Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

One of my greatest sorrows is having someone reject the Truth just because another human shows them the Truth and they decide to reject the Word of God even the Word’s of Jesus Christ Himself.

One of the greatest false teachings that is going around is that all that is needed is God’s grace, and that is all that is required. They say this is the new covenant. The core of the new covenant is found in Luke chapter sixteen.

Luke 16:16 NKJV – “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it.

Here there is a problem. Because those that use this verse and then accuse those that show the error of their ways of not using the Bible in context. So, let us look at this in context.

Christ had just given a parable about caring for the money and property which belongs to someone else. As we actually study this parable the master is God and the money and property are His as well. The core of this message is we are not to keep our wealth unto ourselves but use it for God since it is truly His money and property that we are given stewardship over.

This leads to this being said by Jesus:

Luke 16:13 NKJV – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Which leads to this action by the Pharisees and Christ response.

Luke 16:14-17 NKJV – Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. “The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.

Let’s look deeper into parts of this.

“Everyone is pressing into it.”

Passeth – G971 – biazó – to force, to crowd oneself into, come forward violently.

What this is saying is that all have now been forced into the law that was originally only for the Jewish people. This is made very clear in the next verse:

“And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.”

This is saying that the laws are given to all humanity, and they must follow them as well. This new covenant is for ALL and ALL are required to follow those laws which were not taken away by the death and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. These laws are governed by these verses:

Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV – Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Yet millions misquote Luke 16:16, take it out of context. Because they don’t understand all the words within it. Or more accurately denying the truth so it would allow them to sin freely. Believing they were one with God through their faith in grace.

All the while denying what we are taught in the book of James.

James 2:14-26 NKJV – What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

What this means is that once we receive God’s grace by accepting Christ as our Savior. We are required to take an active role in our part of our salvation. This is shown in John 15.

John 15:1-10 NKJV – “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

However, many would rather attack and belittle those speaking the Truth rather than accept what the Bible teaches. They get angry and cause conflict because what is being said means they have been wrong. They don’t want to accept the trap they have made for themselves. A trap much like a bear trap, but instead of entrapping their leg it has ensnared their very soul. Their anger against those speaking the Truth is like they are biting and tearing at their own limb that is stuck in the trap. Tearing at it to free themselves from the steel jaws trapping them.

What is worse is their emotional response is verification that what they have accepted is a lie that is truly leading them to damnation instead of toward the salvation they imaged they were headed toward. Here are the verses giving this validation.

 Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV – Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

They show hatred for those that tells them the Truth. They respond in an outburst of wrath. They cause contention between others that are seeking the Truth making it nearly impossible for people to communicate as equals. Each of these actions is a bite and a tear into their leg that is caught in the trap of damnation instead of on the journey to salvation they thought they were upon.

They must study the Bible. Not read it study it. They must accept the Truth.

First, salvation can be lost.

Second, they are not the center of the universe. God is.

They must surrender to God and make Him the center of their life. They must follow the teachings of Jesus Christ when it comes to discipleship. They must truly count the cost and pay the price required.

Luke 14:26-33 NKJV – “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

“So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

What is all they have?

Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

They must surrender what the world offers.

1 John 2:15-17 NLT – Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

James 3:13-17 NKJV – Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.

I pray they will awaken. I pray they will come to hear the real and complete Truth. Sooner rather than later. For time is running out. Christ is soon to return. So many will be left behind. I know this already, but I don’t want to accept this. I must try to help. I must try to awaken them to the True Word of God. Accepting that salvation can be lost. I don’t wish any to have their names removed from the Book of Life. I know the first rapture will be small. I know the next will be in the billions. It is still sad that they must suffer in the tribulation, but that is their choice. As it should be. All due to free-will.

God Bless