Are you “almost” right with God?
1) ALMOST PERSUADED NOW TO BELIEVE – page 21 of our hymn books.
a) Jn. 3:18 – some will not believe.
b) The reasons for unbelief vary, but some simply refuse to believe in God and the gospel.
c) The consequence of unbelief is serious – Jn. 3:18 says such a person is in a state of condemnation.
d) Jesus also affirmed this same point in Mk. 16:16b – “he that disbelieves is condemned.”
2) Some unbelievers are “hard core” unbelievers – not even the Lord will change their mind.
3) There are other unbelievers who are not far from the kingdom of God.
4) We find this type of person illustrated in Jas. 1:23-24 and Lk. 8:12, verses we are going to read.
a) READ Jas. 1:23-24.
b) Imagine a person who examines himself in a mirror.
5) This fellow sees a flaw and thinks to himself “I should correct this imperfection.”
6) Perhaps the phone rings or someone calls to him and this fellow moves away from the mirror.
7) That flaw the man was “almost” fixed.
8) Lk. 8:11-12 – READ
a) Satan wants people to be like the man in Jas. 1 – he wants them to move away from the mirror.
b) Verse 12 says Satan wants to remove the word from a person’s heart so a person will not “believe.”
9) When we sing about being “almost persuaded,” this is exactly right.
10) The words we sing go on to say “almost persuaded Christ to receive.”
a) In many instances “receiving Christ” is considered to be synonymous with salvation.
b) Denominational preachers often tell people to “receive Christ and be saved.”
11) God says “receiving Christ” does not mean “receiving salvation.”
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a) The ASV which is what I read from has the word “right”; the KJV says “power.”
b) The person who “receives Christ” has the right to become a child of God.
c) Receiving Christ simply means we are now in a position to become a Christian.
d) Receiving Christ means we are “entitled to become” a Christian. More steps are required.
13) Notice how the first stanza in our hymn ends – “Go, Spirit, go thy way.”
14) “Some more convenient day on thee I’ll call.”
a) The devil says “become a Christian later; almost is good enough.”
b) 2 Cor. 6:2 says NOW is the acceptable time; NOW is the day of salvation.
THIS IS WHY THE SECOND STANZA PLEADS WITH PEOPLE TO GIVE SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THEIR SPIRITUAL CONDITION.
a) “Come, come today” we sing. “Turn now away. Jesus invites you here. Angels are lingeriong near.”
b) “Prayers rise from hearts so dear. O wander come.”
c) This song reminds us of Heb. 3:7-8 – “Today the Holy Spirit saith” is what the author wrote.
d) “Harden not your hearts as in the provocation” (Heb. 3:8).
THE THIRD STANZA IN OUR SONG IS REALLY SAID.
a) It says “harvest is past.”
b) A time comes when God’s spiritual harvest will also be past.
c) When this time comes, it will literally be too late.
2) Those who “almost” make it will eventually realize it was their fault.
3) For those who “almost” get to heaven, they are going to have a lot of regrets.
4) In eternity people will have a “bitter wail.”
a) Jesus spoke about the “gnashing of teeth” in places like Mt. 8:12; 13:42.
b) We need to let people know that “almost cannot avail” (almost is not good enough).
