Dear Doves,

Much has been written lately on the subject of grace and works, of being worthy, or not.  Someone wrote that there seems to be two groups ... one seeking to reassure the other, the other seeking to warn the first.  Good!  Is not this the body of Christ working as it should?  With the many different parts?  But the Day is fast approaching, THAT we can be sure of.  But will Christ’s body be ready?  We can rest assured that John 3:16 will stand forever, as all God’s Word will stand forever.  Those who believe in Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life.  But does that automatically mean that those who believe in Christ shall become the bride?  And what is the purpose of the bride?  Here is another question.  Is the purpose of our salvation to just “get to Heaven?”  Do we, as believers in Christ, even know what the purpose of our salvation is?  And another question.  Are “works” important?  Perhaps a better word to use is “fruit”.  Is “fruit” important?  Let me say this in the beginning, to make things abundantly clear.  When I speak of “works”, I AM NOT referring to works done in the flesh, for all things done in the flesh will be burned by fire, and will not last.  I will be hurt if someone claims I am someone who “needs to do such and such”, as if it were possible to work my way onto God’s good side.  This is NOT what is being said.  (Please remember this as you read through the following.)  I am referring to works that flow out of being faithful to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and the fruit that comes from that work.  There is a BIG difference.
 
So let us look to God’s Word, His ENTIRE Word, and see what He can reveal to us about these matters.  We must start in Genesis, where all things by nature are meant to start.

We see in the first chapter that God created Adam and Eve to “rule over” all the earth.  (Gen 1:26).  Note the pattern.  It wasn’t just Adam that was created to rule, but Adam and Eve.  Also note from Genesis 2:21-22 that Eve was created out of a part of Adam’s body.  Eve was not taken from all of Adam’s body, but from a part of his body.  And lastly, from Genesis 2:2-3, we have God blessing the seventh day, and resting, and calling it holy.  Here are three important truths from the opening two chapter’s of God’s Word.  Everything that follows must fit along these patterns, as we let Scripture interpret Scripture.

Now let us look at Genesis Chapters 21 through 25:4.  We all know and recognize the type of Abraham being willing to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.  But do we realize that these four chapters (and parts of the fifth) offer a picture (a type) of almost 5000 years of history?  Starting in Chapter 21, we have the birth of Isaac from Sarah.  Now Sarah was anything but fruitful, but she did bear the promised child.  Sarah typifies unfruitful Israel in the Old Testament time, Isaac obviously typifies Christ, or the Son, and Abraham typifies God Almighty, or the Father.  In Chapter 22, we have the offering of Isaac.  In Chapter 23, we have the death of Sarah.  In Chapter 24, we have the search for the bride for Isaac.  This is an INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT CHAPTER to study, for it offers so many truths.  Abraham (the Father) sends his servant (the Holy Spirit) to search for a bride for Isaac (the SON).  The search is conducted among “my country and my own relatives”, vs 4.  Note that the search is being conducted amongst God’s own people, not among “the daughters of the Canaanites” (unbelievers).  Also note that the servant was given “all kinds of good things” vs. 10 from his master, with which he would show the prospective bride.  In verse 58, we have a most important question being asked.
 
So they (Rebekah’s mother and brother) called Rebekah and asked her, “Will you go with this man?”

“I will go”, she said.

So here we have another very important revelation, and it is a question that is MOST IMPORTANT to all believers in Christ ... “Will you go with this man (the Holy Spirit)?”  It is the Servant’s job to bring a bride to the Son.  That is the reason why the Holy Spirit was sent at Pentecost.  That job will soon be completed.  Let us all answer as Rebekah did.  And in the end, Isaac marries Rebekah, and she becomes his wife.  Then, AFTER THIS, Abraham marries Keturah.  And Keturah was VERY fruitful!  What, you may ask, does this mean?  God Almighty is going to restore and marry Israel to be his bride as well, and Israel will be faithful and fruitful!  This, my brothers and sisters, should make your hearts leap for joy, because this speaks to the seventh day, the Millennium, when God will bring Israel to her rightful place and she will recognize her Messiah, she will be faithful, and she will be FRUITFUL!  Praise God!  So here we have 5000 years of prophecy ... 2000 years represented by Sarah (unfruitful Israel), 2000 years represented by the servant searching for a bride, and 1000 years represented by Keturah (fruitful Israel).

