K129 What is the fruit of repentance?

Many people argue and debate on the true meaning of repentance. However, we can never truly understand the meaning of repentance without knowing the fruit of repentance. Is it biblical to have the fruit of repentance? Of course, the call to repentance with its fruits is mentioned clearly throughout the Bible. Is it applicable to us? Of course, it is necessary to everyone including:
1. The Pharisees - Mat 3:6-8 KJV And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.  (7)  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  (8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

2. The false prophets - Mat 7:15-23 KJV Beware of false prophets .. (16)  Ye shall know them by their fruits .. .. (20)  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  (21)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord .. .. (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

3. The sinners - Act 26:20 KJV But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. Of course, Paul was not talking about just good works; he was talking about the fruits of repentance which will lead to doing more good works.

Although the three Bible passages above were preached or spoken to three different groups of people, they speak to us the importance of the fruits of repentance to all the believers:
1. If we had ONLY repentance without the fruits of repentance, we would be like the Pharisees who confessed their sin outwardly, but inwardly they were never born again. The Pharisees believed, repented, and confessed like the people; but they had no fruit of repentance, no regeneration, no redemption, and no restoration. They believed in corban law (Mark 7:11-13), 'easy-believism', or hypocritical repentance which gave people the false impression that God would only want to make it 'EASY' for them to believe, to repent, or to have good opinion of Him without making it necessary for them to turn away from their sins and keep His commandments (including the Ten Commandments or the commandment of the Lord to honour their parents too):

2. If we had ONLY good works without the fruits of repentance, we would be like the false prophets who could confess doing many good works in the name of the Lord; but they would be ultimately rejected by Jesus. Jesus shows us that they were the false prophets not because they did not do any good works; but because they did not have the fruit of repentance to do God's will. Hence, a believer is not saved by good works; but he is certainly not saved without the fruits of repentance too. He could be a false prophet even if he is able to preach the gospel with a lot of good works in the name of the Lord. Obedience and good works alone cannot save unless he has the faith in Christ to repent and turn from sin too. In the parable (Mat 21:28-32), the false prophets and the Pharisees could be the second son who said that he would go and do the will of God, but in the end, it was the first son (which consists of the publicans and the harlots) who did the will of God and entered the kingdom of God first through repentance and believing in God's words (v31-32). What do this parable of the two sons and the parable of the prodigal son mean? Both parables about the two sons mean that God loves all of us (including the Pharisees and the false prophets) because we are all His sons, but He can't help us if we refuse to repent or do His will. He can't help us if we just want to think of His grace only, His goodness only, His inheritance only, or the good opinion of Him only.

3. If we had NO repentance and NO fruits of repentance, we would still be sinners who do not know God. If we had no fruit of repentance, we had no regeneration, no redemption, and no restoration, and He can't have 'good opinion' of us.

Many will argue, "Yes, we know the importance of the fruits of repentance. But you have not defined what is the fruit of repentance. Hence, we can just tell everyone that we have all repented 'effortlessly' when we would just change our mind, believe, and confess based on Rom 10:9-11. When we repent (without any effort or will to do anything), we are saved whether we want to turn away from our sins or not. When we repent, the fruits of repentance will just come to us automatically, supernaturally, and effortlessly. We don't have to preach repentance over and over again in our churches today. If we are not sick of preaching it, God would get sick of hearing it .."

Repentance is something beautiful and worth reminding and remembering
I will tell them, No, you will not be sick of preaching it or hearing it because, every time when repentance is preached, it is a good reminder, confirmation, assurance, and confession of your faith that you have turned away from sin by the grace of God. God would not get sick of it too because He has been waiting to capture that beautiful picture when many of His (prodigal) sons would return home with that big surprise (in tears) on their face, upon receiving His forgiveness without expecting or demanding for it. That was a big contrast compared with the time when men (Adam and Eve) would demand, crave, or lust for the goodness, power, riches, inheritance, or likeness of God the Father in the garden of Eden. But now God saw that beautiful change on their face and heart. So, He quickly took out His 'camera', snap it, show it to all His angels, and tell them that that was the most precious moment He had been waiting for when His sons would genuinely turn back to Him without expecting or demanding anything from Him. He would frame it up in His 'gallery', and He would want us to always remember it .. forever ..  (if we are sick of it, something is very wrong !)
Many still argue, "Why do we keep remembering it if it is something that makes us agonize, cry with tears, or feel condemned? Don't you know that when we believe, we have no more sin conscience (Heb 10:2)? We should remember only something that is positive, glorious, or relaxed; for example: rest, peace, grace, blessing, and love. I don't find any scripture which tells us to remind ourselves of sins or repentance, except 1 John 1:9; however, we have rejected 1 John 1:9 and considered it as inapplicable to us; it is only applicable to the agnostic believers, the law believers, or those who are not truly perfect, or those who do not believe perfectly or rightly like us .."
I will tell them, Whether you believe perfectly or rightly, you still need to repent with the right attitude, right conscience, or the fruits of repentance. Please read your Bible again. Did you read Heb 10:2 with all the rest of the Bible verses in that chapter?
1. The whole chapter of Heb 10 explained clearly that there was no more sin conscience to remind the Jews of offering animal sacrifice under the Old Covenant.
2. It did not say that there was no more sin conscience to remind us of repentance under the New Covenant
I will tell them, There are many scripture verses which remind us of our sins and repentance too. So, I do not have to talk about 1 John 1:9 and argue with you on why it is worth reminding about our confession of sins and repentance. In fact, 1 John 1:9 is also a reminder and assurance of God's faithfulness and forgiveness too. Hence, it is certainly applicable to all of us. But, we do not want to build our whole Bible knowledge, principle, and doctrine based on just 1 John 1:9, just one Bible verse, or just our good intention, we should read the whole Bible and understand what God has to say about our sins and repentance. After this, I will explain what is the fruit of repentance:
Gen 3:3-6 KJV  .. (4)  And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:  (5)  For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.  (6)  And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
In the past, Adam and Eve thought that it was 'cool' to live independently or freely away from ALL God's commands (anyway God has only given them one command). They thought that they could really live like God's sons only if they could be like God who gave them the law and command and know good and evil. Hence, when they desired and took the fruit, they departed from the law of God for worldliness (earthly desires - see 1Jn 2:16), and the glory of God departed from them.
1. Hence, in the garden of Eden, the fruit became the fruit of men's rebellion (through eating, sinning, and rebelling).
2. Today men are all given the grace to return home, but they can only turn back and go home by taking the fruit of repentance now (through 'eating', repenting, and obeying too).
Many will ask, "We know that we need to repent and obey; do we eat?"
I will tell them, When we 'eat' the Holy Communion, repent, and obey His commands, we remember the Lord's death and we remember the forgiveness of God.
Many Pharisees thought that when they knew God's laws, 'improve' on God's laws, or change God's laws, they would know how to solve men's problem too. However, Jesus and John the Baptist rebuked them sharply regardless of whether they had good or bad intention for men. The Pharisees did not have the fruits of repentance and yet they wanted to teach and give men the false impression that they could turn to God when their lives were full of hypocrisy:
Mat 3:7-8 KJV  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  (8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

The fruit of repentance is turning away from sin
I will tell them, But you do not have the fruit of repentance if you would just want to believe or change your mind only. If you argue that repentance is just change of mind, then I would say that repentance is not complete without the fruit of repentance which is turning away from sin.
The fruit of repentance is not a work; but it must be a determined mind or a change of mind to turn away from sinful works to righteous works. It must lead to living and doing God's righteousness too. If the fruit of repentance or turning away from sin does not show people that we have turned away from our sins, we have not repented with the fruits meet for repentance yet.
Many will argue, "What makes you think that the fruit of repentance is turning away from sin? But Paul said, When we repent, we turn to God (Act 26:20). Hence, we don't have to turn away from our sins. If we have to tell the people to repent, we should just tell them turn to God. This will draw more sinners who would just want to change their mind only or turn to God only. Who knows, if more people turn to God, one day they will all be encouraged to turn away from their sins too. That will ultimately save more people and lead more people to live righteously too."

