The Heaton File

Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” (Mark 1:23-27)

Demons Obey Him, But People Don’t

Jesus had the power to heal all diseases, to set aside the laws of nature (walking on water), to raise the dead, and to cast out demons. The miracles of Jesus could be performed even when Jesus was not present at the sick person’s location. He could speak, and the power of God would heal or raise up. A woman with a blood issue touched the hem of His garment and was healed. All of these proved the man from Nazareth to be the Son of God. Multitudes came to Jesus to be healed and left completely restored to health from all diseases, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

One of the manifestations allowed by the Father during the ministry of Jesus and the early church was demon possession. There are numerous stories of demon possession in men, women, and children. A man of the country of the Gadarenes was possessed by a demon called Legion and was healed by the Finger of God. Often, when confronted by Jesus, the demons would cry out. They knew who the man from Nazareth was and called Him the Holy One of God. The demons knew their future was set in stone for destruction. Jesus rebuked the demons to not speak of Him as the Son of God. Their rebellious spirit continued to exalt itself against the Holy One as they taunted Jesus. Commanding them to be quiet, Jesus demanded the unclean spirit to come out.

As the people watched Jesus heal the man with an unclean spirit and the spirit obey, they realized the incredible power of Jesus. He commanded demons, and they obeyed Him. It was a new doctrine for them to see and hear how Jesus commanded the demons. The Jewish leaders had no teaching on this matter, and yet this man from Nazareth exercised complete control. How could a man with no pedigree show such power and authority? He commands the unclean spirits, and they obey Him. The people were amazed and marveled at Jesus, yet they failed to see the deeper truth that stood before them. If the demons knew Jesus was the Holy One of God and obeyed, why didn’t the people know Jesus was God and obey?

God created man in His image, a little lower than the angels. Man was created for the glory of God. From the beginning of time, God revealed Himself to the world so there would be no excuse for His creation not to honor and praise His name. While the demon world knew and believed Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, the world denied Jesus. The demons obeyed Jesus without fail. They called Him the Holy One of God because they believed Him to be the Christ without question. Jesus revealed His glory to the world, and men denied, ridiculed, and killed Him. The demons know their future is the second death. Man is given the choice of eternal life or facing the second death.

How is it possible that demons obey Jesus and man will not? The destiny of man is not set in stone unless he turns his heart away from the Son of God. There is never an occasion when a demon did not obey Jesus, but the scriptures are filled with men disobeying the words of Jesus. Even today, most of the world denies Jesus to be the Son of God, and yet the whole demon world believes and knows Jesus to be God’s Son. James will later observe that men boast they believe in Jesus and refuse to obey when the demons also believe but are damned. Faith alone will not save a demon. Why should it save a man? The demons obeyed Jesus because they knew who He was. If a man does not obey Jesus, he will not be saved.

Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.” So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:8-14)

The Man Without Proper Clothes

During the final weeks of the life of Jesus, the Jewish leadership challenged the teachings and authority of the Lord with greater fervor. Jesus answered their criticisms with parables to expose the hypocrisy of the chief priests and Pharisees. One parable described a king arranging his son’s marriage and sending invitations to all those called to the wedding. Everyone had other things to do. They ignored the invitation and chaffed at it, treating the messengers spitefully and killing some of them. This angered the king, and he sent his army to destroy the murderers, and he burned their cities to the ground.

A second series of invitations was sent out to the common people —the people of the highways, good and bad. The first invitations were sent to those who were unworthy. Now the king opened his doors to all those who had not been invited. Those invited readily accepted the invitation to dine with the king at his son’s wedding feast. As the king looked over the crowd, he was pleased with all those who had come. When the king looked closer, he noticed a man who did not have on a wedding garment. Insulted, the king asked the impertinent man how he came into the feast without a wedding garment. The man was speechless. Immediately, the king demanded that the man be thrown out into the darkness of the streets. He would not allow this man into his son’s wedding feast. The man was cast out into the outer darkness, where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. Many are called, but few are chosen.

