“...To obey is better than sacrifice...”
(1 Samuel 15:22 KJV).
*
William P. Parson had listened to every story
and was well aware of his own. The bottom line is they had ALL been disobedient
to God and God’s Word in one way or another.
None of them had truly
accepted the Lordship or will of God for their lives. None of them had submitted
to God through their actions, words, or thoughts.
Obedience wasn’t an option
in the eyes of a Holy God. It was a willing and voluntary choice to be in
agreement with his Sovereign Will for your life and obedience was the PROOF.
Any form of
disobedience, big or small, was rebellion and a blatant distrust of God’s Word.
Every one of them had yielded to their own self-will and trusted in their flesh
and humanity to guide and determine their paths upon earth.
People who blatantly
rejected Jesus Christ had no indwelling power to obey, but those who accepted
Jesus Christ DID have indwelling power.
People who truly ACCEPTED
Jesus Christ were GIVEN the indwelling
Holy Spirit to EMPOWER them to obey God. Many said the bible said: “…the Spirit of God dwell in you…” (Romans 8:9 KJV). “….the Spirit of God dwelleth
in you...” (1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV). “…your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which
is in you,
which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19
KJV). “…God hath said, I will dwell in them...” (2 Corinthians 6:16 KJV).
The indwelling
Holy Spirit was available, 24/7, to help true believers OBEY Him. Every one of them could say: “…He helps me…”
(Psalms 28:7 NLT). “… The Sovereign Lord helps me…” (Isaiah 50:7 NLT). “…You are my helper and my savior…”
(Psalms 40:17 NLT). “…[God is]…Your rock and Your
fortress, your deliverer, Your GOD, Your rock, in whom [you can] … take refuge; Your
shield and
the horn of Your salvation, YOUR
stronghold.…" (Psalms 18:3 NASB).
William wasn’t a Christian, but he’d
learned in HELL’S CORRIDOR, too late, that true believers were endowed with the
indwelling Holy Spirit, through Jesus
Christ, who ACTUALLY strengthened them to OBEY “IF” they trusted and depended
upon him by FAITH. William heard: …Christ ... [comes to dwell]…in
your hearts by faith …” and “...
[Jesus] ...Christ...[the Word will continually].... dwell in your
hearts …” (ROMANS 8:29
& Ephesians 3:17 KJV).
The true believer can
SAY: “…I can do all things
through Christ which
strengtheneth me…” (Philippians 4:13 KJV). HOW? “... For it is God who worketh in you, both to
will (to desire to be obedient) and to do (to actually be obedient) of His good
pleasure”
(Philippians 2:13 KJV). “…
the God of peace… that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with
everything good for doing his will, and may
he work in [you, through the indwelling Holy Spirit]… what is pleasing to
him (obedience), through Jesus Christ…” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV).
William had learned
more about the bible, in HELL, than he had while upon earth. He SAW every
missed opportunity he had been given to accept Jesus Christ. It was pure
torment now! Someone quoted the scripture: “...To obey is better than
sacrifice...” (1 Samuel 15:22 KJV).
This person said a
sacrifice was an act of offering up another or a possession to God, but
obedience was an act of surrendering one’s SELF to God.
Evidently, there is a
story, in the bible about a King Saul, who PARTIALLY obeyed a commandment God
gave to him specifically. God told him to destroy everything, from the battle
he had with a group of people called the Amalekites, but King Saul didn’t obey.
He partially obeyed by
destroying everything as God had instructed, HOWEVER, he decided to keep the
Amalekite King, Agag (1 Samuel 15:20-21).
Why did God punish him
for a “little” disobedience? Is a “little” disobedience STILL some
disobedience? Mankind may have given King Saul a PASS, but the sinful nature
makes the justice of humanity flawed, weak, and tainted at its best.
God gave his
instructions to Saul to destroy EVERYTHING, no exceptions. King Saul ACTUALLY
rejected God’s instruction when he willingly choose to bring King Agag, the
Amalekite, back. Disobedience, big or
small, it ALWAYS an blatant act of rebellion against God’s instructions.