The fruit of repentance is more than just turning to God
I will tell them, Of course, the fruits of repentance are plural and many. They are certainly not limited to turning away from sin. However, we should never preach like the lukewarm churches who always neglect or negate the words and doctrine of Jesus Christ. By telling the people that repentance is just to turn to God without turning away from sin, the lukewarm churches will mislead many in the end time:
1. the ignorant sinners may naively think so and interpret that they can repent better without turning away from their sins, whilst,
2. the hypocritical sinners may even boast that they can become more righteous and receive more grace even if they do not have any intention to turn away from their sins too.
(Lukewarm churches are always changing their minds and 'repenting'. They are good in changing their preaching and doctrinal stand on repentance, law, judgement, and sin too. When you say that we must repent and be saved, they will tell you that grace is enough and repentance is obsolete or redundant. When you ask them, Are you against repentance? they will always bring you into a long confusing debate and argue vehemently that they have been falsely accused or misunderstood, that they preach repentance too, that their repentance is just to change their mind only, believe in God only, or turn to God only, and that their repentance is always better than many others; and many others are jealous of them)
I will ask them, Do you know what is turning to God? It means that before you turn to God, you need to turn away from something first. If you know the teaching of the Lord from the parable of the prodigal son, you should know that before the prodigal son turned to his father, he turned away from his world of sins or his sinful living. In fact, Jesus always told the people to sin no more or to turn away from sin before and after delivering them:
Mat 4:17 KJV  From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Joh 5:14 KJV  Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
Joh 8:11-12 KJV  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.  (12)  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Luk 13:5-9 KJV  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.  (6)  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none  .. ..  (9) And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Hence, if we preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and tell the people to turn to God, we must tell them to turn away from their world of sins or from their sinful living too. Otherwise, we have not preached the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mat 6:24 KJV  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Turning to God and Turning to sin are two mutually exclusive thoughts or attitudes too. You cannot turn to both; when you TURN, you must turn your face towards one and your back towards the other (or vice versa). Hence, if we have really turned to God, we would have clear determination to turn away from sin; we would not turn back to sin willfully again and again, become tossed to and fro in sinful lifestyle, or compromise (like the lukewarm believers or ding dong bell preachers) on God's doctrine. If we have really turned to God, we would not preach easy-believism or false repentance which will please everyone (like the Pharisees) who would just want to turn to God and be saved from the wrath of God by just confessing their sins outwardly, without any fruit of repentance or turning away from sin.
Mat 3:7-8 KJV  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  (8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Of course, the gospel of grace or the gospel of prosperity can be preached like an amazing gospel from the parable of the prodigal son, but if it is focused on just what we can get without turning away from our world of sins or without the fruits of repentance, it is the gospel of the 'prodigal sons' or the gospel of the preachers who love being the prodigal son; but it is not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hence, when we say that we turn to the Lord, it means that we believe in His words, turn from our sins, and live for Him too:
Rom 10:9-10 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.  (10)  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
2 Corinthians 5:15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

The fruit of repentance is turning away from the lust of the flesh
Many think that the Israelites who wandered under Moses were faithless people who had never really turned to God. Yes, when the Israelites had problems, they did 'turn' to God (with a lot of their complaining and weeping about their lack of meat); but they did not turn away from Egypt or from the goodness of what they could get in Egypt. Of course, eating meat is not a sin; but eating meat with the lust or thinking of our flesh (with no turning away from our lust) is an abomination to God.
Num 11:4-6 KJV  And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?  (5)  We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:  (6)  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes .. .. (31) And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea .. .. (33) And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.  (34)  And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
Similarly, today many believers are faithless people who have not really turned to God even though they may think that they are following Jesus. They did 'turn' to God (with a lot of 'weeping' and prayer to Jesus about their poverty or problems); but they have not really turned away from this world or from the goodness of what they can enjoy in this world yet. They have forgotten that, like the Israelites who wandered under Moses, they are the wanderers under Christ too, before they will pass on and cross over to the kingdom of God. They have forgotten the Israelites' lesson that: God may answer the lust of our flesh when we 'weep' for it. Sometimes, it may seem like a favour or grace to have it answered by God; but it could be a wrath even while we still prosper and boast, and have the 'meat' yet in between the teeth of our mouth:
1Jn 2:15-18 KJV  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (16)  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  (17)  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.  (18)  Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Gal 5:16-18 KJV  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  (17)  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.  (18)  But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
The lust of the flesh will stop us from entering the kingdom of God. This is the reason why those who were under Moses or under the law could not enter God's kingdom. This is also the reason why we know that the Israelites could not enter their promised land: it was not mainly because they were under Moses or under the law; it was because they were still under the lust of the flesh.

Repentance must have the fruits of repentance (or turning away from sins)
I will tell them, You said that Paul told the people to just repent and turn to God (Act 26:20). Did you continue to show them the second part of that Bible verse, i.e. to do works meet for repentance too? If you bother to tell the people to repent and turn to God, what's the problem if we tell the people to repent and turn to God and turn from their sins too? You argued that the Bible tells you to turn to God and that is considered as the fruit of repentance, but do you know that Jesus, Paul, and even Peter had all shown us clearly that repentance or turning to God must involve changing, conversion, or turning from sins too:
Act 3:19-26 KJV  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ..  (23) And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people .. (26)  Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
Peter has just shown us that there is a close relationship between repenting and turning away from our sins. In fact, most God's prophets (eg. Jonah, Samuel, Elijah, .., and Malachi) would preach and tell the people to repent AND turn away from their sins too. But only the false prophets will repent (or preach repentance) without turning away from their sins. Like the Pharisees, they will just want to change their minds and think that God is too gracious to judge their sins committed under grace. Hence, sometimes we would hear something that is said like this from the pulpits: "Jesus did not come to make bad people good; but dead people live". Yes, it is cool to say it and hear it, but it reflects two things:
1. The preachers who say it are not cool at all because they are ignorant and they did not read their Bible. If they read the Bible, they will know that Jesus came to set the people free from the bondages of sin so that they are free to do righteousness or live in the righteousness of God. We may not be totally perfect or good, but we would turn away from sin and always  align our life to live and shine with the light of Christ.
2. The preachers who give the impression that they do not need to turn away from sin and do good may just want to impress others that they can preach better than the repentance preachers. However, unknowingly, they could have ended up preaching lukewarm doctrine which:
a. will mock at others who teach repentance and turning away from sin;
b. but elevate and flatter themselves for teaching their own hypocritical principles with more effortless prosperity, more 'lawless' philosophies, more successful testimonies, and more 'godly' or 'humble' living

