Thieves

 If you’re not home, does it matter whether the thief comes in the day or at night? A thief will do what a thief will do, whether it’s light out or not, as long as he gets the opportunity to do it. If Jesus is coming as a thief in the night, it likely means He’ll find a lot more people than one might think sleeping, not watching, and not being prepared for the eventuality of His return.

Yes, it’s a strange thing to think about, but that’s how my mind works, and the specificity of the comparison was always one that got my wheels turning. Why as a thief in the night? Why not just as a thief? The only insinuation that fits, that makes sense, that brings clarity to an otherwise muddled analogy is that when He comes, many will be asleep because the faux-shepherds and outright wolves managed to minimize the urgency of the hour.

That is the most heartbreaking thing of all. That though they know the Master will return, the servants will be preoccupied with other things, not having prepared for His coming, not awake and watchful for His appearing. Why would they be? They were told by those supposedly entrusted by the Master to oversee the household that it’s one big party right up until the end; then, when He returns, He’ll be so glad to see them that He’ll take them to His bosom no matter their condition.

Passed out in the koi pond wearing filthy rags and dreaming of your glory days? Come on in; Jesus is waiting. I always imagined the Master’s house would have a koi pond. It’s classy. Anyway, at some point, we will realize the full extent of the damage aberrant teachings have inflicted upon the common man, and that’s when the anger will boil up. And it won’t be that fading anger where you realize you got duped into shelling out forty bucks for the Trimmer You wellness package, guaranteed to melt off the pounds, which was just an 8x5 card that said: “eat less, exercise more!”. It will be the type of anger that will have air time because it’s not forty bucks we’re talking about here; it’s eternity.

It’s not as though we didn’t know the times we were living. It’s not as though we’re not seeing the events the Bible foretells of that will herald the last days, but rather than be sober and vigilant, we’re preoccupied with knowing what the Book tells us we were not given to know.

No man knows the day or the hour should suffice for the followers of Christ. He’s coming back! That’s all that matters. He’s coming back, and His reward is with Him to give to every one according to their work. That we do the work should be the focus because He’s keeping track of how much we do and whether or not we do it according to His instructions.

When He returns, it will be with ledger in hand, and you’ll get paid for every hour you put in. That’s what He said. What other people say varies, but I’m still going to go with Jesus on this one.

Revelation 22:12-14, “And behold I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.”

First, Jesus tells us that He’s coming back and what He’s bringing, then details His credentials, so all who read His words might understand why He isn’t just making empty promises or why, though He might want to, He will be unable to follow through.

He can return, He can bring His reward, and He can give to every one according to their work because He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. It’s not some nobody that’s making you this promise; It’s the only One who can follow through and keep it.

Although rarely focused on in the contemporary church, there is an expectation of how He should find you upon His return. I know pointing out the obvious and having the Scripture references to back it up is unloving and lacking in grace, works salvation, or my internalized need to be punished for perceived inadequacies, but at least you won’t be showing up to my house with pitchforks and torches. As far as I’m concerned, that’s a good thing because I can’t afford tall fences, private security, or to live in a gated community like the pimps insisting on smooth sailing ahead while bleeding you for your last dime.

The Book is clear that Jesus will return. It is also clear that when He returns, not all will be found ready and waiting. There will be a clamor for oil, and there will be a clamor for light by all those who squandered the time they had and did not ensure that they had oil in both their lamps and vessels.

The foolish virgins made no provisions for any delay on behalf of the bridegroom. They had firmly established in their minds that He would come at an appointed time, a time of their choosing rather than His, and assumed that He would bend to their will and do as they desired.

Why have extra oil when you won’t need it? As the old maxim goes, better to have and not need than need and not have.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.  

Where

 As a whole, there are roughly six times more prophecies regarding Christ’s return than His birth in the Bible. Depending on your search parameters, there are fifty prophecies regarding Christ’s birth in the Bible and an impressive three hundred about His return.

The reality that Jesus will be back one day and that His reward will come with Him is not ambiguous or difficult to piece together. It’s not like some modern-day positions some believers take where you have to wedge a round peg into a square hole to make the idea feasible.

Jesus said He would return many times throughout His time here on earth. There is also a myriad of prophecies regarding His return throughout the Bible, just in case someone wanted to pull the ‘in the mouth of two or three witnesses’ card.

This is not an issue that’s up for debate. This isn’t like the sprinkled or submerged debate with water baptism. The Bible unequivocally tells us that Jesus will return, as does Jesus Himself, to the point that one would have to be willfully blind and ignorant to have any lingering doubts about His intentions.

