ENDURING TO THE END #2
by Keith Hunt
PETER TELLS US IN HIS FIRST EPISTLE HOW TO ENDURE TO THE END, HOW NOT TO FALL.
HE STARTED WITH THE BOTTOM FOUNDATION—— FAITH,
NOW HE TELLS US TO ADD TO THAT FOUNDATION VIRTUE!
HERE IS THE CANADIAN DICTIONARY ON THE FIRST PART OF VIRTUE THAT MOST OF US THINK ABOUT WHEN HEARING THAT WORD:
“1. CONFORMITY OF LIFE AND CONDUCT WITH MORAL PRINCIPLES; VOLUNTARY ADHERENCE TO RECOGNIZED LAWS OR STANDARDS OF CONDUCT; MORAL EXCELLENCE. 2. A PARTICULAR FORM OF MORAL EXCELLENCE; A MANIFESTATION OF THE INFLUENCE OF MORAL PRINCIPLES IN LIFE OR CONDUCT [PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE]. 3. CHASTITY OR SEXUAL PURITY…… 4. A PARTICULAR BENEFICIAL OR FEATURE INHERENT IN OR PERTAINING TO SOMETHING: AN ADVANTAGE [SHE EXTOLLED THE VIRTUE OF THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION]……”
WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE TO EXTOL THAT WHICH IS THE WAY OF LIFE, OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, WOULD WANT US TO LIVE. HENCE WE STUDY HIS ENTIRE HOLY WORD AS RECORDED IN THE CHRISTIAN BIBLE, TO ASCERTAIN WHAT IS THE WILL OF GOD AS TO HOW TO CONDUCT OUR LIFE IN THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED. OUR MIND IS STAYED UPON HIM AND HIS SON CHRIST JESUS. WE HAVE THE MIND-SET OF BEING CLOSE TO THE GODHEAD, AND IN SO DOING THE WORLD AND SATAN CANNOT IMPACT US, TO TURN US AWAY FROM THE SALVATION WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO FOLLOW TO THE END.
BY HAVING THAT PERSONAL CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER AND HIS SON, THE TEMPTATIONS OF THE WORLD TO SIN, THE ARROWS OF THE DECEPTIONS OF THE DEVIL, OUR HUMAN NATURE— ALL THREE THAT WOULD PULL US AWAY AND BACK INTO LIVING, PRACTICING SIN, AS A WAY OF LIFE, CAN NEVER INFLUENCE US TO THAT END RESULT, BUT WILL KEEP US WALKING ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE.
YES WE MAY SLIP, WE MAY FALL, WE STILL AT TIMES SIN, AS THE APOSTLE JOHN TELLS US IN HIS FIRST EPISTLE; WE ARE STILL HUMAN AND WE STILL SIN AT TIMES; THEN JOHN GOES ON TO TELL US WHAT WE MUST DO, AND WHO WE HAVE AS OUR ADVOCATE OR INTERCESSOR. WE TAKE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM WHAT JOHN WROTE; WE TAKE ENCOURAGEMENT BY WHAT PAUL WROTE IN ROMANS 7.
AS LONG AS OUR MIND-SET HAS A HUMBLE ATTITUDE OF REPENTANCE, AND A DESIRE TO CONTINUE IN THE WAY OF THE LORD, WE HAVE THE VICTORY!
AS WE READ THROUGH THE EPISTLES OF PAUL WE FIND MANY CHURCHES THAT HAD PROBLEMS WITH “VIRTUE” — THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH MORALITY; MANY GENTILES CAME FROM A BACKGROUND THAT HAD TEMPLE PROSTITUTES OR OTHER WORKS OF IMMORALITY. TODAY IN MANY OF THE SOCIETIES OF THE WORLD WE HAVE MORAL AND SEXUAL SINS THAT ARE PASSED OFF AS “NORMAL” - IT’S NOW “NORMAL” TO HAVE SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE; IT’S “NORMAL” TO BE HOMOSEXUAL OR LESBIAN, OR BI-SEXUAL; IT’S NOW “NORMAL” TO HAVE SAME SEX MARRIAGES; IT’S BECOMING “NORMAL” TO BE THE “OTHER SEX” THAN WHAT YOU WERE BORN. IT’S BEEN “NORMAL” FOR A NUMBER OF DECADES NOW, TO HAVE AN ABORTION IF YOU DESIRE.
THE TRUE CHRISTIAN MUST COME TO SEE WHAT GOD CALLS NORMAL, AND RIGHTEOUS, AND SO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE FATHER’S STANDARDS. IT’S ONE OF THE THINGS WE MUST BUILD ON TO THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH, TO ENABLE US TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO GOD TO THE END.
PETER TELLS US TO ADD TO THIS…. KNOWLEDGE!
O WHAT A HUGE SUBJECT THAT IS——
THOSE WHO REJECT KNOWLEDGE ARE DESTROYED: “MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE: BECAUSE YOU HAVE REJECTED KNOWLEDGE, I ALSO WILL REJECT YOU, THAT YOU SHALL BE NO PRIEST TO ME: SEEING YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE LAW OF YOUR GOD, I WILL ALSO FORGET YOUR CHILDREN” [HOSEA 4: 6].
