The Apostle Paul wraps up his first letter to the church at Corinth with this often overlooked statement, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha." (1 Cor. 16:22) Paul reminds all professing believers that to claim to be believers, yet to "love not the Lord", is to be "Anathema" (accursed & doomed). To "love not the Lord" means to fail to have a heartfelt love toward Him, to not obey Him (John 14:21) and to distort the apostolic gospel of NT revelation. To be accursed means being excluded from the true spiritual church on earth and finally from the heavenly kingdom of the age to come. The ultimate test of Christian discipleship is a personal heartfelt loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ that manifests itself in obedience to His Word!
As I read 1 Cor. 16:22, I thought of Jesus' message to the church in Sardis, "....thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." (Rev. 3:1). Outwardly, the church of Sardis appeared alive and active, and more than likely had a reputation for success and spirituality. It may have had an exciting form of worship, but not the true power and righteousness of the Holy Ghost. Jesus saw the inner lives and hearts of the people as He sees ours today. He said in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." (emphasis mine) (I will share more on that verse specifically in my next blog entry)
The Bible makes it very clear that it isn't enough to merely claim to be a believer. We must obey His Word and do His Will. It is a narrow way and we must continue to strive to enter in at the strait gate. Oh, the joy of hearing Him say, "Well done, thou good & faithful servant!" Let's examine ourselves by the Word of God (2 Cor. 13:5) to be sure that we are in the faith....to be sure that we don't have a name to live but be dead!
As I read 1 Cor. 16:22, I thought of Jesus' message to the church in Sardis, "....thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." (Rev. 3:1). Outwardly, the church of Sardis appeared alive and active, and more than likely had a reputation for success and spirituality. It may have had an exciting form of worship, but not the true power and righteousness of the Holy Ghost. Jesus saw the inner lives and hearts of the people as He sees ours today. He said in Matthew 7:21, "Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven." (emphasis mine) (I will share more on that verse specifically in my next blog entry)
The Bible makes it very clear that it isn't enough to merely claim to be a believer. We must obey His Word and do His Will. It is a narrow way and we must continue to strive to enter in at the strait gate. Oh, the joy of hearing Him say, "Well done, thou good & faithful servant!" Let's examine ourselves by the Word of God (2 Cor. 13:5) to be sure that we are in the faith....to be sure that we don't have a name to live but be dead!