Lukewarm churches or believers do not have the fruits of repentance
Lukewarm churches are always changing their minds or 'repenting'. They are good in changing their preaching and doctrinal stand on repentance, law, judgement, and sin too. When you say that we must repent and be saved, they will tell you that grace is enough and repentance is obsolete or redundant. When you ask them, Are you against repentance? they will always bring you into a long confusing debate and argue vehemently that they have been falsely accused or misunderstood, that they preach repentance too, that their repentance is just to change their mind only, believe in God only, or turn to God only, and that their repentance is always better than many others; and many others are jealous of them.
Hence, I believe that they are not just a fictitious group of people mentioned in Rev 3:14-22; they do exist in our generation today. The more they deny it or the more they argue that they are falsely accused by others, the more likely they are the ones in Rev 3:14-22. Why? They are rich, they are increased with goods (they prosper), they boast and claim that they can see (but they are blind), they preach repentance and yet they do not really repent (they may show that they are hot; but they are actually cold), they may keep saying that they hear Jesus only, but in reality they will never hear or do His words; instead, they will hear only their own favourite preachers (or the lawless ones) who have no more law for them ..
Rev 3:16-19 KJV  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  (17)  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:  (18)  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.  (19)  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Many argue that any Bible warning or passage which tells them to repent or to turn away from sin can never be applicable to them because they are in Christ, and hence, they are too righteous to hear the warning or commandment again. They would use both their hands to cover their eyes and their two feet to cover their ears, but ironically their mouth will be left open to speak arrogantly that all God's preachers cannot see what they see because all God's preachers' eyes are covered by a veil.
Many would just come up with their own crazy idea that any Bible verse which has the words 'If we' (and if they do not like it) is not for them. So, you will hear their all kinds of theories which prove that 'if we' confess our sins (1 John 1:9), 'if we' sin wilfully (Heb 10:26), 'if we' keep His commandments (1 John 2:3), .. etc, are not applicable to them. I will ask them, Do you know that there are many 'If we' Bible verses in the Bible? How would you differentiate which one is for us and which one is not for us? I think you would love to get busy with explaining every Bible verse to your believers who are deceived to think that they cannot do without you. But please pray tell which of the following 'if we' Bible verses are for the believers, and which are for the agnostic believers:
Gal 5:25 KJV  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
2Ti 2:12-13 KJV If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:  (13)  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Heb 2:3 KJV  How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Gal 6:9 KJV  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
1Co 11:31-32 KJV  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.  (32)  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 

The lukewarm believers will deny the words of the Lord based on their own principles and assumptions
Of course, when I said that the lukewarm people would use both their hands and their feet to cover their eyes and ears, I did not mean that they did it literally. Of course there are many principles a lukewarm believer will use to deny hearing the words of the Lord subtly. Using the 'if we' Bible verses to negate all other Bible verses is just one of their own principles. Their second principle is using only one Bible verse to negate all other Bible verses: for example,
Act 13:38-39 KJV  Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:  (39)  And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Many hyper grace preachers are known to have quoted the above to challenge God's preachers and ask, "Where, where is the need to repent when Paul would only tell us the forgiveness of sins?" or "Where, where is the need to keep God's laws based on the Bible verses above?"
I will ask them, Will you ask Jesus also, "Where, where is need to repent ?" when He taught you how to pray and confess your sins to God? Luk 11:2-4 KJV  And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.  (3)  Give us day by day our daily bread. (4) And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Will you ask ignorantly again, "Where, where is repentance?" when you read Eph 1:7-9 KJV In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace ?
Of course, the principle of not mentioning something in a particular Bible passage can never give you a valid ground to conclude that something is not necessary at all. Repentance and forgiveness of sins are always linked and together even though, sometimes, only one of them is mentioned explicitly in a Bible passage. Hence, you cannot conclude that the Ten Commandments were the main culprit which brought death just because there was no mention of death before the commandments were given too.
Will you still ask, "Where, where is the sound doctrine which teaches us?" and quote from Tit 2:11-12 KJV For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, (12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
I will tell them, Did you read the top of the chapter before you conclude that only grace can teach; and not sound doctrine? Tit 2:1-3 KJV  But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:  (2)  That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith ..
Sometimes, you could not find it because you did not read your Bible diligently. Sometimes, you could not see it because you simply could not see with common sense.

True repentance is a must for all the true believers of Jesus Christ
Hence, the Bible is very clear about the repentance which can save us. It must be the repentance with the fruits of repentance or turning away from sin. If the repentance has fruit of repentance, it has turning away from sins or the intention to turn away from sin:
1. True repentance is not just good works (or doing good works); it is an attitude or change of mind which must think of (have the intention of) doing good or doing God's works too
2. True repentance is not just a change of mind to believe, to think of our salvation, or to have good opinion of God only; it is a determined mind with the intention and will to keep His words, do righteousness, and live a holy, glorious, and acceptable life for Christ, not only in this present world but also in the kingdom of God that is to come, and we the believers will all do the same with the same mind until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and even forever more eternally, and amen and amen ..

2 Corinthians 5:15  And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Jesus did not only die to pay for our sins and redeem us; He died so that we might live worthily for Him too. Hence, true repentance is not just a change of mind to believe, to think of our salvation, or to have good opinion of God only; it is a determined mind and will to repent, turn away from sin, and live for Him.

Rom 12:1-3 KJV  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  (2)  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  (3)  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Eph 5:9-17 KJV  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)  (10)  Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.  (11)  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. .. (15)  See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,  (16)  Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  (17)  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

1Pe 2:20-22 KJV  For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  (21)  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:  (22)  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

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K128. Did Jesus teach us who is the real enemy? Is it law or is it grace?

Many have preached that law is a person or grace is a person. Some may even go in great length to say that law is an 'enemy'. I will answer them, Yes, I have a story about law as a person and grace as a person too; but they can never be our enemies. They are our allies (or schoolmasters - see Gal 3:24,25). And they look at each other as their allies too. It means that 'law' and 'grace' could fight together as allies and they may both have a common enemy (lawlessness). But before I will share with you my story about them as a people or allies later at the end of this post, we will now explore more from the Bible and know what the Lord will say about law and grace.

Did Jesus tell us to hate law and love grace, or vice versa? No, Jesus did tell us that we cannot serve two masters (together): God and mammon. He did tell us to choose between God and mammon; but He did not tell us to choose between God's law and God's grace. What does it mean? It means God and Mammon or God and idols are mutually exclusive; but law and grace are not. Men or sinners must all know the law of God to appreciate grace; but lawless men will just want to 'enjoy' grace without knowing any law (often end up thinking of grace without turning away from sin).
If we are not the dummies who never read the Bible, we should know that Paul did not tell us to hate the law and love grace too. Yes, he did say that we, the Gentiles, are not under the law to do the laws of the Jews or the law of Moses, but Paul would still say that we are still under the law of the New Covenant or the law of Christ to do the laws of God too:
1Co 9:21 KJV  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
Yes, Paul did tell us (in Gal 3:10, 13) that we are redeemed from the curse of the law (of the old covenant); but he did not say that we are totally redeemed from all the law of God under the new covenant:
Heb 10:16-31 KJV  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them ..  ..  (20) By a new and living way .. (23)  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith .. .. (24) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works .. .. (26)  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins ..  (28) He that despised Moses' law died without mercy.. (29) Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  (30)  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.  (31)  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Many believers would just want to read only Heb 10:16 and think that that is the New Covenant. But do we know that ALL the Bible verses in Heb 10:16-31 are about the New Covenant too? God's words show us that the New Covenant has God's laws and judgement for His people too !
   
The real enemy or real problem will reveal itself in the last days
Hence, we do not go around and preach a grace revolution or grace based gospel which teaches the people to hate law and love grace. We do not preach law vs grace. The real issue is not law, grace, or the mixture. The real enemy is certainly not the law and grace of God. I will show you later why law, grace, and the mixture are not our real problem today.
But, if law and grace are not our enemy, who is the real enemy whom Jesus and Paul preached strongly against? No prize for guessing it correctly - The answer is lawlessness. It could be a 'faceless' enemy regardless of whether 'he' is a real person or not. Law is from God; but lawlessness is from Satan.
Mat 7:23 LITV  And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; "depart from Me, those working lawlessness!"
2Th 2:7 LITV  For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it comes out of the midst.

