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Prayer is not a religious abstract theoretical recitation of empty chatter that only derives some sort of temporary physiological relief or benefits for the mind of man.   Also prayer should not be thought of as a mystical experience in which people lose their identity in the infinite reality.  Neither does prayer involve a ritual of bowing the head, closing the eyes, falling to the knees, pounding of the chest and etc. propelling ones self into an imaginary realm of dreams, false hope and wishful thinking. 

 

Prayer is simply speaking with God in a reverent conversational manner as a child speaking to a loving, compassionate Father who understands the immaturities and weaknesses of His children. Understood in this conversation is the fact that the one who is praying is both humble and expectant; absent of mere wishing or being demanding.  Any outward physical acts such as closing of the eyes, bowing of the head and kneeling should be a spontaneous sincere expression of humbleness and reverence from the inner man before his God.  Further, prayer is also an exchange of confidence: the one who prays assumes the posture of a trusting child and prays with faith that is made complete by obedience; God remembers his frailty, loves him as His child, hears and answers his prayers. 

 

God speaks to His children by His Holy Spirit and His children in turn speak to Him, spirit to Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10-13). Assured by the Holy Spirit through the revelation of Scripture that God is a personal, living, active, all-knowing, all-wise, all-powerful and caring Father; as a result of the work of His Spirit we know that He does hear and help us in our time of need.

 

Before entering into conversation with man’s righteous Creator one must be in right standing with his heavenly Father. Therefore prayer is a time of confession and repentance. Awareness of God’s holiness leads to consciousness of our own sin nature (Is. 6:5). Also, by learning of the vicious nature of sin we realize it not only destroys the sinner but also hurts those closest to him and destroys his relationship with God (Gen. 4:1-16); sin is violation of God’s laws which has been given to govern our relationships with Him and one another (Ps. 51:4).

 

The great prophet Isaiah wrote,

            “Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear (Is. 59:1-2).”

 

Fellowship with God requires a heart which is empty of sin and worldliness. A heart filled with disobedience, earthly projects, carnal interests, ambition, thoughts of becoming rich in worldly goods, and with the love of the luxuries and pleasures of life is a candidate for repentance.  In order to repent one must recognize his sinful condition and turn his back on sin and turn with faith toward his Savior, Jesus Christ, for forgiveness.  This is accomplished only through convictions brought about by the leading of the Holy Spirit; resulting in a deep sorrow and remorsefulness for crimes committed against God.  Thus repentance is the empting of one’s soul of sin through the merit of the shed blood of Jesus and preparing the heart for fellowship with a holy and righteous God.  We must confess our sins to God and repent to get right with Him.  He, in turn, forgives us of all our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). 

 

“God is love (1 John 4:8).” 

 

To the “born again” prayer is a response to the love of God.  This great love was expressed by our heavenly Father in the giving of His Son for the atonement of man’s sin at the cross of Calvary; and in His resurrection in victory over death, as well as His continuing abiding presence and fellowship through the Holy Spirit.  Thus we understand that the love that is from God conditions the heart of the believer for prayer.  And so it is that the very cornerstone of the prayer of faith is the love of God expressed in His living and abiding Word, Jesus Christ.

 

God’s greatest desire is that we love Him with our total being (Matt. 22:37). Our love should be expressed, as His has been expressed, in both deeds and words.  Each time love is expressed, in words or deeds, it grows stronger.  People sometimes find it difficult to say to others and to God, “I love you.” But when love for God fills our lives, we will express our love for God by loving one another and in prayer to the one who is ultimately responsible for all that we are or ever hope to be. 

 

Prayer is not only a response to God’s grace as brought to us in the life and work of Jesus and the teaching of Scripture; it is also a tool to supply the needs of others.  The prayer of faith can reconcile marriages, move mountains, change lives, heal the sick, raise the dead, cause the lame to walk, the blind to see and etc.; hence proper prayer releases and directs God’s divine love, authority and power into any given situation and circumstance.  

 

What hinders answers to prayer?  Several hindrances to prayer are mentioned in the Holy Scripture: iniquity in the heart (Ps. 66:18), refusal to hear and obey God's law (Prov. 28:9), an alienated or estranged heart (Is. 29:13), sinful separation from God (Is. 59:1-2), waywardness (Jer. 14:10-12), praying to be seen of men (Matt. 6:5-6), pride in fasting and tithing (Luke 18:11-14), and lack of faith (Heb. 11:6), and for those of us who are married, relationship with one’s spouse (1 Pet. 3:1-7)---and then there is also double-mindedness;

 

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:5-8NASU).”

