This is why we are told in Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.” (NLT)

In the early days of our ministry, I knew a dear saint of God who loved me and she was excited about the teaching of faith, grace and being at peace with God. She asked to speak with me before they moved away to retire near their children. During our conversation she asked, “Do you remember a certain sermon?” I said, “Why yes, that has been about two years ago hasn’t it?” She responded in the affirmative. I thought she might say how it had blessed her in some way but instead she asked if I had subtly corrected her with a story I told. Taken back, I said, “No sister, you weren’t on my mind at all. I didn’t even know you could relate to that story personally.” She said, “I didn’t think so, I just wanted to be sure and needed to get it off my chest.” I assured her the story had nothing to do with her! I asked, “Why didn’t you come to me two years ago? This could have been settled right away. I am so sorry you have lived with this concern!” Like many, she had no answer. Although it took her a while, at least she did ask and her mind was set at ease.

Many would rather just “handle it” themselves than attempt to resolve it like Jesus taught. All that is left is judgment. Judgment is when we presume to know why one does what they do without talking to them. It is judging ones motives without really knowing why they did or didn’t do something. Resolution comes through a teachable spirit, a willingness to listen, and a desire to be restored by loving confrontation. When acting as judge and jury we condemn them in our mind while hardening the heart. This may manifest itself in the form of the silent treatment, avoidance, separation, or for many married couples, living together while being emotionally divorced.

Luke 6:36-38 says we will receive what we have given out, mercy or judgment but it isn’t from God. No, it will be from the people we encounter! Many have problems relating to others because they are continuously passing emotional judgments on them. What do they get back? They get back exactly what they have given out, judgment and condemnation.

The Lord said, “He would never leave or forsake us.” (Hebrews 13:5) The truth is, He is never far from us but we can “feel” far from Him. Like a person in chronic pain, when offenses are merely accepted they subtly affect every relationship we incur especially the Lord’s.

This infection of the soul creates all manner of emotional pain and physical illnesses. It dulls ones ability to hear the voice of the Lord. Their spiritual eyes are tainted with the lens of offense so the focus is on their pain rather than helping others. But, the Father knows how to navigate us from unbelief to faith if we will just turn to His Word! He is not withholding His blessing. Brother Kenneth E. Hagin said, “Be quick to repent and quick to forgive and you’ll never be far from God.”

In Romans 5:5, the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. He not only wants us to possess it, He wants us to experience it too. In 2 Peter 2:2-3, the Father has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him. When we lay aside our pride and yield to His Word we begin to experience all He intends us to enjoy in this life free from offenses.

When Adam moved away from the Lord, he blamed God when things didn’t go his way saying, “It was the woman YOU gave me!”  Moving away from God, His Word, church attendance and blaming Him, are all symptoms that one is moving away instead of getting closer to the Lord.  This comes with some very legitimate “reasons” why they are not doing these things saying, “Me and the Lord are okay, it’s all good.”      

The first funeral I assisted with was a young man who was full of life, very personable and one we dearly loved.  He made a decision for Jesus early in his life; but like many young people, he wanted to “sow some wild oats”.  He and his friends had been drinking and Scott was in the back seat of a car when the accident happened. We waited at the hospital several days, praying for a miracle, when it was determined there was no brain activity.  Scott was a very outgoing, fun-loving guy who had plenty of girlfriends.  At the body viewing, I over heard a beautiful young girl say, “He was so handsome.”  His mother replied confidently, “Yes, he was.” giving a slight sad chuckle.          

The issue of sin was handled at the cross through Jesus – past, present and future.  He is such an awesome Lord.  Satan was completely defeated and the only power he has is deceit.  I am sure Scott is at home with the Lord, but I watched his family go through hell trying to make sense out of something so senseless.  “I can handle this” have been the words of young people for generations – believing they are bullet proof and invincible.

My brother, now a chaplain, wept bitter tears when, as a teen, his pot-smoking buddy was found alone in the woods hung by the neck.  He bemoaned, “If I had been living for the Lord, could I have helped him?”  We can forfeit our ability to influence people positively for Christ while living a life without consideration of God’s will. 

