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Three Attitudes That Destroy the Hope of Salvation
Most everyone is willing to concede they desire to go to heaven after this life is over and livethere with God eternally versus dying and going to hell "where 'their worm does not die andthe fire is not quenched.'" (Mark 9:48 NKJV) That is the way we ought to feel and Godcertainly approves of our desire along that line. Unfortunately, our desire for heaven andour attitudes while living here on earth are often in conflict. We want to eventually go toheaven but we have attitudes that drive us in the opposite direction – away from God andaway from a home with him. I would like to discuss 3 such attitudes, attitudes quiteprevalent today.(1) Self-sufficiency. It is an American ideal to raise children that are independent and self-sufficient. Self-sufficiency is good up to a point but I fear we have sometimes succeededbeyond our desires or expectations in raising a generation of people who have come to feelthey need no help, none at all, that they can do it all by themselves as little kids are proneto say. If you can do it all by yourself then you do not need God in your life do you and thatis the problem when we take the attitude of self-sufficiency too far. The Bible gives an account of just such a man – the parable of the rich fool found in Luke12:16-21. "Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: 'The ground of a certain rich manyielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have noroom to store my crops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and buildgreater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul,you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.' 'ButGod said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will thosethings be which you have provided?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is notrich toward God.'" (NKJV)Everyone is for success versus failure but can success be deceitful? Can success lead you tobelieve too much in yourself? "For it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, andbring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.'" (1 Cor. 1:19 NKJV) "For you see yourcalling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not manynoble, are called." (1 Cor. 1:26 NKJV) What Paul is saying in 1 Cor. 1:26 is that few of thatparticular class which are called by the preaching of the gospel will heed the call andrespond to it.In the International Standard Version this verse reads as follows, "Brothers, think about yourown calling. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, notmany were of noble birth." Why not? Because those of that class were not willing torespond favorably to the gospel call? Why not? Because like the rich fool they leave Godout of their lives due to the sense of self-sufficiency.Who needs God when you are on a roll, on the gravy train? With them their health is great,they have a great education (most likely), great job, wonderful home and family, materialpossessions, and they feel like it is going to go on forever and never end. They kind of takethe hymn, without conscious thought, "Never Grow Old" and apply it to their life adding to it"Never Will Die" and "Never Will Face God in Judgment." One cannot help but wonder if worldly success will not destroy more people spiritually than poverty ever dreamed of doing.
 
If you really think you are self-sufficient and do not need God time will have to be yourteacher if you will not learn any other way. Time teaches us all but to learn too late in time,in eternity, is too sorrowful a scene to contemplate.(2) Indifference. Some synonyms for indifference would be disinterested, uninterested,unconcerned, apathetic, etc. Many people will be lost because they do not care enough tobe saved. With this character salvation would have to fall into his lap for him to have it forhe will not make a move on his own. He is very well pleased with the "just believe in God"doctrine (having no idea what it means to believe in God and too disinterested to study andfind out) for his nature is such that he is not concerned enough to do anything aboutsalvation that requires any effort or work (defined as obedience) on his part.Such characters live their life based on presumption. They have made a God after their ownimage, that is built up a God in their mind of their liking, one who agrees with them on theirway of thinking about life and eternity, and so they are happy. Isaiah 55:8 means nothing tothem, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,' says the Lord."(NKJV) There is a good chance they do not even know the passage exists due to theirindifference. There is an arrogance in this attitude but it is unclear to me whether or not those who holdthis attitude are aware of it or not. The arrogance is in the idea that God will eventually bowto my own will and save me despite my indifference toward him. Those who are indifferent are those who are basically satisfied with the way things are nomatter what the state of things may be. The church at Laodicea as described in Rev. 3:14-22 seems to have been trending in that direction. Jesus described them as "lukewarm"(Rev. 3:16 NKJV) and satisfied (Rev. 3:17). They were neither cold nor hot (Rev. 3:16). Itmight be a matter of semantics, if you want to disagree with me, but it certainly sounds tome like indifference. Jesus said they did not know they were "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked." (Rev.3:17 NKJV) I have never met a person who was indifferent to God who realized the spiritualstate he was in. They do not realize but they do assume. There is no end to theirassumptions. Jesus once had a lawyer ask him, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 10:25 NKJV) Jesus asked him, in reply, "What is written in the law?" (Luke 10:26 NKJV) The lawyer'sresponse and Jesus' reply follow."So he answered and said, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all yoursoul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' And Hesaid to him, 'You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.'" (Luke 10:27-28 NKJV)Does the indifferent man or woman ever meet this qualification for eternal life? Not as longas he or she remains indifferent. Indifference is a spiritual murderer.(3) Worldliness. Worldliness is just a desire for the things of this world – things that bringworldly satisfaction. This includes, of course, material possessions, worldly achievementsand honors, travel, pleasure, entertainment, etc. None of these things are inherently evil orwrong in themselves but the worldliness aspect comes when these things or any partthereof take the place of the spiritual, take the place of God in a person's life getting topbilling.Worldliness crowds out the desire for God and a spiritual life. Often these things seem to bevery innocent and they could and would be if we would leave them in their proper place. We
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