Seeking After God

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.

Hebrews 6:6

            Some would use this passage of Scripture to teach that man can lose their salvation. Is this true? Do you believe that this is true? No, you cannot lose that which God has promised to His children: “For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, ‘Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you’” (Hebrews 6:13-14). We were all ignorant at one time about the things of God but we are not to remain ignorant: “for everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:13-14). God understands that we need to learn about Him and about our weaknesses: “For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness” (Hebrews 5:2–3). Jesus Christ is our High Priest and has all the authority to take away our sins and that authority comes from God, the Godhead, not just by some work Jesus did on the cross. As fully man even though His Father was God, and He being the Wisdom of God had to face all the same trials we face. This He did without sin: “Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:7–9).  If all we have done is taste the good things of God, heard His word, seen His power, we have not internally taken in that which God has provided. By not fully having ingested this truth about God, that we are to be separate, holy, blameless, and converted to Him then we will, at least at some point in our lives, fall away, accept that which is not of God. In our ignorance we must come to know Him and be converted to Him or else we are believing in vain. We must rid ourselves of this ignorance and this we do by ingesting the truth of God’s word and by doing so we then make the necessary changes to meet His requirements. The question then is: Are you just tasting, enjoying the sweetness and flavor of God, and are worshipping God in this manner making you feel that you are a pious person? Or, are you truly converting to God and by doing so will rid yourselves of all this world attaches to you, your worship, your dress, your idol images and then picking up your cross leaving all this world has to offer behind and following Jesus Christ? God has commanded that we beard the cross, not adore it. If not, then you are willing to adore what you are saying is spiritual yet are not willing to bear it: “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up cross and follow Me” (Mathew 16:24). A person must be willing to forsake himself. How can he expect to approach a Holy God? How can you expect to apprehend what is beyond yourself if you do not know how to sacrifice what He is?

            If anyone would say that I desire to retrain a person from having free choice, then that is a lie. If you say that I desire to have all people attend a single church, to worship in single manner, you lie. I know this that if the church they attend is teaching the truth of God’s word then anyone attending is not injured, not harmed and they may receive benefit from their attendance, that is if they go with the right frame of mind; to learn of Him, to remove any ignorance they may have about being a Christian. Many churches are not of this sort and have lost many souls, not eternal salvation for that is of God, but they have lost souls to live as this world would have them live and they miss out on having a right relationship with Jesus Christ, they are not representing the gospel. What a sin this is by many who claim to be teaching and preaching the word of God: “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). Does Jesus take this seriously? Yes! What a shame, a disgrace to Christ that would hinder a man form taking the road by which he can enjoy the eternal joys.

            Come to the light, the truth light that enlightens every man that comes into this world, that light that shines in the darkness, that darkness of the world which is sin: “That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world” (John 1:9). Will you come? Will you align your life with the word of God? If so there is great joy in knowing that your ignorance is being enlightened and you are growing in the knowledge of the One and True God, Jesus Christ.

I was sought by those who

            Did not ask for Me;

I was found by those who

            Did not seek Me.

I said, “Here I am, here I am,”

            To a nation that was

Not called by My Name.

                                    Isaiah 65:1

Seek God and He will be found

Richard L. Crumb