# Standing Firm Through the Great Apostasy

## Metadata
- Author: [[Steve Gallagher]]
- Full Title: Standing Firm Through the Great Apostasy
- Category: #books
## Highlights
- all those who profess to be evangelical believers—whether or not they actually are. Section One: THE TRUE AND FALSE CHURCH ([Location 185](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=185))
- “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die…because only the man who is dead to his own will can follow Christ. In fact every command of Jesus is a call to die, with all our affections and lusts.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer1 ([Location 197](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=197))
- “The cross will cut into our lives where it hurts worst, sparing neither us nor our carefully cultivated reputations.” A.W. Tozer3 ([Location 203](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=203))
- “Those looking for the deluxe brand of salvation without a cross are more in search of salve than salvation. You can have a religion without crucifixion—but not Christianity. Life in Christ begins with the death of Self” Cecil B. Knight4 ([Location 206](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=206))
- It is very hard to write this, but it’s possible that He was so foul to look upon that people turned away in disgust. One preacher said it this way: “He was contemptible, repulsive, loathsome and useless. He was good for nothing. When we saw Him on the Cross we said, ‘Good, He deserves to die!’”6 ([Location 272](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=272))
- Those who treat the Blood of Christ with a flippant attitude may well be doing so to their own destruction. ([Location 305](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=305))
- There would be only one avenue into the land of glory and it would go straight through Calvary. ([Location 329](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=329))
- Calvary represents God’s great love for mankind—a jealous love, a love that expects reciprocal affection. It was never meant to be a “free pass” to live in disobedience or Self-will. It actually meant the exact opposite. Those who decided to follow Jesus would be recognized by distinct similarities to His life and death. The life of Judas represents those of all ages who desire the heaven of Christ without the Cross of Christ. ([Location 334](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=334))
- The life of Judas represents those of all ages who desire the heaven of Christ without the Cross of Christ. ([Location 336](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=336))
- “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24) In this succinct statement, Jesus offers three requirements to being His follower. ([Location 340](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=340))
- YOU MUST DENY SELF Scripture makes it clear that there is no salvation apart from repentance. (Mark 1:15) It should be noted as well that a person cannot repent unless there is some acknowledgement of actual guilt. ([Location 343](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=343))
- This is what it means to deny Self. A person cannot and will not follow Christ until he has renounced his allegiance to Self.‡ As long as Self reigns in his heart, as long as he is primarily devoted to Self, he will repeatedly prove himself to be a traitor to Christ’s kingdom. ([Location 372](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=372))
- The doctrine of the depravity of man is little more than a nebulous teaching to people like James because they are determined to see themselves in the most positive light. They want to see themselves as good people and are unwilling to acknowledge that they are intrinsically evil. ([Location 376](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=376))
- It is very interesting that the very people who consider themselves as being vastly superior to a man like Judas are usually the ones who most resemble him spiritually. ([Location 380](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=380))
- It is very interesting that the very people who consider themselves as being vastly superior to a man like Judas are usually the ones who most resemble him spiritually. I say this because, like Judas, pseudo-Christians have never come to grips with their own wickedness, never truly repented of their sins and thus, have never been converted to Christ. ([Location 381](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=381))
- the desire to see oneself favorably is what keeps people from experiencing the kind of true repentance that brings forth a transformed character. ([Location 387](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=387))
- The reason that unconverted churchgoers can sidestep the truth about themselves is that the human heart is an inveterate liar. It truly is “deceitful above all things.” (Jeremiah 17:9) If a person were to catch an acquaintance in an outright lie once or twice, he would never again trust anything the person might tell him. How amazing then is the level of trust people have for their own hearts—in spite of the fact that they have repeatedly caught the wretch fabricating the truth. ([Location 389](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=389))
- But heaven is not for good people; it is for sinners who have truly repented. Hell is for rebels who will not repent. ([Location 397](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=397))
