The Four Horsemen Will Soon Ride

Note: This is a revision of an article originally published on March 16, 2015. The events described below are from that time, but the interpretation is updated to reflect my current understanding.

"For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." - Revelation 19:10, KJV

Jesus Christ is still speaking loudly and clearly in this day. His testimony is the spirit of prophecy. He is coming quickly to bring salvation and grace to the saints and His judgment and wrath to the world.

A Rude Awakening

In the fall of 2013, I realized that America and the world are headed for great calamity. Before that time, I believed the world was improving and basically a decent place to live. Boy, was I deceived! There are many dark agendas playing out in the world, all of which are building to a crescendo of evil unlike any time in history. For a long time I studied these topics. It was overwhelming, like drinking from a fire hose, and completely changed how I saw the world and my life. There were days I felt deep sadness and mourning for the losses I saw coming. But I also felt hope because I knew this was God's plan for the end of the age. When Jesus returns, everything changes.

I realized our economy will soon collapse under an unbearable load of debt, unfunded liabilities, money printing and rejection of the US dollar in international trade. The dollar itself will crash and then eventually go away. This is by design. The global elite are preparing the way for an electronic cryptocurrency transacted using the mark of the beast, as described in Revelation 13.

I realized the Twin Towers and a third 50-story building, WTC Building 7, did not collapse perfectly into their own footprints at free fall speeds on 9/11 because two jets hit them. This is physically impossible on so many levels. The evidence points overwhelmingly to a controlled demolition. Our government used the trauma of 9/11 to justify eroding civil liberties with the Patriot Act and engaging in an endless series of bloody "wars on terror" in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, etc.

I realized that the passage in Genesis 6 about "sons of God" having children with human women was about fallen angels producing giant hybrid offspring, which the Bibles calls mighty ones or Nephilim. The Goliath David slew was one of these hybrid giants. Furthermore, Genesis 6 ties in directly to the alien and UFO presence and the many reports of human and animal abductions. Aliens are fallen angels and their minions. As they did in the days of Noah, the fallen ones are engaged in a program of genetic manipulation to create hybrid beings, but this time using advanced technology. This is what Daniel prophesied would happen during the final kingdom of this age, when iron (foreign DNA) will mix with clay (human DNA) in the seed (offspring) of men:

"And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men." - Daniel 2:43, NASB

There are other topics as well. All of them are related and point to the reality that we are living at the very end of this age, i.e. the final generation. Numerous prophetic voices confirm it as well. The world is about to become darker than it ever has, and then Jesus Christ will return to vanquish evil with a sword and bring light and justice to the world - see Revelation 19.

My wife and I reached out to people, both Christians and non-Christians, to try to share what we saw. Naively, I thought people would want to know. We envisioned building a community of Christians who are awake to the times, prepping for what's coming and seeking God's kingdom in the final days. Honestly, it was very disappointing. Most people don't want to touch these issues with a 10-foot pole. It frightens them. They love the world as they perceive it and don't want to think of it in a more sinister, apocalyptic light, or think that their world is about to change.

There is a sprinkling of people out there who are awake and I am grateful for the ones I know. Strangely, church leaders and pastors seem most resistant to these messages. I am unaware of any churches in my area that openly preach about it. 

But God has confirmed this message many, many times and I cannot doubt it: Our nation (and the world) is under judgment, we're at the end and Jesus is coming soon! It was a mercy to be awakened and have this time to make peace with this reality and prepare spiritually, intellectually, emotionally and materially. Jesus said men's hearts will faint from fear and expectation of things coming on the earth (Luke 21:26). I give God the credit for waking me up and giving me a chance to be ready. 

What's Coming Next?

Just before Thanksgiving in the fall of 2014, I asked, "Now what, Lord? What's coming next?"

Later I listened to a radio interview of John Shorey about end-times events in Revelation 6 and elsewhere in the Bible. He discussed various wars and how he believed that the Pale Horse that brings death over one quarter of the earth includes the destruction of Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17-18. I an convinced America is Mystery Babylon, so that grabbed my attention. Shorey also said that he thought the Rapture appears in Revelation 6:12-17, which is an interpretation that occurred to me. It all resonated. The more I thought and prayed about it, the more I sensed the Lord impress on my heart Revelation 6. As in, that is the answer to my prayer. That is what's coming next.

