It is possible that a few of you guys who love and engage The Majesty’s Men community from time to time do not possess a Master’s of Divinity in Church History. I will not freak out if I am told that some of you don’t roll with the nerdy theological folks in your neighborhood; those guys who answer tough theological questions without faltering.
In fact, I will be surprised if the majority of you all visiting us in here are familiar with terms such as eschatology, substitutionary atonement, hypostatic union, presupposition apologetics, and other theological jargon without grabbing a Nelson’s Bible Dictionary.
Our passion here is to assist you as you go through tough biblical hurdles with a level of ease since we understand that our Christian life will be terribly frail apart from true biblical knowledge. The burden is thus to help each other navigate through those rugged theological assertions, apologetic challenges, historical records, and doctrinal statements, even if you have never seen a seminary wall in your life.
Let me use Dr. Steve J. Lawson’s help right here: “The goal of the great commission is not mere decision for Christ, but well-taught, doctrinally-sound, faithfully-obedient disciples.”
So you see why we are always here for you?
This Battle Is Hard Fought
Sin is an unfortunate burden in my life and I believe many of you feel the same way too. I have not had a day, in retrospect, where I can claim to have successfully beaten sin without being touched devastatingly by its deadly blows.
You know what? I have had moments where I questioned if I was truly saved for the burden of sin gripped me so strongly for a season.
If my salvation has been sealed eternally by Christ, why do I still feel inadequate, burdened and victimized by sin daily? How is it that I am promised by Christ never to lose the salvation He gifted me outside of any merit from my part yet still have to contend with the burden of sin in my heart?
Christ Holds Us
Read the following scripture excerpts twice, and may be three times, and pay attention to the bold words:
“And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” (John 6:39-40)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-30)
Jesus Himself made those powerful declarations to us. So what’s the conclusion? He will never let us slip away!
There is something I need to add, because I feel some may already ask, “Okay, so we can now live as we desire since Christ has redeemed us never to perish — even with our sinful lifestyle?”
Absolutely not, family! “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Rom. 6:1-3)
We Battle With His Power
Now let’s continue with our “bold sentences” analysis:
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” (1 John 2:19-20)
“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13)
You just read directly Christ’s words which theologians call “doctrine of the perseverance of the saints.” Summarily, the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints states that a true believer will not lose his salvation since it was gifted to him by Christ without any merit of the believer, BUT only those who preserve to the end are true believers.
Got it? Awesome!
We are whipped by sin daily and some of use become weary, put off our armors, retire our swords, and throw off our helmets; we just cannot continue the fight; we have had more defeats than wins. But, I encourage you not to give up just yet.
Understand that we will not to be snatched by the evil one, so we must keep the fight for our sanctification unto the very end, when we are glorified with Christ for eternity.
J. I. Packer, a man whom God has blessed the church with, had this to say:
“Your faith will not fail while God sustains it; you are not as strong to fall away while God is resolved to hold you.” – J.I. Packer
Stay In The Battle!
Remember Christian in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress? Have you faced the same degree of trials, temptations, pains, burdens, disappointments, groans and setbacks as Christian? After such trouble, Christian persevered.
“By perseverance the snail reached the ark,” concluded Spurgeon.
So why are you thinking of pulling out of this race already? The Apostles persevered under death, the early Church persevered under persecution, Christian persevered under the weight of sin, and the snail persevered under the fear of flood; so why do you want to give up now?
Keep fighting! Keep growing in sanctification; don’t be discouraged by the burden of daily sins. Don’t give up this fight. Let’s keep it going until we all are united with Christ for all eternity in His glory.
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