Law can never be our real enemy or problem
Now, why do I say that law can never be our enemy? Before I reason with more Bible verses, common sense again: What is lawlessness? Isn't it the absence of law? Hence, if the absence of law will cause lawlessness, chaos, or confusion which is our real enemy, it is quite impossible for law and order to be our enemy, especially if the law and order is based on the law of God.
If we read the Bible, we should know that one of the characteristics or attributes of God is love. Hence, if God is love, His law or command for us to love or to do good can never be wrong. But, the absence of His law or command to love will bring godlessness, lawlessness, or hypocrisy. Hence, how can law, if it is from the law of God, be our enemy?
Many may argue, "But why are there times when the Bible 'seems' to tell us that law is evil, law is from the Pharisees, law is hypocritical, and law is our enemy? Why did Paul tell us to turn away from the law?"
I will tell them, WHAT? NO MORE LAW? Did you read your Bible?
Who is the real culprit or the real enemy? Ironically, many lawless men will come in the end time and preach 'secretly' in our churches that law or something else is the main culprit when they themselves are the 'secret' culprits. Law can only become the enemy when lawlessness comes into our churches secretly or when lawless men secretly turn the virtue of God's laws in our churches to work for themselves or for their own selfish desires. For example, the law to love and give is a good law which should benefit everybody as there will be equal sharing and noble sharing of tangible things as well as intangible things. However, if this law falls into the hands of the lawless men, it can be turned into something which works only for the lawless or the ungodly. The law may still be the same law to love and give but it may become something evil because of its use by the lawless men or selfish Pharisees who used it to do their lawlessness. This has happened to God's laws in the Old Testament. It will happen again in the New Testament:
Mat 7:22-23 LITV  Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many works of power?  (23)  And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; "depart from Me, those working lawlessness!"
Hence, strictly speaking, law is good, but there are circumstances when law becomes evil simply because of lawlessness or lawless men, but the real enemy is not law. Hence, it is unjust to say that law or any law is our enemy, especially if it is God's law. Hence, if we must judge to set the  innocent people free, we do not judge the law; we judge lawlessness or the lawless men who turn the law of God to their own advantage or to benefit their own selfish desires.
Many will still argue, "No, we do not judge anyone or anything. We judge nothing. So, we are more gracious than those who always judge." Many preachers are thinking that, if they judge nothing, they would not be judged. But, unknowingly they have judged.
I will tell them, "Do you know that you have already judged by taking the irresponsible position to judge nothing. If you know that there are lawlessness or lawless ones in your churches and you choose to judge nothing, you have judged yourselves or judge the law. Do you know that it is impossible for God's preachers not to judge? If all God's preachers choose to say nothing about the evil or the wicked, how can they still be God's preachers? They would all become motivational speakers. However, God's preachers must know how to judge. If they have problem judging, they should at least pray that they will learn how to judge rightly according to the words of God.
Many will still argue, "But Jesus told us that if we judge, we will be judged. We should not judge (Mat 7:1-3); otherwise we judge the law (Jas 4:11)".
I will tell them, Please read your Bible again, especially if you are the preachers. Jesus did not say that you should not judge at all, even if you see wickedness or lawlessness. Jesus did not want us to judge our fellow preachers or the godly people with the 'wrong lenses' or 'blocked vision':
Mat 7:1-3 KJV  Judge not, that ye be not judged.  (2)  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  (3)  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
Besides, what's wrong if we were judged? If we are responsible preachers and we judge rightly, we will be judged rightly too. Hence, true God's preacher are not afraid to judge anyone and be judged by anyone. God's preachers can never be cowards who would just want to 'play safe', 'act cool', and judge nothing in front of all wicked people or wickedness.
I will tell them, You quoted Jas 4:11 and said that you have not judged the law. But do you know that you have judged the law when you spoke evil of His law, refused to judge your fellow brothers justly, or falsely accuse all the godly who keep His law?
Jas 4:11-17 KJV  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge .. .. (16)  But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.  (17)  Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
Do you know that you have judged the law when you take the 'sit-on-the-fence' position not to judge anything or any wickedness too? When you are supposed to judge as God's preachers, and yet you do not judge, you have indeed judged the law of God (as void or irrelevant to the people). You have sinned (v17) or judged like the Pharisees who would never be the doer of the law:
Mar 7:11-13 KJV  But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.  (12)  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;  (13)  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
I will tell them one more thing, Did you read Jas 4:16 above? Do you rejoice in your boasting and become proud of your own lawless preaching, lawless revolution, or lawless philosophy? Trust James, he said that "all such rejoicing is evil". When he said "evil", it means "evil".

Grace can never be our real enemy or problem too
Of course, I do not have to say much to convince you that grace is not our enemy too. Grace is not our enemy not because it is God; but because it is a gift of God. If it is a gift of God, we do not worship it; we just receive it. Like law, it can be an enemy only when the lawless one turns it into lasciviousness or something to tempt the people. Yes, I would say that law and grace, including any gifts of God, can be turned into something which 'seems' evil and cause the people to fall. Hence, it is unjust to say that grace or any grace is our enemy too.

Mixture of law and grace may not our real enemy too
Many may ask me, "If both the law and the grace of God are not your enemies, who is your real enemy? Isn't the mixture of law and grace the real enemy because Jesus condemned or judged the lukewarm people who are neither hot nor cold? "
I will tell them, The lukewarm believers or churches were judged not because they had the mixture of law and grace; but because they had lukewarm behaviour. I had explain it in my previous posts, so I do not wish to repeat it here.
Many will press on and say, "However, what is the real problem in our churches today? Who are the real enemies? If those who preach the law of God and those who preach grace are not the real enemies, who are the real enemies?"
I will tell them, I have already quoted the Bible verses which show clearly that lawlessness is the real culprit earlier on. I will show you a simple illustration or metaphor about the law, grace, and the mixture as three parties or persons and how we should understand why many things which we see today are not caused by what seems to appear on the surface. We have to explore further to find out who is the real culprit or enemy. I am going to tell a story below but please take note that this is just a hypothetical case or a metaphor which describes a real situation:

Law, grace, mixture, and the enemy - who is the real culprit?
If 'grace' or 'wisdom' is a person (not God), we may say that the 'law' and the 'mixture' could be the other two persons too.
Hence, in the kingdom of God somewhere in time and space, there was a 'nation' where the 'laws' and 'graces' were living together. They were the two major 'races' in the kingdom of God:
1. one 'race' was under the law with the people like Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Samuel, David, Daniel, Jeremiah,  .., and Malachi (who were mostly trained under the local schoolmasters)
2. another 'race' was under grace with the people like Matthew, Luke, Mark, John, Peter, Acts, Jude, Timothy .. (they were mostly educated young adults who migrated from other nations)
They were all recognized as the 'citizen' of the kingdom of God, not based on 'race', but based on grace. Since they had been living together for ages, they multiplied and had many 'descendants' who are called 'sound doctrines'. However, their descendants were always ridiculed as the 'mixture' by the people outside the nation.
The people of the nation seemed to be able to live peaceably with one another for a long time, until one fine day a riot broke out. The people in both sides or both 'races' started to become suspicious of one another. The older 'race' who had stayed longer in the nation started to think that the younger 'race' had not been doing enough to save their children who died in the riot. Similarly, the younger 'race' started to think that the older 'race' was judgemental and were the trouble-makers who would like to find faults with others. The suspicion between both races escalated until someone stepped out and pointed out that what they both saw was false. The truth was: someone from outside the nation came in secretly to instigate and do great damage to the unity of both 'races'. It turned out that the real enemy was not from within their 'races'; but from outside the nation.
Does this story or illustration sound familiar to you? Yes, this is my story adapted from a recent movie which I watched together with my wife - the name of that movie was '1965' . It was a non-Christian production with a small cast from a small nation, but it has a great story which unfolds its historical event and teaches us to keep calm and think soberly even in the midst of conflicts, revolutions, and riots. After watching the movie, we should know why it is so important to know the real enemy and not to do wild guesses or speculations. My wife watched and cried like a baby; but I watched and realised the seriousness of being fooled by a 'faceless enemy' (which happened to be lawlessness also in this story or event).
Please watch the movie if you can, and you will understand why I use this metaphor or story to describe the real situation in our churches today. Yes, it may be good to become spiritual about many things in our churches or real life; but not to the extent of becoming 'hyper spiritual' or doing things at the expense of sound thinking and sound judgement. When we are too hyper (radical) in our own thinking or judgement, we may become blind to the schemes, sabotage, and manipulation of our real enemy in our physical world, as well as our spiritual world. So, beware. 