I shared this with my wife. A day or two later, as we drove home from Seattle and crossed a barren stretch of Eastern Washington, the car had quieted down and the kids were asleep. I flipped on the radio and there was a man reading Bible scriptures. He said, "Next we are going to read... Revelation chapter 6." He proceed to read the whole chapter. That was an amazing confirmation.

When I got home, I heard the latest prophetic dreams from Pastor T.D. Hale, in which the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse mounted and began to ride. There it was again! Also in his dream, lights all around the world shot up into the sky, which I think is a reference to the great rescue and gathering of the elect.

Then my mother shared with me a vivid dream of her own. In it a black horse was trying to stomp on her, but she stood to the side of it and had it by the reins. People were telling her to watch out, but she said it was okay, she had it under control. I told her that was probably the Black Horse in Revelation 6, which brings famine and privation. Another confirmation.

My mother had another dream that featured a pale green horse. She took out a wash cloth, wet it and said that was its color. The Greek word for pale in Revelation is 6 is chloros, which is the root for English words like chlorine and chlorophyll, implying a shade of green. Chloros can mean pale or ashen as well as pale green. She saw the Pale Green Horse in her dream.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

What's coming next are the Four Horsemen described in Revelation 6. They come as Jesus the "Lamb of God" opens the first four seals: 

White Horse
"Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, 'Come!' I looked, and there was a white horse. The horseman on it had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he went out as a victor to conquer." - Revelation 6:1-2, Holman

The white horse brings conquest. The rider carries a bow and wears a crown, so he is a political leader, a king. When Jesus arrives to lead the armies of heaven in the battle of Armageddon (see Revelation 19), he will wear "many crowns" and have a sword, not a bow. The rider of the white horse in Revelation 6 is imitating Jesus, but is not Him. Therefore, this rider is a false messiah king, a.k.a. the Antichrist, the son of perdition, the little horn, the first beast. This person is already on the scene today and quietly building support for his reign in the background. Here is a sly hint about who he is. Here is another.

Red Horse
"When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse went out, a fiery red one, and its horseman was empowered to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another. And a large sword was given to him." - Revelation 6:3-4

The red horse brings war. Its rider carries a large sword. Expect to see war between nations and violent, civil conflict within nations.

Black Horse
"When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, 'Come!' And I looked, and there was a black horse. The horseman on it had a set of scales in his hand. Then I heard something like a voice among the four living creatures say, 'A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius—but do not harm the olive oil and the wine.'" - Revelation 6:5-6

The black horse brings economic collapse and famine. The rider carries "a set of scales in his hand." Scales were used in the old world for commerce - to sell and to buy. In other words, they represent the economy. "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages." A quart of wheat is enough to make only a loaf or two of bread. How much money do you make in a day? $100, $200, $300? Imagine if you had to pay that much for a loaf of bread. The Black Horse brings an economic crash followed by hyperinflation, scarcity of resources, and famine.

Pale Green Horse
"When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, 'Come!' And I looked, and there was a pale green horse. The horseman on it was named Death, and Hades was following after him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill by the sword, by famine, by plague, and by the wild animals of the earth." - Revelation 6:7-8

The pale horse brings death. It has authority over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine, plague and wild beasts. I take this to mean a plague of death will affect one-quarter of the world, not that a fourth of the world's population will necessarily perish. America will be affected since it is the prophetic Mystery Babylon whose plagues of death, mourning and famine will come "in one day" (Revelation 18:8).

Slain for the Word of God

After the fifth seal is broken in Revelation 6, the souls of those who were slain for their faith in Jesus cried out and asked, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" They were given a white robe and told to wait a little while longer until the number of those slain should be completed. This represents the persecution of believers in Christ.

The Gathering of the Elect and the Wrath of the Lamb

After the sixth seal is broken, there is an earthquake, the sun turns dark and the moon like blood, the stars fall and the sky splits apart. People on earth are in anguish for the coming wrath:

"Then I saw Him open the sixth seal. A violent earthquake occurred; the sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair; the entire moon became like blood; the stars of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a high wind; the sky separated like a scroll being rolled up; and every mountain and island was moved from its place. Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the military commanders, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of Their wrath has come! And who is able to stand?'" - Revelation 6:12-17

This is the same celestial and earthly scene as the coming of Jesus Christ and gathering of the elect in Matthew 24.