 

             Our heavenly Father desires that we have a loving, compassionate relationship with one other, therefore He has promised to answer our requests when we start helping the hungry and afflicted (Is. 58:9-10), when we forgive others (Mark 11:25-26).  Also, that we trust Him; thus He answers when we believe that we will receive what we ask (Mark 11:22-24) and that we honor our Savior and ask in Christ's name (John 14:13-14), and when we abide in Christ and His words abide in us (John 15:7).  Also, God is Spirit, thus we must pray in the Spirit (Eph. 6:8) and obey the Lord's commandments (1 John 3:22); and lastly, ask according to His will (1 John 5:14-15).

 

The Apostle James writes,

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises.  Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:13-16NAS).”

 

Thus, prayer can be seen as a practical and powerful tool granted to the penitent, humble believer by a loving and responsive, living, infinite and Almighty God. 

 

Finally, repentance and the prayer of faith bring peace and rest to the soul and assurance that he has been heard by a loving and responsive Holy Father.  Selah.

  Jake Sanford

 

Prayer is not a religious abstract theoretical recitation of empty chatter that only derives some sort of temporary physiological relief or benefits for the mind of man.   Also prayer should not be thought of as a mystical experience in which people lose their identity in the infinite reality.  Neither does prayer involve a ritual of bowing the head, closing the eyes, falling to the knees, pounding of the chest and etc. propelling ones self into an imaginary realm of dreams, false hope and wishful thinking. 

 

Prayer is simply speaking with God in a reverent conversational manner as a child speaking to a loving, compassionate Father who understands the immaturities and weaknesses of His children. Understood in this conversation is the fact that the one who is praying is both humble and expectant; absent of mere wishing or being demanding.  Any outward physical acts such as closing of the eyes, bowing of the head and kneeling should be a spontaneous sincere expression of humbleness and reverence from the inner man before his God.  Further, prayer is also an exchange of confidence: the one who prays assumes the posture of a trusting child and prays with faith that is made complete by obedience; God remembers his frailty, loves him as His child, hears and answers his prayers. 

 

God speaks to His children by His Holy Spirit and His children in turn speak to Him, spirit to Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10-13). Assured by the Holy Spirit through the revelation of Scripture that God is a personal, living, active, all-knowing, all-wise, all-powerful and caring Father; as a result of the work of His Spirit we know that He does hear and help us in our time of need.

 

Before entering into conversation with man’s righteous Creator one must be in right standing with his heavenly Father. Therefore prayer is a time of confession and repentance. Awareness of God’s holiness leads to consciousness of our own sin nature (Is. 6:5). Also, by learning of the vicious nature of sin we realize it not only destroys the sinner but also hurts those closest to him and destroys his relationship with God (Gen. 4:1-16); sin is violation of God’s laws which has been given to govern our relationships with Him and one another (Ps. 51:4).

 

The great prophet Isaiah wrote,

            “Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear (Is. 59:1-2).”

 

Fellowship with God requires a heart which is empty of sin and worldliness. A heart filled with disobedience, earthly projects, carnal interests, ambition, thoughts of becoming rich in worldly goods, and with the love of the luxuries and pleasures of life is a candidate for repentance.  In order to repent one must recognize his sinful condition and turn his back on sin and turn with faith toward his Savior, Jesus Christ, for forgiveness.  This is accomplished only through convictions brought about by the leading of the Holy Spirit; resulting in a deep sorrow and remorsefulness for crimes committed against God.  Thus repentance is the empting of one’s soul of sin through the merit of the shed blood of Jesus and preparing the heart for fellowship with a holy and righteous God.  We must confess our sins to God and repent to get right with Him.  He, in turn, forgives us of all our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). 

 

“God is love (1 John 4:8).” 

 

To the “born again” prayer is a response to the love of God.  This great love was expressed by our heavenly Father in the giving of His Son for the atonement of man’s sin at the cross of Calvary; and in His resurrection in victory over death, as well as His continuing abiding presence and fellowship through the Holy Spirit.  Thus we understand that the love that is from God conditions the heart of the believer for prayer.  And so it is that the very cornerstone of the prayer of faith is the love of God expressed in His living and abiding Word, Jesus Christ.

 

God’s greatest desire is that we love Him with our total being (Matt. 22:37). Our love should be expressed, as His has been expressed, in both deeds and words.  Each time love is expressed, in words or deeds, it grows stronger.  People sometimes find it difficult to say to others and to God, “I love you.” But when love for God fills our lives, we will express our love for God by loving one another and in prayer to the one who is ultimately responsible for all that we are or ever hope to be. 

 

Prayer is not only a response to God’s grace as brought to us in the life and work of Jesus and the teaching of Scripture; it is also a tool to supply the needs of others.  The prayer of faith can reconcile marriages, move mountains, change lives, heal the sick, raise the dead, cause the lame to walk, the blind to see and etc.; hence proper prayer releases and directs God’s divine love, authority and power into any given situation and circumstance.  