John 14:1-4, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may also be. And where I go, you know, and the way you know.”

Not only did Christ promise He would return, but He also promised He would not be idle until that time. He went to prepare a place for those who are His so that when He returns, He may receive them, and they may be with Him.

If you grew up in the eighties or early nineties, and you were from what was deemed a working-class family, your parent’s version of a summer camp was likely making the eldest watch over you during the day. All that really entailed was to make sure that when they got home, you wouldn’t be handing them your thumb or your eye in a jar.

Being Eastern European, whenever my mom had to work, and my grandmother was not around, she’d leave instructions as to what she expected to get done around the apartment before she got home as well. Granted, that wasn’t often because grandma was always present with her own set of instructions, and even if she wasn’t, there wasn’t much for us to do as far as fun was concerned.

Our apartment complex didn’t have a pool, a playground, or even a sandbox, and the one complex which did down at the end of the block had a keycard system and spiked fence that made it impossible to get in. Those were deemed the rich kids by us poor kids, and when it was really hot during summer, we’d go peer through the fence to catch a glimpse of the pool, then come back to our slice of paradise and play with the water hose until the Mexican lady whose window the hose bibb was under started yelling at us to vas de aqui. She’d say other things too, but I later found out they were naughty words.

Whatever else we did, we made sure to do what mom told us first, whether washing the dishes or making our beds, because mom was not one for playing games when it came to following through and doing what she’d outlined before she left.

We didn’t spend our time watching the clock for when she would return; we did what she told us to do before she returned.

That she might not return to check up on us one day never crossed our minds because mom always came back, sometimes tired, sometimes with callouses on her hands, but she’d always come back.

Jesus told us He would return, and we should take it to heart. The when of it doesn’t matter so much, at least not to me, because I know where He went and what He’s doing until the appointed time arrives, and we get to meet Him in the air.

Imagine all the things we could get done if our focus shifted from when He might return to being diligent in doing what He commanded us to do while He was gone. It’s a formidable list, to be sure, and not one that can be hammered out in an afternoon. There are ongoing pursuits we must endeavor throughout our existence, whether until we are taken home or until He returns.

That’s the thing I never quite understood about the whole debate regarding the timing of His return. If only to defend what is written, I’ve weighed in and presented what the Bible says, but as far as having a personal bone to pick, who’s to say I’m to see another sunrise? Who’s to say you are?
That we would go back and forth regarding the timing of Christ’s return, knowing full well that we may be long gone from this earth by the time it occurs, is a waste of both time and energy.

That He is returning has been established. That He has left specific instructions as to what we must do until His return has likewise been established. In light of these truths, the only pertinent question to which I must have an answer is, what will He find me doing when He returns?

Am I redeeming the time, or am I twiddling my thumbs? Am I furthering the Kingdom of God, or am I having pointless internet battles with strangers over tertiary issues that will prove true of their own accord?

With love in Christ, 

Michael Boldea, Jr.

Return

 A soldier tasked with a duty remains at his post until his commanding officer delivers new orders. It doesn’t matter how long it takes or how difficult the task; they were entrusted with a responsibility. Whether to stand guard, to protect a battlement, to watch from the towers to man the drawbridge, to ready the horses, to supply the archers, whatever it is they were commanded to do, they must do to the best of their ability for as long as it is required.

Whether they’re comfortable while carrying out their duties, whether they enjoy what they’ve been tasked with, whether it’s intellectually fulfilling, or draws the envious eyes of peers doesn’t enter into the equation. Orders were given, orders must be carried out, and failure to do so will result in disciplinary action.

The only people I’m willing to baby in this world are my daughters, and they’re eight and five. The older one’s already on the outs, and she doesn’t like it one bit, and the little one’s getting close to the threshold where kid cloves are more of a detriment than they are a necessary tool to spare your children’s feelings.

To be expected to infantilize adults is one bridge too far for me, and though some might deem it cruel, cold, heartless, or unloving, it’s their perception and not the reality of the situation. It’s not about sparing their feelings. It’s about making you feel some type of way so that you agree with their position or give license to the sin that they love more than they love God. Life’s too short to play stupid games because I know what kind of prizes such games hand out.

Unless someone is standing behind you, pulling your eyelids apart, forcing you to read what I write, the remedy is simple. Click away, and thank you for visiting.