'Law' and 'grace' were two 'people' who lived peaceably until ..
Many may still argue and say, "Your crazy story or illustration is not real. Hence, it is not applicable to us. It does not teach us anything."
I will tell them, Of course, my story is not real; but it is not crazy. It will show real people how to treasure their law and order during peaceful time and also teach them how to keep calm and think soberly in the midst of conflicts, revolutions, and riots.
Yes, my story is certainly not about the real people; it is about doctrine, testaments, or covenants - the New and the Old. They have been staying together as one 'nation' or one 'people' (one  Bible) for ages and even centuries, peaceably, and nobody could separate them. However, recently, there is a new doctrine or revolution (ironically, it is from the 'old enemy'). It is an 'easy-believism' which will breakdown the 'multi-racialism' and cause many 'conflicts, revolutions, and riots' in the teaching of God's doctrine today. Many knew that 'he' was a new doctrine or a 'new visitor' but no one knew that 'he' was an 'enemy' until very recently. A thorough check on 'his' background has shown that he is the 'mysterious intruder' which may cause even more harm to the 'races' ('law' and 'grace') in the kingdom of God. Hence, how my story will continue from here now will depend on how well the 'races' ('law' and 'grace') and the descendants of the 'races' (the doctrine) will respond to the warning about this 'real enemy' who will come against the kingdom of God:
2Th 2:5-12 LITV  Do you not remember that I told you these things, I yet being with you?  (6)  And now you know the thing holding back, for him to be revealed in his time.  (7)  For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it comes out of the midst.  (8)  And then "the Lawless One" will be revealed, "whom" "the Lord" "will consume" "by the spirit of His mouth," and will bring to nought by the brightness of His presence. Isa. 11:4  (9)  His coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and miraculous signs and lying wonders,  (10)  and in all deceit of unrighteousness in those being lost, because they did not receive the love of the truth in order for them to be saved.  (11)  And because of this, God will send to them a working of error, for them to believe the lie,  (12)  that all may be judged, those not believing the truth, but who have delighted in unrighteousness.
Hence, I am pretty sure that 'lawlessness' or 'the lawless one' is not a physical enemy; but a 'faceless' enemy or spirit which will haunt all the people or 'races' in the kingdom of God.

How do we settle conflicts when there seems to be differences in two schools of thoughts?
We don't add 'fuels' to flame it; but we resolve it by drawing reasons objectively from both sides and showing what the Bible has got to say about the issue. Basically, there are two approaches when there seems to be conflicts in the Bible verses and explanations on something that is fundamentally important to our Christian belief eg. salvation:
1. Radical approach - The people who teach with the radical approach (or 'hyper' approach) will say that we must adopt only one approach or their approach; for example, when the Bible says that we will be saved,
1. if we repent in Acts 2:38, and
2. if we will confess with our mouth in Rom 10:9,
Now guess which approach the radical people will adopt? Of course, It is very likely their radical approach which will tell the people to just confess with their mouth only as this approach will appeal to the most people
2. Balanced approach - However, I like to adopt a more 'balanced' approach, i.e. we are saved
1. if we repent AND
2. if we confess with our mouth according to the words of God.
I will never tell people to just confess it and full stop. If we study the words of God diligently, 'repentance' and 'confession' are NOT two mutually exclusive words in the Bible. They are always together even though sometimes only one is mentioned explicitly in a passage; but the context would clearly indicate that both are present. Many argue that 1 John 1:9 mentioned about confessing of sins only and therefore it is not applicable to the believers. However, it is actually about repentance too. If repentance is for everyone, how can we say that 1 John 1:9 is for only a certain group of sinners or believers outside our churches. Hence, it is time for us to know and teach why doctrine can still be very important in our churches even though it does not save us.

In the end time, believers will still fight over 'Repentance' and 'grace'
Now common sense again, can we split repentance and forgiveness, and preach them separately? Can we preach one without the other? No, the gospel would be incomplete if there is only repentance, or only forgiveness. If we deliberately or radically preach an incomplete gospel for our popularity, prosperity, philosophical argument, or other hidden motives, we become the false prophets. 
In the last days, many will take the radical approach. They will fight and argue on many things. They will preach 'repentance vs grace (forgiveness)'. Like the people who argue and preach 'law vs grace', they will just want to argue with God's preachers who keep the commandments of God and Jesus Christ. Some preachers find that arguing and finding fault with others and with God's laws or God's principles will give them the cutting edge to elevate themselves so that they can accuse those who do not preach radically or 'purely' like them. They may claim that they are the 'pure' preachers or the only preachers who can preach right believing. Hence, they will 'smite' others with their hyper views, misleading doctrine, twisted interpretation, manipulative words, and crafty accusation, and finally pass secret judgement or biased judgement against those who do not preach like them.
Mat 24:40-51 KJV  Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  (41)  Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  (42)  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.  .. .. (48)  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;  (49)  And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;  (50)  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,  (51)  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
However, the Lord has spoken clearly that the worst servant is the evil servant who smite the godly servants and then cowardly take side (or identify themselves) with the ungodly or the majority. I believe that this could be one type of 'lukewarm' behaviours which will become very prominent in the churches of the last days (Rev 3:14-22).
In that day, many preachers or servants of God will argue and deny that repentance, law, grace, and doctrine are all important to us. Yes, many can argue convincingly and say anything they like, but have they checked their Bible and find out what Jesus said?
1. Many may argue, "We do repent daily but repentance is not something which can save us!"
2. They may say, "We receive grace daily but grace is not something which can save us!"
3. They may even say, "Jesus is the only one who can really save us because nothing else can save us"
4. They can say many things which can save them ...
But, all these are not important. They are just their sayings. What is important is: What will Jesus say in that day? He says that our fruits will tell (Mat 7:15-24). Our fruits will tell whether we are saved.
Mat 7:20-23 KJV  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  (21)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Many have denied themselves the true repentance by thinking that they have already believed or that they are too righteous to repent
Hence, some believers or preachers do not only need to just believe more or repent like the prodigal son; they need to do more. They need to repent from their hypocrisy, pride, selfishness, lawlessness, or wicked ways. I believe that Jesus would not just want the lukewarm to change their minds and believe only. He commanded the lukewarm to wake up and repent; or else they would perish. Hence, repentance to the lukewarm people must involve turning away from their wicked ways. Hence, we can never be saved by keep confessing that we are better than them or we are more righteous than them. Jesus would still want those who think that they can never fall to repent from their pride and their self-righteousness too:
Luk 13:2-3 KJV  And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?  (3)  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
If even Peter, one of His most faithful disciples, could fall and Jesus would still want him to learn the humble lesson not to boast about himself, who are we to tell others that we can never fall?
Mar 14:29-31 KJV  But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.  (30)  And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.  (31)  But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

