A little white lie?

A couple days ago I told someone something that wasn’t the exact truth out of fear of what they would think of me if they knew the whole truth.

It was just a slight exaggeration, a white lie, not a big deal! Right???

I t would be easiest to say it’s not a big deal, but the Holy Spirit had something different to say about it and impressed upon my heart my sin and that I needed to make it right. The peace that I found in Jesus Christ my Lord was no longer there.

You see, when I was 23 I turned to the Lord in genuine repentance. It was more than a prayer; it was a seeking to be at peace with God and learn to follow His will for my life. I was encouraged to search my heart and see if there was any sin in my life that needed confessed or if I needed to make restitution with anyone.

Through prayer God revealed things in my life that by His grace I went back and as much as I was able made right. Over time God granted me a peace that I never knew before.

Time to time throughout my Christian life God has revealed things to me that I should not have done; usually it was something I shouldn’t have said. Always the comfortable peace is gone and that still small voice makes it clear what I have done and what, as a child of God, needs to be done to restore that peace.

I thought this would be a good opportunity to use an example out of my own life to try to explain what I believe about unconditional eternal security.

I believe I am eternally secure in Jesus Christ but I don’t believe that security is unconditional.

I told a lie; that was sin; the Bible clearly states that no liar shall enter into the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:7-8

(7) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

(8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

So does that mean I have lost my salvation and am bound for eternal hell fire? I don’t believe so.

The Bible also says:

1 John 1:9

(9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 12:6-8 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Now, what would have happened if I refused to heed the direction of the Holy Spirit?

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I believe that just as I have an initial choice to follow Jesus, I have the choice to continue to follow Him. Just as He calls us by His Holy Spirit, and we heed to the call in humbly following Him; He continues to direct us by His Holy Spirit and we continue to have the choice to follow or to choose to go our own way.

Hebrews 10:26-29

(26) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

(27) But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

(28) He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

(29) Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

As a mother, I have seen willfulness in my children. They have a tendency to want to do their own thing even when they have been given clear instruction. That is the same with us. We have been given the knowledge of the truth and the Holy Spirit to remind us of it. There are times that we make a poor decision in a moment of time and sin, but the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin and directs us to repentance. I think the willfullness v26 is speaking of above is when we know the truth but make a conscious decision to sin anyway, or when we are chastised and refuse to humble ourselves and willfully go our own way. I don’t think we just “lose” our salvation; I believe it is a choice to walk away from it. The Holy Spirit clearly directs us, it is our choice whether we obey or not.

Following are some other verses that support my stand on being cut off or cast forth as a branch, withered, and burned.

· Romans 11:16-22 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

· John 15:1-10 I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

So what about you? Have you been chastised by the Holy Spirit? How have you responded?

If this is foreign to you begin now to ask the Lord to show you if there is anything in your life He would have you to do differently; it will draw you closer to the Him than perhaps you have been before.