No, I will not make allowances just because some people think I should, not because I’m stiff-necked as I’ve been accused of being, but because the Bible will not make those allowances. If I were to insist that the way is wider than the Bible says it is, you shouldn’t be listening to me, never mind taking my word over the Bible’s.

There are plenty of scripture twisters out there. Throw a stone at your television set ,and you’re bound to hit one. Why do some people insist that everyone should be a scripture twister just to pacify them? Seek out those who would tickle your ears. Seek out those who would tell you what you want to hear. Why do I have to damn myself to hell because the truth grates on you?

You’ve got your four hundred telling you what you want to hear. Could there not be one who will tell you what you need to hear? When the king’s messenger went to Micaiah, he was quick to inform him that there was a consensus regarding his query. All the prophets encourage the king with one accord. Don’t be a wet blanket, don’t be a stick in the mud, let your words be like theirs, and speak encouragement.

Micaiah’s answer was short and to the point: whatever the Lord speaks to me, that I will speak. I could just imagine the messenger’s face, the hand wringing, and the flustered look. Just go along, buddy. Four hundred prophets can’t all be wrong; you’re just one guy. Do you want to be like that one out of thirty dentists that doesn’t recommend Crest whitening toothpaste? You think you’re better than your peers? Are you too good for Crest?

If the retelling of Micaiah’s experience teaches us anything, it’s that majority consensus is irrelevant and meaningless. A majority can agree on something, and a majority can be wrong. The mere fact that they are a majority does not bestow them with infallibility. That one guy the king hated and who was encouraged to go along had the truth of it, not because he was smarter than the four hundred who got it wrong but because he relied on the Lord to speak to Him.

Some people say things because they seem reasonable enough in their own minds. Others do it because they want to ingratiate themselves with someone in power or authority. Then there are those who care nothing for ingratiating themselves or trusting the musings of their own intellect but rely on God to speak and remain silent when He doesn’t.

Our general commanded us to occupy until He comes, so here I am, and here I will remain, because what He stated both implicitly and explicitly is that He will return. Jesus was the first to coin “I’ll be back,” and not only did He mean it, but He also has the power and authority to make it so.

Jesus said He would return, and that’s enough for me. Until such a time, I have my orders, and so do you. I don’t know about your orders but my orders aren’t to bicker and infight, my orders aren’t to be distracted or careless, my orders are to watch and pray and spot the approaching enemy before he reaches the gates and lays siege to the city.

Jesus never asked me to understand the enemy’s motivations, or take his feelings into account, or try to walk a mile in his shoes. He didn’t ask me to try and hammer out a truce or a cessation of hostilities. He commanded me to occupy until He comes - anything other than that I do of my own volition and by definition, outside of His will.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.  

He Does

 When did it become acceptable for soldiers to mimic lovelorn school girls, picking at daisy petals and alternatively mumbling he loves me, he loves me not? When was it that we grew comfortable with the arduous task of perpetual analysis, to the point that all we do is analyze, split hairs, and debate amongst ourselves, never actually marching onto war? It is a strategy of sorts, I guess. You argue over the route you’ll take to the battlefield so long that you miss the battle altogether, but still, you show up afterward just in case your side won for the accolades and attaboys.

If I’m not afraid of death, I’m certainly not scared of keyboard warriors with sensitive feelings and a need to vent. I understand that excuses are the mainstay of the coward, but it doesn’t mean that the excuses carry any weight. Most contemporary Christians will not defend the truth because they are concerned about how the world will view them if they do. As such, they remain silent even when everything inside them is screaming to say something, anything because the voiceless need a voice too.

If you are a sheep, your faith will mirror it, but so will your life. If you are His and He is yours, you know Him as Lord and King. Because He is Lord and King, you also live your life according to His will and Word.

1 John 2:1-2, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”

Well, there you have it, all this talk of sanctification for naught. Holiness is for the birds; I have an advocate, so I can do what I will, and Jesus will fix it. It’s like having a lawyer on retainer, knowing you’re going to break the law. The only unknown is the measure of severity.

Not so fast, Speed Racer; there’s more to the chapter than the first two verses, but we don’t want to be bothered with that. Knowing that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, the need for an Advocate with the Father is undeniable. What we must establish is what sort of sin John is speaking of. There is a difference between habitual, continual, and unrepented of sin and an angry thought toward someone or action less than ideal for a child of God.

1 John 2:3-6, “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also walk just as He walked.”

If your walk and life are not commensurate with the walk and life of Jesus, though you say you know Him, you are a liar. That’s not me saying it; that’s the Bible saying it. That whole notion of I can live whichever way and still make it on The Way is contradicted by a multitude of Scriptures.

