How Could One Be Wise And Not Know God?

We must remember that we are living in a world which is under the power of the evil one (1Jn.5:19). We must also remember that the God of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they can not see the glorious light of the Gospel (2Cor.4:4). The spirit which is at work in the minds of the unbelievers now is the prince of the air (Eph.2:2).

So the natural man can not understand the things of God (1Cor.2:14). In 1Co 1:20-21 we read, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom did not know God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe”.

Yes, indeed, two world systems are under operation here. The wisdom of the world and wisdom of God. They work diametrically against one another. God told Adam that the day he ate the fruit, he would die. Satan told Eve just the opposite. Satan said that their eyes would be open. True it was. Their eyes were opened to see them as naked people!! This is what the wisdom of the world doing today to people. It looks appealing to begin with. Indeed they are very proud of their wisdom and their findings. Tragically they will come to know the reality later and it will be too late then.

The real wisdom is the knowledge of God. Christ is the wisdom of God (1Cor.1:24). The wise men of this world would never grasp this truth by their own wisdom. Satan has trapped them in a heavy fortress called the wisdom of this world and unless that fortress of the enemy is demolished by spiritual warfare using spiritual weapons the wise men of this world would never receive the wisdom of God. In 2Co 10:4-6 this is what Paul is talking about as to what he did in reaching them with the gospel. “For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ;and having readiness to avenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled”. Unless the strong man is bound, his property can not be plundered (Lk.11:20,21).

Thus communicating the gospel to the wise of this world, as others who are trapped by the enemy in other strongholds, involves real spiritual warfare. May the Lord give us grace to see this truth! To His name be glory.

 

Two Issues

Question Text Can you help me with two issues. 1) What exactly did Jesus mean by `i never knew you` when casting those who believed they served him into hell. 2)How can anyone who has not yet received the holy spirit, therefore a carnal being, make the decision that he or she understands and believes the gospel which is surely a spiritual decision and if God does something in advance to remove the barrier of being deceived by the God of this world in the mind of some people, why not all?? please help,,thanks.

Answer Text The answer to your first question is that relationship with the Master is more important than service to the Master. There are ever so many who pretend to serve Him with out ever knowing Him in person. There are so many in the world today who believe in the gospel with out ever repenting while the clearest statement of the gospel is to repent and believe in the gospel (Mk.1:15). It is repentance towards God and faith towards Christ which makes a person a true child of God (Acts 20:21). Look at the Laodecian church. They are a church, alright! Yet Christ is standing out side and knocking for an entry (Rev.3:20)!! The Bible is written so that we KNOW that we have eternal life (1Jn.5:13). Tragically many who serve Him today do not KNOW for sure whether they are saved or not!! So, any one serving Christ must make sure that he/she has a right relationship with Christ to begin with. Otherwise they would face the same words one day being uttered to them like those others who thought they were serving Him as well!!

Your second question needs a little clarification. You talk about any one who has not received the Holy Spirit as being carnal. This is not what the Bible teaches. Any one who has not received the Holy Spirit is said to be a `natural man` (1Cor.2:14). It is the natural men who can not understand the things of God. On the other hand, carnal men are those who are born again children of God who never bothered to feed themselves daily with the Word of God and therefore have not grown and live like the natural men(1Cor.3:1-3).

Ok. I am sure, your problem is about natural men who are not able to understand the things of God. The Bible clearly states that no one can ever come to Christ unless the Father draws him (Jn.6:44). And it is the Spirit of God who convicts the world of sin, of judgment and of righteousness (Jn.16:8). Unless God the Holy Spirit convicts a person, and unless the Father draws that person to Christ, none can ever come to Christ. This is why INTERCESSION is most important in all our evangelistic activities. The one who presents the gospel must simultaneously pray that the Spirit of God will convict that person and the Father will draw him/her to Christ.

Evangelism with out prayer is cultivation with out water. Here the intercessor is entering into real spiritual warfare as he is trying to plunder the goods of the enemy (Lk.11:21,22). Some times the strongholds of the enemy where he has trapped them are very strong (1Cor.10:3,4). Unless these strongholds are demolished, those trapped inside can never see the light of the gospel (2Cor.4:4). That is why we are commanded to continue steadfastly in earnest prayers, praying always in spirit (Eph.6:18) for those who are preaching the gospel (Eph.6:19-20). This truth is amply illustrated by the history of the church. The early church in Acts was a praying church. The result was that the then known world was saturated with the gospel. When ever, where ever there was a praying church millions turned to Christ. The times of Wesley, Moody, Finny and others in history who made such impact in church history were simply because there was a movement of prayer associated with them. God is not partial. Even today such things can happen if there are individuals and churches who are willing to obey the clear commands of the NT about striving in prayer (Rom.15:30-32). These verses in Romans clearly tell us that God’s perfect will can ONLY be achieved by striving in prayer. May the Lord give us grace. To His Name be all glory. Amen,

 

Whom Do I Marry?