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days: The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not shed its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the celestial powers will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the peoples of the earth will mourn; and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other." - Matthew 24:29-31

In fact, Jesus' description of the end of the age in Matthew 24 matches the events in Revelation 6:

• White horse - conquest by Antichrist, i.e. false messiah king: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many." - Mat. 24:4, Holman 
• Red horse - war and conflict: "You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars... For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." - Mat. 24:6-7
• Black horse - economic collapse and famine: "There will be FAMINES and plagues and earthquakes in various places." - Mat. 24:7 
• Pale green horse - death: This is a result of war, famine, plagues and wild animals. 
• Fifth seal - persecution and martyrdom of Christians: "Then they will hand you over for persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of My name. Then many will take offense, betray one another and hate one another." - Mat. 24:9-10

Given all the similarities between these passages, I believe the sixth seal with its identical celestial imagery implies the coming of Jesus Christ and gathering of the elect, an event some call the Rapture. 

After this, the seventh will open up the seven trumpets in Revelation, and the seventh trumpet will open up the seven bowls of God's wrath. They are like Russian dolls, one inside the other. The seventh seal marks the Great Tribulation, the final 3.5 years of this age when the height of wrath and judgment are poured out on earth.

Please understand we will all experience tribulation on earth - the first six seals, all of Revelation 6 - before the gathering of the elect. Then the Great Tribulation will come, the final 3.5 years of this age.

Please also understand that the gathering of the elect is for those who are accounted worthy - who persevere in their faith and seek to obey Jesus Christ:

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." - Luke 21:36, KJV

"Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come over the whole world to test those who live on the earth." - Revelation 3:10, Holman 

See also the parable of the virgins in Matthew 25. All ten virgins wanted to meet the Bridegroom, but only the wise virgins who took extra oil for their lamps entered the wedding banquet. The unwise virgins were left out because they ran out of oil - i.e. they did not maintain their relationship with Jesus Christ.

I point out these things because there are a couple false doctrines circulating around the Christian community. The first is that Christians will escape tribulation because of the gathering of the elect. Not true. We will go through the first six seals, including the Four Horsemen. The second is that everyone who claims to be a Christian will be rescued during the gathering of the elect. Not true. Those who maintain their relationship of faith and obedience to Jesus Christ will be accounted worthy. This is a challenge I personally feel. We must persevere in faith, because the others will be left on earth to be purified during the Great Tribulation.

Are We Really the Last Generation?

In the parable of the fig tree, Jesus said there would be a final generation that will see all end-times events come to pass:

"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: As soon as its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near—at the door! I assure you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place." - Matthew 24:32-34

Are we that final generation? I asked God that question, or rather, I asked Him what the fig tree represents, because the sprouting of the fig tree marks the beginning of the end. He showed me the answer in Mark 11! I recommend reading the whole chapter closely because the answer is not stated directly, but is woven into the fabric of the text.

In Mark 11, Jesus encountered a fig tree with leaves but no fruit, because it was not the season for figs. So He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" Later, Jesus and his disciples passed by the tree again and it was withered from the roots up. 

Immediately before Jesus encountered the fig tree, He entered Jerusalem, went into the temple complex, looked around and then left. What was He observing?

The next day, Jesus encountered the fruitless fig tree and cursed it. He went again to the temple complex in Jerusalem and was distressed to see all the buying, selling and money changing. He began to throw people out of the temple and said:

"Is it not written, My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves!" - Mark 11:17

The chief priests heard it and began to look for a way to destroy Him. Jesus was the long-awaited and prophesied Messiah, but the religious leaders wanted Him dead.

Jesus and his disciples then returned to the fig tree to see it had withered. Do you see what the fig tree represents? It represents Israel. Jesus went into the temple complex in Jerusalem to observe the spiritual condition of Israel, because this was the center of religious life. Israel was fruitless, which is the spiritual meaning of the fruitless fig tree. Except for a small remnant, Israel had rejected their Messiah. Thus the fig tree was cursed and withered, and thus Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD and Israel withered.

It withered until the time of the end and Israel sprouted leaves again. There are many prophecies in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah about how God will regather the house of Israel to the Promise Land in the last days as part of His plan to save the whole nation. This began to happen on May 14, 1948, when David Ben-Gurion, head of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, proclaimed the establishment of the state of Israel. US President Harry Truman recognized Israel that same day. That was 70 years ago this year. According to the Psalms, a person's life and by implication the length of a generation is 70 to 80 years:

"As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years." - Psalm 90:10, NASB

My friends, we are not only the last generation but the tail end of it. Seek God in humility and repentance because the world in its present form is quickly passing away. Jesus Christ is coming soon!