This is for Candace, a beautiful young senior from Fox Creek High School and her friends.  She had been drinking and driving when she rolled her car.  Many of the doctor’s reports are uncertain about her condition, but we have the report of the Lord and we are trusting Him for a full recovery.  She made a definite decision for Christ in the eighth grade at Victory Baptist Church.  Her parents are standing faithfully with her believing for a good outcome while enduring the various reports. They are in it for the long haul.  We thank the Lord for His mercy and healing power. 

She was awake when we went in to pray the other day.  Her hands were tied to the bed to prevent her from accidentally harming herself, but she could lift them up about 8 inches on both sides.  At the present, she has a difficult time formulating words, but we believe this is going to change.  Diana and Candace’s parents, Tera and Robert, were on one side of her and I stood on the other.  We asked Candace if we could pray with her, she lifted her hands so we could hold them saying, “Let us, let us, let us!” 

Although we may make a decision out of God’s will, He never leaves or forsakes us! Thank God Candace is here to pray with.  This enables us to have faith for better days.  Many of her well-meaning friends, having pledged their undying allegiance, will go on with their lives while she recovers.  Some have already dared to drink and drive while rationalizing, “That happened to her but it won’t happen to me.” They would prefer to blame God before blaming their “friend” alcohol or drugs saying, “Why did God let this happen?”  Our prayer is that it won’t happen to anyone and many will dare to realize that God has a life planned for them that is so much better than alcohol and/or drugs.   

Jesus came that we might have abundance of life!  Let’s trust Him for it!!  I believe Candace will testify of the Lord’s goodness one day soon.  This is our continual prayer.

 His love is not stingy, petty, self-centered or self-serving.  The love of God is extravagant.  What does it mean to be extravagant?  Webster’s dictionary says, “Exceeding the limits of reason or necessity.  Lacking in moderation, balance, and restraint, excessively elaborate.”  Religion teaches that God wants to give us just enough to meet our basic needs. But the truth is, when it comes to love — God is over-the-top, exceeding-the-limits-of-reason, in love with us!                                                     

When I was seven years old I went “up the country” with my Grandmother to visit my great Uncle Henry and Aunt Myrtle.  I couldn’t wait to see them.  Uncle Henry had a wooden leg with a hole in it, and he claimed a mouse lived in that hole.  One evening we went to visit my great Uncle Boyd.   Being retired, he and his wife loved children, but there wasn’t much for a little boy to do.  He was persistent in attempting to entertain me.  Coming from a large family, I really enjoyed the personalized attention.  He brought out, probably the only toy in the house, a battery-operated monkey that played cymbals.        

Finally, he asked if I would like to have some milk and cookies.  After that there was ice cream, hmmm a kid’s heaven, sweets with adult encouragement!! Then there was my favorite banana pudding, and finally ended with lemon meringue pie!  I literally thought I would throw up if I took another bite.  I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by saying no, but I was so full my stomach hurt!  Uncle Boyd said, “Boy, you like watermelon?”  Slowly I answered, “Uh-huh, yes sir” as the perspiration beaded on my head. Thank the Lord, Grandmother spoke up saying, “Maybe we better take that with us!”  While putting two melons in the car, Uncle Boyd asked, “Are you sure you have had enough to eat, are you full?” 

I had barely known my great Uncle Boyd and for the remainder of his life I do not remember spending a whole afternoon with him. Sitting in the back seat of the car that evening as my stomach ached, I felt accepted, validated and loved! He was over-the-top, out-of-control and extravagant!  This is how God lavishes His extravagant love upon us!                                                                                                                                                  

In Deuteronomy 7:6-8, Moses tries to explain the unexplainable — God’s love.  It certainly wasn’t because they were a great nation or fine specimens of humanity. So, why did God love them?  Verse 8 reads, “It was simply because the LORD loves you.” (NLT)  Trying to answer “why” causes us to enter into a performance-based mentality.  The quality of God’s love proceeds out of Him to us and not the other way around.  It isn’t based on anything we do.  It proceeds totally from Him.                             

God not only wants us to know His love academically, but He wants us to “experience” the love of Christ. (Eph. 3:19, NLT)  When we feel loved of God, in our emotions, we will share that love with others!  1 John 4:16 says, “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us…”

Don’t try and find a reason why, just accept and believe it!