The question of the man without a wedding garment must be understood in the context of the culture. Jesus does not elaborate in the parable about the manner in which the man was to receive the proper clothing, but one thing is certain. The man was brazen in his conduct, attending the wedding feast without proper attire. It was customary for the hosts of the wedding feast to provide garments for the guests to wear. The clothing was most often long, flowing white garments. Each person would be dressed to honor the king and his son. Not putting the garment on showed contempt for the gift and disrespect for the king. It is clear that the man’s actions were not an oversight but a self-willed rejection of the king’s gracious provisions. The man had no reverence for the wedding feast, the son, or the king.

Jesus’ use of parables was to impart spiritual wisdom and lessons for the individual to take to heart. Everyone at the feast of the king came through the grace of his opening the doors to them. They were not invited on the first invitation. Because of the rejection of the first group, now everyone can come and dine with the king. The man without a garment was an ingrate who thought he could attend the wedding feast his way. He came in to serve his own pleasures. His arrogance led him to think he would be accepted. He was very wrong and was proven to have made a very serious misjudgment.

The parable of the wedding feast shows the grace and mercy of God to bring all men into a covenant with His Son. Grace is the overriding power of how men come to God because no one deserves the kindness of God. The invitation to sit at the wedding feast of Jesus Christ is made possible by a benevolent God who wants all men to be saved. What the man without proper garments on shows is that while grace opens the door to allow a person to sit at the wedding feast of the king, keeping the commandments of the king are still necessary. Commandment keeping and grace go hand in hand. The man was in the room where the feast was taking place, but he refused to abide by the commandments of the king – even something as trivial as the right type of garment.

Many people seek to attend the wedding feast on their own terms. They refuse to accept the requirements of the Lord. Many believe they will be saved through their good deeds by being good people. Some think the only thing they have to do is accept Jesus as their personal Savior, and that God will accept them. A man will come to the feast without repentance or remorse over sin. Whatever the reason, the world is filled with reasons and excuses to attend the wedding feast of the king in whatever they want to wear. They believe they have a right to wear what they want. That is only true until they are cast out into the outer darkness, where there is the weeping and gnashing of teeth. Does it matter if one keeps the commandments of the Lord? Ask the man who was removed from the wedding feast. Jesus said, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. (Ephesians 4:25-27)

When Anger Becomes Sin

It has been rightly said that the emptier the pot, the quicker it boils, so watch your temper. Anger is an emotion that can bring about great harm when left unchecked. When the tongue works faster than the mind, boiling over into a tirade of emotional outbursts, the results can be devastating for everyone. Cain killed his brother Abel because he became angry. Because of Moses’ anger toward the people of Israel, he was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Saul hated David because he got angry when the people loved David more than him. When the wise men deceived Herod about where to find the Christ, he was exceedingly angry and sent his soldiers into Bethlehem, killing all the males two years old and under. Anger comes with a high cost.

It is possible to be angry without sinning, but it takes the power of the Lord to calm the spirit. Having a temper is not an excuse; it is folly. Anger comes when the heart is empty of the word of God. Faith comes from hearing the word of God and spending time in the word, and through prayer, anger can be controlled. Fire is good for many things, but left unchecked, it can destroy everything in its path. Following the path of anger is a fool’s errand that stirs up strife and brings about sin. In our modern world, road rage is a common problem that sometimes ends in death. People have been killed by angry drivers enraged against others. Uncontrolled anger leads to chaos.

The disciple of Christ experiences anger. What the Lord teaches is to tame the emotion of anger to be like the Father, who is slow to anger. Paul reminded the saints at Ephesus to be angry, not to sin, and not to allow the sun to go down until they dealt with it. Having a quick temper leads to outbursts of anger, and the Lord said that anger rests in the bosom of fools. Coping with anger takes calming the spirit, finding ways to meditate within the heart to calm the emotions, and, many times, simply walking away to talk to the Lord.

Jesus got angry, but He never allowed His emotions to control Him. To be like Jesus is to learn to control anger because it can be done. Angry people cannot find happiness and peace. A clenched fist cannot be productive. Sam Ewing correctly observed that anger is just one letter short of danger. Although Alexander the Great conquered the known world, he couldn’t conquer his own temper. On one occasion, Cletus, a childhood friend and a general in Alexander’s army, became drunk and insulted the leader in front of his men. Alexander became enraged and hurled a spear at Cletus, intending merely to scare him. Instead, the spear killed Alexander’s lifelong friend. Remorse engulfed Alexander as he assessed the destruction of his uncontrollable anger. If anger is not controlled, it will control its victim.

