WE ARE NOT IN HEAVEN YET

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-13)

Devotion 31 of 37

PROFESSION VERSUS POSSESSION

There is a religious mind-set that equates a profession with possession, and a claim with ownership. One of the particularly devastating effects of sectarian is in this area. The embrace of a creed and the acceptance of the party line are thought to be identical with believing the record God has given of His Son (1 John 5:10-11), and receiving the love of the truth (2 Thess 2:10. In such cases, even though a zealous profession of believing the Scriptures is made, the real purpose is to uphold the tenets of the institution. Thus questions are asked of people to determine whether they are really acceptable or not. I will wax bold and mention some of them. "Do you believe in baptism for the remission of sins?" "Do you preach the full gospel?" "Do you believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues?" "Do you believe in the second blessing?" "Are you a pre-tribulationist or a post-tribulationist?" "Do you believe in the operation of the nine spiritual gifts?" "Do you believe in the autonomy of the local congregation?" "Do you believe a person can ever be lost who is saved?" , etc., etc., etc. The list is endless. Whatever you may think about these questions, and countless others like them, they have been the source of division, and even condemnation, among those who have believed and obeyed the Gospel.

First of all, this approach to the faith is never taken in the Word of God. What is more, the Scriptures were not written to bolster a position, but to reveal a Person. As Jesus said, "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39). Salvation is not determined by a position, but by a possession. As it is written, "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life" (1 John 5:12).

The sophist will assume I mean position has no importance at all–that it makes no difference how a person regards the revelation of God. But this is not at all the case. It is what we possess that determines our view of things. Here is how Scripture says it. "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things . . . But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him" (1 John 2:20, 27). The real issue is not whether or not you believe the right thing, but if you are abiding in the right Person. And, that is determined by the teaching of the "anointing," the blessed Holy Spirit Himself (1 John 3:24; 4:13). No one who is believing on Jesus is rejected by God, and no one who is not believing in Him is accepted.

But let us get to the point of this devotion: the matter of profession versus possession; of saying versus being, and claiming as opposed to having. The Spirit frequently delineates between a mere profession and a real possession. He never takes the profession for granted, but puts it to the test. We must do the same. God will not settle for the declaration of an absolutely correct position if we live in contradiction of it.

A brief perusal of some of these texts will be profitable in our consideration, i.e., "We are not in heaven yet." All of them are written to professed believers. None of them assume the individuals are not believers, but put their claim to faith to the test. All of them allow for claiming identity with Christ without really having one. All of them require personal examination, from which no believer is excluded. These texts deal a devastating blow to any position that permits its adherents to assume they are safe, or accepted, or free from all danger. This is not Theology-101, but an exposure to the mind of the Lord. The very thing in question is the profession of the individual. That profession is not to be taken for granted, but put to the test.

1 John 1:6-7, NKJV--"IF we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But IF we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." First, the language itself is strange to the sectarian mind. It would be better, it is thought, to say "have eternal life" than "have fellowship with Him." Even though the two are technically the same, there is something about claiming "fellowship with Him" that summons the conscience into play. If the life of the professor is characterized by spiritual darkness and ignorance, stumbling in the night as though there was no light, the person has lied. The truth is not found in such a one. Conversely, if we live in the glorious illumination of Christ, we have fellowship with one another, and Christ's blood keeps on cleansing us from all sin. There you have two requirements: fellowship with Christ, and walking in the light. Where either or both of these are missing, the profession counts for nothing. It is pointless to argue that they cannot be missing. The Spirit has spoken!

1 John 1:8-10, NKJV--"IF we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. IF we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. IF we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." A person may claim, as some do, that they have obtained the "second blessing," and no longer can sin. But such claims are not true, and show the truth is not in the person. This is not something beyond believers, for it applies to "we," "ourselves," and "us." If the text has no relevance to believers, it is pointless to address it to them. Rather than denying the existence of sin in us, we are to acknowledge it, confessing it to God. In faithfulness and justice, He will then forgive our sins and cleanse of from all unrighteousness–and that is conditioned on an "IF."

1 John 2:9, NKJV--"He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now." Here is a very practical matter. What of the person who claims he is walking in the illuminating effects of Divine tutelage? He professes to know the truth, and says he is led by the Spirit: i.e., "God told me," etc. Yet, hatred for and neglect of Christ's brothers is found in that person. What can be said of him? Will we receive him because he "believes" the right things–or at least says he does? Here is the Spirit's assessment: "he is in darkness until now!" One might point out this means the person is "still in the darkness" (NIV), and was never in the light in the first place. But what does that have to do with the Spirit's reasoning? The whole point is not to determine whether or not the person was ever in the light, but to test the profession of being in the light. If there is no need for the individual to apply this test to himself, for what purpose is it given to us? Surely no one believes it is only for examining others.

1 John 2:4, NKJV--"He who says, ‘I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." Do not miss the line of reasoning here. Because it is possible to make a profession without actually possessing the benefit, these various tests are given. They cannot be brushed aside with a theological broom as having no relevance to certain members of the body. Here is a test from which some will shrink back. If a person makes a claim to know Jesus, yet does not keep and retain his commandments, that person has lied, and the truth is not resident within him. Someone may say that is a bit legalistic, and therefore must not mean what it says. Rest assured, God will be justified in this saying (Rom 3:4). Do not assume this expression has no connection with you. Apply the test. Do you keep His commandments or not?

1 John 2:6, NKJV--"He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." Here a claim is made to abiding, or remaining, in Christ. This is not a common profession, but is occasionally heard. Men have chosen to state it another way, which is less incriminating; i.e., "I am a Christian," "I have been baptized," "I attend church regularly," or some other similar affirmation. None of these things are bad. In fact, all of them are good. But they must be supported by some evidence to be valid. The one who claims identity with Christ must "walk and He walked," or live in the same manner as He did. This does not mean flawless living, but focused living. Living with the same perspective and motivation as Jesus. When the "walk," or manner of life, contradicts the profession, the profession is not true. It is a lie.

The Lord will not allow us to depend on our profession, or a lifeless adherence to what we believe is a proper theology. We cannot rest on our profession, or even on our faith. Our rest must be in Christ, and that can only take place in the context of Divine fellowship. Of course, faith moves us to desire to be tested. It compels us to say with David, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psa 139:23-24). Faith, as you can see, never assumes the point in question.

PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus I ask that You search and try me. Grant me grace to also conduct an honest search of myself, convinced you are able and willing to cleanse me of all defilement. I will confess what I find, acknowledging your grace as well as my transgression.

-- Tomorrow: THE LORD KNOWS THEM THAT ARE HIS --