 

What hinders answers to prayer?  Several hindrances to prayer are mentioned in the Holy Scripture: iniquity in the heart (Ps. 66:18), refusal to hear and obey God's law (Prov. 28:9), an alienated or estranged heart (Is. 29:13), sinful separation from God (Is. 59:1-2), waywardness (Jer. 14:10-12), praying to be seen of men (Matt. 6:5-6), pride in fasting and tithing (Luke 18:11-14), and lack of faith (Heb. 11:6), and for those of us who are married, relationship with one’s spouse (1 Pet. 3:1-7)---and then there is also double-mindedness;

 

5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:5-8NASU).”

 

             Our heavenly Father desires that we have a loving, compassionate relationship with one other, therefore He has promised to answer our requests when we start helping the hungry and afflicted (Is. 58:9-10), when we forgive others (Mark 11:25-26).  Also, that we trust Him; thus He answers when we believe that we will receive what we ask (Mark 11:22-24) and that we honor our Savior and ask in Christ's name (John 14:13-14), and when we abide in Christ and His words abide in us (John 15:7).  Also, God is Spirit, thus we must pray in the Spirit (Eph. 6:8) and obey the Lord's commandments (1 John 3:22); and lastly, ask according to His will (1 John 5:14-15).

 

The Apostle James writes,

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises.  Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much (James 5:13-16NAS).”

 

Thus, prayer can be seen as a practical and powerful tool granted to the penitent, humble believer by a loving and responsive, living, infinite and Almighty God. 

 

Finally, repentance and the prayer of faith bring peace and rest to the soul and assurance that he has been heard by a loving and responsive Holy Father.  Selah.

  Jake Sanford

Note:  I wrote this for our 50th year high school class reunion in 2004.  I found it while going through my files today and thought I would share it with you.  I hope you enjoy it.

 We are the class of ’54 looking back to the days of our youth, the days of our morning sun.  To the days that followed the “Great Depression,” to the days when this nation’s “Greatest Generation” was rejoicing with the coming home of our troops from WWII; in those days our parents struggled to recover from the pain of the economic depression and the heartbreak of war.  We are the children that were born in the mid-thirties reflecting of the days when the front door was always open, back before locked cabinets or childproof lids were on the medicine bottles, the days when Castor Oil was a cure all---to the days when chicken was caught off the yard and cooked and served as a delicacy on Sunday---but only when the preacher or other company came. In those days the little boys played cowboys and Indians or cops and robbers using their fingers as simulated guns and the little girls played with imaginary dolls; in those days the Sears and Roebuck catalogue was truly a “wish” book.  In those days we who lived in rural areas studied by lamp light while awaiting the arrival of electricity---TV was yet future as we set around the battery radio to listen to the “Grand Ole Opry” on Saturday night. In those days most all of us were poor, but never hungry, challenged but never deprived and the skill of innovation was learned out of necessity. We were blessed with parents and teachers who were experienced in the struggle against the pain of heartbreak and the misery of hardship; and it was they who taught us hard work, loyalty to good causes and dedication to our commitments, along with honesty in all our dealings.  These were complimented with teachings of integrity, courage, toughness and tenacity that prepared us to reach to the next rung of the latter; giving up was not an option.  They taught us to be responsible and they held us accountable for our own actions.  Promotions to the next grade level and rewards were given only when earned; there were no free rides.  Humility was a virtue and boastful pride was viewed as a flaw in character.  The word “NO” was an answer that did not require an explanation and “time out” was a term used only in sports.    Yes, they, our parents and teachers, also knew how to love; they knew the strength, gentleness and the toughness of love.  And by example they taught us respect for others and how to pray and to love God, country, family and each other. They knew as we approached our day that the cool morning would give way to the heat of the noonday sun and they did their best to prepared us. The heat of the noonday came and our strength was severely tested.  We too faced wars, recessions and other problems of our time.  There was sweat, tears, pain, anguish and just plain ole heartache; we were knocked down, but not defeated.  Like our parents before us we never counted that the world owed us anything, not even an apology.  We felt the pain of loss but we never lost the will to succeed.  We got up, brushed ourselves off and tried again---eventually we met with the sweetness of success.  Hard times gave way to laughter and joy.  Oh no! Our success is not measured in money and material things, but in the accomplishment of things that were for the common good of everyone around us. As we look back we see an accumulation of many friends, and children have been added also.  And soon, in the mid-afternoon hours, there are grandchildren and later in the day the exciting expectation of great grandchildren.   Yes!  Oh yes!  It is a lovely day filled with the greatest treasures one can possess in this life.  And now is our time to encourage the younger generation with the smile of wisdom in the early morning of their day.  Now is our time to give love and compassion to our children and their children, to listen, to comfort, to brush away tears, embrace and give a helping hand in the heat of their noonday sun.  And now it is our time to settle back and enjoy the fruit of our labors as we watch our treasure grow.  Yes, every day has its sunset and most of our parents and teachers and even some of our classmates have already seen the closing of their day.  The time of the setting of the sun on our day will come as well, and we, the class of ’54, will behold it with a sigh and welcome its peaceful beauty as it closes our day.  The evening hour will find us joining our loved ones in a restful sleep, waiting the dawning of that bright eternal day---God is so good.      

