THE SMILE OF A TIGER
Brothers, when was the last time that you took your kids to the zoo, the San Diego zoo? I do not remember when was the last time that I took my kids to the zoo. It’s probably a long time ago, if ever.
I watch lions, tigers, crocodiles, snakes, butterflies, etc. on the TV frequently. I like to watch nature shows on TV. There is no risk of watching tigers or lions attacking and tearing their victims apart on the TV. No risk to me. But in India, yes. There was a video shown on the Internet recently about a man who was eaten by a tiger in a zoo. Did you see the video? How did he get so close to the tiger? I don’t trust any tiger, especially when he smiles at me.
Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” Matthew 7:15. Do you know why Jesus gave us this warning? Because Jesus knows about these fake pastors and preachers who are out there to eat us. They smile when they see us. But that smile is the smile of a tiger. Most of us, unfortunately, don’t know that because these false prophets and teachers wear sheep's clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves. What is so ravenous about them? Greed of money! They are after money. They are after easy money. They are greedy to get money from us without working. Who would not be interested in getting money without working? Carrying a step further, who wouldn't be interested in getting eternal life without working?
The concept of eternal life without work begins here. Paul said, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; [it is] the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. This concept of salvation without work is extremely popular all over the world. Don’t we like to hear that we can be saved without doing anything other than faith? Yes, we do. Yes, we do. Why? Because it tickles our ears. Paul knows about it, and he wrote this, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, [because] they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn [their] ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4.
Jesus said, "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.
Jesus rejected these men/women of great faith from entering the kingdom of heaven because they do not do the will of God. They are living in sin! They practice lawlessness! As we all can see, faith has nothing to do with our salvation. But living in sin will prevent us from entering the kingdom of heaven. These are not my words. These are the words of Jesus. These are the words of YHWH!
Are there anyone among my readers who still don’t know who Jesus is? Let me introduce Him to you again. Jesus said, "If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast [it] from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast [it] from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” Matthew 5:29-30. Does Jesus sound that He will tolerate us if we live in sin? Pluck your eye out, or cut your arm off? He hates sin, and He wants us to do the same.
Jesus said that eternal life must be earned! The men/women of great faith described in Matthew 7:21-23 have earned nothing that will qualify them for eternal life. Do you understand what I am saying, Bro? They have not worked to earn eternal life.
Jesus said, `And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This [is] the first commandment. "And the second, like [it, is] this: `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.’" Mark 12:30-31.
These are the minimum work of what we must do to earn eternal life. And to avoid confusion, we must also follow Jesus, or YHWH, and no one else! Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given [them] to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of My Father's hand. I and [My] Father are one." John 10:27-30.
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