A child of God exercising self-control to temper his anger will speak with grace, seasoned with language that is wholesome and palatable. The admonition is to speak truth to one another. Everyone is known by their speech, and Christians, above all others, should be examples of gracious speaking without the dangers of anger. The Lord does not accept uncontrolled outbursts of anger, wrath, and malice. This is not keeping with the spirit of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught His disciples that what comes from the mouth begins in the heart. Anger is calmed when the word of God and prayer soften the heart. Be angry – but don’t sin. A person who cannot control his anger is doing exactly what the devil wants him to do.

But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ. Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. (Acts 9:22-24)

A Marked Man

Saul of Tarsus was a rising star in the Jewish community. He was a Roman citizen by birth, from the tribe of Benjamin, and a Pharisee. Saul was probably from a wealthy family that sent their son to study under the instruction of Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people. He was taught according to the strictness of the law and was zealous toward God with a fervent desire and passion. When Stephen argued before the Sanhedrin, Saul was present. As Stephen was dragged out of the city and stoned, Saul was there, witnessing and condoning the act of killing a disciple of Jesus. He could not imagine how his life would change in a few short years.

The persecution following Stephen’s death was intense. Led by the zealous Saul, the Jews came at the disciples of Christ with full fury, breathing out threats and murders. Saul was zealous to destroy those who followed the blasphemous teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. He made it his personal mission to arrest, convict, and cast votes of death against both men and women. He heard there were disciples of Christ in Damascus and was given authority to travel 150 miles north to bring them back in chains. That would be his final trip as the persecutor of the church. Saul of Tarsus became a Christian —a follower of Jesus Christ —and a vessel of the Lord, carrying His name to the whole world.

The first few days after Ananias baptized Saul for the remission of his sins were spent with the disciples he had come to Damascus to arrest. It was an amazing time for Saul as he lived in the house of Judas and greeted and mingled with the disciples. Immediately, Saul began preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ in the synagogues of the Jews. This shocked the Jews who had welcomed the news that Saul was coming to Damascus to arrest Christians; yet here he stood preaching their doctrine. Everyone was amazed at the change that took place in Saul as he increased all the more in strength, confounding his fellow Jews concerning Jesus of Nazareth. His forceful preaching began to infuriate the Jews of Damascus. After enduring many days of Saul’s preaching, the Jews plotted to kill him. They watched the gates of the city, waiting for Saul to try to escape. By the grace of God, the disciple took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket.

The man who came to Damascus with full authority of the High Priest in Jerusalem, armed with chains, wagons, and ropes, was now fleeing the city like a bug. How different for Saul as he bounced along the wall of the city to be whisked away by disciples. He traveled the 150 miles back to Jerusalem, entering the city in a very different way than he had planned many days before. When Saul gathered with the Jerusalem saints, the brethren were scared of him, thinking it was a ploy to root out the followers of Christ. Barnabas brought Saul to the apostles to confirm that Saul was now a child of God and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

Saul was a marked man by the disciples as the ruthless persecutor of the church. The saints in Damascus were fearful of the news that Saul was coming to arrest them. Some may have fled, but many stayed. Judas and his family remained, as did Ananias. Saul was marked as the enemy of the church. His zeal to persecute the church brought much harm to the people. Everyone in the church knew the power of Saul and his mission to eradicate the followers of Christ. They were afraid of him. After Saul became a Christian, he became a marked man by the Jews who wanted to kill him. Although the Christian’s marked Saul as a persecutor, they did not seek to kill him. When the Jews of Damascus learned of Saul’s conversion and his power to preach Jesus Christ, they had no choice but to kill their former leader. God intervened and Saul escaped. The Jews would continue to plague Saul, who later was called Paul. Eventually, Paul would die at the hands of the Romans through the persistence of the Jews. His death patterned the death of Jesus, who was brought before Pilate by the Jews and killed.

