Authentic Christianity
By Masao Gonthier
The Bible says that “God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (Jn. 3:17), for He shall save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). Are you free from sin? He that is crucified with Christ is freed from sin by the power of the Gospel (Rom. 6:7): the same power that rose Christ from the dead (Eph. 1:19-20)! The Gospel cannot be accepted, believed, and laid hold upon except in the power of the Holy Ghost, but dead preachers preach dead sermons and though one might accept and believe it, they still remain dead in their sins. They are still alien to the Grace of God which makes men new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17), empowering them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live peculiarly, soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present word, hastening to His 2nd coming, zealous of good works (Tit. 2:11-14). False Christians know in their conscience that the right thing to do is to live a holy life, but they have never been saved by grace through faith. No matter how zealous they may be in their flesh, they do not have an inward working of Grace in their soul and are slaves to sin and compromise. These mimic Christ, are ever learning, but are never able to come to the knowledge of what it is to walk in Christ (2 Tim. 3:5-7).
They believed in a gospel that brought them to the Cross, but the preacher never pressed upon them by the power of the Holy Ghost to get on the Cross, that their life would end and the life of Christ would begin in their earthen vessels. Salvation is in a Person, the Biblical Christ, and His eye is upon those who are willing to condemn their self-righteousness (Is. 66:2). He will speak to those who are willing to submit to His righteousness no matter what the cost. Have you turned away from worldly sorrow and followed the Grace of God to your very personal crucifixion, burial, and resurrection with Him? “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:33). “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (Jn. 12:24-25). “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 Jn. 1:5-6). “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4). If any man be a slave to the lust of his flesh, eyes, and the pride of life; the love of the Father is not in him (1 Jn 2:15-16). Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (Jn. 3:3), the love of God has never been shed abroad in his heart.
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not grievous (1 Jn. 5:3). A disciple is not above his Master (Matt. 10:24). Such a glorious cross as His and an ingratiated denial of self will inevitably lead to your suffering, defamation, and persecution because you actually believe the Bible, plus a fading of every earthly joy coupled with a cheerful yet sober holiness that will well up like a geyser of God from the very citadel of your soul! “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Gal. 6:14). Are you crucified with Christ? Are you alive with a life “hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3)? Jesus said that in the last days we would be surrounded by false prophets on every side (Matt. 24:11) and that it shall be like the days of Noah (Lk. 17:26), few, only 8 people were saved in his generation (1 Pe. 3:20). “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Lk. 13:24). “Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake” (Lk. 6:21-22). “Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Lk. 6:25-26).
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (Jn. 3:19-20). “He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding” (Prov. 15:32). Jesus has a cross for everyone, even those who have been deceived by the Christianity of this world system. “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:17). To your cross dear friends, don’t deny your exit from this present evil world that God will judge with fire (2 Pe. 3:10, 2 Thess. 1:7-9).
They believed in a gospel that brought them to the Cross, but the preacher never pressed upon them by the power of the Holy Ghost to get on the Cross, that their life would end and the life of Christ would begin in their earthen vessels. Salvation is in a Person, the Biblical Christ, and His eye is upon those who are willing to condemn their self-righteousness (Is. 66:2). He will speak to those who are willing to submit to His righteousness no matter what the cost. Have you turned away from worldly sorrow and followed the Grace of God to your very personal crucifixion, burial, and resurrection with Him? “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:33). “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (Jn. 12:24-25). “God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 Jn. 1:5-6). “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4). If any man be a slave to the lust of his flesh, eyes, and the pride of life; the love of the Father is not in him (1 Jn 2:15-16). Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (Jn. 3:3), the love of God has never been shed abroad in his heart.
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not grievous (1 Jn. 5:3). A disciple is not above his Master (Matt. 10:24). Such a glorious cross as His and an ingratiated denial of self will inevitably lead to your suffering, defamation, and persecution because you actually believe the Bible, plus a fading of every earthly joy coupled with a cheerful yet sober holiness that will well up like a geyser of God from the very citadel of your soul! “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Gal. 6:14). Are you crucified with Christ? Are you alive with a life “hid with Christ in God” (Col. 3:3)? Jesus said that in the last days we would be surrounded by false prophets on every side (Matt. 24:11) and that it shall be like the days of Noah (Lk. 17:26), few, only 8 people were saved in his generation (1 Pe. 3:20). “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Lk. 13:24). “Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake” (Lk. 6:21-22). “Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Lk. 6:25-26).
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21). “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved” (Jn. 3:19-20). “He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding” (Prov. 15:32). Jesus has a cross for everyone, even those who have been deceived by the Christianity of this world system. “Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:17). To your cross dear friends, don’t deny your exit from this present evil world that God will judge with fire (2 Pe. 3:10, 2 Thess. 1:7-9).