 

What Is Salvation (Part 2)

For the first half of this article, please click on What Is Salvation (Part 1). 

Upon believing, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit as a pledge of our salvation

“In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation – having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.” – Ephesians 1:13-14

When we put our faith in Christ, we received the Holy Spirit and are sealed in Him. The word for seal (sphragizo) refers to a signet mark, such as a stamp made with a king’s signet ring as a mark of authenticity and ownership. It means we belong to God. The presence of the Holy Spirit is also a pledge or “down payment” of our heavenly inheritance and redemption.

How do we know we are sealed and belong to God? The Holy Spirit tells us:

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children.” – Romans 8:15-16

The Holy Spirit and our spirit testify that we belong to God. In other words, we inherently know in the deepest part of us that we belong to Him. We sense the affirmation of the Holy Spirit by faith.

Further evidence is demonstrated by the fruits of the Spirit growing in us, i.e. love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. We begin to reflect the character of Christ instead of the worldly values of selfish ambition, hatred, arrogance, etc.

Some say speaking in tongues demonstrates a true conversion or being “Spirit-filled.” But I don’t believe the Scriptures support this. Firstly, as the verse above states, we receive the Holy Spirit upon believing in Christ, not upon manifesting a spiritual gift. Secondly, the Scriptures say we receive different gifts according to God’s good pleasure:

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” – 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, NASB

Since we operate as a body, people have different gifts and ministries for the benefit of the whole. God doesn’t single out one spiritual gift for everyone to have.

Thirdly, and this is important to understand, supernatural manifestations can be animated by God or Satan. We have to use discernment and cannot assume the supernatural is always of God. Remember, the Pharaoh’s magicians Jannes and Jambres replicated the first three plagues of the Lord with sorcery and witchcraft. Jesus also warned:

“False messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” – Matthew 24:24, Holman

Supernatural gifts are real and Christians do perform miracles by the Holy Spirit, but it is also possible for demonic spirits to be behind prophecies, tongues, healings and even miracles. Satan uses these counterfeit manifestations to deceive people (1 John 4:1 tells us to “test the spirits to determine if they are from God.”). So there is a danger in saying everyone should speak in tongues, because it encourages people to seek supernatural experiences for their own sake, apart from their calling in the Lord, which can lead into the world of the occult.

However, if we focus on the witness of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit as evidence of true faith, then we are on solid ground.

Saving faith endures to the end

“Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds because of your evil actions. But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him—if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.” – Colossians 1:21-23

In the verses above, the Apostle Paul summarized the gospel message and salvation concisely, and added a condition: If we are steadfast in the faith and don’t turn away from the hope of the gospel.

In fact, the Apostles and Jesus himself were fervently concerned that churches under their care remained committed and persevered in the faith. Consider these verses:

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” – Philippians 2:12-13, King James 2000

Paul said we must work out our salvation with great care and commitment. This is not salvation by works – only the blood of Jesus reconciles us – but salvation unto good works. He was talking about the sanctification process, our growth in the faith, which is  essential. In truth, God works through us to perform his good will in the world as we “work out our salvation.”

The Apostle Peter said:

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” – 2 Peter 3:17-18a, Holman

Be on your guard, or “Be sober!” and “Be on the alert!” as Peter put it elsewhere, so we are not led away by deception and sin and fall from our own steadfastness. Instead we should grow in our faith in Christ.

The Apostle John said we must “remain” or “abide” in Christ:

“What you have heard from the beginning must remain in you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father.” – 1 John 2:24, Holman

Jesus Christ in his letters to the churches in Revelation encouraged them to “hold on,” “be faithful until death,” and, for those who fell short in their faith, to repent.

To the church in Philadelphia:

“I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one takes your crown.” – Revelation 3:11, Holman

To the church in Smyrna:

“Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” – Revelation 2:10, Holman

To the church in Sardis:

“I know your works; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Be alert and strengthen what remains, which is about to die, for I have not found your works complete before My God. Remember therefore what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent.” – Revelation 3:1b-3a, Holman

Why all this concern about readiness, faithfulness, repentance and growth? Because God knows saving faith is fruitful and endures to the end.