Now let us look to the Exodus with humble and contrite hearts, and learn the lesson that is shown therein.  God worked his wonders in Egypt amongst the people, with the last sign being that of the Passover.  After that, God’s people fled into the dessert and the law was given.  As they came to enter the Promised Land, spies were sent out.  Only Caleb and Joshua returned with a good report.  The rest did not.  Again, you know this story, and how it sadly ends.  But look at what it says.  God’s people died on the right side of the blood.  The blood of the Passover lamb had already been shed.  But the people were NOT FAITHFUL TO THEIR CALLING AND THEY FELL SHORT, save for Joshua and Caleb.  They all (save for Joshua and Caleb) died in the desert, short of the goal of their salvation.  They were saved (for the blood had already been shed), but they did not reach their goal!  We as believers in Christ would be wise to give this example our highest attention.  In fact, the book of Hebrews even uses this as the basis of its warnings to believers.  Again, we see that if we want to reach the GOAL OF OUR SALVATION (as believers in Christ), WE MUST REMAIN FAITHFUL TO OUR CALLING ... and this all takes place after the Blood having been shed.

Now let us turn to Ruth.  Ruth is again a book about being a bride, and you can bet that God has given us marvelous treasures in His Word that bring these matters (about being a bride) to light.  First, note in Chapter 1, vs 9-10 that BOTH Orpah and Ruth told Naomi “We will go back with you to your people.”  Naomi then basically tells them in vs. 11-13 that it will be a difficult journey.  Then, in vs. 14:

At this, they (Ruth and Orpah) wept again.  Then, Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-by, BUT RUTH CLUNG TO HER.

So again, we see what must take place in order to become the bride.  Ruth clung to Naomi, and so, we must as believers, CLING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT.  Just as Rebekah told the servant “I will go”, so we must answer and cling to the Holy Spirit in order to reach the goal of our salvation.  The rest of Ruth also is filled with treasure.  Notice that Naomi counsels Ruth in how to behave in order to become the bride.  In Chapter 2, both Boaz and Naomi counsel Ruth in which field to glean.  So Christ and the Holy Spirit direct a believer in where to “work”.  But in Chapter 3, Naomi gives Ruth SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS in how to array herself for meeting Boaz, with the intention of becoming his wife.  And notice Ruth’s answer, in verse 5:

“I will do whatever you say,” Ruth answered.

And notice the instructions that Naomi gave to Ruth in verse 3, instructions to wash, anoint, and put on fine clothing.  Much could be written about these three items.  None of them deal with salvation by grace.  They instead all deal with PRESENT and FUTURE aspects of maturity and growing in the Christian faith.  Reference Revelation 19:7-8 where the fine linen that the saints array themselves with is equated as their righteous acts.  Reference also the church of Laodicea, who think they have no need, but are in reality NAKED.  Oh, there is way, way too much stuff to cover here in Ruth!  What amazing treasure can be found in God’s word.  I will reference a study on Ruth in another post that gives this book the attention that is deserved.

Now, on to the words of our Christ.  In Matthew, Chapter 22 vs 1-14:

1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

 4"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

 5"But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

 8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

 11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.

 13"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

 14"For many are invited, but few are chosen."
 