The spirits of frog, lukewarmness, and lawlessness will start to flow into the West when that 'river' is dried up (by corrupted doctrine)
Rev 16:12-14 KJV  And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates (Asia); and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.  (13)  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.  (14)  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Did we read God's clear warning? The spirits of the 'frogs' from the river Euphrates or the East will rise after the river which divides the East from the West is dried up. This is certainly an end time event because only the spirits of Satan, the beast, and the false prophets are powerful enough to muster such a huge attack on God's people. The spirits of corruption must flow into the 'mainstream' first before they could turn many other countries into a lawless kingdom and influence their lawmakers or governments to depart from God's laws, legalize their abortion of babies, and justify all their lawless people who 'marry' or live like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. When we start to see it happening in our own country, we are not far from the countdown for the end time.
Many will argue vehemently that they can never be filled with the spirits of the frogs or lawlessness because they have never said anything against God's laws. However, by saying nothing, preaching nothing, or sitting on the fence in such a time as this, they have not only denied the law of God; they have denied Jesus Christ too. Jesus will spue them out of His mouth (Rev 3:16) because they could be the people or preachers who could do something in such a time as this; but they chose to say nothing, do nothing, sit on the fence, and become lukewarm. Mordecai did warn Esther that she must not behave or act like the hot and cold people; or else she and her household would likewise perish:
Est 4:13-14 KJV  Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.  (14)  For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

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K127. If we are saved under grace, are we 'forever saved' (even if we do not do anything)? (2)

Yes, we are saved by grace through faith; but not just any kind of faith or any right believing only. But what is true faith? True faith must come by the hearing of God's words, and hearing of God's words is by the hearing the Word through Jesus Christ. Hearing the Word or hearing Jesus is not just to believe and do nothing; it is to hear AND do (Mat 13:18-23). If we do it (Mat 7:15-23 and Luk 6:46-47), we are truly saved by grace through faith. In another words, we are saved by grace and true faith. Otherwise, we are like that house on the sinking sand,  which is not 'forever saved'. But, if our house is built on the rock or foundation which is forever, we are truly forever saved.

I have 'touched' briefly on the 'frogs' in my previous post K126. But today I want to 'chew' a little bit more on it. I must say that I love frogs. Frogs are cute little creatures which are ecological friendly to our physical environment. However, the spirit of the frogs is an abomination to the kingdom of God and churches:
Rev 16:13-15 KJV  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.  (14)  For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.  (15)  Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

What are those unclean spirits like the frogs?
What are the 'three unclean spirits like the frogs' in Revelation 16? I may not have the most accurate theological answer about the spirits, but I do know that they are the spirits of antiChrist which will rise against the kingdom of God or the words of God in the last days. They may rise in the form of lawlessness, blindness, or nakedness. I believe that the root problem of many churches today is not unrighteousness; but lawlessness or the lost of their garments in the last days. That problem will certainly lead to more blindness and nakedness in the churches. Hence, when the 'frogs' start to 'croak' or appear in our churches, we can say that we are almost at the final stage of lawlessness where blindness and nakedness could be most prominent in the past church history. Many believers may literally think like the 'frogs' or think that they are GREAT in their own 'wells'. But, they do not know that that is not well.
Hence, when John saw the 'frogs' coming, he wrote that Jesus was coming like a thief soon (Rev 16:15); when we see the 'frogs' coming, we should know that Jesus is coming soon too. Why do I say that our churches could be in the 'wells', in bad shape, or in blindness? Why didn't I just say that the world OUTSIDE is in bad shape? It is because I do not want to be a frog under the well, and think that we are well, and give the false impression that we can never be affected by what is happening in other 'wells' or other churches. If our churches would just think like a frog under a 'well' and do nothing, sooner or later the contamination in other 'wells' will come into our 'wells'. Other believers or 'frogs' will just creep into our churches secretly, drawing away our members and corrupting our sound doctrine. If we think like the 'frogs', preach like the 'frogs', or accept the 'frog' mentality, we would soon be taken over by the 'frogs' one day.

What is the 'frog' mentality?
Jud 1:4-5 KJV  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.  (5)  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
'Frog' mentality is a philosophy or thinking of self. It is the selfish thinking of our own self or our own well being without being aware of the danger and warning of ungodliness preached or practised by other men or other churches surrounding us. Many do not have the law of God or keep the law of God. Hence, they will just define evil or good simply based on the virtue of their own intellectual understanding or Gnostic belief (The Gnostic people are the hyper spiritual believers who claim to follow Jesus, but it is known that they do not teach the truth. They could be so hyper idealistic about their faith or right believing that they may believe like the hyper grace people too. You may want to know more about them in this website: http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-gnosticism.html)
However, when we warn the churches about them, we are not trying to be condemning or critical; instead, we are just doing like Jude who put the churches in remembrance, that God could save anyone (by grace) and God can destroy anyone (whom He saved by grace) too. God can destroy anyone, including the true believers, Gnostic believers, or agnostic believers. If any of them turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness, they would have denied Jesus Christ. In another words, if we do not deny our Lord Jesus Christ, we must keep the grace of our God under self-control, sound mind (sound doctrine), and godly principle; or else we deny our Lord Jesus Christ too:
Jud 1:4-5 KJV  For there are certain men  crept in unawares .. .. ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Ti 1:7 KJV  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2Ti 1:7 LITV  For God did not give a spirit of cowardice to us, but of power and of love and of self-control.
Now, we must think again (yes, common sense again), Can any ungodly men from the outside world force their ways into or storm into our churches and turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness overnight? No, impossible; the ungodly men outside the churches can only turn the grace of their gods (outside) into licentiousness, but the ungodly men inside our churches can certainly change the grace of our God before we can realise it. Sadly, many of us realise it now only after the ungodly men within us have started to teach or preach in our churches. The ungodly men in our churches have convinced many that they are the true believers who know the grace of our God; but unknowingly they are the 'grace 'corruptors' or the 'frogs'.
Now, common sense again, What do the ungodly men or the 'frogs' like the most WHEN THEY ARE IN OUR CHURCHES? Of course, they like it when the Holy Spirit cannot convict them of their sins ! Does it ring a bell now? Of course, they LOVE the series of teaching which tells them that "God cannot judge", "God has no more law for them", "God would never want them to confess any sin", "God would treat them as the righteous no matter how they sin in the past, present, and future", "God would only want them to know repentance as just changing of their minds", "God would only want them to repent like the sheep and do nothing", "God cannot be angry with them", and "The Holy Spirit cannot convict them of any sin". Why? It is because when the Holy Spirit cannot convict them of their sins, none of God's preachers in the churches can convict them of any sin too, and this would give them all the confidence, platforms, and supports from the people in the churches (including the pulpits) to promote all their lawlessness, blindness, and nakedness within the churches.
Of course, it is still ridiculous to say that God cannot convict the true believers too. If Paul or even if a saint could be convicted of his sins or be convicted of being a sinner after he believed, why can't the Holy Spirit convict us after we sinned too?
1Ti 1:15-16 KJV  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.  (16)  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering..
Rom 5:8 KJV  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Gal 2:17 KJV  But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