- False Christians are often those who feel the most eternally secure. As George Bowen said, “The faith that does not hearken to Christ, that hearkens rather to one’s own heart, is a mere phantom faith; it is the demon of unbelief under the angelic mask of faith.” ([Location 399](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=399))
- When Jesus tells His followers they must deny themselves, He is saying that they must give up the false notion that they deserve salvation. They must point their finger at Self and exclaim, “He is guilty and deserves to die!” ([Location 402](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=402))
- Not only must there be an initial renunciation of Self, but there must be an ongoing rejection of its claims upon the believer’s life. ([Location 408](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=408))
- Herein lies the essential difference between the true and false convert. The unconverted churchgoer can initiate certain religious observances into his life, but his best efforts will soon exhaust themselves. (Romans 8:7-8) The reason many Christians cringe when they are asked to sacrifice for the sake of others is that nothing has happened within them to compel them to get outside of themselves. They see carrying a cross as an uninvited intrusion upon their lives. In their heart of hearts, their true devotion is reserved for the world system that caters to their flesh. On the other hand, the person who has come to grips with his lost condition and has truly been redeemed lives with an overwhelming sense of gratitude toward his Savior. When Jesus tells him that He has fashioned a special cross just for him, he sees it as a joy and privilege. “You want to use me? You consider me as being worthy to serve in Your kingdom?” ([Location 409](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=409))
- Conversion occurs when the person makes a decision deep within to transfer his allegiance to God’s kingdom. ([Location 423](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=423))
- The fundamental difference between a true and false believer lies in the question of loyalty. Is he devoted to Christ or to himself? ([Location 426](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=426))
- The fundamental difference between a true and false believer lies in the question of loyalty. Is he devoted to Christ or to himself? When it comes right down to it, is he going to look out for “number one” or will his primary loyalties be to Christ? Will he do his own will or that of God? Will he love Self or will he love the Lord? Being born again means the person is converted from a Self-centered existence to one which is becoming increasingly Christ-centered. ([Location 427](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=427))
- Being born again means the person is converted from a Self-centered existence to one which is becoming increasingly Christ-centered. ([Location 429](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=429))
- “The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (I Corinthians 1:18) ([Location 446](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=446))
- Once the Holy Spirit makes real the words of Jesus, the person will either enter the process of becoming conformed into the image of Christ or he will grow increasingly more hard-hearted toward the things of God. The difference may be imperceptible at first. ([Location 451](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=451))
- in the process of being saved. Elsewhere Paul speaks of salvation being past tense (Romans 8:24), present tense (I Corinthians 15:2) and future tense (Romans 10:9). ([Location 457](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=457))
- “…the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” (Proverbs 4:18) ([Location 459](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=459))
- The very fact that a person shuns the word of the Cross is proof that he does not have the Spirit of God indwelling him. ([Location 467](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=467))
- Those who reject the Cross may have become more knowledgeable about spiritual matters over the years, but it has not translated into a more godly life. ([Location 470](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=470))
- Those who reject the Cross may have become more knowledgeable about spiritual matters over the years, but it has not translated into a more godly life. They claim to be His followers, but they do not really desire to go where He is going. They are headed in a completely different direction. ([Location 471](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=471))
- Satan is called the accuser of the brethren, not the accuser of sinners. (Revelation 12:10) If anything, the devil will do his utmost to encourage a sinner to minimize his sin, justify himself or seek some other way to shift the blame off himself. ([Location 480](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=480))
- 3 “Never having had a true sense of sin, they nevertheless experienced some alarms, and they set down those alarms for repentance. Although they have never truly believed in the Lord Jesus, they have felt a degree of peace, and have come to look upon this treacherous calm as the result of true faith. They have never really received a new heart, still there is a measure of reformation, and they mistake the outward for the inward.” Charles Spurgeon4 ([Location 495](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=495))
