Did you know Solomon didn’t make it?
Yes, the wonderful King, King David’s son,
the one who wrote all the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon?
The same King who built the Temple for God?
The same famous King with all the wisdom?
The King who asked God for wisdom and not for wealth?
Yes, that King. He did not make it.
And the Lord was angry with Solomon,
because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel,
which had appeared unto him twice,
And had commanded him concerning this thing,
that he should not go after other gods:
but he kept not that which the Lord commanded. 1 Kings 11:9-10
Solomon fell away.
There is no record in the word of God that ever said he returned to the Lord.
Solomon turned away.
Solomon died in his iniquity.
Some might say he was never saved.
That is a gross false teaching in the church today.
This removes the fear of God.
The fear of God keeps us on the straight and narrow, without that healthy fear, where might we end up?
If we are left to our own devices, we will be led astray.
The other argument people give is that once Christ died and cleansed your sin, they are always cleansed, there is no way you can fall away,
no matter what you do, Christ’s blood covers your sins once you believe.
That is not what the bible teaches.
The bible says many times that we must:
carry our cross
forgive those who offend us
keep His commandments
not put the Son again to open shame
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened,
and have tasted of the heavenly gift,
and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put him to an open shame. Hebrews 6:4-6
We will not be able to demand that God see things our way
when we are before His throne at Judgment Day.
Those who choose sin over following Christ will reap their reward.
We may not be welcomed at Heaven’s Door.
Who decides this? God Himself.
We cannot tell God that we are always saved.
When John the Baptist was on Earth, Jesus said this about him in Matthew 11:11:
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women
there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:
notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Why would Jesus say:
“he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he”?
He also said, “Among them born of women,
there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.”
Why do you suppose Jesus said John the Baptist was greater
than all other men who had been born before him,
including Noah, Abraham, King David and many others?
That is because while we are on Earth, we are not yet given our Heavenly reward. Once John the Baptist died, he was able to receive his reward in the spiritual realm. Not until.
If you are giving yourself your heavenly rewards
when you have not been given your gifts and rewards from the Lord,
you have no right to grant yourself or any other person their rewards yet.
That honor is up to God.
God is true to His word.
If you have been given faith about some bible verses,
if you have wrestled with God,
and worked out your own salvation with fear and trembling, (Philippians 2:12)
you may feel safe to believe you have entitlement to Heaven.
A strong caution: Salvation is a gift, not a right.
When Jesus is talking to the Church of Ephesus in Revelation 2:4, He says:
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
And, to the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:15-16, He said:
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:
I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spue thee out of My mouth.
Can someone be as close to God as to be in His mouth and not be saved?
He is making it clear here that if you want to be with Jesus,
you need to be sold out:
hate the world and the things in it
deny yourself
fear God and His power
Remain humble.
We can lose this race if we get too pompous.
We can lose if we go astray.
We have to stay on the straight and narrow,
keeping our hearts and minds in line with Christ.
Never excuse yourself.
Never give yourself an out.
Let Jesus excuse you and bless you by His mercy and grace.
Don’t expect you’ve made it until He tells you you’ve made it.