Jake Sanford

The Greek word apostasia, translated apostasy is biblically defined as: the determined, willful turning away from Christ and His teachings by one who has been enlightened and has received the heavenly gift of grace and the Holy Spirit---a professing Christian (Heb. 6:4-8).  It is distinctly different from false belief, or error, which is the result of ignorance or being deceived.

 

We find that there are at least four Scriptural concepts of apostasy.  All connote an intentional defection form the faith.  The four are rebellion, backsliding or turning away, falling away and adultery.  All stem from (1) a deficiency in love (2) lack of reverence or  (3) fear of God (4) and unbelief. 

 

 

The word apostasy was used in earlier time to denote a coup or defection.  We see such a rebellion against God in Josh. 22:22 and in 2 Chron. 29:19. The defining image is the rebellion of Lucifer, a one time servant of God.  He is a prototype of the rebellious.  Satan, as he is now known, rebelled against God and led one third of the angels of heaven in rebellion with him (Isa. 14:12-14).  Both accounts in the Old Testament and the teachings of Christ and His apostles it seems the picture is one of loyal followers turning against their God.

 

Looking further, we also see apostasy as a gradual and self-willed movement away from God. Such apostasy is seen in “types” used in the parable of the sewer: the seed sewed beside the road are types of those who have heard, but the devil comes and takes it away so that they may not believe and be saved (Luke 8:12).  The seed planted on rocky soil and have no firm root are types of those in the time of temptation fall away (Luke 8:13). The seed planted on thorny ground and choked by thorns (cares of the world, Luke 8:14) are types of those whose hearts are hardened by the deceit of sin (Heb 3:12-15); then there are those who are led away (Deut. 13:13). 

 

Jesus taught of a mass (He used the word “many”) “falling away” near the end of the age.  He also stated that because of the increase in lawlessness (sin) that most people’s love would grow cold; He added, “but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved” (Matt. 24:9-13). 

 

Following up on our Lord’s teachings the Apostle Paul also taught that a serious apostasy would occur before the end of the age.  He would have us to understand that the apostasy would occur before the coming of the Lord (2 Thes. 2:3). 

 

 

The Apostle Paul in a letter to young Timothy informs him of the Holy Spirit speaking of an apostasy.

 

 

“But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3 men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth (1 Tim. 4:1-3NASU).”

 

 

If Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the apostles all warned of such an event should not our Lords ministers of today teach the same thing?  Of course we should!!

 

 

Now that we accept the teachings of our Lord and His apostles that there is a possibility of a Christian “falling away” should not we look around us and accept the fact that it is happening today?  We see men and women leaving their faith and returning to sin in mass numbers.  Many are still attending church services for social, political and face saving reasons rather than for the love of Christ who gave His life for them.   And then there are those who are openly rebellious defecting and joining cults.

 

 

If we confess that this is happening today should not we be preaching that God’s children have need of endurance rather than tickling their ears with false doctrine??  Christ and His apostles taught the need for endurance with stern warnings against apostasy.

 

 

The Apostle Jude wrote,

“And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, ---.”

 

Christians who commit apostasy like the apostate angels will receive the same judgment in the day of our Lord.  

 

The letter of Jude is a warning to the church of our Lord to remain faithful and live a holy life. 

 

 

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life (Jude 20-21NASU).”

 

 

The writer of the Book of Hebrews writes,

“For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. 28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE." 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:26-31).”

 

 

Those who are deceived argue that people who continue to willfully sin were never saved.  Note verse 26; “if we” the writer includes himself in the body of believers; and again in verse 26; “after receiving the knowledge of the truth;” and in verse 29; “by which he was sanctified;” and finally in verse 30; “the Lord will judge HIS people.”  It seems very clear that this Scripture speaks of people who have received the word of God and are set apart (sanctified) and belong to God; in other words such people are being saved but are in danger of facing judgment for apostasy if they continued to willfully sin.

