WHERE YOU SIT--Week 13

In Revelation 2.20 Jesus says that Jezebel led His bond-servants astray. Now this is a threatening statement. Can God's bond-servants really be led astray? Doesn't that contradict eternal security?

Let's look into that.
Jezebel, a prophetess, is operating in Thyatira against the followers of God. Some have gone slightly astray so Jesus says--I place no other burden on you. To those who have embraced the deep things of Satan, Jesus says He will visit sickness and great tribuation, Rev. 2.22.

To those who have not embraced Jezebel at all, Jesus commands them--hold fast until I come. Then he says--He who overcomes and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. These are commands---hold fast..he who overcomes...he who keeps...I will give authority...

We know that Paul had said in Romans 3.28 that--a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. Works of the Law do not justify a man, so why does Revelation 2 speak of heaven being given to those who overcome, as if it were their own work?

We know that Paul had said in Romans 2.6 God will--render to every man according to his deeds. To render is to draw in. Does this mean that every man can draw in his deeds and rewards?

Paul goes on to say in Romans 2 that--to those who by perseverance in doing to seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but those those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation... We see in this that the message of Revelation was given to Paul for the--day of wrath, Rom. 2.5.

The connection between the gospel of grace and the reward for overcoming and rendering according to a man's deeds is in Philippians 2.13. This is the connection between ourselves and Christ. Jesus overcame when he--humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even deaht on a cross, Phil. 2.8. The result was that--God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name...

Because--it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure, Phil. 2.13, so we have our overcoming to do. That is described in Phil. 2.12 as--work out your salvation with fear and trembling. We have our overcoming to do, our deeds and faith, our zeal and repentance.

We are given a hint of this when Matthew 10.24 says--A disciple is not above his master. Jesus speaks in Matt. 10.20-28 about persecution which awaits the disciples. Then He says--Do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.


In other words, persecution awaits the disciple, but if we fear God as Jesus was obedient to the point of death even death on a cross, we will have the fear of God which keeps us from sin, Exodus 20.20.

When Paul wrote Timothy, he tells Timothy to keep faith and a good conscience, because some have--suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith, 1 Timothy 1.19. He then finishes his first letter to the young Timothy by saying--Fight the good fight of faith, take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses, 1 Tim. 6.12