Excess bagage

Titus 2:11-14(KJV):  “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;  looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;  who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

This week I had the opportunity of going to Joseph Oregon.  Beautiful country;  out of Eugene on 58 to Bend and then Burns Oregon;  north on 395 to 244 into La Grande on to Joseph on 82. Returned on 84 to Portland, off/on 205 and then 5 to 569 and home.  1100 miles in all, thank You LORD, no problems and good experiences.  

Just East of Joseph is the last resting place of old Chief Joseph.  There’s a lot of confusion on who’s where, with what and why.  But what caught my attention was what was inscribed on the marker.  Baptized by whom  and the date.  There is an indication that old Chief Joseph was a Christian but later before his death he recanted, denounced his position as Christian. 

Two things I see here that need to be mentioned.  #1, if one is in Christ you can’t loose salvation, even if one denounces, one is still in Christ.  “that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:12-14.   Those three verses are true, then once believing the gospel “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”  1 Corinthians 15:1-4.  It isn’t about what one does or how one goes about it, its did the one “believe”!  So for old Chief Joseph who had reportedly denounced Christianity isn’t the question, it’s did he believe when he heard the gospel? and did he actually hear the gospel, and its not John 3:16 sorry.

That then brings me to the second part of his denunciation.  If he hadn’t believed then he wasn’t in Christ “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”  1 Corinthians 12:12-13.  By the way this isn’t speaking of a water baptism but a spiritual baptism:  “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,”  its the Spirit of God who places the believer into the body of Christ.  Man hasn’t any part in this, and so man can’t make a muff of it.

With that said what was old Chief Joseph denouncing?  I believe if he was in Christ, he had been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the body then what he was denouncing was all the baggage that was being laid on him to maintain his salvation or to receive it in the first place; probably both. Comments in blue included in the passage to make it applicable to today’s works denominations are not scripture.  “As many (many being those who want the glory of completing works in others) as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh (others flesh), they constrain you to be circumcised (doing anything apart from believing only; being faith plus nothing to be saved); only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.  For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law (do as I say and not as I do); but desire to have you circumcised (adding anything to the completed work of Christ and His cross for man’s salvation), that they may glory in your flesh (see what I got others to do, I’m really something now, makes you want to follow me, huh?).  Galatians 6:12-14.  “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.  Beware!!! “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:  whose end is destruction, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)”

Philippians 3:17-19.  

No different today, all the additions made on the new believer if the gospel was presented which most often isn’t.  But we all are to stand before God, the LORD Jesus Christ either as His body or to give an account for our self apart from His saving blood and resurrection at the Great White Throne. . . . . . Your choice: choose wisely ! ! ! ! !