 

 

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians we find these words,

“---if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister (Col. 1:23NASU).”

 

 

The Colossians were a people strong in love and faith yet the Apostle felt it necessary to remind them that they must continue to be “steadfast,  and not moved away from the hope of the gospel” in order to inherit the blessings (see verse 22).

 

 

The Apostle Peter also warns the disciples of our Lord to be steadfast and not to be led away by false teachers and wickedness.

 

 

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:17-18A).”

 

 

The Apostle Peter again writes,

“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, ‘A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,’ and, ‘A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire’ (2 Pet. 2:20-22NASU).”

 

 

Here the Apostle likens the defilements of the world (sin) unto a dog’s vomit and a sow’s wallow.  Once sin has been expelled from his soul and he returns to drink it in again he is sicker than he was before.  He has turned away from the holy gospel of truth and is near death.

 

 

Jesus said,

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned (John 15:6NASU).”

 

Abide means to dwell, to reside or to remain without intermission. Therefore our Lord is saying His disciples must remain faithful to Him or they will be removed and burned as a worthless branch.    

 

 

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.  29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.  30 I and the Father are one (John 10:27-30NASU).”

 

 

[My sheep hear my voice]

Our Lord likens His children to sheep who are in a sheep fold and Himself as the Shepherd.  When a shepherd enters the sheep fold and calls out to his sheep they know his voice and come out from among the other sheep of the fold.  They know his voice and he knows his sheep and they follow him out of the fold.  The Disciples of Christ are those who know and hear, believe in, follow, and obey their Great Shepard and Guardian of their souls.

 

 

[and they will never perish]

Why? Because they hear His voice, and follow Him; therefore He knows, approves of and loves them, and gives them eternal life. They, who continue to hear Christ's voice, and to follow him, shall never perish. They give themselves up to God-believe so on Jesus that he lives in their hearts: God has given unto them eternal life, and this life is in His Son; and he that has the Son has life (1 John 5:11-12).

 

 

Now it is evident that only those who have Christ living in and governing their souls, so that they possess the mind that was in Him, are His sheep---His disciples; and are those that shall never perish, because they have this eternal life abiding in them. Therefore, to talk of a man's being one of the elect, one that shall never perish, one who shall have eternal life, who shall never be plucked out of the hand of God, etc., while at the same time he lives in sin, does not have Christ in his heart, has either never received or has fallen away from the grace of God (apostasy). This is as contrary to common sense as it is to the nature and testimonies of the Most High God.

 

 

Final perseverance implies final faithfulness.

“But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved (Matt. 24:13NASU).”

 

 

“He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.  6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (Rev. 2:5-6NASU).”

 

 

Thus will any man attempt to say that he who does not endure to the end, and is unfaithful, shall ever enter into eternal life?

 

 

[My Father, who has given them me, is greater than all]

There is eternal security for the enduring; the faithful; for he who lives by faith (Rom. 1:17); his God is more powerful than all the united energies of men and demons. He who loves God must be filled with great joy; and he who fears and reveres Him need fear nothing on this side of eternity.

 

 

Jake Sanford

 

 

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you (John 15:18NASU).”

 

[If the world hates you,]

The usage of the word “world” here by our Lord encompasses all people outside of His calling; those who have hated and rejected Him. Thus the word “world” represents evil or sinfulness standing in opposition to Christ and His kingdom. This also included the religious who were in deception or rebellion. Christ disciples cannot expect the friendship of the world, but they cannot be deterred from their work by its hatred.

 

As the early Disciples of Christ were to be exposed to the hatred of the world so are those of today. Just as it was no small consolation to them to know that the hatred from the world would be only in proportion to their faith and holiness, so it should be with today’s disciples also; and that, consequently, instead of being troubled at the prospect of persecution, they should rejoice (James 1:2-4), because that should always be a proof to them that they are in the very path in which Jesus Himself had walked.

 

[you know that it has hated Me before it hated you]

As light penetrates darkness and exposes the filth that lies therein so did the Word of God in the person of Jesus Christ expose the sins of the world; and men love sin more than righteousness, thus they hated Him. The word of God is the judgment of sin, thus those who are bearers of the truth are hated by those who lust for the things of the world. They accuse the righteous of being judgmental and self righteous because their sins are exposed by the truth that they live and speak. The way of the world is, if you don’t like the message then persecute or kill the messenger. This they did to the early prophets, to Jesus and His first Apostles, and it continues to be so today.

 

“If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you (John 15:19NASU).”

