Foundation 2
The Second Foundation: Faith Towards God
The Bronze Altar
The First Stage of Salvation
Forgiveness of Sins, Plural
Leo Fenton
January 1, 2013
In this document I will try to make a distinction between Bible Salvation and the popular approach to salvation that is based wholly upon "forgiveness of sins", plural.
The Bible kind of Salvation is experiential, while the doctrinal kind of salvation may only be conceptual.
This term "conceptual salvation" refers to our ability to imagine and understand various ideas and accept them as logical but does not result in any actual experience or a new creation.
"Conceptual salvation" might be based upon some natural understanding of basic facts.
Faith can be based upon certain statements we perceive as true. Therefore, our faith may just be horizontal, natural, logical and just by human understanding.
This kind of faith or belief may only be a confidence or assurance that is just factual, intellectual and doctrinal, while "Faith Toward God" begins out of an inner life assurance that originates in God.
It is ONLY this kind of faith that provides a supporting Foundation for the Christian / Kingdom Life!
While this realm of faith seems rather abstract (without details) we can easily understand that this "faith" is vertical and attached wholly to God.
This "faith" is not in something visible or even logical but is an INNER Confidence in the ultimate reality of a revealed "eternal truth."
It is not just conceptual but is attached to an eternal Truth that is Alive with Life in every dimension.
Bible Salvation is NOT received as something intellectual and based upon certain understanding of scriptural evidence.
Bible Salvation is a subjective, inner life event and must become an experiential reality!
Therefore, salvation that is based only upon a verse or two is questionable and possibly dangerous. Why?
This is because it may give a false confidence that one is "saved" because they accept certain facts as true.
Bible Salvation must create a radical change in the individual.
Each individual that is "saved" must become a New Creation within a corporate group of New Species persons.
This corporate group of New Species persons is called "church" or His called out ones.
"Called out ones" refers to those who have been separated from the old species after first Adam.
Vine's Expository Dictionary gives a definition of salvation based upon a composite of many Scriptures.
Vine's conclusion is this; Salvation is the sum of ALL the blessing bestowed upon man by God, in Christ, through the Holy Spirit!
Even though this is still rather abstract it does indicate that Bible Salvation is much more than forgiveness of sins.
Of course this statement of "salvation" is still just man-centered and only indicates what man receives from God.
The greater reality is defined by what God receives from "our salvation."
God "saves us" and "calls us" to fulfill "His Eternal Purpose!"
This aspect of our salvation is largely ignored.
I searched several commentaries about "salvation" and all conclude that salvation is man-centered and they refer to what God has done FOR man.
What God must do IN man through "salvation" (to prepare and develop man) is largely ignored.
What God will do THROUGH a genuinely "saved and mature man" both now and in Eternity Future is not even an issue in any of the commentaries in my computer.
Bible Salvation, that is designed by God, is based upon the Highest Truth and produces an Absolute Reality which becomes an inner Life Altering Experience.
A "New Species" called "Christian" is the result.
From this VERY simple "explanation" it becomes clear that "Bible Faith" is still VERY ABSTRACT when viewed within the intellectual realms.
This can be confusing because of the lack of logical details connected with "Bible Salvation."
What actually takes place in the interior of a person who is "saved" goes beyond a simple explanation.
The conceptual salvation, that is so popular, can be easily explained by John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.
18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
This is VERY straight forward, clear, non-ambiguous, and appears to be the final answer to man's problems.
We are certainly NOT challenging this truth.
Our question involves another aspect of salvation that we see in the Scripture that these basic salvation verses do not address.
While these verses solve man's problems, how do these verses solve God's need to fulfill His Eternal Purpose?
How do these verses address these problems of:
· preparation for our function in the universal ministry of the body of our High Priest?
How do these verses address the establishing of "ministries" for the "perfection of the Saints" so the saints can qualify for the work of the New Covenant ministry?
We want to address these other aspects of Bible Salvation that we see in many other verses of Scripture that seem to transcend John 3:16, Ephesians 2 and Romans 10: 9 & 10.
2Tim 1:9 Who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His Own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity ,
10 but now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, Who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel,
11 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.
In so much of the "gospel" that is being preached, "He saved us" stops with this statement.
