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.
How many of you have been driving through a town on the weekend and seen a rummage sale sign? A lot of times they have an arrow pointing you in the right direction and might even give you the address and mileage to somebody’s home. It’s been claimed by some people that traffic signs have been in use for a long time, even as far back as the Roman empire. Back then they would use stone markers called milestones to indicate the distance and directions to certain places on their roads. But with the appearance of modern automobiles, the standardization of road signs became very important. The first stop sign was put in place in 1915 in Detroit, which was also right about the same time the first electric traffic signal was erected in Cleveland. Eventually the no u-turn sign was created, prohibiting making that type of turn in specific locations. These are generally used in places where performing that type of move would be unsafe and could create an accident. Those who choose to ignore a no u-turn sign not only put themselves in danger, but it can also.result in other traffic fines or legal consequences.
This reminds me of the Christian life.
Most times when people cut the lawn they will go a certain direction for a while, and then turn back around and go the opposite way, but we cannot live the Christian Life in this manner. Like a one-way ticket on an airplane, there is no return to the sinful past from which we came. We must continue to abide in the direction that God is taking us, because He certainly will punish all those who decide to take a u-turn.
2 Peter 2:20-22 (KJB) For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
All of us have come from a sinful past, including all of the men that are found in the teachings of scripture, but the thing that sets a genuine Christian apart from the rest of the world is repentance from dead works. That must be such a powerful and defining factor in your life that you never want to return to the sinful past that you were redeemed from. When we are baptized underneath the water, our past life of sinful living is expunged in the eyes of God, and we begin to take our very first baby steps in the Christian Life. But when we hear God’s words preached and taught, we are no longer ignorant of His will for our lives. This is where our conscience develops, because we have been enlightened by the teachings of the Holy Spirit. But the Apostle Paul warned about going against conscience, because you are not only sinning against God, but also committing the same acts for which Christ died. You might have done it in ignorance in the past, but now it is done in the full knowledge of God’s will which is a bad place to be.
Galatians 2:18 (KJB) For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
Those who become a Christian are not supposed to turn around and revert back to the evil habits and lifestyles that they used to live before they became a follower of Jesus. We are not supposed to go backwards but forwards and press hard for the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
1 Peter 1:13-19 (KJB) Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
Philippians 3:14 (KJB) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Whenever anyone claims to be a Christian and sins against the knowledge of God, they sin against His love. I told a student at a high school that every time you sin, it’s like pounding a nail into our precious Lord Jesus. Those who are outside the teachings of Christ are in a state of ignorance, but that’s quite different from those who have been educated in Scripture because they know better. Many people will attempt the Christian Life but just like in the parable of the sower, they will fall away, simply because they were not strong enough in their faith to overcome the temptations of this world. Even though Jesus died on the cross for them, they will be punished with all of the rest of the impenitent. Sinning against the knowledge of God is a dangerous place to be. Lot’s wife understood what was going to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah, but even though she had that knowledge, she turned around anyway. She was only tempting the Lord and flirting with disaster, and was ultimately destroyed because of it.
Hebrews 10:38 (KJB) Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
We are supposed to be followers of Christ, but you can’t follow someone if you turn around and go your own way instead. God pulls us out of the mud and filth of our past sins so that we can have a better life, but those who choose to turn around and head back out into the world again are worse than an unbeliever. This is because they sin purposely and willfully against the knowledge of God. There will be many people who begin the Christian Life who get baptized and become enlightened with the Holy Spirit, but that great love that they once had for the Lord will begin to fade away. They will long after and eventually return to the sinful past from which they were once delivered. It only proves that the knowledge that was freely given to them, was bestowed upon a completely unworthy soul. They might still claim to be a child of God, but that is defined by obedience to His commands, because it is clear that God is going to punish all of the disobedient children.
Colossians 3:5-6 (KJB) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Ephesians 5:5-8 (KJB) For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Ephesians 2:2 (KJB) Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
We must always focus ourselves on becoming better, and perfecting our faults out of love for our precious Lord Jesus, but don’t ever forget that He is a God to be feared. He will punish rebellion and all those who make the foolish decision to return to life that they had forsaken. Like a pig returning to the mud, some people will get cleaned up, but then jump right back into sin all over again. Make sure that you always remember that the path of Christ is a straight and narrow road, one that we can never exit from. You must heed the posted warning signs, because if you choose to walk on this trail, there are…..
………No U-Turns
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 groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that 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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