Riff's Christian Journal

A Layman's View Of Christian Theology

Posts Tagged ‘faith in Jesus

A Christian’s Salvation Stands Or Falls On His Belief in the Resurrection Of Jesus

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Romans 10:9 KJV
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.


Belief in the resurrection of Jesus is central to the salvation of anyone who becomes born-again…

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 KJV
Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead…

If Jesus had not been raised from being dead, His death upon the cross would have been meaningless. There would be no forgiveness of sins, no salvation and no eternal life in heaven.


Thank God Jesus was raised from the dead, and they who will proclaim Jesus to be Lord and believe that Gad raised Him from the dead will have been saved by Grace. His death upon the cross paid for our sins and His resurrection provided for us eternal life.

Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed!

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Why Salvation By Grace “Alone” Is Not Accepted By Many Christians.


Ephesians 2:4-5 KJV

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you have been saved)

Salvation by Grace and the theology of election gp hand and hand. Paul and Peter taught them using the teachings of Jesus. John chapter six is an example of the what Jesus said and taught.

For the first 300 plus years of the early church were these teachings believed and taught. Then a theologian named Pelagius appeared on the scene and emphasized human choice in salvation and denied original sin and especially stressed the freedom of human will. Pelagius was accused of heresy in 415 and his doctrines were harshly criticized.(From Wikipedia) However, the seed of a specific Christian church was planted.

Whereas salvation by Grace, being born-again, happens not because one is born into a Christian family or by works of flesh nor by the will of man but by the will of God.

God’s foreknowledge of who will be saved is not based on who will choose to accept or reject Jesus of their own will. God through Paul in chapter 9 of Romans makes this perfectly clear..

Romans 9:11-16 KJV (in speaking about Jacob and Esau).

(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) [12] It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. [13] As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. [14] What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. [15] For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. [16] So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Nothing more needs said than what Paul wrote in these verses,.

Moving on…

The reason many Christians reject the doctrine of Salvation by Grace “Alone” is because it eliminates completely man’s participation in his being saved by his will and through self-effort; co-operating with God.

You see, man’s pride needs to be involved. For in doing “his” part, he feels he will be worthy to receive from God forgiveness for his sins and be born-again by the Spirit of God.

In other words … man does his part and God will reward him by doing His part. The problem with this teaching is that this is a works salvation; very much like being under the Law in obedience to God doing a work that God demanded of man, as found in the Old Covenant. In order to receive a blessing or see a promise come to fruition man must do his part before God will do His part.

Anything a person thinks, says or does in order to receive salvation from God is a work of man’s will, but Grace says something else.

In Titus 3:5-7 KJ

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy God saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; [6] Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; [7] That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Note: justified by Grace is the act of being made righteous when one is born-again. Saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit is a description of what happens when one, who is dead in sin, is born-again. In order for man, who is dead in sin, is able to respond in believing faith he first must be made alive; bon-again. “saved by Grace”.

It is by God “Alone”, who by Grace “Alone”, saves, “Alone”, apart from any works of man, irregardless of his desire to cooperate in his salvation. For salvation is all of God.

This is why Paul can write:

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you have been saved).

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Jesus Came To Do The Impossible


Matthew 5:17

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

In the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5, Jesus was pointing out all the good things people should do in order to show their righteousness. Then He says,

Matthew 5:16

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Following this comment Jesus made the statement of fulfilling the Law. In other words, He was pointing out to the people their sinfulness in not being able to be obedient to God’s commands, for who could do all these works that Jesus had proclaimed? He even pointed out just how much righteousness they should have by saying this,

Matthew 5:20

“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

I can just imagine many of the followers thinking something along the line of, “If that is the case, I will never be able to enter into Heaven.” and they would be speaking the truth.

I wonder how many people caught His little statement of, “But to fulfill,” which actually means – make an end of the Law. How could this be done? He would do so by His obedience.

In Romans 5:19 we read,

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

Jesus made this possible through His obedience to the Law, accomplishing what we could never do. As stated in Romans 8.

Romans 8:3-4

“For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

In doing for us , what we could never do for ourselves, Jesus made an end of the Law,

Roman’s 10: 4

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

As Jesus stated He would, He did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it; that is, to make an end of the Law for righteousness, and He did.

A New Covenant was established, one that no longer depended on man’s self-effort in obedience to the Law, for we can never be fully obedient, but on God’s Grace in saving whom He chooses to save, and to have the righteousness of Jesus imputed to them to provide entrance into Heaven.

