by Dr. Ken Matto
(Rev 21:23 KJV) And the city had no
need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
I wrote this last Saturday afternoon as I was sitting in the park
close to my home ready to eat my Chicken McGriller and coffee, the sun was
shining in my eyes, so to block out the sun I placed a small hand towel on my
driver side window and pulled the window up and the light was blocked. I was now
able to eat my lunch without the sun shining in my eyes. As I was sitting there
eating, the Lord showed me something concerning the hand towel. As I used that
towel to block out the physical sun, what do we Christians do to block out the
SON so He isn’t in our eyes when we want to do something?
We know the unbelievers have created all sorts of ways to block out the SON. One
way is false teachings which place works on par with Calvary. If unsaved man can
do works, then they shine instead of the Son of God. Another way is creating the
idea that all paths lead to God. In a way that is correct. All false religions
will lead a pathway to the Judgment Seat of Christ and all the adherents of
false religions will be judged in the same place and will be cast into the lake
of fire, so in a way all paths do lead to God. The Lord Jesus Christ is not a
path, He is The Path. Christianity is not a major world religion. Christianity
is a family blood line. All true Christians have been bought with the blood of
Christ and are placed into His family for eternity.
What makes the light of Christianity so different than the religions of the
world? This coming Sunday, that’s what! Early on Easter morning the Lord Jesus
was raised from the dead and the stone was rolled away, and He marched out of
that tomb triumphant over death. His sacrifice was accepted by God the Father
and because of that, millions of believers have entered into eternal rest for
their souls, both those that have been promoted to glory already and those that
are still here on Earth. There is not one leader of a major religious movement
which has ever come back to life after they died. Mohammed, Buddha, Krishna,
Confucius, all the Popes, Rabbis, Shaolin Priests, and any other
leaders/founders of religions are all still in their graves awaiting the
Judgment of their souls.
False religions block out the SON and place man in the captain’s seat of their
salvation. In false religions, man is taught that he has the capabilities of
saving his own soul. A man named Pelagius who lived in the 4-5th century
believed that there was enough good in man that he was capable of regenerating
himself. The Bible clearly teaches that no one is good enough to regenerate
themselves. (Rom 3:12 KJV) They are all gone
out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth
good, no, not one. In fact, the Bible teaches that we
are all spiritually dead and must be regenerated from the outside, because it is
impossible for man to regenerate himself from within.
(Eph 2:5 KJV) Even when we were dead in
sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
(John 12:1 KJV) Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where
Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
Both of these verses use the same word in the Greek to define “dead.” It is the
Greek word “nekros” which means "lifeless, useless, dead.” In the case of
Lazarus, we read that he was physically dead and God is very meticulous as He
points out that Lazarus was dead for four days. Did Lazarus raise himself? Why
not? He was dead! It is the same in the spiritual realm. The same word denotes
the fact that all people are spiritually dead and must be regenerated like
Lazarus was raised from the dead. As God breathes physical life into His
creation, He breathes spiritual life into His Elect, giving them eternal life.
As Ephesians 2:5 points out that Christians “were” dead in sins but now we live
in the newness of spiritual life for eternity. That eternity begins at the
moment we become saved.
Those who follow Pelagian doctrine will be surprised at the Judgment seat of
Christ as they will stand for their sins because their own effort to save
themselves has blocked out the sacrifice of the SON which is the only way of
salvation. Following Pelagian doctrine will not be the only way a person skids
into hell, it will be by following any religion which places man above God in
salvation. In Christianity, we also have a doctrine which blocks out the SON. It
is called free will and makes God the beggar in salvation and places man as the
sovereign king of his own life. God begs no man for any reason. He is the
Sovereign King of the Universe. Even Christians block out the SON for their own
glory. Did you ever hear the following statements? “I accepted the Lord” or “I
made God the lord of my life” or “I gave God permission to be lord of my life.”
Notice how fat the “I” in each statement is and how it blocks out the SON.
It is a shame how even the redeemed of God attempt to block out the SON and
exalt themselves. The clay never controls the Potter, the Potter controls the
clay. Even in many churches around the world, the SON is blocked by theology,
prophecy, or a mythical chosen people, other than true Christians, which has
usurped the place of Christ in many places. The health and wealth gospel has
blocked out the SON by promising all the worldly things in God’s name. If these
people promise such health, then why are they all growing old? Shouldn’t they be
able to rejuvenate themselves so they will live forever. It amazes me the same
churches which preach health and wealth all own a tract of land for a cemetery.
It sounds to me like something is wrong with their message. They should be
focusing in on the eternality of the soul and not the temporal nature of wealth.
As long as they minister to the flesh and base instincts of people concerning
wealth, the SON will be blocked out and many will be sent to Hell believing this
pernicious message which cannot save.
How about you my friend? Is there
something in your life which has blocked the SON? Maybe you are not walking as
close to the Lord as you once did, simply because the cares of this world or
maybe you have encountered bad Bible teaching which has derailed you with you
even knowing about it. This is a good time to reflect on your Christian walk.
Is there a sin in your life which is blocking out the SON? Is there a habit
which may be blocking out the SON? As Christians still in the flesh, we may
start the journey strong but as we go along, we may tend to drift a little at a
time and by time we catch ourselves, we may find ourselves off the highway of
holiness.
Did you ever go on a vacation? Oh how we anticipate how getting away will do us
good and we then start the vacation all alert and strong, but as we continue in
our vacation, we find it tiring, and then when it is all over we arrive at home,
and sometimes we say, “it is good to be home.” Why? Our home is our haven of
security here on Earth. It is a place where we can rest from the outside world.
If you have been on a tiring vacation from Christ, come home and rest. Don’t
block out the SON anymore. Come home! You don’t have to fight the world anymore.
Christ has already become the victor over the world and will give you peace. It
is part of the inheritance of the Saints. (2
Th 3:16 KJV) Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.
The Lord be with you all.
(4/9/04)