- “Never having had a true sense of sin, they nevertheless experienced some alarms, and they set down those alarms for repentance. Although they have never truly believed in the Lord Jesus, they have felt a degree of peace, and have come to look upon this treacherous calm as the result of true faith. They have never really received a new heart, still there is a measure of reformation, and they mistake the outward for the inward.” Charles Spurgeon4 ([Location 496](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=496))
- It was this tendency to settle for a superficial and outward relationship that caused Jehovah to lament, “…this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote.” (Isaiah 29:13) ([Location 516](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=516))
- Matthew Henry says that, “Hypocrites…are told of free salvation, of the believer’s privileges, and the happiness of heaven; and, without any change of heart, without any abiding conviction of their own depravity, their need of a Saviour, or the excellence of holiness, they soon profess an unwarranted assurance.”8 ([Location 564](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=564))
- “Unbelief makes us practical atheists,” wrote Joel Beeke. “Hell is no longer hell, heaven is no longer heaven, grace is no longer grace, sin is no longer sin, Christ is no longer Christ, God is no longer God, and the Bible is no longer the everlasting Word of God.”9 ([Location 574](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=574))
- shared all of the benefits of Christianity without mentioning the cross he must bear. (Matthew 16:24) ([Location 591](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=591))
- In any case, it is only a matter of time before the Lord allows the genuineness of his faith to be tested. In regards to this essential aspect of the salvation process, Peter would later exclaim, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 1:6-7) ([Location 592](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=592))
- However, this is the point of departure for this group of people. They’re happy to be Christians as long as it doesn’t cost them anything they consider valuable. If these shallow natures can be assured a place in heaven by going to church and abstaining from a few outward sins, they’re happy to be followers of Christ. But as soon as Jesus begins to reveal to them that they have a cross to bear in life, their interest wanes. ([Location 598](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=598))
- Underneath that outside of seeming life there lay the heart unchanged, unconverted, hard and cold as rock…they have not counted the cost; they have looked only on the fair side of religion, not on its severer aspect. They have never thought deeply of the sharpness of the cross, of their own danger, of the sacrifices which the cross demands. That premature joy is often a bad sign; it often means that there is no sense of sin, no genuine sorrow and contrition for the past.10 ([Location 602](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=602))
- Once these people realize the price involved with true Christianity, they quickly begin to back peddle in their hearts. The decision to fall away from the faith is made deep within. The more honest ones quit going to church altogether. Others simply convince themselves that they don’t have to be “fanatics.” They tell themselves that they love the Lord, but the truth is that they love their lives in this world. They maintain the outward life of a Christian but are unwilling to follow Christ to Calvary. As Ray Comfort writes, “An even greater tragedy than people falling away from the Church is the fact that multitudes of unrepentant ‘believers’ stay within its midst. These people rest in their ‘conversion experience…’ and will do so until they cry, ‘Lord, Lord.’”11 ([Location 607](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=607))
- The picture here is of a person with a seedling of faith alive within his innermost being, but little by little, the thorns of worldly interests and idols are allowed to resurface in his life. Mark’s version breaks down the problem into three separate categories: the worries of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things. ([Location 624](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=624))
- In a similar way, living in a prosperous nation can make a careless Christian extremely vulnerable to the seducing pull of success. It is very easy to justify throwing oneself into work. Men are especially vulnerable to this worldly allurement. Indeed, many ministers deceive themselves into thinking they are laboring for souls when actually they are addicted to acquiring all of the benefits of outward success. ([Location 633](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=633))
- The world has a thousand charms to lure the believer away from a vibrant, genuine love relationship with God… These three carnal appetites, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of pride, are branches of sin. The lust of the flesh represents the entire realm of pleasure, entertainment, amusement, and comfort, and includes addictions, movies, sports, television, travel, and all the many kinds of activities people become involved in. The lust of the eyes describes a person’s intense desire to have something he sees. It usually revolves around the desire for possessions: trendy clothes, the latest technology, a new car, and so on. The pride of life is a person’s exaggerated estimate of his own value as a person. Self-ambition, a drive to be successful, to have more prominence, an urge to “keep up with the Joneses,” or the prideful desire to “be the one”—these are the evidences of the pride of life.12 ([Location 640](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=640))