In the parable of the sower, Jesus explained:

“When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path. And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. Yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown.” – Matthew 13:20-23

People respond differently to the message of the gospel. Some reject it outright; some seem to respond positively but then quickly fall away; some hold on for a while, but the worries and pleasures of the world choke it out. Jesus and the Apostles wanted as many people as possible to be in the last category: The seed sown in good soil that produces a many-fold return. This is why they consistently preached perseverance, faithfulness and growth.

A growing faith is a solid, reliable faith

People have different mindsets about salvation. Some aren’t concerned about it. These people may go to church, but in their daily life they mostly go along with the world. Prayer and obedience are not part of their daily lives. Do such people really know God? Others may live in constant fear of failing and losing their salvation, struggling with feelings of condemnation, fear and shame. To them I would say, Jesus came to heal us and set us free; it is the devil who is the accuser. I believe God would have us in between these extremes: Actively engaged with Him, growing in our faith and the grace and peace of God, and confident that:

“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 1:6, NIV

[Side note: When is God's good work in us complete? The day of Christ Jesus!]

The Apostle Peter said we should strive for a faith that grows:

“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The person who lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing from his past sins. Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to you.” – 2 Peter 1:3-11, Holman

This statement begins with the foundation of our entire faith experience: His divine power. The power of God in Jesus Christ, expressed through the promises of Scripture, enables us to escape the corruption of our flesh and the world. 

Then the passage urges us to continually grow and build our faith: goodness on faith, knowledge on goodness… self-control, endurance, godliness, brotherly affection and (the greatest) love. If we are growing in these attributes, then our faith is healthy, fruitful and strong. In fact, it says we will never fall.

In this life, we do not arrive or cross the finish line – not until the day of Christ Jesus. We are not yet perfect. Even the Apostle Paul said he was not yet fully mature:

“Not that I have already reached the goal or am already fully mature, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:12-14

If anyone thinks they know it all or have arrived, he is fooling himself. None of us have. Instead, we press on in our heavenly calling.

What’s the opposite of a growing faith? A stagnant or non-existent faith. If anyone is in this condition, first ask yourself whether you know God. Do you have the witness of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit? As the Apostle Paul put it:

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Can't you see for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you--unless you actually fail the test?” – 2 Corinthians 13:5, Berean Study Bible

If your faith is genuine but stagnant or regressing, then you need to repent. Listen to what Jesus said to the church in Ephesus, which He first praised for their works, labor and endurance, but then said this:

“But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” – Revelation 2:4-5

Jesus is not satisfied with being anything other than our first love. The lampstand in this verse represents that church. I’m not completely certain what removing it means – perhaps dissolving the church because it no longer fully represents Jesus. Yet He also held out this hope to those who respond and overcome:

“Anyone who has an ear should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give the victor the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in God’s paradise.” – Revelation 2:7

The book of Hebrews also has more to say about stagnant or regressing faith. Its recipients received numerous admonitions, such as:

“We must therefore pay even more attention to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away.” – Hebrews 2:1

After pointing out that the recipients were still immature in their faith, and expressing a desire to move beyond the basics of the faith, the author said:

“For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, became companions with the Holy Spirit, tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away, because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding Him up to contempt. For ground that has drunk the rain that has often fallen on it and that produces vegetation useful to those it is cultivated for receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and will be burned at the end.” – Hebrews 6:4-8

This passage says it is possible for a believer to fall away in such a way that he cannot be restored. Honestly, I do not know precisely what that means. This is mystery here. Because the Scriptures also contain the story of the prodigal son who comes back to the Father in the end. In the letters to the seven churches in Revelation, even in the admonitions to people who were spiritually “lukewarm” or “dead” or engaged in idolatry and sexual immorality, Jesus urged them to repent and held out the hope of all the blessings of the inheritance of the saints. The phrase “impossible to renew to repentance” implies a heart so hardened that the person never wants to repent. However, the Scriptures also say anyone who wants to repent, can, and be restored. Even the author of Hebrews, immediately after this statement, shifted the tone to hope and encouragement:

“Even though we are speaking this way, dear friends, in your case we are confident of the better things connected with salvation.” – Hebrews 6:9

All I can say is, Christian salvation is not to be taken lightly. Salvation not a notional belief in God or a heavenly insurance policy received after someone “prays a prayer,” but then lives however he wants. It’s following Christ to the end.