Yes, I know, the Apostles didn’t have the internet, so they couldn’t run a poll to see which opinion was more popular, but a majority doesn’t make something right by the nature of being a majority. Throughout history, it’s those who were in the minority that turned out to be correct because there is a madness to crowds that is dangerous and twisted, in that good seems evil to their eyes, and evil seems good.

If I call myself a sheep but all I want to do is hang out with the wolves, and the wolves accept me as one of their own, then maybe I’m not a sheep after all.

You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can judge a wolf by its fangs. You can tell whether a tree is good or not based on the fruit it produces, and no amount of sugar and cinnamon will make bad fruit passable as good.

The Bible says we know Him, not if we have a fish sticker on our car, wear a white dove pin, attend a particular denomination, or support our favorite televangelist. The Book says we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments.

Living out one’s faith is more complex than speaking the right words. I’ve heard people declare that Jesus is Lord, then watched as they did things that would make the devil blush. Our declaration requires foundation. When we speak the words with conviction, we will live according to His precepts because if He is Lord, then our faithfulness and obedience are naturally occurring.

The how of it is easy enough. In everything you do, make certain that you are willing to suffer for the sake of the truth rather than be willing to let the truth suffer because of your actions. If that is the metric by which you live your life, then you will know obedience, self-control, self-discipline, and restraint.

Remember who you are. Remember what He promised. Remember that eternity is forever; where you spend it is the only metric yet to be decided. If you are a sheep, then follow the Shepherd, hear His voice, and obey His commands.

It’s not complicated if we choose to humble ourselves. Only when the flesh, our pride, and elevated sense of self insert themselves and wrestle for dominance does this journey become vexing and troublesome.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.  

Joyful

 I’ve never understood believers who are terrified of dying. I understand not wanting to die because you’d be leaving something unfinished, because your kids aren’t all grown and out of the house, or because you know your spouse would be lonely without you, so for their sake, you want to abide for a little while longer.

Fear though, terror at the thought of catching something randomly that may endanger your life somehow and thereby isolating yourself from everyone, living like a hermit, and dipping the nuggets the Uber Eats kid delivered in disinfectant before eating them, that I don’t understand. If you knew what that kid did to your nuggets before ringing the doorbell, you’d be doing shots of the sanitizer, but let’s pretend they’re all wholesome, well-adjusted teenagers that are just trying to earn their way through college by delivering fast food to people too lazy or fearful of getting out of their homes.

The promise of eternal life eliminates the fear of death. It doesn’t just tamp it down or diminish it; it eliminates it. We have a genuine and abiding hope in Christ and His promise that we would be where He went to prepare a place for us.

The fear of death no longer holds sway; it has lost its sting, and dread no longer has a place in the believer’s life. You’re not stepping into the unknown full of terror and misgivings about what will come. You’re going home into the arms of the one who loves you to the point of already having given His life for you.

Had they not had the hope and the promise of eternal life, do you believe men and women would have gone to their deaths while being burned alive singing hymns and songs of praise to God? If you want an eye-opening history lesson as to what the primary church went through as far as persecution is concerned and what some believers go through today, grab a copy of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and give it a read.

In order not to love your life unto death, you must possess hope and assurance in something beyond this life. If I have the promise of eternal life, what does it matter to me what men do to this flesh? If I know that to be absent from the body is to be one with Christ, what have I to fear?

This is why believers were so negatively impacted by certain pastors and elders when they were given the ultimatum to either put something into their bodies they didn’t want or be shunned and no longer be considered among the fellowship of the brethren. I get that Franklin Graham’s a big deal in certain circles, but I can’t just take his word that Jesus would have rolled up His sleeve for the likes of this administration or the man tasked with ensuring everyone got one.

As I explained to a friend recently, I don’t want to die, but I’m not afraid of death. I’ll be here for as long as God will have me, and not a minute longer, no matter how much I may try to extend my time here by eating seaweed and kale or whatever atrocious thing is en vogue this week.

I’m not about to dedicate more time than necessary to something I have no control over. It’s just ironic that a guy who subsists on a diet of black coffee and gas station grilled cheeses is outliving professional athletes half his age.

God made me a promise. The same promise He made you, and because I know Him and trust Him, there is not a flicker of doubt in my mind as to His ability to keep it. It’s good enough because He said it. I am not entitled to any special proof regarding God’s sincerity, nor would I require it.

