Lead Them To The Lord And Forget Them
By Jacquelyn Fedor
2010 - 03 - 01
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When a person is quote unquote "led to the Lord" and not placed in a secure group to be matured, are we not raising up a bunch of Esau's for Satan to use? (Esau, in Genesis 25:30-33, gave up his birthright.) In other words, they may get as far as baptism, become new creatures, but then, without Godly direction, return to their old Adamic ways. Hebrews 12:16-17 tells us Esau was very sorry for what he did, but it was too late. This can happen again. Look at Revelation 22:11-12. You see, although born through God and just as perfect as Adam and Eve were originally created, if they sin, just as Adam did, and do not understand the gift of repentance, or are found guilty at the end of the age, they will fall and die in the same condition they were in before their conversion. How can they know to repent, or be found without spot or wrinkle on the Lord's Day if they do not understand what is, or is not, acceptable to God? They need to be taught truth. They must develop a taste for the Word or they will become a part of the body of the lawless one.
II Thessalonians 2:9-10
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish (why did this happen?), because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish (why did this happen?), because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
Who would be held accountable here? God says His people die for a lack of knowledge. You see, God wants to bless His children, and has provided care for the newborn through His chosen leadership. They are anointed and appointed to give proper care, to love them and mature them, but the evangelist must see to it that they are placed in their care.
Ephesians 4:11-13 describes God's plan, and outlines His leadership.
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, (why?)
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (How long should they be under this covering?)
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, (why?)
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (How long should they be under this covering?)
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
We must understand, without the influence of all the leadership God has provided, the new convert remains a dysfunctional member of the body of Christ. Obviously, the body must have all its parts working smoothly for God to establish His Kingdom, with its beautiful promises, through us to all the earth. Verses 14-16 describe why He wants this protection for them.
Ephesians 4:14-16
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine (they will discern the spirits behind false doctrines), by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, (people that build their own kingdom instead of God's, just using their money for instance, rather than loving them and maturing them. Here is God's desire for them.)
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - (valuable body parts)
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine (they will discern the spirits behind false doctrines), by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, (people that build their own kingdom instead of God's, just using their money for instance, rather than loving them and maturing them. Here is God's desire for them.)
15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - (valuable body parts)
16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Verses 17-24 show us what happens if they are not under covering and loving care.
Ephesians 4:17-24
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind (they continue to function through their own intellect based on the Tree of Good and Evil)
18 having their understanding darkened (because of the wrong knowledge from the wrong tree), being alienated from the life of God (how sad, and here is why), because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; (They can't see Kingdom things once they give up their birthright to return to the ways of Adam.)
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (They are once again a part of the world and its culture.)
20 But you (the taught ones) have not so learned Christ,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him (through His Spirit), as the truth is in Jesus: (Colossians 1:27 shows this mystery, it is the Spirit of Christ through His leadership that actually teaches them, that is if the leadership is actually appointed by Him.)
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, (Teach them to choose the right tree this time, eat the knowledge of God and begin to live their lives according to Wisdom.)
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (with the Word, Truth, Wisdom)
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Be born again, filled with the Spirit, and matured to the image of God. Mankind is predestined to come full circle back to God's original plan for man!)
17 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind (they continue to function through their own intellect based on the Tree of Good and Evil)
18 having their understanding darkened (because of the wrong knowledge from the wrong tree), being alienated from the life of God (how sad, and here is why), because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; (They can't see Kingdom things once they give up their birthright to return to the ways of Adam.)
19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (They are once again a part of the world and its culture.)
20 But you (the taught ones) have not so learned Christ,
21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him (through His Spirit), as the truth is in Jesus: (Colossians 1:27 shows this mystery, it is the Spirit of Christ through His leadership that actually teaches them, that is if the leadership is actually appointed by Him.)
22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, (Teach them to choose the right tree this time, eat the knowledge of God and begin to live their lives according to Wisdom.)
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (with the Word, Truth, Wisdom)
24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Be born again, filled with the Spirit, and matured to the image of God. Mankind is predestined to come full circle back to God's original plan for man!)
But again, this must be taught to God's people. The world is falling apart, people are searching for God and hoping for a better way of life. They are tired of being in bondage to poverty, illness, etc. and the Word has the answers.
God through Isaiah said in Isaiah 5:13
13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity (to the powers principalities and rulers of darkness), because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst (the church has let them down in these areas)
13 Therefore my people have gone into captivity (to the powers principalities and rulers of darkness), because they have no knowledge; their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst (the church has let them down in these areas)
They must be introduced to God's covenants to inherit God's promises and this means those that influence them must themselves understand the two covenants! So church leaders must be very knowledgeable. First of all the evangelist must understand end time truth, the full gospel, so they will not let the new baby standing naked, without knowledge, in the world. Secondly the pastor must be very knowledgeable to properly guide, feed and protect God's sheep from false doctrine and lies. The teacher must also be well versed in Truth as they teach and reproduce what they know and what they . Their input will help the baby grow into a mature body member to fulfill their part in helping save others and establish the Kingdom. For all this to be accomplished successfully however, knowledgeable apostles must provide a safe covering, a harbor for them to gather to, and along with the prophets, keep them protected from the enemy while steering them to the correct part of the body they are called to function in. In other words, it takes the knowledge of God, released through His revealers, to guide the hand of God to raise His newborn.
Those called to the office of Apostle and Prophet are an umbrella so to speak over the universal church, a prayer covering from which direction is given. They are the cloud by day (Apostles) and fire by night (Prophets) as was foreshadowed in the day of Moses.
Isaiah prophetically foresaw this covering in Isaiah 4:5
5 then the LORD will create above every dwelling place (we are the temple of God) of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies (flocks of people), a cloud and smoke by day (apostles) and the shining of a flaming fire by night (prophets). For over all the glory there will be a covering.
5 then the LORD will create above every dwelling place (we are the temple of God) of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies (flocks of people), a cloud and smoke by day (apostles) and the shining of a flaming fire by night (prophets). For over all the glory there will be a covering.
In closing, I leave all those involved in the work of gathering in the lost with this scripture in II Timothy 2:15.
II Timothy 2:15
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
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