Our goal should be to have a strong, growing faith. If we have that, there is no need to worry. Seek the Lord daily and follow him. If we need to repent – and we all do at times – then repent and move on. Ours sins are covered by the blood of Jesus.

The question arises: Can we be secure in our salvation and heavenly calling? My belief is that only God can give that to you by faith. If it’s lacking, ask Him for it. Certainly I am not perfect and have not arrived, but I believe by faith that He who began a good work in me will complete until the day of Christ Jesus.

In his final words, King David said:

“Is it not true my house is with God? For He has established an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and secured in every detail. Will He not bring about my whole salvation and my every desire?” – 2 Samuel 22:5

My personal answer to those questions is yes, by faith, He will.

The Holy Spirit brings repentance, healing, peace, and hope; the devil brings guilt, shame, despair and condemnation

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” – 2 Corinthians 7:10, NIV

Finally, I want to talk about the difference between the voice of the Holy Spirit and the voice of Satan. Their messages and intentions are completely opposed, though the devil is tricky and often tries to pass himself off as God speaking. The Holy Spirit brings conviction leading to healthy repentance, healing, peace and restoration. The devil brings accusations that lead to doubt, shame, guilt, fear and condemnation.

In the verse above, the Apostle Paul said godly sorrow (the good kind) brings repentance (i.e. a change of belief and behavior) that leads to salvation (i.e. sanctification, purification). It does so without regret (i.e. guilt, shame, self-loathing). In other words, godly sorrow frees us from sin and the psychological baggage of guilt and self-condemnation. We are free, free, free! God doesn’t want us to go around beating ourselves up. It’s the devil who wants that. Worldly sorrow (the bad kind) brings death, which in the Bible often means a distancing or separation from God. Worldly sorrow brings guilt and condemnation, which causes us to feel unworthy and despicable and to hide and run from God, like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden after they sinned. Thus, it brings death.

The truth is we are worthy because of the blood of Jesus Christ:

“For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” – Hebrews 10:14, English Standard Version

One offering for all time. Period. That alone makes us worthy, because we are in Christ.

Furthermore, the ministry of the gospel is a ministry of reconciliation:

“Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.” – 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Holman

And of healing and restoration:

“A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice.” – Isaiah 42:3, Holman

Ours is a ministry of salvation, not condemnation:

“For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” – John 3:17

Yes, Judgment Day is coming when we will all stand before the throne of God. Those whose names are written in the book of life will be with Christ forever. The destiny of those without Christ will be the same as that of Satan and his angels:

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it; and death and hades delivered up the dead who were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” – Revelation 20:11-15, King James 2000

But right now, we are in the time of reconciliation. There is hope for everyone. That should be the purpose and tone of our message. The Apostle James described wisdom from above, which I equate with the voice of God:

“But the wisdom from above is indeed first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and of good fruits, impartial, sincere.” – James 3:17, Berean Literal Bible

The voice of our Lord is pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable, merciful and full of good fruits. That it how we know it is His voice, when it has these wonderful qualities.

Satan’s voice is the opposite – impure, harsh, hostile, fearful, unreasonable, hateful, condemning and full of bad fruits. He is the accuser who cynically tears down the saints:

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Messiah have now come, because the accuser of our brothers has been thrown out: the one who accuses them before our God day and night.” – Revelation 12:10

Satan tries to cause us to doubt the truth of God’s word and to take blessings from us:

“Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God really say, “You can’t eat from any tree in the garden”?’” – Genesis 3:1-2, Holman

We should not listen to this serpent. We should listen only to voice of our Lord.

Satan’ deceptions are particularly devious and harmful when they are disguised as Christianity. If he can convince ministers and churches to present messages of condemnation or unrighteousness in a religious context, even by misinterpreting Scriptures, then he can corrupt people’s perceptions of God and drive them away from Him. Remember, when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he quoted Scripture. But Jesus replied with other Scriptures that were correctly applied.

One of Satan’s tricks is to rebrand sin as something good: killing the unborn becomes women’s rights; senseless war and bloodshed becomes patriotism and stopping designated bad guys; sexual deviancy becomes love and tolerance; gender confusion becomes courageous self-expression. Up is down and black is white.

