I know this is late, but this quote has been thought provoking!I could be wrong, but I have found this quote to be false. It implies that Paul Washer is talking to Christians, and if so, a Christian cannot go to hell, can he? Can a Christian lose his/hersalvation? Yes, we can lose focus and become useless for God, but that doesn't change our status before Him. How can a Christian be in danger of hell?
I understand where you are coming from, and like you, I do not believe that a born-again Christian can lose his/her salvation. Once saved, always saved. And after hearing Brother Paul Washer speak, I believe that he would say the same thing. He is always stressing in his sermons that we cannot simply look the Christian part. It pains him to preach to a congregation of people, especially the young people who travel in our circles, who think that they have "arrived" simply because they were raised the way that they were, when there has been no heart change. If Brother Paul had indeed been talking to Christians, then no, I would not agree with this quote.
However, I don't think Paul was talking about saved Christians when he made this comment. He never mentions "brethren" or "the church" in the statement. I believe he was speaking to people, good people, who think that they are going to heaven simply because they are good enough, or because they say the right things, or because their parents are saved and they have grown up knowing about Jesus their whole lives, hence the "I'm a Calvinist" or "I'm a homeschooler". When people try to ride into heaven simply on their own goodness, which is as filthy rags, it gets them nowhere.
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" -Matthew 7:21-23
Just as the Pharisees thought that their good works would be "enough" to get them to heaven, so do some modern-day church goers. They think that since they go to church every time the door is open, teach a Sunday school class, believe in all six points of the Calvinism teachings, were homeschooled growing up, surely they would go to heaven...but it simply doesn't work like that. We have to have a true heart conversion, knowing that our sinfulness is what separates us from God. We have to realize that only He can save, not our works, not our family status, not our "walk down to the front to the alter, once upon a time". When He gets ahold of us, there will be change, but any changes that we try to make before coming to Christ will all be for naught because none of those things can save us.
So, hopefully that has cleared up some of what I was thinking when I posted this quote. The idea being simply that nothing on this earth can make us worthy to go to heaven. If not for the saving grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, which should be our banner, then we would all be lost. Praise the Lord that He saw fit to make a way for us, for if He had not, we would without hope. Praise His name forever and ever.
Please feel free to leave a comment. I simply ask that all comments be glorifying to the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks and looking forward to hearing from you all!
I know this is late, but this quote has been
ReplyDeletethought provoking!I could be wrong, but I have
found this quote to be false. It implies that Paul
Washer is talking to Christians, and if so, a
Christian cannot go to hell, can he? Can a
Christian lose his/hersalvation? Yes, we can lose
focus and become useless for God, but that doesn't
change our status before Him. How can a Christian
be in danger of hell?
~ Marcus
Hi Marcus,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment!
I understand where you are coming from, and like you, I do not believe that a born-again Christian can lose his/her salvation. Once saved, always saved. And after hearing Brother Paul Washer speak, I believe that he would say the same thing. He is always stressing in his sermons that we cannot simply look the Christian part. It pains him to preach to a congregation of people, especially the young people who travel in our circles, who think that they have "arrived" simply because they were raised the way that they were, when there has been no heart change. If Brother Paul had indeed been talking to Christians, then no, I would not agree with this quote.
However, I don't think Paul was talking about saved Christians when he made this comment. He never mentions "brethren" or "the church" in the statement. I believe he was speaking to people, good people, who think that they are going to heaven simply because they are good enough, or because they say the right things, or because their parents are saved and they have grown up knowing about Jesus their whole lives, hence the "I'm a Calvinist" or "I'm a homeschooler". When people try to ride into heaven simply on their own goodness, which is as filthy rags, it gets them nowhere.
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'" -Matthew 7:21-23
Just as the Pharisees thought that their good works would be "enough" to get them to heaven, so do some modern-day church goers. They think that since they go to church every time the door is open, teach a Sunday school class, believe in all six points of the Calvinism teachings, were homeschooled growing up, surely they would go to heaven...but it simply doesn't work like that. We have to have a true heart conversion, knowing that our sinfulness is what separates us from God. We have to realize that only He can save, not our works, not our family status, not our "walk down to the front to the alter, once upon a time". When He gets ahold of us, there will be change, but any changes that we try to make before coming to Christ will all be for naught because none of those things can save us.
So, hopefully that has cleared up some of what I was thinking when I posted this quote. The idea being simply that nothing on this earth can make us worthy to go to heaven. If not for the saving grace of Jesus Christ our Lord, which should be our banner, then we would all be lost. Praise the Lord that He saw fit to make a way for us, for if He had not, we would without hope. Praise His name forever and ever.
In Christ,
Kelsey
Thanks, Kelsey
DeleteMarcus