Be Sober! Be Watchful!
Introduction. Although there is a big difference between sitting in an easy chair and sitting behind a steering wheel, some treat them as the same. Those who drive acting as if in their living room are called “distracted drivers.” “In 2012 to 2014, “distraction” was the sole cause of 10% of all fatal accidents and 18% of injury accidents. In 2014, 3,179 were killed and 431,000 injured” (US Dept. of Transportation). When teaching our child to drive, we sternly stress that texting or relaxing are only for the living room, never behind a steering wheel!
Once saved always saved. In the religious realm, we face similar dangers. Does our Christian walk feel more like an easy chair or behind the wheel? Multitudes are being taught it is the former. Scholars call it “perseverance of the saints”, but most simply say: “once saved ... always saved.” It’s essence: Once we obey the gospel, no matter what we do or don’t do, we can never fall or be lost. This has led multitudes to the conclusion that being a Christian is like sitting in an easy chair. Many are very inattentive in their Christian walk. They don’t always try to learn the truth and they don’t always repent of their sins. Multitudes are “distracted” by their jobs or hobbies. Yet they feel no fear because they have been taught there is nothing to fear.
The soul that sins will die. Our Father in heaven sternly warned of the grave danger inattention regarding sin poses to the righteous. “When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die. Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? ... Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.” (Ezek. 18:24-27, 30)
Distraction in the Spiritual Realm is just as deadly as it is behind the wheel. At any moment any of us can choose to sin leading to “none of the righteousness deeds he has done shall be remembered!” How could God be any clearer? Only two (Joshua and Caleb) of the 603,550 men “baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” entered the Promised Land (Num. 1:45; 14:28-30; 1Cor. 10:1-13)! What happened? “With most of them God was not well pleased:... they were overthrown in the wilderness... these things became our example ... we should not lust after evil things, as they; ...Neither be idolaters, ... commit fornication, ...make trial of the Lord, ...murmur ...Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, ... Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Why would they need to be our examples if things are now different? Idolatry, fornication, and murmuring are just as dangerous today as they were then!
God’s statistics of 603,548 fatalities out of 603,550 (99.99999%) is much worse than the 10% who die in car accidents. Yet the cause was the same. They were not paying attention. They were not making applications. They saw it clearly as they passed through the Red Sea and heard it when they stood at Mt. Sinai. They praised God and promised to serve Him forever, but got distracted by sin. They fell and none of their righteousness will be remembered. “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Heb. 4:2). They were enlightened at Mt. Sinai, but allowed sin to lead them to fall away. “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, ... if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance” (Heb. 6:4-6).
As long as we live in this life we can’t be in a relaxed state. We are to “be sober and watchful for our adversary the devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour” (1Pet. 5:8). Paul was forced to “discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1Cor. 9:27). How can we not feel that same need?
While we can rely on God to protect us from all outside forces, He will not protect us from ourselves anymore than He did Adam and Eve. Though God “is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (Jn. 10:28-29), He still warned “Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God” (Heb. 3:12-13).
Adam and Eve were in complete safety in the Garden of Eden. The only danger they faced was the consequences of violating a single command of God. No one could snatch them from the garden or from the Father’s hand. But what happened? They were distracted by the lusts of the flesh, violated God’s law and were cast from the garden by God Himself. Is this risk and danger now removed? Is God’s grace so much greater today that we can violate commands as Adam and Eve did with no concern? Did Jesus death give us the freedom to live as we please with no consequences?
Conclusion. Jesus’ death on the cross brought forgiveness and those who obey the gospel are restored to righteousness, but God did not cancel freewill or remove the “wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23). “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7).
Once saved always saved. In the religious realm, we face similar dangers. Does our Christian walk feel more like an easy chair or behind the wheel? Multitudes are being taught it is the former. Scholars call it “perseverance of the saints”, but most simply say: “once saved ... always saved.” It’s essence: Once we obey the gospel, no matter what we do or don’t do, we can never fall or be lost. This has led multitudes to the conclusion that being a Christian is like sitting in an easy chair. Many are very inattentive in their Christian walk. They don’t always try to learn the truth and they don’t always repent of their sins. Multitudes are “distracted” by their jobs or hobbies. Yet they feel no fear because they have been taught there is nothing to fear.
The soul that sins will die. Our Father in heaven sternly warned of the grave danger inattention regarding sin poses to the righteous. “When a righteous person turns away from his righteousness and does injustice and does the same abominations that the wicked person does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, for them he shall die. Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel, is it not My way which is fair, and your ways which are not fair? ... Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.” (Ezek. 18:24-27, 30)
Distraction in the Spiritual Realm is just as deadly as it is behind the wheel. At any moment any of us can choose to sin leading to “none of the righteousness deeds he has done shall be remembered!” How could God be any clearer? Only two (Joshua and Caleb) of the 603,550 men “baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea” entered the Promised Land (Num. 1:45; 14:28-30; 1Cor. 10:1-13)! What happened? “With most of them God was not well pleased:... they were overthrown in the wilderness... these things became our example ... we should not lust after evil things, as they; ...Neither be idolaters, ... commit fornication, ...make trial of the Lord, ...murmur ...Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, ... Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Why would they need to be our examples if things are now different? Idolatry, fornication, and murmuring are just as dangerous today as they were then!
God’s statistics of 603,548 fatalities out of 603,550 (99.99999%) is much worse than the 10% who die in car accidents. Yet the cause was the same. They were not paying attention. They were not making applications. They saw it clearly as they passed through the Red Sea and heard it when they stood at Mt. Sinai. They praised God and promised to serve Him forever, but got distracted by sin. They fell and none of their righteousness will be remembered. “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” (Heb. 4:2). They were enlightened at Mt. Sinai, but allowed sin to lead them to fall away. “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, ... if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance” (Heb. 6:4-6).
As long as we live in this life we can’t be in a relaxed state. We are to “be sober and watchful for our adversary the devil as a roaring lion walks about seeking whom he may devour” (1Pet. 5:8). Paul was forced to “discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1Cor. 9:27). How can we not feel that same need?
While we can rely on God to protect us from all outside forces, He will not protect us from ourselves anymore than He did Adam and Eve. Though God “is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (Jn. 10:28-29), He still warned “Take care, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God” (Heb. 3:12-13).
Adam and Eve were in complete safety in the Garden of Eden. The only danger they faced was the consequences of violating a single command of God. No one could snatch them from the garden or from the Father’s hand. But what happened? They were distracted by the lusts of the flesh, violated God’s law and were cast from the garden by God Himself. Is this risk and danger now removed? Is God’s grace so much greater today that we can violate commands as Adam and Eve did with no concern? Did Jesus death give us the freedom to live as we please with no consequences?
Conclusion. Jesus’ death on the cross brought forgiveness and those who obey the gospel are restored to righteousness, but God did not cancel freewill or remove the “wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23). “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7).