Morning Moments

Philippians Devotional Outline continued

[1:15] Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:

4. THE AGITATION "envy and strife"

As I sat with the two pastors or a particular denomination who were "quizing me" on my beliefs because I was asked to interim at one of their associational denominational churches, they ask if I believed a believer could lose his salvation and I said, "Yes and no". They perked up! Their desire was to gain assurance that I would not only NOT contradict their Arminian beliefs, but that I would not preach Calvinist beliefs and that I would promote Arminian teaching. Yes if you save yourself and no if you are saved by grace through faith which is not of yourself.

I continued, "Gentlemen, the issue of my assurance was clarified long before either of those men ever lived. My life is not hid with Christ in God and His life is now in me, and because it is, I am chosen, elected, predestined, secure, kept, dead and yet alive all because I am IN CHRIST. I am a Christian, not an Arminian nor a Calvinist and I refuse, regardless of the trend or tradition to be "pressed into the mold" of any man but Christ.

You guys can spend your lives fighting over issues that brighter and more spiritual men than we have battle for centuries, but I WILL FOCUS MY LIFE AND MINISTRY UPON THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST and if that is not acceptable to you and your association and denomination of which I do not belong, nor care to belong, then YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH GOD AND NOT WITH ME."

Envy and strife over divisive doctrines and denominational preferences have done more to hurt the cause of Christ in the world that anything I know. Rather than sending missionaries to win people to Jesus, we send them to win people to our denominational position and it is creating the same problems in the rest of the world that it has created here is the United States.

SOUND DOCTRINE is the doctrine of the Word of God, the Deity of Jesus Christ including His Virgin Birth, Substitutionary death and resurrection, and coming again. END OF STORY!!!!! If any man have not the DOCTRINE OF CHRIST HE IS NONE OF HIS!

It has been my great pleasure to preach in many churches and groups, from Church of God of Prophecy to Independent Baptist and my message has never changed. It was the same with Paul and as Paul - "lessor men mind lessor things".

Some criticised Paul and some commended him, but none could equal his love for Christ and His Church.

PREACH CHRIST, my friend. Teach the Word honestly and acurately. Teach it all from Justification to Glorification but understand this: SALVATION BELONGETH TO THE LORD! It is given by no one else, driven by no one else, and ends in no one else.

BLESSINGS!