Repent or Perish

by Mike Ratliff

5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:5 ESV)

I live in the Kansas City area. Yesterday a former employee of a Target store at the Ward Parkway Mall in KC put his plan into action to “shoot up a lot of people” there. Police theorize that he forced his way into a neighbor’s house, killed her and took her guns and stole her car. Police were notified when the lady who was killed had not been seen and that her car appeared to be stolen. Police found her body and put out a call for the car. A KCMO policeman spotted the car going down a street and pulled it over. The man driving was the person he was looking for. A gun battle ensued. The policeman was shot in the arm, but managed to put a bullet into the driver of the car. Also, he was able to take two pistols away from the shooter. I heard the dispatch recording this afternoon of this incident. You could hear the gunshots as the officer called for assistance. The shooter fled in the stolen car and proceeded to carry out his plan without the two pistols. Police were not aware that he also had a rifle in the car.

The Ancient of Days Reigns

by Mike Ratliff

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. (Revelation 20:1-3 ESV)

If we listen to much of the preaching these days we might get the idea that our God was an old grandfatherly type entity who loves people so much and wants to save them all, but is helpless to do anything to make that happen. Also, He really isn’t in control of anything. He simply set the Universe into motion and now it’s on its own. He simply waits helplessly in a far off Heaven for people to make the right decision by their own reasoning capabilities. He is sorry for all the suffering and heartache in the world, so if people would simply follow the right preacher they could be happy, rich, and healthy. Is that what the Bible teaches us about God?

Charles Spurgeon Quote

“The more a church flourishes, the more, I believe, do hypocrites get in, just as you see many a noxious creeping thing come and get into a garden after a shower of rain. The very things that make glad the flowers bring out these noxious things. And so hypocrites get in and steal much of the church’s sap away.”

Filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions

by Mike Ratliff

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. (Colossians 1:24-26 ESV)

In light of the slaughter of the missionaries and pastors in Turkey last week, A letter to the global Church from the Protestant Church of Smyrna, I believe we need to reexamine the role of persecution and suffering in the Gospel. Also, we must agree that God is very actively awakening His people who are in the Scarlet Woman. Persecution comes to Christians who are truly obedient to their Lord. When they obey Him they do not practice empty religion, but, instead, they pursue holiness, abide in Christ, and are Spirit-led, hence their lives are Christlike and this does three things. It brings the wrath of the enemy down on them in various forms of persecution. Their suffering glorifies God and it fills up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.

A letter to the Global Church from The Protestant Church of Smyrna

Dear friends,
This past week has been filled with much sorrow. Many of you have heard by now of our devastating loss here in an event that took place in Malatya, a Turkish province 300 miles northeast of Antioch, the city where believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:26).

The Scarlet Woman

by Mike Ratliff

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” (Revelation 17:1-2 ESV)

John the Baptist was the one who was sent to make the way straight, to prepare the way for the one was to come. Of course the one who was to come is our Lord Jesus Christ the long awaited Messiah of the Jews. Gabriel told Zechariah, the father of John, “he would be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb, and will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” Of course he did that very thing and our Lord was born of a virgin soon after John.

The Resurrection Body

by Mike Ratliff

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” (1 Corinthians 15:35 ESV)

Eternity is the true reality, not this physical life in the temporal. At the heart of our Christian faith is our blessed hope of a bodily resurrection. Many mistakenly believe that all Christians who die are given their eternal body right then, but the Bible is clear that our eternal bodies are resurrected by God from our physical bodies that we have now. There will be an interim between our death and the resurrection before we are given our Resurrection Bodies, but this post is about what will be after our Lord returns in victory and glory.

Justification by Faith

Follow this link to a fine sermon by Charles Spurgeon on this vital topic.

Also, here is a post I wrote in August of 2006 about this.

Charles Spurgeon Quote

“It is a terribly easy matter to be a minister of the gospel and a vile hypocrite at the same time.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Persevering Grace

by Mike Ratliff

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24 ESV)

As many of you know, I grew up as a Southern Baptist. I’m not quite sure what I am now, but I am a Baptist at heart. I have heard the statement, “Once Saved, Always Saved.” comment more times than I could ever count. My theology has changed much in the last few years, but one thing that did not change was my firm belief in the security of the believer. In Reformed Theology it is called the Perseverance of the Saints. However, I prefer the term, “Persevering Grace.” The former makes it seem as if the believer is eternally saved by his or her own merit or ability. The latter, however, states that it is God who preserves His saints by His grace.

The Coming Day of the Lord

by Mike Ratliff

1 Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. (Zechariah 14:1-5 ESV)

When I preached in a small Baptist Church in northern Missouri several weeks ago the title of my sermon was, “Are you ready to meet God?” The main theme of that sermon was who Jesus Christ really is and what He has done to redeem His people from the wrath to come. Well, God’s wrath is coming. His wrath burns against all sin. Only those who bear the mark of His Son will be rescued. I have been part of some discussions lately where we all agree to an extent that the growing apostasy in the Church seems to be a precursor for the soon return of our Lord. Since the Church seems to have abandoned its mission to a large degree, and instead, has become Compromised with the World and its ways, then we see only two alternatives. Either God will send another Reformation / Revival / Restoration or this Church we see now is the beginnings of the apostate church similar to the Church of Laodicia.

