Wake-Up Call

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to bring you twelve wooden staffs, one from each leader of Israel’s ancestral tribes, and inscribe each leader’s name on his staff. Inscribe Aaron’s name on the staff of the tribe of Levi, for there must be one staff for the leader of each ancestral tribe. Place these staffs in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark containing the tablets of the Covenant, where I meet with you. Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to the people’s murmuring and complaining against you.” [Numbers 17.1-5] 

Jesus said this:

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” [Matthew 22.14]

The chosen one (Aaron's rod), in Numbers 17.1-5 was identified by evident fruit. Jesus also said something about "chosen" and "fruit":

You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. [John 15.16]

 Regarding the priesthood, the Book of Revelation indicates that every believer is a priest:

He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. [Revelation 1:6]

And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.” [Revelation 5:10]

Simply stated, a true believer in Jesus is a priest. A true priest is one who is chosen. The evidence of being chosen is fruit. The evidence of being fruitful is answered prayer using Jesus' name.

It is not enough to self-proclaim, "I am a believer." While many console themselves that calling on the name of Jesus is enough, James clarifies that, while faith begins with a proclamation, it proves itself in action:

Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works. [James 2:26]

What is said here today is no less intense than what God told Moses in Number 17.1-5. Grace comes by faith. Grace is God's good works in and through His people that come by faith in Jesus. Jesus said it like this:

These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” [Mark 16.17-18]

Earlier in Mark's Gospel, Jesus had made a bold statement about faith:

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. [Mark 11.22-24]

It is the grace of God that transports people into the power of God. They are forgiven and they are delivered from all manner of death, theft and destruction.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [Romans 5.1-2]

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. [Ephesians 2.8-9]

God's grace does not exempt us from what grace does! Self-proclaiming "grace!" over our lives with no works (evidence) of grace is a rod "without buds and fruit." It is no more harsh to make this statement today than it was when Moses placed those twelve rods before the Ark of the Covenant. Just because Korah, Dathan and Abiram self-proclaimed themselves as priests did not make them priests at all (Numbers 16).

The Church today needs this wake-up call. I need this wake-up call. The nothingness the modern Church calls 'grace by faith' without the evidence Jesus described is damning souls to hell. It is not enough to write these things and "everybody say, Amen." Jesus said "miraculous signs will accompany those who believe." Was He just kidding around? Will we simply explain this away, justifying our powerless lives, with no fear of God whatsoever? Will we, before God, lie to ourselves and the world pretending that we are okay all the while calling it faith?

Even the New Testament shows us how dangerous it is to be so foolish to pretend about things before God. Acts 5 tells of Ananias and his wife Sapphira who pretended they were right with God when they weren't! They died! 

"Grace" didn't save Ananias and Sapphira because their "works" were a lie!

I pray these words stir all who read them to action; starting with repentance for our make-believe faith that shows no works of grace to anyone (in the Church or in the world). Jesus was accused of healing people on the Sabbath. What might we be accused of? Proclaiming, "Grace!"?

Father, forgive me for make-believe faith with no accompanying fruit (works) of grace. May I take faith more seriously understanding it's all just pretend unless mountains move. So be it.