- the reality of their heart shows that they have forfeited their love for God in favor of their beloved worldly interests. ([Location 650](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=650))
- The final epitaph of this person’s life could be summed up thus: “He might have been a saint of God; but, alas! he hath gained the world, he hath lost his soul.”13 ([Location 652](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=652))
- Anyone can claim to be a follower of Christ, but “the proof is in the pudding.” Does that person truly act as though he believes what the Bible says? Does his life really reflect a godly character? Does he live with the kind of utter commitment one would expect to see from a genuine believer? A person’s life provides the incontrovertible evidence for whether or not he truly believes in Christ. ([Location 1059](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1059))
- Kirkwood offers the following illustration to make this point: If you tell [a man] a deadly spider is crawling up his leg, and he smiles and continues conversing with you, you can be sure he doesn’t believe you. Likewise, the person who believes in Jesus acts accordingly. His faith is evidenced by his obedience. Although many professing Christians claim to believe that Jesus is the Son of God, it’s obvious by their actions that they don’t believe at all. As Paul wrote, “They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him…” (Titus 1:16).5 ([Location 1074](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1074))
- There is an element of truth in what they propose. Scripture does allow for the assurance of one’s faith, but it is always attached to clear evidence to support that belief. There are certain characteristics of a person who believes in Christ. The Bible offers these proofs of salvation as a means of allowing a sincere person to test himself to see if he is “in the faith.”* ([Location 1109](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1109))
- FAITH PROVEN BY CHILDLIKENESS “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4) ([Location 1112](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1112))
- FAITH PROVEN BY CHANGE “…lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit…be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Ephesians 4:22-24) ([Location 1142](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1142))
- FAITH PROVEN BY OBEDIENCE “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36) ([Location 1163](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1163))
- The great reformer coined a term to describe false teachers who propagated this lifeless Christianity: antinomians. The Greek roots of this word are anti, against, and nomos, law. In other words, these people do not want to be constrained by biblical commandments. In our day and age, the great need is not to withstand religious ritualism or cultish legalism but a terrible antinomianism that has swept through the Church. “Unlike the legalists of Martin Luther’s day, today’s church-goers don’t need to be told that their dead works can’t save them. Rather, they need to be told that their dead faith can’t save them.”12 ([Location 1177](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1177))
- David Kirkwood explains: Paul and James were both speaking of being justified before God, and their apparent contradictory statements are not difficult to reconcile. Paul was addressing legalists who considered the Law to be the means of salvation. Paul wanted them to know that salvation can’t be earned by anyone’s feeble attempt to keep the Law. Salvation is a free gift that has been provided by God’s grace and is received by faith. James, however, was addressing those who had corrupted the truth of salvation by grace through faith, reducing it to a license to sin. Their motto was “justification by faith alone,” but like modern antinomians, they had redefined faith to be nothing more than a verbal profession, a faith that can be void of any corresponding acts. James wrote to refute that error…13 ([Location 1191](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1191))
- FAITH PROVEN BY FRUIT “…he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown…into the fire and they are burned.” (John 15:5-6) ([Location 1202](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1202))
- is by remaining connected in a very real way to Christ that we undergo the inner transformation that brings about Christlikeness. The aroma that comes from a godly life is what attracts others to Christ. Yes, we need the fruit of the Spirit manifested in our daily lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Sinners are drawn to those who exude such beautiful attributes. ([Location 1213](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1213))
- It is part of the normal Christian life to have a marked effect on the lives of other people. If a professing believer isn’t clearly influencing others toward Christ, he should seriously examine whether or not he is actually in the faith. ([Location 1221](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1221))