In the end, what Jesus promised, Jesus fulfilled.

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How One’s Interpretation Can Change The Meaning Of Scripture


Ephesians 1:5 KJV

According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

I heard a well known Pastor on the radio the other night preach on this particular scripture. In my opinion he completely misinterpreted the meaning of this verse: teaching that God chose to make people holy who would choose to accept Jesus. I understand that he was looking at this through his theology and you might agree with him, but was he right? So let us look closely at what the scripture says.

The first five words sets the stage, “According as he hath chosen”. A choice was made by God and we must answer the question of “Who” were chosen? The very next word gives us the answer and it is “US”. Now who are the “US”? The first sentence to this letter gives us that answer:

Ephesians 1:1 KJV

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

You can see that Paul was writing this letter to the “saints”, at Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus. In other words Paul was addressing Christians, and these Christians are the “US” that was chosen in him, that is Jesus.

Now we need to know “When and Why” they were chosen.

They, The “Us”, were “Chosen” by God, (when) “Before the foundation of the world”, (why) “that we should be Holy in Jesus and without blame before him in love”, for we have no holiness in and of ourselves because of our sin nature, and this includes everyone who would ever be saved. For all Christians are “Saints”.

In other words, God (what) “Chose”, (who) “US”, (when) ”before the foundation of the world”, (why) “That we should be Holy and without blame before him in Jesus”. He did not choose to make us Holy, He chose “US” to be Holy because we could never be Holy in and of ourselves due to our sinfulness.

Knowing what God “did” to “whom” “when and why” makes the first five verses of Ephesians 1 more easy to understand, and more praise worthy of God.

Ephesians 1:1-5 KJV

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: [2] Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. [3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: [4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Thank God He did.

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Why A Savior


A True Christmas Story – An all time favorite of this Journal.

It is December and, of course, it is time to celebrate Christmas. Well, most of us do anyway. But, have you ever wondered why there was, or is, a need for a Savior?

In the Christmas story, where we find the babe lying in a manger because there was no room at the Inn, an angel of Lord came to some shepherds to announce to them about the birth. The story goes like this:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Luke 2: 8-14)

In verse 11 we read about the angel telling the shepherds that a Savior had been born. A Savior? Why a Savior? In short, a Savior is needed to save us from ourselves, because of what we are unable to do for ourselves.

To begin, we need to go back all the way to the book of Judges, to the very last chapter – Chapter 21 – and to the very last verse of the chapter – verse 25:

25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Look where it says, “everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” It does not say they did what was right in God’s eyes but in their own eyes. Very much like today.

The Old Testament is a story, albeit a true one, about God choosing a people for His own, and giving them the opportunity to prove that they could be obedient to Him and, by doing so, earn a place in Heaven. However they continued to show that this was not possible and they constantly sought to do their own will and not God’s. They could not be completely obedient to the Laws that God had given them; basically the Ten Commandments which was part of the covenant that God had made with them. In doing so, that is in doing what they saw was right in “their” own eyes, they gave evidence to God that they could not do anything to earn forgiveness for their sins and to be found worthy of acceptance into Heaven.

They would not do what God wanted of them, they desired to do what they felt was right in their own eyes; regardless of what God wanted.

In Hebrews 8: 8, 9 we read:

Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.

If God’s chosen people could not continue in the agreed upon Covenant with Him, then how could anyone do so? The answer is they can’t. No one can. No one has and no one will ever do so. For that reason mankind, based on the continued disobedience of God’s chosen people, proved that because of their sin nature they would never be found acceptable in God’s sight and could never fulfill the righteous requirements of this same Covenant. Thus mankind was condemned to spend eternity in hell. Unless someone would stand in their place and fulfill the requirements of God so that we could be forgiven and find a place in Heaven for us.

In short, mankind needed a Savior!

In Romans 8: 1-4 we read:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,[a] who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

For what the Law “could not do” Christ did for us in our place. Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law and because of that all who put their trust in Him will receive forgiveness for their sins and be found worthy of being accepted into Heaven based on what Jesus has done for us.

This is the Savior that we are told about in the Christmas story. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”

That is why we were sent a Savior. Without one there would be no way to Heaven; we would all stand condemned before God for our sins. Jesus is the only way. He is the gate by which we must pass through in order to go into Heaven and go out into eternity with Him.

So, this Christmas be as the shepherds and believe in the miracle of the virgin born Savior. Come to Him with praise and thanksgiving and receive Him as your Lord and Savior. Be as the shepherds and hear the Heavenly multitude say:

“Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, and toward men good will.”

