SABBATH THOUGHT 2024-07-13—HOLD FAST

May God bless you on His Sabbath day!

Recently, I did a survey in the New Testament of threats to the ekklesia. When I finished, I was stunned by the sheer number of mentions of one particular danger. Over the years, all of us have read these scriptures but I found it amazing just how many there were when I listed them. What is the threat? Other ‘BRETHREN’, including those who do NOT have the Holy Spirit. Read this sampling and notice that most refer to the future with phrases like “last days,” “the time will come,” etc.:

JUDE 1:15-19 “… all who are ungodly [lit. wicked] among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly [lit. wicked] way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly [lit. wicked] sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers [false teachers who mock and belittle other people and their ideas] in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are [worldly] persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

ACTS 20:29-30 “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 “Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

1 TIMOTHY 4:1-2 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4 For the time will come when they [the SAINTS] will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

2 PETER 2:1-3, 9-10, 12-15, 17-19 … there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. … 9 then the Lord knows how … to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, … 12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you [they are among us], 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, … 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous [weakening] times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

TITUS 3:9-11 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. 10 Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being condemned by his own words.

1 TIMOTHY 6:20-21 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge– 21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen.

2 PETER 3:3-4 knowing this first: that scoffers [false teachers who mock and belittle other people and their ideas] will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

COLOSSIANS 2:8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

TITUS 1:10-11 For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision [the EKKLESIA], 11 whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain.

MATTHEW 24:4-12, 21, 24 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 “All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. … 21 “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. … 24 “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

When I pondered why this hit me so hard since these are very familiar scriptures, I realized that my perspective has changed over the years. Evil is a relative measure for most people in the west. For example, crime dramatically increased in the last city where we lived to the point that an eye doctor has now hired a security guard. The main shopping areas have had them for a few years but a doctor’s clinic? Really? Our friends there dismissed it by saying, “It is still not too bad in our neighborhood.” How bad does it have to get before you leave? When we lived there someone broke into my garage and stole things. One night a couple of guys literally drove their pickup into the garage doors of about 20 houses, damaging all of them. They did not steal anything; it was simply vandalism. Another time a seemingly nice man committed suicide after the police surrounded his house. At one point, one of the more expensive houses in the neighborhood was purchased as a halfway house for released criminals who used it to deal drugs. Of course, the police do not respond to anything less than a clear and present danger any more. If the danger is already past they tell you to go to a police substation and fill out a ‘complaint’ form. Complaint? These things are well beyond any complaint. They are intolerable.

The same thing has happened with warnings in Scripture. I have become desensitized to the biblical warnings even though they are not just to the whole ekklesia, they are also for ME! So, I hope I can stir you up because these are serious threats to our ETERNAL LIFE. But I do not want to any to fear these things. In fact, the fullness of love casts out fear[1]. Instead, turn to God for help in time of need[2]. Do so with the fullness of peace knowing from where our strength comes.

Above all take comfort in know that God NEVER gives a warning without providing an answer. In the face of the threats from within the ekklesia, we are to HOLD FAST to God’s word, which is our sword against all threats. In my survey, I found as many (or more) encouragements as warnings:

1 THESSALONIANS 5:21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.

HEBREWS 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

2 THESSALONIANS 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

HEBREWS 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

2 TIMOTHY 1:13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

HEBREWS 3:6, 14 but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. … 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold [fast] the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,

REVELATION 2:13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

REVELATION 2:25 “But hold fast what you have till I come.

REVELATION 3:3 “Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

REVELATION 3:11 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

I hope you all will consider the threats of these last days with all the seriousness they embody but also know that together, we can hold fast until the day of our visitation[3], especially as we renew our zeal to love and care for one another:

JUDE 1:20-21 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

May God’s grace and peace be upon you!

Steven Greene

https://sabbathreflections.org

sabbathreflections@gmail.com