The fact that He "saved us to fulfill His purpose" and then He "calls us" to His predestined purpose which was established (set in stone) before the world is ALL linked to our salvation.
To ignore this aspect of "He saved us" seems to me to be either ignorant or dishonest!
My objection to this "partial gospel" is that it ignores what God is supposed to receive FROM our Salvation that becomes our responsibility.
This "partial gospel" then is wholly "man-centered" and only reveals what man receives from God.
For that reason multitudes of believers assume that they have no responsibility towards God to reciprocate for their Salvation.
(Here again we are NOT speaking about forgiveness of sins.)
This concept is totally rejected because it removes the "free aspect" from what is "called" salvation.
This is why we make a distinction between our "forgiveness of sins," which is freely given" with our full salvation which requires our participation with God and our obligation to fulfill His PURPOSE for saving us!
2Cor 6:1 And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain - 2 for He says, "AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU, AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU"; behold, now is "THE ACCEPTABLE TIME," behold, now is "THE DAY OF SALVATION"
3 giving no cause for offense in anything, in order that the ministry be not discredited,
4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,
6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, 7 in the Word of Truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true;
9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.
If we use this as a definition of Bible Salvation that includes the Maturity of Ministry, salvation takes on a much greater dimension of the fundamental elements of transformation.
Just believe something about Jesus and be saved seems rather shallow in the light of these Scriptures.
This is one of the very problems we have of "laying these Foundations" through "an explanation in document format."
"Conceptual Salvation" is much easier because it is based upon some proof verses that only requires that we "understand" and believe what is written and we are "saved."
The danger still remains of laying "Conceptual Foundations" that produce NO BIRTH!
We might wonder how the first church got "saved" when they didn't have these proof verses that are so popular today.
When we continue with our experiential Foundations for the Christian / Kingdom Life the problems of "Conceptual Foundations multiply. Why?
Let us take an example; If we take "Eternal Judgement" as the sixth Foundation, how will the Bible Facts and Details" of "eternal judgement" affect our life style?
Will this doctrine linked to the Book of Revelation take a leading role and overshadow our understanding of the other Foundations?
Will this doctrine as a "Foundation" eliminate all other Foundations as we have seen with certain "end time" ministries?
What exactly is the "EXPERIENCE" of Eternal Judgement?
Is "eternal judgement" meant to be a terrifying and foreboding event and how does that form a Foundation for the Christian Life?
Well, maybe "eternal judgement" is not for the church but just for the unbelievers, as is the popular pulpit concept today!
What about the experiential reality of "the laying on of hands" as a foundational experience.
Who is supposed to do the "hands project" and how does that form a foundation for the Christian Life?
Is "laying on of hands" an objective ritual or is it a subjective experience?
Is this Foundation laid when we lay hands on a seeker or does it refer to someone laying hands on us?
In other words, each of these "Foundations" contain so many abstractions and distractions that they all may appear to be irrelevant.
It is little wonder that Hebrews 6 is relegated to the Millennial Reign and that it applies only to Israel according to some understanding?
However, these Foundations are NOT focused upon Israel but on the New Covenant believer going on to perfection or full maturity.
If these Foundations are required BEFORE we can go on then it is important that we discover what these experiences mean and how they work.
However, the abstract and confusing nature of these Foundations in Hebrews 6 makes categorizing and quantifying them VERY arbitrary and subjective.
This is precisely why we use the Tabernacle of Moses, from the Book of Hebrews, as the pattern that God has given us of spiritual, heavenly and eternal things.
God has invested over 40 chapters in the Whole Bible to reveal multiple details of the Tabernacle, the Priesthood AND the Sacrifices.
Why is this such an important thing to understand these word pictures?
Because, we need these specific details to explain the "abstractions" of "spiritual" words.
It is certainly NOT that the spiritual words are wrong or deceptive but simply that they must be understood from a different realm within the New Inner Life.
In several secular languages many of the "words" are ambiguous and can be interpreted in various ways.
In Bible Language for example; the Third Veil or the Ark of the Covenant or the Mercy Seat must be interpreted and shared by natural words!
However, the Tabernacle, the Priesthood and the Sacrifices provide us with many examples, scenes, actions, places and thought pictures that are a wonderful help in understanding God's eternal designs.