King Saul confessed he
had violated God’s command. He let the
fear of men become greater than his reverent fear of God’s sovereign will.
King Saul preferred the
approval of men whether than that of God’s, so he choose against God’s specific
command.
God is a Holy God who
sees disobedience, big or small, as an act of rebellion, as sinful, as a form
of idolatry, as disrespect for God’s Holy Word, and as self-promotion rather
than for God’s Glory (his promotion).
Obedient is an act of
worship done in holiness and for the express purpose of glorying God upon earth.
King Saul MIXED glorifying
God, through an partial act of obedience, with the human attempt to also
glorify himSELF.
It wasn’t simply about
what King Saul DID as much as it was about WHO he was while he DID it, which
for God meant being an OBEDIENT servant at ALL cost.
King Saul sacrificed
his time and efforts in destroying the Amalekites, but he disobeyed God when he
decided, against God's instructions, to keep King Agag. “...To obey is better than sacrifice...” (1
Samuel 15:22 KJV).
King Saul showed off by
doing his religious duties in destroying the Amalekites and he looked like a
man of God who obeyed his commandments. However, God was looking at his heart. “...God sees not as
man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD LOOKS AT THE
HEART…”(1 Samuel 16:7 NASB). God
zooms in on the “…hidden man (woman) of
the heart…” (1 Peter 3:4 KJV).
God knows it is “…from within, out of the heart
of man, proceed evil
thoughts…
wickedness (disobedience)…All these evil things come from within, and defile a person.”
(Mark 7:21-23 KJV).
The heart “…is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked…who can know it
[except God?]…” (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV).
While mankind attempts
to build a religious image, through human efforts, to impress other humans,
whether than God; God is displeased.“…The sinful
nature is always hostile
to God . …” (Romans 8:1-14 NLT). “..[The sinful nature]... never
did obey God’s laws, and it
never will.…” (Romans 8:1-14 NLT). “...those
who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please
God…” (Romans
8:1-14 NLT).
God isn’t paying attention
to their mankind’s DEEDS as much as he is LOOKING and paying attention to the
CONDITION of their hearts.
The PROBLEM boils down
to OBEDIENCE. William realized God’s was super GRACIOUS with his people. He
didn’t expect them to be perfect and he allowed for struggles.
William
wasn’t referring to disobedience as MISTAKES, STRUGGLES, OR WEAKNESSES. He was referring to people here in HELL’s
CORRIDOR who had willfully and voluntarily DECIDED to practice an ongoing LIFESTYLE of SIN.
It appears that a lifestyle of practicing sin, big
or small, had separated them from God, the
Holy Spirit, and they ended up eternally separated from him.
“... Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness ... the one who practices sin is of the devil ...
anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of GOD...” (1 John 3:7-10 NASB). “... the word of God...piercing ....to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit....” (Hebrews 4:12 NASB).
Many
of them cried out because they had done so many things in Jesus’ name. Their
bible warned that many would say: “... Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast
out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess
unto them, I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity...”
(Matthew 7:21-23 KJV). “…I KNOW THY [RELIGIOUS) WORKS AND THY LABOR…”
(REVELATION 2:2 KJV). “…THOU ARE FALLEN …”
(REVELATION 2:2 KJV).
Willian
concluded that these people had NOT “lost” their salvation, but they had
willfully and voluntarily walked away from it through the rebellion of disobedience
and the practice of a sinful lifestyle. “…It’s YOUR SINS that have cut you off from God (who is HOLY)…” (Isaiah 59:2 NLT).
Obviously, it was the believer’s CHOICE to
stay and endure in the covenant relationship with God, the Holy Spirit. They were not forced, but it was a CHOICE to
remain with Him. He would NEVER leave them, but they could choose to leave him.