Question Text:   The Lord lifted me from scratch and gave me every thing I need in life.   Now  I really need some help in the form of a life partner.    I am willing to accept what lord Jesus choose for me.   Please make it sooner rather than later.   Please give me an honest answer and pray for me.

Answer Text :    I am so glad to hear how the Lord lifted you from scratch and gave you every thing you need in your life. I am also glad to hear that you are willing to have a life partner chosen by the Lord. It is indeed wonderful to talk to you.

The Bible teaches that the concept of the family originated with God. In fact the God-head is a unique family. Three persons in the God-head always think, will and feel the same thing! Thus though they are three separate persons, they together make One God – the Triune God of whom the Bible speaks. The triune God has ordained that man also should be in families. He looked at Adam and said to Himself, `It is not good for man to be alone` (Gen.2:18) and He decided to make a helper suitable for Adam. Thus man and wife became one flesh. In reality they became one family. Psalm 68:6 says that God sets the solitary in families. So even today, it is God who is uniting people in to families.

Talking about marriage Jesus our Lord said, `that which God has united, let no man put asunder` (Mt.19:6). So the uniting work is done by the Lord Himself. Now I am sure that some one some where is already prepared by the Lord as your spouse and it is for you to discover who it is by waiting upon the Lord in prayer and in consultation with fellow believers around. I am sure you are already on the move and that’s why you came to us with this question. So let me ask you to learn to pray in secret about this matter. I have set up a website just to talk about prayer and specially how to pray to get answers. Please go to www.mathewpaul.org and select `book on prayer` from categories and read about how to make prayer a secret habit with you. Then prayer must always be accompanied by steps in faith.

As a step of faith may I suggest you to register your name in www.believersmatrimonil.com and send your profile to them. You can also see there dozens of profiles of highly qualified believer girls from all language groups in India looking for life-partners. If you wish you can also register in one or two other matrimonials and wait upon the Lord to show you the right person of His choice as your life-partner. We pray that the Lord will indeed guide you in your decision for His glory. You must also remember that the Bible talks about another family for every man to be a member of. It is the church of the living God which is pictured as the house of God in 1Tim.3:15. If you are not already a member of the house of God, you need to think of it seriously and try to become one. Otherwise spiritually you will be like some one with out a house! May that not ever be true of you. May the Lord lead you in every step of the way. To His Name be glory. Amen.

 

Sin In The Life Of A Believer

Question Text.   Some people have accepted Christ but they keep sinning and don`t feel convicted. How is that? Are they really saved? If we confess with our mouths but don`t change our hearts are we saved?

Answer Text  The message which our Lord preached is to repent and believe in the gospel(Mk.1:15). Faith with out repentance is like that of the devils`. Js.2:19 says that devils also believe and tremble. It goes on to say that faith which does not show itself in life (i.e. in a transformed life) is a dead faith.

Now in your question you have quoted verses from the Bible and you know what it says. Why should you doubt what those verses tell us so clearly? That exactly is the clear teaching of the Bible. I have a Catholic friend who is now corresponding with me. That person believes that if some one confesses a particular sin to a priest, the person can go on living in that sin again! I have asked that person to give me the Scripture which teaches that particular doctrine!! I am yet to get an answer. I am sure that person would never be able to answer me.

1John talks about people who say spiritual things. (1Jn 1:6) `If we say that we have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth`. (1Jn 2:4) `He who says, I have known Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him`. (1Jn 2:6) `He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk even as He walked`. (1Jn 2:9) `He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in darkness until now`. (1Jn 4:20) `If anyone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar. For if he does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?`

The sign of being saved is a transformed life. `If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away, behold every thing is new` (1Cor.5:17). Some one confessing with mouth but does not have a change of heart is NOT a saved person. No one accepting Christ as Lord can ever continue to live a life of sin!!

Yet it is tragically true that there could be people living like the one of whom we read in 1Corinthinans 5:1-5. Such would be brought under the chastening of the Lord here and now that their souls may be saved on the day of the Lord Jesus. 1Cor.11:29-32 teach us that believers who part take of the Lord`s supper unworthily would also be brought under divine chastening as well. Thus the Scripture gives the responsibility to a saved person to live a life acceptable to Him after being saved. May the Lord give us grace for His glory. Amen