For example; these seven preparations in the
Outer Court clarify the things that only exist as an obscure idea or a conceptual Truth in other Scriptures.As an example; the doctrine of eternal judgement!
This presents an "obscure idea" that is not clearly expressed or easily understood.
However, it can be accepted as a doctrinal theory but Eternal judgement becomes unrecognizable as experiential Truth.
What we hear is "Well, the God I know would NOT throw ANYONE into a place as terrible as Hell."
Why is this conflicting "modern idea" so prevalent?
Because, it is conceptual (derived from a concept based upon our thoughts).
But what does Jesus say?
Mar 9:43 "And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, 44 [where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] 45 "And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than having your two feet, to be cast into hell,
46 [where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. ] 47 "And if your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out; it is better for you to enter the Kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell, 48 where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. 49 "For everyone will be salted with fire.
Mat 25:27 'Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28 'Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.'
29 "For to everyone who has shall more be given, and he shall have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
30 "And cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth .
The Scriptures are very clear about spending eternity in a very bad realm that will never, ever, be pleasant, happy or a blessing.
We can apply these verses to "Eternal Judgement."
Still, how could that be a "Foundation" for the Church that is already "saved?"
It is probably because the church needs to be warned about these things and about believers that produce NOTHING for God or are rejected from His Kingdom and are thrown into outer darkness.
But can't we just ignore this "Foundation" because the church is already "saved" and can never be lost?
Here again is another example of a "conceptual salvation" that has encouraged believers to accept this "concept" as eternal truth which is very questionable and could be another lie.
Hebrews 6 then gives us insight into how God views the "Foundations" and how we should recognize the lack of these Foundations in our life and in the lives of others.
The writer gives us the understanding that God is sovereign and can prevent us from "going on to perfection" if we ignore His standards and requirements.
Just reading the black words on white paper does not reveal what they mean or how they fit into God's Purpose.
It is for that reason that "laying the Foundations" requires a life changing reality in each of our lives.
This, then, is NOT a matter of finding a verse to support our concepts but in the reality of an actual experience that produces a life changing reality.
But how can we have the "experience" without a clear Biblical understanding?
This is WHY the "faith must be in God."
This is why "salvation" that is based upon a concept is so dangerous to our eternal destiny.
Salvation MUST be a life altering experience and not just a concept or a verse preached from a pulpit!
"Let me show you a verse that proves your salvation is assured" is a popular "message" but signifies nothing!
"Salvation by faith" then must become our actual experience in this "abstract realm" of ultimate reality.
"Salvation by grace through faith" has become such a common phrase that it has just become a "concept" without knowing what any of that means or how it works.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast.
This verse along with Romans 10: 9 &10 have become "proof verses" that guarantee us "salvation" if we just believe "something."
We are asked "do you believe that?" If we say "Yes", they assure us we are "saved."
Actually all we have agreed to is a concept or understanding based upon some verses.
Are the verses True?
Yes, of course the verses are true, but without a life altering reality and a new inner man they can only remain a "doctrinal truth that is conceptual and logical" but without the actual experience of "inner Life Salvation."
Another problem we always encounter is the linking "full salvation" to "forgiveness of sins!"
The "concept" is this; We are asked, "Has God forgiven your sins?
If we say "yes", then we are assured that we are "saved."
But is that what "Bible Salvation" really is?
We are NOT attempting to get you to doubt your salvation but to explain why these Foundations MUST be actual experiences.
A "conceptual / doctrinal / ritual" baptism in water may get you wet but if it produces NO BIRTH there will be no experience.
Faith toward God is essential for any baptism to be authentic in the realm of "Bible Salvation."
Why should we be concerned with something as basic as "salvation" in which most "believers" are already satisfied?
This is because, when we look at "all" the Scriptures referring to "salvation" we discover various stages of salvation and salvation based upon several different personal experiences.
For example; By now multitudes have been "indoctrinated" into believing Ephesians 2 and Romans 10: 9 &10 is "full salvation."
Will these groups be able to accept another Scripture that says Salvation is based upon our obedience?
No! This verse in Hebrews becomes VERY offensive to those who only accept a "grace and faith" kind of full salvation. Why?
