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Not Everyone…

by Micky Galloway

Many think that all are entitled to the same thing as everyone else in the world. The Constitution of the U.S. says all are created equal. In religion most think they should receive salvation without any exacting conditions. Yet, there are conditions attached if we are to be justified by grace. Do you believe the Bible? The Scriptures teach that …

Not everyone will be saved. “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 who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Paul and Barnabas spoke of the Jews in Acts 13:46, “It was necessary that the word of God should first be spoken to you. Seeing ye thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” Others are so blinded by their own prejudice that they will not come to Christ for eternal life. Jesus speaking to the Jews said, “Ye search the scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of me; and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life” (John 5:39-40). Many will follow the wrong path. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. For narrow is the gate, and straitened the way, that leadeth unto life, and few are they that find it.” Unfortunately, among this multitude that follows the wrong path will be someone’s loved ones; mother or father, brother or sister, son or daughter (cf Matthew 10:37-39).

Not everyone who is religious will be saved. “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23). Paul describes himself as very religious in Galatians 1:13-14, yet he considered himself as “chief of sinners” (I Timothy 1:15). Paul prayed for Jews who were ignorant of God’s righteousness, that they might be saved. Even though they were religious, they were lost because they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:2-3). In ignorance, Paul declared, the religious leaders of the Jews crucified the Lord of glory (Acts 3:17; I Corinthians 2:8).

Not everyone who prays will be heard. The man born blind whom Jesus healed said, “We know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and do his will, him he heareth” (John 9:31; cf Proverbs 28:9). Sin separates man from God so that he will not hear. Isaiah clearly said, “Behold, Jehovah's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:1-2). For God to hear prayer, we must: keep His commandments (I John 3:22); ask in faith (James 1:6-7); ask in harmony with God’s will (I John 5:14-15); have the right motive (James 4:3); and ask in the name of Jesus, i.e. by his authority (John 14:13-14). God is not a spare tire that can be neglected and abused and then called upon in an emergency.

Not everyone who is a member of the church of Christ will be saved. “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:41-42). Concerning the ten virgins of Matthew 25:1-13, only those who were prepared (obedient) were permitted to enter in when the bridegroom came. Peter taught, “For the time (is come) for judgment to begin at the house of God: and if (it begin) first at us, what (shall be) the end of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous is scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and sinner appear?” (I Peter 4:17-18). What does this say about the lazy, the indifferent and negligent?

Not everyone loves the Lord. “If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments … He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him … Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:15,21,23). Obedience is evidence of our faith and love for the Lord (James 2:18). Our claims to love Him do not make it so.

Not everyone loves the truth. “And with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God sendeth them a working of error, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (II Thessalonians 2:10-12). Only the truth makes free from sin (John 8:32). It is unfortunate when one is not determined to “buy the truth and sell it not” (Proverbs 23:23).

There are some things, however, that everyone will do individually. There are no exceptions. Everyone will stand before God in judgment (Romans 14:12). There will be no absentees or excuses. Everyone will be judged by the things revealed in the Scriptures (John 12:48). The standard will be God’s word, the same for all, not the thoughts or opinions of men. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; But the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). There will not be even one atheist in hell. Whether you are ready or not, you will do these things. Should you die today are you prepared for that great day?

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