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Fire Salt from Refreshing Hope Ministries on Vimeo.

I have a tendency to get deeply involved in the churches we attend. I always start out planning to sit in the congregation as invisible as possible. Still, almost inevitably, our technical background pulls us into the spinning gears. Soon, we end up as exhausted full-time volunteers once again.

We have met some wonderful people by doing so, the best of the best, the true servants working behind the scenes that no one sees. Yet, anytime you get deep enough into the underbelly of a society, you tend to learn things you wish you hadn't.

Sadly, we have met some of the worst characters we know there as well. We have been hurt, lied to, cheated, and used by people waltzing under the banner of Christianity. This shouldn't be, and in the days to come, it won't be. We are taught we have to forgive them, and we should. But they are taught that "Jesus paid it all," and their actions don't matter. It's a greasy grace that scares me, and I want to tell you why.

Life is a great placement test to see where you will live in eternity. Your actions today while living will determine your eternal dwelling. In eternity, some will be great, others will be the least, and some will be lost (Matthew 5:19).

Let's start by being clear that we are saved by grace, the unmerited, unearned favor of God. Through faith, meaning we believe in God enough to take action. No one can boast they earned their salvation, for it doesn't work like that. The Apostle Paul wrote this:

(Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV)  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Notice the end of that verse, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Our faith is demonstrated by our actions. Out of the abundance of our heart, our mouth speaks. What we are filled with spills out of us when pressure comes. You can never say that Paul believed in greasy grace, for he warned us that we would reap what we sow.

(Galatians 6:7–8 NKJV)  Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Scripture has checks and balances like a scale to keep us from becoming too extreme in one area. Probably to balance Paul's revelation that we are saved by grace, James wrote this:

(James 2:14–17 NKJV)  What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Can dead faith save you? Will greasy grace keep you from the fires of hell? I can't in good conscience teach you that it will. For we are responsible for what we teach others:

(James 3:1–2 NKJV)  My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

(Matthew 5:19–20 NKJV)  Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven;

Let's examine some of the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. He compared our relationship to a grapevine, which was common there. He is Vine, we are the branches, and the Father prunes the ones not bearing fruit.

(John 15:1–2 NKJV)  "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

In His sermon on the mount, Jesus taught a lot about common things we deal with every day. He covered topics like anger, murder, adultery, divorce, swearing oaths, loving others, charitable deeds, prayer, fasting, greed, wealth, judging others, and the golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

All of these are actions where people make choices to do them or not. Near the end of His sermon, things begin to get scary:

(Matthew 7:19 NKJV)  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

(Matthew 7:21 NKJV)  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

Jesus even told the Apostle John and the others this:

(Mark 9:47–49 NASB)  "If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED. "For everyone will be salted with fire."

The phrase "salted with fire" is interesting to me. Fire destroys what it touches, but salt preserves it. With fire-salt, you would never burn up, as in "the fire is not quenched." Also, Jesus was addressing how to deal with sin, cut it off, make an end of it. Not to mangle our physical bodies. Plucking out your eyes wouldn't stop you from lusting. Instead, teach your body the meaning of "NO MEANS NO."

Here is a promise not many people have taped to their refrigerator, one of the scariest in the Bible:

(Revelation 21:7–8 NKJV)  "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

Jesus told the fire and brimstone teachings of the Bible directly to His Apostles. And I believe that we should take His warnings about the rewards of sin and the fires of hell seriously.

I believe that as long as we love Him and put Him first, if we are trying at all, nothing will keep us from heaven. There is forgiveness for everything we can possibly do (except for the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, which is attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the devil - Mark 3:29).

Yet, what will happen if we never bother to ask for His forgiveness? And can you truly repent, turn around, while continuing to do it? All I know is, when the Master returns, it's gonna be an interesting time, and telling Him that you didn't think His word applied to you may not cut it.

(Luke 12:47 NKJV)  And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please forgive me for what I have done wrong. I make a choice today to live for You. Give me a clear vision of the plan that You have for me, and help me get in tune with what You are doing on Earth today. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!