The Error of Ultimate Reconciliation

George Santayana, the Spanish philosopher once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it!” Solomon, the wisest man in the world, once said, That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. (Eccl. 1:9) Sadly, those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat the failures of the past.

Church history is one of those topics that the “hyper-spiritual” deem to have little value. Putting down the study of church history ranks right up there in the “ignorant Christian” poll with those who boldly declare, “I don’t want to study theology or doctrine; I just want to read the Bible!” Jesus knew the history of His people and He knew the doctrines of the day, as did the Apostle Paul. It was their knowledge of these practical areas that made them so powerful in so many different cultural settings and doctrinal conflicts. This lack of knowledge is the doorway for error to cycle through the Church repeatedly and be welcomed by unsuspecting generations as “new revelation.”

The prophet Isaiah boldly declared, Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge. (Isa. 5:13) While the Spirit-filled movements have introduced incredible truth into the body of Christ, they have, as a whole, been very poor theologians. The inconsistency of doctrine is a major reason Spirit-filled believers can’t get what they believe to actually work in real life. Our covenants are mixed, our doctrine is self contradictory, and we know nothing of how we got where we are! The 21^st century church is a breeding ground for doctrinal error – not the kind that simply causes an argument between you and other believers; this is the type of error that could affect every part of your life!

Error, like all trends, tends to circulate every few years. When error emerges those who don’t know history, specifically church history, think they have a revelation. They see it as a “scrumptious morsel,” unaware of the damage it has wreaked in the past. In the race to have the next new revelation some preachers rush to their pulpits, or in the case of traveling preachers, they rush to your pulpit and create havoc in the hearts of believers.

One doctrine that emerges every few years is ultimate reconciliation, sometimes called Universalism. Regardless of the name it goes by its message is the same: everyone is going to Heaven, whether they believe or not. This is an appealing message to people who will not reconcile their life and beliefs with particular aspects of truth. What seems like a message of endless love is actually a message of death, deceit, and depravity.

Years ago I traveled with a man who began the slide into Universalism. At first it seemed as if he was only preaching a mildly irresponsible grace message. People approached me after our meetings and said, “When I hear you preach about grace I believe I can live godly and I’m inspired to godly living. When I hear him preach about grace I feel like it’s just alright to sin.” In time, he was openly declaring that sin had no effect and he began rejecting any portions of Scripture that promoted responsibility and godliness. Ultimately he succumbed to a battle with sin that he no longer chose to resist! The way we know when the message of grace, peace, and faith righteousness has gone too far is when they inspire irresponsible living!

All deadly truth has an element of truth; however, that truth is extrapolated into something that is no longer true. Extrapolation is how Lucifer became Satan. He followed a flawed reasoning. (Ez. 28:17) Based on his brightness and splendor he began to build a logic that departed from reality. In the end he felt he could overthrow the One who gave him his splendor. God has given us grace, love, mercy, and the gift of righteousness so we can have the power to live a godly life, not to excuse us from godly living.

Extrapolation is the process of ultimate reconciliation. It starts with some basic truths. First, it capitalizes on God’s unconditional love. It couples that with the fact (and it is a fact) that Jesus died for the sins of the entire world, not for the few. Add this with some humanistic logic that exalts man and his needs above God and His plan, and you have a recipe for devastating error.

Jesus died for the sins of the world, not just for those who would believe and receive, but also for those who would not. (1 John 2:2) God was proactive and preemptive in His limitless love. Because of Jesus becoming the sin of the world, all men were free from the wrath of God. No man in this life has experienced God’s wrath. The apostle John said in this the propitiation we see the love of God. (1 John 4:9-10) Many people respond to His expression of love with love and trust and many others see it as a free pass for irresponsible living.

Everything God offers us must be received, (lambano) taken hold of, by our trust (faith) in God. (Rom. 1:16) Everything of God is given freely but our personal participation is a choice, thus the idea of free will. The Universalist denies free will and insists that everyone is saved whether they know it or not, whether they want it or not. By lifting a few Scriptures out of context and ignoring dozens more personal responsibility is glossed over as a moot point!

