Who Then Can Be Saved?
With Men It is Impossible;
But With God All Things Are Possible
Matthew 19:23-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Jesus had just finished talking to a young rich man and the man went away sorrowful because he could not give up his riches to receive the most wonderful gift of God that anyone could receive, and that is eternal life or salvation. He asked Jesus, “what must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus went through the commandments and the man told him that these things were kept since his youth. Jesus then said, “sell all that you have and you will receive eternal life.” Jesus knew that wealth was sin in this man’s life. He also knows what is sin in our lives. It is what we hold on to that is familiar to our old way of our sinful life that takes us away from God.There is something that people miss when they say they are a Christian. It is a fact, that people receive Jesus by faith in order to be saved, but it is also a fact that a great many people have yet to give up all they possess of their old self to receive eternal life and the true things of God? The Word of God teaches if we think more of what we possess in our sin and even in our own personal wealth than we think of God, it is not what He wants to hear from our hearts and He will not accept our hearts if these things cannot be given up. When I think of the Power of God that enters in us when we receive Jesus into our heart and we truly become the sons of God I always think of when the men and women who were in the Upper Room first received the Holy Spirit. There was Power in that moment to forsake all things of sin. They received Jesus when the Holy Spirit came in unto them and they let Him take control of their lives. The Holy Spirit of Truth was truly dwelling within them and was surrounding them with the Most Wonderful Power that there was and is yet today. They knew Jesus had said that they would receive Power from upon High and that it would be given them as another Comforter that would reveal all things to them.People at this moment are confused about why the Holy Spirit entered into the first men of God in the Upper Room and why this same power is not in their lives today. This same power is here yet, but it is virtually unknown to most churches because of the things of unbelief that have been passed down through the ages in traditions and in men’s own interpretations that keep Christians ignorant of the workings of the Holy Spirit and that He is truly available to us with His Power just the same as He was in the beginning. The men of the first church received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and then were filled with the Holy Spirit for Power for Service. Some who use the doctrine of speaking in tongues say that tongues are for us to communicate with God. Some also say that without speaking in tongues there is no salvation. Some others even go so far as to say that tongues were given so that these men could write the Word of God. There is no truth in any of these things concerning tongues. I am also not saying that there is no such thing as speaking in tongues, but I question the way it is used today. Most of the things that people have come up with is only self reasoning and interpretation and there truly is no room for interpreting the Word of God the way people interpret it on their own or in a scholarly way without true Holy Spirit Power.The Lord gave us the Holy Spirit to have Power to overcome sin and its temptations. He also gave all who would follow the Holy Spirit, Power for Service. These men from the first church were given the Power of God to have the authority of their Apostleship established, and in doing so there was Power to write the Word of God for everyone and to preach Jesus with the Power of God. The Power of God is also still very important in the ministries of those who have been called into ministry just like the first ones were called. However there are some, and when I say some, I mean a vast majority of those who are not of the Holy Spirit in truth in ministry to have true faith, for they have made the Gospel of Jesus in a different light, because men are educated now and not exactly the way that they should be. Most who think they are called would first need an education and so they go to school to receive the very latest forms of doctrines, philosophies, and psychology known to modern man. They also use these things in their own creative way and if they acquire the certain oratory technic and they have a good enough memory they can be considered a good preacher. I believe that this is why there is no noticeable Power of God today. Men have taken care of this in their own religious way. Also the Word of God is written now. However it is written in so many more “easily understood” different versions that it is hard to distinguish what the correct one is because men have done it in their own understanding. It is not trustworthy to listen to men who have not had the anointing of the Holy Spirit for truth and understanding. Scripture states and you cannot dispute it because Jesus said it before He left this earth: “These things shall follow those who believe.” It is found in Mark 16:17-20 In verse 20 it states: And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. How many have signs of the Holy Spirit following them today. Of course these people always have something to fall back on and they will say: “These things don’t happen anymore.” Of course these things do not happen anymore, when men