A disciple of Jesus is a marked man or woman. The mark of a lost soul is how the Christians look upon the individual, and their only prayer is to save the person. They have no desire to harm the person or to hate them, but to share the grace of God with them. After a person becomes a Christian, they become a marked man or woman because the world hates them. Jesus warned His disciples that if the world hated Him, it would hate His followers. A Christian cannot live like the world, which marks him as being different. It is impossible to live a godly life and not suffer persecution because the blood of Jesus Christ marks a Christian. Saul rejoiced that he was able to suffer for the cause of his Savior. Our hope should be the joy of being marked with the gospel of Christ as His followers and disciples. Wear your mark with joy, brethren.

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16:26)

Choosing A Godly Mate

The text of Matthew 16:26 seems an unusual place to discuss the role of faith in seeking a godly mate. It has everything to do with choosing a person to marry. There are many reasons people marry. In many cultures, marriages often result from two people falling in love after a courtship. Some cultures arrange marriages for their children. Whatever the reason for the marriage, the result is a home created with a husband and wife. The challenge of many marriages is staying together. Divorce has always been a common answer to problems that arise in marriage. God hates divorce. God created Adam and Eve as a pattern of fidelity and commitment in marriage.

God has always had laws concerning the marriage relationship. Choosing a mate is a life-long commitment the Lord expects and demands to be kept by both parties who covenanted with the Lord that they remain faithful to one another. Seeking greater faith must be the foundation of choosing a mate. The only other decision a person will make in life of greater importance is to obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, and this decision must drive the commitment to choosing a godly mate. Selecting someone to spend the rest of one’s life with has eternal consequences for both parties. That decision cannot be taken lightly. To do so will bring great heartache and misery.

Seeking greater faith in choosing a mate is knowing that choosing a mate matters. As the marriage blends together, becoming one, the child of God will face challenges in allowing the influence of the other mate to shape how they serve the Lord. A husband may not encourage his wife to assemble with the saints. The wife’s worldly influence can detract from the husband’s desire to serve the Lord. Two lives going in opposite directions spiritually will always be a challenge. Of greater importance is a mate living with the knowledge that their loved one is not in a saved condition before God.

Choosing a mate must be based on faith. That faith determines the marriage will be a union of two souls glorifying the Lord. All marriages face trials because they are made up of two imperfect individuals. When the husband and wife face the trials of life united under the banner of Christ, there is greater hope to overcome. It isn’t easy when one spouse is not a Christian. Life can be a series of heartaches when there is no commonality of spiritual values. This especially becomes difficult if children enter the home. The influence of a non-Christian father can have a negative impact on the children, as well as a non-believing wife. There is no unity in training the children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Jesus asked the question: What value is there in a man gaining all the happiness in this world if that happiness is lost in the next? This does not suggest it is a sin to marry a non-Christian, but the reality that a spouse is not going to Heaven can be a heavy burden to bear. Choosing a godly mate will not engender the crushing blow of a loved one lost to perdition. That must matter. It must be at the forefront of deciding whom to marry, whether that person will help one get to Heaven or hinder them. There are many reasons to fall in love and get married, but the greatest blessing of marriage is when two hearts are united in Christ first. Seeking greater faith is about finding a godly mate who will lead the family to eternal life.

Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:3-4)

Scoffers Will Come

There are more people worried about global warming than about the coming of the Lord. Scientists prognosticate that the end of the world will come through rising temperatures, declining oxygen levels, rising sea levels, food scarcity, asteroid impacts, or the Sun drawing closer to Earth, making life on Earth impossible. Since the beginning of the nuclear age, the threat of annihilation by a nuclear holocaust is another cause for concern, pointing toward the end of the world. Whatever the reason or analysis, most people fear the end of civilization through natural disasters or human involvement. The green initiative’s economic model drives the false notion that man controls his destiny and can either destroy the earth or save it. Human wisdom has become the god that believes there is no greater force than humanity, and through advanced technology and science, the human question can be answered by the will of man.