“…[ONLY
the ONE who remains] ... joined unto the Lord (Jesus) is ONE Spirit…
[united with the HOLY God]”
(1 Corinthians 6:17 KJV). “... in Him (not outside of him or apart from him) there is no sin. No
one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins ... knows Him... [IN HIM he] ...is able to keep you
from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory
with exceeding joy ... [Therefore,] ... little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices
righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil;...” (1 John 3:7-10 NASB & Jude 1:24 KJV).
“…what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?
And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ (the
Word of TRUTH) with Belial (the DEVIL or Father of LIES)? Or what part hath he
that believeth (depends upon God) with an infidel (one who doesn’t depend upon
God)?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15
KJV).
Jesus
miraculously enables the HOLY God and SINFUL mankind to JOIN or UNITE together
in an intimate, covenant relationship and become ONE SPIRIT. “…What therefore God has joined together,
let no man separate…”
(Mark 10:9 NASB). “…Love … is the perfect BOND of unity...” (Colossians 3:14 NASB). “…He that is JOINED unto the Lord is ONE Spirit…” (1 Corinthians 6:17 KJV). “…Let no one split apart what God has joined together…” (Mark 10:9 NLT). However, “... the word of
God...[is powerful enough] ....to [divide] asunder [the] ...soul and spirit....” (Hebrews 4:12 NASB).“…The things which are impossible with men … [are] ...POSSIBLE
[with God]…” (Luke 18:27 KJV).
“…I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing
too hard for me?”
(Jeremiah 32:27 KJV).
God
was STRICTLY a HOLY God. “…[God, the Holy
Spirit] cannot look on wickedness with
favor…” (Habakkuk 1:13 NASB). “…[God,
the Holy Spirit’s]... eyes are too
pure to approve evil…” (Habakkuk 1:13 NASB). “…Because of YOUR SINS, [God, the Holy Spirit has] … turned away and can… not listen anymore
[because he is in the spiritual realm and YOU are not]…” (Isaiah 59:2 NLT).
There were SO many people who thought they
were going to heaven, but their OWN rebellion of disobedience through their practice
of sin bought them to HELL instead.
Many of them thought it was FREE RIDE and
all they had to do is accept Jesus Christ, but they didn’t have to obey him. Their bible said “…Be ye NOT unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord
hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?”
(2 Corinthians 6:14-15 KJV).
In
the world, upon earth, believers were supposed to be like Jesus. “…In this world we are like Jesus…” (1
John 4:17 NIV). “...Be … imitators
of [Jesus]…”
(Hebrews
12:14; Ephesians 5:1 ASV). “… growing in every way more and more like
Christ…” (Ephesians 4:14-16 NLT).
William wondered if the
BIBLE tells believers NOT to be YOKED together with unbelievers, why did
believers think God would continue to be YOKED with unbelievers.
Weren’t the disobedient
Christians demonstrating they didn’t TRUST in God’s Word and were actually
REJECTING his WORD through disobedience to it?
What was the difference
between an disobedient Christian who proclaimed to be a believer and an
unbeliever when it came to God’s Word? They were both rejecting to obey God’s
Word. “...HE (SHE) THAT “SHALL” (WILL) ENDURE
UNTO THE END SHALL (WILL) BE
SAVED...” (Matthew 24:13 KJV).
William P. Parson wasn’t a Christian and
never proclaimed to be one. But he was shocked at how many had the opportunity
to go to heaven, but did life their own way, or Christianity their own way, or
simply rebelled, through disobedience.
It seems OBEDIENCE served a purpose that
would give glory to God, the Holy Spirit.
Obedience, it seems, would have PROVED a believer’s love for God, or
demonstrated they trusted and depended upon him, or empowered them to be a vessel
for God’s presence, goodness, and power, and it would have allowed them to be a
true blessing to others.
All William had, upon earth, was the
temporary security of money, but it couldn’t buy him eternal security.
Now that he was in HELL, he would give his
WHOLE fortune to have the opportunity to accept Jesus Christ and be his
obedient servant.
William didn’t know if ALL these people
here, in HELL, with him were once Christians and just proclaimed Christians,
but in one way or another, just like him, they’d been given the opportunity to
accept Jesus Christ and obey him.