 

[If you were of the world, the world would love its own:]

Those who are of the world have fellowship with others who are of the world. If you are religious or not inclined to religion, and are like them, you are vain, earthly, sensual, given to pleasure, hording of wealth, given to vain ambition, they will not oppose you. [because you are not of the world] The disciples had been call of Jesus and through obedience to His teachings they had been set apart (sanctified) from the world, thus the world hated them in the same way that they hated Jesus. The same is true today. The elect of God are justified and sanctified and made the righteous of God through Christ Jesus, thus they are not like the world and the world hates them.

 

“Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also (John 15:20NASU).”

 

[If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you:]

Here Jesus makes reference to the religious sects of that time who followed Him taking note to catch Him in violation of the Law that they might kill Him. Jesus tells His disciples that they will do the same to them. It is much the same today. There are those who exalt themselves as scholars and follow men of God not to learn from them but to dissect every thing they say. But there are those who are true disciples of Jesus that recognize His ministers and follow them to learn of them.

 

“But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me (John 15:21NASU).”

 

[But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake,]

Again He is speaking of the religious Jews who would persecute His Apostles because they are continuing to preach the gospel in the name of Jesus.

 

“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin (John 15:22NASU).”

 

[If I had not come and spoken to them,]

Jesus was sent of the Father to restore truth and righteousness in the earth. The Father performed many miracles through His Son before them to convince them that this was indeed His Son. His teachings were from the Father and He made every effort to convince them He was the Messiah, but they rejected Him. Thus they sinned and were without excuse.

 

“He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, 'THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE' (John 15:23-25NASU).”

 

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, (John 15:26NASU).”

 

[When the Helper comes,]

 

Here Christ speaks of the Holy Spirit who is from the Father. He calls Him the Helper and the Spirit of Truth. On the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came according to the promise of our Lord, completing the divine order of the Church (Acts 2:1-4). The tree of life is the word of God in the person of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. This event marked the removal of the cherubim and the flaming sword from the guarding of the tree of life (Gen. 3:24) for all those who believe in the name of Jesus can now partake of it.

 

“and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning (John 15:27).”

 

Shortly after this, His last teaching, our Lord was arrested, mocked, spat upon, beaten and cruelly crucified by and on the behalf of sinners. Glory is to His name, the name of Jesus. Amen

 

 

Jake Sanford

 

 

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you (John 15:12NASU).”

 

[This is My commandment, that you love one another]   

This is the “new commandment” (John 13:34-35) that is to govern the relationship of the disciples of our Lord.  We are to love each other with the love of Christ as He loved us with the love of the Father even to death on the cross.  

 

 

“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13NASU).”

 

 

[Greater love has no man than this,]

No higher expression of love can be given. Life is the most valuable object we possess; and when a man is willing to lie that down for his friends, it shows the utmost extent of love.  When he considers the life of a friend greater than his own then he has loved with the love of Christ; there is no greater love.  To lay down one’s life may not mean in death always, but that he consider the welfare of others above his own.       

 

 

“You are My friends if you do what I command you (John 15:14NASU).”

 

 

[If you do what I command you]

Friends love their Master and friend and obey Him from that love.    

 

 

“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you (John 15:15NASU).”

 

 

[No longer do I call you slaves,]

A slave receives the command of his master without knowing the reason why it is ordered. It is one of the conditions of slavery not to be let into the counsels and plans of the master. It is the privilege of friendship to be made acquainted with the plans wishes, and wants of the friend. This instance of friendship Jesus had given to His disciples by making them acquainted with the reasons why He was about to leave them, and with His desires in regard to them. As He had given them this proof of friendship, it was proper that he should not withhold from them the title of friends.

 

Our friendship with Christ is evidenced by each revelation we receive of His word.  It is His desire that His friends know all mysteries as they seek to know them from a heart of love. 

 

“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you (John 15:16NASU).”

 

 

[You did not choose me]

Our Lord had chosen these to be His Apostles; they did not choose Him to be their teacher but He chose and commissioned them that they bear much fruit and that their fruit remain. 

 

 

We are God’s elect through Christ our Lord; chosen and called to serve  and to bear the fruit of righteousness to the glory of the Father.  Those who remain steadfast in their calling bear much fruit and their fruit remains.  We have the Apostles as witnesses of this fact.  They were steadfast in their faith even unto death and their fruit remains to this day as evidenced by their writings that we are privileged to study.

 

[so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.]

 Our Lord has made covenant with His disciples as He did with His first disciples; and if we remain faithful to that covenant then whatever we ask of the Father in our Lord’s name our Father will give it to us. 

 

 

We are reminded that,

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent;

 Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good (Num. 23:19NASU)?”

 

 

“This I command you, that you love one another (John 15:17NASU).”

 

 

[that you love one another]

This is the third time our Lord speaks this command to us; this is, no doubt, to emphasize the importance of our obedience. 

