Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
Back when I was in elementary school, I can remember all of the children lining up in the hallway to go to lunch. We had to march very quietly in a straight line, all the way to the lunchroom, and if anyone got out of line they were quickly rebuked and corrected by the teacher. If you ever joined the school marching band, you needed to keep your diagonals straight and walk in perfect formation, otherwise the band director would have some choice words for you. When you fall out of line in the military it’s called breaking ranks, which is the failure to conform or obey instruction. Those who fail to obey the drill sergeant, will provoke them to anger and feel the sting of their wrath.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Anyone who follows Christ is called to conform. Soldiers must conform to a certain code in the military, just as a Christian must abide by the teachings of Christ. To fall out of line, is to not obey the teachings of our faith, which is an act of non-conformity to scriptural truth. This is one of the reasons why there is such a huge form of false Christianity in the world today. Rather than keeping in scriptural formation, they are breaking ranks with the original teachings of our faith, an event that was warned about long ago.
2 Timothy 4 ³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; ⁴ And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Just like in the military, some people will begin the Christian Life, but will eventually wash out. They will step out of line, resist conformity, and refuse to submit to the teachings of scripture. God absolutely hates rebellion, and those who get involved with it are going to be severely punished.
“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. 1 Samuel 15:23
When somebody is stubborn, they are determined to do whatever they want, rather than what God wants. They are unwilling to change their mind, even when they are made aware of scriptural teachings. Pride is like a deadfall trap, and the consequences for stepping into it will come quickly and without warning.
“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Proverbs 16:18
“He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Proverbs 29:1
The world around us is constantly changing, but God’s Word is an unmovable foundation of Truth. Rather than comparing ourselves with worldly forms of Christianity, we must come out and become separated unto the gospel of Christ. This is done so we can completely focus on His will, and contend for the one true faith.
Jude 1 ³ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. ⁴ For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵ I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. ⁶ And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.⁷ Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
The devil is extremely deceitful and can come in religious robes or appear as an angel of light, but whatever way they may show up, all of us will be judged by our works. Those who refuse to abide by biblical doctrine don’t have the Heavenly Father, nor His precious Son.
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 1:9
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
In the dictionary, the distance between hermeneutics and heresy is not very far. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy to keep himself fully aligned with the doctrines of our faith.
“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Timothy 4:16
Many people want to refer to themselves as a Christian, but for some, they willingly reject many of the teachings of Christ. Like a willful wife or an incorrigible child, they refuse to get in line with the teachings of scripture.
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16
Once again, when somebody breaks ranks in the military, they are disobedient to instructions, and fail to conform. Those who continue down that path are going to incur the wrath of their instructors and possible ejection from service. To obtain eternal life, we must transform from sinners into saints, and in order to do this we must reject everything that is displeasing to God, and demonstrate perfect obedience to His will.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2
Some people are not going to last in the Christian Life. Consider the numerous people that were following Jesus for a period of time, and then completely abandoned Him.
“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.” John 6:66
Mark 4 ¹⁸ And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, ¹⁹ And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
These same people will walk off on the teachings of Christ, and completely abandon the faithful brethren of the church. After their departure, they might still claim to be a Christian, but it’s only a farce. Listen closely. Those who give up the best thing you could ever have, will inherit the worst thing that they will ever know.
1 John 2 ¹⁸ Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
So when people fall out of the line, (as they surely will), we must keep on the straight and narrow, even when we are surrounded by those who hate us.
Hebrews 12 ¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
There will be many people who come and go in the Christian Life, but don’t be dismayed when it happens, because when God clips off one branch, He prunes another! Some people will be incapable of living the soldier’s life, so don’t be shocked when they start their rebellion, pack up and leave, and stubbornly begin….
….. Breaking Ranks
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious goups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you all, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody.❤️
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