The promise of eternal life is undeniable, as is its originator. No more need be debated on the topic because God’s promises are ironclad, and His ability to carry them out is indisputable.

If you are His sheep and know His voice and follow after Him, you trust Him without equivocation because you know His character, you know His nature, and you know His compassion. It’s those who do not hear, who do not follow, and who do not call Him Lord that need constant reassurance about something God said.

There is a three-year age gap between my daughters. Recently we were swimming at a pool when the youngest walked up to the edge of the pool, and I reached out my arms and said, “jump; daddy will catch you.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, “promise?”

“I promise, baby bear, I’ll catch you.”

She stood there biting her lip when her older sister said, “jump, he’ll catch you; he catches me all the time. Daddy will keep his word.”

Then she jumped, and I caught her because, as the older one pointed out, I am her dad, and I keep my word.

God is not a stranger trying to offer you candy to get you into his van. He is a loving Father who promised eternal life to those who abide in the truth. He doesn’t need to trick you, beguile you, or charm you. You’re not a child; you’re His child. If you are His child, then you already know you can trust Him and that eternal life is yours to lay hold of.

1 John 2:24-25, “Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that He has promised us – eternal life.”

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr. 

Of Us

 Certain spiritual issues require thought and introspection. Thankfully none of them are salvific. When it comes to salvific matters, it’s cut and dry, absent ambiguity, because being saved, having the promise of eternity well in hand, and being anchored in it is one of those paramount issues that must be established fully before we can mature and grow as believers.

If I’m constantly questioning whether I’m saved or not, if I’m always wondering whether or not I have eternal life, I’ll have neither the time nor inclination to do anything else but worry. Working while it’s day, doing exploits on behalf of the Kingdom, these things require a foundation of the full conviction and assurance that He knows me, I am His, and He has me well in hand.

Goats pretending to be sheep will never know the peace and joy that comes with being a true sheep, following the Shepherd. It’s largely why many supposed believers require extra-biblical experiences to satisfy or spiritually fulfill them, going off into the weeds to the point of trying their hand at astral projections and out-of-body experiences.

Jesus didn’t say His sheep would know His voice and open their third eye. He said they would know His voice and follow Him. Goats get bored easily, are always looking for excitement, and are always searching for something fresh and new. The taste of green pastures doesn’t change; neither does the taste of fresh water.

That’s why my hackles get raised whenever I hear people declaring that God is doing something fresh, new, never before seen. It’s the ninth wonder of the world sort of stuff, brother; you just have to believe! I don’t, though. I don’t have to believe; you want me to believe, and what you want me to believe is contrary to what my Shepherd tells me I should believe.

1 John 2:18-19, “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”

Peppered throughout the Bible, especially when referencing the last days, we have warning upon warning when it comes to deceivers, false prophets, false Christs, and antichrists. There’s quite a mélange of deception, and if you don’t know the Shepherd’s voice, it will be difficult to remain standing.

By what John relates, even during his day, there were individuals who infiltrated the brethren with the singular purpose of deceiving them and leading them astray. This is what he means by those who came out of us because they were not of us. They left the fellowship of the saints because they were never of the fellowship of the saints.

And that’s one way of looking at it: individuals who stray, those who return to the world and the things thereof, were never of the household of faith, to begin with. They were just goats pretending to be sheep hoping to get sheep to become goats, and when it didn’t go as planned, they went on to find new opportunities. At least, John is asserting this when discussing those who strayed.

I’d be perfectly content with ending this train of thought here if not for the fact that those Jesus will say He never knew, prophesied, cast out demons, and did wonders in His name. Those absent intellectual curiosity will likely shrug their shoulders here and say they did those things by the powers of darkness. Still, biblically we know that the devil doesn’t set about destroying his own kingdom.

Coke doesn’t do promo tours for Pepsi, and Nike doesn’t encourage you to buy Reebok. Devils don’t cast out devils, and Satan doesn’t prophesy and do wonders in Christ’s name.

And that’s the philosophical question I’ve been grappling with for a few days now: Was the casting out of devils, the doing of wonders, and the prophesying a long con on the devil’s part? Was he just seeding soil so he could reap a harvest, or did individuals give in to lawlessness and worldliness because they ceased being watchful?

It is feasible that at some point throughout their life, both a sheep and a hog end up in the mud pit. The difference between the two is that the hog loves the mud, while the sheep does its best to extricate itself from it.