Let us consider this parable, for I would assume that all believers in Christ would be able to identify one in this parable WHOM WE DON’T WANT TO END UP LIKE!  First off, note that the parable is about the Kingdom of Heaven.  Second, note that the servants went out and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad.  (vs 10).  That is us, friends.  That is salvation by grace through faith!  Amen!!!  There is no one righteous, no not one, for we have ALL sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  But look what happens in verse 11.  The King noticed that there was one there without wedding clothing.  Do we even need to ask what this means???  What did we just learn about in Ruth, and in Revelation???  If we are going to appear before the King, we best have on our wedding garments, and those are made up of our righteous acts, which come from following the promptings of the Holy Spirit!  Brothers and Sisters, this is IMPORTANT STUFF!  I didn’t say this, Christ did.  And I think he did this because he loves us so much, he is giving us warning.  If Christ was bold enough to give those he loved a warning, then far be it from me to shy away from warning my brothers and sisters in Christ whom I also love!  Again, notice how Christ ends the parable, in vs 14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”  Oh, one more comment should be made ... about the one who was thrown outside.  This isn’t talking about being thrown into hell.  But there is agony here ... weeping, and gnashing of teeth.  We can be sure that the price paid on the cross by Christ gives us eternal salvation.  But being a member of the bride of Christ, that WAS NOT settled at the cross.  The cross makes possible becoming part of the bride, but that is only the first step ... the “being born from above” part.  One MUST PROPERLY PREPARE, as noted in Ruth, this parable, and elsewhere in Scripture to become the bride.  I am NOT talking about preparing in my own strength ... that would surely FAIL.  I am talking about doing what Scripture says, however, and being FAITHFUL to our calling, and CLINGING to the Holy Spirit ... the One who is procuring a bride for the Son.  Remember what Naomi counseled Ruth to do ... wash (regularly go before Christ to ask forgiveness – live not in sin), anoint (be filled with and led by the Holy Spirit), and put on fine clothing (righteous acts, following the promptings of the Holy Spirit).
 

OK, let us look at the parable of the Talents.  (The parable of the pounds recorded in Luke Chapter 19 is a parallel parable.)  From Matthew, Chapter 25 verses 14-30.  Again, these are the words of our Christ.

14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

 19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

 21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

 22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

 23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

 24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

 26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

 28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
 

Again, note that this is a parable about the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Master went on a long journey, and entrusted his property to his servants.  Note that we are talking about God’s household here ... these servants are all believers.  The Master was gone for a long time (2000 years would certainly qualify!).  Those servants who used the talents that the Master entrusted to them received the “Well done, good and faithful servant!” comment from the Master.  And, they were given more!  But the one who did not use the talents entrusted to him ... he was spoken to harshly, the talent he had was taken from him, and he was thrown outside, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Gosh, this sounds very similar to the man who showed up at the wedding without wedding clothing!  Again, this is not talking about being thrown into hell.  John 3:16 still stands ... and that says LIFE EVERLASTING, praise God!!!  But John 3:16 does not tell us that by believing in Christ that we automatically get to be a member of the bride.

So what does all the above mean???  First off, we need to be very careful about taking one small portion of scripture and building our theology around it.  Instead, it is better to view the entirety of God’s Word to see what is said about such matters.  And this means going all the way back to Genesis and throughout the Old Testament ... all the way to the last verse in Revelation.  God’s Word is consistent, and not confusing.

All of Scripture is about Christ, and how God is bringing to pass a Sabbath Rest for the Land ... a period of 1000 years, the Seventh Day, when Christ will reign as Adam was originally intended to.  But Christ will have a bride, for that is the type that God set up in the beginning.  There will be a kingdom in Heaven over earthly matters, as well as one upon the earth.  (And the present occupiers of these positions – Satan and his followers – will be overthrown. PRAISE GOD!!!)  The bride will occupy the Heavenly kingdom and reign with Christ from there.  Israel will occupy the earthly kingdom, and be the head of nations there.  And Christ will rule with “a rod of iron.”  This is what all of scripture is about.  This is the PURPOSE of our calling ... to be a part of the bride.  It isn’t to “get to heaven”.  It is to be a part of the bride!  We don’t work for this because we want something in return.  We work because we love HIM WHO CALLED US!
 
So, in conclusion, from the tenth chapter of Hebrews: 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

And from the twelfth chapter of Hebrews:  1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
 

Praise be to God!
Erik Jonson