Who are the ungodly men in Jude's warning?
Please think again, When Jude said 'certain men or ungodly men crept in unawares ..', who are the ungodly men? Did he say that they are the terrorists, the adulterers, the conmen, the thieves, the murderers, or the wicked men? Of course, we do not deny that they are the ungodly men or unrighteous men. However, Jude was not talking about them. The ungodly men could be anyone or any preacher who live a decent life like a law preacher, a Pharisee, a hypocrite, or a grace preacher too; but God would still think that he is ungodly. So who are the ungodly men or the 'frogs' who can secretly creep in and turn the grace of our God into something else? They can never be the people from the world outside; they can be anyone who preach or teach in our churches. In another words, they can be anyone inside our churches who do not have the spirit of godliness and yet they can preach like God's preachers. Hence, we must know how to identify those who preach godliness and those who do not, especially in the last days:
1Ti 4:5-8 KJV  For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.  (6)  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.  (7)  But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.  (8)  For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
1Ti 6:3-11 KJV  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;  (4)  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,  (5)  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.  (6)  But godliness with contentment is great gain .. (10) For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  (11)  But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2Ti 3:5 KJV Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Tit 1:1 KJV Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
1Ti 3:16 KJV  And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
If we know the mystery of godliness, do we know that the opposite of godliness is lawlessness, and lawlessness is the deceit of unrighteousness?
2Th 2:7-10 LITV  For the mystery of lawlessness already is working, only he is holding back now, until it comes out of the midst.  (8)  And then "the Lawless One" will be revealed, "whom" "the Lord" "will consume" "by the spirit of His mouth," and will bring to nought by the brightness of His presence. (9) His coming is according to the working of Satan in all power and miraculous signs and lying wonders,  (10)  and in all deceit of unrighteousness in those being lost, because they did not receive the love of the truth in order for them to be saved.
We know that Jesus loves the sinners; but do we know that Jesus hates lawlessness? If we still preach lawlessness or ungodliness, do we think that He will still love us?
Heb 1:8-10 LITV  but as to the Son, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom;  (9)  You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; because of this God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness beside Your fellows." (10)  And, "You, Lord, at the beginning founded the earth, and the heavens are works of Your hands.
Hence, today we do not want to hate the ungodly men; but if the ungodly men have crept in unawares, we tell them to get out, unless they repent. We would still tell them what they do not like to hear: repentance, 'sin no more', and 'there is still grace if they can still humble themselves before God'. Please think, If ungodly men had crept into the early churches including Corinthians', Paul's, Jude's, and Jame's churches, who are we to boast or guarantee that there can never be any ungodly men in our churches today ???
Jas 4:4-10 KJV  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.  (5)  Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?  (6)  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  (7)  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  (8)  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  (9)  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.  (10)  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
We would not tell our church members that any ungodly men who will just confess or believe is a true believer too. It is also ridiculous to preach that, since we are the true believers, and since the warning is not applicable to the true believers, it is not applicable to us, and therefore, we can just ignore Jude's warning, Jame's warning, or all God's warnings (and sleep or live like the frogs?)

The ungodly men would never teach (and judge) godliness according to the words of God
Have we heard of the ungodly men who keep arguing with God's preachers that they don't care or think about seeking godliness or holiness; but they would think about Jesus only or think about Him effortlessly and radically (without thinking of doing anything)? Yes, I have heard of them who are teaching all our churches today that ANY effort to repent and do good is self-effort. Some of them would even preach that ANY teaching, ANY doctrine, or ANY Bible verses which tell them to repent, to confess their sins, to turn away from their sins, to sin no more, to do good, to pursue holiness, to practise righteousness, to be godly, to be obedient, to keep God's commandments, or to judge, is legalistic teaching or self-effort teaching too. They argue that, UNLESS we preach effortlessly, radically, or graciously like them, or UNLESS we preach no more law or no more effort to obey God, or UNLESS we preach like their smiling preachers without condemning any sin, we would become judgemental like the angry preachers and put the people under the law or condemnation. But, ironically, who is really condemning?
I will tell them, We would be judgemental only if we do not know how to judge or if we do not want to judge at all. If we do not judge with the words of God, we will judge wrongly with our own human wisdom and we may judge the innocent unjustly. But, if we do not judge at all, the ungodly will judge with their false accusation and we would still be responsible for not doing anything. Hence, we must judge. We must not only judge, we must learn to judge righteously and justly.
I will tell the ungodly, Do you know that you are more condemning than others when you simply judge all others as under the law, just because they do not preach like you? So, if we have to explain to you why we must condemn ungodliness or ungodly behaviour again, please do not blame our explanation and complain that we are too judgemental in our reply to you too. Yes, we will never preach like you because we will always tell the people to repent, to confess their sins, to turn away from their sins, to sin no more, to do good, to pursue holiness, to practise righteousness, to be godly, to be obedient, to keep God's commandments, and to judge. But our teaching can never be legalistic teaching or self-effort teaching. If we have to tell the people to be obedient to God, we will simply tell them to keep the commandments of God. We do not like to twist our words, beat around the bush, make God's words of none effect, teach vague instructions, explain different meanings to different people, switch our doctrine manipulatively, sit on the fence, or preach like the 'frogs'. But, we love the law or commandment of God not only because it teaches us the righteous attributes of God; but also because it teaches the simple to know His instructions, His will, and His nature with the wisdom or the words that is beyond the wisdom of this world or the words of men:
Heb 8:10-12 KJV  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:  (11)  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.  (12)  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Many may still argue that we do not need the Holy Spirit to show us or teach us any laws. However, the Bible verses above shows us clearly that if God Himself would put His laws in us, He Himself or His Spirit would teach us His laws so well that we do not need anyone to teach us how to know Him or who He is.
Hence, we will never split the teaching of Jesus from His teaching of godliness, righteousness, holiness, and God's commandments too. In another words, when we preach Jesus, we will never stop preaching His doctrine and commandments to love, to do good, and to practise godliness, righteousness, and holiness too. Anything more, or any less, or any 'frog' which tells us do otherwise, we cast down and bring into captivity to the obedience of Christ:
2Co 10:5-7 KJV  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;  (6)  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.  (7)  Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. 

Do not preach like the 'frogs' or be like 'frogs'
Hence, 'frog' mentality or the spirit of the frogs is the opposite to the Spirit of God. It is opposite of the spirit of power, love, and self-control. It may not cause the believers or preachers to live like the devils or live with the license to sin; but it will certainly cause them to be blind to lasciviousness and wantonness practice in their churches and it will cause them to say nothing or do nothing. They will just want to preach the 'frog' mentality to themselves and others who are like them. When they choose to say nothing or do nothing about the ungodly men who have turned the grace of our God in our churches into lasciviousness and unbridled lust, they are worst than those who practise it. They are the 'lukewarm frogs'.
Rev 3:15-16 KJV  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.  (16)  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Many preachers and churches think that, by sitting on the fence, they can sit on a better position (or infallible position) to mock at the people from both sides of the fence including repentance preachers who preach strongly against sins. I will tell them, It is fine if you think that you are a grace preachers and would just want to appear gracious to everyone, especially the sinners. However, if you think that you can sit on the fence (or sit on the higher ground) to accuse more people, Jesus won't let you sit in that position and reign for too long with your 'frog' mentality, 'lukewarm' mentality, 'ding dong bell' mentality, or the hot-and-cold mentality. He will spue you out and you will fall like the humpty dumpties. Hence, frog mentality is a lukewarm mentality. It is the humpty dumpty mentality. By the way I will tell those who think that repentance is just a changing of your mind, a thinking, a philosophy, or a mentality, No, repentance is more than that. Repentance is not just a thinking, repentance is an attitude. It is an humble thinking by the sinners who are determined to come down from their fence and kneel before God to confess their sins. Naturally, they would stop criticising those who point them to repentance too. Well, we may not kneel before God and beat our chest physically; however, we must all (everyone must) have that same thinking or attitude if we will truly repent.
Luk 18:13-14 KJV  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  (14)  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
That's why Jesus said it very clearly why a person who has truly repented is a humble man; not a proud man. This is in line with our understanding of why John the Baptist would reject the Pharisees who came for the water baptism, repentance, or confession of sins too. It's because John the Baptist knew that the Pharisees would just want to treat repentance as a thinking, a confession, or a change of mind with no conviction or humility attitude in their hearts.  They thought that when they just believed and confessed like the rest of the Jews, they would have repented. But, John the Baptist saw their hypocrisy, and hence, demanded that they should do more than that:
Mat 3:6-8 KJV  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.  (7)  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  (8)  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
Hence, Christians who have the 'frog' mentality will behave like the Pharisees too. The 'frogs' may argue or show many people that they can just believe or change their minds, but God's preachers are not convinced that they will truly repent. The 'frogs' may accuse God's preachers for preaching too strongly against sins or condemning sins .., but God's preachers could be doing the right thing !