IT IS A SERIOUS MATTER TO REJECT KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND THE LAW OF GOD!
“A WISE MAN IS STRONG; YES, A MAN OF KNOWLEDGE INCREASES STRENGTH” [PROVERBS 24: 5].
STRENGTH TO STAND AGAINST ALL ASSAULTS TO DESTROY YOU FROM SALVATION, IS GAINED BY KNOWLEDGE; OF COURSE WE ARE SPEAKING OF HAVING KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND HIS TRUTHS IN HIS WORD. KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTHS OF GOD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BE DECEIVED BY THE WORLD, HUMAN PHILOSOPHY, FALSE RELIGIONS, AND DECEPTIONS OF THE DEVIL.
“TEACH ME GOOD JUDGMENTS AND KNOWLEDGE: FOR I HAVE BELIEVED YOUR COMMANDMENTS” [PSALM 119: 66].
BELIEVING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD MUST GO HAND IN HAND WITH GOD GRANTING YOU KNOWLEDGE IN A DEEP AND DESIRABLE WAY TO ETERNAL LIFE. HOW MANY TODAY BELIEVE THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD? YOU SAY YOU DO? YOU SAY YOU THINK GOD’S TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE STILL TO BE OBEYED? OKAY, SO WHAT ABOUT THE 4TH ONE, THE LONGEST IN WORDS OF ALL TEN. DO YOU BELIEVE THE WORDS? THE WEEKLY SABBATH IS THE 7TH DAY, NOT THE 1ST OR THE 6TH! YOU THINK KEEPING ANY DAY AS THE WEEKLY SABBATH IS FINE WITH GOD? NO! IT CERTAINLY IS NOT! MUCH TIME AND SPACE IS DEVOTED ON MY WEBSITE TO PROVING THE 7TH DAY SABBATH HAS NEVER BEEN ABOLISHED OR CHANGED TO SOME OTHER DAY.
“HOW LONG, YOU SIMPLE ONES, WILL YOU LOVE SIMPLICITY? AND THE SCORNERS DELIGHT IN THEIR SCORNING, AND FOOLS HATE KNOWLEDGE?” [PROVERBS 1: 22].
GOD SAYS IT IS FOOLS WHO HATE KNOWLEDGE! THE SIMPLICITY HERE IS WHAT WE CALL TODAY “THE SIMPLE MINDED”—- NO DEPTH TO THEIR MIND, AKIN TO BEING DAFT, A COG MISSING AS THEIR BRAIN TURNS— THE OPPOSITE TO THE MIND OF GOD!
“BUT YOU HAVE SET AT NOUGHT ALL MY COUNSEL, AND WOULD NONE OF MY REPROOF, I ALSO WILL LAUGH AT YOUR CALAMITY; I WILL MOCK WHEN YOUR FEAR COMES; WHEN YOUR FEAR COMES AS DESOLATION, AND YOUR DESTRUCTION COMES AS A WHIRLWIND; WHEN DISTRESS AND ANGUISH COMES UPON YOU. THEN SHALL THEY CALL UPON ME, BUT I WILL NOT ANSWER: THEY SHALL SEEK ME EARLY, BUT THEY SHALL NOT FIND ME. FOR THAT THEY HATED KNOWLEDGE, AND DID NOT CHOOSE THE FEAR OF THE LORD. THEY WOULD NONE OF MY COUNSEL: THEY DESPISED MY REPROOF. THEREFORE THEY SHALL EAT THE FRUIT OF THEIR OWN WAYS, AND BE FILLED WITH THEIR OWN DEVICES” [PROVERBS 1:25-31].
PRETTY-WELL SHOOTING FROM THE HIP, COMING STRAIGHT AT YA! EASY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD IS SAYING HERE; YOU HATE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM AND HIS WAYS OF LIFE, YOU ARE IN DEEP TROUBLE ONE DAY!
“WHEN WISDOM ENTERS INTO YOUR HEART, AND KNOWLEDGE IS PLEASANT UNTO YOUR LIFE: DISCRETION SHALL PRESERVE YOU, UNDERSTANDING SHALL KEEP YOU; TO DELIVER YOU FROM THE WAY OF EVIL PERSON….WHO LEAVE THE PATHS OF UPRIGHTNESS, TO WALK IN THE WAYS OF DARKNESS; WHO REJOICE TO DO EVIL, AND DELIGHT IN THE FROWARDNESS OF THE WICKED” [PROVERBS 2: 10-14].
WHAT IS THE BIBLE DEFINITION OF “THE WICKED”? IT IS FOUND IN PSALM 119: 53— “HORROR HAS TAKEN HOLD UPON ME BECAUSE OF THE WICKED THAT FORSAKE YOUR LAW”
KNOWLEDGE WILL KEEP YOU FROM THE WICKED; KEEP YOU FROM BEING ONE OF THE WICKED IN YOUR WAY OF LIVING LIFE! THE WICKED LIVE AS A WAY OF LIFE, BREAKING THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD!
“THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE; BUT FOOLS DESPISE WISDOM AND INSTRUCTION” [PROVERBS 1: 7].