 

 

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3NASU).”  Selah

   Jake Sanford  

In English we have one word for the word “love.” But, there are different words used for “love” in the Greek language. Each one of these words has a more specific meaning and understanding. Three of the more common Greek words are eros, philos and agape.           

EROS:         This is sexual love.  This is a popular use of the word “love” in today’s society.            &nb sp;          

PHILOS:     This denotes affection, a strong personal attraction and attachment, such in a kindred ship. It also may signify “liking.”  This is also a popular use of the word “love.” 

AGAPE:      Denotes a love primarily of the will rather than the emotions; such is divine love: a Godly love: a love that is from the will (John 3:16) and nature of God (1 John 4:8, 16).  Agape indicates a love that “looks beyond one’s faults and sees his needs.”    

This “love,” without a doubt, is the most misunderstood in today’s society.  It is probably best understood as seeking and desiring to do all in the best interest of others, or, in the case of our Lord’s disciples, esteeming God and others best interest even above their own; it is a self-giving sacrificial type love. 

Love’s attributes:  “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,  does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Cor. 13:4-7NASU).” Love also has mercy and grace (Eph. 2:4-5).   

Without this kind of love there would be nothing desirable in life. 

In the Scripture, when God commands His people to love, in the Greek, only the word agape is used.   

 

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love (John 15:9NASU).”

 

[abide in My love]When Jesus commanded His disciples to abide in His love– what did He mean?   

Degenerate man is vile, base, mean and evil; there is nothing in him that would cause our Lord to love and desire to have fellowship with him.  But He looks beyond those faults and sees a loving relationship with the regenerate man and wills to love him (Rom. 5:8) and save his soul from everlasting destruction.    

Remain steadfast in my love; for apart from my love you cannot love as I have loved.  Man, in and of himself, is not able to love his fellowman as Christ has loved man.  It is only when man summits his will to Christ that he is adequately equipped to love with the proper love.  Thus it is not of his own will that he loves, neither by his own love, but by the will and love of Christ. Thus he is abiding in perfect harmony with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.      

If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love (John 15:10NASU).” 

[If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love;] 

Again, it is by submission to the will of Christ, obedience to His commandment, that we remain steadfast in His love. 

 

 

[just as I have kept My Father’s Commandments and abide in His love.]

Our Lord was submissive to the will of the Father even to a sacrificial death on the cross, thus He remained steadfast in the love of the Father.

 

 

“These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full (John 15:11NASU).”

 

 

[so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full]

There is no joy in struggling from within one’s self to love the unlovable; it usually ends in heartbreak.  It is only when we can see man through the love of Christ that his needs become greater than our sufferings and the cause of Christ greater than our on. 

 

Therefore “------let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Heb. 12:1ff-3NASU).”   

   Jake Sanford

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me (John 15:4NASU).”

 

 

[Abide in Me, and I in you]

Abide:  To stand fast; remain; go on being (Webster).  In the context in which it is used here:  To stand fast in love and faith toward Christ; to remain united with Christ without intermission; go on or continue being faithful to Him. Thus Jesus is saying, if you remain in Me, I will remain with you, and will teach, guide, and comfort you. This He proceeds to illustrate by a reference to the vine. If the branch should be cut off an instant, it would die and be fruitless. As long as the branch is attached to the vine the parent stock imparts its juices, and furnishes a constant circulation of sap continuing the growth and fruitfulness of the branch.  Thus if a disciple should be separated from Christ, or if he should lax his union to Him and dependence on Him, first the fruit withers and the branch droops and soon dies. While the disciples are united to Him by a living faith, from the nature of the case, strength flows from Him to His disciples, and they receive help as they need. Devotion then is manifested in good works, in love, and self-denial and is as natural, as easy, as unconstrained and as lovely as the vine covered with fruitful branches and is at once enticing and useful.

 

 

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5NASU).”

 

 [he bears much fruit]

This verse is just stating the positive effect of abiding in Christ whereas the previous verse was stating the negative effect of not abiding in Him.  In the last clause He re-emphasizes the negative effect thus leading into His next statement.

 

 

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned (John 15:6NASU).”

[he is thrown away as a branch and dries up]

Here we re-visit verse 2 [He takes away] Two very controversial statements among Christians.  I was reared in a Southern Baptist Church and was taught “once saved always saved.”  Their doctrine is based upon the following Scripture,

 

 

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will 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 the Father's hand (John 10:27-29NASU).”

 

 

[My sheep here My voice,]

To hear His voice is to be led by the Spirit.  And those who are led by the Spirit are obviously not led into sin.  These are the sons of God (Rom. 8:14).