A second trick is to shift people away from salvation by faith in Jesus Christ toward a self-righteous, works-oriented approach by focusing on legalistic prescriptions, such as observing Jewish feasts, circumcision, forbidding consumption of alcohol, etc. The Pharisees were famous for legalism. If you are tempted toward legalism, read the book of Galatians in which the Apostle Paul thoroughly dispelled this idea:

“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” – Galatians 5:18

A third satanic ploy is to subvert the gospel’s message of hope and reconciliation with condemnation, fear and despair. This can be a highly critical spirit that tears people down but fails to couch the message in love and hope. I have been guilty of this. Remember, the Holy Spirit brings conviction; the devil brings accusation. In the letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus ended each one by promising unique and magnificent heavenly blessings to the faithful. Even to the church of Laodicea which He rebuked for being lukewarm, he showed love and a desire for intimate fellowship:

“As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent. Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me.” – Revelation 3:19-20

Other ways condemnation manifests are dark obsessions with losing one’s salvation, hell and damnation. People can torture themselves and others with this idea of committing the unforgivable sin by “blaspheming the Holy Spirit.” As I explained in the post What Is Blaspheming the Holy Spirit?, blaspheming the Spirit is not recognizing Jesus is the Messiah. Simple as that.

Some also believe that every time they sin, they lose their salvation and are headed to hell until they confess it and get re-saved. Here is what the Apostle John said:

“My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world.” – 1 John 1:1-2, Holman

Neither I nor John is saying we should sin, but if we do, we have an Advocate in the heavens, Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice covers our sins. John also said not all sin leads to death, or separation from God:

“If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he should ask God, who will give life to those who commit this kind of sin. There is a sin that leads to death; I am not saying he should ask regarding that sin.” – 1 John 5:16, Berean Study Bible

For regular sins we should pray for each other that we overcome it. John said there is a sin that leads to “death,” which I can only guess is the spiritual condition described previously in Hebrews 6 about someone falling away and becoming so hardened toward God that he cannot be restored. Again, I do not know exactly what that means or how a person gets to that place. But I infer from this verse that regular, “normal” sins do NOT lead to death and, therefore, this idea that a person loses his salvation every time he sins is false.

God wants us to repent when we sin. Some deeply ingrained attitudes and behaviors require a lot of wash-and-repeat cycles – repent, fall, repent, fall, repent… But we press on, asking for God’s help, and by faith in His power we will overcome.

Acknowledging our sins is part of repentance. How can we repent of a sin if we don't acknowledge it? However, the idea of confessing each sin in order to be forgiven of it sounds like offering a mini-sacrifice to earn God's mercy, which contradicts the Bible's teaching about Jesus' once-for-all-time sacrifice. This view of confession probably comes from a misinterpretation of 1 John 1:

“If we say, ‘We have no sin,’ we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:8-9, Holman

This passage about being saved, as in believing in Jesus Christ. A person can only be saved if he first admits to being a sinner and needing forgiveness. If we say we have no sin, we can’t be saved. However, this is not a passage about a believer's sanctification. The subsequent verses about Jesus as our advocate and propitiation pertain to believers:

"My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He Himself is the propitiation for our sins." - 1 John 2:1-2a, Holman

The idea of losing our salvation every time we sin is a doctrine of condemnation and fear. It encourages a morbid introspection and spiritual paralysis, causing people to continually gaze inward, wondering, “Have I sinned?” and afraid to step out and act for fear of failing and SINNING. But God wants us to step out, act and grow in our faith -- that's the point! We still live in fleshly bodies and are not yet perfected, not until Jesus returns. Listen to what Paul said:

“But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.” – 1 Corinthians 4:3-5

Paul does not examine himself or engage in morbid introspection. His eyes are on Jesus Christ and he presses on in the faith, as should we all, without fear and without condemnation: 

“There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear.” – 1 John 4:18a, Holman

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” – Romans 8:1, NIV

This person’s testimony is a great example of overcoming condemnation and fear: Condemned to Hell? A Testimony of Hope about the Unforgivable Sin 

The spirit of condemnation also manifests as a dark obsession with hell and damnation. Yes, there is a hell, a holding place until Judgment Day for departed souls who were not reconciled with God. Jesus mentioned hell in six separate passages in the gospels. The Apostles did not mention it, except James when he used it as a metaphor about the tongue, though the Apostles consistently spoke about the judgment of God both in this life and in eternity. My point is that hell is about punishment and condemnation, but our ministry is of hope and reconciliation. Accordingly, our emphasis should be on Christ’s death and resurrection.

Conclusion

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16