IF YOU TRULY HAVE A DEEP RESPECTFUL FEAR OF THE LORD, YOU START ON THE ROAD TO TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ETERNAL GOD!
“RECEIVE MY INSTRUCTION, AND NOT SILVER; AND KNOWLEDGE RATHER THAN CHOICE GOLD” [PROVERBS 8: 10].
THAT IS HOW IMPORTANT GOD TELLS YOU THAT TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM AND HIS WAY OF LIFE, IS FOR YOU TO HAVE; MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY PHYSICAL RICHES.
“FOR THE PRIESTS LIPS SHOULD KEEP KNOWLEDGE, AND THEY SHOULD SEEK THE LAW AT HIS MOUTH; FOR HE IS THE MESSENGER OF THE LORD OF HOSTS” [MALACHI 2: 7].
HOW MANY MINISTERS TODAY WILL TEACH AND PREACH OUT BOLDLY, TO YOU, WHAT I TEACH ON MY WEBSITE? VERY FEW! YOU NEED TO GET YOUR NOSE AND MIND INTO STUDYING GOD’S HOLY WORD FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION; YOU NEED TO DESIRE THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUE GOD. ONLY WHEN YOU DO AS JESUS SAID, “SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES…..” WILL YOU FIND THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD, AND THOSE WHO TEACH IT.
GOD’S KNOWLEDGE GIVES SALVATION——
“TO GIVE KNOWLEDGE OF SALVATION UNTO HIS PEOPLE, BY THE REMISSION OF SINS” [LUKE 1: 77].
AS SHOCKING AS IT MAY SOUND, VERY FEW, I MEAN VERY FEW, UNDERSTAND THE WAY OF SALVATION! I MAKE IT VERY PLAIN FOR YOU IN MY STUDY CALLED “SAVED BY GRACE” AND OTHER STUDIES ON REPENTANCE, FAITH ETC. UNDER THE SECTION “SALVATION, LAW AND GRACE” ON MY WEBSITE, AND
ON MY BLOG.
“WOE UNTO YOU LAWYERS, FOR YOU HAVE TAKEN AWAY THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE: YOU ENTERED NOT IN YOURSELF, AND THEM THAT WERE ENTERING IN YOU HINDERED” [LUKE 11: 52].
THE THEOLOGIANS OF TODAY, 99 PERCENT OF THEM, DO NOT TEACH THE WAYS OF THE LORD; THEY ARE DECEIVED THEMSELVES BY THEIR OWN THEOLOGY SCHOOLS, OR THEY KNOW THE TRUTHS I TEACH, BUT WILL NOT TEACH THEM, FOR THEY WILL LOOSE THEIR PAY-CHECK AND THOSE WHO FOLLOW THEM. THEY TEACH WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR; THE PEOPLE PAY THEM TO TEACH WHAT THEY THE PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR. AND THE WHEEL KEEPS TURNING!
THERE ARE MANY MORE VERSES ON THE SUBJECT OF KNOWLEDGE! MANY MANY MORE!
TAKE SOME HOURS SOMETIME AND OPEN UP TO THE WORD “KNOWLEDGE” IN STRONG’S CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE, AND LOOK UP EVERY PASSAGE WHERE THAT WORD IS USED IN THE KJV BIBLE.
“BUT GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST….” [2 PETER 3: 18].
THAT MEANS YOU STUDY THE VERY WORDS OF JESUS CHRIST AS FOUND IN THE NEW TESTAMENT!
PEOPLE WANT TO RAISE THEIR HANDS, PRAISE JESUS, CRY OUT HIS NAME, SING ABOUT HIM AS OUR SAVIOR, SHEDDING HIS BLOOD TO WASH AWAY OUR SINS, TO GIVE US JUSTIFICATION AND SALVATION WITH GOD THE FATHER—— BUT MOST OF THEM ARE IGNORANT OF WHAT HE SAID AND WHAT HE TAUGHT; THEY DO NOT STUDY HIS WORDS TO BE CORRECTED AND TO GAIN THE KNOWLEDGE OF TRUTH, AS HE TOLD IT, AS HE SAID THE FATHER TOLD HIM WHAT TO SAY AND WHAT TO DO.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF CHRISTIANS ARE BIBLE ILLITERATE; THEY HAVE NEVER STUDIED WHY THEY DO THE THINGS THEY DO; THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TODAY’S CHRISTIAN CUSTOMS HAVE ORIGINATED FROM; SOME WHO DO, SHRUG IT OFF FOR THEY ARE TAUGHT THE PAGAN CUSTOM IS NOW SPRINKLED WITH HOLY WATER, AND IS SO MADE RIGHTEOUS AND GOD ACCEPTS IT.
NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH!
IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN FAITHFUL TO THE END IN GOD’S TRUTHS, WHO MUST LOVE KNOWLEDGE! AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD COMES BY DEEPLY STUDYING ALL THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD.
WITHOUT LOVING THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD YOU ARE ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE TO DESTRUCTION!
ADDING VIRTUE SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE TO THE BEDROCK OF FAITH, ARE TWO IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS TO NEVER FALLING AWAY!
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