Why Professing Christians May Fall Short of Heaven
(Continued)
 



--Saving repentance is attended with prayers and tears; but he that hath none but the other “repentance” may have prayers and tears also (Genesis 27:34, 35; Hebrews 12:14-16).

     --In saving repentance, there is fear and reverence of the word and the ministers that bring it; but this may be also where there is none but the “repentance” that is not saving; for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and observed him; when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly (Mark 6:20).

     --Saving repentance makes a man's heart very tender of doing any thing against the word of God. Balaam could say, “If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord” (Numbers 24:13).

 

            Behold, then, how far a man may go in “repentance,” and yet be short of that which is called “Repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of.”  He may be awakened; He may acknowledge his sin; He may cry out under the burden of sin; He may have humility for it; He may loath it; May have prayers and tears against it; May delight to do many things of God; May be afraid of sinning against him; and after all this may perish for lack of saving repentance.

 

Professing Christians May Mistake False Faith for the True.

            Have they that shall be saved, faith? Why, they that shall not be saved may have “faith” also; yes, a “faith” in many things so much like the faith that saveth, that they can hardly be distinguished (though they differ both in root and branch). To come to particulars:

     --Saving faith hath Christ for its object, and so may the “faith” that is not saving. Those very Jews of whom it is said they “believed” on Christ, Christ tells them, and that after their “believing,” “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do” (John 8:30-44).

     --Saving faith is wrought by the word of God, and so may the “faith” be that is not saving (Luke 8:13).

     --Saving faith looks for justification without works, and so may a “faith” do that is not saving (James 2:18).

     --Saving faith will sanctify and purify the heart, and the “faith” that is not saving may also work a man off from the pollutions of the world, as it did Judas, Demas, and others (2 Peter 2).

     --Saving faith will give a man tastes of the world to come, and also joy by those tastes, and so will the “faith” do that is not saving (Hebrews 6:4, 5; Luke 8:13).

     --Saving faith will help a man to give his body to be burned, if called thereto for his religion, and so will the “faith” do that is not saving (1 Corinthians 13:1-5).

     --Saving faith will help a man to look for an inheritance in the world to come, and that may the “faith” do that is not saving: “All those virgins took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom,” (Matthew 25:1).

     --Saving faith will not only make a man look for, but prepare to meet the bridegroom,” and so may the “faith” do that is not saving: ‘Then all these virgins arose and trimmed their lamps," (Matthew 25:7).

     --Saving faith will make a man look for an interest in the kingdom of heaven with confidence, and the “faith” that is not saving will even demand entrance of the Lord: “Lord, Lord, open unto us,” (Matthew 25:11).

     --Saving faith will have good works follow it into heaven, and the “faith” that is not saving may have great works follow it, as far as to heaven-gates: “Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and in thy name done wondrous works,” (Matthew 7:22).

 

           








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