Why a Savior? Because we can do nothing to save ourselves. Jesus is that Savior. Come to the manger now and receive Him into your heart.

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Written by Glenn C. Riffey

December 21, 2025 at 7:00 am

One Verse That Can Show The Difference Between Being Under The Law And Under Grace,.


Pro 3:5 – 6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He will direct your paths.

These verses, taken from the Old Testament, can easily show the difference between the Jews living under the Law and the Christians living under Grace.

The Law was a works based system of willing obedience to the Law and all of the promises, blessings and curses that it entailed. Needless to say it was a failure.

In the above scripture, having God direct your life, stated in the last clause, was based on all that was commanded to do by the Hebrews in the beginning. It was a work based command of obedience. In other words, if man did what was commanded of him then God would direct his life. Here man works and God responds with blessings or curses. Because of sin in man, he could not always do what God commanded of him. He failed.”’

What if these scriptures were written in the New Testament to the Christians under Grace. Now living under Grace is a faith based system dependent on God’s will, the person and works of Jesus in His perfect obedience to the Father and the application by the Holy Spirit the results of what Jesus accomplished to the saved; everything Israel could not do on their own.

This might be one way it could be written.

“I trust in the Lord with all my heart and I do not look to my own understanding and in all my ways I acknowledge God, for He directs all my ways as He wills and has blessed me greatly.”

Here God works His will in man and man responds accordingly. Just the opposite of man under Law.

Under the Law, based on the will of man to be obedient, man always fails. Under Grace, based on the will of God, God never fails. In the “faith based” system of being under Grace God works in man both to will and to do of His good pleasure. So what God has willed for man to do man obeys willingly.

How about you. Is your life a works based system trusting in your will of obedience (grudgingly or not) to the Law or a faith based system of being under Grace trusting in the will of God in what He is doing in your life?

One scripture with a view of it under the Law and one view of the same scripture under Grace. Which one describes you?

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I Am Not An Evangelical – I Am A Christian


And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Acts 11: 26

As a Christian, by the Grace of God, I am a disciple of Jesus and a servant of God. I believe in the basic tenants of Reformed theology of election and predestination. However, evangelicals, of which I am not, believe in a “save yourself” style of salvation.

On christianity.com, a leading evangelical website, in an article titled, “What Is Evangelical Christianity?”, the first paragraph says this…

“A prominent picture in Christianity is Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection. Evangelical Christians believe that by accepting Jesus and his sacrifice for us, we save our souls and go to Heaven once we die.”

This is a “work of righteousness” type of salvation based on the will of man by a work of faith in choosing for ourselves to accept Jesus as our personal savior. This is plainly not scriptural as scripture teaches that we are born-again by the will of God who saves they whom He elected to be saved and predestined their time of salvation.

Ephesians 1:3-6 KJV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: [4] According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, [6] To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

These are just a few of the many verses about election and predestination that are found throughout the New Testament, and anyone willing to read and study these scriptures will see the truth as God gives them understanding.

This does not say that I do not believe in sharing the Gospel. All Christians are given works that God has ordained for us to do when we are saved by Grace.

Ephesians 2:8-11 KJV

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast. [10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God has given some to be evangelist some pastors and teachers, elders, bishops and deacons, etc, all who will have different abilities that in their service they will be given moments, as God chooses, to speak of Jesus; most of the time in private or small group settings.

Jesus said, “I know my sheep and they will hear my voice and will follow me.” God uses individual disciples to do His will as He chooses in bringing the elect into His fold; they do so quietly.

So, if someone were to ask me if I was an evangelical, knowing only what they see and hear in the news, especially in connection with “Christian Nationalism”, my answer would simply be this, “By God’s Grace, I am a Christian, a disciple of Jesus and a servant of God. If you would like to know something about Jesus, I will be glad to share with you what I know from New Testament scripture.”

How well do you know what is the New Covenant written about in the New Testament scriptures?

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Why Regeneration Always Precedes Faith


Titus 3:5-6 KJV

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

It is said, “Regeneration always precedes faith.” The question, then, is why? Why must we need to be born again before we will have faith with which to believe in Jesus?

A good way to explain anything is to give or show a demonstration about what we are talking. The best example, here, would be the story of the death and raising of Lazarus.

Now Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha and they were all close friends of Jesus, and while Jesus was away Lazarus became sick and eventually died. Then Jesus took His disciples and went to where Lazarus was buried.

When Jesus arrived He took Mary and Martha, along with his disciples and all the mourners that were there to the tomb were Lazarus was buried.