God can save anyone by grace; God can destroy anyone who are saved by grace too
Now let's go back to the top when I asked the question, "If we are saved by grace, are we forever saved or irrevocably saved". Many may still  wonder why do I talk about the frogs or the lukewarm here. I will tell them, Yes, I talk about the frogs and the lukewarm here because they can still be saved by grace too, and if they will rebel again, they can still be destroyed (after they are saved by grace) too:
Jud 1:5 KJV I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Rev 3:15-19 KJV  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot ..  (19)  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Obviously, Jesus still loved them and still wanted to give them the grace to repent even though they might have already received grace before they became the frogs or the lukewarm believers. We cannot deny that the frogs and the lukewarm could have received grace and can still be saved by grace (if they repent) and they can still be destroyed (if they rebel) after they have received grace too. Hence, if God can still save the frogs and the lukewarm by grace; God can still destroy them or anyone after they have received grace too.
Many argue that those who have truly received grace can never be rejected by God. I will tell them, The frogs and the lukewarm believers are some of the examples of those who had received grace and yet they were rejected by God. Do you know that the Bible has warned us with many examples of those who received grace and yet they were rejected by God too?
Mat 18:31-34 KJV  So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.  (32)  Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:  (33)  Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?  (34)  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
Mat 22:11-13 KJV  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:  (12)  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.  (13)  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
The wedding guest above received grace to attend the wedding too, but he was still rejected in the end. Hence, God can save the ungodly or the stiffnecked people by grace, God can reject them if they turn against Him again:
Jud 1:4-5 KJV  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.  (5)  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Do you notice that God could save the Jews out of the land of Egypt and destroy them that believed not? Do you know that God could show grace to anyone and He could still destroy them after that? King Saul was an example.

God gave grace and commandments to His people under the Old Covenant
I have said (in K126) that eternal life is always given by God with His commandments:
1. He gave Adam life + a command. Gen 2:15-17 KJV  And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.  (16)  And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  (17)  But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
2. He gave the Israelites the promised land + the Ten Commandments. He also gave king Saul the kingdom + a commandment too: 1Sa 15:24-25 KJV  And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.  (25)  Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.
3. He gave us Jesus + a command too: Mat 17:5 KJV  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
4. Even Jesus give us the Holy Spirit + His commandments: Joh 15:10-26 KJV  If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love... (26) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father ..
Joh 17:7-8 KJV  Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.  (8)  For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; ..

God will give grace and commandments to the believers under the New Covenant too
Do you notice that God gave grace to the Jews and everyone including the Gentile sinners; but He gave His commandments only to His people? Yes, we have read the Bible verses that Adam, King Saul, the Jews, and many people may receive grace from God; but if they reject God's commandments, grace cannot save them.
Yes, we may say that we are the believers who have received grace. We may even argue that we are under grace. But, if we reject God's commandments, who can save us? Can Grace or Jesus still save us? No, no one can save us if we reject God's commandments.
Hence, we can understand why many lukewarm believers today would love to argue that they have no more law or commandment. It is because, if they have no more law or commandments, they can argue that there is nothing else which they must do or obey in their walk with God, and therefore, there is nothing else which can take away their eternal security even if they rebel, disobey God, do nothing, or live with their 'frog' mentality to take care of themselves only.

God's warning or command is mainly for the believers; not the sinners in the world outside
But many would still argue, "No, no, no, those fallen people who received grace and still fell were not the true believers. Adam and king Saul were not under grace. They were not true believers. Hence, they fell. The seven churches in Revelation 2-3 were not the true believers, hence, they were the lukewarm believers, including the false prophets in Mat 7:15-23, the tares in Mat 13:24-30, the willful sinners in Heb 10:26-29. How about Ananias and Sapphira? Oh, we can never be them and they can never be us too. It's because they were not the true believers. They were not under grace. That's why they are not saved. Oh, yah, of course, I can remember Simon the sorcerer who believed and was baptised by Philip. Simon was not a true believer; he could be an agnostic believer, and therefore, he would still need to repent and confess his sins according to 1 John 1:9 .. But, please do not use their examples to tell us how to confess our sins and keep God's commandments. We are not the agnostic believers; we are the true believers under grace. We hear only grace (Jesus); not commandments, warnings and condemnation, and hence, we do not confess sins according to 1 John 1:9. We can never sin, fall, or lose our salvation .. we do not need to hear all those warnings (or condemnations about others) to live our life under grace. If we stay in grace, hear grace, hear only the goodnews, and hear nothing evil, we are well."
I will tell them, You are not well; you are under the well. You are not under grace; you are under hyper grace. You are not just a believer; you are a hyper spiritual believer. Hence, you hear only grace; not Jesus. You think that everyone is not true believer; except you yourselves or your people in your own little 'well'.

King Saul was a believer; if he could fall, he could be a warning to us
Do you know that king Saul was a believer? He believed God probably more than some of us. He was anointed. And he prophesied. We may now criticise him as a total failure or an agnostic believer, but do we know that he was chosen among the finest men in the whole country? If king Saul was not a believer who believed God, there was probably no believer in the whole world or whole Israel to be chosen by God too.
1Sa 9:21 KJV  And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? .. 1Sa 10:1-24 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to be captain over his inheritance? (6) And the Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with them, and shalt be turned into another man.  (7)  And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee .. (9) And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.  (10)  And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them .. .. (23) And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and upward.  (24)  And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the people shouted, and said, God save the king.

Whether we are the true believers or not, God's warnings and commandments are still for us
King Saul fell not because he was not a grace believer or a true believer but because of something else which I will not want to explore here. But, it is suffice to say here that his fall should be a good warning or a valid red alert to all of us who are the believers. Hence, Jude would put us in remembrance of God's warning too (Jud 1:4-5)?
I will ask the hyper grace people, Do you think that only your churches have true believers? Are all of you true believers? If we assume that your churches are mostly true believers or that 99% of you are true believers, you still have 1% who still need to hear the gospel of repentance or God's warnings. Will you deny even one lost sheep?
Luk 15:4-10 KJV  What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? .. .. (10) Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Please think, If Jesus would go all the way to save even one lost sheep (and that lost sheep could be you and me), how much more we should give God's warning or God's command to repent to those who need to hear it? Have we done it? If we need to give an account to the Lord 'in that day', would we be shocked to find out that we had more ungodly men or lost sheep than we thought; but we did nothing to warn them? We might do many wonderful works for the Lord. We might argue that we had preached many positive words. We might preach righteousness marvellously, we might preach peace fantastically, we might do this and that .. but have we preached any warning, any commandment, or any confession of sins for those who may need to hear it? We might preach the name of the Lord beautifully and argue convincingly that the Lord Himself would bring all the sinners to God automatically, but have we obeyed His commandment to preach what He commanded us to preach instead of what we want to preach?
Mat 28:19-20 KJV  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:  (20)  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mar 6:10-12 KJV  And he said unto them, ..  (11)  And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.  (12)  And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
If we preach only what we think or what other people like, we preach only our own words or positive words; not truly the words of God. The words of God always have the preaching of God's warning, God's commandment, God's doctrine, and repentance. However, if we always change our thinking, always metanoia, always change our minds, always reason with our own thinking, always contradict, always mislead, and rebel, we have not preached the words of God. If we have not preached the words of God, we have not done the will of God. If we have not done the will of God, we have become the false prophets who try to preach like God's preachers.
Mat 7:15-24 KJV Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (16) Ye shall know them by their fruits .. (21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  (24)  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
If we are called to preach the word of God and we refuse to preach it honestly because of our lawless motives later, we can certainly change from being a God's preacher to a false prophet. King Saul was a clear example of how a God's anointed man who was one of the best among God's race (1Sa 10:24) became a wicked men. King Saul might have tried to prophesy a number of times like before, but after he rebelled against God's commandment, God's Spirit left him:
1Sa 15:24 KJV  And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
1Sa 18:10 KJV  And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul's hand.
Of course, if we really have a King or Prince who feeds us with God's words today, we do hope that he will never fall. But, if he behaves like King Saul, no one can help him or save him.

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