 

 

[and they follow Me]

It seems to be that “follow Me” would mean the same as “abide in Me.”  These bear the fruit of righteousness and to these He gives eternal life.  A willful sinner is not in right standing with God thus he does not and can not bear the fruit of righteousness.   

 

 

When I was called into the ministry my Lord pointed out a verse of Scripture to me, which stated,

 

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hos. 4:6NASU).” 

 

 

He impress upon me that I should teach His people His truths that they may be delivered from destruction.  This I vowed to do. Now I believe in the eternal security of the believer, if the one who says he believes is “abiding in” or “following” Christ.  But I do not believe that going to church ever Saturday (for those who go on the “Sabbath”) or every Sunday (for those who go on the “Lord’s Day”) or just every now and then and living in sin the balance of ones time is following our Lord or “abiding in the vine.”  Thus I share the following truths with you that you might not be “destroyed for lack of knowledge.”

 

 

As the vine-dresser will remove every unfruitful branch from the vine, so will the Father remove every unfruitful member from the Body of Christ; the rebellious or stubborn, and all false and merely nominal Christians who are attached to the Christ by faith in the word and His divine mission, while they do not live in His life and Spirit, and do not bring forth any fruit to the glory of God. And also every disciple which has been in Him by true faith (Heb. 6:4-6) but have returned to or have continued to willfully sin, and in so doing, “has trampled under foot the Son of God and treated as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and has insulted the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29NAS):” all these “He takes away.”

 

 

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you (John 15:7NASU).”

 

 

[If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,]

If you remain steadfast in Me through love and faith, and My doctrines and commandments abide in you through devotions and obedience, without intermission, then ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  Our Lord requires of His disciples faithfulness from a heart of love. 

 

 

“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples (John 15:8NASU).”

 

 

[that you bear much fruit,]

Jesus bore the fruit of righteousness, thus He glorified His Father.  If His disciples bear the same fruit and glorify the Father as He did then they are “abiding in the vine” and are known as His disciples.    

    Jake Sanford

“Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit (John 15:2NASU).”

 

[and every branch that bears fruit]

All true and faithful Disciples of Christ bear the fruit of righteousness to the glory of the Father. To bear this fruit is to show by the disciple’s life that he/she is under the influence of a personal relationship with God’s Son, and that this relationship produces its appropriate effects (Gal 5:22-23).  It is also to live so as to be useful to others.  The Christian principle would be worthless unless Christians should live so that others may be made holy by their indulgence in the fruit they bear and made joyful by their example and labors.  

 

 

[He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit]

All disciples who bear the fruit of righteousness God purifies so that they may be more productive. There are many things in a believer’s life that are not sins but are encumbrances (Heb. 12:1).  It may be riches, a habit, and a relationship or even the way one dresses and etc.  These could keep one from living the fullness of a holy life; thus the Father removes them. He removes all that would opposes their usefulness, no matter how much they may be attached to it, or however painful it may be to part with it; as a vine-dresser will often feel compelled to prune a branch back that is large, apparently healthy and beautiful, but shades, injuries or hinders the production of fruit. So God removes all encumbrances; He removes the objects which bind their affections, and which could render them inactive. He takes away the things around His disciples, as He did the valued gourds of Jonah (Jonah 4:5-11), so that the disciple may feel his dependence, and live more to the honor of God, and bring forth more humble and active piety.

 

 

As He takes away that which may hinder their usefulness, He teaches them, quickens them, revives them and makes them more pure in motive. This He does through the regular influences of His Spirit in setting them apart from the world, teaching them the beauty of holiness, and inducing them to deepen their love for Him.

  

 

“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you (John 15:3NASU).”

 

 

[You are already clean]

You have already been pruned. As our Lord has not changed the metaphor, it would be wrong to change the expression.  His statement does not mean that they were perfect, but that they had been under a process of purifying by his instructions all the time he had been with them. Through their trust and obedience to Him He had removed their erroneous notions of the Messiah; he had gradually reclaimed them from worldliness; he had taught them to be willing to forsake all things; and he had so trained and disciplined them that immediately after His death they would be ready to go and bear the fruit of righteousness among all nations bringing salvation to men and honor to His name.

 

Even though Jesus was speaking directly to His present disciples in this verse He sets forth a great principle.  His words are the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16) and a purifying agent for the cleansing of the soul (Eph. 5:26; Tit. 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:22) for all who believe and obey. 

 

When one hears the word of God and believes he is led to repentance by the Holy Spirit.  Once he has repented and has in faith turned to Christ for the forgiveness of sins and redemption his repentance is accepted.  Thus he has been made clean by the word which he has believed through forgiveness.   He is born into the vine and is now ready for growth, pruning and the bearing of fruit. 

   Jake Sanford

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