You see, the Universalists, much like the Spirit-filled community, actually miss the ultimate point: Jesus came so we could know, (experience, be intimate) with God. For some, God is just the One we run to when we have needs. We really have no desire to know Him or His ways; we simply want His benefits. It may be this corrupt version of Christianity that creates such a breeding ground for an impersonal faith!

Extrapolation is based on a logic that creates non-existent formulas. “This equals that.” When questioned about the basis of their process of reasoning it usually comes back to, “That’s what I believe.” or, “That’s how I see it.” It doesn’t matter how we see it if it’s not supported by the truth of God’s Word. We are called to cast down vain imaginations and reasoning that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God. (2 Cor. 10:4-5) This process is called subjective reasoning. A reasoning that is based on how it makes you feel regardless of all the other facts. Subjective reasoning places “me” at the center of the equation. I fall prey to the original temptation to be as God and choose good and evil from my own judgments.

One of the well known modern day proponents of Universalism is Carlton Pearson. I met personally with Carlton when he first made his exit from the faith. According to our discussion his subjective reasoning seemed to peek when he held his newborn baby in his arms and said, “I would never send my child to Hell if he did something wrong.” That very statement and the doctrine that Carlton had been preaching made it clear he already had error in his theology. But even if God would do such a thing, who are we to say to the Potter, “You can’t do it that way.”

The Universalists are basically taking a stand that they are more righteous, more compassionate, and more merciful than God. They, too, have exalted themselves above God by exalting their own logic and condemning His! It’s in this very attitude that we may see the real root of the problem. We are called to surrender to Jesus as Lord. We are compelled to renew our minds and put on the mind of Christ. It seems that too many seek Jesus as Savior but not as Teacher and Lord.

Failure to cling to Jesus as Lord of our logic leads us down destructive, unfulfilling paths. In the absence of a meaningful relationship we search for knowledge to give what is missing in our heart. Maybe it is, in fact, the lack of an intimate relationship with God that spills over into an incredible sense of lack and insecurity that spurs the desperate search for something to bring us the peace that only comes through relationship.

It was Mike Williams who introduced or finally convinced Carlton Pearson in the doctrine of Universalism. Mike was a long time friend and associate. He is a man I loved deeply and grieved for as he made his departure from the faith. Mike came from a life of homosexuality and at the time he turned to Ultimate Reconciliation he had fallen back into an immoral lifestyle. As his life degenerated his message grew more and more compromising.

As someone close to Mike said, “You always know what Mike is going through, he always preaches his life.” And that’s true; Mike’s doctrine changed every time his life changed. When he couldn’t get grace to work in his life he simply changed his doctrine of grace. Like many, he developed circumstance theology that justified his own life. This is a common tendency among those who lean toward permissive doctrine. They need a “revelation” that justifies their failing life!

In an interview with Allen Speegle we discussed why grace preachers would be susceptible to the doctrine of Ultimate Reconciliation. It is my observation that there are three primary reasons for this. First, most grace preachers simply embrace grace as a doctrine, not as a means to a more powerful life. This, of course, means they are not experiencing grace. Grace is God’s power to live in righteousness, to live as it really should be. The doctrine is a sad replacement for the reality!

The power of grace is experienced to support the belief of faith righteousness. Faith righteousness began by Jesus obtaining righteousness by His faith; it is brought to fruition by us experiencing that righteousness by faith. As Romans 1:17 says, it is revealed from faith to faith. If Jesus’ righteousness is received by faith, then righteousness has to be the object of our faith.

This brings another basic theological flaw to the forefront. The primary reason for receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord is not just to save us from the penalty of our sin but to save us from the power of sin. We are set free from the power of sin to live a righteous life. It’s in righteousness that we enjoy life as it was meant to be. When we forget the destruction of sin in our lives, we forget why we came to Jesus.

Then, the second reason grace preachers may succumb to this error is that our life often facilitates the need for self-justification. When preachers don’t reach the lost, when they don’t make their churches relevant, when they are seeking to build a ministry before building people, they need a doctrine that justifies the departure from New Testament goals and agendas. You see, it’s not the erroneous doctrine that leads to the compromised ministry and life. No! It’s the compromised life that needs a doctrine to justify itself!