Because their "concept" excludes anything except "grace and faith" that applies to our "so great a Salvation."
Heb 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
To attempt to twist this verse or modify it to make it mean forgiveness of sins is really silly, lacking in common sense, trivial, feeble and then ridiculous.
This "doctrinal rejection" just reveals a lack of genuine concern for the believer's full salvation.
Some "good believers" seem to have no capacity or ability to comprehend spiritual reality themselves.
They can only believe what they have been told to believe by others!
This can hardly be a foundation that qualifies as "faith towards God!"
Mat 12:47 And someone said to Him, "Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You." 48 But He answered the one who was telling Him and said, "Who is My mother and who are My brothers?"
49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, "Behold, My mother and My brothers! 50 "For whoever does the Will of My Father Who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother."
It is generally thought that anyone who accepts Jesus as personal Savior is our brother or sister.
However, Jesus is VERY clear about whom He accepts as His brothers or sisters.
He only acknowledges those who do the will of God as part of His family.
Mat 7:19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 "So then, you will know them by their fruits.
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the Will of My Father Who is in Heaven.
"But, Brother, isn't bearing good fruit just works that can never save us?"
This verse is NOT so complicated that many cannot understand it! Then how did we get these strange doctrines into the visible church?
Why are these conflicting "doctrines" so common?
Simply because the "ministry" has become more "conceptual" than experiential.
Therefore, our "doctrines" are related to our concepts rather than a spiritual enlightenment and understanding coming from the Living and Abiding Word of God!
But why do we have these seemingly contradictory Scriptures?
If we believe in our heart and confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, doesn't that guarantee us full salvation?
A pastor in Miami told us "that Romans 10:9 & 10 is the only verse I need to lead someone to the Lord."
Why is this "concept" so universally accepted?
It is probably because so many churches are just concerned about "winning souls" and NOT about preparing believers to participate in God's Eternal Plans!
But, how is this possible?
It all begins "conceptually." We begin with a partial-truth like "forgiveness of sins equals full salvation."
Then in order to support and maintain our "concepts as doctrines" we twist every other Scripture that tells us something different.
The root cause is that the "minister" has ONLY experienced "forgiveness of sins" and therefore he limits his message to this half-truth.
If we point that out, the response is that we don't believe the Bible or in forgiveness of sins.
They easily conclude that we obviously don't believe in Jesus.
For that reason they know we must be a cult!
Of course we cannot take this personally because we know something of the "system" that has produced this "conceptual religious assurance."
Nevertheless, these verses they use are NOT 100% false but without all the other verses they are still a half-truth.
Even this statement about "partial-truth" is reacted to with ridicule.
Thin-skinned people should stay away from the real message of the Gospel of the Kingdom and Eternal Salvation because it confronts so many "concepts and half-truths" that are sacred cows in the fundamental churches.
Of course this is ONLY a shallow and incomplete explanation of why this Foundation is neglected or declared irrelevant and unimportant.
The common answer is that "Well, we believe that EVERYTHING essential happened at Calvary and nothing can be added to that."
But isn't this second Foundation of "faith toward God" attached to Calvary and the sacrifice of Jesus?
Of course it does!
That is the basis of our faith but faith does NOT stop there and neither does "salvation." Why is that?
Because Calvary is about obedience, faith, example, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, ruling until every enemy is put under His feet, and that He is coming again to be King over a Kingdom of Priests.
He is now the Sovereign Head over a Body of Priests who are Mature Sons of God!
Will His Family be part of His Body?
Will this "Body" be connected to our "so great a salvation?"
Will His Body do the whole Will of God?
Yes! Otherwise it cannot be His Body.
Of course, His Body is the result and fulfillment of our So Great A Salvation!
Calvary is NOT just about blood but about the whole Feast of Passover, plus, the Feast of Pentecost, plus, the Feast of Tabernacles.
Calvary was NOT just about one sacrifice (the initial Sin offering) but fulfilled ALL the sacrifices.
Heb 2:2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense,
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard.
"Faith towards God" must be Alive and Active in establishing ALL the Foundations including:
· "Repentance from dead works",
· the "removing of the Old Garments",
· the putting on of New / Priestly Garments,
· the initial anointing,
· the Consecration Offering and
· Passage through the Second Veil.
