Have You Made Your Choice
Preached on October 6, 2024
Making the choice to choose follow God can be a struggle for many. God has a powerful message to share with those that doubt and are skeptical about His truth. Watch Pastor McCrary deliver a powerful message about how to know for certain that God’s truth is the truth.
Introduction
In the very first sermon I preached this year, I preached that there is an open door that God has sat before us. The question still remains: will you choose to go through God’s open door and through another one? I have made my choice, and whether you realize it or not, it’s time for you to make yours.
A Choice Still to Be Made
I began this year by preaching about the faithful church in Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7-13). Christ set an open door before that church that only He had the key to open and shut. The door was set before them because they had chosen to keep His word and did not deny His name (Rev. 3:8). Have you chosen to keep His word? Have you chosen not to deny His name?
I bring back up this door today because there is still a choice to be made about that door. Christ said that He is the door of the sheepfold and if anyone enters by Him, they will be saved; they will go in and out and find pasture (John 10:7, 9). Christ has made Himself accessible to all people! Jesus said that everyone who knocks, the door will be opened to them (Matt. 7:7-8).
Struggling to Choose God
To me, this door, and entering it, is everything— it’s my life and why I preach. I want you to choose God and enter His riches. Some of us have already made the choice and it was incredibly easy for us to make. Truly, it is wonderful if you have already chosen God’s door.
However, we have to realize that there are many more living around us, maybe even in your home that are struggling to choose God. In my key verse, the writer of the epistle to Hebrews pointed out that should one sin willfully after receiving knowledge of the truth, there awaits a certain fearful expectation of judgment. This, again, is why I preach.
Though we have made the choice, we must remember to be diligent to make our calling and election sure (2 Pet. 1:10). Our election: God loves and chose us, along with the rest of the world. Our calling: to share His good news of salvation with the world. I don’t want a soul to be lost to that certain fearful judgment.
We must remember that there are external forces doing their best to keep people from choosing God. We know that Satan wages war against God by attacking mankind – he doesn’t want anybody to be blessed. We know that the spirit of antichrist moves in the world today seeking to destroy anything in its path so that it can be exalted and glorified.
While we know there are external forces that create struggle, we must not forget the greater struggle one faces internally. Some struggle with moving to God because of their self-pity, regret, anger, and even frustration with the Lord. These are struggles I will tackle throughout this series of sermons.
Struggling to Know What’s True
As much as I have preached about spiritual warfare and the battles we face, I tell you there is no greater battle than the battle over what’s true. This is the fight that the devil loves to fight! Why? Because the one that proclaims to know the truth, holds great power in their hands and he thinks that he is powerful.
We must understand the importance of the truth. You see, what we deem to be true sets our moral, our values, and our principles. In other words, we govern ourselves by what we believe to be true. So, those that proclaim to know what’s true wield the power to persuade the thoughts and the actions of another.
This makes the battle over what’s true far reaching as it reaches internally to the soul. Today, there are many that have received the word of God but struggle with moving to God because they are uncertain about what’s the truth. Yes, there is, and always has been, skepticism about God.
I have said it before, the devil works hard to make sure that the world doubts the Lord. Combating the devil’s lies is why the writer wrote this epistle as the devil’s lies was causing many to neglect the promise of salvation We must combat Satan for the very same reason as his lies are causing many to neglect God’s promise of salvation
Combatting the lies of Satan
To combat these lies, we must understand the denials coming from the spirit of antichrist. John wrote that the liar denies that Jesus is the Christ – we must combat this lie (1 John 2:22). John also wrote that he who is antichrist denies the Father and the Son – we must also combat this lie as well.
As I’ve said before, the denial of the Father and the Son is not merely done through word alone but also by deed. The denier denies the Lord by choosing hate rather than love – we must combat this lie. The denier denies the Lord by blatantly lying, blatantly creating division, and seeking to suppress and oppress others to bring about destruction – we must combat this as well.
The denial of Christ is done to create internal confusion, doubt, and skepticism of the divine truth from God. As Paul wrote, those of the spirit of antichrist seek to sit in God’s temple as if they are God (2 Thess. 2:4). They are not God! So, again, we must combat such actions as God’s way seeks for life to be fruitful and to multiply— to prosper (Gen. 1:28).
Are You Seeking to Know the Truth?
If you are seeking to know what’s true about God but are skeptical of what you hear or read, I completely understand why many of you are skeptical today. As Jesus said, there are many false teachers who have come in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravenous wolves (Matt. 7:15). So, let’s bring some truth to you.
First, let’s tackle this notion: Is it wrong to be skeptical about the message and the messenger? It is not wrong to be skeptical of the messenger nor the message they share. Considering there were even many prophets in his day, John said that one must not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are of God (1 John 4:1).
Is it wrong to be skeptical and ask God questions about His message? I answer with words from Jesus’ on lips: “Ask, and it will be given to you (Matt. 7:7).” I have been walking with God for a very long time and even I still have questions for Him! There is absolutely nothing wrong with asking God questions when you’re trying to learn His truth and grow in your faith. If you ask for clarity and understanding, God will give it to you.
Proof of the truth
There’s a question that is very common that skeptics will ask. Skeptics will ask: How do you know for certain that God’s truth is the truth? That is the kicker isn’t it?
This same thought was one that plagued some of those that stood in the presence of Christ and heard His words. The religious leaders needed Jesus to prove His identity as Christ to them. So, Jesus shared with them His fourfold witness since they could not believe His witness of being sent by the Father.
