The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Terror of the Lord, continued

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18,19)

When the God of Heaven gives a revelation to His Son and Heir, Jesus Christ, and in that revelation states that the overcomer shall not have his name blotted from the Book of Life with the clear inference that all others are in danger of this dreadful fate, then there is a reason for this warning. In fact, there is a very good reason for this warning because God is not at all the person being presented by a great part of the Christian ministry of today.

When ministers of the Gospel remove the Divine warnings they are playing with fire—Divine fire. The Lord has departed from them because of their lack of faithfulness, and so they say to their followers, in so many words, "Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty." They lessen the demands of the Gospel so they may have "friends." The result is Christian churches full of believers having a false assurance of the favor of God. The Lord says the faithless ministers are wise to make friends in this manner because then they will have someone to receive them when they die (Luke 16:1-12).

Numerous believers have not borne the fruit of righteousness in their lives. They have not been taught to repent, to confess their sins, to walk in openness before God and man. They suppose that God will say to them, "Well done, good and faithful servant." This is what they expect to hear when they die.

The truth is, they are facing terror—the terror of the Lord.

But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. (Hebrews 6:8)

Do Christian people suppose that the above verse is written to the unsaved, or possibly to the Jews? The Book of Hebrews is a book of warning to God's elect that it is not sufficient merely to begin to walk with Christ. The same confidence, the same daily trust in God, must persevere to the last moment on earth. If it does not, the believer is in danger of the burning wrath of God. The Book of Hebrews was written to seasoned, experienced Christians who were beginning to backslide.

We must pursue the "rest of God" every day of our discipleship. We must fear that after having been given the marvelous promises of God we then come short of the Divine rest. We must overcome all forces and things that would prevent our resting in the center of the Lord's will. If we do we will attain the first resurrection from the dead.

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection [Greek, out-resurrection] of the dead. (Philippians 3:11)

To be continued.