August 28, 2011
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Barabbas we save, Jesus Christ we slay (the mockery of profession ~ decisional regeneration)
We lustily nod mental assent
Head belief but heart unrentWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedRevivalism may yield a great increase
But are most tares rather than wheat?We profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedDeceptive fleshly decision
No true Holy Spirit conversionWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedHuman emotional manipulation
Void of the Spirit's regenerationWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedTo the world we remain alive
For with Christ we have never diedWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedOur flesh we nurture and protect
God's Spirit we grieve and rejectWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedBarabbas we save
Jesus Christ we slayWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedTell us what we want to hear:
"Peace, Peace" to our itching earsWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedWhile we are crying, "Lord, Lord,"
His commands remain ignoredWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedOur souls we will surely lose
Ensnared by the deadly ruseWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedTrue professors will be saved
While mockers are cast awayWe profess we believe
Recite word perfect every creed
But to Christ never cleaved
God's Spirit never breathed
Our sin we never grieved
We remain deceived
Living Word never receivedTo whatever we sow, from that will we reap
Examine yourself: Are you one of Jesus' sheep?
Matthew 25:33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”John 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
I Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Related:- What is a nominal Christian?
- the Holy Spirit and Life
- Things To Look for in a Church: What We Find in Solomon's Temple, #2: God's Sovereignty in Salvation
- Why preach the Gospel? # 2: Dead men need Life!
- Biblical mourning, assurance and false guilt
- His seed (If ye be Christ's ~ He came seeking fruit)
- you say you want Jesus
- Links to my posts on true and false religion and legalism
Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Comments (8)
Good Morning, Karen
This was a good way to start my day. I guess there will always be the Pretenders, (tares). It is kind of tricky in a way. If I look at my perforance, I need to get saved again. If I like at Christ on the cross shedding His blood, then I get the right perspective. He died for me and Barabbas. I often wondered what he thought being set free from prison as the people's choice over Jesus. He might be in heaven. I also take solace in recalling the day I was born again. Wow did thing change. I did not become perfect obviously in this world, but things changed.
Loved your prose today--nice way to start Sunday.
frank
Hi Karen, I enjoyed the poem. I believe that everyone in the faith should constantly and routinely examine themselves in the faith, myself included. When the flesh rears its ugly head, there are choices to make - whether we let the flesh control us or does Christ control us. Sometimes, it is difficult to tell the difference between the wheat and tares because there are really great pretenders; however, if we hold onto Christ and His commands and let Him dictate our relationships and friendships, then our ways should be made straight for acknowledging Him and living by faith.
I love your heart for revival and oh how we need it. I do think there are the "almost christians" those who think they are, know what to say but aren't in the boat yet. Wesley preached all over Georgia and was not born again until he met the Moravian brother on the boat who led him to faith in Christ. An almost who became, by the great grace of God, a true Christian.
I love (!) your writing.
@ANVRSADDAY - "but things changed" - Yes! That's the evidence of being born again. Things change in ways we weren't looking for or didn't expect or want and in ways we couldn't make happen in our own fleshly effort! The Spirit quickens us and makes us a new creation in Christ. He did and continues to do what we cannot.
@Christenstein - Amen. We are in that continuing battle ~ Galatians 5:16ff. We all need to be examining ourselves and continuing to hold to Christ, so we might make our calling and election sure. There are so many Christians who don't understand that b/c there are so many churches that don't teach that.
I wrote this post with those in mind who may teach that a mere profession of faith is what saves (e.g.- they think that if someone has made a decision, signed a card or answered an altar call, etc., they're fine), rather than understanding that we have no life and no salvation at all apart from the Holy Spirit breathing life into our dead souls... "You must be born again."
@roseteacup - Your comment SO blessed and encouraged me. It was a drop of dew for my soul in this dry and weary land. Thank you & bless you, dear sister. <3
I was discussing "decision evangelism" once and, from my perspective, making a decision (at a revival service, for instance) is okay... it's a beginning, a seed that's planted. Any revival preacher ought to include an admonition that those who "decide" that day must join a Christian fellowship and continue in the faith, learning and maturing until they become fruit-bearing disciples. A preacher who misleads listeners into thinking the "decision" is the end of it has done a great disservice. Also, we know from the Parable of the Sower that out of all those who hear the gospel and receive it, only a relative few will go on to produce a crop. Most will fall away or be choked by the desires and cares of this world, so it's not always the preacher's fault, but the bad soil in people's hearts.
@A_Piano_Tuner - I so agree w/ your thoughts regarding those necessary admonitions that ought to be given by preachers. And I really appreciated your reference to the Parable of the Sower and this comment:
Most will fall away or be choked by the
desires and cares of this world, so it's not always the preacher's
fault, but the bad soil in people's hearts.
Yes, it isn't always the preacher's fault; thanks for that reminder. I confess I wrote this post with a definite bias because of some disturbing things I've been seeing regarding evangelism, e.g. - where it's being made into a cookie-cutter, assembly-line formula, where the focus is about getting a decision and getting results (numbers).