All it takes to make that possible has been done: “IT IS FINISHED”, Jesus said (John 19: 30). And so “BE OF GOOD COMFORT, RISE; HE (THE MASTER) CALLETH THEE”, His disciples called out (Mark 10: 49). Be not blind; be not indifferent about your soul. Why not go to Him today.
This is the only conceivable way to answer Jesus twin-question. Who can answer it otherwise now or in eternity? A time is coming when men would desire to rescue their souls from inevitable doom that would be staring at them with anything they can possibly imagine, but then the question would vibrate continually in all of their being: What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
LET THE CHURCH WATCH IT
It is a very disturbing observation that even many, who should be telling of the serious nature of a subject matter as this either scarcely touches it, touch it in passing or do not touch it at all. You wonder whether it is a case of the blind leading the blind. Or you wonder if they themselves possess saved souls at all. Or you wonder still: is it all about mammon!
I believe in Biblical giving. I also believe in sacrificial giving. I believe in God-honoring giving. And I also believe in unquantifiable rewards that come by giving. And lastly, I also believe on why such rewards come to me and how to use them biblically (and on the ‘how’ we shall come to shortly, and briefly).
But you wonder why almost everything is either spurred by mammon, tied or linked to it in many a pulpit today: It is either money for miracles or money after miracles; either money to facilitate answered prayers or money after answered prayers. Can we think of Peter or Paul after preaching inside a bus, for instance, and asking for money to spread the gospel? Don’t you see how this is off the Bible completely? You know here it is grossly absurd. Then, why not with you and I?
Really, can you really preach the pure and clean gospel of salvation from sin, in a strange ground for that matter, and have voice to demand money? No. But they go to these outdoor points to essentially talk and pray for safe journeys, miracles, prosperity and similar things they call gospel and thus not only preying on few innocent people in such audiences and so locking them out of the Kingdom, but they meet some who actually love to be told what they want to hear just as it is written: 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; 2 Timothy 4: 3. Is there no more “freely you receive and freely you give” in our Bibles!
The Savior tells us: “And take heed to yourselves, lest anytime your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of God” – Luke 21: 34-36.
Salvation of the soul from Satan, sin, and the world is the first main reason why Christ came, and that is the difference between Christianity and other groups. The keeping of the soul pure for God for acceptable service by Him and in that way seeking the Kingdom and all its righteousness is the second main reason why Christ came, and that is the difference between Christianity and other groups. The final salvation of the soul, that is, of it entering into eternity with God is the third and consummate reason why Christ came, and that is the difference between Christianity and other group. No other thing distinguishes Christianity from any other group.
In fact, Jesus said He will add any other good thing to those seeking the Kingdom and its righteousness. They are additives. But do you remember He also said that the world seek after these other things? And they have them you know. But what did He tell us? He said we should rather seek: firstly, SOMEWHERE ELSE (THE KINGDOM OF GOD) and secondly, SOMETHING ELSE (ITS RIGHTEOUSNESS). And then, the others shall be added. Because He knows we need them and would add them to us. Thank God, Jesus is eternally The Truth: That order remains.
Yes, I believe in prosperity but may God not make me put additives first and accord them all the attention at the expense of that they are supposed to be added to. Yes, I believe He will supply His faithful (that is, those that are not only having the real thing, but putting first things first and trusting in the additions of the additives, and who have not altered His order). And yes, I believe these additives can make these his faithful prosperous, and some very prosperous. But they are not made prosperous just for themselves but on the behalf of the Church or the household of Faith, (especially including mission work – the Heart-beat of God and His Christ, the serious but needy brethren).
In short, these Brethren know that they are mere caretakers or channels of God’s provision for His Church. That is how those seeking The Kingdom and its righteous see and handle the additives when they come, and not otherwise. And by this too they are not only laying treasures in Heaven but planting their hearts there (in Heaven): “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” – Matthew 6: 21. So, properly put, prosperity actually helps to secure eternity with God if properly understood and employed whenever they come our way as their CHANNELS. Else, they become corrupted, moth-eaten, cankered and “the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days” – James 5: 1-3. Such engender miseries the other side of eternity.
No wonder the Old Testament cautioned that we should consider our ways. “Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways” – Haggai 1: 4-5. Yes, I believe in prosperity. Bible prosperity!
If Christianity is all about money who can tell me categorically that Christians have more money than those other professing religions. Do not you see why this prosperity gospel so-called is not winning those religions’ adherent because it is not convincing enough? Many of them already either have otherwise what you are talking about or think they can have it otherwise. So, what is the point! Let us therefore preach the gospel pure and clean! They don’t have that, and that is their hope! And of course, they will get these other things according to their needs.
May this humble hymn of mine, “Certain Men have crept in unawares”, drawn from Scriptures represent some caution in this wise:
1. Certain men have crept in unawares.
These turn God’s grace into lasciviousness.
Ungodly men, the Scriptures call them,
Ordained of old to this condemnation!
Let us forbid mammon worship;
Let’s not corrupt the Word of God,
Or deal untruly with the Scriptures.
But as of sincerity, but as of God,
In the sight of God, may we speak in Christ.
2. Through covetousness and by feigned words,
They shamelessly make merchandise of you;
Whose judgment for longtime lingers not,
An
d just as their damnation slumbers not!
3. They that are such do not serve the Lord,
But their own belly, their very belly!
And by good words and with fair speeches,
They do deceive the hearts of the simple.
4. Their very mouth must be stopped brethren.
For verily they subvert whole houses,
Teaching things which they ought not to teach;
And this they do for filthy lucre sake.
5. Let’s no more walk after our own lust.
Never again should we run greedily
After Balaam’s error for reward!
Let’s spare our pulpits and pews this evil.
Satan’s market-place in the world is bad enough. Let us not allow this market-place in the Church. Please. The Savior says His House shall not be made a den of thieves just as He counseled against mammon-worship. This Jesus Twin-Question applies to all everywhere, world or church: “FOR WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN, IF HE SHALL GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL? OR WHAT SHALL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?” Let us do all we do in the light of eternity.
This must be the time for people everywhere to thoughtfully want to know or settle our station in eternity. To reject Christ’s priceless Blood is now the only reason why souls would perish and not necessarily because of sin, for it has been paid for. The only EXHANGE expected of men right now is that which exchanges their sins with the Blood of God’s Son so that their souls could be free. This is the exchange required now. This is the only way. Why not do it now!
Go to the Cross at Calvary in prayer just right where you are, and ask God to forgive you all your sins, to save your soul from them (sins) and Satan, to make you His son even now through the Blood of Jesus and to give you grace and His Holy Spirit to help you to live for Him forever. Just be sincere with God and it is as good as done. God bless you richly as you do this.
