Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: SNAP (05/28/26)
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TITLE: Snap Out Of It! | Previous Challenge Entry
By Doug Laird
06/01/26 -
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Paul writes to the CHRISTIANS in Corinth, “Sober up morally and stop sinning, for some (Christians) have NO KNOWLEDGE of God. I say this to your shame (1Cor. 15: 34 parenthesis mine NASB2020).”
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…(Hosea 4: 6 NASB2020).”
Many “Christians” have a head full of what the world has to say, but very limited knowledge of what God has to say, rendering the Christian Community to its prophesied 1Tim. 4: 1, present day, state of apostasy.
In some cases, their choice of pulpit is not feeding them with what they need to hear.
In other cases, the teaching is there, but there is a lack of application (James 1: 22).
Matt. 7: 27 and 1Cor. 3: 15 speak of the inevitable consequences of constructing a soul structure with defective material on an unstable foundation.
As of the Church Age, the foundation on which a Biblically-edified soul structure is to be built, is the “unadulterated” Gospel Message, encapsulated in John 3: 16, 18.
Without this foundation, the entire structure is destined to collapse.
“Unadulterated” refers to God’s one and only plan of salvation (John 14: 6) that has not been compromised by having added to it, the “religious” traditions that are no more than the teaching of men, but are never-the-less being promoted as necessary.
To the extent that one places his or her faith (trust and confidence) in ANY of these “add-ons” to obtain or retain the unearned, undeserved, irrevocable, GIFT of eternal life, is the same extent that one disbelieves in the efficacy of faith, and faith alone, in the Person and atoning Work of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the means of salvation.
Religion acknowledges Jesus’ work on the cross, but says, OK , but WE must finish the job.
Man has a long history of complicating the intended “simplicity (2Cor. 11: 3, 4 KJV)” of God’s plan of salvation, and taking too lightly the many requirements associated with post (after) salvation discipleship.
Post salvation discipleship has got nothing to do with retaining salvation, but has everything to do with identifying and executing the type of post salvation spiritual life that glorifies God.
The devil can do nothing to undo the Eph. 4: 30 work of God that takes place at the moment one is born-again, but works day and night to raise doubts in the hearts of weak believers, and to impede the spiritual growth and potential production of divine good (Mark 4:19) by followers of Christ.
There has always been, is now, and will continue to be inevitable differences of opinion, as to what is, and what is not, to be the doctrine and accompanying practices within the Christian Community at large.
Preserving the unadulterated Gospel and doctrine while blockading the false is what the spiritual warfare of the Church Age is all about.
Satan enjoys watching different Christian denominations or groups “shooting each other in the foot.” rather than just learning and speaking the truth and let the chips fall where they will.
Keep in mind the (fighting against God) warning that Gamaliel gave to the Jewish leadership who wanted to put the initial apostles of the early Church to death (Acts 5: 35-39).
When given the opportunity to do so, we ARE to promote accurate information, but we are to do so with gentleness and respect (1Pet. 3: 15).
God desires that all men be saved (1Tim. 2: 4), and that all saved souls embrace post salvation discipleship (Matt. 16: 24), but leaves those choices (and outcomes) in the hands of each individual to self-determine.
As His ambassadors, we must learn to do the same.
It is God (not us) who convicts or causes the spiritual growth in the ones with whom we share the unadulterated Gospel Message and edifying doctrine (1Cor. 3: 7).
Each day we come closer to the day when our individual window of opportunity closes when we, and or the ones in our personal periphery, will leave this world.
Like the 1Cor. 15: 34 Corinthians, some of us need to snap out of our passivity and get on with the work He has given us to do (Matt. 28: 19, 20).
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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I could tell how passionate you were about the subject matter
I may try breaking up the paragraphs in your piece for easier reading and not put words in all caps because that may sound harsh to some readers.
I liked how you emphasized not being passive but active in spreading the gospel message and this was explained very well in your piece.