Be Strong in Grace

by Mike Ratliff

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:10-12 ESV)

One of my favorite things to do is study my Bible, and then write about what God has shown me from His Word. Lately there has been some posts that have lead to some serious contention from some people. Why? Those posts touched on subjects dripping in controversy. They cast doubt on the foundation of some people’s sacred cows. Of course that is because I used scripture to make those points which God used to espouse that contention in people’s lives and hearts.

Are Man’s Ability and Responsibility Coextensive?

Christianity is rational despite the fact that the mass majority of unbelievers consider it to be irrational. However, there are forms of Christianity whose proponents attempt to understand Man’s ability vs. his responsibility only via human reason. The correct way for Christians to view God, His ways, His Sovereignty, Man, Man’s depravity, and Man’s responsibility is to reason biblically. Here is an example. If our reason is exclusively extra-biblical then we say that Man’s ability and responsibility are coextensive. They must match up exactly. If not, then the supposition is irrational. This makes sense and is reasonable if our reasoning is extra-biblical, but is it right?

By Grace Through Faith

by Mike Ratliff

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV)

In our last few discussions we have looked at what constitutes Justification. In other words, what is it that causes God to justify believers. What is justification? I heard a definition a long time ago where the preacher said something like this, “Justification is what happens when we are born again, it is ‘Just as if I had never sinned’” Of course, those of us who are Reformed in our Theology believe that our regeneration, our quickening, our New Birth takes place prior to belief because that is what enables ungodly, spiritually dead people to repent and believe. Justification follows that. Let’s look at an example.

Is the Sinner’s Prayer Necessary for Salvation?

by Mike Ratliff

34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:34-39 ESV)

Is a sinner’s prayer necessary for salvation? Is it wrong to use one in sharing the gospel? If we read the New Testament from Matthew through Revelation we will find not one example of anyone praying a sinner’s prayer to be saved. Look at the example of Philip sharing the gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch in the passage at the top of this post. The eunuch was reading from the book of Isaiah. The Holy Spirit commanded Philip to approach and join the chariot. The eunuch was obviously reading aloud, which was how the ancients read. Philip heard him read from Isaiah 53. He offers to explain the passage. Philip explains that what he was reading is a prophecy about Christ. Then he preached the good news about Jesus to the eunuch. What was the good news? Of course this is the preaching of the fact that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross paid the price as the propitiation for the sins of the Elect. In other words, he explained to the eunuch that Jesus had provided a way for people to be saved from the penalty for their sins which separated them from God who is Holy and Righteous. What was the eunuch’s response? He believed immediately and asked to be baptized. Philip sees no reason not to and does so.

Have No Fear

by Mike Ratliff

4 “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. 5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:4-7 ESV)

We are told not to fear earthly things or other people no matter how evil or violent they are. However, we are told to fear God. Much of the fear Christians have, however, is not based in their fear of God, but in the fear of their own failures being exposed or their own spiritual deficiencies being exploited by the devil’s seed. Of course some of that fear comes from the spirit of fear that dominates some Christians.

100,000 Hits

Some time this afternoon the hits on Possessing the Treasure exceeded 100,000 since inception on March 31, 2006. The posts on this blog that date from earlier than that were migrated over from my old blog, Walking the Walk by Faith. In any case, what does this mean? I’m not sure except that I am in total amazement every day that God uses my little talent for the furtherance of the Kingdom. I pray that He will continue to inspire me and use me for His glory alone. Soli Deo Gloria!

Justification and Sanctification

You cannot receive Christ as your justification only, and then, later, decide to refuse or to accept Him as your sanctification. He is one and indivisible, and if you receive Him at all, at once He is made unto you "wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." You cannot receive Him as your Saviour only, and later decide to accept or refuse Him as your Lord; for the Saviour is the Lord who by His death has [bought] us and therefore owns us. Sanctification is nowhere taught or offered in the New Testament as some additional experience possible to the believer. It is represented rather as something which is already within the believer, something which he must realise more and more and in which he must grow increasingly. – D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

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Religiosity vs. Faith

by Mike Ratliff

This morning I logged into Possessing the Treasure to process the comments that came in overnight as usual. I always approach this with a sense of anticipation. However, awaiting me were two comments from one person who had a huge problem with the fact that I moderate comments using a set of rules that is publicly displayed on my blog. He wanted free reign to say whatever he wanted to say without any control by me whatsoever. Our flesh says that that sounds reasonable. However, this person’s comment was couched in bitter anger. He called me a fascist. He insinuated that I should allow people to say whatever they wanted to say any way at any time. Why? Why would someone demand that on a private blog? My response was that to comment in rebuttal on Possessing the Treasure will only be allowed from arguments from scripture alone. Why? We are proclaiming the truth from God’s Word. We are not proclaiming another way to be religious. Instead, we are attempting to proclaim the way to walk before the face of God in full submission to Him because He is the source of our spiritual life. Therefore, rebuttal arguments must be based within the same foundation that we use, which is scripture. Why? This forces those who desire to contend with what is said here to not respond in hot anger, but instead, calm down then go to the Word of God to seek the truth. I contend that if people will do this, many of their perceptions about our faith will be shown for what they really are in that they are contrary to what the Word says.

