Right Job, Wrong Tools Part Three One cannot truly “love” someone and then not be concerned about their present spiritual well-being and eternal destination. Note that, as one of His “followers,” we have been commanded to love our enemies (1). The level of interest in the spiritual well-being of others, beyond his or her own personal periphery, is a good indication of where one is in his own walk with the Lord in the post salvation life of discipleship. Discipleship is initially for the development and application of one’s own edified soul structure, but with the long-term objective of participating in the Great Commission. What would you think of a medical scientist who discovered a cure for a disease that was destroying thousands of lives every day, but kept the information to himself? Now consider what God thinks of a so-called “Christian” who possesses the knowledge to save or to edify another soul, but chooses not to share it with those in need. If you yourself have been born-again, then you already know what the unsaved souls, with whom you interact with, need to hear to secure their salvation. It’s called the unadulterated Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16, 18. Jesus made it clear that there are NO others means (2) to obtain salvation, apart from individual faith (trust and confidence) in the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ that He finished (3) on the cross, to the exclusion of ALL others. What part of the NO ONE in John 14:6 or the FINISHED part of John 19: 30 is it that people don’t understand? NO ONE means just that, and FINISHED excludes any further requirements, including the many that have been added to the Gospel Message by the religious institutions of men (4), throughout the course of the Church Age. Paul, in Galatians 3: 1 and 1Timothy 2: 1 refer to such adulteration as the work of demons. Human viewpoint contends that the exclusion of ALL other means is being very narrow-minded. Matthew 7: 14 agrees, and adds an ominous warning to it! “For the gate IS narrow and the way IS constricted that leads to (eternal) life, and there are (only a) few who find it (Matt.7: 14 NASB2020 parentheses mine).” There are many false means of salvation out there being promoted by the Psalms 96: 5 religions of the world, and sad to say, there are some WITHIN the so-called “Christian Community,” as well. A lot of this confusion within the Christian Community is the result of its failure to distinguish between the ONE requirement for salvation from the hundreds of requirements associated with post salvation discipleship. All born again believers are Heaven bound, but not all born-again believers become or remain disciples. Those who choose do not do so, will remain saved, but will fail to glorify God, and as a result, will forfeit the reward and privileges that they would have otherwise enjoyed in eternity. Some pastors are reluctant to teach on eternal security (5) for fear that some will treat it as a license to sin. But such backsliding believers will learn soon enough that there is divine discipline (6) here on earth for the post salvation sins committed. Just being out of fellowship with God is enough to motivate an advancing disciple to confess his or her sin and move forward in the plan of God. Advancing disciples do not serve God in order to be rewarded. Their devotion to discipleship is an expression of the love that they have for God (7). To the extent that a born-again believer has embraced post salvation discipleship, he or she has learned what he, she, and fellow born-again believers need to hear and do, in order to advance along the road to spiritual maturity. A Heaven-bound, born-again believer should not expect to hear, “Well done…(Matt. 25: 21 NASB2020),” or expect to be rewarded (8) or privileged (9) in Heaven for work (10) left undone, here on Earth. Each and every time a born-again believer is given the opportunity to share the unadulterated Gospel Message with an unbeliever, or to share a principle of Bible Doctrine with a fellow believer, he or she has work to be done. With these same opportunities, it is the hope and intent of the devil to have those he has deceived will pass along his alternatives instead. The devil (11), and those who knowingly or unwittingly promote his agenda, have mastered the art of making the Word of God appear to say just about anything they want it to say. This satanic tactic failed to succeed during the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness (12), but has proven to be quite successful throughout the course of the Church Age, evidenced by all the apostasy WITHIN the Christian Community of our day. In most cases, these “misinterpretations” and or misapplications of Scripture can be identified or clarified by learning and applying using the I.C.E. method. I=isagogics (historical setting); C=categorical (comparing Scripture with Scripture); E=exegesis (original language of the passage). This is primarily the job of the pastor-teacher, but is very useful during private study, as