Then we need to seriously address all the other experiences beyond the Initial Foundations that confront us in the Holy Place Function.
"But, Brother, what could possibly be beyond the Foundations?"
The complete
Holy Place and Most Holy Place preparation and function.That means the Lampstand Church that He is Building AND the Corporate Priesthood after the Order of Melchizedek.
To even think that we could be part of a Kingdom of Priests after the Order of Melchizedek WITHOUT being conformed to His image and doing the Will of God is ridiculous.
But where does "faith towards God" begin?
It must begin in "repentance from dead works" and then continue through all the other of our multiple preparations to participate in the Eternal Priesthood.
Still, our "Faith towards God" is solidified at Calvary or in the Tabernacle at the Bronze Altar and the shedding of Blood.
This is where it becomes a firm Foundation upon which we can then begin to build the Christian / Kingdom life!
Mat 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these Words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock.
25 "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock.
26 "And everyone who hears these Words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
27 "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall."
This is surely as clear as it can be.
Building upon a sturdy Foundation is NOT a matter of doctrine but is a matter of hearing His Words and acting upon them.
Any other method will fall apart during the trials and great is its fall.
"But can we still sit in a pew and listen to another irrelevant message?"
Of course, and no one will know the difference or that you built only upon sand!
If we could use a graphic to see how these Foundations become effective in our lives, experientially, and then grow in magnitude it might clarify this issue.
In power Point that would be easy.
If we view each Foundation as a strait line without much dimension this could indicate how we begin with each of the seven Foundations.
Seven lines = seven Foundations in their embryo stage.
This would show something real but shallow and not too effective but at least a beginning.
Then if we could show a box that represented each Foundation in its maturity it might clarify the "concept" of Growth.
The Height represents the effectiveness of each of the seven Foundations in our function and the length equals the Life altering aspect.
Each "Foundation" is designed to ADD something to us or REMOVE something from us!
Seven boxes = Seven Mature Foundations.
Unless our Foundations meet the Eternal Standard, God will NOT permit us to "Go On to Perfection" or on to the next dimension of our preparation for the Priesthood Ministry.
But why does God "protect this realm by not permitting us to go on?
Because, this involves the Lampstand Church AND the Body of Our High Priest which insists upon maturity to participate!
These "qualifications" are not negotiable and neither can they be modified.
Praying and fasting will not change God's mind about what He will accept.
How do we know that?
This is because these are the primary stages of ascending Mount Zion.
We should remember that the natural believer in Israel could not even ascend Mount Sinai because he was terrified by the presence of God.
How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation ?
That means a full salvation that can prepare us for Zion and the Throne of God.
Why is that important?
Because that is where the Body of our High Priest sits.
It is because of this tremendous goal of ascending to God's Ultimate Purpose that we must take a new look at Calvary and why this Foundation of "Faith towards God" is integrally linked to Calvary.
However, not just in its sins cancelling dimension (thank God for that) but in its total "so Great a Salvation" provision for us to fulfill the Eternal Purpose of God.
Let us be clear that we DO accept "forgiveness of sins" as our primary entrance into God's Purpose!
Why do we not accept "forgiveness of sins" to be "full salvation?"
Because, the Scriptures reveal that so much more took place at Calvary than forgiveness of sins.
2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him Who died and rose again on their behalf .
16 Therefore from now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Rom 14:7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself;
8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
He died for all at Calvary to produce a people who would no longer just live for themselves.
This explains WHY He died.
But didn't He die so we could be forgiven?
Yes! However, if we ignore these other aspects and provisions of Calvary we will miss an essential part of our Foundation. Why?
Because, if we are ignorant of the Will of God or "fail to do the Will of God" we will surely neglect so great a salvation.
So Great a Salvation MUST include these aspects of Calvary.
"One died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him Who died and rose again on their behalf."
Jesus Died for ALL on Calvary but NOT just so our sins could be forgiven but so that we would NO longer live for ourselves but for Him who died and rose again on our behalf.
Resurrection is inherently linked to Calvary and also provides eternal benefits for us.
Resurrection also places demands upon us!
To ignore the death, burial and resurrection that is integrally linked to our Baptisms (plural) is without excuse!