In John 5:31-39, Jesus shared with those skeptics that His witnesses included John the Baptist, His works, the Scriptures, and His Father. Three of those four witnesses they actually had physical access to. Yet, even with those witnesses, they were not willing to accept Christ so that they may have life (John 5:40). All in all, they rejected five witnesses of Christ.
The religious leaders weren’t Jesus’ only skeptics as even those closest to Him were skeptical. In John 14:1-11, we can see where the disciples demanded that Jesus show them the Father. They said to Jesus that if He showed them the Father, it would be sufficient for them (John 14:8).
After this demand, Jesus asked Philip, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me (John 14:9)?” Jesus then asked, “Do you not believe that I am the Father, and the Father in Me (John 14:10)?” Then, Jesus said to them, “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves (John 14:11).”
We must live by faith
There is no scientific experiment you can run to “prove” God’s truth. Jesus’ point to the religious leaders and to His own disciples was to have faith and believe. I understand that this is an answer that won’t be sufficient for the skeptic. However, the truth of the matter is that one can’t try to bring logic – the world’s logic – to knowing God!
In Hebrews 10:38, the writer quoted what God said to Habakkuk in Habakkuk 2:4 – “the just shall live by faith.” You see, there is nothing wrong with having questions and asking God questions. However, at some point, one must have faith and believe! Faith is needed for one to actually know the Lord and understand Him.
Jesus expressed this same notion to the Samaritan woman who was skeptical about Him and asked questions about faith and worshiping (John 4:1-26). Jesus said to her, “the hour is coming and now is, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth (John 4:23).” Jesus continued by saying, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).”
When God shows me something and I am skeptical, the only way I can find out whether it is real or not is to move by faith. I thought it was going to be impossible for me to overcome kidney failure but here I stand. I thought it was going to be impossible for me to overcome high blood pressure but here I stand! God constantly shows Himself to me through the works He does for me because I choose to walk by faith!
To the skeptic, if you want to know for a certainty that God’s truth is the truth, you must try Him. You must trust the Lord and walk by faith to see that God truly is good. As David said, blessed is the man who tasted (tried) and saw that God is good (Ps. 34:8).
The witnesses of God today
To continue to show proof of God’s truth today, I will do as Jesus as point to His witnesses of today. As Jesus told His skeptics, we today still have the Scriptures that proves His identity as Christ. If you are skeptical of God’s word, I point to the Lord’s works in the world today as He is still at work.
Typically, this is when I point to rising and the setting of the sun and the falling of the rain as proof that God is still at work. But again, I will encourage you to first take notice of the spirit of antichrist and its activities in the world. Man desires to be exalted and glorified through the gaining of riches and power. To gain those riches and power, man moves out of covetousness, envy, lust, greed, and selfishness as it tears down and destroys everything in its way.
The world is filled with war and violence today; it is filled with so much bitterness, anger, hatred, lies, deceptions, oppressions, suppressions, and divisions. This is the kind of world that the spirit of antichrist desires as it’s a world that moves further away from God. Yet, in all of the turmoil, one has to wonder how has mankind not destroyed itself? How are we still living and breathing?
Of lawlessness, Paul wrote, “For the mystery of the lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way (2 Thess. 2:7).” Paul’s words speak of how God is the one that’s restraining the spirit of antichrist already at work in the world and will unleash after the removal of sincere believers.
The world today is merely a picture of the world as Satan would want it. However, there is conflict because one stands in Satan’s way and is restraining lawlessness. Who is that one?
You see, God created this world from a place of love. God’s truth is based on the principle of His grace. When man sinned, the Lord didn’t destroy man but was merciful and gave mankind opportunity after opportunity even up to now!
You want to know how I know for certain that God’s truth is the truth? Because God keeps giving mankind chance after chance to get right compared to being destroyed. The repeated second chance at life is proof that God’s love and mercy is true.
Be Confident in Your Choice
To the world, I tell you that it is decision time. Will you come to know the truth through faith and believing? To get over your skepticism, you have to taste and see for yourself that God is good.
To the skeptic, when you choose to walk by God’s truth, your heart will be illuminated. To those new to the faith, I am going to be even more honest with you – the beginning of your walk won’t be easy. You are going to be tried even more by the devil and those who share his mindset about the truth.
The writer expressed in Hebrews 10:32-33, that when one comes to the Lord, they will face their own reproaches and tribulations while also sharing in with those of their companions. The reason why you will be reproached and face tribulation will be because you chose to turn from the world.
Let me point out to you that the world turning against you will be even more proof of God’s truth being the truth. Jesus told His disciples that the world loves its own, however, those that turn from the world will be despised (John 15:18-19). The world sees the act of choosing God as a betrayal.
Though the world turns against you and will try to make you feel bad, I agree with the scripture: “do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward (Heb. 10:35).” You have no reason to feel bad about choosing God’s riches. You have no reason to feel bad about escaping the fiery indignation of the Lord.
As it is said in Hebrews 10:39, you have chosen to be saved and to live by faith in God’s truth – that is certainly not a bad choice. So, to all who make this choice, I say let’s not drawback to the perdition that Christ has saved us from! If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of truth, the writer rightly said there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin (Heb. 10:26). All that remains is a certain fearful expectation of God’s judgment (Heb. 10:27).
To those that haven’t chosen, you are left with the same choice that Joshua shared with the children of Israel: You can either choose to serve idol gods who won’t bring about any salvation or you can choose to enter God’s house (Josh. 24:14-15). I have chosen to enter into the house of God and dwell with Him for everlasting life. Again, I say, I have chosen life.
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