The third reason is all too common. People who are not experiencing the grace of God, those who do not believe the Gospel of Peace in a way that leads to an intimate love life with God, tend to miss the point. In the absence of a life experience they think it’s the new revelation that gets people excited about their ministry. They fail to realize the excitement isn’t in the message; it’s in the power of the message. In their shallow insecurity they think they need to be ever finding new revelation to preach to people with itching ears. (2 Tim. 4:3) The preacher who is trying to impress will always end up in error!

The church desperately needs the message of grace, peace, and faith righteousness. But we need to live and model this message through our life, our character, and our commitment to the true cause of Christ. It’s those who misuse and misapply these cornerstone truths that give the legalists the opportunity to decry the message.

One of the greatest ways you can tell that grace, peace, and faith righteousness are no more than a message is when the life doesn’t change. Ultimate reconciliation misses the point that we have a predestined purpose to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. (Rom. 8:29) That is our destiny. Being delivered from wrath and being unconditionally loved doesn’t equate salvation and righteousness by faith; it does, however, facilitate the opportunity. In the absence of fear and in the presence of love we can come unafraid. When we know everything God does is for our good we have every reason to trust and follow Him. If we continue in the same sins as before we knew Jesus, they accomplish the same destruction. That destruction is not the product of God’s wrath; it’s the fruit of sin.

In my meeting with Carlton Pearson and in discussions with Mike Williams and many others who began to follow this erroneous path, I asked the question, “Do you not believe there is any benefit to living a godly life? Do you not see the destruction of sin? If so, then why is the focus of your message the permissiveness of sin?” Paul, Peter, James, and John all echoed these sentiments in various terminologies: flee every type of sin, don’t yield to the flesh, don’t use your freedom as an excuse for sin, and don’t suffer for unrighteousness. The message is clear: sin still kills. While the beginning of Ultimate Reconciliation is not a blanket invitation to a reckless life, in the end that is the fruit.

Churches that embrace even the slightest hint of this doctrine lose sight of biblical agendas and ultimately their purpose. The need for relevancy evaporates. The passion to win the lost becomes needless. The value for the most basic ministry needs disappear with the idea that all men are ultimately going to Heaven so what’s the urgency?

We live in a day when people need God’s power working in them more than ever! The need for Spirit-empowered grace to take us to a life beyond our strength is imminent. We may be in what the Bible calls the “beginning of sorrows”; but whether we are or not, be assured we are living in difficult times, the likes of which the world has never seen. Our nation is disturbingly close to facing the horrors others nations have faced for generations. The church in America isn’t ready! We are poised for a great falling away! The only cure is a Gospel that works which will require leaders that experience it.

Fresh new revelation doesn’t come because we discover what has never been seen. Revelation is when we look at a truth in a new way, a way that empowers us to live in victory. People don’t need their lives complicated by a lot of new doctrines; they need to know how to get these doctrines we have to work. People need to be led into a relationship with Jesus. They need mentors and models. They don’t need to hear a message of grace; they need to see a lifestyle of grace.

This righteousness of God is by faith from first to last. Jesus obtained it by faith; we take hold of it by faith; and it empowers our life by faith. Inspire people to a better life than they ever imagined – a life of knowing and experiencing God’s love, grace, and righteousness.

Blog by Jim Richards after a conversation with Allen Speegle. Taken from www.fambible.org

Nothing can separate you from me.  I’ve declared it… I’ve said it…Only sin consciousness keeps you in bondage. Cast down that high imagination, you see, for it is only an imagination  because it doesn’t come from me…I’ve only given you victory, deliverance, blessings, peace, joy and love. Bask in that love, understand that nothing in your past counts for anything with me, for you are my son’s and daughters and I do love you.  Ahh,… the joy of being a father and grandfather and a great grandfather and a great great grandfather. I have that joy you see because I see generations coming unto me…generations you see. And I look forward to the day we all gather together in one place and I get to enjoy you and you get to enjoy me. For you are my Sons and Daughters and I truly,… truly,… truly do love you.

(Word given by the Holy Spirit through Joe Bunch– Sunday Morning 2010)