A scoffer is someone who mocks another. They scorn others’ ideas, believing they have a superior view. Scoffers have been around since the beginning of the world. The philosophy of the scoffer is to deride, reproach, and ridicule with contempt. Peter writes that there will be scoffers who will come and put down the teachings of the gospel, declaring that the Lord has not come. They laugh at the idea that the world will come to an end in a flaming ball of fire brought about by the word of the Lord. They reason that life continues without interruption and shows no indication of the appearance of Divine judgment. For them, life continues as it has for centuries. One of the outcomes of two thousand years removed from the writings of Peter is the continued fulfillment of those who mistakenly believe the world will continue on its path.

Human wisdom is the height of human folly. The wisdom of man is limited to his micro-sphere of knowledge. Only God can see the whole story of the human equation because He is the Creator and Maker of all things. What God has placed into motion is what God will bring to an end. There is nothing in the arsenal of human wisdom that will destroy the earth. The idea of global warming or a nuclear winter destroying the earth is preposterous at best. Peter declares that the end of the world will come through the divine hand of the One who holds the world together by His word. God destroyed the population of the world with a flood in the days of Noah. By grace, God saved Noah and his family. Everyone else died. Noah did not destroy the world – God did.

Scoffers walk according to their own lusts and wisdom. They mistakenly believe they control the world. Nothing is further from the truth. Believers know where their destiny begins and believe that one day, the Lord God will send His Son with His mighty angels. The heavens and the earth will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. That is God’s will. His will is not going to change. Everything in the universe will be dissolved. Man does not control the end of the world. Scoffers will realize too late their foolishness.

Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.” (Luke 10:23-24)

The Eyes Of Faith See So Much More

God’s word is a lamp to the feet and a light to the way. There is no comparison of the revelation of God through His word with anything written by man. If all the literature gleaned since the beginning of time were compiled into one great volume, none of the pages of this enormous volume would rival the truths contained in the words of Moses to the closing vision of John. The Bible is the divine word of God revealed by the Holy Spirit for men to write down and declare the will of the Father for all men. Moses tells the story of the beginning of everything in the world: from the first day of creation, the first home, the fatal consequences of the first sin, the first murder, the first division of nations, and the first promise of the Seed who would redeem man.

The stories of the Bible are given to instruct, remind, exhort, and guide the mind of the disciple to know and understand complete reliance upon God. Pride is the greatest sin of man when he begins to think he is more important than his creator and his wisdom is far above the knowledge of the Divine. The Bible shows the folly of human wisdom and the necessity of divine truth. Example after example is given of men who decided to walk their own path and how each time they failed. Good men did bad things. God does not withhold the challenges faced by Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter. Those who were wicked were punished because the righteousness of God demanded it. Men like Job were tested and, through their faith, overcame the difficult trials of life.

God raised up the Hebrews to be His own special people. He warned them against following human wisdom, but in the end, they were destroyed. They could not resist the temptations of the nations about them. The Jews rejected Jesus and had Him killed on a cross. All men are accountable for the death of Jesus because of human wisdom. Grace, mercy, and forgiveness are taught in the word of God. The eternal plan of God is revealed from Genesis to Revelation. Everything a man needs to know to find holiness in his life is written in the pages of God’s word.

For the disciple who reads the word of God, a greater knowledge is given that none in the world can see. Human wisdom has sought to answer the question of life and why the human race exists. The fear of death and the uncertainty of life after death have puzzled the human mind since the beginning. God has answered all those questions in His divine word. Jesus prayed to His Father after the seventy returned from their work with a thankful heart that so much good is done by the faithful few. He also observed the power of the word of God and that prophets and kings desire to know and understand what God knows, but cannot. They can’t see or hear it. Yet, the disciples of Christ know and understand because they have the word of God.

A six-year-old girl who knows and believes that God created the world in six days has a greater understanding than an aged PhD professor at an elite institution of learning. Human wisdom wastes its life seeking answers that have already been revealed in the word of God. Spending time in the Word of God makes one wiser than the teachers and has more understanding than the ancients. A man or woman of faith has the knowledge of the Divine in their hearts to understand what human wisdom cannot fathom. Death is understood because for the disciple it is but a door to eternal life. When the trials of life come, they can be faced with greater hope because hope rests in God. The question of life and death is found in the death and life of Jesus.