All he knew, for sure, that EVERY person
IN HELL had willfully and voluntarily chosen to disobey God’s Word as a
lifestyle practice. “…He
(she) that believeth on him is not condemned: but HE (SHE) THAT BELIEVETH NOT IS CONDEMNED
ALREADY, because HE (SHE)HATH NOT BELIEVED in the name of the only
begotten Son of God (believed in the Word of God). And THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION, that light
is come into the world, and MEN (WOMEN) LOVED DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT,
because THEIR
DEEDS (sinful practices)WERE EVIL. For every one that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his (her) deeds should be
reproved…”
(John 3:18-20 KJV).
Obeying God is not FORCED upon anyone. Even
if you accept Jesus Christ, obedience is a CHOICE. It is something a true,
committed believer would willfully and voluntarily CHOOSE to do.
If a true believer willfully and voluntarily
CHOSE to obey God and have faith in Him; he would empower them to obey.
William was HOT and THIRSTY. He began to
weep and gnash his teeth again. He was getting to the front of the line and
would soon be thrown into outer darkness.
Had he been opened to receiving God’s
Word, he would have had the opportunity to live a more joyful life.
The key was not simply in accepting Jesus
Christ, but it was in obeying him too. It seems obedience was the assurance of
living a life that was empowered to endure to the end where eternal life was
guaranteed.
Doing Christianity in your OWN way means nothing
and serves no Godly purpose. A true believer’s testimony of faith is witnessed
through their obedience. Their obedience is what actually reveals God’s glory
upon earth.
However, as long as people have breathe in
their body, they have an opportunity to REPENT and get it right. "…Therefore REPENT AND RETURN, “SO” that your sins may
be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing (restoral to obedience)
may come from the presence of the Lord (the presence of HIS indwelling Holy
Spirit)…” (Acts 3:19 NASB).
William
clearly SAW that the SECURITY OF SALVATION is settled through Jesus Christ.
However, “A BELIEVER” has the FREEDOM to CHOOSE to LEAVE God, the Holy Spirit, ANY TIME!“…Behold,
I AM WITH… [YOU]
and … I
WILL NOT LEAVE … [YOU] …." (Genesis 28:15 ASV).
If God NEVER leaves you,
who LEFT or DEPARTED in Revelation 2:4? “…. THOU (the
church) HAST “LEFT” THY FIRST LOVE….” (REVELATION 2:4 KJV).
His OWN people had LEFT
OR DEPARTED, particularly, the CHURCH of Ephesus (part of the body of Christ, a
New Testament church). “...
It
was for freedom that Christ set us free...” (Galatians 5:1 NASB).
TRUE BELIEVERS can FREELY decide to depart
from God, the Holy Spirit, ANYTIME they
choose and there is NOTHING to STOP them. “... If
we sin willfully AFTER... we have
received the
knowledge of THE TRUTH, there remaineth NO more sacrifice for sins...”
(Hebrews 10:26 KJV). “…Choose (make a CHOICE) you
this day whom
ye will serve….” (Joshua 24:15 KJV). “... IN LATTER TIMES “SOME” SHALL [choose to] ... DEPART FROM the FAITH!!!!...” (1 Timothy 4:1-3
KJV).
As William stood behind seven people waiting
for his turn he had one last thought: “obedience was a CHOICE, but so was DISOBEDIENCE.”
He may have NEVER accepted Jesus Christ,
but he had been given an opportunity and a choice to do so. God “….is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING that any should perish, but that ALL
should come to repentance…” (2 Peter 3:9 KJV). “…The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people
think. No, he is
being patient for YOUR SAKE. He
does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent…” (2
Peter 3: 9 NLT).
“…Choose
(make a CHOICE) you this day whom ye will serve….”
(Joshua 24:15 KJV). “…EXCEPT YE REPENT, ye shall all likewise PERISH…”
(Luke 13:3 KJV).
William stood,
beginning to feel the immense torment, as he was bound hand and foot and thrown
into outer darkness.
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