Chapter 17:
SO WHAT IS THE CONCLUSION? WHAT IS TRUTH?

So what really IS truth? What is the greatest of truths that we as human beings can grasp with our right hands and hold on to? It lies in the answer to what will happen to us; in the second that follows the death of this borrowed temporary body we live in; because all of those nice things we live for in this very short life, including this decaying body- will DEFINITELY come to an end, but WE will DEFINITELY not! At this point, the “pottery” cannot look up to it’s Potter and say; ‘You didn’t form me’ or ‘I determine my own destination’. The pottery can choose to disregard and disbelieve the ‘truth’ it’s whole life, right up until that point, but the truth still remains, because the truth is concrete and will never change. The fact is; He can and will do whatever He wishes with His pottery, even if He is disbelieved right up until the end.

On the Barren Cross “Atomic Arena” album, I wrote a song called ‘Living Dead’, with a lyric that goes like this: “Life is but a burning blade of grass; before you know it, earth will be your past.” The time we have on this earth, goes by so quickly, and in one split second it becomes a vast eternity of no end; after which we find ourselves in either a beautiful and joyful place of bliss, and being in the presence of an extremely Holy God, or in a place that Jesus Himself described in this way; “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mat. 24:51)Can you imagine being so heart-broken that you weep, and weep without end, forever? And have you ever been in so much pain, that it causes you to “gnash” your teeth? Can you imagine being in that kind of pain with no end, forever, as you utterly weep in agony, all the while in a state of being burned alive, and not being able to die? So as for truth; considering that we, created humans, are subject to God, and considering what Almighty God said would be the alternative to Heaven (to those who did not obey) and that for all of eternity, I think THAT is a truth that only an utter fool wouldn’t do absolutely ANYTHING to not be on the wrong side of!

The question is; How does one get saved from THAT?? This brings us to the 1st basic conclusion to this book. According to the “Word” of God, ALL men have sinned, and sin carries the penalty of a never-ending eternal “death”, and no one can save themselves! So in search of the truth, back to question; How does one get “saved”? Or in other words; How DO we find God? Conclusion; Chapter 2 explains this in detail, but basically, it is this:

The belief in God’s Holy “Word”; the acknowledgment that we have sinned, and it’s penalty (which we have just covered); the belief in our ‘saviour’, Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh; sent here to pay OUR penalty with His death, and believing that God raised Him 3 days later. We then confess and forsake our sins in being righteous and keeping God’s commandments; and finally, being completely surrendered of all idols, and remaining faithful to the death. Only then, can we be a “friend” of God. John 15:14; “You are My friends IF you do WHATEVER I command you.” To find out what He commands, just read the Bible. Best selling book in the world. You probably have one. The scriptures concerning “salvation” are; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 6:23; John 3:16; Eph. 2:8-10; Acts 3:19; John 15:14; 1John 1:9; Rom. 10:9-10; James 2:20,24; 1John 2:4; Matt. 24:13; Col 3:2-3; Gal. 2:20; Rev. 2:10.  For your convenience, these passages are all written out in Chapter 2.

The 2nd  basic conclusion to this book is exemplified by a very famous and successful celebrity musician. Brian “Head” Welsh, the guitarist for the group ‘Korn’, on the night he gave his life to Christ, went home; rolled out a line of speed and snorted it; then said to God; “God, I don’t know how to stop these drugs; I need you to show me”, and he went to bed. In the morning, he opened his Bible, putting his finger wherever it fell, (although this is a type of “Bible Roulette” which is not to be relied upon as a source of hearing from God, though it can be a way for God to speak to us, which is called “Rhema”) but this is what he read, and this really sounds like God: “THE SOUL THAT SINS, IT SHALL DIE!” (Ezek. 18:20) That sounds like the God I now know myself! When the spirit’s the same, it really bears witness. That time, there’s no doubt about it, God chose to supernaturally make Brian fall on the one thing he needed to hear, which we rarely hear in the church today! The Lord made it clear to him that he’d better just CHOOSE to stop sinning or he would surely die, and God instilled His Holy fear into him. Again, it’s all about obedience. He recognized the truth, and had the wisdom to obey. Pontius Pilate had the truth starring him in the face, and he didn’t heed it. Instead, he shrugged it off with those famous 3 words; “What is truth?” But when Brian read “The soul that sins, it shall die” that morning; the truth, upon HEEDING it, became more powerful than his urge to get high, and he overcame his sin through the power of the Holy Spirit! The church today, as apostate as it is, tells you quite the opposite; that “you have to sin, because it’s your nature”, and “the more you sin, the more you have God’s grace, just rest in His love”, and “He did it all on the cross, paying for the sins you did yesterday, the sins you do today, and the sins you’re going to do tomorrow.” NOT TRUE. The fact is, God will not forgive you for the sins you don’t give up! Read again these vital scriptures as they are flat-out missing from the pulpit today:

