Not Having Biblical Faith Is Dangerous 

Warranties are so important for things like cars and houses. Even medical policies we call insurance are a must because most of us couldn’t afford the out of pocket expenses if things go wrong or they break. Imagine people’s surprise when they get a repair bill for their car or a hospital bill and discover the policy they purchased in good faith doesn’t covering their problem. This happens either the policy was misrepresented by the sales person or we failed to read the fine print before purchasing. The same can happen with our expectation of what salvation is all about. We can be told one thing by pastors and teachers in the body of Christ only to discover when we die that we were told the wrong thing and we are not welcomed into God’s embrace.

Jesus told a story about being prepared when we meet the Lord at the end of our life, or at the second coming of Christ. The parable uses the image of a wedding invitation.  Ten virgins are invited to meet the bridegroom to welcome him to the wedding ceremony. Five were foolish and five were wise. When the bridegroom showed up the foolish girls found themselves locked out, even though they had been invited. They couldn’t understand why and they banged on the door to be let in. They were told, “I Never Knew You” by the Master. These foolish girls did not prepare as they should have. Their foolishness was that they neglected to prepare.

Matthew 25:1-2

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise.” 

Scripture is written to prepare us for a relationship with God, and for the second coming of Jesus, so we are ready when the time comes. Jesus clearly taught many times about the danger of being unprepared. Eternity is at risk for us.  If we fail to meet the Lord’s requirements or we neglect our walk with the Lord here on earth we will have a rude awakening about our false beliefs or our false practices.

This leads me to a subject I have studied  for nearly 52 years: God’s unconditional love. You will never find that Word “UNCONDITIONAL” in scripture. The word and concept behind this modern idea comes from the desire to believe God’s love will always overlook and compensate for our bad choices, rebellion or selfishness regardless of our intentions or actions. For God to forgive people without repentance and transformation would make God irresponsible and unjust. Although God is the most loving being in the universe he is not a fool to pardon unrepentant sinners. 

Modern preaching first embraced this idea of unconditional love in the 1950s because it enabled pastors to give invitations for people to embrace Jesus more easily in church services. Instead of hell fire and damnation preaching of the past, preaching love was more acceptable to the masses. Consequently, unconditional love has been taught by nearly all in the body of Christ because of the the desire of pastors and churches to see people “Accept Jesus” and have large crowds returning each Sunday. We all want people to find Christ and his redemption, but what if we are making the conditions so easy in order to “Get Saved” that we actually encourage people in a salvation that God does not accept? What if such easy conditions for salvation and a walk with God are contrary to the whole context and goal of scripture?  The justification for such teaching on unconditional love hinges on the concept that salvation is all of God and not the works of man. Supposedly man cannot do anything to get saved because that would imply he is earning salvation.  This teaching hinges on Ephesians 2:6

Ephesians 2:8-9

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. 

Paul spoke this way because the Jews were taught they had to work their way to God, much like the Catholics do, or they land in purgatory. Paul spoke more fully in the Romans 8 about what leads to life or death. Our choices make the difference. If we have no choice in the matter of salvation, and choosing Jesus as our Lord and Savior is purely an act of God, then God sending millions to hell is because God wants them there. How awful to charge God with an injustice like this when scripture clearly states that God does not desire any to be lost, but for all to come to salvation.

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow in doing what he promised—the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to be lost, but he wants all people to change their hearts and lives.

How people were taught 50-100 years ago about God’s attitude concerning what it takes to be forgiven and experience genuine salvation was vastly different than it is today. In the past people were encouraged and challenged to take a hard look at their conduct and heart motives in order to make a real and lasting decision to forsake their old life for a life with Christ. Today, because of the preaching about unconditional love, people are told to merely say a simple prayer without evaluating what God requires of them for salvation, and what God expects from their lifestyle. 

Here is the problem: If God requires more than a simple prayer for salvation to be genuine, and we tell people otherwise, what happens when theses people die and face the Lord at the judgement? Will God compromise what His word teaches about the cost of biblical salvation and the cost of walking with God, or will He have to turn those people away because they kept living contrary to His word? Calling ourselves Christians doesn’t make it so, nor just because some teacher or preacher told us we are saved. We should be certain we have embraced a new life with Christ and not merely a rubber stamp called Christianity. We should be certain about what scripture says about sharing Christ with unbelievers so we don’t communicate a false idea of redemption. Consider the rich young ruler, who wanted eternal life and then realized Jesus required complete surrender. God requires the same wholehearted decision from each one of us and not just some emotional need or hunger.

Mark 10:17 & 21

As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Now take the concept of God’s love having the nature of being UNFAILING towards humanity. This concept and word are found many times in scripture, and are meant to encourage people to trust God wholeheartedly because His love won’t fail us if we put our faith and trust in Him. Knowing that God’s love is powerful and capable is meant to instill confidence with God in the face of hardship and difficulties. 

The idea of unconditional love is meant to ease feelings of guilt over sinful choices.  It does not instruct us to analyze how those choices hurt us and get us to drop our guard in the battle against Satan and sinful desires. If there are no consequences to our sinful habits, then it doesn’t matter if we sin or not. Then we no longer believe in the law of the the Lord, but rather we believe in God’s word as mere advice! The apostle Paul gave us clear warning that certain behavior was not acceptable with God and we will experience severe consequences of such action unless we repent. Dose this sound like unconditional love?

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 

We all can surely quote the verse in John 3:16-17 which exemplifies God’s UNFAILING love, but not unconditional love. No woman or man in their right mind would, or should, ever tell their future spouse that they give him or her unconditional love. To do so would mean their future spouse could cheat on them, having sex with as many people as they want, knowing their future spouse will always love them and forgive them, regardless of what they do. God, in telling us He has UNFAILING, love does not imply it is unconditional. It implies His love is GIGANTIC but not stupid.

John 3:16-17

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 

The whoever “BELIEVES” is not the idea of mental acceptance, but is the idea of committing to and relying upon. God does not do this, we do because salvation is a covenant agreement between two parties, us and God. Salvation is not a one sided issue were God does all the heavy lifting while we float along with no participation. It is a joint agreement in which God agrees to forgive us if we agree to stop our independence and rebellion.

Understanding biblical principles are meant to free us from thinking about God and his ways incorrectly and thus living contrary to God’s desire. If our concept of God, His character and his ways are more based on personal feelings and desires we will end up living far below the standards God requires for His fellowship, forgiveness and provision.

King David wrote a lot about God’s character and his love. God confessed that David was a man after his own heart even though David messed up many times. What always brought David back from sin was knowing about God’s unfailing love. That God’s love was so vast that even when mistakes are made He will forgive if we acknowledge them and repent of them. 

Psalms 143:8

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

John the apostle knew and expressed the same things about God and his unfailing love. God is willing to forgive those who confess and repent, but not if they continue in their sin regardless of if they call themselves Christian or not.

 1 John 1:9-10

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

Let me leave you with this thought. God loves us so very much that Jesus had to die in order for us to be forgiven. Embrace God’s unfailing love . . . but please don’t abuse His generosity and expect God to smile on you.

Psalms 52:8

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever.

Questions:

1) Has believing God’s love is unconditional encouraged you to be sloppy in your love for him? Taking God’s love for granted ruins our steadfast love for him. 

2) Have you understood and embraced God’s UNFAILING love? Doing so will change your passion and love for him and help you resist compromise.

Loving the word of God and his Unfailing Love,

Pastor Dale