have learned on their own that these things do not happen any more. These things don’t happen where faith is but little or nothing and actually the Word of God to them is in the same category as only meaning little or nothing if they can take certain scripture and disregard it altogether. If it would mean everything to them they would know that nothing has changed from the beginning of the church age until now, God’s Word is the Highest Authority in Heaven and on Earth. People in the flesh cannot begin to understand what the Lord has for them to stay clean and pure from the world. The Spiritual understanding must be there to know right from wrong. There is also another reason: The Holy Spirit does baptize people today in the Spirit, not in the way that most today say they have experienced the baptism, but when the Lord baptizes people, they truly feel Him deep within and the Power of the Holy Spirit is on that life to lead and guide that one solely to the Lord Jesus and to Him only. These people truly receive Jesus and they let Him empty their vessels of the world and sin. With Power the Holy Spirit clears the way for the Righteousness of Jesus to enter in and take over each one who would be obedient to have an ear to hear Him speak to their heart. If we seek Jesus with our whole heart, in the truth of the Word, the Word will be cleansing and the truth will set us all free of our carnal nature that we were born with. Sure, our sins remain, but they are covered by the Blood of the Holy Lamb of God. What ever the blood covers is covered for life. It must all be by the Power of the Holy Spirit and none of ourselves at all. This is why there are so many carnal believers, who actually stay carnal because they cannot have an ear to hear the Holy Spirit lead them into all truth.They say they believe as they can be wanting salvation, but to actually receive from God is something different, for God knows their heart. We may be led to the altar by the Holy Spirit, but how we let the Holy Spirit, from then on, take our lives is something different. As we see the rich man Jesus was speaking to: It is also something to want eternal life and it is another to let eternal life enter that one. People who desire Jesus will desire to be pleasing unto Him alone. I have seen it over and over again that people may be convicted of their sin, but when it comes right down to it how many would continue to want to hold onto their sin and think they also can have eternal life. How many are truly sorry for their sin and are truly broken hearted over their sin. It is seen in the hearts of those who truly desire to have Jesus in their heart alone. They are sorry enough for their sins to let Jesus take their sins away. You can just see it when broken hearts give their hearts to Jesus to let Him have their sin. You can just see it when these people receive Jesus, their whole life begins to change and be made new and whole as they let the Holy Spirit have His way of leading them from their old carnal way of sin to the greatness of Jesus entering in and taking complete control of their lives by this Wonderful and gentle other Comforter, The Holy Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit was given to give us the Word of God by the Old Testament Prophets and by the anointed men of God from the first church, but He was also given for us all to receive the Word of God and give us true understanding of this Marvelous Word.The Holy Spirit was given for certain chosen men to be able to write the Word of God. He was also given to each one of us to show each of us understanding of the mind of Christ, of His goodness and mercies and love. Without the Lord in the heart and His Holy Spirit of Truth giving the Power to receive truth and understanding, no version of the Bible will truly be understood while each Christian remains carnal and in sin. We cannot comprehend these things, especially the Love of God without this knowledge and without the true anointing of the Holy Spirit of Truth on us and in us and surrounding us. People can read the scriptures and manipulate the things of God in their own way of interpretations and charismatic oratory, but when the Spirit of God is on someone the proof of the Spirit is there, not with interpretations at all, but by the Power of God the fruit of the Spirit is recognized as people receive Jesus into their hearts and there is Power to change and always be renewed. Those of us who agree in the Spirit will know what truth is and it continues to touch our hearts, but those who have not truly received Jesus and cannot let His Holy Spirit of Truth speak the truth to their hearts will wander yet out in sin and will keep bringing reproach upon the name of Jesus in not knowing right from wrong and what is more, not caring for they do not truly know Jesus as Savior to begin with as they cannot have an ear to hear the Holy Spirit lead them in any way. There will come a day, it will be a day, just like today, and those who think they are going to be received up into heaven because they belong to a church and they do all the things that church people do will remain on the earth or in the earth when the Lord calls His own up to meet Him in the air. There will be church people left behind as the world is left behind, because they have not yet given up everything, and surrendered all to Jesus. Jesus took our sin upon Him, but we must surrender it and give it all to Jesus to let Him take it away forever for us to have eternal life and a home in Heaven with Him. By Starre Steinmetz