- Scripture actually offers a number of tests one can use to determine the validity of his faith. For instance, John gave this as one of the primary purposes for writing his first epistle: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (I John 5:13) He offers seven clear-cut tests in his epistle: walking in the light (1:5-7); regular confession of sin (1:8-10); keeping the commandments of Jesus (2:3-4); a life that resembles Christ’s life (2:6); love for the brethren (2:9-10; 3:14-19; 4:7-8); separation from the world (2:15-17; 5:4); and finally, practicing righteousness rather than practicing sin (2:29; 3:4-10). ([Location 1261](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1261))
- “I cannot but fear that only a comparatively few of the visible Church are converted to God.” Charles Finney1 ([Location 1271](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1271))
- “Our Lord’s word ‘believe’ does not refer to an intellectual act, but to a moral act. With Him ‘to believe’ means ‘to commit.’ I have no right to say I believe in God unless I order my life as under His all-seeing Eye.” Oswald Chambers2 ([Location 1273](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1273))
- “It will be utterly useless to plead that we believed in Christ, unless our faith has had some sanctifying effect and been seen in our lives. Evidence, Evidence, Evidence will be the one thing wanted when the books are opened and the dead are arraigned before the bar of God. Without some evidence that our faith in Christ was real and genuine, we shall only rise again to be condemned. The question will not be how we talked and what we professed, but how we lived and what we did. Let no man deceive himself on this point.” J.C.Ryle3 ([Location 1277](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1277))
- As much as seeker-sensitive pastors want to throw open the gates of heaven to anyone who ever showed the slightest inclination toward the things of God, it is clear that this parable precludes this. John MacArthur points out: Most people spend their lives rushing around with the crowds, doing what everyone else does and believing what everyone else believes. But as far as salvation is concerned, there is no security in numbers… The way that is broad is the easy, attractive, inclusive, indulgent, permissive, and self-oriented way of the world. There are few rules, few restrictions, and few requirements. All you need to do is profess Jesus, or at least be religious, and you are readily accepted in that large and diverse group. Sin is tolerated, truth is moderated, and humility is ignored. God’s Word is praised but not studied, and His standards are admired but not followed. This way requires no spiritual maturity, no moral character, no commitment, and no sacrifice. It is the easy way of floating downstream…4 ([Location 1314](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1314))
- As John Wesley said, “If many go with you, as sure as God is true, both they and you are going to hell!” ([Location 1328](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1328))
- Word spread quickly that Karen Smith had just crossed the River Glorious. As the Lord looked on approvingly, she was mobbed by those whose lives she had affected during her lifetime. First to meet her was Amber, a neighbor girl who had been addicted to drugs. Time and again Karen had shown kindness to her, and after overdosing one night and wanting to find answers for her life she went to her compassionate neighbor. Karen led her to Christ and spent months discipling her in the faith. Then there was her brother Will. He had been a successful stockbroker while on earth and never saw his need for Christ. Although Karen spent years earnestly praying for him, nothing seemed to change. Then, all of the sudden, he began to see the emptiness of his life and a co-worker led him to the Lord. When he arrived in heaven and saw his life played out before him, he saw how his sister’s persistent intercession had made it possible for the Holy Spirit to work in his heart. There were also a number of patients from the local convalescent hospital. For years Karen spent her Saturday mornings there. She would simply go from room to room, visiting lonely people, showing an interest and sharing her faith with them when she felt there was an opening. A number of them were so affected by her life that they came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. During the 23 years she was a believer, many people had been touched by Karen’s life. The line of people stretched into the distance—each one grateful because this woman had valued them individually, in one way or another laying down her life for them. Over and over again, one could hear Karen protesting against their displays of affection. “You give me too much credit; it was the Lord alone who saved you.” “Yes,” would come the reply, “but you were the one person concerned enough to pray for me, to take time to help me, to tell me the truth.” Then came the inevitable shower of hugs and kisses. Eventually, having escaped this outpouring of love, Karen was brought before the Lord. What she did for each soul was shown before a vast multitude of angelic beings and redeemed souls. “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Luke 15:10) That joy and gratitude was now directed toward her as if she were a soldier returning home to a hero’s welcome. In some inexplicable way, every soul she had cared for on earth was now a jewel in a crown she would enjoy forevermore. Like Karen, Pastor Ben also found himself standing before the Lord. He was elated when an angel informed him that his spiritual biography would be played out before the host of heaven—heroes from the Old Testament, the apostles, great missionaries, martyrs and saints from all ages. It was clear all were anxious to see what victories he had won for Christ. As the scenes of his life played out before that great cloud of witnesses, a horrifying and inescapable reality emerged: nearly his entire 30 years of ministry had been for Self.… ([Location 1759](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=1759))