Paul said that faith comes from hearing the word of God. That faith gives greater wisdom than is found in the world. Many people look for answers in the book they have at home if they would but take the time to read. The Bible is the answer to life – a message from the Creator to the creation. Read it to be wise. Listen to it to know greater things. Apply the words to the heart, and life will become a greater vista of beauty and hope. There is a reason God gave the Bible to the world. Read it to know Him.

Then he who had received the one talent came and said, “Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.” But his lord answered and said to him, “You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:24-30)

Good Intentions

James Albery (1838-1889) was an English playwright during the Victorian period. Albery wrote this epitaph for himself: “He slept beneath the moon, He basked beneath the sun; He lived a life of going-to-do, And died with nothing done.” An old saying sums up the same spirit: “The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” Having the intention to do something does not produce the desired result. The greatest tragedy of life is when a man intends to change, plans to make changes, hopes to find ways to change, and never does. All the intentions in the world cannot have any value if they are never acted upon, and yet this is one of the greatest challenges men face.

Intentions are good if they produce action. A farmer plans to clear a piece of land, cultivate and plant the seed, and care for the crop until harvest, but if the land is never cleared and cultivated, there will be no harvest. A man will reap what he sows unless his only thoughts are about sowing and he never takes action. Good intentions never cleared a piece of land and planted seed. It requires the doing of industry to move beyond the intended desire.

Many people have great intentions to serve God, but never do anything about it. They work seven days a week to build their bank accounts, surround themselves with like-minded friends, and spend their lives seeking the finer things in life. As Albery wrote, they live life to its fullest with the intention of answering a higher call but die with nothing done. It is then that the greatest tragedy comes. Jesus told the story of a man given one talent by his lord, with the expectation that he would do more. The man was afraid, and while he had great intentions, he did nothing. Jesus shows the failure of those who intend but never act when the servant is cast into outer darkness.

Salvation is not something gained by having good intentions. Faith comes from the word of God, which requires action. The people at Pentecost asked, “What must we do?” They understood that intention was not enough. Many people want to serve Jesus but never change their lives. All the good intentions are for naught. Change takes action. James wrote that faith without works is dead. The day of salvation is now – not later. Procrastination has killed many a purpose in life. It is a fearful thing to end life with nothing done concerning eternity.

Do you have good intentions? Until a change takes place, there can be no hope. The Bible has the answer. Let’s learn together how to put those intentions into action. Your eternal destiny depends on knowing the truth. Jesus died not for good intentions but for those convicted of their sin to act. What is your epitaph?

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 2:1-3)

Growing In Christ

When Nicodemus came to Jesus that night so long ago, he learned a basic lesson about the new kingdom God would establish through His Son. Under the old law, the covenant of God was established at a child’s birth into the Israelite family. As a small child, they would have to learn the principles of the law to learn obedience. Under the Law of Christ, a new birth is required, but the one born again begins with faith in God. Faith for the child under the Law of Moses would not come for several years, but in the kingdom of the new covenant, faith is where the journey begins. The common denominator in the two laws was that the child of God began as a baby, both physically and spiritually.

On the Day of Pentecost, three thousand devout Jews obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were baptized for the remission of their sins and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Luke writes that the first Christians continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the communion of the Lord’s Supper, and in prayers. It was a wondrous time as the church of Christ sprang anew in the hearts of men for the first time. This event would be multiplied a few years later when Cornelius and his household opened the way of salvation to both Jews and Gentiles. What must be understood in the first days is how young the faith of the early converts was. Their faith in God was not fortified by two thousand years of history. They were learning for the first time how the new kingdom was formulated and planned, and yet they had tremendous faith to face persecution and overcome.

Many people come to Christ with a fairly good understanding of who God is and the importance of His word. They have learned more fully what they must do to be saved, and they obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine which delivered them. The essential time for these new converts is to understand the importance of daily faith growth so that they can mature in their knowledge of Christ. Like newborn babies, the desire for the word of God must be a fervent cry of spiritual hunger. The church must pay special attention to the nursery of converts that need to grow in Christ so they may grow in faith. Newborns cannot care for themselves without a lot of care and love. The same is true for spiritual newborns.

