Study – Grow – Know

Known by Their Beliefs and Works

September 5, 2017 at 12:00 PM 4 comments

Too many people have the wrong idea about salvation.

It is an absolute tragedy that so many with Christendom continue to believe that salvation is attainable through some form of works. Either salvation is as God says it is – available freely by grace through faith without works at all – or it is something that must be achieved via works.

What seems clearly lacking today is an adequate amount of discernment within many who call themselves Christian. There appears to be a plethora of church attenders who explain salvation or eternal life as something grasped only through requisite works. Numerous Scripture passages are used to support this belief, but often the plain sense of Scripture is obliterated because of the use of specific passages rather than God’s Word as a whole.

Recently, one very well-known elected official in Congress took time out to express her opinion on religious matters and her faith at the famed Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. As she addressed the crowd, Sen. Elizabeth Warren quoted Matthew 25:40, Jesus’ words to those who will stand before Him in judgment when He returns physically to this earth just prior to the start of His Millennial Kingdom rule, something that is yet future.

It seems clear enough from her own testimony that she fails to understand the ramifications of what she publicly read. She was using Scripture to prop up her own belief regarding how people get to heaven. The context of Matthew 25 is very important, though not to Warren. In that section of Scripture, Jesus specifically points to the way people will treat those within Israel during what is known as the upcoming Tribulation period. Jesus is connecting Himself with the “least of these brothers and sisters of mine (emphasis added), and we know that His ministry was to the lost sheep of Israel (cf. Matthew 15:21). At this point in Matthew, people of all nations are being judged based on the way they treated Israel during the Tribulation, which is set to take place during the seven years prior to Jesus’ physical return.

While in a larger, general sense, all Christians need to be concerned about the poor, the homeless, the enslaved, the imprisoned, etc., and our compassion needs to move us to do what we can for them, the truth is that Jesus is using a specific criterion for His judgment of people based on how they treated Jews specifically and Israel as a nation during the Tribulation period. That section of Matthew – known as the Judgment of the Sheep and the Goats – is not intended to state that works in any form gets a person into heaven. The reality is that only people who truly know Jesus during the upcoming horrors of the Tribulation period will be willing and able to stick their neck out for Jewish people, whom the Antichrist will attempt to destroy through heavy persecution.

But all that aside, while Warren can speak in public quoting Scripture (only the Fascist Left is allowed to do that by the way. Any conservative attempting to quote Scripture in public would immediately be called out by fascist left or set upon by Fascist AntiFa), the truth of her words are seen in her daily living. This is true of all of us, whether we like it or not. This is where discernment comes in.

People say all sorts of things and when a politician is saying something, it’s important to judge their words by their life. Is what they say mirrored in their life? For instance, Sen. John McCain ran on his promise to repeal Obamacare. When it came time to vote, he voted to retain Obamacare. Did he lie during his re-election? It would certainly appear to be the case and though he is a Republican, is very vocal in his discontent where President Trump is concerned, calling him out for everything. In essence, McCain acts, speaks, and votes very much like a Democrat, not a Republican. That makes him a Republican in Name Only (RINO).

In Warren’s case also, while we should never judge her heart or motivation (something we cannot see), we can judge her life by her words and actions. We’re all aware of Jesus’ statement to “not judge” (Matthew 7:1), but in that context He is saying we cannot (therefore should not), judge a person’s heart or motivation for what they do since we cannot see into their heart or see what actually motivates them. We are most certainly able and should judge the words and actions of a person’s life as we are judged by ours.

The Boston Globe, while reporting on Warren’s recent speech at MLK’s old church, seemed to ooze, in glowing terms, a quiet respect for Warren.

But religious leaders who have known her since her first run for public office say her Christian faith is a constant, if quiet, presence in her life, that it is deep and authentic, and informs her work as a senator.

One wonders what type of “Christian faith” is the constant, presence in her life? She appears to have lied about her Native American lineage. She constantly mischaracterizes the truth for lies in the political realm and she is part of the political party that birthed the KKK and now AntiFa.

In the end, Warren appears to believe in a works-based faith to gain salvation or, in her words, go to heaven. The article quotes her as stating as much. Reflecting back on Matthew 25:40, she makes her belief clear.

The sheep are going to heaven because they fed the hungry, ministered to the sick.

Using this as her starting point, we can understand why she (and others on the Left), want the Dream Act (DACA) to remain in place, which is a path toward citizenship for children of aliens illegally here. This may seem like an empathic attitude to have, but in reality, it’s more likely that DACA will create future Democrats who will vote staunchly Democrat. Since these Dreamers are in danger of being sent back to their home country (at least that of their parents), they will take their votes with them.