well for those interested in studying as well as reading the Bible. Finding common ground with those we desire to share the unadulterated Gospel Message or an edifying principle of Bible Doctrine can prove to be most productive. People will be more receptive when the communicator presents himself or herself as one who has been there and done that, and having being in the same need of salvation and or edification. Nor of us came into this world with a Matt. 7: 24-27 edified soul structure. Aside from the God-given (13) concept of Eternity, there was a time when virtually everything that we now know about God or the things of God had to be learned from someone or something else. Christian parent(s), by their word and example, have the moral responsibility to engineer and maintain a home environment that would encourage their offspring to listen to and respond to the unadulterated Gospel Message when their time comes. Matt. 18: 6 has some strong language concerning those who become stumbling blocks, by their words, actions, or inactions, in the spiritual life of “little ones.” Note that “little ones” can be one’s young offspring, or ANY newly born-again believer at any biological age. This same home environment should be one that encourages the offspring who are born-again to pursue the post salvation spiritual life of Biblical discipleship. Keep in mind, you can (and should) lead the horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. In order for the Prov. 22: 6 principle to manifest itself, the child has to choose to respond to the godly example and guidance of the parent. The Bible itself concedes the difficulty attempting to evangelize or edify family members, or people who have seen your own “dark side” in action. “Who are YOU to be PREACHING to ME,” will be a common response (or harbored feelings) when attempting to evangelize or edify others who are personally familiar with us. “But He said, “Truly I say to you, no prophet (spokesperson for God) is welcome in his hometown (Luke 4: 24 NASB2020),” and that, “a person’s (spiritual) enemies will be the members of his own household (Matt. 10: 36 2020 parenthesis mine).” Keep in mind, that there was a time when even Jesus’ half-brothers, being the later offspring of Mary and Joseph (14), did not yet believe in His claims of deity and being the long-awaited Messiah (15). Had not Mary and Joseph done their parental duty and shared their knowledge of Him with their children? Or worse, had they, and then been believed? Having “nothing to do” people in need of salvation or edification was not the way Jesus approached and interacted with Fallen Man. He did NOT come to condemn the world, but to save it from the coming wrath of God. (16). Born-again believers might be surprised to learn just who it is that they are, and who they are not, to have close fellowship with, here on Earth. Advancing disciples, are NOT to have close fellowship with so-called Christians who talk the talk, but don’t walk the walk (17). But advancing disciples ARE to have interaction with worldly-minded people (18), in order to participate in the Great Commission (19). When Jesus walked among us, He pulled no punches when it came communicating that there is ONLY one means of salvation; the eternal benefits for BELIEVERS; and the ETERNAL consequences for UNBELIEVERS. When Biblically-qualified and functioning pastor-teachers present the unadulterated Gospel Message for salvation and or an edifying principle of Scripture for the advancement of discipleship, they do so with a “to whom it may apply” approach. The ONLY pressure or motivation to be born again or to advance in post salvation discipleship, should come from God the Holy Spirit, whose presence and function it is to make the unadulterated Gospel Message understandable, when it is being communicated. In closing, know that God’s answer to your prayers for the salvation and or edification of others may very well be to have them go through Hell on Earth, if that is what it takes, for them to be in a position to listen, respond, be saved, or edified. God prepares the unsaved soul to be presented with the Gospel Message, and prepares the soul of a born-again believer to receive principles of Bible doctrine for the development of his or her post salvation spiritual life. As His followers, we are here to set an example 24/7, and to present the Gospel Message and edifying principles of doctrine when given the opportunity to do so. It is He that convicts and makes the information we provide understandable, providing the recipient the opportunity to be born-again or edified. Remember that what any recipient does with the information we provide is between him or her and God, and not us! If they choose not to accept what you present to them, they are not rejecting you, they are rejecting God. We can and should “lead the horse to water,” but can’t make it drink. Nor should we try to do so through human means or pressure. We must learn to do our part by sharing the information, and then give room for God to do His.