Thoughts & Insights

Beware of those who tell you that speaking in tongues is the necessary evidence of the Holy Spirit, and thus a requirement for salvation. This is a damnable works-based salvation. The only thing the gift of tongues was an evidence for was that the Gentiles were accepted into the church, which the Jewish Christians including Peter needed for affirmation that God had accepted them.

This whole view is destroyed in a single passage of Scripture. Paul clearly taught that not all speak in tongues:

"All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? ALL DO NOT SPEAK IN TONGUES, DO THEY? All do not interpret, do they?" ~ 1 Corinthians 12:29-30

My friends, Christianity has nothing to do with just living your life as you feel is right, every now and then looking for a single Bible verse or two to put a check in the box. If this is anyone's "Christianity," they do not have the real thing. I repeat: they do not have the real thing!

Christianity is an all-consuming love for Jesus Christ, a hunger and thirst after righteousness, a continual longing and burning desire to know the will of God and to walk in it, to meditate on it day and night, a persistent and progressive laboring and studying of the word of God to be fully acquainted with the ways and mind of God. All of this not for salvation but as a result and response to having received it, out of gratitude and love for the Savior who saves His people not only from Hell but from their sins as well.

Consider: If you despise the law of God (i.e., His word, will, and commandments) now, you will go on hating and despising it for eternity—in Hell. Just what do you think Heaven will be about? Running around lawlessly doing what you want? Heaven is the dream of every truly born-again saint because it is the place where they will, in perfect righteousness, be able to adore, honor, and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation prepares one for this blessedness: through regeneration God transforms the human heart by writing His law thereon and making it beat thenceforth for His glory and righteousness. If your heart still cringes upon the mention of God's law, and it to you is burdensome and grievous, you have not been born again, and you are not yet saved. Jesus declared, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matt. 5:6) yet cursed those whose lifestyles were characterized by a persistence in "lawlessness" (Matt. 7:23). Some may cry, "But you cannot judge, you do not know my heart!" Yet the Lord Jesus Christ declared: "The tree is known by its fruit."

For more read Romans 8:5-13

Consider standing before the judgment, in line behind popular musicians or celebrities such as Eminem, Lady Gaga, etc. Now after the Judge reads off all the wicked things they committed in life, which are written in the books, and they are cast into the lake of fire as justice requires, what do you expect would happen if you were next, knowing that the very things that consigned them to Hell were the things you yourself approved of in your listening and embracing of their work, and your delight and joy in the rebellion, perversity, and lawlessness by which they have persistently blasphemed God and His word?

Even after hearing such a dreadful fate as described by the fiery words of the Lord Himself, even after hearing that this fate would specifically fall upon him, Judas Iscariot still, unbelieving, went off to betray Christ. How frequent this happens today! When sinners and godless professing Christians hear of dreadful judgment looming ahead, and yet are still unmoved, ever persistent in their sinful endeavors.

Matthew 26:24-25 Jesus said, "Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself."

Your favorite songs, movies, and TV shows promote and glorify sin, blasphemy, and worldliness. You are careful to keep up with the trends of this world in the way you talk, walk, and dress, as you are more concerned about fitting in and being "cool" than you are about being holy and set apart. You may or may not attend church every Sunday. You desire the things of this world more than you do the things of God. You find pleasure more in "stuff" than you do the word of God. You prayed a prayer one time. You are a Christian? No, you are not.
..:: Philippians 3:18-19 ::..

A big indicator of where someone is at spiritually is the manner in which they deal with God. Nevermind what they say in Sunday school or sing in church; how is it that they deal with God in their normal, daily activity? How do they refer to Him in common conversation? What kinds of jokes do they themselves tell or laugh at? What are the types of media they take pleasure in? The Bible describes the ones who "have no fear of God before their eyes" as the wicked people of this world (Ps. 36:1; Rom. 3:18) whereas God has put His fear within the hearts of His own people, who are described in Scripture as those who fear and reverence Him, trembling before His word (Jer. 32:40; Isa. 66:1-2; Ps. 119:120).

One of the scariest things that results from this lack of fear is that they do not consider what they're doing to be sinful. They have no discernment regarding the sin in the things they're doing. And, even if they do realize or consider it a sin, the lack of fear prevents them from taking it seriously. It's like a man who's lost his ability to feel, who unknowingly places his hand over a fire…unable to feel any pain, his hand begins to melt and char black in the flames.

Professing Christian, ask yourself this: if there was no judgment, no eternal consequences for your actions, no punishment at all for sin, how would you live? Would you pursue your sinful pleasures? Would you live life to "the full"? Would you run wild? If you answer yes, you're heart remains unchanged, you are yet unregenerate, dead in sin, lost, and void of salvation.

Those who have truly been born again simply cannot pursue such sinful lifestyles—even if there was no judgment at all—because they have been given new hearts and new desires that long for righteousness and holiness:

"The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." ~ 1 John 3:8-9

The Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles Paul, James, and John said that many people claimed and would claim to know Him and call Him Lord. And yet, regarding the vast majority of these, John said they're liars and the truth is not in them (1 John 2:4), James said their claims are worthless (James 2:20), Paul said they actually deny Him by their works (Titus 1:16), and Jesus said He has and will never know them (Matthew 7:23).

Jesus was born to "save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). Many people boast and comfort themselves thinking Jesus saved them from Hell, but that's not the only thing He saves from. The question is this: Has He saved you from pornography? From a filthy mouth? From dishonoring your parents? Has He broken the chains of sin and given you the freedom to rise up and wage war against them? He does not save from Hell those whom He does not, as well, save from their sins.

Jesus said, "Everyone who practices sin is the slave of sin…if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:34-36). This is precisely why John the apostle declared, "The one who practices sin is of the devil" (1John 3:8). All whom Christ saves, He frees from the bondage of sin, and they are free indeed. This freedom is such a reality that John went on to say, "No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him" (1John 3:9).

Freedom from sin does not constitute sinlessness, but it does involve a newfound love and desire for righteousness, and an opposition and hatred for sin that once was not there. It springs forth the ability and desire to wage war against sin, and it progressively gains ground over it. When those who are freed from sin fall into it, it fills them with hatred, brokenness, and torment of conscience; they look to Christ, they rise up, and they fight their way out, following the Lord as He takes the lead and charges ahead.