Rev. Jim Wallis, president and chief executive of Sojourners, a liberal magazine and Christian social justice movement based in Washington made the following statement regarding Warren’s understanding (and preaching) of Matthew 25:40.

I’ve heard a lot of sermons on Matthew 25. I’ve preached a lot of sermons on it, and it was good. She knew the text, knew the context, knew what it meant, she interpreted it very well…

Actually, no, Sen. Warren really has no honest clue about the true meaning of that section of Scripture nor does she grasp the important context in which Jesus was speaking. The true message becomes plainly obvious when Scripture is allowed to interpret itself. Matthew 24 highlights Jesus’ preaching on the end of this age in which we are now living. It will end one day and He will cause it to end by physically returning to earth.

Let’s look at the context leading up to Matthew 25:40. In Matthew 24:3-14, Jesus speaks of the signs that will lead up to that coming end. He then speaks of the coming “abomination that desolates” (Matthew 24:15-28), when the Antichrist will waltz into the rebuilt Jewish Temple and desecrate it as did Antiochus Epiphanes IV did in 168 BC. This action of Antiochus’ will be repeated by the final “man of lawlessness” (as Paul refers to Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2).

Matthew 24:29-31 discuss Jesus’ own physical return to this planet and what that means for the entire globe. Jesus is still talking about these things when we get to Matthew 25. Here, He uses parables to help us imagine what will occur just after He returns. Continuing on in this theme, Jesus fleshes out the situation even more by stating who will be judged (all the nations; Matthew 25:31-46), and how He will separate them into two groups – the sheep and the goats. The sheep are those destined for heaven. They did the right thing toward Israel (Jews) because their hearts had already been transformed by the saving grace and power of salvation through Jesus. In essence, they were authentic Christians. The goats had no salvation and because of it, couldn’t make the right decision at all. It simply was not in them. These people are professing Christians, many of whom actually believe themselves to be Christian, but are not. This is true of society today as it was during Jesus’ day. The fakers are everywhere and many, unfortunately, are not aware their salvation is not real.

Regarding Warren, another minister – Rev. Miniard Culpepper, pastor of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church in Dorchester – has stated, “She also believes in the Word of God, and wants to live according to the biblical teachings.” But what does that even mean if we look at her life? According to the Globe article, Warren (like Hillary Clinton), is a Methodist. While Methodism began on a good note, like many denominations today, it jumped the shark quite some time ago doctrinally. But for too many, doctrine doesn’t matter at all. The fact that all people are sinners and in desperate need of salvation doesn’t seem to matter either because in the end, a person simply needs to work to attain it. The whole of the Bible refutes this error.

Like Hillary, Elizabeth Warren believes herself to be a Christian, yet her belief in salvation is clearly anchored in works (“The sheep are going to heaven because they fed the hungry, ministered to the sick.“). This is terribly tragic because salvation cannot be earned or purchased. It is a gift freely given through faith in Jesus and His sinless life, death, and resurrection. He paid the price for our sin, which originally placed us under God’s judgment. Our faith in Christ’s finished work forgives our sin, and imputes to us Christ’s righteousness. This is what grants us salvation.

Referring to the text quoted by Warren, only those folks during the coming Tribulation who know Christ will have the guts, the temerity, the strength, and the resolve to even attempt to help Jewish people who will be severely persecuted and tested during this upcoming horrific time over all the earth. No one who does not personally know God in Christ will have the desire to do that, much less the resolve or power. No one.

Salvation is not granted to us because of any work we do. That’s what every religious system teaches and those systems are completely devoid of any guarantees. Whether it was Ancient Egypt, Islam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, or something else, all teach a form of works-based salvation which is never guaranteed. Under those systems, no person will know for certain whether they have gained salvation until after they die.

Christianity is the only “religious system” – it’s really a relationship with God Himself! – that grants salvation – true salvation/eternal life – through faith in what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf. No amount of works will gain this. Faith and faith alone in Christ’s work. He did the needed work. We simply receive through faith believing.

Too many people like Elizabeth Warren have it wrong, to their detriment. The only salvation is in Christ and that through faith, not of works so that none can boast (Ephesians 2:8-10). The Bible must be allowed to interpret itself to get the full picture.

Entry filed under: Agenda 21, Atheism and religion, christianity, Cultural Marxism, Demonic, devil worship, Emotional virtue, eternity, israel, Judaism, Political Correctness, Politically Correct, Politics, Religious - Christian - End Times, Religious - Christian - Prophecy, Religious - Christian - Theology, salvation, Satanism, second coming. Tags: covenant of works, ephesians 2:8-10, matthew 24, matthew 25, salvation, salvation through faith alone, senator elizabeth warren, works, works-based salvation.