Heb. 10:26,27;“For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a CERTAIN fearful expectation of judgement and fiery indignation…”

Heb. 6:4-8; “For it is IMPOSSIBLE for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the Heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, IF THEY FALL AWAY, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify AGAIN for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame! For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears plants useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, IT IS rejected and ready to be cursed, whose end is to be burned!”

2 Pet. 2:21  “For it would have been better for them NOT to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

God does forgive, but God only forgives our sins IF we repent; meaning to “Go and sin NO MORE” as Jesus Himself said (John 8:11). Billy Graham reiterates the same exact thing in his book “Peace With God” by saying; repentance means more than I’m sorry; it means I’m SO sorry, that I won’t do it again! Then, as we begin to keep God’s commandments, and if we have surrendered our idols (which is the key to not sinning), we are given more power over sin than we ever thought possible! THAT is truth!

Acts 3:19; “Repent… that your sins may be blotted out…”

John 15:10; “IF you KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love.” (That is the condition for abiding [remaining] in His love. God’s love is NOT “UNconditional”.) For more about this misconception of “God’s unconditional love”, see chapter 10.

John 15:6; Jesus says; “If a man does Not abide in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”

John 14:21; “He who KEEPS My commandments, it is HE who loves me.”

1John 2:4  “He who says, ‘I know Him’, and does not keep His commandments, is a LIAR and the truth is NOT in him.”

Psalms 104:17-18; “The mercy of the Lord is… to those who keep His covenant and remember his commandments to do them.”

Daniel 9:4; “Oh Lord, the great and DREADFUL God, who keeps His covenant and mercy to them that… KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS!” (KJV)

The 3rd basic conclusion to this book, in using Brian “Head” Welsh again as an example; is the “surrender of all idols” as Jesus demanded in getting to heaven. Now, first of all, know that Brian is an example as long as he remains faithful; if he ever falls away (God forbid), it would only be by his own choice. But Brian gave up one of the most sought after and desired things to almost any person; The fame, money, and prestige of being in a multi million, platinum album selling band. One of the most successful bands today, and he flat out left it. Now don’t get me wrong; playing in a rock band, outside of doing drugs and promoting bad things, is not a sin. Although playing in a rock band can be an “idol” in the heart of a person. This is the focus of the 3rd conclusion to this book. Having “idols”.  Remember, an idol (explained in greater detail in chapter 3) is ANYTHING in your life that you wouldn’t be willing to let go of- in obedience to Christ. Jesus said that that if you want to make it, you have to die to yourself.

2Cor. 6:16; “And what agreement has the temple of God with IDOLS? For YOU are the temple of the living God.”

Ezek. 14:7-8; “Everyone… who sets up his idols in his heart… I will set My face against that man… and I will cut him off from the midst of My people.”

Luke 14:33; “He who does not forsake all that he has, cannot be My disciple.”

Prov. 11:6; “The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the sinners will be caught by their OWN desires.”

Matt. 16:24-27; (Consider everything you are, have, and will be; belonging to God, and no longer yourself.)
“If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever desires to hold on to his life [his will for his life] will lose it [in the world to come], but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it [in the world to come]. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world [here on earth], and loses his soul [in the world to come]? For what shall a man give in exchange for his soul, for the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS!”

Gal. 5:24; “Those who belong to Christ: have crucified the flesh with it’s affections and desires.”

Luke 19:27; (Those who think that Jesus is only ‘loving’ and ‘merciful’, but not so ‘just’, listen to what he says here); “But those My enemies,” (His disobedient SERVANTS) “who did not want me to RULE over them, bring them here and kill them in front of Me!”

The 4th and last basic conclusion to “What IS life?” is being, and remaining; FAITHFUL to God. Out the door goes the false and popular concept that you “can’t lose your salvation”. Not much to explain here, the scripture truly speaks for itself:

Rev. 2:10; (Here’s the condition); “…Be faithful TO THE DEATH, and I will give you a crown of life!”

