Page 17 - Grace Connectins Magazine July Addition
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The Enemy Comes to Steal saved unless you do. I even know of one church
that will tell you it does not matter if you were
I have heard many today quoting John baptized before, you must be baptized in their
10:10 “The enemy does not come except to church because they are the only ones going to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come heaven.
that they might have life, and that they might While some of these things may be
have it more abundantly.” good to do, many are impossible to accomplish
They quote the first part of the verse and none of them bring salvation. The result
for those who are going through trials and of the deception is death and destruction
don’t understand why, but they fail to quote because many find it too difficult to follow all
the rest of the verse that says, Jesus comes to the guidelines and fall away.
give us life more abundant. Romans 9-13 says, “9 that if you
I have even heard it misquoted where confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
they leave out the part where he steals. The believe in your heart that God has raised Him
word “thief” in this verse means, one who from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with
steals. the heart one believes unto righteousness, and
In Matthew 6:19-20, 19. "Do not store with the mouth confession is made unto
up for yourselves treasures on earth, where salvation. 11 For the Scripture says,
moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to
break in and steal. 20. But store up for shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between
yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is
and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For
do not break in and steal.” “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall
The word thief here refers to anyone be saved.” So, there is one way to salvation and
who claims a way of salvation other than that is confessing Jesus as your Lord and
Jesus and they are robbing the people of Savior and repenting of your sins.
truth. 2 Peter 2:1-3 says, “1. But there were
One way for a thief to work is to be like also false prophets among the people, even as
the Pharisees who put man made there will be false teachers among you, who
requirements on people for salvation and are will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even
false teachers who steal people's ability to see denying the Lord who bought them, and bring
the true meaning of salvation. on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many
I have heard churches who tell you that will follow their destructive ways, because of
you must go to everyone you ever wronged and whom the way of truth will be
ask for forgiveness, another says you must take blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will
communion every day, or you can’t listen to exploit you with deceptive words; for a
any music but Christian, or you can’t do this long time their judgment has not been idle,
or that, or you must follow all the guidelines and their destruction does not slumber.”
that particular church has put in place or you There are false teachers even today, so it is
won’t go to heaven, because you aren’t really very important to listen to the Holy Spirit