When a sheep stumbles, its singular purpose is to get back up and continue following after the Shepherd. A swine’s only focus is to find the next mud puddle he can jump into. How do you know whether or not you have laid hold of the promise? If the mud feels natural to you, if you enjoy it, if every fiber of your being isn’t screaming for you to get out of it, perhaps you are something other than a sheep who hears the Shepherd’s voice.

If you’re reading these words, know it’s not too late. You can still be His, truly His. You can still Hear His voice, follow Him, and know that you possess the promise of eternity. You can know it with the certainty that a sheep knows its shepherd will lead it to still waters and green pastures.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr. 

Doubt

 Doubt and uncertainty are toxic to the human condition. Where doubt is present, everything turns gray, and the things that should bring joy do little toward that end. What doubt regarding eternal life does to the spiritual man is akin to someone trying to sit in a plastic chair that’s been out in the sun one too many summers. They attempt to sit gingerly, ease themselves into it, ever trepidatious that at any moment the plastic will give, and they’ll end up on the internet with their family howling with laughter as background noise. Even when they’ve finally seated themselves, they’re hesitant to move around or get comfortable because, in the back of their mind, the nagging thoughts persist. If the chair were made of iron rather than plastic, there would be no hesitation, worry, or concern.

If all someone did was wave a hand in church, but there was never a rebirth, a transformation, a renewal of the mind, the doubt will persist, and they will be leery of walking boldly toward eternity, and rightly so. We have seen the collateral damage of the touch your screen and say this prayer generation in the form of a stunted, withered, malformed, and powerless church.

My wife’s a fan of stretching her faith when it comes to how far she can drive after the little red low-fuel light comes on. As yet, she hasn’t called me from the side road asking to bring some gas, but it’s bound to happen.

Whenever I try to tell her that more gas went into her tank than the allotted capacity, she smiles and says, “I never doubted I’d make it home for a second.” As for me, if I get anywhere near a quarter of a tank, I start getting uncomfortable. It causes me psychological discomfort to know that I’m low on gas, and no matter what I try to do to distract myself, I can’t.

I traveled the highways and byways of this nation enough to know that fifty miles until the next exit seems like an eternity when you’re low on gas, especially before the time of cell phones and automobile clubs that come and help you out if you’re a member. Flat tires are flat tires. You can’t help those. They happen when you least expect them, and you have to deal with it. Running out of gas isn’t accidental. It’s something that could have been avoided had the driver had the presence of mind to pull over and fill up. 

I will freely admit I’ve had times when, unlike my wife, I doubted I’d make it to the next gas station. What I’ve never doubted, not for a second, is that I’d have the promise of eternal life. It’s not because I’m some super-Christian; I’m not. It’s because I read my Bible and believe it.

Issues arise when we believe what people tell us regarding eternal life over what the Bible tells us. If the Bible says one thing and the grinning head on television says another, believe the Bible, always, without equivocation.

Eternal life is a gift and a promise of God for all who belong to Him. What I have to determine as an individual is whether I do belong to Him, whether I’m a sheep or a goat. Sheep follow. Goats wander.

John 10:27-28, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

Jesus made it clear: those who are His sheep hear His voice. They are in tune with the Shepherd, and when the Shepherd speaks, they don’t pretend as though they didn’t hear or fail to hear Him because they were distracted by something else.

Not only do His sheep hear His voice, but they also follow Him. If we only hear His voice but do not follow Him, are we still His sheep? If we hear His voice but choose to go our own way rather than obey Him, are we still His sheep?

Jesus knows those who are His. They hear His voice and follow Him, and to them, He has promised eternal life. He also declared that no one would snatch His sheep out of His hand. You ask why I’m certain about eternity. Because Jesus said no one could snatch me out of His hand, and I’m not about to wiggle out of it voluntarily.

You can tell a lot about a person’s spiritual condition by how they frame the questions they ask. If the first thing out of the gate they want to know is what they can get away with, what they can do insofar as skirt the line but not cross it, if it acts like a goat and rebels like a goat, it’s a goat.

I’ve even had people get into units of measurement with me as though the cutoff is a pint of beer rather than a pitcher. If I am a sheep and He is the Shepherd, then my only desire is to listen for His voice, hear Him, and follow, not to determine how much time I can spend roaming the crags and cliffs and still end up with the flock.

The problem with being a wandering sheep is that wolves are still a reality we must contend with. A lone sheep away from its shepherd makes for a mighty fine meal.

The crux of the issue has been improperly framed for so long that the words of Jesus no longer resonate, and His promise fails to provide the expected comfort.

With love in Christ,

Michael Boldea, Jr.