Phil. 3:11-13; (Paul, more righteous than most of us- did NOT consider himself “saved” until the end of his life when he had been faithful to the death); “IF by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. NOT that I have ALREADY attained, or am ALREADY perfected; but I PRESS ON, that I may lay hold of that for which I also am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do NOT count myself to have laid hold of it yet!”

2Tim. 4:6-8; (Then, only at the end of his life, Paul says this); "The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have KEPT THE FAITH! NOW, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness…"

Matt. 24:13; “He who ENDURES TO THE END shall be saved.”

Heb. 6:15; “AFTER he had patiently ENDURED, THEN he received the promise.”

Ezek. 33:13; (A man can’t trust in the good he has always done. He is judged by what he does right up until the end.); “When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trusts in his own righteousness, and commits iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he has committed, he shall die for it.”

1 Pet. 1:9; “Receiving the END of your faith; which will be the salvation of your souls.”

Heb. 3:14; (Notice the “IF”); “For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we HOLD… STEADFAST TO THE END!”

A bit about persecution and opposition …

All this said; the way is narrow which leads to life, and the road is indeed a journey; for those who choose to take it! The rewards of belonging to Christ are inexplicable here; I would never do it justice by using my finite intellect to word it. But know; that those who in DEED belong to Christ, will be met with much opposition. THAT is another definite truth. That is why Jesus said to count the cost of following Him (Luke 14:28). The devil, who is very much alive and real, is extremely vengeful and unrelenting at anyone who decides to choose Christ and stop sinning. Every soul to him is precious, and he will do anything and everything possible to get you back into his so-called “kingdom”. If you are a lukewarm, “church-goer”, make-excuses-for-yourself, professing so-called “Christian”, that is; someone “having a form of godliness but denying its power…” (2Tim. 3:5),meaning that you merely “show” a fake form of godliness, denying the power of the Holy Spirit to not sin; chances are you will have very little opposition from anybody. But for those who walk righteous and are “perfect” in God’s sight (remember, we defined perfection according to God and even gave examples of it in Chapter 5), they will be met with very much persecution not only from satan himself, but from the church, (of all places) especially the church leaders. But they are the false “Christians” that merely have that “form of Godliness” but deny their Christianity by their actions; we are told to stay away from them (at the end of verse 5), in part so that we are not influenced by their sinful ways, but regardless of God’s reasons, if He says something, don’t intellectualize, just  DO IT! Ezek. 13:22; (About those pastors who have that “form”, God says this); “Because with lies- you have made the heart of the righteous SAD, whom I have NOT made sad; and you have made the hands of the wicked strong so that he should NOT turn from his wicked way; because YOU have promised him life.” (KJV)

We cover all of this greatly in Chapter 12. In fact, to quote again; Charles Finney, he says; “If you have the Spirit of God, you must make up your mind to accept experiencing opposition, both in the church, and in the world. Very likely, the leading men in the church will oppose you. There has always been opposition in the church, it was this way when Christ was on earth. Often the elders, and even the pastor will oppose you if you are filled with the Spirit of God.”  Those are the words of Charles Finney himself. 2Tim. 3:12; “All who will live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” Also today, if you live in the western societies, you are still relatively safe from PHYSICAL persecution, but in the not-so-distant future, even in the West, as well as throughout the rest of the world, they will kill you for your faith. It’s happening now in certain countries, and has been for a long time. This is talked about in the book of Revelation. But Jesus spoke of this as well with this message: Matt. 10:28; “Do not fear them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” So when they come against you, don’t be moved by it! Prov. 29:25; “The fear of man brings a snare: but whoever puts his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” If you stay close to God in every way, you will be a rock and nothing will move you. That doesn’t mean it won’t hurt at times, but in the end, they will lose, and you will come out shining and victorious.

So at the end of it all… What is truth? If there is one verse in the entire bible that can sum up the conclusion to this matter, it is this one. This is at the very end of the Bible, and THIS is the definitive “Word” of God to us:

Rev. 22:14; “Blessed are they who DO HIS COMMANDMENTS, they are the ones who have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (of Heaven).”

Finally, I will let the wisest man in the world who ever lived, close out this book with a personal quote from him: These are the words of King Solomon, who reigned over the Kingdom of Israel in 1100 BC:

Ecc. 12:13; “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”