- This union with God produces a love that in turn flows out to other people. Christians are called to be receptacles, possessors and dispensers of that love. Every true believer understands what it means to get out of his “comfort zone” to help those who are in need. Agape love must extend itself. The Holy Spirit dwelling within a believer must find someone to channel His love toward. ([Location 2326](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=2326))
- A Self-based religion does not have or require this level of commitment. Self-centered people cannot fathom possessing such devotion to God or giving themselves to other people like this. C.S. Lewis shows the small-mindedness and the inevitable end of those who will not give themselves to others: To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket—safe, dark motionless, airless—it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell… Every Christian would agree that a man’s spiritual health is exactly proportional to his love for God.5 ([Location 2329](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=2329))
- I believe there are two primary reasons that the Church is undergoing moral decay today. First, most Christians are regularly immersing themselves in the world’s degenerate value system by watching television, listening to secular radio, surfing the Internet and living for the world’s prizes. I have already discussed at length how the spirit of the world has successfully cast its spell upon the minds and hearts of Christians. The second factor involved in this process of corruption is that people are no longer dealing with the sin in their lives. I intend to deal with this subject more fully in later chapters, but I touch on it here because it is having such a huge effect upon the spiritual health of the Body of Christ as a whole. ([Location 2751](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=2751))
- If there was one thing the Apostle Paul knew from intimate experience, it was hypocrisy. He had lived in it for so long that he could “smell it a mile away.” He detested it because he knew how it had kept him locked in a prison of Self and hopelessly distant from God. He had been a Pharisee, and, as such, had been far more concerned about how he appeared to others than God. Jesus borrowed the Greek word hypocrite—used in the Greek world to describe actors assuming a stage role—as the most fitting term available to describe the false piety of the Pharisees. “They loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.” (John 12:43) ([Location 2815](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=2815))
- A person who is immersed in worldly activities should not act as though he is living a consecrated life. A churchgoer who overeats or masturbates or indulges in other carnal activities should not promote an image of godliness to those around him. Someone who is out of control with spending (e.g., running up credit cards, buying unnecessary luxuries, etc.) should not present himself as a committed believer. One who has no inclination to regularly spend time in God’s Word or lacks the commitment to living out biblical precepts should not volunteer to teach classes or mentor others in the church. These are only a few examples of ways modern Christians exaggerate their level of godliness to other people. But the reality is that anyone whose inner world is out of alignment with the outer image they project to others is settling for a “form of godliness.” ([Location 2827](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=2827))
- Jesus warned His disciples about the contamination of false spirituality: “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luke 12:1) The best analogy in our day and age to this admonition would be the warnings one might encounter along a highway: “CAUTION! WARNING! STOP! DANGER! WATCH OUT!” For Jesus to use such a strong term as “beware” shows how extremely hazardous He considered hypocrisy to be. The following are some of the reasons it is so dangerous: • It reinforces a person’s Self-love; • It is hard to detect; • It substitutes a false spirituality for the real thing; • It breeds further deception and delusion; • It hinders a person from seeing his need to change and repent; • It fosters fear of man rather than fear of God; • It magnifies the immediate dividends while blinding one to the eternal consequences. ([Location 2834](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=2834))
- “O God, give us more men aflame for Thee!—men…with burning hearts, brimming eyes, and bursting lips; men who fear nothing but sin, love nothing but Thy supreme will, desire nothing but to die that other men might live. Holy Father, I ask Thee in Jesus’ Name to give us these men, lest the Church continue to drift farther and farther from the norm as revealed in The Acts…” Leonard Ravenhill2 ([Location 2989](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=2989))