Passover was not just one sacrifice but a total feast.
Passover involved more than escape from the death of the first born but also deliverance from the bondage and slavery to the Egyptians in Egypt.
However, Passover also provided for their total escape from Egypt to pursue the ONLY path into the promises of God.
Thank God for forgiveness of sins but Calvary has provided so much more!
It is in the "so much more" that people stumble. Why?
Because, the "so much more" requires something from us and that is " we who live should no longer live for ourselves, but for Him Who died and rose again on their behalf."
Not one of us still lives for himself is a strange gospel to the casual believer.
In the visible church, it IS the "ordained" ministries who are convincing casual believers that Jesus is coming back for a lukewarm church as long as you just believe.
This contributes to the pitiful condition evident in the "church" now.
It is falsely taught that the casual believer be perfected during the rapture (on the way up) when the lukewarm church will be caught up to the Throne of God.
Very few can accept that the lukewarm believers will be vomited out of His body.
Very few believe that if a "believer" does not bring forth good fruit he is thrown into the fire and burned.
Rev 21:7 "He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8 "But for thecowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Why is this ignorance so prevalent and why is this tremendous danger ignored by multitudes?
It must be because the "gospel of salvation" denies these facts.
But why can they deny these things that are so plainly revealed?
It is most likely because what the Gospel of the Kingdom insists upon is received in some "conceptual" way that ignores the content and subject matter in the Scriptures.
The demands of the Kingdom are treated as abstract suggestions that CANNOT affect our salvation but just limit our rewards.
This "conceptual religion" has done more to destroy the visible church than the devil has ever done.
The devil is a piker alongside the liberal theologians in misdirecting the believers to believe a lie.
Why is this possible since we all have the same Bible?
My theory is that this can only be attributed to the lack of the proper Foundations for the Christian / Kingdom Life.
If the "theologians" are not committed to the Foundations, why should the believers be concerned?
2Cor 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;
14 Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds .
2Thess 2:13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the Truth. 14 And it was for this He called you through our Gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The sacrifice on Calvary is designed to develop a people who meet certain qualifications.
It was on Calvary that He gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession .
This "redemption" was for much more than forgiveness of sins .
This salvation of Calvary redeemed us!
Thank God, that is eternally true!
But it redeemed us to deliver us from every lawless deed and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession.
If we ignore this provision of Calvary, have we participated in His Full Salvation?
If we have not yet experienced a "salvation" that resulted in sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth, did we experience a full salvation?
2Peter 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins .
10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you .
Calvary has provided abundantly for the purification of our former sins.
Now, Peter links this to being diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you.
Why? Because, we still must take into account that we have been called to participate in His Kingdom Government.
Still, if we neglect this preparation and qualification we are blind and short-sighted and are still ignorant of WHY God saved us through Calvary and by participating in His death, burial and resurrection.
If there really was NOTHING beyond the forgiveness of sins, as some teach, then these transformations, sanctifications, promises would be redundant and irrelevant.
All these "purification" involve our "Faith towards God."
While this study is too limited to explain ALL that took place at Calvary, that is seen in type at the Bronze Altar in the Tabernacle of Moses, its purpose is to uncover a small portion of what "faith towards God" means to our actual experience.
If we ignore this "basic Foundation" we will certainly cut our self off from much of the purpose of God and most of the Eternal Rewards.
Luke 7:28 "I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."
29 And when all the people and the tax-gatherers heard this, they acknowledged God's justice, having been baptized with the baptism of John .
30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John. 31 "To what then shall I compare the men of this generation, and what are they like? 32 "They are like children who sit in the market place and call to one another; and they say, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'
The "Foundation" for the "believers" during this time of transition was John's Baptism.
This was a simple thing.
But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John.
The Pharisees and the Lawyers cut themselves off from any further purpose of God by ignoring John's Baptism.
What was the real failure of the people in those days of transition?
They were involved in irrelevant things dealing with outward religious concepts that ignored the times and seasons of the events in which they lived.
They were focused upon the irrelevant!
'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'
My concern is that this is still happening in the visible church today by ignoring these Foundations as Life changing experiences.
But, our church has never taught these things!
That will NOT be an acceptable excuse in that day when "eternal judgement" is a reality!