(Photo posted on the Facebook page “Finish Well”)

Coming to Jesus Christ is not a forced march.  Following Jesus is not a forced march. Staying with Jesus is not a forced march.

Man, created in the image of God, is given a free will to choose which way he will go every step of his life.  Man must choose to walk by sight or by faith.  Man must choose to live after the flesh or to live after the Spirit.

The Word of God reveals to us that the Lord wants a relationship based on trust and selfless love with us.  Relationships are voluntary.  Every relationship takes two like-minded volunteers.  The quality of any relationship is a function of how faithful both volunteers are to their role and responsibility.  In a healthy relationship, both volunteers are faithful to their role and responsibility in the relationship.  God is faithful…so who “owns” the quality of our relationship with God?!  We do!

Which leads me to the most horrifying truth in the Bible:  apostasy.

There will be a great falling away from faith in Jesus Christ in the last days of man’s reign on earth (2 Thessalonians 2:3);  one must have faith in Jesus Christ to fall away from it.  Hebrews 6:1-8 speaks of believers in Jesus Christ falling away (“apostatize”).  When a believer turns and denounces that Jesus Christ is Lord, denies Jesus Christ is God, and renounces his/her faith in the Person and work of Jesus Christ, they are apostate.  The Word says it is impossible for apostates to be renewed again unto repentance.  Woe!

This is a “hard saying” that will not be understood by the dull (“lazy”) of hearing of the Word of God  (Hebrews 5:11-14).  Brethren, do not be members of the Church of the Dull of Hearing.  Be diligent in you relationship with Jesus Christ and be found a member of the Church at Philadelphia that is of little strength, has kept His Word, and has not denied His name (Revelation 3:7-13).

I pray none of you are surprised by the most horrifying truth in the Bible.