- One of the primary functions of God’s power is the transformation of sinners into saints. It is a process the New Testament calls sanctification, whereby the common or unclean is made holy. The work of regeneration that begins with rebirth is only the beginning of God’s work in the human soul. It is going through the “narrow gate” of repentance which allows the person to begin his lifelong journey on the “narrow way.” True Christianity offers the sincere adherent a life that is becoming increasingly free from the poisonous touch of sin. ([Location 3034](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3034))
- When men stress the importance of one aspect of Christianity at the expense of others, false teaching is certain to come forth. I wrote about this in my book Intoxicated with Babylon: Entire denominations and church movements teach that a person does not really have to obey God. This false message is loudly proclaimed from pulpits, over Christian radio, and through a barrage of books aimed at giving churchgoers a false sense of security. Its vocal proponents shout down anyone who counters it. “You’re teaching legalism! You’re telling people they have to earn their way to heaven! There is nothing a person can do to save himself. It’s all God’s grace!” As with most deceptions there is usually enough truth embedded in the message to make it believable. And it should be acknowledged that a strongly legalistic presentation of Christianity lends itself to a “saved by works” understanding of the Gospel. But there isn’t enough of that unbalanced teaching in church circles to warrant the overwhelming emphasis on grace that Christendom has heard in the last 10-20 years. One would think that legalism is the greatest threat the Church has ever faced, considering the inundation of teachings given on grace. The truth of the matter is that the real threat is from those teachings which have, in the name of Grace, encouraged believers to indulge themselves in a selfish and worldly lifestyle, far from the abundant life Jesus had in mind for His Bride.3 ([Location 3091](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3091))
- “Weak men may be content to echo the popular cries of the day. It is too often the mission of the servant of God to contradict these familiar voices.” W.F. Adeney1 ([Location 3154](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3154))
- While this may sound appealing on the surface, where is the gut-wrenching examination of their hearts and lives? (II Corinthians 13:5) Where is the acknowledgement of sin and rebellion? (II Samuel 12:13) Where is “the sorrow that is according to the will of God [which] produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation…”? (II Corinthians 7:10) Where is the true repentance that dethrones Self as the master of the person’s life and bows in submission to the lordship of Christ? (Luke 9:23-24) Where is the commitment to follow Christ wherever He leads, to do whatever He commands, to obey His will at any cost? (Luke 14:26-27) Isn’t this a clear-cut example of what the Lord said during Jeremiah’s time? “They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:14) ([Location 3210](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3210))
- After taking a pulse of the Church recently, Christian pollster George Barna wrote: The most discouraging study we ever conducted was one in which we attempted to identify churches in the U.S. that consistently and intelligently evaluate life transformation among the people to whom they minister. We found that very few churches—emphasis on very—measure anything beyond attendance, donations, square footage, number of programs and size of staff. None of that necessarily reflects life transformation.7 ([Location 3241](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3241))
- “…there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them…” (II Peter 2:1) The use of the word deny (Gk. arneomai) to describe these men is significant because it dispels the false notions that merely confessing Christ with words brings salvation and that denying Christ necessitates a verbal renunciation of Him. The truth is that we confess or deny the Lord through the way we live our lives. ([Location 3490](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3490))
- Every true believer has a hedge around his life that keeps him within certain boundaries of behavior. When he begins to stray off the narrow way, the Holy Spirit is there to impede his progress. But people differ in how they respond to this divine constraint. The Pulpit Commentary exposes the difference between the person who sees God’s will as a bother and the one who sees it as a blessing. Divine limitations are felt to be irksome to us when our will is in conflict with God’s will…But we men on earth live in frequent conflict with our heavenly Father’s will. We find the walls to be hard because we fling ourselves upon them. Our chain galls us because we chafe and fret ourselves against it. The wandering sheep is torn by the hedge, while the quiet obedient sheep knows nothing of the briars. When we rebel against God we murmur at his restraints… Far the highest obedience is not the restraint of our will before God’s will, but the assimilation of the two. We learn to will what God wills. Then we keep within the Divine limitations, and yet they cease to be limitations to us. They never touch us because we never attempt nor wish to cross them. Here lies the secret of peace as well as of holiness. So lofty an attainment can only be reached through that oneness with Christ of which he speaks when he prays that his disciples may be one with him and the Father, as he is one with the Father (John 17:21).3 ([Location 3514](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3514))