Jesus had them roll away the stone, then yelled, “ Lazarus, come forth”. What happened next? What had to be done before Lazarus could respond? Think it through.

Ephesians 2:1 KJV

And you hath he quickened(made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins;

Ephesians 2:5 KJV

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;)

Colossians 2:13 KJV

And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Yes, before Lazarus could respond he had to be given life. Just like you and I, when our name was called we, too, were dead, a spiritual death, albeit, but just as dead spiritually as Lazarus was physically, and we needed to be given life before we could respond to the call from Jesus to “Come forth”.

Not only are we saved (regeneration) by the Grace of God, we are also given the gift of faith by which we believe in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.

As we read in Romans 10: 8 – 10, faith is already in our heart before we confess that Jesus is Lord.

Romans 10:8 KJV

But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

Romans 10:9 KJV

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:10 KJV

For with the “heart” man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

To answer the question of, “Why must we need to be born again (regeneration) before we will have faith with which to believe in Jesus?”, the answer is simple. Unless we are first given life, “spiritual life”(regeneration), we would never be given the gift of faith with which to believe in Jesus and to proclaim Him Lord.

That is why “Regeneration Always Precedes Faith”. We first need to be saved (regeneration), by the Grace of God – Alone. Then given the gift of faith with which we believe in Jesus. Only then do we respond to the call of Jesus to “Come forth.”

By Grace are we saved.

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Written by Glenn C. Riffey

August 3, 2025 at 6:00 am

The True Freedom Given To All Christians


Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

Freedom that you cannot earn and can never be taken away, on account of the person and work of someone else, is a Freedom only Christians can experience. The question is, “Have you truly been set free?”

So, first we need to know from what have we been set free, and how did it happen? Quite simply, it took a sacrifice on the part of Jesus to accomplish this feat. We have been set free from the curse of having to be obedient to the law because of what Christ has done for us.

Romans 8:1-4 KJV

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. [3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

In other-words, as it is in the following scripture:

Deuteronomy 8:2 KJV

And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

And what happened? We see the answer in Hebrews:

Hebrews 8:9 KJV

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Israel showed that no one could obey the law perfectly and that someone needed to do for them what they could not do for themselves; they needed a Savior.

In short the law became a curse to us because we cannot fully be obedient to the law on account of our sinfulness, so Jesus came and fulled the righteous requirements of the law on our behalf.

As we read in Galatians:

Galatians 3: 10-13 KJV

[10] For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. [11] But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. [12] And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. [13] Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

That is why we need to…

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1

Now that is what true freedom is to all Christians. How about you, have you been set free from the curse of trying to be obedient to the law? Prayerfully, instead you are living the life of faith in Jesus for being obedient for you!,

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Written by Glenn C. Riffey

July 6, 2025 at 6:00 am

Dear Christian Do You Not Hear The Cry From Many As A Result Of Your Wish?


Sometimes God grants our wish for something because it pleases Him to see our joy. Then there are times when God grants our wish that makes us think it would have been better had God said, “No”.

In the Old Testament there came a time when Samuel the prophet became old and the Elders of Israel came to him. They said he was growing old and they wanted a King to rule over them. God heard them and He told Samuel to tell Israel they shall have their King. Also tell them what will happen to them because of their request to have a king instead of trusting in God. For they have rejected Me.

1 Samuel 8: [10] And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. [11] And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. [12] And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. [13] And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. [14] And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. [15] And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. [16] And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. [17] He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. [18] And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

Their response?… [19] Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

And the Israelites, because of their choices, suffered greatly, just as told them by Samuel what God said would happen.

Today, a number of Christian’s are following the same path. They have chosen a man from whom they believe they can have their way in getting what they want. Instead of looking to God. Yet they know not what the consequences might be because of the choices they have made.

God says to them from Romans 1:16-22,28 KJV

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. [17] For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. [18] For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; [19] Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. [20] For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: [21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, [28] And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which ought not to be done;

Yes, God does raise up Kings (leaders), but when Christians want a man to rule over them, instead of trusting in God and bowing before His will, like Israel, will we also suffer the consequences of their choices, will the innocent also suffer because of their disobedience in rejecting God?

It is sad how one singular vote could contribute to bringing such pain, worry and heartache to millions of people around the world, let alone the U. S. I fear for us because of their disobedience in the choices they have made. For all choices have consequences.

Does anyone feel regret? God help us all.

Written by Glenn C. Riffey

June 1, 2025 at 6:00 am