Seeking greater faith in someone young in the faith is about identifying the essential ingredients that will help them grow into productive and devoted people of God. All Christians begin as babies in the faith. The new birth is only the beginning. If a newborn in Christ does not grow, they die. The church must recognize the value of the newborn Christian as someone needing special care and protection from the evil one seeking to devour them back into his fold. Every newborn child of God needs others to help them grow, and they seek greater faith within themselves.

The time will come when the child of God moves beyond the milk of the word to solid food. In the beginning, the first principles of the oracles of God establish faith in the word of God. Then, as the child matures, they move on to more spiritual matters of deeper perception and understanding. Solid spiritual teaching will come in time when the young in faith make the time and effort to learn more about God and His will. The more a young person in faith learns, the stronger they become to resist the devil. One of the greatest needs in helping young Christians grow in their faith is to protect them from the evil one.

To be young in faith is a wonderful time of discovery. It must be a time of great faith to learn to trust in the word of God. Establishing the heart upon the truth of Jesus Christ will be like the man who built his house upon the rock. No matter what comes against the faith of the young heart, the courage to stand for truth remains. The church must do its part to protect the young in faith. Seeking greater faith when young in faith is where the journey begins. Let it start with courage and faith to endure to the end.

For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” (Acts 26:26-28)

Almost Is Lost

King Agrippa was the grandson of Herod the Great, who ordered the massacre of infants in the city of Bethlehem. Agrippa (known as Agrippa II) was familiar with Jewish laws and customs. When Agrippa visited Festus in Caesarea and learned the story of Paul, he asked to meet the apostle of Christ. After great pomp and circumstance, Agrippa and Bernice (the sister of Agrippa) entered the auditorium with the commanders and prominent men of Caesarea, whereupon Festus commanded Paul to be brought in. The contrast was stark: Paul chained as a criminal standing before the power elite of the Roman Empire. Paul would not be impressed with the pomp of Agrippa and his entourage. The apostle would take the opportunity to present the gospel of Christ to King Agrippa and those gathered with him.

Paul recounted his life and conversion in a little more than five hundred words when Festus, in a loud voice, said that Paul had been driven mad by his much learning. Paul defended himself, showing that what he had spoken was the words of truth and reason. The influence of the New Testament church and its teaching had not gone unnoticed by the king. Paul then directly asked King Agrippa if he believed the words of the prophets, affirming that Agrippa knew and understood what he needed to do to be saved. Here was a man bound in metal, challenging the man bound by the burden of sin. Agrippa knew Paul spoke the truth. The king was aware that his incestuous relationship with Bernice was wicked. The gospel was tearing at Agrippa’s heart as the king cried out to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

Paul’s greatest joy would have been to witness Agrippa becoming a Christian, but that was not to be. Agrippa would lose his kingdom when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem, and he would die in Rome at the age of 70. His plea to almost become a Christian did not make him a Christian. Having great intentions cannot cleanse a soul from sin. Believing only that Jesus is the Christ is nothing more than what demons believe. So many people mirror the heart of Agrippa, thinking there is a better time to do the will of the Father. When they get their families situated in a better place, they will think about being a Christian. Some mistakenly believe that when they get their lives straightened out, they will obey the gospel, not realizing that the gospel is what straightens out life. Believing that one must be perfect to be saved is a critical mistake in human philosophy, built on human pride.

The lesson about King Agrippa is that claiming almost to decide to follow Jesus will never leave the footprints on the road to salvation. A man who is almost persuaded to be a Christian is still lost. There is no hope in almost. The victory of Jesus Christ cannot be realized when the heart almost obeys. There will be far too many souls that are lost who had the opportunity to be saved and squandered the grace of God because they could not fully commit their lives to Jesus. An almost persuaded person is a lost person until they stop believing in “almost salvation” and do the will of the Father. Those who are saved are those who obey. Where are you? Are you almost or are you committed? Eternity depends on your answer.