- By the time a minister has gotten to the point that he is willing to be sexually involved with another person outside his marriage, he has lived in self-will and self-indulgence for a long time. The sin he eventually indulges in is simply one more step in a long series of acts of rebellion against God. ([Location 3533](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3533))
- Come here and listen to me! I’ll pour out the spirit of wisdom upon you, and make you wise. I have called you so often but still you won’t come. I have pleaded, but all in vain. For you have spurned my counsel and reproof… When a storm of terror surrounds you, and when you are engulfed by anguish and distress, then I will not answer your cry for help. It will be too late though you search for me ever so anxiously. For you closed your eyes to the facts and did not choose to reverence and trust the Lord, and you turned your back on me, spurning my advice. That is why you must eat the bitter fruit of having your own way, and experience the full terrors of the pathway you have chosen. For you turned away from me—to death; your own complacency will kill you. (Proverbs 1:23-32 LIV) ([Location 3589](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3589))
- Four characteristics mark these situations as revival. First, the presence of the Holy Spirit is manifested in a very powerful way. Second, God’s people are spiritually energized and invigorated. Third, large numbers of people become radically converted. Fourth, a good deal of the community at large is affected by this great influx of spiritual energy. ([Location 3638](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3638))
- It was back in the early 90’s that I came to the conviction that the people of God in the Last Days would return to the miraculous living and deep love that was so manifest in the Early Church. I have met very few people who share this belief, so imagine my surprise when I discovered a novel which perfectly describes the very thing I have long believed! The story of A White Stone is set in the Last Days and describes what happens when a group of street people have a powerful encounter with God and live out the very kind of Christianity that is described in the book of Acts. ([Location 3750](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3750))
- While I felt I should touch upon this subject as part of the purpose of this book, it would require a book in itself to lay the proper biblical foundation for why I believe this. I should also mention that there are a number of teachings available under the term “Latter Ram.” I have found teachings that I would consider solid biblical exposition of Scripture but others that are downright “super-spiritual” nonsense. The Assemblies of God developed a position paper entitled, “Resolution 16, A Return to Biblical Integrity,” which says in part: “But along with the genuine move of the Spirit often come teachings and practices which, if not discerned and corrected, will turn the genuine move of God into shallow and misguided emotional displays. Within teachings that add to or depart from biblical truth, there is usually a kernel of truth that gets buried under the chaff of human additions and unusual interpretations of Scripture. Though we dare not inadvertently quench the Spirit’s work in changing lives and calling the church back to its first love and passion, we must speak out with words of caution when departure from Scripture threatens the ongoing life and stability of local churches.” I think these are wise words for all Christians to heed. ([Location 3781](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3781))
- I believe that the great revival we will witness in our day is going to deepen the rift between true believers and those who hold a spurious faith. Those who allow the Holy Spirit to have His way in their lives will become increasingly on fire. On the other hand, those who quench the fire of the Holy Spirit will become increasingly more calloused. ([Location 3906](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3906))
- “If sinners be damned at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. If they will perish let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one go there unwarned and unprayed for.” Charles Spurgeon3 ([Location 3990](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=3990))
- Pray that the Holy Spirit will overthrow the lies of the enemy, humble the person, help him to see the futility of this world, grasp the shortness of life and comprehend the great love of God. Every morning plead this person’s cause before the great Throne. Remember, you are going before a Judge who wants to grant your request! Ask, seek and keep knocking. Bombard heaven on this person’s behalf every morning. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see outward results right away. God works behind the scenes. ([Location 4056](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=4056))
- I will close with the following words of Richard Baxter: Go to poor sinners with tears in your eyes, that they may see you believe them to be miserable, and that you unfeignedly pity their case. Deal with them with earnest, humble entreaties. Let them perceive it is the desire of your heart to do them good; that you have no other end but their everlasting happiness; and that it is your sense of their danger, and your love to their souls, that forces you to speak; even because you “know the terrors of the Lord,” and for fear you should see them in eternal torments.3 ([Location 4070](https://readwise.io/to_kindle?action=open&asin=B00CDZTO9I&location=4070))