Quote:
Originally Posted by Awoken
Does this mean that (for instance, since he is the best convenient example at this time) Ravi Zacharias never actually received the cleansing of the blood, regardless of whether he asked for it?
|
I can’t answer for him, obviously. But God knows the heart. If Ravi, was truly born again, he did not lose his salvation. When we are truly born again, we are cleansed in the Blood of Jesus and sealed with the Holy Spirit. If he did not repent at his deathbed for his wicked and deceptive ways, he lost rewards but not his salvation. He may have lost his “birthright” but not eternal salvation. I will share my thoughts on the birthright in a bit.
With regards to the Knowledge of the Blood of Jesus,
I will speak for myself here. I experienced the power of the cleansing Blood when I first got saved. I asked my Savior Jesus to cleanse me with it. I really wanted Jesus to free me from pathetic life. Every word was deeply heart felt. I meant every word I spoke as I prayed even though I did not understand what I was saying about the Blood. I did not question its meaning. I simply believed Jesus was listening to me pray. As I was praying out loud, I felt a “strong whoosh” go inside me. The peace of God which surpasses all understanding enveloped me. I felt so clean and pure. This was 1975. From that day on, I stopped cussing both in English and Spanish. It just doesn’t come out of my mouth. Now, I know lots of Christians that cuss. I don’t judge them at all.
John Smith, the leading elder in San Diego shared many messages on the Blood of Jesus. Those messages made an impact on me. In recent years, I have refreshed my studies on this topic. I can never review enough. I truly trust the Cleansing and protecting Blood of Christ.
I would like to add that for many years after leaving the LC I put the Lord on the back burner. I lived like the prodigal son. When “MY world” fell apart I deeply repented shedding buckets of tears. And again applying the Blood on me to cleanse me deeply, the emotional healing process began.
God promises never to leave us or forsake us. I believe His Word. He never left me or forsook me.
As for my thoughts on the birthright, here is some food to chew on:
When Esau lost his birthright, did Isaac and Rebekah disown him? Did Abraham disown Ishmael? Did God disown Esau? When it says, God hated Esau, He is referring to the nation of Edom, not the person. Remember God changed Jacob’s name to Israel. Sometimes the scriptures refers to the person of Jacob. So is the case with Esau/Edom.
Esau forgave Jacob for stealing his birthright and threw his arms around him while both wept in reconciliation. This account is found in Genesis 33:4.
They were not disowned but both Ishmael and Esau lost the privileges that came with being the first born. PIshmael through no fault of his own, was not the promised son to Abram and Sarai. So God had exceedingly great mercy and compassion on him and blessed him exceedingly noted in Genesis 17.
God most likely hated Esau (the nation, Edom) because Edom (Esau) was not kind to Israel noted in Numbers 20. Maybe they resented God because Israel (Jacob) got the blessing of the first born that Esau should have received.
God does not imply that Ishmael, Esau and the prodigal son were disowned. To me, it suggests they did not lose their salvation. They were first in line to receive the blessings and privileges of the first born. But lost the privileges of the birthright and Thus the meaning of the scripture “the FIRST shall be LAST. And the last shall be FIRST has been clarified.
In rejecting Jesus as their Savior, Israel lost her birthright to be GLORIFIED FIRST avoiding the tribulation. That honor was then given to the gentile Bride of Christ. (Of course, any Jew who comes to Jesus right now with a repentant heart for having rejected Him as Messiah, will have their birthright restored. In other words, they will be Glorified in the twinkling of an eye just as the Blood washed believers in Jesus are. In Christ there is no Jew or Greek.
So based on the biblical scriptures, the birthright and salvation are 2 different positions.
I don’t know if Ravi truly was washed in and cleansed in the Blood of the Lamb. I find it very hard to believe someone who is truly sanctified could continually walk in evil, dark and wicked paths. Was he a fake Christian? Maybe.
Many born again, Blood washed Christians fornicate, commit adultery, divorce, steal, maybe even murder. Most feel awful, regretful and repentant. At best, they might lose some rewards but not their eternal reward. Maybe they won’t lose any rewards. Christ is the Judge not us.
Sadly, fake Christians, like fake Jews (Revelation 3:9) without repentance will hear the words “depart from Me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you.”
Every believer is is at a different level in their walk. Some are babes, some are weak, some are strong etc... God knows each and everyone of us. I can’t worry about anyone else’s birthright or salvation status.
Quote:
|
I kinda feel like for the rest of us we should not take that as a license to sin but rather a reason to be thankful that we're not dying on a cross without any opportunity to physically/practically live out our faith. We have received a greater blessing so more will be expected of us.
|
True. We have no license to sin (willfully)...
We often hear “God will punish you if you sin. Or God punished me.”
I take pause to that line of thinking. If a man or woman fornicated and contracts an std, did God punish that person? Or was that was the consequence for fooling around ? If a spouse commits adultery and breaks up the marriage, is God punishing the marriage? Of course not. People have to own up to their actions and pay the consequences for not seeking and asking the Lord to keep them away from that tempting situation. The closer our walk with our Creator, the less we are willing to sin. Remember Joseph and Potiphar’s wife? He resisted. I think the suffering he underwent followed by his promotions, made him cautious and strong in the Lord.
One thing God does say: a broken and a contrite heart, He will not despise. That was David’s testimony and mine too.
Blessings everybody.