have more than 200,000 residents: Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv-Jaffa, Haifa, Rishon, Lezion, Ashdod, and Petah Tikva, according to the report.” (The International Jerusalem Post, May 9­May 15, 2014, p. 9)

Palestinians Hate Israel and Jews

Throughout the last few decades, there has been a game of deceitful chess being played in the name of peace in the Middle East. Several U.S. administrations have made many attempts to bring the Israelis and Palestinians to a successful peace agreement. Many Israelis truly desire peace with their Palestinian neighbors. During these ne­gotiations for peace, the Israelis have made numerous painful concessions and given up land that has made them more vulnerable to attack from their Arab/Islamic ene­mies. At the same time, the Palestinians have refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish state of Israel. Fur­thermore, the Palestinians have not departed from the in­citement of hatred and violence they express against all Israelis.

Two recent developments have clearly revealed the hy­pocrisy of the Palestinians and their falsehood of working toward achieving peace with their Jewish neighbors. First, the Anti-Defamation League recently announced the re­sults of a very comprehensive global survey on anti-Semitism. They report: “The most anti-Semitic regions were found to be the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Pal­estinian anti-Semitism is ‘pervasive throughout society.’ … with 93 percent of respondents affirming anti-Jewish stereotypes.” (The International Jerusalem Post, May 16­22, 2014, p. 09) Many other sources confirm these find­ings. It is obvious that real peace of any kind is impossi­ble where such hatred and violence toward Jews is openly promoted in all aspects of that culture. How can you real­istically promote peace with a people you hate and want to kill?

All of this has been openly confirmed with the recent de­cision by the so-called “moderate” Palestinian leadership on the West Bank in its attempt to form a unity govern­ment with the radical Islamic terrorist government of Ha-mas in the Gaza Strip. The charter of Hamas calls for the compete annihilation of the Jewish state of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian state from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River. Since 2005, Ha-mas has launched more than 11,000 rockets and mortars against southern Israel. Hamas has made it clear that it will not moderate its harsh stance against Israel to ac­commodate a political marriage with Fatah, the Palestinian leadership on the West Bank.

The refusal of Western governments to condemn the Pal­estinians for their decision to form a unified government with an Islamic terrorist organization bent on the destruc­tion of Israel reveals the outright moral collapse of West­ern societies. When people support criminal governments that promote the murder of innocent civilians, and at the same time, condemn democratic governments that uphold the premise that all people are created in the image of God and deserve to be free and respected, then that culture has reached the spiritual point of no return. Such a culture is ripe for divine judgment.

ISIS and the Antichrist’s Kingdom

In recent months, a very powerful radical Islamic terrorist group called the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has taken control of Iraq and some territories in Syria. ISIS now controls Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq and the entire Iraqi western border with Syria. There is great con­cern that ISIS may attempt to take control of Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

According to Joel Rosenberg, an American communica­tions strategist and author who closely monitors develop­ments in the Middle East, “The objective of the ISIS lead­ers is to topple the Iraqi government, seize control of all of Iraq, establish a jihadist state under Sharia law, and use Iraq to begin a regional –and eventually global –Islamic caliphate, or kingdom.” (Blog by Joel Rosenberg) For those of us who study the prophetic Word, we recognize that this is a very significant development. According to the Bible, during the Tribulation Period, the Antichrist will control the world from his headquarters in Iraq. (Isai­ah 14:4) Iraq, the central area of the former ancient Bab­ylonian Empire, will be the hub of global economic con­trol (Zechariah 5:5-11), and political -religious control of the Antichrist’s empire. (Isaiah 13; Revelation 17-18) These developments and many other current events are setting the stage for the end-time events as outlined in the Bible. In light of this, we may be on the verge of a major war in the Middle East that will pave the way for the com­ing of the Islamic Messiah – the Madhi. I am convinced the Islamic Messiah will be the one described in the Bible as the Antichrist. Consequently, it would be wise to be listening for the shout that will take us out.

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