More than a “Calvinist”

Humility is a something we all desperately need. Arrogance, self-righteousness, and self-absorption are fruits of pride. Christians should be constantly on guard against the manifestations of this evil in our hearts. That evil is there, but we don’t have to play ball by entertaining what our wicked hearts desire. The following article was written by John Newton in 1762. He is the hymn writer of what we call "Amazing Grace." He was a former slave trader whom God saved in a miraculous way. Eventually Newton repented of being a slave trader and became a Pastor in the Church of England. He was a prolific hymn writer as well. In the last years of his life, God brought him to the place where he saw the wickedness of the slave trade. It broke his heart. In that brokenness, he wrote a pamphlet that was used by Abolitionists to influence the English Parliament to abolish the Slave Trade. Newton knew about the sin of pride and self-sufficiency. He, like us, was just a human who, even though God had saved him, he still had a heart full of all kinds of evil. – Mike Ratliff

Union with Christ

by Mike Ratliff

8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Peter 3:8-9 ESV)

Here lately I feel as if I have been walking a tightrope over Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon. One false step and that’s it. I had a friend comment on my last post on Unconditional Election that by posting it I had taken on a Jeremiah type role. What was he actually saying? Isn’t it that the subject of that post was so controversial that I was bound to take many hits by upsetting many people? It was something like that. I posted it last night around 9pm CDT and I had my first comment on it before I even had a chance to relax for a few minutes. This morning when I logged into Possessing the Treasure there were well over twice as many comments ready to be moderated than I usually get on a post. As I started working my through them I noticed three different types. Some were adamant that I was wrong or there was something wrong with my research. Some were just a adamant that it was a good post that stated the truth. Lastly there were some who agreed with much of the post, but just couldn’t make that last step of belief into being part of the second group. This started me thinking. What of unity? Aren’t we supposed to seek to unity of mind? What’s wrong? Why is there so much animosity towards this subject? Should we seek common ground so that we can all just get along?

Are Christians Saved by Making Decisions for Christ?

by Mike Ratliff

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:13-17 ESV)

I have been in an email conversation with a believer over the last few days. The conversation has to do with “conversion” with emphasis on two views. The first view is that people are saved when they decide for Christ or make some sort of decision. The other view is that people are saved when the receive saving faith. I contend that the majority of the preaching nowadays is of the former variety while the latter is very misunderstood and not preached much at all.

Boasting is Excluded

by Mike Ratliff

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. (Romans 3:21-28 ESV)

I was asked in an email last night to share my testimony of how I became a Christian. As I replied to that request, God took me through the labyrinth of time and circumstances in my life which culminated in me repenting and believing on my Lord Jesus Christ. But, it didn’t stop there. I also reflected on my journey since then. For many years, even as a Bible teacher and Deacon, I confess to you all that my understanding of salvation and the doctrines that have been developed, which explain it, was very fuzzy compared to my understanding now. During those years of doctrinal “confusion” I based my salvation on something I had done. I based my assurance on things I did. When I witnessed to others during that time the emphasis was on bringing people to make a decision followed by them reciting a sinner’s prayer. As well meaning as all of that was, I see it now as the fruit of utter spiritual immaturity.

Rules for Comments

For most of the first year Possessing the Treasure was online I allowed wide-open comments without Moderation being turned on. However, in late 2006 it became apparent that something had changed. I began receiving many disparaging comments from those who seemed bent on changing the course of this ministry via intimidation and deliberate misrepresentation of facts.

Possessing the Treasure is the main outlet for my writing ministry. When I write a post it always has a message or focus (or more than one) that God gave me as I studied my Bible. Sometimes I will write a post in response to some personal discussions with other believers or with those who oppose this ministry for whatever reason. Below are some rules of engagement for Possessing the Treasure.

Twisting Scripture

Martin Luther’s ministry as a reformer was in the early 16th Century. However, even back then people were trying to force their own man-made doctrines on the Bible. Nothing has changed. People still do this. The use of the Bible this way is always eisegetical. That is, it is reading into the text that which is not there. This does violence to the authority of scripture and it’s inerrancy. Every heresy started this way. Also, much of the rebellion against traditional churches these days is born within those who believe that established denominations are guilty of doing the same thing. This has tragic consequences. No matter how we "feel" about these things, we must not fall into the mistake of throwing out the baby with the bath water. I am not alone in contending that the Church is ripe for another Reformation. However, currently there are many counterfeit reformations taking place that are extra-Biblical in nature. In their zeal to reform, they have done away with the Authority of Scripture as our baseline. This is huge error and we must take a stand and not give in the least little bit on the truth and veracity of God’s Word, that it is inerrant and complete. As you read the following devotional by Martin Luther, I pray that the Lord will place the burden of remaining in this war on your heart as He has mine. – Mike Ratliff