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Honey From The Rock Psalm 81:16 |
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THE SADDEST WORDS This entry was posted on 10-16-2008 and is filed under uncategorized. The saddest words in John 15 (in my opinion) are these: "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" (John 15:6 NKJV). I have in my possession a "Study Bible" and the footnotes on this verse, because of the compiler's belief in "eternal security," led him to write "his [the believer's] works will be burned at the judgment seat of Christ, though he himself will be saved." Is this what Jesus is saying? I think not. It brought Jesus no joy to say that the branch (not his works) would be cast out, withered, gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned!
At his point I yield to my good friend and eminent Bible student, Given O. Blakely, who writes as follows: "When theological persuasions cause one to gloss the Word of God, or even ignore it altogether, a most dangerous condition is introduced. God will not tolerate the refusal of men to receive His word, nor will He permit men to mock Him, speaking in contradiction of Him...The 15th chapter of John...is not a dialog with a wayward church...These words are said to the premier men in the world at that time, the 11 apostles (Judas had already left, John 13:30)...How will He speak to them? Included in His matchless words are the following theology-shaking words (read John 15:1-7). "Jesus speaks...of the removal of a branch IN HIM that does not bear fruit, as well as one that is pruned in order that it might bring forth more fruit...Jesus emphatically states the one who does NOT abide in Him is thrown away, dried up, and finally cast into the fire....He did not tell them it was not possible to be cast away, but that it WAS possible for such to occur... "What will Jesus say of those who say the branches that were removed were never really IN Him, when He said they were? How will He react to those who say the ones cut off really suffered no serious consequences, when He said they withered and were cast into the fire? What will be His pronouncement concerning the teaching of those who say they are kept independent of their effort, when He said they were not?... "Let me be crystal clear about this. I do not have a millimeter of interest in any word that robs Christ's words of their power, or makes them irrelevant to His people. These were spoken to the highest ranking members of His body - the Apostles - who were placed 'first' in the church (1 Cor. 12:28)...The Father will cut off branches in Christ that do not bear fruit, whether their theology admits to such a possibility or not. Abiding is a matter related to 'if' and 'except,' man's theology nothwithstanding." Prayer: Father, in Jesus' name, I ask for grace to take Your Son at His word, and thrust from myself any contradicting thoughts. Help me to be "ever, only, all for Thee." CommentsDisplay comments as (Linear | Threaded)
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